The Topeka state journal., 1899-11-01
1t Was Kept Up at Ladysmith
All Yesterday.
Boer Shells Landing in the
British Camp.
BRING UP MORE GUNS.
The Dutchmen's Supply of Cam
non Seems Inexhaustible.
Gen. White Tells War Office
How It Happened.

London. Nov 1T was announced
today in a special dispatch from Lazy
smith that the Beers again closed
around that place on Monday night
sending shells into the British camp
The two guns landed from the British
cruiser Powerful opened fire on the
Beers at dawn Tuesday. Tbe Boers
brought up more guns, but some u
them were silenced- 1t is added ChdD
the Roers' loss must have been heavy
The garrison of Ladysmith IS descIlDeu
as being in good spirits and cohIlueHc
and the troops are said to be tulI oA
fight. The artillery duel was sun IL
progress Tuesday night.
WHITE TELLS HOW IT HAPPEN Ell
London. Nov. 1.-The British war
office today made public a dispatch
raceived from Gen White describing
the operations of Monday. 1t was as
follows:
I.adysmith, Oct 31.-7:5O p. m--Took
out from Ladysmith a brigade OF
mounted troops, two brigade divisions
of the Royal artillery, the NataI helu
battery and two brigades Of infantry
to recounoitre in force the enemy main main
position to the north and II the oPPoii,
tunity should offer to capture the M
behind Farquahar's farm, whlcn hsto
on the previous day been ne1d III
strength by the enemy. In cohnectiOn
with this advance q column CONSISTING
of the Tenth Mountain artillery, 1our
half companies Of the GloucestefS anu
six companies of the Royal IT1Sh usl-
leers the whole under Lieutenant Col
onel Carleton and Major Adye, deputy
assistant general, was dispatched az
II D. m, on the 29th, to march by nlgnt
up Bells Spruit and seize NlchOIsOnS 5
Mex or some position near Nicholson
Mex, thus turning the enemys rlghC
r1ba main advance was successfully
carried out, the object of the attack
being found evacuated and an artillery
duel between our field batteries ana the
enemys guns of the position ana
Naxims is understood to have caused
heavy loss to the enemy. The recon
naissance forced the enemy to fully dis
close his position and after a strong
counter attack on our right the infan-
try brigade and cavalry had been re-
pulsed, the troops We're slowly with
drawn to camp apickets being left on
observation. Late in the engagement
the naval contingent, under Capt
Lambton, of H. M s. Powerful, came
into action and siIenced with their ex-
tremely accurate fire, the enemy's guns
of position.
The circumstances which attended
the movements of Lieut. CarIeton's
column are not yet fully known but
from reports received the column ap-
pears to have carried out the night
march unmOlested until within two
miles of NiChOlSOn'S Mex At this point
two bOulders rolled from the hill and
few rife shots stampeded the infan-
try ammunition mules. The stampede
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 arm ammuni-
ton
The reserve was similarly lost.
The infantry battaliOns however fix
ed bayonets and accompanied by the
personnel of the artillery, seized a hill
on the left of the road, two miles from
the Mex with but little opposition.
There they remained unmOlested until
dawn, the time being occupied in or
ganizing the defense of the hill and
constructing stone sangars and walls
as cover from fire. At dawn a skirm-
fishing attack on our position was COM
menced by the enemy but made no way
until $3.50 a. m. when strong reinforce
ments enabled them to rush to the at
tack with great energy. Their fire be-
came very searching and two COM
panies of the GlOucesters in an ad-
Vanced position were ordered to fall
back The enemy then pressed to short
range the losses on our side becoming
Very numerous.
At p. m. our ammunition was prac-
ttcally exhausted, the position was cap
tured and the survivors of the column
fell into the enemys hands. The enemy
treated our wounded with humanity
Gen Joubert at once dispatching a let
ter to me, Offering a safe conduct TO
doctors and ambulances to remove the
wounded A medical officer and parties
TO render first aid to the wounded We're
dispatched to the scene at dawn this
morning.
The want of success of the column
was due to the misfortune of the unl1Ies
stampeding and the consequent loss of
the guns and small arm ammunition
reserve.
The official list of casualties and
prisoners will be reported shortly. The
latter are understood to have been sent
by rail to Pretoria
The security Of Ladysmith is in no
way affected.
DIR. LEYDS WANTS TO KNOW.
Brussels, Nov. 1.-Dr. Leyds. the din
lornauc agent of the Transvaal has re-
celVed the consent of the British secre-
Iafy OF state for war the Marquis of
Lansdowne to allow a, telegram TO be
sent to Pretoria to ask the number OF
Beers. - '-i
DEAD LAY IN HEAPS.
London, Nov. 1.-The gloom caused
py tne British disaster at Ladysmith
was IN measure relieved by todav's
story giving an account Of the heroic
stand made by the decimated battaIiOne
IL rLtd tnelr last cartridges were gone
me Brltish nerve was momeDfarilv
shaken by Gen. Whites use of ne IT-1-5
capltulate" in his first telegram. b11t
now lhat 1t IS known that the C%IOrcar-
ters ana fuslleers fought against over
Wnellnlng odds ana upheld the hest ira
oltlons OF the British army the tension
mas oeen relieved, since there is nr
longer ground to dread that the Ioss ~
life and men was acconpanied Nv AZ
honor OS us
The details today show tho ca+as.
frophe in a brighter aspect = 1s'S'
Inc 1uI oattalions were not engaged