A GORDON HIGHLANDER AT ELANDSLAAGTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11642, 27 January 1900, Page 5

A GORDON HIGHLANDER AT ELANDSLAAGTE.

I- !■ rd d >f c ii ie :s f, c ii s c t I i t i i f E ! The following letter, dated! October 28, frpir Pietermaritzburg, has been written- by Private John Henderson, to his brother at Perth. Ihe Mailer referred to is.a son of Mr Mailer, ! Dunning:—l wrote you on the morning of the 21st, at Ladysmith, bnt never got it posted j yet, as the bugle call for action rang out, j and we were all glad to •march out in the • afternoon and commence tho battle of Jilandslangte. Fighting commenced shortly after 2 p.m., and was hot up to the close, and finished in darkness at about 6.30. Just at the close of the fight I was shot on the left arm clean through the wrist. It has, broken one bone and fractured the other a little, Imt I don't think that L will have to lose my hand. Rather unfortunate to get hit at the last moment, just as the fight was over, but I never enjoyed anything so much in my life. Our regiment lost heavily—2s Jailed and 87 wounded. I fell in with one of th» Imperial Light Horse shortly after- I got j wounded, in, the Boer camp, and lie, as it ! turned out, came from Per.th. His name j is Mailer, anil he is connected with tho family j of that name well known in sporting circles. [ Strange how two Scots from Perth district , should meet under such grim auspices. Mauer was without a, scratch, although he was in the fierce charge at the finish with'the others. He and I went through the Boer camp to see what could be picked up, when almost one of the first things we came across amongst other stores, was a case of John Bewar's whisky, doubtless commandeered from some store in Johannesburg or Pretoria. Never was "Scotch" hailed with so much pleasure as after the heavy, fight, and the night cold and wet, we were all in a. sorry state, and the finding of the case was a lucky one for us. We, along with some other 1.L.H., Gordons, Devons.' etc., di;ank to Elandslaagte and Dewar, and for once forgot our wounds. Part of the case we retained for those' more heavily wounded and near at hand. I was hit in three places, but only one bad, and that in the arm. I shot five Boers down at close quarters just before I'got hit myself, so am pretty well satisfied at present. I would like to have another go at them before it is finished. For three hours and a-half on Saturday afternoon, October 21, it simply rained bullets and shells. The enemy's artillery did splendid work.- They scattered our regiment three times, only their shells did not burst till they struck the ground, and then they did not do much damage. I will write you a full account when I reach my destination, some ivay about tho Cape. Bad luck being sent to the coast at present. I don't know where lam going to, but will write you whenever llanoI.— Scotsman. Nimmo & Blaib advertise in this issue on page 6 a choice lot of newly-imported lilyami other bulbs from Japan and Holland, at ■no,=t reasonable pricea .'. . ' I