Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-01
But Beers Fail to Drive Him Out OF
Ladysmith.
ARTILLERY DUEL IN PROGRESS
Further Details of the Disaster of
Last Monday.
MULE TRAIN STAMPEDED

around that place on Monday night. send
ing shells into the British camp. The two
guns landed from the British cruiser Pow
erful opened fire on the Beers at dawn
Tuesday. The Beers brought up more guns,
but some of them We're siIenced. II is
added that the Beers loss must have been
heavy. The garrison of Ladysmlth is de
scribed as being in good spirits and con-
hdent and the troops said to be full of
fight The artillery duel was still IN pro-
gress Tuesday night.
The British war office today made pub
lie a dispatch received from General White
describing the operations of Monday. 1t
was a. follows:
"LADYSMITH. October 81. T:5o PM
took out from Ladysmith brigade of
mounted troops, two brigade divisions OF
the Royal Artillery, the Natal field battery
and two brigades of infantry. to reconnoitre
in force the enemy's main position to the
north and. if the opportunity should offer,
to capture the hill behind Farquhar's farm,
which had on the previous day, been held
In strength by the enemy. In connection
with this advance a column. consisting Of
the 10th Mountain Artillery. four half COM
pdnies of the GlOucesters and SIX COM
panies of the Royal Irish fusiiers. the
whole under Lieutenant Colonel Charlton
and Major Adye. deputy assistant adjutant
general was dispatched. AT II pm, on Oc-
tober -, to march by night up BelIs-Spruit
and seize Nicholson's Mex, or some posi-
ton near Nicholson's Mex, thus turning the
enemy's right flank
The main advance was successfully car
rted out. the objective Of the attack being
found evacuated.
Enemy Lost Heavily.
An artillery duel between our field bat
terfes and the enemy's guns of the position
and AIaxims is understood TO have caused
heavy loss 70 the enemy. The reconnaJs-
sance 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, the troops
were ~lowy withdrawn to camp, pickets
. being left on observation. Late in the en-
gsgemeut the naval contingent. under Cap
tain Lambton of H NJ. S. Powerful came
into action and s:lenced with their ex-
trenely accurate fire the enemy's guns of
position.
The circumstances which attended the
movements of Lieut.. Col. Cartons column
are not yet fully known. but from reports
received the column appears to have car
ried 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 stanlpeded the infan-
try ammunition mules the stampede to
the battery mules which broke loose
from their leaders and got away with prac-
ticalIy the whole of the gun equipment and
the greater portion of the regimentaI small
arm ammunition. The reserve was sim
ilarly lost
The infantry battalions, however, fixed
bayouets, and, accompanied by the person.
k,s11
of the road, two miles from the Mex, with
but little opposition. There they remained
unmoIested till dawn. the time being occu-
pied in organizing the defense of the hill
and constructing stone saEgars and walls
as cover from fire. At dawn a sklrmishing
attack on our position was commenced by
the enemy, but made no way until 9:3O
a m, when strong rcinforcements ena bIed
them to rush to the attack with great en-
ergy- Their fire became very searching
and two companies Of the GIoucesters, in an
advance position, We're ordered to fall back
The enemy then pressed TO short range,
the losses on our side becoming very nu-
merous-
Ammunition Was Exhausted.
''At s pm our ammunition was practical
ly exhausted. the position was captured
and the survivors Of the column fell into
the enemy's hands. The enemy treated our
wounded with humanity, Gen. Joubert at
once disDatChing letter TO me Offering a
safe conduct TO doctors and ambulances to
remove the wounded. \ medical officer and
parties 10 render first aid 70 the wounded
were dispatched to the scene of action from
Ladysmith last night. and the ambulance
at dawn this morning.
The want OF success Of the column was
due 10 the misfortune Of the mules STAN
pedins and the consequent loss Of the guns
and suaii-arm ammunition reserve.
The official list Of casualties and prison.
ers Will be reported shortly. The latter are
understood to have been sent by rail to
Pretoria
The security OF Lady smith is in no way
affected
Report Relieves the Gloom.
= The gloom caused by the British disa ster
at LadysUith vas, in measure, relieved
by todays story giving an account Of the
heroic stand made by the decimated bat
talioHs until their last cartridges were gone
The British mere was momentarily shaken
by Gen. Whites use Of the word "capitu-
late in his first telegram, but now that it
is known that the GIoucesters and Fusiliers
fought against overwhelming odds and up-
held the best traditions Of the British army
the tension has been relieved, since there is
no longer ground 70 dread that the loss Of
life and men was accompanied by dishonor
The details today show the catastrophe
IN a brighter aspect. The full battauons
were not engaged. and, therefore. the list
OF prisoners Is materially reduced while the
disaster now appears TO have been not so
much the consequence Of defects in the plan
Of action as To a misfortune whereby the
column was deprived of its ammunition.
Stin. IT seems incompre why the
plight OF the lUc kless column was not
known at headquarters. as the scene of the
surrender was only about three miles north
west OF Ladysrnith, and Lieut.. Col. Carlton
must have expected relief to reach him. or,
instead Of attempting 70 occupy a defensive
position, ne would have retraced his steps
to Ladysmith when he suffered the loss of
his ammunition.
l. Apart from Gen. Writes statement that