The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-07

~ IarOunQ them,
q - 1and these savage
IL ~ enemies were not
alone warlike;
they were train
ed ard disciplined warriors.
All the world knows how ill it has /
Jared with the English again and again
when handful Of soldiers got caught
in tight place by swarms of Zulus.
Our own soldiers on the plains have !
met with disasters of the kind without |
number. In view of the fates of white
expeditions SO often chronicled, it is
marvellous to read how less than 500 |
Beers not only resisted, but defeated
and routed. TO- 900 or $4,000 Zulus I'M
der the great chieftain Dingaan. This
war, in 1888. began with the usual
good promises on the part of the savages,
followed by treachery and slaughter. A
party of Beers who went into the Zulu
camp to deliver the price of a negotia-
ton for territory in the Transvaal were
massacred. and then the Zulus raided
the country they had sold.
After Strengthening hundreds of lone
" immigrants the Zulus attacked the
wagon laager of the Beers in which
were AGO fighting men. As usual, the
Zulus were without fear and dashed
up to the wagons, trying to pierce the
oxhide covers with their spears. With
rifles loaded during the battle by wom-
en- and children the Beers stood off the
savages for hours. Finally 900 Beers
on horseback slipped out of the lager
and circled around the enemy some
what in the savage fashion, but more
swiftly. The result was a complete rout
of Dingaan's hordes, with loss of
5000 dead on the field. Then there was
peace from the Zulus in the Transvaal,
and ''Dingaan's dag" is the Boer
Thanksgiving.
It is true that the British helped the
Beers not little by smashing the Zulu
power, but following that the evil of
unjust taxation led the liberty loving
Dutchmen to rise and start republic.
The Lexington of the lilliputian revolu-
ton was fought Jan. 20 at Laingsnek.
Political preliminaries were very brief.
A mass meeting had been called to con-
slider the question in dispute. but before
the day arrived the tax collector OPP
pressed Boer in matter Of e13, and
the burghers in convention assembled
decided to fout diplomacy and take to
fighting. An ultimatum was sent to the
British secretary. the wires were cut
and 1000 armed Beers stood ready to
defend their rights.
Fate had touched the button, and an
impetuous British leader did the rest.
Sir George Colley, commander in Cape
Colony, was in the field in person and,
fearing that the revolution would col
lapse under the stress of diplomacy,
determined to fight anyway. The Beers
quickly cut off all the garrisons in the
Transvaal and prepared to dispute the
passes from their coveted realm into
the loyal domain of Natal. The Boer
army under Pet Joubert the present
commander. was stretched across the
highway running from Natal north
upon series of hills forming an amphi-
theater.
So certain of speedy victory was Cen
eral Colley that he didn' t take the trou-
BILE to operate under cover of darkness.
He had 900 infantry and $50 mounted
men. A tableland 1000 feet in length
and known as Laingsnek connected the
TANKS of the Boer army which rested
its right on Majuba Hill General Colley
sent half the infantry against the ele-
waited ground wherein the Boer left
rested while the mounted men attack
ed the ridge adjoining it. The plan was
to divide the Boer strength, yet KEEP
the assailing parties in close touch.
The move was made in broad daylight
Like some of the bloodthirsty warriors
Of 1861. the British cavalry feared that
the war would end before they got in &
blow and gave rein to their steeds, fa1
outstripping their infantry supports
What should have been expected hap
pened. The Boer riflemen stood off the
cavalry with ease and in continuous
line let themselves loose upon the Brit
ish infantry. Colonel Deane and hi
staff rode at the front of the infantr,
and rushed ahead with the column jus
as though the cavalry supports wer
intact on his flank. In spite of the gall
ing fire from the hill the troops gainet
the crest, and it became battle will
man against man. The British use,
their .bayonets, but the Beers didn'
shrink from cold steel. They actual.
rushed into the British mass as di
Lord Scarlett's heavies among the Rus
slams at Balaklava. and 40 of the stal
wart fellows-they were all six footers-
were killed within the lines. A part
of them charged forward and capture
the British flag, killing every one of tn
guard with their rifle bayonets.
Colonel Deane was killed on the crest
and several other officers. with abou
900 men. fell. This ended the battle G
Laingsnek, for the British retreated t
their old position.
Twelve days after Laingsnek til
British were again whipped in an Ell
counter of kind likely to be repeate
in this war The British secondary bas
is in Natal. long distance from til
IT. 4