Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-01

London, Nov. 1.-The British war office
to-day made public a dispa tch received
from General White describing the OPP
erations of Monday. 1t was as follows:
'Ladysmith, Oct. 81. 7:5o p. m.-Took
ed troops. two brigade divisions of Roya,
artillery. Natal field battery and two,
brigades of infantry to reconnoiter in
force the enemy's main position to the
north, and. if opportunity should offer.
to capture the hill behind Farquhar's
farm which had on the previous day been
held in strength by the enemy.
I'm connecting with this advance a
column, consisting of the 10th Mountain
artillery, four half companies Of Glou-
cesters and six companies Of Royal Irish
fusleers, the whole under Lieutenant
Colonel Carlton and Major Adye, deputy
assistant adjutant general, was dispa tch-
ed at II p. m. of the goth to march by
night up Bell Spruit and seize Nicholson's
Mex or some position near Nicholson's
Mex. thus turning the enemys right
flank.
'The main advance was successfully
carried out. the objective point of attack
duel which ensued between our field bat
teries and the enemy's guns, is under
stood to have caused heavy loss to the
enemy The reconnaissance forced the
enemy to fully disclose his position and
after a strong counter attack on our
right, the infantry brigade and cavalry
had been repulsed, troops were slowly
Withdrawn to the camp pickets being ieft
on observation.
Late in the engagement the Natal con-
tingent under Captain Lambler came into
action and silenced, with their extremely
accurate fire, the enemy's guns of po-
stion.
1.-The circumstances which attended the
movement of Cartons column are not
yet fully known but from reports receiv-
ed the column appears to have carried
out the night march unmolested. until
within two miles of Nicholson's Mex. At
this point two boulders rolled from the
hill and few rifle shots stampeded the
infantry ammunition mules The stam-
pede spread to the battery mules. which
broke loose from their leaders and ran
away with practically the whole of the
gun equipment and greater portion OF
the small arm 4 hC ISSS' w
was similarly lost.
1.-The infantry battalions. however, fix
ed bayonets and ACCOMPANIED by the per-
sonnel of the artillery. seized the hill on
the left of the road two miles from the
Mex, with but little opposition There
they remained unmolested until dawn,
the time being occupied IN organizing
defense of the hill
"At dawn a skirmish attack on our
position was commenced by the enemy,
but made no way until $50 a. m. when
reinforcements came in a rush to the
attack with great energy Their fire
became searching and two companies Of
the Gloucester in an advanced position
We're ordered to fall back. The enemy
the pressed to short range, the losses on
our side becoming very numerous.
AT 3 p. m. our ammunition was prac.
tically exhausted, the position was cap.
tured and the survivors of the column
fell into the enemy's hands. The enemy
, treated our wounded with humanity
General Joubert at once dispatched let
ter to me offering safe conduct to doctors
and ambulances to remove the wounded.
medical officer and parties to render
first aid to wounded We're dispatched TO
the scene of action from Ladysmith last
night and an ambulance at dawn this
morning.
THE want of success OF the column was
due to the misfortune of the mules stam-
peding and consequent loss of guns and
small arm ammunition reserve The Of
licial list Of casualties and prisoners will