Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-24
WAS A BRAVE CHARGE
Gallant but Fruitless Attack on
MatabeleS.
A BADLY MANAGED EXPEDITION
Intended for a Surprise, but Plan
Failed.
GREAT DELAY IN STARTING

| CAPE TOWN, April 24-TeIegrapbic
communication with Buluwayo was re-
opened for time today, and then there
was another break, believed, however. to
De only temporary interruption During
the time the wire was working DISPATCHES
We're received from several sources in the
besieged town. The news flashed south is
somewhat conflicting, but the main fact
seems well established that the British
nave made sortie in force encountered
| large numbers CT Matabeles, inflicted great
loss upon them suffered In return were at
one time in danger of annihilation, and
| nnally retreated. The story Of the fight
| must be divided into two chapters the Off
| ciaI report and the unofficial account
| Assembled Mt Midnight.
The official version of the sortie SAYS
that the British force, shortly after mid
night, was quietly called to arms, and
without apparently alarming the native
| part of the town force of about 400 men,
under Capts. Napier and Duncan, with one
| Maxim rapid-fire gun and a Hotchkiss
| quick-firing gun, belonging to the flagship
| 81. George, mustered outside the barbed
| wire defenses, were served with a ration
Of rum and saddled up for a dash at the
enemys lines. Swords and all c!attering
| accouterments We're deadened with cloth,
and the feet of the horses composing the
advance guard were "bagged' (hoofs COW
| cred with strong sack,ng)
| Owing to the precautions II neces-
| sary to take there was considerable delay
| in getting off, and the first streaks of gray
on the horizon cosld be seen when the
| column arrived within striking distance of
| the enemy. The latter were quietly
camped behind their stone-topped earth
works, within about four miles of Bulu-
| Wayo. But contrary to expectation, the
| MatGbeles had thrown out pickets which,
| although surprised by the advance guard,
raised the alarm.
This was no sooner done than the troop
| ers I'm advance charged and shot down
many of the fleeing natives This was
the signal for the advance Of the main
body OF the troopers. and they Galloped
| forward in fine style to the support of
| their comrades. Unlucllilv for the plans
| of Captains Napier and Duncan, by this
time il was getting quite light, and the
| Matabeles had sprung to arms all along
| the line.
AS the British advanced they were re-
| ceired by a scattering rifle fire from be-
hind the earthworlls but the advance
| guard charged right up to the mounds and
spurred their horses over them in several
places.
A Return Charge.
Then followed a setback for the troop
ers. The Matabeles charged in force and
| drove the advance guard back. and being
met by the main ody of the rauluwayo
| force, fire was opened at about 800 yards
| on the Matabele position This WAS kept
up until broad daylight. when the advance
| was ordered in view OF the fact that too
much ammunition was being wasted.
| Up 10 lDlS llffle the loss on elther side had
| not been very heavy, although the Mata-
| beles had by far the worst of it, especially
| when the Maxim and Hotchkiss were
! brought into play to cover the retreat of the
| advance guard.
| Just before the advance on the Matabele
| position, the two rapid-fire guns were again
| set to work, and for about a quarter of an
| hour they were made to sweep the Matabele
| position in front of the British force.
Fighting Mt Close Quarters.
| When the right moment seemed to arrive
charge was ordered. and there was a pro-
| longed period of sharp fighting at close
| quarters. Pistols, rifles shotguns as
segais. war clubs, spears and knives clashed
| prettily, the music OF the rap!d-fire guns,
| sent to the rear for fear of their being cap
| tured. having ceased.
Both sides fought hravely. II was a case
| OF handful of well-armed whites against
| small army of badly-armed Matabeles
| The former were fighting for the helpless
| women and children in the beleaguered
| town of Buluwayo; the latter were fighting
| for what they considered to be their own,
| their native land, for Buluwayo the old
capital of King Lobengula.
Retreat of the British.
Gradually the Matabeles, pressed onward
| by sheer force of numbers, almost surround
| ed the British, who, to avoid being encircled,
retreated. fighting foot by foot, but being
| driven steadily backward. One squad for a
time. was quite cut off, and only extricated
Itself by brilliant charge through the
| Matabele Gordon.
| Acts of Herofsm.
| Much heroism was displayed by indiyid-
| ual British troopers and volunteers in
| rescuing their wounded comrades One
trooper is said to have charged alone close
| up to the Matabele works. to have picked
| up wounded friend, dragged him upon his
| saddle ard rstreated, after emptying the
| magazine of his rifle at the enemy
Another trooper stood over a fallen COM
| rade and with the stock of his rifle beat
| off the natives until both ne and his friend
were rescued by charge OF their COM
| rades.
| Crossing the river in retreat F. c. Selous
| had narrow escape. His horse was killed
| In mdstream and he became entangled In
| the stirrups. When he eXtricated himself
| he was half drowned and would have sunk
| bad 1t not been for Lieut.. Windley who
| swan his horse cut into the middle of the
| river, in face of the fire of the enemy
| rescued Selous and reached the left bank
| without injury.
Saved by Brilliant Charge.
The squad Of troopers, previously said to
! have been for time quite cut off, and able
to extricate itself only by a brilliant charge
through the Matabele Gordon. was Capt.
| Grey's scouts They were to a certain Se
| gree ambushed, and almost in the hands
| Of the enemy, when by a desperate rush
| they eNtricated themselves.
The Unofficial Account.
The unofficial account OF the sortie saws
| there was a great deal of unnecessary de-
| lay in getting the troopers away from
| Buluwayo, and that it was almost daylight
| When they started Consequently. when
| they encountered 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, retreated fighting stub
| bornly. with the loss of many killed and
| wounded. In brief. the sortie was a failure,
| defeat for the British and what is worse
| under the circumstances, there was an ex-
| penditure Of much of the small stock of
| ammunition remaining at Buluwayo.
| The Matabeles are believed to be flushed
| with victory. Tney have driven back into
| Buiuwayo n strong force, about half the
| garrison of that place, and though they
| suffered severely. the loss in prestige and
ammunition to the British is much more
| severe.
| The news which has reached here from
| England that reinforcements of British
| troops are to be hurried to the Cape has
| given great satisfaction to the British por-
\ ton Of the population, and may have a
good effect in other quarters.