The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-23
FIGHTING AT GLENCOE.
Details of the First Attack Made by
the Boer Forces.

| Details of the First Attack Made by
the Boer Forces.
LONDON, Oct. PA correspondent in
| Glencoe camp, telegraphing on Oct. 70.
and describing the fighting that followed
the first Boer attack upon the British
position that day, says:
sit was after the battle was renewed,
following the lull that ensued upon the
sharp cannonading of the British, which
silenced the guns Of the Beers on Smiths
| Hill, that our casualties began. The IN
| dian hospital corps of coolies, under Maj.
| Donegan, of the Eighteenth Hussars, ran
| out keeping in the rear Of the advanc-
| ing infantry and artillery that had gal
| Hoped from the second position through
| the town amid the cheers Of the cit
| liens
''At this time the Beers became cratic.
| Our artillery was firing on the hill where
| the Beers were stationed in great num-
| bers, but the return fire did little dam
age. The enemy kept up an incessant
shooting, but our shrapnel began to tell
| it's tale with the result that the Boer
fire visibly slackened. From ceaseless
rattle the rifle fire dwindled to stray
Cling shots.
"a corporal of the Dublin Fusileers
was carried past me to the rear on a
| stretcher. Maj Davidson, Of the Irish
| Fusileers, was shot through both legs,
and Color Sergeant Anderson, of the
Dublin Fusileers, was brought in wound
ed in the right shoulder.
"The artillery in front was Smelling the
hill, and the Kings Royal Rifles, on the
right front. were busy with the Maxims,
making the Beers anxious about their
| position. Their artillery had been 81
| fenced by the. splendid service of ours
| Meanwhile squadron of the Eigh-
teenth Hussars and mounted company
Of the Dublin Fusileers were creeping
around on the enemy's left flank, while
| another squadron of the Hussars and
mounted company Of the Kings Royal
Rifles deployed to the right flank, at the
| corn fields
'The artillery continued to play on
| Smiths Hill, at range Of nearly 5000
yards. Under its cover the Dublin Flu
sileers and the Kings Royal Rifles press
| ed forward. 1t was In the execution of
| this maneuver that the casualties to our
infantry occurred, several men being kill
| ed or wounded.
LULL IN BATTLE
1.-THE firing now eased off on our side,
| and only solitary shot was returned
now and then. Gen. Symons, taking ad-
| vantage of this lull, rode forward with
| his staff in front Of the guns, taking
| cover at the rear of the plantation, near
| fantry, In extended formation, had grad
! ual1y pressed forward, watching the
| Beers from the rear Of the artillery, and
massing on the extreme left Of the hill.
! Il saw three shells in quick succession
| cut some to pieces and drive others away.
The Boer fire was becoming hot, but the
| first battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles
| and the Irish Fusileers, led respectively
! by Col. Cunning and Col. Carlton, con-
| tinued to mount the hill. Gradually they
! extended along the ridge and at 10
O'Clock, after four and a half hours of
| artillery firing to screen them, they man
aged to reach a wall running parallel
with the ridge, about 600 yards from the
summit.
"This position was maintained under
cover Of some magnificent shooting by
our artillerymen, who placed shells where
the Beers were massed with amazing ac
curacy compelling them to retire. But
not for long. On again the determined
enemy would come. only to be beaten
back again by the excellent shooting Of
the Thirteenth and Sixty-ninth batteries,
under Maj. Dawkins and Maj. King.
''At 11:45 a. m. the firing had almost
ceased, and the enemy was in retreat and
rushing to the plateau at the base or top
of the second hill. The defense made by
the Beers was most determined, the
enemy again and agsc pouring long
was holly returned in we'll directed vol
leys by the slowly advancing Dublin Flu
sileers and Kings Royal Rifles.
HAIL OF BULLETS.
"a large body Of Beers, driven from
Smiths Hill, took refuge in cattle kraal,
Intending a cross fire. The Thirteenth
battery opened fire, however, and poured
in such a hail of bullets as caused them
speedily to shift position.
."Thus far the enemy had displayed UNI
doubted courage, perhaps unequaled by
the best European troops. They had stood
up to our scattering artillery fire with
the greatest determination, and then on
Talama ridge. standing clearly out
on the sky line, they still APP
peared unbeaten and defiant. The
battle had now ragged six and a. half
hours. The Sixty ninth battery was or
dered to timber up and advance. The
battery galloped into a new position in
splendid form, and was in action at the
front in a moment.
$50 effective was the apparent result
of this close range firing that the Thir-
teerth battery was at once ordered up.
and after two rounds from each battery,
perfect silence reigned over the enemy s
front, broken only by the whirring of
the Maxims served by the Dublin Flu
sileers, who had secured an excellent
position to the TlSII- DuTlnS q nOIlen-
tary cessation the Beers had taken up a
position on hill to the right of the road
leading to Maima Colliery, but the Thir-
teenth battery soon opened fire on them,
and compelled them to retire
Meanwhile the two infantry battalions
continued to climb the hill. but at 1:30 p.
M. after eight hours of desperate fight
Ing the position was carried. the Beers
having precipitately evacuated the HILL
Thus what had commenced with a battle
at Dundee ended in glorious victory for
British arms at what must be called the
battle of Talana Hill.
"Just as the Kings Royal Rifles and
the Dublin Fusileers gained the hill top
the mounted infantry could be seen work.
ing around the left flank.
QUEEN DEPLORES.
LONDON, Oct 22-The secretary of
state for war, the Marquis of Lansdowne,
has received the following message from
the queen, dated today at Balmoral cas-
tie:
my heart bleeds for these dreadful
losses again today. 1t is a great success
but l fear very dearly bought. Would
you convey my warmest and heartfelt
sympathies with the near relatives Of the
fallen and wounded and my admiration
of the conduct of those they have lost;
r. l."