The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-03-09
FOREIGN NEWS.
sOITH AERICA.

An ACCOUNT FROM Az ENE-wITNEss oP THE |
NAJELA hill FIGHT.
NEW YORK March "A correspondent, taken |
prisoner. released and furnished a pass by the !
Ing account OF the disaster To the British armies
at SpiukOp:
'PRoSPECT HUI, Monday GEO p. IN.
II returned Ia camp al sunday night, after
escaping almost by a miracle from the fate which
has befallen great portion OF the force which
left camp. The strength of the column last night
was 600 men. all told. belonging TO the Fifty.
eighth, SiXtieth and Ninty-second Regiments and
the naval brigade. The night was dark and the
march across the unknown country toilsome in
the extreme. We first made our way over com
paratiyely level ground To the foot OF the main
range of hills but there Ourdirfculties began. In
many eases the ascent was absolutely PERCEPTIONS,
huge bOulderS and loose stones rolled down when
touched. The troops carried arms, eighty rounds
OF ammunition, water bottles and three days pro-
visions, making the progress dreadful. Daylight
was breaking when approached the
hill, which was the object of the expedition.
Starting at 10 O'Clock, We were six hours in ac-
over four miles TO the summit of the emncnce.
from which We looked down upon long line Of
Boer entertainments, stretching from point i'm
mediately below ~ to Buffalo River 50 far our
success was complete. our occupation OF the hill
TehutIeu INC Doer position hbsoiuteiy uilenabie,
as,we took their whole intrenchments in the re-
verse Of our own camp. Although miles away, il
looked quite close. for we Were at an elevation of
2aOO feet above IL. Inc enemies principal lager
was about 2. 600 yards away. The position secured
was undoubtedly one OF immense natural
strength on the summit was a plateau 80 that
all the troops not actually engaged in repelling
the assaults coud lie down perfectly secure from
the fire below. For an hour the greater part of
hepihr troops the reSed aors PGGTon baS
so far been able Ia get the Gatling gun up the hill.
AT sunrise the Beers were TO be seen moving in
their lines. but il was not until nearly hour
later that mounted party seen stroIling out
toward the hill, upon which they evidently in
tended TO take q stand As they approached our
faru
ence was for the first time discovered. The sound
/ of our guns was heard al the Dutch lager, and
/ the whole scene changed as If by magic In place
/ of few scattered figures. there appeared on the
scene swarms OF men rushing hither and thither.
Some rushed TO their horses and Others 10 the
wagons and work In yOking oxen and preparing
/ for instant retreat began nj once. When the first
panic abated il could be seen that some person i'm
authority had taken command. \ great num-
Der OF Beers began TO move forward with
/ the evident intention of attacking US. The
work of preparing for retreat in case OF
necessity still went on, ana continued until all
/ the wagons were inspanned and ready 10 move
away. Some, indeed, at once began 10 withdraw.
At about O'Clock the Beers opend fire, and
/ the bullets whistled thickly over the plateau. i
do not think the possibility of the position being
carried by storm occurred to anyone. From To
I IL O'Clock the Beers, who were laying ali around
the hill, maintained constant fire. Their shoot
\ ing was wonderfully accurate; the stones behind
/ which our men in the front line were lying were
this, there need TO impress upon the men The
necessity to keep under cover. They only showed
/ themselves 10 take an occasional shot, ana as ac-
curate as was the enemies shooting, up 10 IL
o'clock we had but five casualties Commander
Romilley was dangerously wounded. He
standing close 10 General COlley Twenty men
OF the regiment, under Lieutenant Hamilton.
\ held the point which was most
eoTld exceed the the steadneSs Of Ibess
Highlanders. They kept well under cover, and
although they fired bur seldom; they Killed eight
behind their cover. 30 far our position appeared
perfectly safe. The Beers had indeed got be-
tween rs and camp, but we had three days pro-
came mp. Our casualties were, with the exeep-
/ lion of that OF Commander ROmilley. few and
the result From ii TO = O'Clock the enemy's
fire continued as bot but as harmless as before.
Between l. and il slackened, and il seemed as
afterward learned, very strongly reinforcing their
fighting line in preparation for an assault.
Shortly after l O'Clock a terrific fire
suddenly broke forth from the right lower
slopes of the hillside on which the firing
had all along been the heaviest. \ tremendous
rush WAS simultaneously made by the enemy.
our advanced line was at once nearly all shot or
driven fa M hack upon our main position This posi-
OF hill. IL was about 200 yards long by fifty
broad. Our whole force now lined the rim of the
The Beers, with shouts of trinmphy, swarmed up
the sides OF the hill and made several desperate
attempts to carry the position with rush. Each
nets. After each charge the firing, which nearly
ceased during the melee. broke out with renewed
viOlences. and the air above us seemed alive with
bullets The troops did their duty we'll and stead
lily, and trying as was the occasion, fought with
great GOODNESS. encouraged by their officers. At
last the Beers. who had gathered
near the edge of the slope. made a tremendous
rush at n point beyond that at which they had
| before been attacking, and where the number of
defenders were comparatively small. They burst
through the defenders and poured In over the
edge Of the basin, and our position lost. The
main line OF our defenders, their flank turned
and taken in the reverse, made d rush along the
plateau 60 endeavor to form and rally, but 10 was
useless. With fierce shouts and storm of bull
lets the Beers poured I'm. There a wild rush,
with the Beers close behind. The roar OF firing
whistlfng of bullets and the shouts of the enemy.
made up a din which seemed internal. an
around men were falling. There was resist
ance and no halt. IL was flight for life. At this
mo ment was knocked down by the rush and
trampied upon. ard when / came 20 my senses
the Beers were firing over me ut the retreating
troops, who were moving down the hill. Trying
70 rise was taken prisoner and LED away. On
the hill found the body of General Collcy. shot
through the head After conversation
with the Boer General, Induced him TO grant me
a pass TO come over 70 the camp and bring out
succor for the wounded. They were lying thlckly.
bcth IN the plateau and every where on the de-
scent OF the hill. The Beers were very civil.
= They took. II Is true, few articles had about