The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-25
The MATABELES
ARE VICTORIOUS
British Force Fights a Pitched Bat
tie With the RebelIiOnists
Near BuIuHaye.
THE FIGHTING WAS SEVERE
Troops Had Rspid-iirs Gsas. AItkOuab
Greatly Outaumbersd By Natives Lst-
ter Lost May Killed British
Less Also Mas RssYy

Copyrighted. 1926. By Associated Press
capetown. April A.-Telegraphic COM
municatlon with BuluWayo was rs-opse-
ed today and news OF q battle between
the British and Natabeaes receaVsd
The official version Of the sorbfs Says
tha, the British force. shortly aftsr mid
night, was quietly called to arms and
without apparently alarming the native
part Of the town, force Of about 30
men under command Of Captains Hapisr
and Duncan. with ous Maxim gun and
with a HotcAkiSs quick arng Eun. mus
tered outside the barbed wire defenrea
where they were served with ration q
rum. and saddled up for a dash al The
enemys lines.
Swords and all clattering zecousTO-
ments were deadensd with caotA and the
feet Of the horses composing the advance
guard were ''bagged." the hnofs being
covered with strong sacking. Owing 70
/ the precautions IL was necessary 70 take
there vas considerable delay In sefting
OF. The enemy were quietly eamped Do
kind their stone-tapped earthworkas
about four miles from Buluwayo, but.
( contrary to expectations. the AataDeies
had thrown out plckets. which. although
lsurprised By the advance guard. raised the
alarm. This was no sooner done than The
trOopers in advance charged and shot
down many of the fleeing natives
This was the signal for the advance "a
the main body Of troopers. and they ga'-
Toned forward in fine style TO tho support
| Of their comrades. Unluckily for tns
! mans OF Captains .Napiar and Dunesn,
: by This time II was getting quite hghL
: and the MatabeIes had sprung 70 arms an
d along the line. As the British advanced
n they were received by scattering nre
!. from behing the earthworks. but the az
Re vance guard charged right up 70 tne
mounds, and spurred their horses over
them in several places
Then followed setback for the troop
g srs The Matabeles charged in force
and drove the advance guard back ana
hainr met by the main body Of the But
- uwayo force, fire was opened at aboui
v, .oo Yards ON the Matabeles' position TN
OF was kept UP until broad daylight. ~he'
y the advance was ordered back, IN vie'
tie Of the fact that too much ammnniuo
VI was being wasted
Is IIp 10 this time the loss on either $40
n. had not been heavy, although the Mata
ha II.
ct Just previous to the advance on q
M ne Na,ahele position two rapid fire gun
or. ware again set to work. and for about
the ouarter of an hour they were seen
req swean the Matabele position in front
the British force.
but When the right moment seemed 10
me rive. a charge was ordered, and tns
',on was prolonged period of sharp hgnu
heir at close quarters Pistols, fines' -
!. guns warclubs. spears and knives cias
ed prettily.
Gradually the Matabeles pressed
ton ward by sheer force OF numbers aim
surrounding the British, who, to av
being enoiroled. retreated, fighting 7
/, of by foot. but being driven steadily oa
ap- ward. one squad for a time was a
con, cut of. and only extricate4 intself o.
e'e : ot brilliant charge through the Mataoe
cleo Eventually the British were hard pr
and ed and gave ground fast then, rallied
rei"i Napier and Duncan. they again assui
able. the offensive and drove hack the swa
y a. of natives under well directed
ition Then It was the turn OF the MataDele
the give ground. and as the squads OF tr
lines ers charged with ringing cheers,
mes were thrown into confusion, and the
s"'~ ish were apparently getting the u
hand and slowly forcing the enemy b
J. ward, when suddenly a retreat was
iered and the British retired toward
uwayo.
The loss of the enemy is said to
alden been very great. No correct estii
,ldast could be made, Reports place the r
, the ber of Matabeles killed at between
'rras- and 1000. The loss of the British
was is not stated, but 1t is believed to be !
,sbon severe than the commanders at
honh wayo are willing to admit.