The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-31
ONE FIGHT AT LADYSMlTH.
Not DECISITE, BUT THE BRITISH
LOSSES WE'RE HEAVY.

EIGHTY to One Hundred Men-Boers'
Loss Believed 60 he Greater-Their Big
Guns Put Out of Action by British Fire
Naval Re-enforcements from Durham
with Guns Arrived Mt n Critical Time
and Did Good Work Counter-Move by the
po.rs in Force Made Gen. white Decide
to withdraw After a Four Hours En-
unpement-Two BAIT alions of Infantry
Missing Some Mountain Guns Lost.
s,,risl Cats Dsspatchss to TIM SUE.
roypos. Oct. 31.-The news OF the engage
nsnt at IadysmIth that reached the public
hare last evening. in the form OF an
oNcial despatch from Gen. White. the
british commander there. was received
with considerable misRiving. There was so
much that was obviously unsaid. and what
wo, said was so unsatisfactory that the des-
match read much like an apology for failure. in
which everything necessary to an appreciation
Of tho circumstances was suppressed.
The facts that two infantry battalons were
,,occnunted for at tho time Of despatching the
massage and that the mules had stampeded.
rnhody knows where. with an indeh-
mite number Of mountain gums. were
not compensated for by Gen. Whites
,auguns belief that the naval guns
with which he had been reinforced would
enable him to dominate the enemy's heavy
artillery. which. it is believed. consists OF
Cr-usot guns, which are admittedly superior
in range to the British guns.
The War Offlcs issued Gen Whites despatch.
which is as follows: no
Il employed all the troops here yesterday
except those obligatory as a garrison for the
works Isent No. 10 Mountain Battery. with the
Irish Fusiliers and the Worcestershire regi-
ment to take up position on the hills to clear
the left flank The force moved at IL O'Clock
last night and during the night firing OF the
battery the mules stanReded with soms OF the
guns. which. however, l hope to recover. Two
battalions have as yet not returned. but are
expected this evening.
# detailed two brigade divisions Of field ar
tillery and five battalions Of infantry. aided by
cavalry under command of Gen. French to
attack the position on which the enemy yester-
day mounted guns. They found tho position
evacuated. but our force was attacked with
considerable vigor by what I believe to be
Commandant General Joubert's troops. They
had many guns and showed in great mum bsrs.
Our troops pushed the enemy back several
miles but did not succeed in reaching his
aagers.
Our losses are estimated at between eighty
and one hundred. The enemys must have
been much greater. the fire OF our guns ar-
pearing to be very effective.
After being in action for several hours l
withdrew my troops and returned unmolested
tic the cantonments.
The enemy are in great numbers and their
guns have further range than our field guns. l
now have some naval guns. which have tempo
rary silenred and l hope will permanently
dominate the enemy's best guns. with which no
has teen bombarding the town at a range OF
over G.OOO yards"
Gen. Whites unsatisfactory report Is supple
mented now by some press kilograms. especial
ly detailed account OF the situation from the
Standards correspondent. These dispatches
show that the reconnaissance in force. though
It technically achieved its purpose, was not so
successful as it might have been II a strategic
movement OF the enemy had not defeated the
English Generals plan. 1t 10 also known now
that the loss OF the British was serious.
1t is assumed hero that the naval guns re-
icrraG to were g. inch wire quick
nrcrs and that they we're probably
mounted on their deck mountIngs.
These guns according to the newspaper cor
RESPONDENTS. were fired with excellent pre-
Cision. and they quickly silenced the Beers 40
Founders which had been dropping projectiles
into lndysmith. The naval brigade evidently
arrived in the nick OF time and worked with
characteristic smartness. They reached Lady
smith from Durham at $3.50 in the morning.
and about three hours later had their guns
mounted and working.
The Standards correspondent at Ladysmith
tcegraphed Monday afternoon that an advance
was made in the morning with the object OF
shelling the Beers from the position in which
yesterday they mounted a numbe OF guns
Upon reaching tho spot the position was
found To be evacuated. The British troops
held on. however. and the movement de-
reloped into reconn distance in force.
The attack began at daybreak. The enemy
were posted on range OF hills having frontage
Of about sixteen miles. The British force was
disposed In the following order: On the right
three regiments OF cavalry. four batteries OF
artillery and five battalions OF infantry: In tho
centre, three batteries Of artillery. two regi-
mcnts OF cavalry. and four battalions Of in
iantry; on the left two hattalions OF infantry.
namely. the Irish Fusiliers and the GlouceS-
tcrshire battalion, and the Tenth Mountain
Battery.
The plan OF operations drawn by Gen.
White was that. as the movement developed.
the force constituting the British centre. which
was disposed under tho cover OF kopjs
three miles from the town, should throw
itself upon the enemy. while the left flank was
held by the Irish Fuslers and the Gloucester
shire battalion. The scheme was we'll devised,
hut failed in execution owing to the Boer posi-
ton. which formed the objective. being evacua-
ted. The British artillery quickly reduced the
volume OF the enemy's fire. but the attack de-
lversd on the British right flank was the prln-
ciral one and the column was compelled to
change front.
When this attack had been sIlenced for a
time the British infantry advanced. covered by
the cavalry The enemy now began to develop
heavy counter attack. and as they were In
great numerical superiority, Gen. White gave
orders for tho infantry to be gradually with.
drawn
The movement was carried out with great
stealinssS and deliberation under cover Of the
British guns. which were in an excellent posi-
ton.
The engAgement.which lasted several hours
resulted on tho British side. In easualtieI
estimated at ninety or q hundred. The Boel
losses must have largely exceeded this.
The attack was admirably delivered by tn,
British right and the Beers were fairly driver
GU, OF one OF their stronGholds near Lonb ard''
INN 90 ~