Thabenchu

April 25

S.A.

Dear Mother

This leaves me well & hearty at present we left Bloemfontein to head off the enemy we have quite a bunch of them here have a big gun or two we left camp at Bloem, a week ago yesterday and been marching under fire two days two [?] ent scraps but we have them corraled now and may be run up against them at any time we [?] up against it yesterday but not very heavy we had no casualties but on wednesday lat one Pte killed, pte, wounded, Cpl wounded and our poor old Colonel was wounded in the chin & neck it struck him Just under the point of the chin touched the glands of the neck & Just missing the large artery his wound is a nasty one but not serious the Regt will him for he was good to his men he is a fine officer I am sorry for him but we have all to take our chance I thought I would have been on the engine on the road but I am with the Regt and will be until we get back to Bloemfontein I hope this is the last scrapping we have to do as we have had it pretty hard this last three months it is wonderful what a man can stand when he has to the weather is getting pretty cold here as their winter is setting in and it is pretty cold at night but the cool weather is all right we have dry weather could not be better General french with his cavalry & Mounted infantry is making it interesting for the Boers capturing their transports and rounding them up well I have no more news only I am well and up against it again and hope to come through all right we are lying quiet so far today but may be ordered out any minute I guess the artillery will do the heavy work I hope so anyway as I am well fed up on fighting we are about 40 miles east of Bloemfontein and the mail goes out at noon so I have to hurry so good bye and love to all hoping to see you all in a few months and god bless you all from Noble