The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-16


Daily Mail from Mafeking sent by way
of Magalpie because the runners sent
southwark were unable to traverse the
Boer lines, gives an interesting account
of the fighting during the last week in
October. The correspondent says:
After the failure. to rush the town,
General Cronje had recourse to the tac
tics employed during the siege of Pot
chefstroom in 1881, making an ad-
vance to the town by a succession of
trenches in echelon. Such a move had
been anticipated by US for some time
and for that reason there had been sent
aout parties to worry the Beers inces-
sanity by night attacks. These tactics
the enemy disliked, but he contented
himself with a daily shell fire. which
exposed him to little personal risk.
Then Colonel Baden-Powen played
his trump card by sending out F'itz
Clarence's party to worry the occupants
of the trenches. The little force stole
out silently in the darkness. No shot
was fired and the men. with fixed bay
onets, creeping rather than walking
along, approached the chief Boer posi-
ton near the race course.
Then. as they closed in. there was
shrill screech 1t was Fitz Clarence's
whistle and the signal for onslaught.
A ringing cheer, which the listeners
back in camp caught up, was the only
reply as the party dashed into the
trenches There was a short struggle,
the attacking forces catching and bay
oneting Beers under the tarpaulins,
where they crouched, crying for mercy.
At least fifty bayonets got to work and
the havoc they wrought was terrible.
Hailstorm of Bullets.
For just a moment there was no
%s, f,-a httt
feet hailstorm of bullets poured in from
the trenches to the rear. Again Fitz
Clarence's whistle sounded. 1t meant
cease firing and scatter homeward.'
The British forces scattered, creeping
back under the furious fire in the dark
ness to the appointed rendezvous, where
the roll was called
Colonel Baden-Powel met and con-
graduated Captain Fitz Clarence and
his men upon their splendid work, say
ing that it was a heavy price to pay,
but that the Beers had TO be stopped
making rifle trenches within range of
town.
The members of the party are now
the envy and pride of the garrison.
Even the Boer commander, Botha, eX-
pressed admiration of the attack and
added that he would take Mafeking be-
fore long for he meant to do one thing
or the other quickly.
band playing in the Womans laager. All
Sunday night the Beers poured a rife
fire into the town. 1t was set going
after dinner Sunday evening, when
Colonel Baden-Powell hoisted a red
lamp on the commonage, which was the
scene of Captain Fitz Clarences night
attack. The ruse answered splendidly.
The moment the light appeared the
Beers opened fire and their fusilade
lasted the whole night through.
Waste of Ammunition.
There has been tremendous waste
of ammunition. Indeed, 1t is estimated
that 10000 rounds of ball cartridges
We're wasted on the occasion of the
night attack on the Boer trenches.
Double ratiOns have been served out to
the men who are under shelter, so as
10 be on the safe side if the Beers
saculd sweep the town by a long rife
fire. The garrison is hanging on finely.
Colonel Baden-Powell has the fullest
confidence in everybody and especially
in the matter of implicit obedience TO
the order TO hold the fire until the Beers
get to close range.
The shelling continued all Sunday
at intervals. About o'clock in the
afternoon General Cronje sent in a flag
of truce. giving Mafeking a last chance
10 surrender at the eleventh hour
While the flag was receiving attention
tne nedVy DomDardment continued
The dispatch then describes General
Cronje's great attack of Monday, the
details of which have already been OBJ
tained from Colonel Baden-Powell's Off
cial dispatch.
The end came says the correspond |
ent. after f=e hours fighting The |
enemy retired, being heavily beaten for |
all time so far as Mafeking is con-
.cerned.
Firing Was Terrific.
1T was the hottest day of the siege. |
and the firing was terrific. the Beers |
evidently recognizing that the only |
way into Mafeking. if any, is by a |
kopje. which was gallantly defended !
by Colonel Walfords men. The garri- |
son is jubilant, while the Beers have |
been hurled back in disorder on their /
laager and will have to content them
selves with a long range bombardment /
until they are strongly reinforced.
'.The enemy lost heavily. For hours
after their fighting line had been rolled |
back, two wagons went slowly along |
their positions. picking up the dead and |
wounded. The kopje resembled a !
sha,nbies after the fight, All the men
were killed by bullets or shells. The
lookout tower was shot TO pieces. while
the saddles cf the horses were fearfully
battered about The whole place was