The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-03-01 00:00:00

SIR G. COLLEY KILLED.

[REUTNICII TZLIGH•Maj

Moyer Paoertrr, Sunday, 9 a.m.—General Colley,
with six companies, left here at midnight on Saturday,
and took poneession of • position to the left of Laing's
Net. Firing was heard sll the morning. Large num-
bers of Boers were seen between Laing'e Nek and
Colley's force.
Nswcasusi, Sunday afternoon.—Severe engagement
has been fought to-day between Boers and General
Colley'. force, resulting in the British troops being
driven from the position at Spits Kop they bed
occupied during the night. Great loss was =stained
in: both sides, and many British officers, some of high
rank, are killed or wounded.
N ZWCAVILZ, later. —All the wounded coming in here
have agreed that General Colley is killed. They
estimate not more than 100 of our men escaped.
The news of the British disaster in the Transvael,
with the accompanying rumour of the death of General
Colley, did not reach London until after midnight, too
late to be known at the variou, clubs. Tbe telegr we
received from the General by the War-office during
the day showed that severe fighting had been proceed-
ing throughout the whole of Saturday night and yester-
day morning, but no indication appeared in either of
them cf the likelihood of any such cataistaoplie as that
since reported. The General, it appears, left Mount
Prospect, where he had been some days encamped, on
Saturday, at midnight, in order to take possession of
the Spits sop, • position in the Majnba mountains to
the left of Laing'a Net, and immediately overlooking
the position oc npied by the Boers. At the time it is
bekeved that fully 7,000 Boers were in possession of
the position, which they had strongly fortified during
the period that had elapsed since the last battle was
fouedi For some days the Boors had been anticipat-
ing an attack, and had sent 500 ..1 their wagons Into
the interior iu preparation of the impending strugg:e.
If General Colley hoped by advancing at midnight to
surprise the enemy he was evidently deceived, for it is
obvious from hi, own telegram to the War-office
that the Boers speedily commenced firing upon his
forces from their position below. At Mount
Prospect the firing was heard to continue throughout
the morning, and large numbers of Boers were per
ceived by tile anxious on-lookers to be between the
Nek and General Colley's force. The British, it in
apparent, stubbornly contested the ground with their
adversaries, though so hopelessly outnumbered, and
succeeded in breaking up their laager. Up to this point
information is afforded by the General himself, and the
last report from him, although mentioning that Com-
mander Homily bai been d ingerously wounded, gave
as the other essualtiee only " three men slightly
wounded.' The worst of the struggle was therefore to
come, and se yet official details are wanting of the most
cri ice' stage of the battle. Sufficient is known, how-
ever, to show that towards the afternoon the British
were driven from the Spits Kop, which they had held
throughout the night against overwhelming odds. That
rise fighting was of extraordinary severity is evidenced
by the fact that many British officer., and some of them
of high rank, including the General himself, were among
the killed and wounded. Beyond that is the even more
startling fact that, according to the estimates of the
wounded coming in from Newcastle, not more than 100
of our men have escaped destruction. The immensity of
the el onthier naturally arose from the conditions under
which the fight was waged. Flushed with their recent
success at or near the same spot, the &roes four times
clier.:ed the hill on which the British troop, had tsk-n
the r =arid, but four times were driven back, beffied
in their attempt to sweep our men from the Spitz Kop.
Foiled in t eir attempt, the B.sers were ab rut to
retrest, when the British supply of ammunition
suddenly trifle I them, owing to the reserve having been
taken, presumably for safety'. sake, to the eltreme
summit of the mountain, and they were forced to retire
from the field.
General Colley, whose death has thus occurred, was
Commander of the BAth, COMIDIVI,I43r of St. Michael
and St. George, and Knight Commander of the star
of India.