The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-04
AT ELANDSLAAGTE.

A ELLA DollAAll
 Thrilling Account of the Battle. Which l Will Remind Americans of San | Juan.
 | The order of the infantry attack was as follows. The Devonshire regiment was ordered to deliver a frontal attack, | which necessitated their crossing the open plain of rolling veldt to which have already referred. The Manches- ter regiment was detailed to turn the enemy's left, and, advancing along the summit of the ridge, drive the Dutch- men back upon their main position; they were to be supported by five com
 panies of Highanders. The two batter- ies were to support the infantry ad-
 vance, moving in to closer ranges as the
 attack developed. In the first instance
 it will be better to follow the fortunes
 of the frontal attack. Major Park
 placed three companies in sthe firing
 line. These were extended over front
 of four or five hundred yards and
 formed their own supports. The re-
 maining four companies were in reserve
 under Major Currie, being in single
 
 interval, which was increased when the
 enemy's guns came Into action. As soon as the battalion was well over the plateau and descending into the valley.
 the enemy found them with shrapnel, but the missiles went high, or with ex- traordinary precision burst in the in- tervals between companies. The cas- ualties from shell fire were therefore slight three men only from A company being hit. When the regiment had ad- vanced to about twelve hundred yards from the position. Major Park, who commanded his battalion with great coolness, halted it and opened fire, the only cover availa ble being the ant heaps with which the plain abounded. The battalion now came under a severe in- fantry fire but nothing could have sur passed the steadiness with which this south-country battalion moved forward It had the admiration of all that day; it's advance throughout was slow, de- liberate and irresistible. After firing few volleys the firing line was rein forced with supports, and again steadi- ly advanced. Though men were drop ping fast and the air whstled with 4n Dullcls, lIl6Ie was no SlSIl OI and though there was no cover the men stepped on undaunted until they were within eight hundred yards from the summit of the hill. The | fading light and the color of their uni forms probably saved them from the | slaughter that one imagined must be in | store for them, as they lay at the bot | tom of the depression, waiting for the flank attack to develop. Here, with the guns laundering above them and the soil torn with incessant rifle fire, they ay for over half an hour waiting for he moment when the advance should | sound. Rarely has q regiment been SD severely tried, never has one acquitted | tself better.
 While the Devonshire regiment was | ying in the valley taking advantage of | what cover the ant heaps could afford ! t. the flank attack on the enemy's left { vas developing. The Manchester regi- 1 nent had moved past the batteries. had ,een joined by a dismounted squadron If the Imperial Light Horse under Ma or Woolls Sampson and Captain Muk- ns, and was pushing round to the low r summit of the range. The Gordon followed in support. Just $ the latter reached the foot of the idge the storm, which had been threat ming so long, burst, and in few mo nents every one was drenched to the l kin. The shower was sharp and short, ut by the time it was over the Gordon 1ighlanders were among the stones mich covered the crest of the ridge Dropping shots were falling about them,
 couple of men were hit another shot cad and then the supports were into ae firing line and filling up the gaps i'll ne line of the Manchester regiment l nd the Light Horse. There was a 1ort plateau to cross, then a saving 1 ip, with a climb to the main plateau 1 gain. Cheerily the men responded to 1eir officers, and wave after wave of | Hts and khaki swept up to the skyline. ere they wavered and dropped, for of ,e first sections only one in four could ass. A moment they checked; dead ounded and quick seemed sandwiched peether among the bouIders Then leir officers shouted them up. Again le skyline darkened with lines of men mt double Again they seemed to melt way; still were they fed from below. nd then all were over, but not all, for ,ty stout fellows lay prostrate in the E efts of the rain-washed stones. And hen the dip was passed, what a task y before them! They were called to , ce six hundred yards of rough, rock I rewn open-intersected at intervals i q ith barbed-wire fences. At the end c se a kopje, which commanded the ateau from end to end as a butt | c 1uld command a rife range. No one | uld be seen, but all could feel that T at final llopje was alive with small g 1ifine St11rll hlil1nc for11.n nrd