Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1899-11-06
BRITISH HEROISM.
REGIMENTS RESISTED UNTIL AM
MUNITION WAS GONE.
Mules Stampede With Artillery and In
fantry Reserve Ammunition British
Fortify Hill and Fight to
the Last.

LOnuOn. NOV. 5.-1ne gloom caused
by the British disaster at Ladysmi tn
is, in a measure, relieved by an account
of the heroic stand made by the deci-
mated battalions until their last cart
ridges were gone. The British nerve
was momentarily shaken by General
Whites use of the word capitulate in
his first telegram, but now that it is
known that the Gloucesters and Fusi-
leers fought against overwhelming
odds and upheld the best traditions of
the British army, the tension has been
relieved, since there is no longer any
ground to dread that the loss of life
was accompanied by dishonor.
The captured attachments under
command of Colonel Carlton was one
OF two sent out to occupy strong posi-
lions. They made night march sue
cessfully until within two miles of the
point they desired to reach, when pass
ing through a canyon. boulders were
rolled down the hill stampeding the
infantry ammunition mules. The
stampede spread to the battery mules,
which broke loose from their leaders
and ran away with practically the
whole of the gun equipment and the
greater portion of the small arms am
munition. The reserve was similarly
lost.
Of the fight that succeeded General
White reports as follows:
The infantry battallions, however,
fi>--l bayonets and accompanied by the
personnel of the artillery, seized hill
on the left of the road two miles from
the position they expected to occupy,
with but little opposition. There they
remained unmolested until dawn, the
time being occupied in organizing the
defense of the hill and constructing
stone sangers and walls as cover from
fire.
. AT dawn a skirmishing attack on
our position was commenced by the
enemy, but made no way until $3.50 a.
m. when reinforcements enambed them
to rush to the attack with great energy.
Their fire became very searching and
two companies of the Gloucesters in an
advance position were ordered to fall
back. The enemy then pressed to short
range, the losses on our side becomming
very numerous.
AT p. m our ammunition was
exhausted, the position was
and the survivors of the col
umn fell into the enemy's hands. The
enemy treated our wounded with hui
manity, General Joubert at once dis
letter to me offering a safe
conduct of doctors and ambulances to
remove the wounded. A medical Of
tcer and parties to render first aid to
the wounded were dispatched TO the
scene of action from Ladysmith.
The want of success of the column
vas due to the misfortune of the mules
tampeding and the consequent loss of
he guns and small arm ammunition
eserve. The official list of causalties
Iiu piiSOutTS Will NC ltpOTJtu SuOrbly.
The latter are understood to have been ,
ent by rail to Pretoria. The security
# Ladysmith is in no way affected"
The full battalions were not engaged I
nd, therefore, the list of prisoners is a
materially reduced, while the disaster
ow appears to- have been not so much 8
he consequence of defects in the plan Y
t action as to misfortune whereby a
he column was deprived of it's ammu-
ition.
Still it seems uncomprehepsible why a
ne plight of the luckless column was
OF known Mt headquarters as the O
Gene of the surrender was only about
1ree miles northwest of Ladysmith, +
nd Lieutenant-Colonel Carlton must n
ave expected relief TO reach him, or, "
lstead of attempting to occupy a de- h
nsive position he would have retraced
is steps to Ladysmith when he suf- :"
red the loss of his ammunition.