Rushden Argus, 22nd December 1899, transcribed by Kay Collins
The Battle of Belmont
Described By An Irchester Soldier,
Mr. C. Slater, of Irchester, has just received a letter from his son, Herbert Slater, who is serving in the 3rd Grenadier Guards, now at the front. The following is a copy of the letter:-
Sunday, November 26th, 1899.
Dear father and mother, Just a line or two hoping to find you all well. I am about the same. We are moving up the country as fast as we can. I suppose you saw in the papers the report of the battle of Belmont. It was a very hot engagement and we lost a lot of men, and if I get through this lot I shall never forget it as long as I live. We got into camp on Wednesday night, the 22nd of November and slept by our arms until half-past two next morning, We then started off to attack the enemy, who were in the hills some five miles off. We got right up on them before they expected us, but they were in an almost impossible position to take. It was still dark when they opened fire on us, and we could not see them behind the rocks. We had to judge by the flash of their rifles. We only fired for a short time, and then we had the order to charge the hill with fixed bayonets, and we did it in fine style. They ran off as fast as they could, leaving their horses behind them. But the job had not yet started, for behind the hill we took there were four more longer ones. Dear father, I thought every moment, was my last. There were about a dozen of them on top of the hill behind some rocks, but we were not properly under cover. They had us between two fires, and five poor fellows fell, shot through the head. I had a bullet pass through my khaki jacket and shirt, taking a small bit of skin off my shoulder. But I am pleased to say I got through at that; but it was a grand victory. We took all five of the hills, the Boers retreating as fast as they could in carts, our cavalry and artillery chasing them. We went back to our camp, and buried 25 men the same night, including two officers. I do not know the exact number of wounded, but there are a good many. We stayed in camp until Friday, and then started off again, and got some seven miles further, and then camped at a place called Horse Shoe Hill, ten miles from Modder River, where the Boers are reported be in strong force. We started from here at four o'clock in the morning on Saturday, on a pint of tea and half a biscuit each. We had not got far before the Boers opened fire on us with their artillery, but they did not do any harm. Their shots fell short, and many of their shells failed to burst. Our guns started on them, and soon shut them up. We had some stiff fighting in the hills, but we soon ousted them, driving them like chaff before the wind. They are a very cowardly lot. They are all right when behind the rocks, out of sight, but run like mad in the open, and the bayonet is a terror to them. They will not face it. Well, we got into camp here at four o'clock in the evening of Saturday, being without food since three o'clock in the morning, having nothing but a bottle of water. We did not lose any men in this engagement, but the Naval Brigade and North Lancashire lost a lot. We have about 30 prisoners here, including two commanders. Our scouts were out all night, and report that the enemy has retreated out of all touch, so we are off again tomorrow to see if they are about. Our order is to reach Kimberley as soon as we can.
P.S.—If you look down the list of killed and wounded in the papers, take no notice of the name, unless you see my number, 5822.
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| Rushden Echo, 11th May 1900, transcribed by Kay Collins
News from the Front
Letters to a Raunds Man – “Looks Like Stopping Here Till Next Christmas”
Mr John Cooper, of Raunds, has received the following letter from his brother, James Cooper, of the E Company, 2nd Dorsetshire Regiment, now with General Buller’s army:-
There are a lot of sick and wounded at this place (Pietermaritzburg). Nearly all the barracks are used as hospitals. There are some queer sights, I can tell you. Some short of one “wing” (arm), some of a leg, and some nearly blown to pieces. It is quite amusing to see them teaching each other to walk on crutches. The doctors are making good use of the X Rays to find the pieces of lead and iron that some of the poor fellows are stuffed with. I hope I shan’t get stuffed as full as a Christmas turkey with iron and lead, as they are rather hard to digest. I shall be very glad when it is all over, for I should like to get back again. But it looks like stopping here till next Christmas, for we are
Fighting the Wide World;
but “Let them all come,” and even then we shall win. The public must not think we ought to walk straight through, for they are armed as well as us, and they won’t come out to fight. We always have to go to them. That gives them a great advantage, but they can’t shoot for “pussy”. Why, they ought to have killed half of us at Colenso with the positions they held. There is not an army in the world that would drive the British out if they had the same positions as the enemy. But good old Buller was not to be beaten, if he has been checked.
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Rushden Echo, 11th May 1900, transcribed by Kay Collins
A Higham Ferrers Ambulance Man in South Africa
Supt. J W Higgins, of the Higham Ambulance Corps, has received the following letter from Private J Abbott, a member of the corps, who is on the Princess Christian Hospital train, which runs between Durban and Ladysmith—
Durban, March 31st.
Dear Sir,—I enclose you a few lines to say that I am going on alright. I am pleased to tell you I have got a good start on the train. I am selected to be in the officers’ ward, and am getting on first rate. The first run we had was up to Ladysmith: we brought down five cases of dysentery—they were very bad, there being nothing on them but skin and bone. We did have a job with them—no one could imagine what it was without seeing them, but I am pleased to tell you we brought them all down without losing one. We have
Not had a Death
on the train yet. We fetch all down from Ladysmith, and have brought 241 men in all, from Mooi 76 men, and from Pietermaritzburg 60 men. They are coming home on the Nubia, and sailed on March 31st, so we have been very busy the last fortnight.
I am pleased to tell you I am getting on well with my work. We have got a good sergeant, and I am getting on well with him. The train is a fine one, and we have to keep it nice and clean. I should like you to see it. It is fitted up with 22 beds in sick ward, 18 for the patients and four for the orderlies. There are two of us in our ward. The man that is with me belongs to the R.A.M.C. He is a good fellow and we get on well together. The soldiers have a lot of things given them on their way down. Ladies come in the wards at most of the stations and bring them something. In fact, they have everything given them you can think of. Some were very bad cases. Five or six had a leg off; one had got
Shot Through the Neck.
I had not seen anything like it before and shall not want again after this, although is we are wanted and I can help I shall be pleased to do it.
It is splendid scenery from Durban to Ladysmith, hills all round. They are not over strict with us on the train and if we stop half a day anywhere we can have a look round. We had a bathe in the Mooi river. My wife tells me you are having some rough weather in England, but it is very hot here; in our ward it was 90 degrees, but it doesn’t hurt me for I have gained a stone since I landed.
I was at Wynberg a fortnight and was put in a ward with 24 men with a Sister over; I used to help her dress the wounds and got on first class. I saw young Francis (Wellingborough) the first day I was there, on the platform; he had come down to fetch some wounded for their camp, No. 2. They are under canvas. Our ward, No. 1, was built of wood. They are very comfortable places, and all round Wynberg is very nice. Francis is getting on alright and looked well. Of course I don’t know when I shall see him again, as we have left there.
There is no one up this way that I know. We were the first to come here; a few more ambulance men have come to Durban this week but none that I know. I expect
We Shall Meet at Pretoria
all of us. We have been running up to Ladysmith three times a week, and ours was the first train to enter the town. It is a miserable place; the houses are knocked about awfully and the people have been dying about ten per week there. It is a very unhealthy place. I think this is all this time from one of your boys.
J Abbott.
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