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Article A CHRISTMAS DAY BEFORE THE ENEMY. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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A Christmas Day Before The Enemy.
You must excuse , kind readers , under such circumstances , such strong language from a very young man . "I am very sorry , " the officer also remarked , " that they have attacked to-day , as I wanted to give the men a good Christmas dinner ; but such is the fate of war . " And then he hummed Wolfe ' s famous song , which has been often hummed before , and will be as often hummed again , under similar circumstances . All of a sudden he
said to Sergeant Jones , — "By George , they are pouring clown the hills , the ground is black with them-Go round to the men , tell them not to fire until they hear the bugle , if they can help it , and not to throw a cartridge and much more a life away ; I don't want a single fellow to be missing at ' roll call , ' ancl when we eat our Christmas dinner , not even a Fingoe . I wish there had been time to give them their breakfast first , but there isn't . " As Sergeant Jones left him , " ping , ping , " from the corner , told that a sharp-sighted marksman had got a man within range , ancl the cheers told that a Caffre leader had fallen .
"Well done , Jenkins , " said the officer , " that was a very good shot . "Yes , sir , " said Jenkins modestly , "but I'll do better yet ; " and you need not doubt but that he did . It would be impossible in one "Maga" to tell of the hot long struggle of thateventful day . Unweariedly did those gallant fellows , obeying orders , keep under cover ,, though somewhat grumblingly . The English soldier believes in " going in , " and despite " scientincists , " and
lecturers , and civilians , who , to my mind , will tell English soldiers too often how not todo it , there is a good deal in the theory after all . "Close with the enemy , " is a maxim which'pleased equally the great Conde ,. Suwaroff , Nelson , and Tegetthoff , and though the Martini-Henry has brought with it " strange conceits , " I am rather still inclined to think that , after all , it wdl be the . " rush" that will decide all at the last . About five that evening heavy firing on the right flank , ancl evidently artillery fire ,, told the little garrison that help was near .
"Ah , " said the officer cheerfully , " that's Anstruther with his guns , and Pat O'Flaherty with his rockets . It wdl be very soon over , now ! " And he was right ; for all of a sudden the Caffres disappeared like Boderick Dhu ' smen in the " Lady of the Lake , " and the firing from the front ceased . Just at this moment an officer in artillery uniform galloped across the hill , ancl , coming up to the low parapet , said , —¦ " Wellold fellowthe varmints are off ; Pat declares that his last rocket bowled
, , over the chief . But at any rate , they are in full retreat . Bye-bye ; a merry Christmas to you !" And away he galloped to where his men were limbering up and preparing to march back to their encampment some miles away , and eat their Christmas dinner . For a little while all remained quiet in and about the fort , ancl the men still wereat then posts . At last the officer had the " assembly " soundedancl that gallant
little-, garrison collected together on their little parade-ground in the fort . Happily , not one was missing , and only two were wounded . " Well , " said the officer to his men , " you ' ve done very well ; you will all be glad of something to eat . "
The men feelingly assented by their looks , and Sergeant Jones said , in a solemn manner , — "I presume , sir , though most of the cookery has been spoiled , Mrs . Jones says , owing to them badly-clothed Caffres having attacked to-day , the men may now go to then- Christmas dinner . " " Certainly , " the officer said , with a smile on his face ; " and I wish them all good , appetites . I must go and see our poor wounded fellows . March the men to their-Christmas dinner . " As it turned out , neither of the men was badly wounded , it being only from
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Christmas Day Before The Enemy.
You must excuse , kind readers , under such circumstances , such strong language from a very young man . "I am very sorry , " the officer also remarked , " that they have attacked to-day , as I wanted to give the men a good Christmas dinner ; but such is the fate of war . " And then he hummed Wolfe ' s famous song , which has been often hummed before , and will be as often hummed again , under similar circumstances . All of a sudden he
said to Sergeant Jones , — "By George , they are pouring clown the hills , the ground is black with them-Go round to the men , tell them not to fire until they hear the bugle , if they can help it , and not to throw a cartridge and much more a life away ; I don't want a single fellow to be missing at ' roll call , ' ancl when we eat our Christmas dinner , not even a Fingoe . I wish there had been time to give them their breakfast first , but there isn't . " As Sergeant Jones left him , " ping , ping , " from the corner , told that a sharp-sighted marksman had got a man within range , ancl the cheers told that a Caffre leader had fallen .
"Well done , Jenkins , " said the officer , " that was a very good shot . "Yes , sir , " said Jenkins modestly , "but I'll do better yet ; " and you need not doubt but that he did . It would be impossible in one "Maga" to tell of the hot long struggle of thateventful day . Unweariedly did those gallant fellows , obeying orders , keep under cover ,, though somewhat grumblingly . The English soldier believes in " going in , " and despite " scientincists , " and
lecturers , and civilians , who , to my mind , will tell English soldiers too often how not todo it , there is a good deal in the theory after all . "Close with the enemy , " is a maxim which'pleased equally the great Conde ,. Suwaroff , Nelson , and Tegetthoff , and though the Martini-Henry has brought with it " strange conceits , " I am rather still inclined to think that , after all , it wdl be the . " rush" that will decide all at the last . About five that evening heavy firing on the right flank , ancl evidently artillery fire ,, told the little garrison that help was near .
"Ah , " said the officer cheerfully , " that's Anstruther with his guns , and Pat O'Flaherty with his rockets . It wdl be very soon over , now ! " And he was right ; for all of a sudden the Caffres disappeared like Boderick Dhu ' smen in the " Lady of the Lake , " and the firing from the front ceased . Just at this moment an officer in artillery uniform galloped across the hill , ancl , coming up to the low parapet , said , —¦ " Wellold fellowthe varmints are off ; Pat declares that his last rocket bowled
, , over the chief . But at any rate , they are in full retreat . Bye-bye ; a merry Christmas to you !" And away he galloped to where his men were limbering up and preparing to march back to their encampment some miles away , and eat their Christmas dinner . For a little while all remained quiet in and about the fort , ancl the men still wereat then posts . At last the officer had the " assembly " soundedancl that gallant
little-, garrison collected together on their little parade-ground in the fort . Happily , not one was missing , and only two were wounded . " Well , " said the officer to his men , " you ' ve done very well ; you will all be glad of something to eat . "
The men feelingly assented by their looks , and Sergeant Jones said , in a solemn manner , — "I presume , sir , though most of the cookery has been spoiled , Mrs . Jones says , owing to them badly-clothed Caffres having attacked to-day , the men may now go to then- Christmas dinner . " " Certainly , " the officer said , with a smile on his face ; " and I wish them all good , appetites . I must go and see our poor wounded fellows . March the men to their-Christmas dinner . " As it turned out , neither of the men was badly wounded , it being only from