Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-04

I
publishes the following dispatch. dated
Wednesday, Nov. 20, morning. from It's
correspondent at Modder River camp;
The seyerest engagement our column
has yet had, and probably the severes,
for the whole campaign was fought
yesterday on the banks Of the Modder
river. The battle was waged fercely
for nearly fourteen hours The enemy
occupied a strongly entrenched position,
their front extending five miles along
the bank Of the stream. They were
well supplied with artillery and fought
desperately
THE BRITISH FORCE.
Our force consisted Of the second
battalion Of the Coldstream guards, the
first battalion Of the Scots guards the
third battalion OF the grenadier guards,
the first battalion Of the Northumber.
land fusileers the second battalion Of
the Yorkshire light infantry CHE Kings
own, part Of the first battalion Of the
royal Lancashire regiment. the ninth
lancers the mounted infantry. three
batteries Of field artillery, and the first
battalion OF the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders princess Loulsa's).
The latter reinforced us from Gen.
Wauchope's brigade. and arrived jus,
in time Cor the fight.
OPENING THE BATTLE.
The battle started at daybieak, our
guns Smelling the Boer left.
The enemy replied with artillery.
Hoiehkiss and Maxlms. and the artil.
lery duel lasted some hours. Then there
was a brief lull in the enemy's opera
tione. Of which we Immediately took
advantage. Infantry advanced across
the plain towards the river In two brl-
gades.
The guards on the right were met by
an awful hail OF bullets from the enc.
my's sharpshooters posted close TO the
river on the opposite bank. Ours had
no cover whatever and were simply
moved down. 1t seemed impossible to
live through the terrible fire. but the
brave fellows did no, retreat an inch.
The Boer FIRE was horribly accurate
and they must have numbered al least
10000
FORCED HIGHLANDERS BACK.
The Scots guards advanced Six hum
d'ed yards before they wcr, arol on
Then they had 10 lie down 10 escape
The deadly fusllade which lasted with.
out inicrm.sslon throughout the day.
Tie liiehlanfers made several atter,l,e |
To- force passage Of the river. but ,hey
were exposed to such a murderois ~
'iadf.g fire that they had 10 retire az.
Ter they lad suffered terribly.
Subsequently, a party Of the guards
got Vvfr and held their own f3r hours
against a vdstly superior force.
The general opinion Of the star Is
hat there had never been such a sus-
.ainel fire IN the annals OF the british
lrry as that our troops had 10 face
f. stcrday our men fell In dozens while
fyhg Ia rosh the bridge
Al oue thc many heroic dcads. one Of
h most conspicuous was that Il Lieut.
oil CCcngion OF the Collstrelm
'uaris, Cant sellpeyn Il the Queens
an1 continE tnt, and a Gozsn meinLcrs
4 the C"ldstream guards. who ;um, ed
nj" lie rrycI and swan nearly 70 the
lhcr side in the face Of a steady FIRE:
ut who Mere forced % re;,rc, and.
. !ning hands. swan back. TWO ~ I, cir
IGr'lcr ich q nearly drowo.d In tae re-
rcat
MIGHT STOPS TdE FIGHT.
The British guns kept up heavy fire
u day aad fearful havoc was w,ough;
a the Eocr positions, the enc ny b,inE
orcei TO iiy from their .u;rept hments
Night put an end % t's terrible
loojsheo The infantry brigade was
reaa.illy Gu, mp.
The Beers reiterated at night. taking
heir guns with them, and we are now
occupying their positions. The enemy's
rs was tremendous.