Part 47 (1/2)

By degrees a full description was given of that great British reverse on the High Veld and what took place after.

When the battle was over and Colonel Benson lay mortally wounded, surrounded by doctors and officers in high authority, Naude advanced, and asked to be allowed to take his papers. The men protested, but Naude ordered them all aside and gently removed every paper from his pockets. He had no important doc.u.ments with him and the private papers were of course returned to the men in charge of the dying officer.

He expired soon afterwards and was mourned by the Boers as well as the English, for he was admired and respected by all for his courage and daring, and his fame as an honourable foe had spread throughout the Boer lines.

Many of them were heard to say that they had only meant to catch him and that they bitterly regretted his death.

It was one of the worst battles, under General Botha, Naude had ever been in. About twelve Boers were killed instantly, and three wounded to death.

With the storming of the cannon, Boers and English were so close together that the one could hear what the other said, and Naude's corporal, Venter, saw a poor soldier fall back mortally wounded, gasping out with his dying breath, ”Oh, dear mother!”

G.o.d of pity! who will tell that bereaved parent that her son's last thoughts and words were for her alone?

It was terrible to hear the wounded and dying praying and calling to their G.o.d for help. Nationality, language, enmity, and bitter hatred were forgotten as side by side those mortal foes prepared to meet their G.o.d--_one G.o.d!_

Imploring one another for help, praying for one drop of water to alleviate their dying agonies--in vain!

Two cannon were taken by the Boers, one of which they destroyed at once, keeping the other for their future use.

When all was over General Botha spoke a few touching words to his men, thanking them for their bravery, and congratulating them on their success.

Unpleasant though it may be to think of, it is my duty to relate that, before burial, the soldiers were stripped of their clothes, and every Boer permitted to take what he required, but the bodies were treated with respect.

Naude, for purposes of his own, chose the uniform of the dead Colonel Thorold, which had six bullet holes through it and was covered with blood-stains.

Revolvers, leggings, whistle, helmet, all was complete, even to the stars and crown on the Colonel's shoulders.

Naude felt himself rich indeed in the possession of articles which he knew would be invaluable to him on his next entry into Pretoria.

One of his men took Colonel Benson's uniform, but handed the crown to him (Naude) at his request, and then the bodies were covered with blankets for a hurried burial.

Oh, cruel war when men slay one another!

”Oh, blest Red Cross, like an angel in the trail of the men who slay!”

There were about ten dead English _officers_ on the field and nineteen wounded, of whom three or four died afterwards.

”When did you see General Botha last?” Mrs. van Warmelo inquired.

”About three weeks ago, and then he was looking well and brown. He told me of a narrow escape he had had. He was completely surrounded and barely got off with his life. His hat was left behind, also his Bible and hymn-books. Lord Kitchener, courteously, and with a touch of humour, returned the books to him with a boy's hat which had been found on the field, thinking evidently that it belonged to the General's little son, who was known to go everywhere with him; but General Botha sent the hat back to Lord Kitchener with a message to the effect that it was not his son's, but had belonged to his 'achter-ryder,' and thanking him for the books.”[5]

”Tell us some of your own escapes,” Hansie begged, ”I am sure you have had many.”

”So many that I have forgotten them nearly all,” he answered, ”but one I shall never forget.”

He then related how he and twenty of his men had once been pursued for four hours by about one thousand English. The bullets fell like hail about them, and he was keeping the saddle he rode on, as a curiosity, because of the many bullet holes in it. Once a bullet pa.s.sed between his coat and s.h.i.+rt along his stomach, the shock taking his breath away. He was sure he had been mortally wounded, but could not stop to find out, and the very recollection of it still caused him to experience the sensation of coming into close contact with death.