The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-23
HOW TALANA HILL WAS TAKEN.
VALIANT FIGHTING BY BOTH BoERs
AND BRITISH.

by the Best European Troops.
British Artillery DID SpIeedid
Servicc-Charges Made Under Its
Cover.
London Oct ga correspondent IN
Glencoe Camp. telegraphing on Oct 20,
describing the fighting that followed the
first engagement in the Boer attack upon
the British position that day, says:
1T was after the battle was renewed,
following the lull that ensued upon the
sharp cannonading of the British which
siienced the guns of the Beers on Smiths
HILL that our casualties began. The In
dian hospital corps of coolies, under Maj.
Donegan of the Eighteenth Hussars. ran
out, keeping in the rear of the advancing
infantry and artillery that had gallopel
from the second position through the
town, amid the cheers of the citizens.
'At this point the Beers became erratic.
Our artillery was firing on the hill where
the Beers were stationed in great num-
bers, but the return fire did little damage.
The enemy kept up an incessant shooting,
but our shrapnel began to tell its tale with
the result that the Boer fire visibly slack
ened. From a ceaseless rattle the rife
fire dwindled to struggling shots.
"A corporal of the Dublin Fusileers was
carried past me to the rear on a stretcher.
Maj. Davidson of the Irish Fuslleers was
shot through both legs and Color Sergeant
Anderson, of the Dublin Fusileers, was
brought in wounded in the right shoulder.
The artillery in front was shelling the
hill and the Kings ROYAL Rifles, on the
right front, were busy with the Maxims,
making the Beers anxious about their po-
sition. Their artillery had been sllenced
by the splendid service of ours.
Meanwhile a squadron of the Eigh-
teenth Hussars and a mounted company
of the Dublin Fusileers were creeping
around on the enemy's left flank, while an
other squadron of the Hussars and a
mounted company Of the Kings Royal
| Rifles deployed to the right flank at the
cornfelds
Under Cover of Artillery.
1.-THE artillery continued to play on
Smiths hill, with range of nearly 300
yards. Under its cover the Dublin Fusi-
| leers and the Kings Royal Rifles pressed
| forward. 1t was in the execution of this
maneuver that the casualties TO our in-
fantry occurred, several men being killed
or wounded.
The firing now eased off on our side
and only a solitary shot was returned now
and then. Gen SyInmons, taking advan-
tage of this lull, rode forward with his
staff in front of the guns, taking cover
at the rear of the plantation, near the
base of the hill. All this time our infan-
try. in extended formation, had gradually
pressed forward, watching the Beers from
the rear of the artillery and massing on
the extreme left of the hill
"I saw three shells in quick succession
cut some to pieces and drive others way
The Boer fire was becoming hot but the
First Battalion Of the Kings Royal Rifles
| and the Irish Fusieers, led respectively
by Col. Cunning and Col. Carlton, contin-
ued to mount the hill Gradually they eX-
| tended along the ridge and al 10 O'Clock
after four and a half hours of artillery
firing TO screen them, they managed to
reach a wall, running parallel with the
ridge, about 600 yards from the summit.
This position was gained under cover
of some magnificent shooting by our ar
tillerymen, who placed shells at pairts
where the Beers were massed with amaz-
ing accuracy, compelling them 10 reii e
But not for long. on again the determln ed
enemy would como, only to be beaten back
| again by the excellent shooting of the
Thirteenth and Sixty-ninth batteries under
Maj. Dawkins and Maj King.
"At :45 a. m. the firing had almost
ceased and our infantry were over the
wall in a twinkling and rushing toward
the plateau at the base Of the top or Sec
ondary ridge. The defense made by the
Beers was most determined, the enemy
again and again pouring a long fus llade
into the British ranks which was holy re-
turned in well directed oleys by the
slowly advancing Dublin Fusileers and
Kings Royal Rifles.
Beers Undaunted Courage.
"a large body Of Beers, driven from
Smiths hill, took refuge in a cattle kraai,
intending 10 cross fire. The Thirteenth
Battery opened fire, however, and poured
in such hail Of bullets as caused them
speedily to shift the position.
Thus far the enemy had displayed un-
doubted courage, perhaps unequaled by
tne best European troops They had stood
up to our scattering artillery fire with the
greatest determination, and then on Ia
lana ridge, standing clearly out on the
sky line they still appeared unbeaten and
defiant. The battle he'd now ragged six and
a half hours, when the Sixty-ninth Bat
terry was ordered to timber up and ad-
vance The battery galloped into a new
position in splendid form and was in ac-
ton at The front in a moment.
so effective was the apparent result of
this close range firing that the Thirteenth
Battery was at once ordered up, and aft
er two rounds from each battery, perfect
silence reigned over the enemy's front.
broken only by the whlrring Of the Max
inns. served by the Dublin Fusileers, who
had secured an excellent position TO the
right. During a momentary cessation the
Beers had taken up a position on hill
to the right Of the road leading to Maima
colliery, but the Thirteenth battery soon
opened fire on them and compelled them
TO retire.
Meanwhile, the two infantry battalons
continued to climb the hill, and at 80 p.
m. after eight hours of desperate fight
ing the position was carried, the Beers
having precipitately evacuated the hiu.
Thus what had commenced with a battle
at Dundee ended in glorious victory for
British arms al what must be known as
the battle of Talana Hill.
Just as the Kings Royal Rifles and
the Dublin E'usileers gained the hin TOP
the mounted infantry could be seen work.
ing around the left flank"
Finally our batteries ceased their muir
derous fire, and the infantry charged no
the rocky nights, still separating them
from the enemy and reached The summit.