The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-11-08
A BLOODY BATTLE
Between the British and Beers
at Ladysn1ith.
THE BRlTlSHIS WHIPPED.
They Lost Artillery and Ammu.
milton by Stampede of Mules
in Night March. Fought
to the Last.
to the Last.

The British war Office at London
made public the following dispatch from
Gen. WLite describing the operations
of Monday:
Ladysmith, Oct. 81, 7,5O p. nj
took out from Ladysmith a brigade of
mounted troops, two brigade divisions
of the Royal artillery, the Natal'feld
battery and two brigades Of infantry, to
sseconnoitre in force the enemy main
position to the north, and, if the op-
p0rtunity should offer, to capture the
hill behind Farquhar's farm which had,
on the previous day been held in
strength by the enemy. In connection
with. this advance, a column consisting
of the Tenth Mountain artillery, four
half companies, ,ofI.the Gloucesters aud
six companies Of the Royal Irish Fusil
lers, the whole.under Lieut. Col Charl-
ton and Maj Adye, deputy assistant ad-
jutant general, was dispatched at II p.
NJ: on the 29th, to march by night up
Bells Spruit and Seize Nicholson's
Mex, or some position near Nicholson's
Mex. thus'turning the enemy's right
flank. The main advance was success
fully carried out, the objective of the
attack being found evacuated and an
artillery duel between our field batter
les and the eneny's guns Of positions
and Maxims, is understood to have
caused heavy loss to the enemy. The
reconnaissance forced the enemy to
fully disclose his position. and, after a
stropg counter attack on our right, the
Infantry brigade and cavalry having
been repulsed, the troops were slowly
Withdrawn to camp, pickets being left
on observation. Late in the engage
ment the naval c ntingent under Capt
Hampton of H. NJ. S. Powerful, came
into action and sileuced, with their ex-
tremely accurate fire, the enemys guns
Of position.
The circumstances which attended
the movements Of Lieut. Col Cartons
column are not yet fully known, but
from reports received the column ap-
pears to have carried out the night
march unmolested until within two
miles of Nicholson's Mex. At this
point two boulders rolled from the hill
and few rife shots stampeded the in
fantry ammunition mules. The stam-
pede spread to the battery mules, which
broke loose from their leaders and got
away with practically the whole Of the
gun equipment aad the greater portion
of the Tegimental small arm ammuni-
ton. The reserve was similarly lost
The infantry battalions, however, fixed
bayonets and accompanied by the per
sonuel of the artillery, seized hill on
the left of the road two miles from the
Mex. with but little opposition. There
they remained unmolested till dawn,
the time being occupied in organizing
the defense Of the hill and constructing
stone saogars and walls as cover from
FIRE. At dawn skirnishing attack on
our position was commenced by the
enemy, but made no way until 9 30 m
when strong reenforcements enabled
them to rush to the attack with great
energy. Their fire became very search
ing and two companies of the Glouces
tiers, in an advance position, were or
dered to fall back. The enemy then
pressed to short range. the losses on
our side becoming.very numerous. At
3 p "a our ammunition was practically
exhausted, the position was captured
and the survivors of, the column fell
into the encmy's hands. The enemy
treated our wounded with humanity,
Gen. Joubert at once dispatching
letter to ne, offering safe conduct to
doctors and ambulances to remove the
wounded. A medical officer and parties
to render first aid to the wounded we're
dispatched to the scene of action from
Ladysmieh last night, and the ambu
lances at dawn this morning. TIE 6ant
Of success of the column was due to the
misfortune of the mules stampeding
and the consequent loss Of the guns aud
small arm ammunition reserve. The
official list Of casualties and prisoners
will be reported shortly. The latter
are understood tc have been sent by
rail to Pretoria. The security Of La
dysmith is no way aft f3eted.