A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Waikato Argus, Volume X, Issue 863, 24 January 1901, Page 2

A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

IT'<>oner Arthur Mikkelsen, formerly; if Waihoti, wriies under date ftlafeking.i JOrli November, 10CO: I said in my last, letter that we were ioing out lo the front again. We got .void in the morning to move out at '2 p.m. for Ottoshoop. We went half way lut day, and the next day we got there md joined Methucn's column. We ihotlght this looked like business again, JUJiK the next morning at daybreak th. 1 column moved off for Zeerust and camped | two milts out, and stayed there three | days, having a good time. There wa. i plenty of loot, and the fruit is gettiui; ripe now, apricots and figs in plenty, so we arc all right in that line. At the i.nd of the three days our guns with an escort were ordered baol< to Ottoshoop. Wo thought we would' -have to stay there, but the next morning! I've got orders to start at .'> p.m. fori SLichtenburg, 30 miles south of OttosI hoop. We were 300 strong, under IColouel MeyricK, and we only travelled! iive miles that night, as there was aj thunderstorm. It was not pleasant sleeping out I can tell you, and wc did! not get much sleep. We were paraded it '2. 30 a.m. and left the camp at day! lireak, iu order to reach Licliteoburg that! night. We got on all riuht till about llj arum., and had just left the halting place i where we had been breakfasting when 1 -uddenly, without any warning, bang | came a .shell over our heads, and it struck Wclose to the convoy. Then another before Jjthe officers seemed to realise what was the Sinatter; but it was not long before out Stwo guns came into action, and cue Hoei I gun soon got out of the way. I'hey firert iahout eiglit shells, but did not do any I damage. We went alter them very careft fully after that, and the Boers retired mi awards the town we were hound for. Hit was all right till we got fii'e miles Ktlong the road and about, three mile k fflfrom the town, when the rifles began tv I Splay, the bullets coming pretty thick. fflWe took shelter for awhile and then wiffi(the guns) went into action again on a jiffikopje by the road, but did not scay long, jKjis the bullets came too thick for tile fflgunners, and one of the teams got b ffiliorse hit, and that team ran away. HWe got r.he order to take the guns flout of action, so the team of which I am iSathe leading driver went for our gun, and, by jove ! it was the wannest shop ever 1 was in. As soou as we had got our gun mt of danger, we got orders to go for the >ther one. This was just as hot a job, but, however, we came out all right. It was now 1.30 p.m. and we were fighting from then till dark, and did not mala much headway either. We camped chat night where we were, and the Boers did not trouble us any more. The nexi morning we were ready fori them at daybreak, but none were to be seen. It ippears that they had retreated, and pgwo entsred the town without further flighting. I was not sorry either, as jgjwo had a hard day yesterday, and |§our horses did not get any water BWuntil we got in aud could not get any Hjwithoiit our goini.' twelve miles back. $1 )ur two guns got three horses shot, but ||iiotie of our men, so I reckon we had Saplenty of luck. The Boers said they had Egthree killed. There was only one wounded |||in the foot on our side, and it is hard to: ||hclicve that in seven or eight hours' plighting, with 300 on each side, there pjwould be so few hit, and it was the most M determined fight I have seen. Well we gHgot into Lichteubttrg and stayed one day |ynid then started back again with an rajempty convoy. We got here last night, wfiiavhig been away twelve days, iu which jSjjiime we travelled 120 miles. We return BSto-day (Wednesday) at -1 p.m., and exEfji''ect lo get hack again to Ltchtenburg on HJSaturdr.y. 1 have not had any mail foi jrg i long time, but I know there are letters ||..omewhere. They say a mail arrived at MJLiohteubarg an hour after we left, and Hniothcr went to Ottoshoop last night. EftjSo we are dodging the mails, but we will Uliiiost likely get our letters when we deBgliver this convoy. We arc having Uplenty ot wet weather, it raining nearly m svery night. __•■] .. . . _