9
De Montmorency had established a remarkable influence over his rough followers. To the end of the war they could not speak of him without tears in their eyes. When I asked Sergeant Howe why his captain went almost alone up the hill, his answer was, \'Because the captain knew no fear.\' Byrne, his soldier servant (an Omdurman V.C. like his master), galloped madly off next morning with a saddled horse to bring back his captain alive or dead, and had to be forcibly seized and restrained by our cavalry.
10
Of the other two one overturned and could not be righted, the other had the wheelers shot and could not be extricated from the tumult. It was officially stated that the guns of Q battery were halted a thousand yards off the donga, but my impression was, from examining the ground, that it was not more than six hundred.
11
It may be urged in General Colvile\'s defence that his division had already done a long march from Bloemfontein. A division, however, which contains two such brigades as Macdonald\'s and Smith-Dorrien\'s may safely be called upon for any exertions. The gunner officers in Colvile\'s division heard their comrades\' guns in \'section – fire\' and knew it to be the sign of a desperate situation.
12
This was a remarkable exhibition of the harmlessness of shell-fire against troops in open formation. I myself saw at least forty shells, all of which burst, fall among the ranks of the mounted infantry, who retired at a contemptuous walk. There were no casualties.
13
Sunday cricket so shocked Snyman that he threatened to fire upon it if it were continued.
14
Mr. Leary was wounded in the foot by a shell. The German artillerist entered the hut in which he lay. \'Here\'s a bit of your work!\' said Leary good-humouredly. \'I wish it had been worse,\' said the amiable German gunner.
15
Further information unfortunately shows that in the case of the sick and of the Colonial prisoners the treatment was by no means good
16
Fragments continually met the eye which must have afforded curious reading for the victors. \'I hope you have killed all those Boers by now,\' was the beginning of one letter which I could not help observing.
17
It is to be earnestly hoped that those in authority will see that these men obtain the medal and any other reward which can mark our sense of their faithful service. One of them in the Orange River Colony, after narrating to me his many hairbreadth escapes, prophesied bitterly that the memory of his services would pass with the need for them.]
18
Considering that Major Stapelton Cotton was himself wounded in three places during the action (one of these wounds being in the head), he has had hard measure in being deprived of his commission by a court-martial which sat eight months after the event. It is to be earnestly hoped that there may be some revision of this severe sentence.