The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 23, 1899, Page 1

" et L WOR rhis Pal A V1S from : o LAk ok @all b 4 X N ia (SR VI‘”"/ VOLUME LXXXVI-NO. 145 SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1899 PRICE FIVE CENTS. BRITISH VICTORY AT ELANDS LAAGTE IS DEARLY BOUGHT TRANSVAAL TROOPS DEFEATED, BUT THE LOSSES ARE HEAVY Boers Make a Gallant Stand in the Face of a: Raking Fire, and General Jan Kock Falls Mortally Wounded. ct. 22.—The War Office this afternoon published the following dispatch to the of State for War, the Marquis of Lansdowne, from the general commanding in rge Stewart \Vhite, regarding the engagement yesterday at Elands Laagte, dysmith, when the British under General French routed the Transvaal H. M. Kock, second in command in the Transvaal, who was himself 1 has since died: an ler in Natal, to the Secretary of State for War—Filed Ladysmith, Octo- 1 the action at Elands Laagte yesterday the troops engaged were the A Fifth Lancers, a squadron of the Fifth Dragoon Guards, the Imperial Light Horse 1 two squac of Natal Carbineers; artillery—Twenty-first Field Battery, For- s€ 1 Field Battery and t Natal Field Battery; infantry—the Devonshire Regiment, half a lion of the Gordon Highlanders and the Manchester Regiment. The whole force was un- er General French, with Colonel Tan Hamilton commanding the Infantry. ‘I was present in person from 3:30 to 6 p. m., but did not assume direction of the fight, v was left in the hands of General French. Although desuitory fighting took place earlier the day, while reinforcements, sent out later on ascertaining the enemy’s strength, were arriv- g fror adysmith, the real action did not begin until 3:30 p. m. At that hour the Boers held a exceptional strength, consisting of a rock hill about a mile and a half southeast station. . our gunstook position on a ridge 4100 yards from the Boers, whose guns at is fire was generallly well directed, but somewhat high. This time, contrary ells burst well. .ight Horse moved toward the left d his right. Imperial of the enemy’s position and two squad- During the artillery duel mounted Boers pushed out .ight Horse. In a few minutes theenemy’s gunsceased was turned on the mounted Boers who opposed the Imperial Light atter at once fell k. llery illery preparations our infantry adv: ons ced to the attack, supported by our hires held the enemy in front, while the Manchester nders turned his left flank. gh often temporarily silenced, invariably opened fire again on the re served wit After severe fighting our infantry car- accomplished, the enemy standing his ground to the The Fiith Lancers and a squadron of the Fifth Dragoon Guards he retreating Boers in the dark, doing considerable execution. 1 tents, wagons, horses and also two guns. The Boer number of wounded and unwounded prisoners. Among | posit I e Gor Boer 1 great cot ge. 6:30 p. m. this was acity. through t the Boer amp, wit including a le, 1e goods train, with supplies for Glencoe Camp, and nine English prisoners, were re- , I regret to say, was heavy. It is roughly computed at 150 killed and s far occupied our time and attention. A full list will go to you later. 1 those of the enemy are now arriving by trains. Besides Boers, we Hollanders, Germans and prisoners of mixed nationalities. The hehavior of our f the colonial forces was admirable.” TOWN, Oct. 22.—The following additional details from official sources are at attle yesterday at Elands Laagte: io driven fi m their guns, returned again and again whenever an op- 1 ground near the left of the enem position was occupied at the British creeping along the crest and making a wide circuit. The higl infantry directed as rainst the right of the enemy's position, the British who at that point occupied a strong footing, which y into contact with the Boe CONTINUED ON SECOND PAGE. - | \ [ B e S aicis el 1 | | | | | out, R O R e > D 0D Do e = S — R 15— U= GEN. S GEO. S \vH! = ~>— | R . N ben . £ * ® > 59 B B e ® ® UNBEATEN AND DEFIANT THE BOERS MEET DEATH Bravery of Burghers at Talana Hill Ex- cites the Admiration of Their English Foes. 22—A correspondent | the Boers were stationed in great num- ONDON, Oct. O ing that followed the ment in the Boer British position that day after the bat the lull that say e Wi ensued upon t sharp c: silenced the guns of the Boers on Smit Hill, that our casualties began. dian hospital corp: Donegan of the Eighteenth H K >ping in the re nd artille cond position through t town amid the cheers of the citizens. “At this point the Boers became errat renewed, he inonading of the British which hs r of the advancing that had galloped | he ie. Our artillery was firing on the hill where S O S Y t oM dnCam anci SCe O S RO S D anan anCas SO SO SR SRR SRS RO s &9 > . * } GROUP OF OFFICERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH HUSSARS. Y After the battele at Glencoe the Eighteenth Hussars engaged in the pursuit of the Boers. Their return has not yet been officlally reported to the War Office, @ and there are fears that they may have been led Into a trap and annihilated or captured. - P * POt E 000000060 -0+ 0¢ R e e e e S e = ] e Camp, telegraphing on | b and describing the fight- | axe first engage- attack upon the | The In-| | hill and the Kings R | | | of the Dublin | mounted company | Rifles deployed to the right flank at the | continued to mount the but the return fire did little dam- The enemy Kept up an incessant shooting, but our shrapnel began to tell its tale, with the result that the Boer | fire visibly slackened. From a cease | rattle the rifle fire dwindled to strag shots. A corporal of the Dublin Fusileers wa ried past me to the rear on a stretche Major Davidson of the Irish Fusilee was shot through both legs and Color Sergeant Anderson of the Dublin Fusi- leers was brought right shoulder. “The artillery in front ng vas shelling the Rifles on the with the Maxims, | ious about their had been slluncudi right front were b making the Boers ar position. Their artille by the splendid service of ours. | ‘Mcanwhile a squardon of the Eigh- teenth Hussars and a mounted company | Fusileers were creeping | around on the enemy's left flank, while | another squadron of the Hussars and a of the Kings Royal cornfields. | “The artillery centinued to play on| Smiths Hill with a range of nearly 3000 | yards. Under its cover the Dublin Fusi- | leers and the Kings Royal Rifles pressed | forward. It was in the execution of this | maneuver that the casualties to our in- | fantry occurred several men being killed | or wounded. ! The firing now eased off on our side and only a solitary shot was returned now and | then.” General Symons, taking advantage of this lull, rode forward with his staff | — in front of the guns, taking cover at the rear of the plautation, near the b ot the hill. All this time our infantry, in | extended formation, had gradually press- ed forward, watching the Boers from the | rear of the artiliery and massing on the | extfeme left of the hili. | “1 saw three shells in quick succession | cut some to pieces and drive others away. The Boer fire was becoming hot, but the first battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles and the Irish Fusileers, led respectively by Colonel Cunning and Colonel Carlton, hill. Gradually they extended along the ridge, and at 10 o'clock, after four and a half hours' of artillery firing to screen them, they man- aged to reach a wall, running parallel with the ridge, about 600 yards from the summit. ““This position was gained under cover of some magnificent shooting by our artil- lerymen, who placed shots at the point where the Boers were massed with amaz- ing aceuracy, compelling them to retire. But not for long. On again the deter- mined burghers would come, only to be beaten back again by the excellent shoot- ing of the Thirteenth and Sixty-ninth | batteries under Major Dawkins and Major King. ‘At 11:45 a. m. the firing had almost ceased and our mram?' ‘were over the wall in a twinkling and rushing toward the plateau at the base of the top or sec- ondary ridge. The defense by the Boers, was most determined, the enemy agaln] and again pouring a fusillade fire long into the British ranks, which was hotly | stoutly |in such a hafl of bullets as caused them | | then, on Talana ridge, standing clearly | Sk —_|GUN DETACHMENT ~=") MOUNTED RIFLES. N +-0-4-04-0-0e0-03g S S S S S e e g i & * * ¥ Y ¢ . L 4 * BIRDSEYE VIEW OF THE GLENCOE BATTLEFIELD. O O SO A A SO A W D D S SCIP MO NOWD I M S M S S ] BURGHERS RETURN TO THE ASSAULT ON GLENCOE Heavy Firing in Progress Near the Scene of the Recent Battle of- Talana Hill. LENCOE CAMP, Natal, Oct. 22.—Heavy firing is now in progress to the northwest of this camp. CAPE TOWN, Oct. 22 —A dispatch has just their fire is ineffective. in wounded 1nthe, Commandant-General Joubert. been repaired. |arrived announcing that the Boers are shelling |Dundee, east of Glencoe, at long range, but that The Boers are led by It is believed the |railroad between Ladysmith and Glencoe has It is now definitely known that Glencoe was attacked yesterday by the Boer main northern column. Our forces are intrenched in a good cleared up. |pesition. The situation there is not yet ftully LONDON, Oct 22.—According .to a special from Glencoe Camp the. British cavalry while pursuing the defeated Boers were engaged by a s trong force of the enemy on the north road. Firing is now in progress. returned in well directed volleys by the advancing Dublin Fusileers and Kings Royal Rifles. “A large body of Boers, driven from | Smiths Hill, took refuge in a cattle kraal, | intending a crossfire. The Thirteenth | Battery opened fire, however, and poured | speedily to shift their position. “Thus far the enemy had displayed un- doubted courage, perhaps unequaled by the best European troops. They had stood up to our scattering artillery fire | with the great determination, and out on the sky, they still appeared un- beaten and deflant. “The battle had now raged six and one- half hours, when the Sixty-ninth was or- dered to limber up and advance. The battery galloped into a new position in splendid form and was in action at the front in_a moment. “So effective was the apparent result of this close range firing that the Thir- | teenth Battery was at once ordered up, and after two rounds from each battery perfect silence reigned over the enemy’s front. broken only by the whirring of the Maxims served by the Dublin i‘us- ileers, who had secured an excellent posi- tion to the right. During a momentary cessation the Boers had taken up a posi- tion on a hill to the right of the road leading to Maima Colliery, but the Thir- teenth Battery soon opened fire on them and compelled them to retire. ‘“Meanwhile the two infantry battalions continued to climb up the hill, and at 1:30 p. m., after eight hours of d fighting, the position was Boers having precipitately evacuated the hill. Thus what had commenced with a battle at Dundee ended in a glorious vie- tory for British arms at what must be known as the battle of Talana Hill. “Just as the Kings Royal Rifles and the Dublin Fusileers gained the hilltop, the mounted infantry could be seen work- ing around the left flank of the Boer position and actnally getting in their rear without any attempt on the part of the enemy to check the movement ,while the bulk of the mounted volunteers, well hidden in the piantation on the right, were ready to fall upon the retreating enemy in that direction when the moment came. Finally our batteries ceased their murderous fire and the infantry charged up the rocky heights still separating them from the enemy, and reached the summits of both peaks of Smith's Hill and of the Neck between without a check or halt. It was gallant work on both sides and scores of men fell within a distance of a couple hundred yards; but the situa- tion soon became too hot for the Boers, who broke and fled - for their horses, which they had left at the foot of the hills on the northeast. There, however, they were received with a fusillade from the Hussars, who had stampeded or captured all the horses. 'he enemy swerved in their line of re- treat. Some surrendered there and then;