Letters from the Front.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 13, 17 January 1901, Page 2

Letters from the Front.

THE GISBORNITES.

Trooper Gannon, of the Gisborne section of the Fourth Contingent, writes: —A change in the mode of procedure is necessary. We have peppered the Boers with lyddite, shrapnel, pom-poms, Maxims', and rifle fire. We exceed in numbers the Boers we have come across, but they always secure splendid positions. It is only after downright hard fighting that we can get them dislodged. The Boers say the British have ten men to look after one ox waggon, and therefore cannot leave the oonvoys to give them chase. That is quite true. Probably, however, the Boers would prefer our convoys to be less strongly protected. Undoubted our ox waggons are a terrible hindrance to our movements. Had we mule waggons we would do much better, as we could scour the surrounding country 20 to 30 miles every day. The slow-travelling oxen and the necessity of leaving our convoys well guarded absorbs many of our men for that duty. One peculiarity I have noticed in our pursuit of the Boers is that we travel by the main roads, rarely venturing with our convoys off the regular track. Graded roads, such as we have in New Zealand, be it understood, are unknown in the Transvaal. What are the main roads follow the line that offers the least geographical, not military, resistance. That route invariably follows the lay of the low-lying country. The consequences are that the elevated country, with its excellent natural strongholds among the ridges and . kopjes, overshadow us in our marches. The Boers know their way about, and are not slow at taking their stand at the favourable positions that from time to time command our route. From such points of vantage they snipe away at us as opportunity offers. Sometimes they display what appears about to culminate in desperate resistance —a fight to the death. But hey, presto !—in a twinkling off they gallop. Thus getting away ahead of us, they seoure another lofty situation and await our arrival, at the same time keeping a keen eye to their own outlet- for escape. With our crawling convoys we at length get up to them. They indulge in the usual rifle fire, and perform their previous tactics de novo. Some new method in dealing with these gentry will have to be adopted. If we were to garrison the towns, and by the aid of flying columns make periodical and rapid onslaughts, destroy the crops now ready to be reaped, and commandeer wholesale sheep and oattle, the Boer would soon recognise the hopelessness of the struggle—a struggle profitless to him and inconvenient to us. We hear that they are surrendering in great numbers, but while things go on as they are many of their detachments will persist in fighting, and keep us here long after Christmas. If we could have a straight-out fight the whole business could be settled in 24 hours. . . . Major Davies, who, by

the way, came a nasty cropper in one of our recent engagements through his horse falling, will be our regimental officer, with Lieutenant Arthur, of Gisborne, as troop officer.' The latest reports to hand are that the Boers are all over the country, and we expect to be in action again in a few days.