Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-27
most of their time smoking. They sic
on the grandstand.'
FIGHT AT REITFONTEIN.

Details Of the fighting at Reitfontein
are coming In slowly. A dispatch from
Labyrinth dated 2ith, and filed after
the fight. says:
ION discovering that the Beers werc
masslng to the westward Of the main
road to Dundee, an attempt was made by
a train to recover the body of Col. Scott
Chisholm. killed at Elandslaagte. The
train was fred upon and obliged to retire,
and General White moved out TO attack
the Beers. believed to be Free Staters.
who should have joined the Transyaaiers
az Elandslaagte General White COM
manded personally the Fifth Lancers
were placed on either flank They irst
came In touch with the Beers below Mod,
derspru!t. where 1850 burghers occupied
a strong ridge, whence they opened Iire
at 1900 yards. hitting Several OF the Bril-
tish In the meanwhile the Hussars and
Natal Carbineers advanced unscatneu
through an opening in the ridge. under
the fire of a Boer gun, while the Imperial
Light Horse took part If the crest Oh inc
ridge, the Beers retiring.
BOER FIRE ACCURATE.
at about Q O'clock however, Boer
gun stationed on the crest Of Matawanas-
kop opened fire with great accuracy on
the British force. which in the meanWnne
had come up, but the shells failed to eX-
plode, and tho British artillery stenced
the opposition. The whole British force
then advanced, and the action became
general. large body Of Beers occupied
strong positions at Natawanaskop ana
the precipt0us ridges surrounding X. Inc
British guns shelled the positions. and the
infantry advanced under cows. OF the fre.
The Gloucesters and Devonshires crossed
q fearful fire-zOne beneath Tuitanyonl
hill, whence the Beers poured withetlng
fire with such effect that thirty or the
attackers dropped within a distance OF 40
yards. Seeing the peril Of the Devon
shires and Gloucesters. General hi,e
dispatched the Carbineers and lSVerpOols
to take the enemy in the rear.
BOERS DISLODGED.
"a fierce rifle and artillery duel was
maintained for some time the Brl,isn
Maxims ratified, but the Beers. under
cover Of the rocks. renamed S1oi' Si'
replied with incessant rife fire. The Brit
ish artillery swept the face OF the MIL
and at length the shells became so ue-
structiye that the Beers retreated 10 ah
other ridge whence they were dlsiouseu
By the volunteers, I'm the face OF saiiliis
fire The Beers soon reformed ana to0h
up a position on another ridge, out inc
volunteers dashed across the intervening
plateau again rushed the Boer position,
and drove them back 20 the main torcS,
occupying Matawanaskop. The BRUSH
then sheiled the latter until clusters Oh
Beers were seen leaving and retreating
westward when the engagement closed.
GLENCOE VICTORY NOT DECISIVE.
A special dispatch from Glencoe camp
dated October I'D. says:
after the victory Friday the British
imagined they were free from further
molsstation for some days, but they soon
found that the earlier reports OF sweep
ing success We're exaggerated. The re-
ported capture of all the Boer guns "as
Incorrect. The Burghers succeeded IN re-
moving some Of them before the British
carried the hill, leaving only the rifemeh
behind TO cover their retreat.
con Saturday news was received or tne
approach OF General Jouberts man col
MN threatenina Dundee. General Yule
quickly recognized the impossibllity OF
defending both Dundee and Glencoe
against such superiority OF numbers; sent
word TO Ladysmith OF his dangerous stu
alton. and ordered the evacuation OF Dun
dec Most of the inhabitants went south
CONCLUDED ON THIRD PACED