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The telegraph poles are tearing off their iron braids scandalized by the lies they must transmit

Latest English invention headless telegraphy

Azyeoman, the humor in above French card goes beyond "headless Telegraphy." The pipe smoking soldier is busy writing a telegram with the text : The bombs burst without doing any....". This is a variation on the famous last words of a General who, seated on his horse during an artillery duel, tries to appease his nervous adjutant with: "Don't worry, at this distance they couldn't hit an eleph...."

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The words "Don't worry, at this distance they couldn't hit an eleph...." are said to have been the last uttered by Union General Sedgewick at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House in 1864. His troops were under Confederate rifle fire from a distance of about 1,000 yards and Sedgewick was admonishing his troops ducking for cover. As a matter of interest, the Confederates sometimes used Whitworth .451" Match rifles fitted with Davidson telescopic sights for sniping and General S most likely fell to a man using one such rifle.
IL.

What an extraordinary collection of post cards. This is the first time I have sat and looked through all of them. . . laugh. . . cry . . . shock . . . horror, but the most chilling and the ones that will give me nightmares tonight are the 'Childs Play" cards posted by Neville_C.

Anyway, you have all inspired me to share some of mine. . .

Owen

I have the QSA to a man of the 10th Mountain Battery, who managed to escape the disaster at Nicholson's Nek - i.e., the mule stampede with the 10th mountain guns and etc and the ensuing mayhem that occurred - and make it back to Ladysmith, where he remained their for the duration of the siege. This is by way of a brief introduction to my first card (from my own collection). Received at Vienna on 5 December 1899, it depicts the disaster at Nicholson's Nek, and is used in my write-up to add a bit of colour (and Boer perspective) to an otherwise disastrous episode.




Translated (Google translate, so apologies if errors) "The Boer War" "Yes, the donkeys are to blame for everything" "The runaway English mules and the Boers"

Owen