Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
Dress Findings and Notions.

exposed to a frontal fire. and were able to
draw breath before they made their final
rush. This they did in most gallant style
There was no reason to suppose that
Vaal Kop itself was very strongly held, but
the ridges further on undoubtedly We're
Moreover the precipitous character of the
kopje rendered its tenure by even 200 of the
enemy not Impossible feat. AT any rate.
whatever the actual number of Beers de-
tailed to hold the position, they refused to
bulge until the Durhams had felt the dom
gas and made a start for them with true
British pluck.
Colonel Woodland estimates Naal kop to
be 100 feet high. What infantry other than
the present-day representative of the thin
red line would coolly, under the fearful heat
of an African sun and after lighting every
inch of their way for over an hour. fix
bayonets and charge. never crying halt
until they gained the summit! Ihal IS
what in most brilliant manner, the Dur
hams did. On arriving at the foot of the
kopje. word was given to fix bayonets ana
charge. and they ran UP the NIL TO the
chorus of d rouSing British cheer. Some
forty Beers who stayed to the last on the
near base scurried before them, leaving
their horses behind them.
Fire Becomes Deadly.
THE fire from the high ridge to the left
became very deadly. and Major Johnson
Smyth fell, shot through the throat, while
leading his company. Up, still up. painting
through the steepness of the ascent, but
not to be stayed in their victorious career,
the men of the Durhams charged. the
Beers still fleeing before them until the
latter hurrying for dear life, disappeared
over the crest
Then our gallant fellows reached the top
and raised a cheer. which was taken up by
rha oncoming regiments below. They were
lust in time to secure three laSgards and
bowl over number of others who had not
yet got clean away. Very few dead Beers
were seen on the kopje. though three were
DitlTpI evidently by one OF our
lyddite Shells
Bennett Burleigh takes up the story again
as follows:
the enemy toward the close of the day to
drive us from the Eaal krantz. but, rein
forced by the Scottish Rifles and the I'd
Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles, the men.
without much difficulty. repulsed the assail-
ing Beers and held their ground Hilyard
had moved up to render assistance, but
Lyttleton. with two battaiions, was able
TO deal with every effort used by the Beers.
Monday on the whole, closed suspicious
w The Beers had been driven from Vaal
Krantz the key of their advanced position,
facing the drifts 1t but remained for us
to try to pour through and turn their
works to right and left. or march on to
Ladysmith But how about our baggage
and supply train? Something more had to
be done, for it could never be safely
brought on with us whilst the Beers were
able to she'll the drifts and pontoons.
1.-The Bo,rs cunningly set fire to the grass
near General Lyttleton's position, and by
means of the light II gave shelled the bril-
gade during the night. bringing up the
Maxim cannon But still we held our own.
and more having forced the emmy further
from the hill Before sunrise the enemy
startled the camps by firing from Doom
Kioof their ninety-six- FOUNDER Creusot gun.
Their shells burst in every direction several
falling at no great distance from General
Buffers headquarters Our big guns and
naval twelve-pounders bent all their energies
to knocking out the Boer 1Oo-pounder. but
without complete success. We blew up am
muni,ion wagons and what not, but the big
gun itself was so well covered that II ap-
parently could not be reached. When our
bursting Iyddite ceased to make havoc
around their battery and pit. out again the
long black muzzle of the Boer gun would
bs run and recommence firing. Evidently
it was mounted In such n way that 1t could
run up on an inclined pair of rails.
During the course Of Tuesday afternoon
General Butler had given up hope of pene-
trating the Boer lines 1 learned as much
ii ON his own lips. He was deeply cha
Erired that the matters had turned out
So and thought IL unwiss to assume graver
risks"
Reuters correspondent, who says:
"Our force could not advance toward the
left without mourning a very heavy loss.
The general commanding. finding he could
not, from the nature of the surface OF the
hill, entrench the troops In order to pro-
tect them against the enemy's fire, or
silence their big guns. determined to ADAM
Ladysmith in that direction. According to