an we do here. We have been receiving
congratulatory telegrams from every one connected with the
regiment, giving us great praise for our share in the battle,
and really I must say the regiment did very well, considering
we have so many youngsters in the ranks. The most trying part
was lying down so long under fire without seeing any one to
fire at. I was rather luckier, having to retire at first, and
then chase some Boers out of the house with the bayonet, and
then we had to ford the river and clear the north bank of the
river. We were clearing them beautifully with the bayonet when
a shell from our own guns burst among us. This seemed to
demoralise every one, and they all commenced to retire. But,
seeing this was my first fight, I couldn't see my way to retire
without seeing who I was retiring from, and besides there was a
lot of wounded lying about; so a major of the North Lancashire
Regiment and myself succeeded in rallying ten men of different
corps and held an enclosure. We were soon tackled by the Boers,
but after we killed half-a-dozen of them they appeared to get
tired of it and cleared off, and we managed to get all the
wounded in. I believe I have got recommended for the
Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Victoria Cross for my share
in this, but of course it is one thing being recommended and
quite another thing getting it."

Boer treachery, of which we had many examples, had hitherto been
practised with monotonous regularity. They had fired on the white flag
and disregarded the sacred sign of the red cross. They had shot the hand
that tended them, they had used Dum-Dum and explosive bullets, but on
this occasion the triumph of originality in treacherous trickery was
achieved. On the principle of "all is fair in love and war," the enemy
utilised their ambulance for the purpose of removing their Hotchkiss gun
from the field, and that too when the precious weapon was not even
invalided!

Tales of many plucky actions which were recorded would fill a volume in
itself. Private Anderson, Scots Guards, over and over again traversed
the fire zone and carried off the wounded to a place of safety.
Lieutenant Fox, Yorkshire Light Infantry, was seriously wounded whilst
valiantly leading an assault against the enemy's strong position. When
the horses approached to take the guns out of action, the Boers at once