The Yale expositor., 1899-10-27


Glencoe Camp, Oct % delayed in |
ransnission).- attack made by |
the Boer forces under Gen. Lucas Mey-
ers on the British position Saturday |
enabled the British forces to score an
other signal success. The Boer col
umn was driven pell-mell over the !
plains, losing over 800 killed and !
wounded In addition, the British cap
tured several hundred horses and made
many prisoners, who are being we'll
cared for.
The Boer hospital has been taken
under the wing of the British hospital
corps, as the Beers had only single
doctor with primitive staff, who was
quite unable to cope with the wounded.
AS it has been raining all night long
and the weather heavy and misty, 1T
is hardly expected that the Beers will
make another attack today.
London, Oct. 24.-The British vic
tories in Natal following each other in
quick succession, and accompanied by
heavy losses on the side Of the victors.
the vanquished Beers. They appear &c
have fallen victims to the very plan
which they counted on to drive the
British into the sea. They have been
beaten in detail by counter strokes
carefully considered and brilliantly
carried out in the face of courageous
opposition, which has done much to
increase British respect for the bur-
Chcrs. whose splendid yGior and deter
mination. it is universally admitted,
reached the highest level.
Fuller accounts Of Saturdays battle
at Elandslaagte emphasize the spien-
did gallantry exhibited on both SIDES
and the superiority of the British in a
pitched battle, although the Beers
fought with the greatest tenacity to
the last, only yielding when further
fighting was hopeless. An armored
train with he men of the Manchester
regiment appeared on the left at Lady
smith at daybreak Saturday in support
of the johannesburg Imperial Light
Horse and the Natal Field Artillery
with the object of reopening commu-
nication at Elandslaag-a. The artil-
lerv shelled the railway station, from
which the Beers ran out, and the Brit
ish mounted infantry entering the
place released the English prisoners.
The Beers, numbering some l,6OO
men, with three guns, occupied COM
manding position. They poured such a
we'll directed fire on the. British and
their scouts were so active that the
British forces steadily retired until re-
endorsements arrived, when the mount
cd infantry was sent to drive the Beer
scouts from the ridge on the right. a
large force Of mixed cavalry mean
while swept over the plain and up the
hill on the right. The Lancers met
with heavy fusilade, while on the
left a British battery opened fire with
GOOD effect. The British infantry, who
had debarked from the railway tram
in the interim, advanced steadily over
the plain and up the rocky ridge pre-
viously cleared by the cavalry Inc
Boer artillery dropped shrapnel into
tho advancing columns, but the Brlt-
ish finally scaled the hill, whence they
overlooked the broad valley to three
rocky hills forming the Beers posi-
ton. their camp being in the center.
On the left center the Beers had
battery Of three large guns. The
smaller hills were also strongly held
On the Boer right was the station II
a valley on the British left. The lat
tors cavalry was on both TANKS, ant
n battery on the right was busy throw
ing shrapnel at the Beers batteries.
The British infantry formed for thu
attack in extended order, behind TIT
bro,y OF a hill, the Devonshires on TIT
left with four companies OF the Man
chesters and some of the Gordons OF
the right. About 5 p. m. the infantr!
advanced through the valley as stead
lily as on a field day. Half way dow
the slope they met a terrific infantr.
and artillery fire. The men fell rapid.
and the wounded were carried to tn
rear But in spite of the steady worl
of the Boer guns and the sharpshooter
concealed behind the rocks, the in
creasing Ere of the advancing British
infantry gradually gained the uppe
hand and the Mancheste-s and Cor
dons. edging toward the right, game
the top of the ridge, thus outfiankin
the enemy's left.
At O'Clock the bugles sounde
"Charge." and the British swept ahead
The Beers fought 20 the last, only al
tempting to escape when further fight
ing was hopeless.
Meantime the Devonshires, pressin
steadily up the left, were strongly OF
posed at the Boer camp and from tn
ranking hills, but they carried both q
the charge, with wild cheers and bugl
blasts. BY Z o'clock the British ha
gained the position and Cease fire
was sounded.
Three 121s-pounuor Nordenfeldt
were cgptuicd with quantities of mr