The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-05 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.

THE ENGAGEMENT AT LANG'S NECK.
DURBAN, 'Tan. 30.
The following authentic account of Friday's engagement
has been published by the Mercury :
"Major Dartnall and the Mounted Police returned to New-
castle from the camp on Saturday morning. There is no
doubt as to Friday's fight being a repulse of the British
forces. The Boers were strongly entrenched at and beyond
Lang's Neck, where they had occupied a house and cattle
kraal, from which they were shelled early in the day. Lang's
Neck is the most difficult point on the road from Newcastle
to the Transvaal. At nine o'olock the guns and
the rocket battery advanced within range. The guns
were then ranged on the right and the rockets on
the left of the road to the Neck. The Neck was shelled for
one hour, when there was little sign of the enemy. The 58th
Regiment then advanced to storm, led by Colonel Deane.
They were met by a destructive fire, but held their own gal-
lantly. Meanwhile, the Boers emerged from dongas to the
right and left, and poured a heavy flanking tire into the 58th
Regiment, who now suffered severely, especially among
their officers. Their ammunition ran short, and their
supports failed to reach them. They, therefore, retired with
their guns towards the camp, keeping up a bold front the
while, and now the encounter at times became hand-to-
hand. The Boers advanced on the left and the right of
the camp to within a short distance. The General then sent
out a flag of truces asking for time to bury the dead. The
proposal was accepted, and both parties proceeded to the
task. One British surgeon attended a Boer who was e ounded,
and is said to have been detained. Our shells apparently
passed over the Boer earthworks. The Gatling guns were
kept in the camp to guard it. The rockets, when they were
fired at any considerable body, proved to be very effective.
The Boer losses are estimated at 500 killed and wounded.

"The following officers were killed :—Colonel Deane,
Lieutenant Elwes, his aide-de-camp; Major Poole, of the
Artillery ' • Lieutenants Baillie and Dolphin, of the 58th
Regiment; and Lieutenant Inman, of the 60th Rifles.
Major Ilingcston is missing. Lieutenant Lovegrove is
severely wounded. Altogether 169 foot and 30 mounted
infantry were killed and 80 wounded. The officers were
picked off early. Second Lieutenant Monck had a narrow
escape. Sub-Lieutenant Jopp now commands the 58th
Regiment. The wounded are to reach Newcastle on Satur-
day.
" The General addressed the troops after the engagement,
declaring his intention to hold the camp till reinforced.
The camp is now strongly intrenched, with a fort at each
corner.
"The Boer position is so strong that 500 men should be
able to hold it against 5,000.

"There is great excitement throughout the colony.

"A detachment of Hussars has left Maritzburg by mule
wagons. They are to be mounted at Ladismith and New-
castle. The 2nd Battalion of the 60th Rifles leaves Maritz-
burg to-day.

7 -
"The troopship Crocodile arrived last night from India
with reinforcements.

"Three hundred Boer horses are said to have been ,killed,
also the Boer commandant, Greyling."

Colonel Bonar Millett Deane, late of ,the 19th Foot, and
Deputy-Adjutant and Quartermaster-General at the Cape of
Good Hope, who is reported as killed in the attack on Lang's
Neck Pass, in the Tranvaal, who in command of the advance
column of Sir George Colley's force, consisting of the 3rd
Battalion of the 60th Rifles and two companies of the 68th
Foot, havirg gone up to Natal on hearing of the outbreak in
the Transvaal. He was born in 1834, and was gazebted an
ensign in the 94th Foot, by purchase, in 1853, but three days
afterwards was transferred to the 22nd Foot, then serving
In India. After serving in various capacities, and having
attained the brevet rank of colonel, in 1879 he was appointed
extra Inspector under the Local Government Board in
Ireland during the distress of last winter. This post he
resigned in order to undertake the duties of Deputy-
Adjutant and Quartermaster-General at the Cape (,f Good
Hope in 1880, and he has now fallen in the first action in
which he was ever engaged.
Brevei-Major Joseph Ruscombe Poole, also reported as
killed, was born in 1843, and educated at the Royal Military,
Academy. He received his commission in the Royal Artil-
lery in 1861, and was promoted to a captaincy in 1876. He
served as Brigade-Major to Colonel Reilly, R.A., C. 8., who
commanded the artillery during the Zulu war, and received
in July, 1880, a brevet majority. Major Poole was given
the charge of King Cetewayo during the period of his
captivity, and lived with him at the castle at Cape Town. It
is said that Major Poole acquired great influence with Cete-
wayo, who petitioned when Major Poole was removed from
him that he should be permitted to remain.

Lieutenant Robert Hamond Elwes was a son of Mr. Robert
Elwes, of Congham-hall, King's Lynn, Norfolk. He was born
in 1856, was educated at Eton, and entered the 3rd Battalion
of the Grenadier Guards in 1877. He went out to Natal last
year as Aide-de Camp to Sir George Pomeroy Colley.
Lieutenant Edward Inman, 60th Rifles, who is among
the killed, was born in 1852. He entered the Army as a
private soldier in a cavalry regiment, but was discharged as
being under age. He again enlisted and worked his way up
to the position of Troop Serjeant-Major. After six years'
service in the ranks he received an officer's commission in the
10th Hussars. Having remained in Ns regiment for some
time, he effected an exchange with Lord Alywne Compton,
of the Grenadier Guards. Last year he exchanged again
with Lieutenant Arcs Crawley, of the 60th Rifles, and•it
was while serving with his new regiment in the capacity, it
is said, of Acting Adjutant, that he lost his life.—[ The
Times, from which we have taken the above, also gives the
following additional statement of the services of the late
Lieut. Inman] :----
"Lieut. Inman served as a midshipman on board the
blockade-runner Greyhound during the American War, and
was engaged in running the blockade through the Federal
fleet at Mobile and New Orleans. He served as brigadier
(corporal) with the French army in Mexico under Marshal
Bazaine, and was appointed interpreter to the 3rd Regiment
Chasseurs S Cheval, In 1869 he enlisted in the 19th
Hussars, and joined that regiment at .Cawnpore. He re-
turned to England 1870, was promoted to corporal 1870 ;
sergeant 1872. In the same year he took lit class certifi-
cates as rough riding sergeant and instructor in lance,
sword, and held gun drill. In 1873 he was awarded a Ist
class educational certificate,and in 1874 was promoted to be
sergeant-major. In 1875 he received a commission as sub-
lieutenant in the 10th Hussars, and joined that regiment in
India. In 1877, after passing the necessary examination in
Urdu and Hindi, Lieut. Inman was posted to the 3rd Bengal
Cavalry as Probationer for the Staff Corps. In 1878 he
passed the highest standard in Hindi and Urdu, and was
placed at the top of the list at the examination of the
Garrison Course of Instruction at Lucknow. In 1879 he
accompanied the 3rd Bengal Cavalry to Lundi Kotal at the
commencement of the Afghan War. He was invalided home
and obliged to resign as candidate for the Staff Corps. In
August, 1879, he exchanged into the Grenadier Guards, and
servedswith the lit Battalion of that regiment until August,
1880, when he exchanged into the 60th Rifles, and proceeded
to South Africa in October, 1880, to join that regiment."
The Timeg says:—" Commandant d'Arcy, who, according
to a recent telegram from our Durban Correspondent, was
shot in one of the patrols from Pretoria, entered the service
during the war in the old corony as an officer in Colonel
Boiler's Frontier Light Horse. He received the command of
this corps when the Irregular mounted men were formed
into a brigade under Colonel Buller in Sir Evelyn
Woods flying column during the Zulu campaign. it
will be remembered that it was for saving Captain
d'Arcy's life during the retreat from the Hlobane
Mountain that Colonel Buller received the Victoria Cross.
Captain d'Arcy himself received that decoration for his
gallant conduct on the 3rd of July, 1879, during the re-
connoissance made before Ulundi by the mounted corps
in endeavouring to rescue Trooper Raubenheirn, of the
Frontier Light Horse, who fell from his horse as the troops
were retiring. Captain d'Arcy, though the Zulus were close
upon them, waited for the man to mount behind him. The
horse kicked them both off, and, though much hurt by the
fall and quite alone, Captain d'Arcy coolly endeavoured to
lift the trooper, who was stunned, on to the horst, and it
was only when he found that he had not strength to do so
that he mounted and rode off. His escape was miraculous,
as the Zulus had actually closed upon him.' Colonel Buller,
In his dispatch after the battle of Ulundi, speaks thus of
him :—` Commandant d'Arcy, Frontier Light Horse reckons
neither persona linconvenience nor danger in the execution
of any order. He is determined and bold, and has frequently
shown great personal gallantry, always showing a fine
example to his men.' Cpmmandant d'Arcy received the
Victoria Cross from the hands of Sir Garnet Wolseley at
Pretoria at the time of the Secocoeni war." •

The Times of Monday (in a leader) referring to a letter
from its Cape Town correspondent which gives an authorita-
tive statement of the grievances and the claims of"the
Boers, says:—" The time will come when all the Boers have
to urge will be listened to and will have due force given to
it. But it is idle for the present to talk of terms. There can
be no terms until our military disasters have been retrieved,
and until the British authority has been restored over the Trans-
vaal. It is to this task that the country has now committed.
itself. If the regiments already on their way to the front
are not sufficient to ensupe military success, more will be
sent. It is a worthless quarrel which can yield no results.
It is provoking to recall the series of well-meant mistakes
by which we have blundered into it. But once in, there can
be no withdrawing. The Boer insurrection must be reduced,
and when this has been done, and not sooner, the question
will arise as to the permanent settlement of the Transvaal.',

ENCOUNTER WITH THE BASUTOS.
A Cape Town telegram received through Reuter's
Agency states that an engagement was fought with the
Basutos on the 28th inst., in the Quithing district, in
which Mr. Austen, the magistrate, and several
Fingoes were killed.

(From Wednesday's Times.)
DURBAN, Feb. 1.

There is reason to believe that our losses at Laing's Neck
have been much over-estimated, but it is well to forbear
giving the rumoured figures and to await the final official
details.

A squadron of Hussars left Maritzburg this morning on
colonial mounts.

There have been heavy rains, causing bad roads and rivers
to be flooded.

Ilhe 92nd Highlanders will encamp seven miles beyond
Maritzburg to-night.
LATER.
There is no news from the front, but the telegraph is work-
ing to Newcastle. .

A petition from the Basutos praying for peace has been pub-
lished in the Cape Gazette. Lerothodi says that the Basuto
people will willingly and cheerfully obey Her Majesty's laws
and orders,but they pray and beseech her to allow them to retain
their arms in their country. Lotsea also sends a letter pro.
testing loyalty. He wants to know what he can do, as war
draws near and his land suffers sorely. He says his sons and
brothers joined the war in an unprepared state and not wish-
ing it. The opinion here is that conditions cannot be enter-
tained.

_
The Cape Parliament meets early in April.
H.M.S. Dido arrived yesterday with a small Naval
Brigade.
S. G. Colley says the Boers treat the wounded with great
luunanity.

The Daily .Neirx of Tuesday said :—" With reference to
the tribute paid by Mr. Childers last night to the excellence
of also telegraphic service to the Cape, by which a corre-
spondence between himself and Sir George Colley was com-
pleted within sixteen hours, we understand that in case of
urgency four hours suffice for an interchange of message
IThtween London and Natal, and that this speed has fre-
quently been accomplished. We are authorised to state that
in cases where relatives of officers or men serving in the
Transvaal are in doubt as to the fate of their friends, a mes-
sage of inquiry will be transmitted without charge."