March 5th 1901

Jacobs Dale

Orange Free State

Africa

6th March 1901

Dear Mother

I am in the escort of the convoy of the column to which we are attached; our men left the Modder River where we were camped last. There was such a lot of our brave fellows were slaughtered, there are 72 Highlanders buried in one grave and one of our tents was just on the spot where General Walker was killed. Our men went through this town yesterday at 4 o’clock and we got here about 7 o’clock. We hear they have been fighting already. I have to go out as far as not to lose sight of the convoy and there are other units in front and behind about 112 mile between. We have 100 rounds of ammunition each.

There are plenty of Dutch women here but I haven’t seen any men. They are all prisoners or away fighting further inland. We left Cape Horn on Wednesday 2 o’clock and did not get to Modder till Saturday morning. We passed trainloads of prisoners going down in a special train. Most of the Boers were laughing and saying Good Day but one looked very savage and spit at us and one said something about not having got the Transvaal yet. There may be stiff fighting yet but there is no doubt their back is broke now. They have fought wonderfully well but we are going right to the fire, nothing will stop us. Their trenches are something wonderful it is no wonder our fellows fell so thick taking them. Who says the British can’t fight yet and the colonials too, we get great praise?

There is no trees all these hundreds of miles we have come and no grass and nothing but some kind of snakes. It is a miserable looking country so far as I have seen yet. There were a lot of Ostrich farms all along the line but they are not very valuable now. They say a pair of Ostrich used to be worth 100 pound and a feather you would get for 2/- was worth 1 pound. They build their houses of brick some burned and some sun dried, they are very comfortable. They make bricks of cow dung For burning and it gives a great heat

I must finish this as we shall soon be starting our trekking. We have 10 mile on our wagon and two Kaffirs to drive and whip they are tough mules. I am in splendid health thank God. I weighed 10 stone a couple of days ago.

We had our leggings took off us and some long strip of khaki serge to wrap around our legs, they are better than leggings for sleeping in, and we have to be ready for a surprise any time. I have a very good mare she bucks a bit but I can beat her all right. Well I must say au revoir and God bless you all.

From your ever loving son and Brother.

E.T.Johnson

2nd Queensland Contingent

South Africa.