Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-25

they got possession Of the British town
of Vryburg. and the British were
forced to stand on the defensive at
Ladysmith. point In Natal 100 miles
from Laingshek, the Transvaal border.
On the 18th the Beers opened the
fighting at Mafeking and the next day
laid siege to Kimberley, and also
seized Newcastle, in Natal, on the road
to Ladysmith. On the 10th a heavy
detachment of Beers, with field guns,
was marching on Dundee, between
Newcastle and Ladysmith, and the
next day General Joubert reached
Newcastle with the main Transvaal
army.
The first battle took place on Oct 20,
the twelfth day Of actual hostilities.
While the British on the start and
since have claimed brilliant victory,
later accounts show that it was one of
those victories which il repeated often
will undo the victor. 1t was stated
that the British, with 1000 men, .ad-
vanced to the attack Of the Beers at
Glencoe. The Beers managed to draw
the British into attacking them on
their own ground, and, while the latter
claim that they routed 5000 Beers and
captured five cannon, 1t is clear that
there was neither capture of position
nor guns nor rout Of the enemy. 1t
seems that General Symons, who was
near Glencoe for the purpose of hold
ing the Beers north Of that point, was
surprised by swift advance Of the
enemy to within three miles of his
camp. They opened with artillery, to
which the British replied and, as they
believed, silenced the guns. General
Symons placed himself at the head Of
an infantry brigade and charged the
Boer position on Smiths hill.
A heavy Boer fire was poured into
the British during an advance Of over
5000 yards on exposed ground, but the
Dublin fusileers, the Royal rifles and
the Leicestershire regiment pushed on
In the belief that the Boer guns were
useless. When they reached the crest,
the Beers were moving off to the rear,
and the British. in their Joy, inter-
preted that as a sign of defeat. In
point of fact, the Beers had outwitted
the enemy and taken their guns away
after they had served the purpose of
the British to assault the hill.
Their retreat was also ruse and not q
rout. for the Eighteenth hussars. who
rode after them. were turned upon and
captured to man.
In this battle General Symons was
mortally wounded. and 20 officers and
1872 men were shot down. The story of
4 rout was shown to be premature
when the Beers returned to the attack
next day and actually forced the Brit
sh to retreat. leaving General Symons
md other wounded behind.
Two Boer attacks We're made on the
list. General Joubeyt fell upon the
British at Glencoe on the very ground
,f the battle OF the Goth, and the sue
cessor Of General Symops, General
Yule, abandoned his camp and wound
ed to hasten back toward Ladysmith.
A column was sent out from the lat
ter place to cover the retreat. The
same day another force of Beers
which had passed beyond Glencoe and
.ut in between that and Ladysmith
was attacked by the British at Glands
aagte, so their reports say. and Sc
7erely handled. But the British loss
n that affair was shown to be 43 kill
ID and 205 wounded, and General
Jules column In passing that point
vas compelled to make forced march
lround to avoid capture. and their
march was SO hurried that the men
threw away everything but arms and
The British made the most Of the gal
Iantry displayed by their officers and
men in both these battles. General
Symons charged at the head of the
column at Glencoe and was shot before
he reached the summit. At Glands
aagte Colonel Scott Chisholm of the
Imperial Light horse attempted to res
cue wounded trooper under fire and |
was shot dead.
The chief victims In that battle on |
he British side were the Gordon high
anders, who had last distinguished |
themselves in desperate charge at |
Oargai, in India. Two companies of |
had been at Majuba Hill,
md the regiment went in at Glands
aagte with the warcry, "Avenge Ma
uba" They could not be restrained
ind rushed the hill like madmen, in
he face Of whitening fire, and at
acked the Beers hand to hand. Out
# 43 killed in the battle the Gordons
ost "a, over 80 per cent of the killed,
ind also 20 per cent Of the wounded.
Among the commissioned officers the
oss of the highlanders that day was
lppalling. One major and four lieu
enants were killed, and the lieutenant
colonel, major and six line officers
we're wounded.
From the British side the fighting of
he Beers was reported to be superb.
They occupied the base Of hill, with
daxims covering the whole front. The
British artillery fire was deadly, and
he Beers We're three times driven from
heir guns, but each time they return
d and, rained shrapnel and Maxim
'alls upon the British advance. One
'oer general was killed, and other
eaders were wounded: but, although
he British reported that the enemy