LETTER FROM MAJOR ROBIN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue VII, 17 February 1900, Page 317

LETTER FROM MAJOR ROBIN.

A PERILOUS JOURNEY. THROUGH A HAIL OF BULLETS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) Writing from Rensberg to his sister in Dunedin, Major Robin gives some interesting particulars regarding his perilous journey to the relief of his comrades. He says:—“On New Year's Day we carried out the cheekiest order one could imagine. The ’boys’, 25 of them, and forty Imperial Mounted Infantry, were sent out, the New Zealand men in front, then an open interval, and then twenty mounted infantry, making three lines in open or loose formation. My orders were to start them off and remain with the Colonel. Well, out they went, and, after going about three-quarters of a mile, got into trouble. There was nothing for it but a run over that three-quarters of a mile through a. rain of bullets. Someone you know went, and it was the hottest run he ever had in his life. I think God gave him strength, because his wind and legs held out. From the starting point the Staff anxiously watched,and thrice thought that he had gone down. Truly, this man you know did fall, but not by a bullet; it was by a stone-trip, and to raise wind. Thank God, up the second line there was a little cover, or he really could not have advanced further (remember our flank was open to be enveloped by the enemy). When the first temptation came, he dropped under good cover to have a swig at cold tea in his water bottle and get a little more wind. An officer who was there said “it was nonsense to go any further, nothing could be done, and only a fool would tackle it,’ but that fool merely pressed forward, and as he did so the Mauser bullets were tickling up the stones, flicking up the dust, playing - tunes, etc. However, twenty-five ‘boys’ were in that front line in a hole, and only a strainer to bring them out, so this man started off, and then—what bad shots those Boers were—he got there, and bit by bit, man by man in succession was carefully passed over the open space with a hundred marvellous escapes. The Colonel sent a number of horses to the foot of the kopje to help us out. The coining back was easy in comparison to the going. The mounted infantry came out of it without a scratch. On our return it was good to feel that the Imperial officers on the Staff had been watching us through their glasses. They had some spirits ready for this man, and what a relief it was to Colonel Porter when it was reported to him that all were safe. It was cheering to hear his good opinion of the manner in which the men were extracted, and his statement that the fact that no loss was incurred was entirely due to the manner they were brought out. It was necessary to retire for many reasons, because it was a reconnaissance. The boys of the contingent all know it, as it went round like wildfire. Several of the officers have since said, ‘Don’t risk it again, because the men want somebody to lead them.’ ” LETTERS FROM NEW ZEALANDERS. The following are extracts from a letter received from Sergt. E. Harrowell, of the Ist Contingent: — RENDSBERG CAMP, Jan. 5. “We turned out of camp here at 5 a.m. and remained on outpost until 5 a.m, Thursday; then we were relieved by N.S.W. Lancers and came into camp; had fed the horses and just commenced our breakfast when the order came to ‘turn out,’ and away we went right back to our former post, a four-mile jaunt. The Boers were firing their big guns heavily, and ours did ditto. At 12, midday, our outpost party received orders to return to camp. In the evening 20 Boer prisoners were brought in, captured by our cavalry. Some of these prisoners say that Frenchmen are working their guns. Won’t they just get ‘frogs’ if we catch them, the beggars. The Boers brought in were of a very low type—people one could not trust for one minute. Directly our men charged near them they threw down their arms

and prayed for mercy. Three black fellows were with them, and, like all the others taken, were only too pleased to be rid of their Boer masters, who thrash aud ill-treat them most mercilessly. The Boers were sent off to Capetown this morning.

We have the Boers about surrounded, but our strength is insufficient to do this efficiently. Last night, however, two regiments of infantry and a field battery came in. The latter’s guns have a far more extensive range than our present guns, and will be a great help, for so far the Boer guns have most decidedly had a big advantage in range, especially with their ‘Long Toms,’ who can reach us at a long distance. “COLESKOP, January 6. “We turned out this morning at 1 a.m., and at 2.30 a.m. started out here. Our contingent, with 2 guns, is on the extreme left. The guns fired for a long time to find out the locality of ‘Long Tom’ before he replied. Our guns must have gone very close, for at last the Boers replied, and our guns, being of much shorter range, had to retire. After a bit they went to the front again, and ‘Long Tom’ soon began snarling. Again they retired, one shell bursting just in the rear of the guns, who took shelter behind us. Then came another from the “Long ’Un’ right into our fellows, but luckily neither horses nor men were hurt. We were quite 3J miles from the gun, so you can imagine the range this piece has. “We retired 500 yards, and now I am just scribbling these few lines, expecting ‘Thomas’ to lash out at any minute. On our left, in Coleserg, can be heard the hoarse growl of the Boers’ heavy siege guns. Our volley firing heard in that direction has oeasad, also artillery. Suppose they find the Boer position too strong to do other than annoy them. ‘Long Tom' is on a hill, and it is very funny to see the smoke ascend when it is fired, and half a minute or so to elapse before the sound reaches one; then one hears a mighty screaming sound through the air gradually increasing in volume; next a spiteful thud, and finally a ‘bang* as the shell explodes, throwing sand, etc., several feet into the air.” LETTER FROM THE LATE TROOPER CONNELL. The following is an extract from a letter received by an Auckland friend of the late Trooper J. Connell, of the First Contingent. The letter is dated December 22nd, or about three weeks before the writer was killed during the fighting at Rendsburg. “We arrived in Africa all well and at once proceeded to a place called Maitland about four miles out of the town to camp. We got the horses off the boat in good style, but of course we did not mount them to take them away. The Inneskilling Dragoons and some batteries of the Royal Horse were already in camp, and as we came in they turned out and cheered. They then came over and helped us put down our lines, feed our horses, and the thousand and one things that have to be done when putting down a camp. We exercised horses next day, and on the Sunday took the Inneskilling boys over to our canteen and filled them up. Here I met some of the Life Guards, they are very sociable fellows, and we had several drinks together. On the Monday after only three or four days rest we were ordered to De Aar; so we bundled our horses into the train at the Cape and got away in the afternoon. Several military hands accompanied us to the station, and the especially the pipes, made us feel quite warlike. Before leaving we were served out with 50 rounds of ammunition per man; we had been given bandoliers as soon as we arrived at the Cape. We enjoyed the trip up immensely, feeding the horses and watering them being the only work. Each truck had from seven to eight horses in it. and watering them, etc., was attended with no little risk, as if they started to get lively one had no room to get out of the way. When we got to De Aar wc d’d not stay ten minutes, but were at once ordered on to Naauwpoort. There had been some brushes here a. few days previous and we were in hopes of having a crack as soon as we got there. However, we were there over a week and had no chance, the time being spent mostly in drill. Drill at a mighty quick pace, too, over all sorts of stones, bushes and big holes. None of us got badly hurt, though it is a wonder. Since landing in South Africa we have had nothing but the ground to sleep on, but we are getting used to it now. We have also learned to live on bully beef

and biscuits, although when possible we have bread. Many and many a meal we have made on dry bread and coffee, and glad to get that. At Naauwpoort, we occasionally went out to see if we could see anything of the enemy, but had no luck. The New South Wales Lancers, however, were fired on once or twice. They do not use the dum-dum here, and one poor fellow we saw at Naauwpoort had four bullet holes in him and was doing well. At last we were glad to hear that an advance was to be made, and we New Zealanders were sent to patrol the railway line towards Colesburg. The first day's march we got as far as Tweedsdale.

Up to this point the line was all right so some other troops were then sent on by train. The following day wc all advanced as far as Arundel, from which 1 write this. Here we took up a strong position, protected by a chain of kopjes, and with the “O” Battery of the Royal Horse and some Dragoons formed a camp here. The next day we heard the first angrv shot fired. Our No. 1 Company, of which Whyte is one, answered the enemy’s fire, and the No. 2, in which is yours truly, were held in reserve on the plain. After a while the enemy observed us, and started shelling us with a Long Tom they have over there, but the shells fell wide and we retired to cover. Since then we have been fired on pretty often, but the Boers are bad shots. One day we had a horse hit in the leg, and some of ours got hit in the hat, water-bottle, etc. Another day, or rather very early morning, the Boers brought up a big gun to shell our camp. The Royal Horse, however, sent them back with their tails between their legs, smashing up their gun and killing about 100 of them, we think, not to mention horses. It was a sight to see the shells burst over their heads. We and a lot of cavalry were also out, but the range was too long, and we remained inactive. Soon after this something went wrong with my right eye. This country Is a perfect hell for dust and sand when it blows; this is what caused the trouble, I think. I had to come to the Red Cross show to have it seen to, and have been here since. I am glad to say it is much better now. As bad luck would have it, I was out ofa grand scrap our boys had, in which they laid out three ambulance load of Boers (who were behind cover while they were in the open) and only lost one wounded themselves. The wounded fellow, Bradford by name, was taken prisoner by the Boers. He was shot in the leg, and when he fell from his horse he was stunned. Everyone thought him dead. Some of our fellows were going back for his body, but an Imperial officer told them not to, as it would be an unnecessary loss of life. However, some of our ambulance men say he is sow well in the Boer camp. This camp is getting larger every day. The best known regiments here at present are the 10th and 6th Hussars, the Royal Horse (three batteries), the Inniskilling Dragoons, the New South Wales Lancers, ourselves, and some I do not know the names of. There may be a big battle here any time now. All 1 hope is that my eye is fit when the time comes.”