The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-23

London, Oct. PA correspondent In
Glencoe camp. telegrapaing on Oct. 20,
and describing the fighting that follow
ed the first engagement in the Boer at
tack upon the British position that day,
says:
1T was after the battle was renewed,
following the lull that ensued upon the
sharp commanding of the British which
sflenced the guns OF the Beers ON
! Smiths HILL that our Casualties began.
! The Indian hospital corps of c0Ofies,
under Major Donegan of the Eight
eeEth HussaIs, ran out. keeping in the
rear of the advancing infantry and ar
tillery that had galloped from the sec
ond position through the town amid the.
cheers Of the citizens.
/ At this point the Beers became errat-
| ic. Our artillery was firing ON tine ELL
where the Beers were stationed in great
numbers, but the return fire did little
damage. The enemy kept Up an inCes-
SAINT shooting, but our sFra pnel began
to tell its tale with the result THAT tine
Beer fire visibly slackened. From a
ceaseleSS rattle, the rifle fire dwindked
to struggling shots.
cor@oral of the Dublin Fusileers
was carried past me to the rear ON a
strStcher. Major Davidson of the Irish
FUsileers, was shot through beth legs.
! ana Color Sergeant Anderson of the
Dublin FusileerS was brought III
wounded IN the right shoulder
Splendid Artillery Work.
The artillery in front was Smelling
the hill and the Kings Regal Rifles, ON
the right front were busy with the
Maxims, making the Beers anxious
about their position. Their artillery
had been silenced by the splendid ser
v-ca Cs ours.
b. Meanwhile a squadron of the Eight
zenith Hussars and a mounted company
of the Dublin FusileGra were creeping
around on the enemy $ LETT flank, while
another squadron of the HuSsaTs and
a mounted company of the Kings Roy
al Rifles depI0yed to the right flank at
the corn fields.
The artillery continued to play ON
Smiths hill with a range of nearly
5000 yards. Under it's cover the Dublin
F'uSileers and the Kings Royal Rifles
pressed forward.
1t was in the execution of this ma
be.uver that the casualtiep to cur in
fantry occurred. several men beng
killed or wounded. The firing now
eased off ON cur side and only a sell
tary shot was returned now and then.
this lull. rode forward with his STAFF
in front CT the guns. taking cover at
the rear of the plantation. near the
base of the hill. All this time cur in
fantry in extended formation, had
gradually pregosd forward, watching
the Beers from the rear Of the artn-
Iery and massins on the extreme let
of the hill.
Cut Infantry to Pieces.
/ saw three shells in quick succession
cut some to pieces and drive others
away. The Boer fire was becoming hot,
but the first battalion of tne Kings
Royal Rifles and the Irish Fusilears,
led respectively by Colonel Cumming
and Colonel Carlton, continued TO
mount the hill. Gradually they eX
tended along the ridge. and at 10
o'clock after four and a half hours of
artillery firing, to screen Them. they
managed to reach a wall running par
aIIel with the ridge, about 600 yards
from the summit
This position was gained under cover
of some magnificent shooting by our
artilleTymen. who placed shells at
points where the Beers were nassed,
with amazing accuracy compelling
them to retire. But not for long. ON
again the determined enemy would
come, only to be beaten back again by
the excellent shooting of the Thirteenth
and Sixty ninth batteries under Major
Dawkins and Major King.
Infantry Charges.
At 11:45 a. m. the firing had almost
ceased and our infantry were over the
wall in a twinkling and rushing toward
the plateau at the base Of the top or
secondary ridge. The defense by the
Beers was most determined, the enemy
again and again pouring a long fusil-
AIDE fire into the British ranks, which
was hotly returned in we'll directed
volleys by the slowly advancing Dublin
Fusileers and Kings Royal Rifles
A large body of Beers, driven from
Smiths hill, took refuge in a cattle
kraal. intending a crOss-fiTe. The
Thirteenth battery opened fire. how
| ever, and poured in such a hail of bull
let's as caused them speedily to shift
the position.
Thus far the enemy had displayed
uGaOubted courage. perhaps unequaIed
by the best European troops. They had
stood uD to our scattering artillery fire
with the greatest determination, and
then, on Talana ridge. standing clear
ly out ON the sky. they still appeared
unbeaten and defiant. The battle had
now ragged six and d half hours when
the Sixty-ninth battery was ordered TO
Timber I'D and advance. The battery
galluped into a new position in spIen-
did form. and was in action at the
front in a moment.
So effective was the apparent result
Of this close range firing that the Tflir-
tenth battery was at once ordered up,
! and after two rounds from each bat
tery perfect silence refgned over the
enesmy'S front, broken only by the
whirring Of the AIaxims served by the
Dublin F'usfIears. who had secured an
excellent position to the right. During
momentary cessation the Boers had
taken uu a position on a hill TO tfe
right OF the roar leading TIA MaimA
collfery. but the Thirteenth Battery
soon opened fire ON them and conapeNed
them to retire.
Beers Evacuate.
Meanwhile the two infantry battal-
ions continued the climb up the hill
and at fs30 p M, after eight hours OF
desperate lighting the position was cars
rad. the Beers having preciDitateIy5