Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-02
GLOOM IS NOT so GREAT
Decimated British BattallonS Stood Until
Their Last Cartridges Were Gone.
THE MULES CAUSED THE MISCHIEF
Gen. Whites Report of the
Operations Monday.
BRITISH LOSSES WERE VERY HEAVY

pouDceu touay, IL spociul ulSpdtcn
from Ladysmith, that the Beers again
closed around that place ON Monday
night, sending shells into the British
camp. The two guns landed from tho
British cruiser Powerful opened fire
on the Beers at dawn yesterday. The
Beers brought up more guns, but some
Of them were silenced. 1t is added that
the Beers loss must have been heavy,
Ihe garrison Of Ladysmith is described
as being in good spirits and confident,
snd the tloops are said to be full Of
fight. The artillery duel was still in
progress last night.
THE OPERATIONS OF MONDAY.
Tho British War Office, today, made
public dispatch received from Gen.
White, describing the operations of
T Monday 1t was as follows:
"Ladysmith, Oct. 81, 7.50 p. III
took out from Ladysmith brigade of
mounted troops, two brigade divisions
Of the Royal Artillery, the Natal Field
Battery and two brieades of infantry,
to reconnoitre in force the enemy's
main position to the north, and, If the
opportunity should offer, to capture the
ill behind Farquhar's farm, which had,
~ the previous day, been held in
strength by the enemy. In connection
with this advance, q column, consist
ing of tho Tenth Mountain ARTILLERY,
four half companies of the Glcucesters
and six companies of the Royal Irish
/ Fusileers, the whole under Lieutenant
Colonel Carlton and Major Adye, deputy
assistant adjutant-general, was dis
i patched, at ii r. m. on October Goth,
to march by night up Bells-Spruit and
seize Nicholson's Mex, or some position
near Nicholson's Mex, thus turning the
enemy 'sright flank. The main advance
was successfully carried out, the
objective of the attack being found
evacuated, and an artillery duel be-
tween our field batteries and the
enemy's guns OF position and Maxim is
understood to have caused heavy loss
to the enemy. The Reconnaissance
forced the enemy to fully disclose his
position, and, after q strong counter
attack on cur right, the infantry
brigade and cavalry were repuIsed, and
The troops were slowly Withdrawn to
camp, pickets being left on obserya-
lion. Late in the engagement, the
naval contingent, under Capt. Lambton
Of H. N. S. Powerful, came into action,
aud silenced, with their extremely
accurate fire, the enemy's guns Of
position.
MULES CAUSED THE MISCHIEF.
"The circumstances which attended
the movements of Lieut.. Col. Cartoons
column are not yet fully known, but,
iIom reports received, the column ap.
pears to have carried out the night
march unmclested until within two
miles of Nicholson's Mex. At this
point, two boulders rolled from the hill
and few rifle shots stampeded the
Infantry ammunition mules. The
sampede spread TO the battery mules,
which broke loose from their leaders
and got away, with practically the
whole OF the gun equipment and the
greater portion of the regimental small
am ammunition. The reserve was
similarly lost. The infantry battalions,
however, fixed bayoners, and, accom-
panied by the personnel Of the artil-
ery seized hill on the left OF the
road two miles from Nicholson's Mex,
with but little opposition. There, they
remained unmolested until dawn, the
tlme being occupied in organizing the
defence of the hill, and constructing
stone walls as cover from fire. At
dawn, u skiImishing attack on our
POSITION was commenced by tine enemy,
Out they made no way until $50 a.
n"when strong reinforcements enabled
Them to rush to the attack with great
energy. Their fire became very search
IN, and two companies Of the Glou-
eeslers, IN an advance position, were
ofdefed to fall back. The enemy then
pressed TO short range, the losses on
our SIDE becoming very numerous. At
P M, our ammunition was practi-
ealy exhausted, the position was cap
,u,ed, and the survivors of the column
lell into the enemy's hands, The
enemy treated our wounded with hu-
nanity, Gen. Joubeit at once dispatch
ihg letter to me, Offering safe con-
uuet to doctors and ambulanees to re-
move he wounded. A medical officer
aAd parties to render first aid to the
Wounded were dispatched to the scene
action from Ladysmith last night,
any thc ambulance was sent at dawn
Waay The want of success OF the
vVflnn was due to the misfortune of
ue mules stampeding, and the conse-
quont loss of the guns and small arm
ammunition reserve. The official list
VI casualties and prisoners will be re-
IoF'ed shortly. The latter are under
.om TO have been sent by rail to Pre-
~fia, The security of Ladysmith is in
loway affected. .
-. TIE GLOOM SLIGHTLY RELIEVED.
me gloom caused by the British dis
s,tM at Ladysmith was, in measure,
ietea ty today's story giving an ac-
Soaht OF the heroic stand made by the
seyinlated battalions until their last
,mtflages were gone. The British
TtIe was moinentarily shaken by Gen.
nul!e use of the word "capitulate"
4 iiis lirst telegram; but now, that it
known that the Gloucesters and
,55 5g5Slleers fought against overwhelming
o Avs 20 ana upheld the best traditions of
,aG aG biitlsh army, the tension has been
,e'lsVeu since there is no longer ground
uFead that tho loss of life and men
'aT r. accompanied by dishonor.
n. ,"e a9tai Is today show the catastro-
M. ae IN brighter aspect. The full
tts,'a.lons tcra were not engaged, and, there
,sdn dV' tle Inst of prisoners is materially
,Oal.' ,uveu' while the disaster now ap-
sonss ms 10 have been not SO much the
sc,i"ni ,iiuehce OF defects in the plan of
cInm un Us TO misfortune, whereby the
cO a'n', was deprived OF its ammuni-
SSu a lntill, 1t seems incomprehensible
W. n, she plight of the luokless column
scara not known at headquar ters, as the
th,ae VI the surrender was only about
md %Tg : miles northwest of Ladysmith,
rsS,a1 aS Lieut.. Col. Carlton must have ex-
d tyu .,i relief to reach him. or, instead
is.t;.ueiApting TO occupy defensive
ston, sts'on' he would have retraeed his
M % i-adysmith when he suffered
'N' 'oss of his ammunition.
THE LOSSES NUMEROUS,