The morning news., 1899-12-22
BATTLE OF NICH0LSON'S MEX.
CAPTURE OF GLOUCEsTERsHIREs
AND FUsILLEERs.

Graphic Account of the Affair In
Which the Beers Took so Many
Prisoners-Caused Primarily by "a
Stampede of the Animals Attached
to Ammunition WagOns-BritIsh
Had Fixed BayOnets When Sur
render Was Ordered.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
London, Dec 13.-Letters from British
officers and soldiers fighting in the Trans.
vaal, and lengthy descriptions from war
correspondents that filter into print
through the mails. TEEN with thrill ing
and pathetic incidents.
The Times correspondent gives a graphic
account and explanation Of the British lis .
aster at Nicholsons Mex, where Cartoons $
column, consisting Of six companies OF the
Royal Irish Fusileers, four and a half
companies of the Gloucestershire regimen.
and No. 10 mountain battery, surrendere |.
Two hours before daybreak," says This
correspondent, "whlle the column was in
an enclosed country, either shot was
fired or a boulder rolled into the battery
in column Of route. The mules stampeded
and easily broke away from their half
asleep drivers. They came back upon the
Worcestershire Regiment the advance
party of whom fired into the mass beIev-
ing in the darkness that II was an at
tack This added to the chaos the ranks
were broken by the frenzied animals, and
they dashed through the ranks OF the
rear guard. carrying the first and second
reserve ammunition animals with them
II became hopeless panic.
THE animals, wild with the shouting
and the turmoil tore down the Nullah into
the darkness, and the last that was heard
Of them was the sound OF ammunition box
es and panieres as they were splintered
against the powders.
The hubbub of these few minutes was
sufficient to have alarmed the enemy. BY
a strenuous effort the officers succeeded
in getting the men again under control,
and when daylight came they seized the
first position which presented itself and
which was about two miles short OF the
original goal They we're forced to take
advantage Of the first kopje, as Boer
scouts we're all around them and the day
was ushered in with desuitory firing. 1t
was a sorry position which they had chos-
en-, and the men were in a sorrier plight.
All their reserve ammunition was gone,
and though they had saved pieces Of the
screw guns. they were not able with these
pieces, to patch up a single mounting
scouts were reconnoitering, and about 8
o'clock mounted Beers could be seen ga
Looping in small groups to the cover at the
reverse Of the hill on The west Later
on strong parties OF mounted men took 10
sitions on the far side OF the two hills
commanding the kopie from the W ~.
About O'Clock these two parties had
crowned the hihs and opened "A heavy fire
al short range right down upon the pllt-
eau. Our men made a plucky attempt 10
return the fire, but Il was imDoss bic.
They we're under "A cross fire from two
directions, flank and rear. The two com
panies Of Gloucestershires holding tho
self-contained ridge were driven fiofn
their shelter, and as they crossed ths
open on the low plateau were teriiiy
maued, the men falling la groups.
"The Beers on the west had not YET de-
clsrcd themselves. but about 800 marks
men climbed 10 the position which the
two campaniea Of The olouccs, ershires had