TOPIC:

1895-96 Jameson Raid - A Contemporary Manuscript Account
Headed at top "Copy of letter from Fred to Mother" and dated "Pretoria 5.1.96". This contemporary account runs to eight sides of manuscript and includes a small illustrative map. I only attach a picture of the page with the drawing.I would like to know who this Corporal Fred was, Can anybody help me establish his identity based on the letter (below) he wrote to his mother? I also have some items taken from Jameson by SPE Trichard in my collection. Attached a picture of the fork that he he used on his ill advised excursion into Boer land.
"You will rejoice I know to hear I have come out of this horrible affair all right. I will start at the beginning & tell you all about it. You will remember I said in my last letter we were going to have a war with two native chiefs. Well, as you must have seen, I was rather out in my reckoning - on Sunday Dec. 29th the Regt. was paraded at Pitsani at 12 p.m. & a roll call held, we had a marching order parade again at 3p.m. boot & saddle going immediately afterwards - Dr Jameson then read us a letter saying that he had been asked by the Chief men & citizens of Johannesburg to bring his regiment to protect life & property. We got away from Pitsani about 4.30 & marched without a break till Monday night when we first met the Boers. It was late in the evening (8 to 8.30) when they fired on our advance guard but after about an hour's fighting we drove them off, killing two & losing one man ourselves. `we marched on about three miles and formed a laager;I was corporal in charge of the Cossack post and placed with three men on the top of a hill about 600 yards from the camp being XX in the hollow. I can't say we had a very enjoyable time of it as I expected to be surprised every minute. We continued our travels at 5 am on Tuesday and halted at a depot for food. We then heard that the enemy were in force in front of us, so pushed on immediately and after going about 5 miles met the enemy, our big guns set to on them & they fled.We then went to another depot close by and had food and drinks as the whole store was bought up by the Chartered Company.I was sent out to cut the wire fencing to our right & had only just off saddled my horse, when we got the order to advance, as the enemy was on the hill above us. This we found to be only too true when we arrived on the top. You will see by the plan the lay of the engagement * I was sent down to this corner with 5 men to reconnaitre when the bullets poured round us. The Boers were all hidden behind rocks, waiting for us to approach closer to them but one man fired at us so we retired full tilt & none of us were touched; wonderful to relate as the bullets were all round us like hail stones. One of our shells had broken the shaft gear of the XX I mean the big wheel etc and it over crash and we got another shell right into the fort; the Boers came tumbling out right & left we must have killed a lot there. We then moved on by a road to the right of the hollow and formed another laager. This was one of our hottest places. They attacked us at about 7.30 & poured an incessant fire in for about 4 to 5 hours, but we kept them at bay; we got a few hours rest then to prepare ourselves for the morrow, drawing ammunition etc. At 4a.m. we prepared to march again, when they saw our preparation they set to with redoubled energy, but the main body after about an hour’s fighting managed to get away, the Maxim guns left next & my troop was left as rear guard & we had a fearful time. I was holding the horses. I had my own and 4 others, two of which were shot while I was holding them. We then had to mount & gallop across an exposed marshy stretch, bullets flying all round us, to join the main body. We all then went on as fast as we could to Doornkop village. I really thought then we had no more fighting, in fact we were all smoking, laughing and talking when, suddenly, after going about 6 miles, we saw the enemy again on our left flank & on top of the hill in front of us. I was sent off with about 20 others as left flanking party and attacked them on the flank. Our orders were to go as close as we could to them & when the fire was too hot to retire; anyhow what with (?) us and chiefly the guns, they cleared down the opposite side of the hill. This was the final battle before we surrendered. We were on one ridge & they were on the opposite hill all behind rocks; they killed any amount"

Hi
I have perused the roll for members with a first name Frederick and rank of corporal and find these possibilities:

Frederick Arthur Fenton. Cpl
Frederick W Dreyer Cpl, wounded, leg amputated
Fred Leesching Clerk, civilian
Frederick Early (not verified)
Frederick Carpenter Tpr
Frederick Champkin Tpr
F W Brown. Tpr
Frederick Sheard Brown Sgt

Kind regards
Adrian

Thank you Adrian, very helpful. By deduction (he wasn't a Sergeant, trooper nor a civilian and doesn't mention being wounded) I put my money of Cpl. Fenton.