reatly impressed by their ability in scouting and patrol work.

It fell to the lot of that able and popular officer, Superintendent
(Major) G. E. Sanders, to show on two special occasions, with small
detachments against large odds, the mettle of the North-West Mounted
Police. Near Middleburg, when Sanders with 125 men was guarding the
railway, he was attacked by a considerable force of the enemy with
artillery. A hurry call for reinforcements was issued, but before they
came the Canadians had beaten the Boers back, Major Sanders and
Lieutenant Moodie, as well as some of their men, being wounded in the
determined resistant fight. Two months later, Sanders, with a handful of
sixty men, formed the advance guard for General Smith-Dorien's column,
but his guide missed the way and all of a sudden Sanders and his men,
completely out of touch with the General's column, came in contact with
a larger force of the enemy. The rifle fire of the enemy was very heavy,
but the handful of Canadians held on till orders came from the General
to retire. While they were retiring Corporal Schell's horse was killed,
and the corporal was hurt by the horse falling on him. Sergeant Tryon
most gallantly gave his own horse to Schell and himself continued on
foot. And then Major Sanders, taking in the situation at a glance,
galloped to the assistance of Tryon, whom he endeavoured to take before
him on the saddle. It was a splendid effort, but, as Sanders endeavoured
to lift Tyron, the saddle cinch slipped, the saddle turned to the side
of the horse, and both men fell heavily to the ground. Sanders was
stunned somewhat by the fall, but pulling himself together ordered the
Sergeant to make for cover and he would follow. But a Boer sharpshooter
dropped Sanders wounded in his tracks. Then another fine thing took
place. Lieutenant Chalmers, a former Mounted Policeman also, who had led
one wing of the advance guard, wheeled his horse and spurred to the help
of Sanders, but he was unable to move him alone, and started for the
firing line. The Boer sharpshooter was still abroad and, turning his
attention to Chalmers, shot that brave officer, who fell mortally
wounded from his horse. Major Sanders and Tryon were both rescued by a
rush of reinforcements, and the Major is still doing effective service
for the country as Magistrate in Calgary. It would seem to an onlooker
that the decoration "for valour" should have been awarded to Sanders for
his gallant and d