Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-04
THE MODDER BATTLE
The English Army Was Never Un-
der Such Well Sustained
Fire.
CRONJE LEFT AT NIGHT
The Beers Put Up Good Fight All Day
and Checked the British Advance and
Abandoned Their Position After
Darkness Fell

London, December 4.-The Dali,
Chronicle publishes the following dis
patch, dated November 20, from it's cor
respondent at the Modder river camp
The severest engagement our column
has yet had, and probably the severes
of the whole campaign, was fought yes
terday on the banks Of the Modder riv
er. The battle waged fiercely nearly
fourteen hours. The enemy occupied {
strongly intrenched position, their from
extending five miles along the bank OF
the stream. They We're we'll supplied
with artillery, and fought desperately.
Our force consisted of the I'd battalion
of the Coldstream Guards, the 1st bat
talon of the Scots Guards, the Sd bat
talon of the Grenadier Guards, the 1st
battalion of the Northumberland Fusil-
eers, the I'd battalion of the Yorkshire
light infantry (the Kings OWN, part
of the 1st battalion of the Loyal North
Lancashire regiment, the 9th Lancers,
mounted infantry, three batteries of
field artillery, and the 1st battalion of
the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
(Princess Louise's) The latter re-en-
forced us from General Wauchope's bri-
gade, and arrived just in time for the
fight.
The battle started at daybreak, our
guns shelling the Beers left The enc
my replied with artillery Hotchkss and
Maxims, and the artillery duel lasted
some hours. Then there was brief lull
in the enemy's operations, of which our
general Immediately took advantage.
The infantry advanced across the plain
toward the river in two brigades. The
guards on the right We're met by an
awful hail of bullets from the enemys
sharpshooters posted close to the river
on the opposite bank. Ours had no
cover whatever, and were simply
moved down. 1t seemed impossible to
live through the terrible fire, but the
brave fellows did not retreat an inch.
The Boer fire was horribly accurate.
They must have numbered at least 10,-
O0O
before they We're fired on. Then they
had to lie down to escape the deadly
fuslade, which lasted without intermis-
sion throughout the day. The Highland
ers made several attempts to force the
passage of the river, but were exposed
to such murderous enfilading fire that
they had to retire, after they suffered
horribly. Subsequently party of
guards got over and held their own for
hours against vastly superior force.
The general opinion of the staff is that
there had never been such a sustained
fire in the annals of the British army as
that our troops had to face yesterday.
Our men fell in dozens while trying to
rush the bridge.
Among the many heroic deeds, one Of
the most conspicuous was that of Lieu
tenant Colonel Codrington, of the Cold
stream Guards; Captain Sellpein, of the
Queensland contingent, and a dozen
members Of the Coldstream Guards,
who jumped into the river and swan
nearly to the other side in the face of a
steady fire, but who were forced to re-
tire, and, Joining hands, swan back,
two of their number being nearly
drowned in the retreat. The British
guns kept up a heavy fire all day, and
fearful havoc was wrought on the Boer