Nothing the mounted troops are, as a rule, called upon to perform comes
near it. Knowing exactly from experience what lay in front of them,
these Gordons were as cool as cucumbers. As they lay among the stones
with us before beginning the advance, I spoke to several, answering
their questions and pointing them out the lie of the ground and the
Boer position. You could not have detected the least trace of anxiety or
concern in any of them. The front rank, when the order to advance was
given, stepped down with a swing of the kilt and a swagger that only a
Highland regiment has. "Steady on the left;" they took their dressing as
they reached the flat. Some one sang out, "When under fire wear a
cheerful face;" and the men laughingly passed the word along, "When
under fire wear a cheerful face."
LETTER XVIII
PRETORIA
PRETORIA, _June 6_, 1900.
It is generally considered rather a coup in war, I believe, to take the
enemy's capital, isn't it? like taking a queen at chess. We keep on
taking capitals, but I can't say it seems to make much difference. The
Boers set no store by them apparently; neither Bloemfontein nor Pretoria
have been seriously defended, and they go on fighting after their loss
just as if nothing had happened.
For months Pretoria has been our beacon, and at first it seemed quite an
impossibly long way off.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143