Private Potter, of the Highland Brigade, was fighting with the Boers at the Battle of Magersfontein (1899) when he was struck by a bullet, which passed out at the back of his neck. He lay 38 hours on the field before he was taken to hospital.
While he was lying on the field some of the Boers came upon him, and one of them, taking Potter's blanket, wrapped it round him, as the atmosphere was getting very chilly. The Boer also gave him a drink of water. Previous to this two members of the Highland Brigade, but not of Potter's company, passed by, and he called to them and asked for a drink, but they refused, on the plea that they were keeping the water for their own comrades.
Shortly after the Boers had left, another Boer came to Potter singing. After enquiring about his wounds, he noticed that Potter had a pick by his side, and took possession of it "under the rules of warfare", as he said. He then gave Potter a bottle of lime-juice.
蘇格蘭高地軍旅二等兵波特一八九九年馬赫斯方丹戰役之中，和波爾人作戰，一顆子彈把他擊中，從頸背而出。他躺在戰場上，過了三十八小時，才獲送往醫院。
他躺在戰場上的時候，有些波爾人經過，其中一人見當時寒意甚濃，就拿起波特的毛毯，把他包裹起來，還給些水他喝。這些波爾人到來之前，有兩個同屬蘇格蘭高地軍旅的軍人也曾路過，只是他們和波特不屬同一軍連。波特向他們要水，卻遭拒絕。他們說，水要留給軍連的同袍。
那些波爾人離去之後，另一波爾人唱着歌走到波特身旁，問了他的傷勢之後，見他身旁有個十字鍬，就據為己有，說那是「根據戰爭法」。跟着，他給波特一瓶萊姆汁喝。