Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-10-25
BRITISH AND BOERS.

BRITISH AND BOERS.
Fierce Fight at Glencoe Hill Last Friday
The first serious action between the
Beers and the British was fought al
Glencoe in Natal on last Friday, begin.
ming early in the morning and lasting
eight hours.
The number of troops engaged on
either side has not yet been definitely
stated but it is thought that the Boer
force consisted of 4, 900 men under the
immediate command of General Jou-
bert, while the British force under
command of General w. P. Symonds
was not quite 80 large. -~- -
The British force was occupying the
town of Glencoe, and General Symonds
was apprised on Thursday night that
the Beers were advancing on him in
considerable force. He used every
precaution to prevent a surprise; but
found his work cut out for him next
morning when the Boer artillery open
ed on him from a hill about 4,5OO
yards distant.
ONLY a few shells burst within the
British lines. 1t seems that the am
munition of the Beers was of inferior
quality and their artillery practice was
bad. The British guns had already
been placed so as to command the po-
sition occupied by the Boers, and the
gunuers did splendid work. In the
seventh hour Of the battle the last
Boer gun was dismounted.
The artillery practice was only an
incident of the battle. The principal
fighting was done by the infantry and
cavalry on both sides. The British he.
gan TO advance Immediately after the
battle commenced and fought their
way slowly and surely to the top of
the hill that had been occupied by the
Beers. The advance, however, was
very expensive. The Beers stood their
ground we'll, picking off their assaii-
ants at lively rate. There were sew
eral lulls in the fighting; but at last a
column of British troops appeared on
top of the hill with their bayonets and
the Beers went down on the other side.
Some British cavalry appeared in their
rear and it is said that the retreat be-
came rout.
The British loss was severe. Gener-
al Symonds was so severely wounded
that it is matter of doubt as to wheth-
er he is now living or dead. Two
colonels, three captains and FIVE lieu
tenants were killed, and one colonel,
three majors, six captains and eleven
lieutenants were wounded. In add.
tion to these, 80 non-co nmissloned
officers and privates were killed and
l52 were wounded. The Boer loss is
estimated by the British as being some
thing like 1900 killed and wounded !;
but this is altogether matter of guess
work.
When the Beers retreated they were
followed by large force of cavalry.
At last accounts this cavalry force had
not returned, and this, taken in connec
ton with the fact that expeditions sent
out in search of killed and wounded
came back with the report that the
Beers had returned to the field, leaves
the entire situation involved in more
or less doubt.
One of the striking features of the
battle is the large number OF casual
ties among the British. 1t is known
that the Beers have a way of picking
off officers; but in the present war the
officers are not wearing distinguishing
uniforms. The heavy mortality, there
fore, is attributable TO the daring bra
very of the officers in their attempts to
win special distinction. General Sir
William Penn Symonds is distinguish
ed soldier, who has seen much ser.
vice in South Africa and in India. AT
ter the battle of Glencoe, the queen
promoted him to be a major general.
BATTLE OF ELANDsLAAGTE.
Another fierce battle was fought at
Elandslaagte, about half way between
Glencoe and Ladysmith, Saturday af-
ternoon. The fighting commenced at
$50 and continued until dark, when
the Beers who had the worst of it, left
their camp and their wounded in the
hands of the British. The fighting on
both sides was desperate, the Beers
standing up before seemingly irresisli-
BILE charges of the British. The Beers
numbered 1000 men and the British
force was considerably larger. The
British loss was 81 killed and It's
wounded. Generals Nilljoen and
Kock, of the Boer forces, were killed.
Piet Joubert, son of the Beer com
manderin chief, was wounded. The
total loss of the Beers is not definitely
known; but it is probably somewhat
heavier than that Of the British.
The fighting so far has not tended to
clear up the situation in the least. AT
last accounts the Beers were still con.
fronting the British at Glencoe and
at Elandslaagte. Fighting is still in
progress all along the line of railroad