New-York tribune., 1900-01-29
FIFTEEN HUNDRED BRITISH DEADf
BRITISH STORY OF sPIoN KoP.
HEAVILY REINFORCED. But UNABLE TO
HOLD THE MOUNTAIN.

HEAVILY REINFORCED. But UNABLE TO
HOLD THE MOUNTAIN.
spearman's Camp. Friday. Jan. 26.-About
o'clock the morning of January "a Cwednes-
day). when heavy clouds rested upon the kopjea
the main point Of the Boer position. Taban-
yama, was stormed by the British infantry un-
der General Woodgate. Our force crossed over
ravine and climbed the mountainside steadily.
getting within thirty yards Of the enemy's first
line of trenches
The Beers. who had been asleep. decamped.
leaving everything behind. and the British. with
a ringing cheer. climbed to the summit.
The Beers opened fire from several points.
but it was apparent that they had been taken
completely by surprise. and their resistanes
was dispirited The western crest OF the hill
was soon won. and the infantry crept along tho
top Of the hills
At daybreak. however the Beers. from a high
point the extreme east. sent whitening fire.
among the British. which momentarily stag
gered them.
The Beers had the range fixed to a nfcsty and
their artillery sent several shells right to the
cover. The Boer Nordenfeldt also was worked
with great precision.
The British held the position against grest
odds. At 10 o'clock strong reinforcements were
sent up the hill and advanced in skeleton for
nation, the enemy being driven back to tbs
extreme point
London jan pa special dispatch from
spearmans Camp dated Friday. and supplying
additional details of the operations Of wednes-
day. says:
The British made a most successful move
ment to-day. They deployed to General War
ren's right flank and reinforced the troops In
possession of Tabanyama. They were subjected
to heavy Boer shell fire. but stood their
ground nobly.
Part OF General I.yttIeton's brigade extended
on the plain in front of Mount Alice and with
in two hours scaled the height Of Spion Kop
under a heavy fire One Tiheman. who reached
the summit before his comrades, proudly stood
on top.
The Daily News publishes dispatch dated
spearmans Camp. Wednesday afternoon. but
held back presumably by the censor until Fri
day January 20. 6:iO .. m The correspondent
says:
Having gaIlantly taken portion OF Taban-
yama Mountain during last night, General
Warern's troops are finding considerable diff
Guilty in holding II. There has been heavy
fighting to-day. The BOer shells are splendidly
directed. and in the face of the enemy's heavy
fire the further advance of our forces has been
checked
Again and again attempts have been made TO
dislOdge the enemy, and things had begun to
look serious. Determined had been their at
tack, however, the Beers had not succeeded in
dislodging them Meanwhile the Kings Royal
Rifles. approaching from the POtgfeter's Drift
side OF the mountain range, began the arduous
ascent of Spion Kop The heights at the place
where they arrived were precipitOuS and their
task was no light one They advanced, however.
and apparently at first without knowledge OF the
Beers, but before reaching the top they became
exposed to flank fire from the enemy.
The last part Of the hill more pre-
cipitous than the road along which they had
come. but the brave fellows scrambled up little
by little sometimes their feet and hands.
sometimes crawling their knees. until. pant
ing and exhausted, they reached the top and
threw themselves down on the ground with a.
cheer. Tt was grandly accomplished
There is still the serious difficulty of keeping
this important point without artillery. The posi-
tiOn. therefore, is that the British hold
Spion Kop. at the east end of the range. They
also hold the west end The Beers are In
trenched in the intermediate part. besides hold
ing other intrenched positions on the adjoining
kopjes. which command the British positions