The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-11-03
BOER IS BEATEN


mountain battery ana 5O0 Natal vOlun-
teers to defend the town, which Is the
British military base In North Natal
Further news therefore. is anxiously
awaited.
CAPE TOWN, Oct. %, afternoon
News has been received from Dundee
10 the effect that the Boer disaster at
Glands Laagte staggered the Beers
completely. rendering the attack upon
Dundee feeble. Therefore there is no
cause for anxiety.
LONDON, Oct. 23.-The British VIC
tories in Natal following each other
in qiick succession, though accompa-
MED by heavy losses on the side of
the victors, bear striking testimony to
the va!or of the vanquished Beers.
They appear to have fallen victims to
the very plan on which they counted to
drive the British to the sea. They
have been beaten in detail by courter
strokes carefully considered and bril-
Hantly carried out in the face of cour-
ageous opposition, which has done
much to increase British respect for
the burghers, whose splendid valor and
discrimination it is universally admit
ted, reached the highest level.
Fnller accounts of Saturdays battle
IA Glands Laagte emphasized the
splendid gallantry exhibited on both
sides and the superiority of the Brit
ish in a pitched battle, although the
Beers fought with the greatest tena-
city to the last, only yielding when
further fighting was hopeless.
An armored train with the men of
the Manchester regiment appeared on
the left at Iadysmitb at daybreak Sat
urday in support Of the johannesburg
Imperial Light Horse and Natal Field
Artillery. with the object of reopen
Ding communication with Glands La
agte. The artillery took up position
above the town and shelled the rail-
way station, from which the Beers ran
out. and the British mounted infantry
entering the place released the Eng
fish prisoners.
The Beers. numbering some 1900
men. with three guns, occupied a COM
handing position. They poured such
. a weM-directed fire on the Britt h and
their scouts Were so active that the
British force steadily retired until re-
endorsements arrived, when the mount
ed infantry was sent to drive the Boer
scouts from the ridges on the right. A
large force { mixed cavalry. in the
meanwhile, swept over the plain and
up the hill on the right. The lancers
met with heavy fusilade. while on
the left a British battery opened fire
with good effect. The British infantry,
who had debarked from the railway
train during the interim, advanced
steadily over the plain and I'm the
rocky ridge, previously cleared by the
cavalry. The Boer artillery dropped
.shrapnel into the advancing column,
but the British finally scaled the hill,
whence they overlooked the broad val
ley &c three rocky hills forming the
Beers position, the camp being in the
center.
The Beers had battery of large
guns. The smaller hills We're also
strongly held. On the Boer right was
the station in a valley on the British
left The latter's cavalry on both
tanks and battery on the right was
busy throwing shrapnel at the Beers
batteries.
The British infantry formed for the
attack In extended order behind the
brew of the hill, the Devonshires on
the left, with four companies of the
Manchesters and some of the Gordons
IN the right. At about s =. m. the in
fantry advanced through the valley as
steadily as on field day. Half way
down the slope they met a terrific in
fantry and artillery fire. The men fell
rapidly and the wounded were carried
to the rear. But in spite of the steady
work OF the Boer guns and the sharp
shooters concealed behind the rocks,
,he increasing force OF the advancing
British infantry gradually gained the
upper hand, and the Manchesters and
Gordons. edging toward the right,
gained the top of the ridge, huts out
Ranking the enemv,s left
At G o'clock the bugles sounded the
charge" and the British swept ahead.
The Beers fought to the last, only at
tempting to escape when further fight
ing was hopeless.