A NEW ZEALANDER'S LETTER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6825, 16 October 1900, Page 2

A NEW ZEALANDER'S LETTER.

THE FIGHT AT OTTUSIIOOI'.

CORPORAL McARTNEY'S STORY.

Corporal Angus McArtncy, formerly of Courtenay place, Wellington, a member of the Fourth Contingent, who took part iv the fight at Ottoshoop, despatched

a letter to his relatives in Navy Zealand, three days after the Ottoslioop engagement. It may be remembered that Corporal McArtney was wounded in this fight, and tho letter is written from tho Matching Hospital. The writer slates that on the 15th August a few shots wore exchanged with tho Boers, who wcro next day followed to their stronghold, the Now Zealanders having to cross, on foot, tho open veldt nearly two miles before storming tho kopjen on which were the Boers. Corporal McArtney belongs to the C squadron, and he said that only No. 3 troop of the Wellington boys under Lieutenant Hoss took part in tho particular charge in"|j!j£s;li lie was wounded in support ofiflro Monowai boya under Captain Survey. Corporal McArtuoy says that they did get " a shower of lead " and " ft hail of bullets." His station was on tho extreme left, and following orders, took his section up a steep antt rugged part of tho kopje, keeping cover closely, and advancing by short rushes, they being fairly exhausted when/tho cop was reached. As tho cover vtas not good, a move had to be made aj'png tho top, and some scores of Boers yi-ero mot at short range. The New Zeuliinders took cover, and found that theii: foes wore on tho left, right and front,(nud Corporal MoArtney considers they were very lucky to get out of such a corner. Ho says, " Poor Captiiin Har.yay fell on my right, shot through the he**l aa nc was leading a squad of Monow*l boys on a bayonet charge. I was wo«nl1od in tlic "Sl^ leg while under cover, being *hot from my left, but I was not slopped, and helped to cover the Boers on our immediate front, while two plucky Monowai boys ran out under a shower of lead, and brought in their favourite captain. .

. . . Lieutenant Collins, son of our old Wellington favourite, fell at my loft, t wounded through the left wrist. Young Will Vinsen, from Wcstport, also fell closo to me, shot through the right knee. Captain Fulton fell on the right, lower down the kopio, hit at the ond of the spine, right alongside Sergeant Hickey," right through the buttocks. Trooper Sutherland, of Duncdin, also fell, shot through the hip and ankle closo alongside them. Poor Hickey cried for water, when a liocr rushed to him, taking his bolt, side arms ami bandolier, and £25 off him. Hickey asked to bo pat under cover, but t'ho Dutchman laughed, and said "No shoot you again," but he (the Dutchman) got such a warm volley from a party that carao upon them that ho is now beyond asking for a drink himself. Tlio money was not recovered though. His mates must have got away with it. Poor young Sop McDougall, a young Wairarapa boy, who was in the same tent as injsolf, was shot just aboye tho eyo, death being instantaneous. I feel, sorry for his brother, who must have been closo to him. . . . I was shot about 4 o'clock

in the afternoon, and had to lie until midnight beforo I could be;removed, tho country being so rough. Then wa3 tho time to see how the New Zealand boys look after their comrades. They took off their coats, and put them round mo, as it is bitter cold here at night, and Sammy Samuels, Leo. Matthews and Lieutenant Boss stayed with us until Martin Simcox managed obtain a stretcher for me, and what a hard and trying time those poor tired com rades had in getting me down to tho level. Then the Army Corps bearers took me on over two more rough kopjes, to the road where the waggons were. They bad a very bad time, but the caro they show you is beyond praiso. . .' .

I should like to get back to my mates at tho front, but I cannot complain. . . ...

I had to wait for over five minutes for a Boer, who I caught on the watch for Sammy Samuels, and as he had his head up waiting for Sammy to look up, I put a ball through his head. He was only about 25 yards away from me. . .

The Boers jigain fired upon our stretcher bearers while they were bringing us out."