The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1896-04-30
AGAINST GREAT ODDS

AGAINST GREAT ODDS
Ths Britssh Win Notable vietory as
Buluwayo- Attacked and De-
feAted-TWo Hundred BFittsA soldiers
and One Hundred Native A1lsee ROut
E1fssen Thousand Natives-Desds Of
9erolsna..
CAPE Towz. April 2s.-A dispatch
from Buluwayo dated April "a says
that Captains Napier and Duncan, with
200 whites and loo natives with Maxim
and Hotchkiss guns. met the Matabeles
three miles ont from Buluwayo. The
Matabeies fred i heavy Solley tnto the
British party and drove them into the
Umgaza river. One of the whites of
the British party was killed, three
officers wefc 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 q sortie
from that town and engage the natives
who were besieeing 1t. The British
party met with no resistance until
they reached the Umguza river, where
they came upon the enemy. The force
from Buluwayo occupied the south
bank of the river for q distance Of q
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 outfianl<ed and driven into the
water.
The enemy warmed mp and at
tempted to get in the rear of the Brit
ish, obliging the Afrikanders to gall
lop back to intercept them Guys
sconts fell into dn ambush and had to
make fush TO extficate themselves
from the Matabeles who were pouring
hot fire into them.
There were many instances OF per-
sona1 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 q 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 escnpe.
Crewe also got of without further in:
jury. but had great difficulty in escap;
ing Baxter's fate.
The Hotchkiss and Maxim guns be-
came jammed early in the fight They
were only fired twice. Had it not been
tor this; the loss of the Matabeles
would have been far heavier than il
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
inflicting heavy loss upon them The
exact number of the killed and
wounded Matabeles is not known.
The Mata6eles were in full retreat
and were being closely pursued by the
British and their native allies when
the order was given for the latter tc
fall back to Bnluwayo, it being feared
that much stronger force would be
met with.
The government has cautioned the
officers to act ON the defensive only
untilreinforcemcnts shall have arrived.
It is thought here that the sortie will
prevent the natives from attempting to
attack the town which it was their
evident intention to do.
TI,.~.. a. kr.1t1 IN, fh1 1Su&
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 fush the enemy at close
quarters.