The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-10-28
Of TALANA HILL.
Notable Victory for the British
Arms After a Most Determined
Resistance by the Beers.
EIGHT HOURS OF DESPERATE FIGHTIN6.
tIp gnihccnt Artillery WOrk-TheT Tug
of Wnr-UneGunlled Courage Of
the ~BoerS-The Battle Began at
Dundee, but Ended mt Talana Hill
Flight of the Beers.

Dundee, but Ended Mt TaIann Hill
Flight of the Beers.
London, Oct. ga correspondent in
Glencoe camp, telegraphing on October
20, and describing the fighting that
followed the first engagement Of the
Boer attack on the British position,
says:
Where the Casualties Began.
at was after the battle. was re-
newed, following the lull that ensued
upon the sharp cannonading of the
British which silenced the guns of the
Beers on Smiths hill, that our casual
ties began. The Indian hospital corps
OF coolies under Maj. Donegan, of the
Eighteenth hussars, ran out, keeping
in the rear of the advancing infantry
and artillery that had galloped from
the second position through the town
amid the cheers of the citizens.
The Beers Gradually Silenced.
AT this point the Beers became err
ratio. The artillery was firing on the
hill where the Beers were stationed
in great numbers, but the return fire
die little damage. The enemy kept up
an incessant shooting, but our shrap-
mel began to tell its tale, with the re-
suit that the Boer fire visibly slack
ened. From a ceaseless rattle the rife
fire dwindled to struggling shots.
"A corporal of Dublin fusileers was
carried past me to the rear on a
stretcher. Maj. Davidson, of the Irish
fusiliers was shot through both legs,
and Color Sergeant Anderson, of the
Dublin fusiliers was brought inwound-
ed in the right shoulder.
1.-THE artillery in front was shelling
the hill, and the Kings Royal Rifles,
on the right front, were busy with the
Maxims, making the Beers anxious
about their position. Their artillery
had been silenced by the splendid serv-
ice of ours.
Thanking the Enemy.
Meanwhile a squadron of the Eigh-
tecnth hussars and a mounted COM
pany of the Dublin fusiliers were
creeping around on the enemy's left
flank, while another squadron of the
hussars and a mounted company of
the Kings Royal Rifles deployed to the
right flank, at the cornfields.
Several Men Killed or Wounded.
The artillery continued to play on
Smiths hill with a range of nearly
5000 yards. Under its cover the Dub
lin fusiliers and the king'sIioyal Rifles
pressed forward. 1t was in the exc
cution of this maneuver that the cas-
ualties to our infantry occurred, sever
al men being killed or wounded.
Rode in Front of the Guns.
"The firing oweased off on our side.
and only a solitary shot was returned
now and then. Gen. Symons, taking
advantage of this lull. rode forward
with his staff, in front of the guns,
taking cover at the rear of the planta-
ton, near the base of the hill. All this
time our infantry, in extended forma-
ton, had gradually pressed forward,
watching the Beers from the rear of
the artillery and massing on the eX-
IRENE left of the hill.
Cut to Pieces Or Driven Away.
81 saw three shells in quick success
sion cut some to pieces and drive 9TH
ers away. The Boer fire was becom-
ing hot, but the first battalion of the
Kings Royal Rifles and the British
fusiliers, led respectively by Col. Gun
ming and Col. Carlton, continued to
mount the hill.
Gradually they extended along the
ridge, and at one o'clock, after four
and a half hours of artillery fighting
to screen them, they managed to reach
a wall, running parallel with the ridge,
about GOO yards from the summit.
Magnificent Artillery Work.
"This position was gained under COW
er of some magnificent shooting by our
a~rtillerymen, who placed shells at
points were the Beers were masseG,
with amazing accuracy, compelling
them to retire. But not for long. On
again the determined enemy would
come, only to be beaten back again
by the excellent shooting of the Thir-
teonth and Ninth batteries under Maj.
Dawkins and Maj. King.
The Tug of War.
"At I1:45 n. m. the firing had almost
ceased, and our infantry were over the
wall in a twinkling, and rushing to-
ward the plateau at the base of the top
or secondary ridge. The defense by the
Beers was most determined, the enc
my again end again pouring a long
fusillade fire into the British ranks.
which was hotly returned in well-di-
rected volleys by the slowly-advancing
Dublin fusiliers and Kings Royal
Rifles.
"A large body of Beers, driven from
Smiths hill, took refuge in a cattle
kraal, intending a cross fire. The
Thirteenth battery opened fire, how
ever, and poured jim such n hail of bull
lets as caused them to shift their posi-