The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-10-26
FRIDAYS FIGHT
War Office Says 81 British Sol
diers Were Killed and ISL
Wounded.
Loss Of the Enemy Much Greater.
Retreat of the Beers Became
a Rout.
Fight Almost a Counterpart of
Majuba With the Positions
Reversed. N


LONDON, Oct. 23.-The war Office an
nounces in the fighting Friday between
Glencoe and Dundee, in Natal 81 non
commissioned officers and men were
killed and 151 wounded.
A later dispatch from Sir George
Stewart White says that Sir William
Penn Symons is brighter, but that the
doctor can give no further opinion.
The list of officers killed and wound
ed strikingly shows that. although the
British victory was complete, it was
bought at heavy price. In addition
to Sir William Penn Symons, who is
MORALLY wounded, two colonies, three
captains and five lieutenants were
killed, and colonel, 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 in
sensate conduct in sticking to the ira
ditions of the British army and refus.
ing to use the cover of which the men
awaited themselves in the storming of
the Boer position on the summit of the
Kopje.
Among the rank and file the Hussars
had z wounded; the artillery 1 killed
and wounded; the Leicestershire regi-
ment 1 wounded; the Kings Rifles II
killed and 6S wounded; the Irish Fusi-
leers IA killed and 80 wounded; the
Dublin Fusileers killed and Al
wounded, and the Natal police 2
wounded.
Msjuba Hill Reversed.
The fight was almost an exact coun-
terpart of that of Majuba hill, except
that the positions of the Boer and Brit
ish forces were reversed.
The earliest dispatches regarding FRI
days battle conveyed the impression
that the whole affair was over in a
couple of hours, the British artillery
silencing the Boer guns and infantry
and then simply charging right over
the hill. According to the latest ad-
vices, however, the battle lasted eight
hours, and nearly seven hours elapsed
before the last Boer gun was put out of
action.
The British artillery practice in the
early part of the day decided the bat
tie. The seizure of Dundee hill by the
Beers was surprise, for, although the
pickets had been exchanging shots all
night, it was not until shot doomed
over the town into the camp that their
presence was discovered. Then the
shells came fast. The hill was alive
with swarming Beers, still the British
artillery got to work with energy and
precision.
The Irish Fusiliers and the Kings
Rifles meanwhile had advanced to the
assault and were shooting their way up
the hill, driving the Beers back from
shelter to shelter, until the final rush
of the British carried them to the sum-
NIT
1t was bright clear morning, which
enabled the operations to be followed
by the staff officers without difficulty.
A curious fact was that several times a
lull occurred in the firing on both sides,
the British infantry apparently taking
breathing space in the stiff climb and
the Beers also holding back their fire.
The magnificent practice of the British
guns was an immense help, and the
success of the assault was greatly due
thereto. An enormous quantity of am
munition was expended. Once the
British bayonets showed on top of Kop-
lie, the Beers reiterated and when on de-
scending the other side, they found
British battery and British cavalry out
fianking them, the retreat became a
rout. The British guns followed and
Numbering from time to time, threw
shells among the fleeing foe.
The latter did not wait to try conclu-
sions with the Hussars and mounted in
fantry, who apparently seldom got near
enough to deliver effective volleys. The
pursuit was continued until dusk, when
the Beers were completely demoralized.
A heavy rain began to fall late in the
afternoon, which naturally impeded
artillery work.
It is a striking coincidence that the
day was the second anniversary OF a
similar feat of British arms in India,
when the Gordon Highlanders stormed
Dardaj Heights.
symons Is Promoted.
The war Office has issued the IOlloW-
ing announcement:
"The queen has been pleased to ap-
prove the promotion of Lieutenant
General Symons, commanding the
Fourth division of the Natal field force,
to be major general, supernumerary
to the establishment, for distinguished
services in the field.
The Boer force is estimated to have
numbered 5000 men and was led by
Commandant General Joubert. No
body in the camp save General Symons
and his staff were aware that the Boer
leader intended to attack and that ne
would get within three miles OF TINS
Aosition before making his presence
known to all concerned. It was wen
known, however, that the enemy was
advancing still further south and PIE,
cautions had been taken to guard
against surprise during the night.
The movements Of the commanders
IA the Utrecht district are somewhat
s---A~-:..-. IL ict ar1proeed they nave