Iron County register., 1899-10-26
BATTLE OF. IALANA HILL.
Notable Victory for the British
Arms After a Most Determined
Resistance by the Beers.
EI6HT HOURS OF DESPERATE FIGHTING.
Magnificent Artillery Worl~-The Tug
of War-Unequalled Courage OF
the Boers-The Battle Began at
Dundee, but Ended at Talana Hill
Flight of the BOers.


Flight of the BOers.
London, Oct. 23.-A correspondent IN
Glencoe camp. telegraphing on October
20, and describing the fighting that
followed the first engagement of the
Boer attack on the British position,
says:
Where the Casualties Began.
1T was after the battle was re-
newed, following the ldll that ensued
upon the sharp cannonading of the
British which silenced the guns of the
Beers on Smiths hill, that our casual
ties began. The Indian hospital corps
of coolies under Maj. Donegan, of the
Eighteenth hussars, ran out, keeping
in the rear of the advancing infantry
and artillery that had galloped from
the second position through the town
amid the cheers of the citizens.
The Beers Gradually Silenced.
''At this point the Beers became err
ratio. The artillery was firing on the
Hill where the Beers were stationed
in great numbers, but the return fire
die little damage. The enemy kept up
an incessant shooting, but our shrap-
mel began to tell its tale, with the re-
suit that the Boer fire visibly slack
ened. From a ceaseless rattle the rifle
fire dwindled to struggling shots.
"A corporal of Dublin fusileers was
carried past me to the rear on
stretcher. Maj. Davidson, of the Irish
fusiliers was shot through both legs.
and Color Sergeant Anderson, of the
Dublin fusiliers was brought in wound
ed in the right shoulder.
THE artillery in front was shelling
the hill, and the Kings Royal 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 serv
ice of ours.
FIanl<ing the Enemy.
Meanwhile a squadron of the Eign-
teenth hussars and a mounted COM
pany of the Dublin fusiliers were
creeping around on the enemy's LEFT
flank, while another squadron of the
hussars and a mounted company of
tAlC Su " Ni:S
right flank, at the cornfields.
Several Men Killed or Wounded.
The artillery continued to play on
Smiths hill with a range of nearly
5000 yards. Under its cover the Dub
lin fusiliers and the Kings Royal Rifles
pressed forward. 1t was in the exc
cution of this maneuver that the cas-
ualties to our infantry occurred, sever
al men being killed or wounded.
Rode i'm Front of the Guns.
"The firing now eased off on our side.
and only solitary shot was returned
now and then. Gen. Symons, taking
advantage of this lull, rode forward
with his staff, in front of the guns,
taking cover at the rear of the planta
ton, near the base of the hill. All this
time our infantry, in extended forma-
ton, had gradually pressed forward,
watching the Beers from the rear of
the artillery and massing on the ex-
treme left of the hill.
Cut to Pieces Or Driven Away.
81 saw three shells in quick success
sion cut some to pieces and drive 9th
ers away. The Boer fire was becom-
ing hot, but the first battalion of the
Kings Royal Rifles and the British
fueiliers, led respectively by Col. Gun
ming and Col. Carlton, continued to
mount the hill.
Gradually they extended along the
ridge, and at one o'clock, after four
and half hours of artillery fighting
to screen them, they managed to reach
Il wall, running parallel with the ridge.
about 600 yards from the summit.
Magnificent Artillery Work.
"This position was gained under COW
er of some gnificent shooting by our
artillerymen, who placed shells at
points were the Beers were masseG,
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 Thir-
teonth and Ninth batteries under Mai.
Dawkins and Maj. King.
The Tug of War.
''At 11:45 a. m. the firing had almost
ceased, and our infantry were over the
wall in a twinkling, and rushing to-
ward the plateau at the base of the top
or secondary ridge. The defense by the
Beers was most determined, the enc
my again and again pouring a long
fusillade fire into the British ranks.
which was hotly returned in well-di-
rected volleys by the slowly-advancing
Dublin fusiliers and Kings Royal
Rifles.
"A large body of Beers, driven from
Smiths hill, took refuge in a cattle
kraal, intending cross fire. The
Thirteenth battery opened fire, how
ever, and poured in such a hail of bull
lets as caused them to shift their posi- |
ton.
TnequalIed Courage of the Boers.
THUS far the enemy have displayed |
undoubted courage, perhaps unequalled |
by the best European troops. They |
have stood up to our scattering artii-
lery fire with the greatest deternina-
tion, on Talana ridge, standing clear
~ out on the sky line they still APP
peared unbeaten and defiant.
The siAty-Ninth Pushed Forward.
The fighting had now ragged six
and half hours, when the Sixty-nintI
battery was ordered to timber up and
advance The battery galloped into
a new position in splendid form, and
was in action at the front in a mo-
ment.
The Thirteenth Ordered Up.
$50 effective was the apparent re-
suit of this close-range firing that the
Thirteenth battery was at once or
dered up. and after two rounds from
each battery, perfect silence relgned
over the eRemy's front, broken only
by the whirring of the Maxims, served
by the Dublin fusilieTs, who haG Sc