BOER BRUTALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11366, 8 May 1900, Page 5

BOER BRUTALITY.

EXPERIENCES OF A CAPTURED

TROOPER.

London, May 6.

Trooper Smythe, of Cape Colony, was recently intercepted and disarmed by the Boers at Donkerspont.

He was then told to go, but as he moved off the enemy fired and shot him in the head, shoulder, and leg.

He immediately dropped and feigned to be dead, when the Boevs, after kicking his prostrate body, left him.

Ultimately he was rescued and taken to Mafeking.

FORTIFICATION OF LYDENBURG.

London, May 6.

The Boers are busy fortifying and provisioning as a new capital Lydenburg, which is situated about 180 miles north-east of Pretoria.

MR. STEAD AND THE PEACE DELEGATES,

London, May 6. Mr. W. T. Stead accompanied the Boer peace delegates across the Channel to Boulogne.

A VOLUNTEER RESERVE. | London, May 6. I The War Office has decided to : form a volunteer reserve. ( PRISONERS TO BE SENT TO I CEYLON. Calcutta, May 6. The Ceylon Times states that a healthy site has been selected in Ceylon by the Imperial authorities as a temporary place of imprisonment for Boer prisoners. LIEUTENANT DOWLING. Adelaide, May 7. Lieutenant Dowling, who was entrapped and taken prisoner at Slingersfontein, and released on the capture of Blnemfontein. has returned invalided. Ho is almost blind from the effects of his wound, but hopes to recover his sight. DOBNSPRUIT ENGAGEMENT. PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER. ACTION OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS. LIST OF PRISONERS. By Telegraph.-Pross Assooiation.-Coprrfght. Sydney, May 7. The News correspondent, writing on April 2, gives particulars of the disaster to General Broadwood's column at Dornspruit. The whole affair, says the correspondent, is inexplicable. The merest neophyte in the art of war, one would imagine, would havo taken the trouble to find out if any of the enemy were in the neighbourhood before camping in a hostile country, and the youngest subaltern would have been cashiered if guilty of bivouacking without throwing out pickets The Boers came clown without warning. It was only as the British were prepared to cross the donga that the whole scheme of the Boer attack became painfully apparent. One hundred of the enemy suddenly emerged from a donga, and with rifles ready to fire, demanded the surrender of the batteries and waggons. Almost simultaneous with the appearance of the 100 Boers was the arrival of 800 more, who rushed the scene by way of various spruits, and the entire force was practically surrounded. "Throw down your arms," was the next order. Many did so, utterly demoralised by the suddenness of the attack ; but a portion of Roberts' Horse, and others, made a dash for freedom, but were literally cut to pieces, losing about 90. The scene here begga.'s description. Huddled together in batches were plunging horses, men, waggons, shrieking Kaffirs, and guns. The artillerists fought bravely enough, but had no chance, for one of the batteries, " U," was right on the donga when attacked. Out of this it is said, only the major, sergeant-major, corporal, and 14 men, were left to tell the talc. The sergeant-major made a gallant attempt to rescue one of the guns, and though the near side wheeler was lying dead on the poles, succeeded in lashing up the rest of the team, and actually got the gun away some distance, and attempted single-handed to get it into action before it again fell into the hands of the enemy. The whole guns of the" F'Battery were therefore captured by the Boers.

On our left flank the Zealand Mounted Infantry, who were unaware of the seriousness of the engagement going on in the donga, were sent down with a portion of Roberts' Horse, and opened up a retreat to Boesman's Kop, towards which, by a very circuitous route, carrying them far to the south of the iest, the battered brigade made their way. As our men fell back and sought shelter among the long rank grass, the Boers boldly pursued and shot many of them from the saddle, recklessly exposing themselves to our lire. One of the New Zealanders' waggons was captured, and driver Pitt was sent with the wounded to some tin houses, near where the

battle took place. In the hurry and turmoil of the scrimmage, he was apparently forgotten, for he found his way back to his company without further mishap.

Amongst the missing New Zealanders are Quartermaster-Sergeant Berland, Sergeant Harris, and Privates Jewell, Catherall,

Eranklin. J. U. Riley, G. Powell, Butters 12),

Prosser,' Valentine, Pope, Tarrant,' Cosser, E, H. Palmer, Waldie, and Miller, 16 in all, who, with the exception of Quartermaster Berland, arc supposed to be badly wounded..

REPORTS ON THE NEW ZEALA'JDOS [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT'] Wellington, Monday.

The Government has ordered to be printed for general information, extracts and reports regarding the conduct and services of the New Zealand contingents in South Africa. Colonel Penton, the commander of the New Zealand forces, says that the reports received from the seat of war are satisfactory, and deserve to be made public.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION'.]

Wellington, Monday.

The Agent-General cables to the Premier confirming the press jnessago re Lord Roberts' and General French's commendation of the New Zealanders.

HORSES FOR THE CAPE.

[BY telegraph.—rr.nss association.!

Wellington', Monday. The Tropea's departure with 180 horses for the Cape is delayed until Wednesday, awaiting coal supply. The Ormazan goes to Port Chalmers and Bluff to-morrow to ship between 200 and 300 more horses.

MESSAGES TO NEW ZEALAND TROOPERS.

The Telegraph Department states that in connection with messages to menhirs of New Zealand contingents in Africa the following particulars must be observed — First: Senders of messages must obtain from the Defer.? authorities the addressee's number. Second: The address must consist of at least three words, viz., number, surname, and regiment. Third: Each message must contain a signature of at least two words, viz., the sender's surname and station from.

MEMORIAL TO TROOPER CONNELL. Past and nreseut pupils of the Mount Eden school are invited to subscribe to the memorial brass to bo erected in the school to tho memory of Trooper Council. Subscriptions will he received by the headmaster, Mr. Alfred Hosking.

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT COROMANDEL. fllV telegraph.own' CORRESPONDENT J CoBOMANDKt, Monday.

A service was held in Christ Church, Coromundel, yesterday morning, in commemoration of the death at Pretoria of Trooper Tarrant, who was a member of the First Contingent which left New Zealand for South Africa. The volunteers, under Captain Kenrick and Lieutenants Inder and Home, held a church parade, and a good number attended the service. The church was crowded with a most attentive congregation. Mrs. W. H. French, the church organist, played the "Dead March" in "Saul," in a very effective manner. The congregation stood during the playing. Suitably solemn hymns were selected and sung. Mr. James Oarnell read the lessons. The vicar (the Rev. C. F. P.. Harrison) preached an eloquent sermon, referring to the deceased volunteer, who had been an active Christian worker in connection with their church. The preacher said, although this war in South Africa was horrible, it had been the greatest means during the Queen's glorious reign of consolidating the British Empire, and it was only in times of deepest disasters and difficulties that the best character of the British people seemed to come to the surface. , It had brought out a devotion to our Queen and country from all parts of her possessions, that could not have been, hail not the present struggle for true liberty caused it. The present war had many lessons to teach, and those lessons came home to them with j much force, even though far away from the I din of battle. There was the great lesson ;of self-sacrifice. Hundreds of our best ofi ficers and men had offered their lives on the I altar of duty for their Queen and country, j and when one looked through tlie illustrated I papers, and saw (he pictures of those cut off in earlv manhood, or in the mime of life, it I made the strongest man grieve, and yet adi mire the energy, and devotion, and self- | sacrifice of such men. It was, indeed, true, 1 that the world was helped and blessed by I the sacrifices of our fellow men. The ser- '' vice that'dav was especially out of respect j to Trooper Leonard Matthew Tarrant, one lof their own volunteers. He was j a true soldier of the Queen, I one who showed himself worthy j of their love and esteem, one who had offered ! himself, yea, gave his life as a sacrifice for I his country, and died a prisoner in the enemy's camp away from home and friends I and kindred, a stranger in a strange land. j How he was treated in his sickness they j might never perhaps know, but let them I hope the enemy showed mercy as they hoped jto receive mercy before the bar of God. As j a citizen Tarrant was zealous in all good | works, a good neighbour, a good workman. j industrious, trustworthy, and hind in nil his j dealings. He took a deep interest in the j temperance movement to help his fellow ; men. He practised what he preached ; as a ; volunteer soldier thev knew how willing he I was at all times to obey his superior officers, ! which was the first mark of a true soldier ; ! punctual to dutv, doing what be had to do I with all his might, cheerfully and willingly. He was a good soldier of Jesus Christ, for ; Tarrant was no ordinary man. His life j was given to God. for he was a good man ' and full of devotion to his Saviour. He was the superintendent of the Sunday-school , at Driving Creek, and on the voyage to j South Africa wrote specially to the children | and sent them cards from Albanv. showing j that in the midst of stern dutv he did not j forget, them. He was vice-jimident of their | Christian Endeavour Society. He wrote j specially to the members onlv recently, urg- ! ing them to be strong in the Lord. In ' another letter he bad referred to the chap- | lain holding a service, where some 1000 troops attended, and shared with a comrade the prayer-book which had been thoughtfully presented to him on the Coromandel Wharf on the morning of his departure. After that church service Tarrant partook of what was probably his last Communion service, under the fruit trees of a South African I orchard, and expressed regret that so few- ! partook thereof. As no man b'veth unto ; himself, said St. Pan', no man dieth to himself. In other words no Christian man living was without influence for good ; neither was a non-Christian without influence for bad. Their comrade was an influence for I good and a lasting good impression was left | on all their hearts hv his life and death. He prayed that the time might be hastened when war would cense, and peace and prosperity and the establishment of Christ's Kingdom should be for evermore.