Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-22
FIGHT AT NICH0LSEN'S Mex
Heroic Work ON both sIdes-sevcrity
of the Fire Eiandsiaagsc and
CLieveioy tsatticncids.
Correspondence OF the Associated
praua


Prcssl
London. Dec. l3.-Lottcrs from Brit
ish officers and soldiers fighting In the
Transvoal and lengthy descriptions
from war correspondents that alter
Into print through the mails. teen with
thrilling and pathetic Incidents. Writ
Ing TO his mother. young officer OF
the Manchestcrs. wounded In one OF
the first engagements. relates that
while he lay at night on the hillside.
expecting to die bleeding from u wound
In his thigh. and shlyerlng with cold.
there stumbled over him Tommy OF
my company named Rogers" This
Tommy" quickly whipped on his over
coat, placed II around the boy officer,
and. laying down. put his arms around
MN. and for the rest OF that long, cold
night Kept him beautifully warm"
The Times correspondent gives II
graphic account and explanation Of
the British disaster at Nlcholsen's Mex
where Cartoons column. consisting OF
six companies OF the Roynl Irish fu-
slleers. four and half companies OF
the Gloucostershlrc regiment. and No.
10 mountain battery surrendered.
Two hours before dnybreak," says
this correspondent. while the column
was In an enclosed country. either u
shot was fired or boulder rolled into
the battery. The mules stainpedod and
easily broke away from their hnlf
asleep drivers. They came back on the
Glouccstershlrc regiment. the advance
party OF which fired into the mass, be-
lleNlng In the darkness that II was an
attack.
This added to the chaos The ranks
were broken by the frenzlcd animals.
ana they dashed through the ranks OF
the rear guard. carrying the first and
second reserve ammunition animals
with them.
1T became hopeless panic. The
animals. Wild with the shouting and
the turmoil. tore down the Nullah into
the darkness. ana the last that was
heard of them was the sound OF amn,u-
milton boxes and panniers M they We're
fpllntored Esfinst the bouldors.
THE hubbub Of these few moments
was sufficient to have alarmed the
enemy. by strenuous effort the Of
iicers succeeded In getting the men
came they seized the first position
which presented ltslf, and which was
about two miles short OF the original
goal. They We're forced to take advan-
tagc OF the first kopJe. as Boer scouts
Were all around them. and the day was
ushered In with dcsultory firing
II was sorry position which they
had chosen. and the men were In o
sorry plight All their reserve nmmu-
milton was gone, and though they had
saved pieces OF the screw guns, they
were not able with these pieces to
patch IN n single mounting
From earliest dnybreak Boer scouts
were accommodating. and about s
o'clock mounted Beers could be seen
galloplng In small groups 10 the cover
OF the hill west. Strong parties OF
mounted men took positions on the
far side OF the two hills, commanding
the kopje from them. About . o'clock
these two parties had crowned the hills
ana opened q heavy FIRE ut short range
right down upon the plateau.
our men made u plucky attempt to
return this fire. but II was impossible.
They were under "A cross fire from two
directions. flank and roar. The two
companies OF Gloucestershlre holding
the self-contnlned ridge were driven
from their shelter. ana as they crossed
the open on the low plateau We're ter
ribly mauled. the men falling In groups.
"rhc Boera on the west had not yet
declared themselves. but about 200
marksnen climbed to the position
which the two companies OF the Glou-
cestershires had Just vacated. These
men absolutely ruked the plateau, and
II was then that the men We're ordered
TO take cover on the steep reverse OF
the kopJ.
~ EnNAl ht luf fftllLtu lUlN
move, the men ON the western hill
tcemed onto the summit and opened
upon our men as they lay on the slope
They We're absolutely hemmed In, and
what had commenced AZ sklrmish
seemed about to become n butchery.
The grim order was passed around.
'on faugh--a- ballaghs'-hx your bay
onets and die like men.
There was the clatier OF steel. tho
moment OF suspense, and then the
Cease firing sounded. Again and again
II sounded but the Irish fuslleers were
10th TO accept the call, and continued
firing for many minutes. Then 1t was
unconditional surrender. ana the men
laid down their arms"
The correspondent at Ladysmlih of
the same paper. describing the battle
field OF Elandslaagte. realistically de-
tails the horrors OF war. lie writes:
"The battlefield. MS II stood on the
Sunday. conveyed sufficient proof OF the
severity OF the firo. The wounded had
been removed by daylight but the bur-
lnl parties had not arrived to perform
tho last duties to the dead. The men
lay there as they had fallen. a sad
pathetic tribute TO tho courage OF the
British soldier.
1--WE followed this tragic traii-High-
landers. Manchesters and mounted vol