The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-12-29
MAJUBA HILL.
The Fight That Ended the Brief War
of 1881 the Probable Cause of
Present War.

England in the course of her history
suffered-as does every fighting nation
many defeats, but never one SO hui
initiating to her national pride as her
defeat at Majuba Hill on February 81,
1881, by the rude Beers of the Transvaal.
That she then accepted that defeat was
due to the existence of Gladstonian
cabinet in England and the ever-pres-
ent desire of that party for peace at any
price.
1t is to avenge that defeat-outland-
ers' grievances and suzerainty COM
plications notwithstanding = that
Great Britain is now in the field in
South Africa with the pick of her army
and her most trusted generals.
February 81, 1881.
1t was on that day that Gen. Sir
George Colley, an officer of experience
and undoubted personal bravery, after
a forced night march took up posi-
ton on the summit of Majuba with his
force of 600 British soldiers. Since his
defeat by the Beers at Laing's Mex on
January 81 his communications had
been constantly attacked by the burgh-
ers, and on taking up the highly impor-
tant strategic position on Majuba he
determined to once more assume the
offensive. The Boer forces filled the
valley commanded by the hill, and
when they discovered the position
taken by the British forces they mani
tested every symptom of panic and
-
movement to retreat. They, however,
did not do so. The counsels of Gems.
Joubert and Smidt prevailed, and the
Beers settled down to preparations for
an attack.
On the English side overconfidence
and the inevitable panicky feeling that
always seizes soldier when surprised
by daring movement such as that
made by the Beers contributed to the
days defeat. To Gen. Colley and his
officers the position on the summit of
the hill appeared impregnable. Its fiat
saucer-like top commanded the plain
on every side, and no thought seems to
have been given to artificial fortifica-
ton.
The Beers, however, knew that the
sides of the hill which rose precipitate-
ly from the plain were SCARED by deep
cliffs and gullies. Up these Joubert de-
termined to send band of his picked
men, and to cover their operations the
men in the valley opened brisk fire on
the soldiers on the hill. So accurate was
the shooting of the Beers that the Eng
lsh soldiers kept under cover as much
as possible, only rising now and then
to return volley. Little harm was
done by this long-range firing on either
side, and so confident of their security
were the British soldiers that with
every volley they hurled taunts at the
enemy in the distance. For six hours
this firing continued-that was the
length of time it took the $50 Beers who
attempted the ascent to climb the hill.
Once there, one party of 60 burghers
occupied small peak standing on the
skirt of the summit, killing by a single
volley the small British picket that
held it. The rest of the Beers poured
themselves over the saucer-like edges
of the fat-topped mountain and took
the British soldiers completely by sur
prise. The movement was so sudden,
so totally unexpected, that the English
force could not awake to realization
of what had happened. They fancied
themselves penned in to slaughter, and
all the efforts of their general and his
officers could not recall them to discip-
line. They precipitated themselves
down the side of the hill into the very
hands of the Beers, who advanced to
meet them.
A handful of them remained to fight
and be killed, among them Gen. Colley,
who, when he saw all hope lost, took his
life with his own hand. Cameron, the
war correspondent, who was taken
prisoner by the Beers and Immediately
released, described the scene as one of
the widest confusion. The defeat at
Laing's Mex had already demoralized
the handful of British soldiers, who felt
isolated in a strange country, and this
new and startling attack was too much
for them. Had the men yielded to the
rallying of their officers they could I'M
doubtedly have withstood the attack
of the Beers and Majuba would mark
a different page in English military his
tory.
Of the 600 British troops who occu-
pied the summit of Majuba Hill over 300
were killed in retreat. The Boer loss,
according to Boer accounts, was only
one killed and five wounded.
Majuba Hill ended the brief war of
1S61.-Collier's Weekly.
Dewey's Love for Canes.