Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-10-21
THE VICTORY
CAME HIGH
Great Britaln's Loss OF Officers
at Battle OF Glencoe Camp
is Surprising.
THE BOERS WERE ROUTED
Reported that Beers are Dlscour'
aged and the Fighting May
Soon Come to an End.

London, October 2l.-The earliest
dispatches regarding yesterdays battle
conveyed the impression that the whole
affair was over in couple of hours, the
British artillery silencing the Boer guns
and the infantry then simply charging
right over the hill.
According to.the latest advices how
ever the battle lasted eight hours and
nearly seven hours elapsed before the
last Boer gun was put ont of action.
The Irish Fusileers and Kings Rifles
meanwhile advanced to the assault aud
We're shooting their way up the hill,
driving the Beers back from shelter to
shelter until final rush of the British
carried them to the summit.
1t was bright, clear morning which
enabled the operations to be followed
without difficulty. A curious fact was
ttat several times lull occurred in the
firing on both sides, the British infantry
apparently taking breathing space in
the stiff climb, the Beers also holding
back their fire. The magnificent prac-
tice of the British guns was an i'm
mense help AMI the success of the as
sault is greatly due thereto. Once the
British bayonets showed on top of
Kopje the Boeis retreated and when on
descending tie other side they found a
British battery and British cavalry
outfianking them the retreat became q
rout. The British guns followed and
unlimbering from time to time, threw
shells into the flying foe. The latter
did not try conclusions with the Hussars |
aud the mounted infantry was appsr-
emily seldom gotten near enough to de-
liver effective volleys. This policy was
continued until dusk when the Beers
were completely demoralized. A heavy
rain began TO fall during the afternoon
which naturally impeded the artillery
operations.
THE DEATH LIST.
London, Oct. 21-The list of officers |
killed and wounded strikingly shows |
that while the British victory was
complete it was bought at heavy
price. In addition to Sir William
Penn Symons, who is mortally wound
ed two colonels, three captains and
five lieutenants were killed and col
onel, three majors, six captains, and
ten lieutenants were wounded.
This heavy loss among the officers
was due as the latest dispatches from
the front show, to their valiant but
insensiate conduct in sticking to the
traditions of the British army and re-
fusing to use cover of which the men
availeu themselves curing the storm |
ing of the Boer position on the sum-
nit of Kopje. Among the rank and
file the Hussars had seven wounded, |
tue artillery one was killed and three |
wounded, the Leicestershire regiment |
one wounded, Kings rifles eleven |
killed sixty-eight wounded. Irish |
fusileers, fourteen killed and thirty |
wounded, Dublin fusileers four killed, |
forty-one wounded, Natal police two |
wounded. Col Sherston who was
killed, was a nephew of General Lord |
Frederick Roberts. AS his aide de
camp he went through the Afghan |
his famous Kandhar march. Col. |
Cunning, also killed, went through the |
Zulu war and was also in the Burman
campaign. The Outlook publishes
a dispatch from Cape Town dated yes
terday alleging that the Beers are
not likely to make any further consid- |
cradle offensive movement and the |
correspondent says: "They are utterly |
hn Al
take risks"
SYMONS PROMOTED.
London, Oct 21-The war office has
issued the following announcement:
The queen has been pleased to ap-
prove the promotion of Lieut.. General
Symons, commanding the fourth di-
vision of the Natal field force to be
major general supernumerary to the
establishment, for distinguished SER
vice in the field"
London, Oct. 21.-A dispatch from
Cape Town announces that British
force with field guns landed yesterday
at Simonstown and took train for
the north. Their exact destination
wds not revealed, but it probably is
come point on the southern frontier
of Orange Free State where the Boel
are assembling.
Paramount chief of Basutos, accord
ing to a dispatch from Cape Town.
has asked permission to assemble the
other Basutos chiefs with view of in
viting them to pledge loyalty to the
Queen. This is assumed to be the
forerunner of Basuto movement and
Orange Free State burghers near the
Basuto border are said to be- in a.
state of CONSERVATION fearing that the
Basutos despite imperial instructions
to the contrary will take the field and
invade the Free State.
A GRAND FAREWELL.
London, Oct. 2l-London gave the
guards grand farewell today on their
departure for Southampton where they
embarked for the cape. Three battal-
ions of the FIRST Scots, the Second Cold
streams and the Third Grenadiers left.
Along the whole route lusty ovation
awaited the troops. Before many yards
were covered the ranks were broken
and women linked arms with the SOL
diers who were carried along in surg
ing, singing crowd to the station. The
Second Coldstreams marched TO the
Nine Elms station amid similar enthu-l
siasm and many affecting scenes.
CRU UISERS ORDERED READY.
London, October 2l.-Dockyard au-
thorffilsa NJ navanoort hav, -. =