The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-04-25
HAD A HOT FIGHT
British Troops Went Out to At
tack the Matabple Warriors
at Daybreak.
According to the Best lnfOrma-
ton They We're Lucky to
Get Back Alive.
The Loss to the MatabeleS Said
to Have Been Most
Severe.

CAPE Town, April 25.-Telegraphic
communication with Buluwayo was
reopened for a time and then there was
another break, believed, however. TO be
only temporary interruption. During
the time the wire was working, dis.
patches were received from several
sources in the besieged town. The
news flashed south is somewhat con.
fiicting, but the main fact seems well
established that the British have made
sortie in force, encountered large
numbers of Matabeles, inflicted great
loss upon them, suffered i'll return, were
at one time in danger of annihilation,
and finally retreated.
The official account of the fight cred.
its the British troops with victory,
though they were finally compelled to
retreat The estimates of loss vary,
the number of Matabeles killed being
placed anywhere between 400 and
1000.
The loss of the British is not stated,
but it is believed to be more severe
than the commanders at Buluwayo are
willing to admit.
Unofficial Account L. Different.
The unofficial account Of the sOrtie
places matters in a somewhat different
light. 1t says there was great deal
of unnecessary delay i'll getting the
troopers away from Buluwayo, and
that it was almost daylight when they
started. Consequently, when they en-
countered the Matabeles, they found
the latter fully prepared to- receive
them. There was determined fighting
on both sides at close range, and the
British, when almost surrounded, re-
treated, fighting stubbornlv. with the
loss of many killed and wounded In
brief, the sortie was failure, defeat
for the British. and what is worse,
under the circumstances. there was an
expenditure of much of the small stock
of ammunition remaining at Buluwayo.
Matabeles Flushed w tn Victory.
The Matabeles are believed to be
flushed with victory. They have
driven back into Buluwayo strong
force, about half the garrison OF that
place, and though they suffered Sc.
verely, the loss in prestige and am.
munition to the British is much more
severe.
F. c. Selous. the explorer, with d
squad of so troopers, was last reported
on his way to Mangwe, to complete the
repairs of the telegraph line at Fig
Tree, and protect the line as far as
possible from marauding bands oi
Matabeles.
Selous Had Narrow Escape.
Further particulars received from
Buluwayo in regard to the sortie Of
the British show that the enemy were
found to be covering four miles of wei
selected positions OH the north bank OF
the Umguza river. After fierce fight
ing, the natives drove the British bach
and down the bank. Crossing the rive,
in retreat, +. G. Selous had narrow
escape. His horse was killed in mid
stream, and he became entangled II
the stirrups. When he extricated him
self he was half drowned, and woult
have sunk had it not been for Lieuten
ant Windley, who swan his horse ou
into the middle of the river in the fac'
of the fire of the enemy and rescuet
Selous and reached the left bank with
out injury.
When the British rallied and drov
back the Matabeles. they were engaged
with only portion of the Matabel
force and % soon as the enem.
swarmed over the ridge in large mum
bers, they almost surrounded the Brit
ish and the latter, were compelled b
retreat
1t is now saiS that both the Hotch