Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-04-30
AGAINST GREAT ODDS

| AGAINST GREAT ODDS
The British Win . Notable Victory n
Buluwayo-Natives Attacked and De-
feated-TwO Hundred British Soldiers
and One Hundred Native Allies Rout
Fifteen Thousand Natives-Deeds Of
Heroisn..
CAPE TowS, April 25.-A dispatch
from Buluwayo dated April "a says
that Captains Napier and Duncan, with
200 whites and 100 natives with Maxim
and Hotchkiss guns,met the Matabeles
three miles out from Buluwayo The
Matabeles fred heavy volley into the
British party and drove them into the
Umgaza river. One of the whites of
the British party was killed, three
officers were wounded and several of
the natives were killed.
Details of the Fight.
CAPE Town. April 25.-The details of
the fighting show that the defenders
of Buluwayo decided to make sortie
from that town and engage the natives
who were besieging it. The British
party met with no resistance until
they reached the Umguza river, where
sAsSy SoAAO u POh VIC AC oICC
from Buluwayo occupied the south
bank of the river for distance of a
mile, while the Matabeles were
stretched along the north bank for
four miles. Selous. with 100 natives,
was stationed in the center; the At
rikanders formed the left wing, and
Guys scouts the right wing.
The British force crossed the river
and rushed upon the Matabeles who
were outfaEked and driven into the
water.
The enemy warmed up and at
tempted to get in the rear of the Brit
ish, obliging the Afrikanders to gal
lop back to intercept them Guys
scouts fell into an ambush and had to
make rush to extricate themselves
from the Matabeles who were pouring
hot fire into them.
There were many instances of per-
sonal heroism. Trooper Baxter, see
ing Corporal Wise severely wounded
and his horse shot from under him,
jumped from his own horse and helped
Wise to mount him, thus enabling the
corporal to escape. Baker gave his
life for his friend, for shortly after
Wise's escape he was killed by a stroke
from an assagai. Wise had a narrow
escape, a bullet grazing his scalp.
Lieut.. Hood was severely and Lieut..
Crewe slightly wounded. The latter
insisted that Hood should take his
horse and the latter, after some de-
muir. did SO, and effected his escape.
Crewe also got off without further in
jury, but had great difficulty in escap-
ing Baxter's fate.
The Hotchkiss and Maxim guns be-
came damned early in the fight. They
were only fired twice. Had it not been
for this. the loss of the Matabeles
would have been far heavier than it
was.
The horse that Selous was riding was
killed IN midstream, and the rider
barely escaped with his life.
All the troops were cool and plucky-
They drove the enemy up the river
infiicting heavy loss upon them. The
exact number of the killed and
wounded Matabeles is not known.
The Mata beles were in full retreat
and were being closely pursued by the
British and their native allies when
the order was given for the latter to
fall back to Buluwayo, it being feared
that much stronger force would be
met with.
The government has cautioned the
officers to act on the defensive only
acknowledgements shall have arrived.
1t is thought here that the sortie will
prevent the natives from attempting to
attack the town which it was their
evident intention to do.
There is no truth in the report that
the British were defeated. The only
basis for it was statement in the first
dispatches that the British had been
driven into the river. Later details
make no mention of this, and it is
thought that the statement was mis-
taken one, for the British crossed the
river to rush the enemy at close
nuartarS