The Princeton union., 1896-05-21

crest, and nearly all the officers who
went IN on horseback fell. After losing;
nearly 400 officers and men the assail-1
ants fell back, and that ended the hat
tie Of Laing's Mex.
Eleven days after the action at
Laing's Mex the British suffered Sec
.ond defeat at the hands Of the active
Beers. This affair, like the first, result
ed from British overconfidence. From
the time the enemy first approached the
Iransvaal borders the column had been
harassed on the march by small parties
of Beers. Fearing that General Joubert
would turn his attention to cutting his
communications with Natal, General
.Colley started out in person with de-
tachment Of about 600 men to patrol the
road.
This movement, like the march to
Lalng's Mex, was carried out in broad
daylight, and scarcely had the column
taken its position at the crossing of the
|=Ingogo river when the Boers attacked
vigorously On all sides. The battle last
ed until after dark, and would have been
renewed next day by the Beers but for
the hasty retreat of the British. Over
ls15O were killed and wounded in this
affair, and in the retreat General Col
ley abandoned his dead and the help
lessly wounded. AS at Laing's Mex, the
killed numbered almost as many as the
wounded, for the Beers shoot. to kill.
After this disaster at Ingogo efforts
/ I-
about peace. The armies meanwhile
held their ground. On the 21st Of Feb
ruary General Colley sent message in
to the Boer camp to the effect that Eng
land would appoint a high commission
er with powers to redress the grievances
of the Beers and giving 48 hours for the
return OF an answer. 1t SO happened
that President Kruger was not in camp,
but was absent in the interior and did
not receive the proposal. However, the
fighting men among the Beers believed
that peace was about to be made and re-
laxed their vigilance somewhat.
The eminence on their right flank,
Majuba hill, which formed the key to
the position defending the pass at
sLaing's Mex, had never been occupied in
force except during the first battle, but
was made a post Of observation during
the daytime. It commanded the Boer
position, and General Colley stealthily
led column Of 600 men up it's steep
sides on the night Of Feb. 26. Next
morning the Beers beheld the royal en-
sign floating above their heads and saw
that they had been outgeneraled while
trusting to the promises Of peace. They
were entirely off their guard and had no
vedettes out, but were not slow in get
ting to work AS early as 5 O'Clock in
the morning the Boer skirmishers were
posted at the base of the hill, firing at
the rate of so shots a minute and COM
pelling the enemy to take to cover. =
Throughout the forenoon the fighting
was kept up, and the Britons on the
hill had the best Of it. Their lines lay
back. from the brink under shelter Of
rocks, trees and natural ridges Of earth.
General Colley was conspicuous for his
GOODNESS, and when one Of his subordi-
mates suggested charge, as the men
would not be able to stand the Boer vol
leys much longer, he said .'Wait until
they come on. We will give them a
volley and then charge" IL
The Beers did ''come on,'' introduce
ing their charge with fusillade no hu-
man beings could stand before. There
was great confusion on the summit, and
officers threatened to shoot their men if
they gave way. Finally some highland
ers and old soldiers Of the Eighty-ffth
regiment, with the officers, made stand
on the highest ridge. But every man
who exposed himself was, shot down,
and those who ran away found the ac-
tive Beers at their heels. In a few mo-
.ments it was Save who can, and the
Britons ran helter skelter down the hill
General Colley was about the last to
quit the post, and before he had taken a
dozen steps he was shot dead.
Majuba Hill cost the British nearly
800 men, of which number 228 were
killed and wounded. In the three bat
ties within one month over 600 had
fallen. The English still remained out
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49, ~