The Yale expositor., 1899-12-08
MAJUBA HILL.
A British Waterloo.

During the recent engagement be-
tween British and Boer forces on the
Transvaal border, the English soldiers
adapted as battle slogan Remember
Majuba HILL" To those conversant
with the facts it would seem that the
British would greatly prefer to eternal
ly forget Majuba Hill and the disgrace
to British arms that occurred there
in 1881.
Majuba Hill is in fact steep and
rugged mountain, standing just to the
right of Laing's Mex, or Laings Pass,
a deep cut through series of hills ly-
ing about % miles to the northwest of
Newcastle, one of the border towns of
Natal.
The British General, Sir George Col
ley, had set out to invade the Transvaal
with large baggage and ammunition
train guarded by force of little less
than nine hundred men. 1t was made
plain after the disaster which followed
that the British should have first push
ed a portion of their force rapidly to
the front and seized both Laing's Mex
and Majuba Hill. There was nothing
whatever to prevent this because there
were six different routes from New
castle into the Transvaal and the Beers
had no knowledge as to which would
be chosen. But instead of thus ener-
getically pushing ahead detachment
to seize and hold these strong positions
the British General kept the entire
force together and consumed six DAYS
making the 20 miles. Meanwhile the
Beers had ample time to send out
scouts and concentrate their forces at
Laing's Mex, and by the time Colley's
column arrived there, as it afterwards
proved, they had force of about 1900
strong. In the cut between the hills
and directly across the road was a high
crest along which the Beers had thrown
up intrenchments. Behind these were
posted men who as class rank with
our western cowboys and plainsmen
in the use of the rifle. And to push up
the steep ridge and carry this strong
position the British General detached
five companies, or little over 250 men,
keeping the entire of his remaining
force to guard his baggage and ammu-
milton. The result was inevitable and
the Boer fire literally swept them away
About $50 of them were killed or taken
prisoners and the balance must have
been mown down by the murderous
fire of the Beers but for a gallant
charge of body of mounted infantry
held in reserve. AS it was the British
retreated to river on the road to
Newcastle where another engagement
took place. The shooting of the Beers
was so accurate that they were sure to
hit even hand that showed above the
rocks behind which the British lay en-
trenched, and within few minutes
every horse, driver and gunner that
manned two field pieces were killed, and
there was not an inch of space on
either gun but had been struck
by rifle ball. During this engage
ment fully two-thirds of the British
force were either killed or wounded.
They finally retreated across the river
undercover of darkness and upon the
arrival of relieving column under
General Wood the Beers retired to
their old position at Laing's Mex.
Meanwhile General Woods strong
force had all arrived at Newcastle. AS
Military mONe JHe occupation OF
Majuba Hill directly above the Boer
force must give the British a great adj
vantage in clearing the entertainments
in Laing's Mex, thus allowing Woods
forces fair chance TO fight their way
through. General Colley, without
waiting for reinforcements from Wood
and to retrieve his two serious defeats,
conceived the idea of seizing the COW
eted mountain stronghold, and with
force of about 600 men and officers
under cover of dark night and over
rocky and broken ground reached the
foot of the mountain, consuming six
hours to make the intervening four
miles. There on high ridge he posted
a force of about 200 men to prevent
any attempt Of the Beers TO ascend the
hill from that side. On the side of the
BOer camp it was believed to be inn
possible for men to scale the height,
and there were but two or three places
on the remaining sides where an ascent
could be made. Up these pathways
the remainder of the force struggled,
ARRIVING at the top at daylight. The
top of the hill was fiat plateau and
by keeping back from its edge il was
impossible for the Boer fire to reach
the troops and so detachments were
posted along the crest at different
points as guards against any promoted
attack.
The Beers discovered their enemy
early in the morning and Immediately