SURPRISING A BOER LAAGER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11923, 22 December 1900, Page 8

SURPRISING A BOER LAAGER.

Lord Roberts reports, in a despatch dated November Sr-fWnl Smith-Bornen, ronv mnndin- at Eelfapt. Marled with wo small column,", one umler himself, the other under Colonel Spens. Shropshire Lifrhl Infantry. on fhc evening of November 1. for \ai.y> Valley. to surprise a TScer laager at \\ i)koi . K-iin was falling when the column left Belfast, •md shorrl'v afterwards it came down in torrent" with" a'very cold wind: at times it was a regular Wizard". As the columns were operating to support each other, and were some miles' apart, neither could turn back. .1 ho ln""er was reached at daybreak, and the Roers werV completed surprised, 'out the inclement weather prevented Colonel Smith-Domcn followin" up his success. As the. men were drenched thtouah and perished with cold, he vis»lv de('d°d \o retrace h.is steps. As .soon a« tlv> retirement commenced, the "Boers followed with'frent boldness, losing one of (hrir number within 50yds of the Gordons. Their losses w"re heavy. n= the ground was fairly Olien and in our favour. Our c^nnlties u- er e-.-Kiiled-Cnntain Chalmers .C;-uadian MountPtl Rifles, and one mra; wo.uided-M'i'or Sfuiu'erv Canadian Mounted Rifles, and Captain Gardyne, of the Gordons, both slightly, and 1?, men : one man was missing.

TVi?l.TTi.;xc].: OF A MOTHER'S T/CTTKR,

Mrs .T. F. C. Hamilton, of Spencer Lodge, Rvde. ponds to The Times, the following ex-' tract'from a !r-Her which she lias received from her son. Mnior A. C. Hamilton. 61 li Dragoon Guards, dated Barbertnn. 26th Sep-(Pmbr-r: —"I l<avr- n little moral sinrv whie'v you can nublish in a naper if vmi lice. with name*. I di"cd with V>r.\\ de Tost, whom we took here Fo was n JjVnp State eommnmlant and Speaker of the Vol'-^-aatl. He told me after the pTisrap-emcnt at "Raman he found n soldW who had hem o»l !>H nicht. blee^m-: lo death and noarlv de-r'. Hi« doctor sn«l. 'It is visp.lp.ss to rlo ."nythin? fo'' him." and auircpsfpd nmputsline; both lens. Tnn de Post looked in hi? nonket and fou-vl a letter fron' his mother to this effect:—'TVar f-reorge,—l so enxiou? about -"Oil iv this terri'^e \nv, hul T hone you will always be merciful to the

"onrded and reject women, and rmw ns little pnin to others ns yon can. for ChrH'* =~],-„ ~Tour Mother.' He was so touched h» wired for his carriage and the best doctor, ssjit the man tn his own finn, which was near. I'tid ho quite recovered. His name was Oorge Oowan. Mounted Tnfanfry. It would be nice if his mother knew this."