The record-union., 1899-10-23

George White has an extended front,
threatened at many points, to protect.
The War Office this afternoon pub
lished the following dispatch to the
Secretary of State for War, the Mar
quis of Lansdowne from the General
commanding in Natal, Sir George Stew
art White, regarding the engagement
yesterday at Glands Laagte between
Glencoe and Ladysmith, when the Brit
ish under General French routed the
Transvaal forces under General Jan HI.
M. Kock, second in command in the
Transvaal, who was himself wounded
and captured and has since died.
White, commander in Natal to the
Secretary of State for War: Filed Lady
smith, October -, 1890 a. MIN the
action at Elande Laagte yesterday the
troops engaged We're the following
Cavalry, Fifth Lancers, a squadron of
the Fifth Dragon Guards, the Imperial
Light Horse and two squadrons of
Natal Carbineers; artillery, Twenty
first Field Battery, Forty second Field
Battery and the Natal Field Battery;
infantry, the Devonshire Regiment, half
a battalion of the Gordon Highlanders
and the Manchester Regiment The
with Colonel Ian Hamilton commanding
the infantry.
l was present in person from $3.50 to
g p. M, but did not assume direction
of the fight, which was left in the hands
of General French. Although desultory
fighting took place earlier in the day
while reinforcements, sent out later on
ascertaining the enemy's strength, were
arriving from Ladysmith, the real
action did not begin until $3.50 p. m.
AT that hour the Beers held a position
of very exceptional strength, consist
ing of a rock hill about a mile and a
half southeast of Glands Laagte.
AT 3:3O p. m. our guns took position
on a ridge 4, 100 yards from the Beers,
whose guns at once opened fire. This
fire was generally we'll directed, but
somewhat high. This time contrary to
previous experience, their shells burst
we'll
The Imperial Light Horse moved to-
ward the left of the enemy and two
squadrons of the Fifth Lancers toward
his right. During the artillery duel,
mounted Beers pushed out from their
! left and engaged the Imperial Light
Horse. In a few minutes the enemy's
guns ceased firing and our artillery was
turned on the mounted Beers, who op-
/ posed the Imperial Light Horse. The
/ latter at once fell back. After the
artillery preparations our infantry ad-
vanced to the attack, supported by our
guns in the second position. The Dew
onShireS held the enemy in front while
the Manchester Regiment and the Cor
don Highlanders turned his left flank
! The Boer guns, although often tenn
porarily silenced, invariably opened fire
again on the slightest opportunity and
were served with great courage After
severe fighting our infantry carried the
position. At 6:30 p. m. this was ac-
complished, the enemy standing his
! ground to the last with courage and
tenacity. The Fifth Lancers and a
/ squadron of the Fifth Dragon Guards
charged three times through the re-
/ treating Beers in the dark, doing con-
siderable execution.
| We captured the Boer camp. with
tents, wagons, horses and also two
guns. The Boer losses were very con-
+ siderable, including number of
wounded and unwounded prisoners.
Among the former are General Jan
IADNh aJOuBGTI, nephew COM
mander General Joubert
One goods train, with supplies for
| Glencoe camp and nine English pris-
oners were recovered. Our loss, 1 re-
gret to say, was heavy 1t is roughly
computed at 80 killed and wounded.
The collection of the wounded over a
large area in the dark and the arrange
ments for sending them, in have thus
far occupied our time and attention.
Our wounded and those of the enemy
are now arriving by trains Besides
Beers We have many Hollanders. Ger
mans and prisoners of mixed nationali-
ties. The behavior of our troops and
of the Colonial forces was admirable.
The latest dispatches received to-day
do not indicate any incursion of Beers
as yet into Bechuanaland Along the
! Orange River everything seems to be
quiet. From Colesburg, Cape Colony, it
is reported that all the available Burgh-
ers Of the Orange Free State have been
sent NORTH and west.
On the other hand a messenger from
Aliwalnorth reports that a large body of
Beers Is advancing toward the Orange
River Refugees are leaving that town
IN great numbers daily. The Beers have
mounted Krupp gun on a bridge com
manding the most thickly populated
part.
Adyices from Cape Town say that a
wholesome fear of a rising in Basuto-
land prevents the Beers invading Cape
Colony and that on the other hand
there is considerable excitement at
Masuru and other Basuto stations, aris-
.
attacks.
1t appears that Colonial news is in
some mysterious way supplied to the
Boers and that their movements de-
pend largely upon intelligence COM
lnuncated through natives Disquiet-
ing news from Herschen and other
points in Cape Colony, where the ma
tives are much excited.
A BRILLIANT FEAT.