 | Ballads of the War |  |
Carbineers to the Rescue
To each other were truer than steel?
When the bullets sing loud in your ears,
To halt and to wheel,
And to dash to the rescue, needs nerve
Such as only a hero can feel.
By the kopjes on Arundel height,
When the sergeant gave sudden alarm,
The Boers are in sight!
And a hundred came galloping down—
Little chance had the seven but flight.
Collis turned, caught the riderless black,
Helped remount, when more swift than I tell,
The horse reeled to the crack
Of a rifle; but dauntless to save
The lieutenant went scurrying back.
He cried, as they sped on their way;
But fate to their speed was unkind,
For a rifle cried stay!
And the horse that was bearing them both
Stone-dead to a Boer bullet lay.
Of the Boers, his lieutenant to aid,
But his horse, doubly weighted, lost pace;
Collis knew it and said,
“I must try my own luck in this game,”
Though more desperate never was played!
He had wheeled and to Collis he flew,
“Mount, sir, or we both pay one price
To the fiends who pursue!”
So Collis took crupper and sprang,
And the horse to his burden went true.
Collis cried “Save yourself! see, I go,
And right glad so alive you get back;
Let the Carbineers know,
If I die, I shall carry to Heaven
Unpaid the large love that I owe.”
Then Freeman, his blood on his rein,
Rode back—“Now, Lieutenant, a lift,
My horse will take twain!”
Collis answered, “Nay! peril your life?
Better one than that two should be slain.”
For he left his lieutenant for dead,
But the Boer bullets beat in the race,
And with hands over head,
As the horse reeled, his rider went down—
Brave soul from brave body had fled.
You who live to this day you can tell
That the heroes who turned in their flight,
And the hero who fell,
Not alone helped each other that day,
They helped all the brave world as well.
Note.—The Daily Telegraph published the following from its Special Correspondent:—
Arundel, Tuesday, 8.35 p.m.I am able to record some conspicuous acts of heroism during a reconnaisance this morning by Lieutenant Collis, of the Carabineers, of the enemy's position. Lieutenant Collis was in command of a patrol of six men. After examining a farmhouse where they were told by the farmer that no Boers were near, the little force proceeded to reconnoitre the farmside, from which a line of kopjes ran up to the enemy's position. They had got within 800 yards of the latter when Boers on horseback were observed coming down. As the patrol moved away Private Ross's horse fell. Though the Boers were now within 300 yards, Lieutenant Collis and Sergeant Freeman galloped back to give him assistance. No sooner had Ross remounted than his horse was shot. Lieutenant Collis again went back, and got him to mount behind on his own horse. The couple had ridden some fifty yards when the Lieutenant's horse was dropped by a bullet. Both then took to their heels. Private Dodson came back and insisted on Lieutenant Collis getting up behind him. This he did, but finding when they had gone a short distance that the horse was unable to carry both, he again dismounted. Private Dunn returned, and Lieutenant Collis mounted behind him. As, however, the Boers rapidly gained on them, he dropped off and ordered Dunn to save himself. Sergeant Freeman, although by this time wounded, galloped back to save his officer. Lieutenant Collis refused assistance, and directed the sergeant to make good his escape. Hardly had he turned away when the rider and horse were shot. Finding that Sergeant Freeman was mortally wounded, Lieutenant Collis ran some hundred and fifty yards, and then concealed himself in the scrub. The Boers came up and examined Sergeant Freeman as he lay on the ground. They fired several shots in the direction of Lieutenant Collis, and then retreated. After walking four miles Lieutenant Collis came upon a patrol of the Inniskillings and safely reached camp. Private Ross is missing. These gallant deeds took place under a heavy fire at close range.
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