Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-24
VICTORIES ARE HARD-EARNED
Beers Fight with Great Tenacity to
the Last, Only Yielding When
Further Fighting is Useless.

LONDON Oct 23.--The British victories
in Natal following each other in quick sue
ccssion, though accompanied by heavy losses
on the side of the vlctors. bear striking tes-
timony to the valor of the vanqushed Beers.
They appear to have fallen victims to the
very plan which they counted on to drive
the British into the sea. They have been
beaten in detail by counter strokes carefully
considered and brilliantly carried out in the
face of courageous opposition, which has
done much to increase British respect for
the burghers whose splendid valor and de-
termination, it is universally admitted
reached the highest level. Fuller accounts
Of Saturdays battle at Elandslaagte empha-
sized the splendid gallantry exhibited on
both sides and the superiority of the British
in a pitched battle, although the Beers
fought with the greatest tenacity to the
last, only yielding when further fighting was
hopeless.
An armored train with the men of the
Manchester regiment appeared on the left
at Ladysmith at daybreak Saturday in sup
port OF the johannesburg Imperial Light
Horse and the Natal field artillery, with the
object Of reopening communication with
Elandslaagte. The artillery took up a posi-
tion above the town and sheled the railway
station, from which the Beers ran out and
place, released the English prisoners.
| The Beers, numbering some 1000 men,
with three guns, occupied a commanding
position. They poured such a well directed
| fire on the British and their scouts were so
| active that the British force steadily re-
| tired until reinforcements arrived, when
| the mounted infantry was sent to drive the
| Boer scouts from the ridge on the right.
| A large force of mixed cavalry, in the mean =
| while, swept over the plain and up the hill
on he right. The Lancers met with a heavy
fusillade, while on the left British battery
| opened fire with good effect. The British in
| fantry, which had debarked from the railway
| train in the interim, advanced steadily over
| the plain and up the rocky ridge previously
| cleared by the cavalry. The Boer artillery
! dropped shrapnel into the advancing col
umns, but the British finally scaled the hill,
whence they overlooked the broad valley Ia
three rocky hills forming the Beers posi-
| tion, their camp being in the center.
British Make Magnificent Charge.
On the left center the Beers had battery
OF three large guns The smaller hills were
also strongly held. On the Beer right was
| the station in a valley on the British left
Tho latter's cavalry was on both fianks and a
| battery on the right was busy throwing
| shrapnel at the Beers batteries.
The British infantry formed for the at
tack in extended order, behind the brow OF
a hill, the Deyonshires on the left, with four
| companies OF the Manchesters and some OF
the Gordons on the right
| At about 5 p. m the infantry advanced
through the valley as steadily as on a field
day. Half way down the slope they met a
terrific infantry and artillery fire and the
men fell rapidly and the wounded were
carried to the rear, But in spite OF the
steady work OF the Boer guns and the sharp,
shooters concealed behind the rocks the in
creasing fire of the advancing British in.
fantry gradually gained the upper hand and
the Manchesters and Gordons' edglng to,
wards the right gained the top OF the ridge
thus outfianking the enemy's left.
At O'Clock the buges sounded the
charge" and the British swept ahead. The
| Beers fought to the last only attempting tC
escape when further fighting was hopeless
In the meantime the Deyonshires. pressing
steadily up the left were strongly opposed
at the Boer camp and from the iankinE
Continued on Second Page,)