The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-02
FULLER STORY OF BAT TIE
STAMPEDE OF MULES CAUSED
THE CATASTROPHE.
THEY TOOK WITH THEM THE AMMUNITION
The Captured Regiments Fought Till the Last
Cartridge Was Gone. A Ladysmith Dis
patch Says, the Artillery Duel Was in
Progress tuesday Night.

IN, L.. i
down of the Delagoa cable route, COM
bined with. the monopolization of the
available telegraph lines by the Govern
ment and British staff officers, is re-
sponsible for the fact that nothing furth-
er has arrived from South Africa. The
Government has received dispatches
rectifying the casualty lists. These will
be published today. Up to- midnight
nothing had been received concerning
Mondays casualties. The War Office
officials are working under great strain.
Captain PeITi0tt, staff captain TO the
military secretary, has just died, his end
being hastened by anxiety and over
work
An unconfrmed statement is publ fin
ed that General Sir Redvers Butler has
left Cape Town for Ladysnith.
A belated dispatch from Ladysmitil,
describing Mondays fight says:
"A couple Uf squadrons of hussars
had a narrow escape from disaster early
in the day. They found themselves sud-
denly confronted, within easy range, by
an overwhelming force of Beers, who
seemed to spring from the bowels of
the earth. The hussars were splendidly
handled and were extricated with only
one man wounded
The Queen is credited with expressing.
sincere pity for Sir George Stewart
White and the officials are in no wise
inclined to judge him harshly. SO far
as the public is concerned, however,
while qualification is felt at the manner
III which the isolated battalions surren-
dered, there is still severe criticisms OF
General White and Lieutenant Colonel
Charlton for allowing the column to get
out of touch, for the absence of proper
scouting, and for not retiring when the
ammunition was lost.
THE OFFICIAL STORY.
London, November 1.-THE British
War Office today made public a dispatch
received from General White describing
the operations on Monday, it was as
follows:
..Ladysmith, October 31.-(7:50 p. NJ
Il took out from Ladysmith a brlgade
of mounted troops, two brigade divisions
of the Royal Artillery the Nl.al neld
bpttery and two brigades Of infantry, TO
reconnoitre in force the enemy's nii.n
position to the north and, if the oppor-
tunity alould offer to capture the hill
behind Earquhar'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 of the Gloucester and six
companies of the Royal Irish E'usiliers,
the whole under Lieutenant Colonel
Charlton and Major Adye, deputy assis-
tanf adjutant general, was dispatched,
at II D. m., on the 9th, to march by
night up Bells-Spruit and seize Nichol-
sons Mex, or some position near Mich
olson's Mex, thus turning the enemy's
right flank. The main advance was
successfully carried out, the objective Of
the attack being found evacuated and
IN artillery duel between our field bat
teries to have caused heavy loss to the
enemy. The reconnaissance forced the
enemy to fully disclose his position, and
after stong counter-attack, on oar
right, the infantry brigade and cavalry
having been repulsed the troops were
slowly withdrawn to camp, pickets be-
ing left ON observation. Late III the
engagement the naval contingent under
CAPTAIN Lambton, OF II. NJ. ). Power
fnl. came into action and silenced, with
their extremely accurate fire, the
enemy's guns of position.
..The circumstances which attended
the movements of Lieutenant Colonel
Cartoons column are not yet fully
known, but from reports received the
column appears 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
stampeded the infantry mules. The
stampede spread to the battery mules,
which broke loose from their leaders and
got away with practically the whole gun
equipment and the greater portion OF
the regimental small arm ammpnition.
The reserve was similarly lost.
'.I'he infantry battalion, however, fixed
bayonets, and accompanied by the per-
sonnel of the artillery, seized a 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 or
ganizing the defence of the Hill and
constructing stone sangers and walls as
cover from fire. At dawn a skirmish
ing attack on our position was com
menced by the enemy, but made no way
until $50 a. m, when strong reinforce
ments enabled them to rush to the at
tack with great energy. Their fre be