Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-13
Terrific Fighting as Described
from British Polntof View,
HEAT, ITO IN THE SHADE
stubborn Pluck OF the Wen Who
Crossed the Stream-Deeds OF
Great Heroism.
Correspondence Associated Press.

Correspondence Associated Press.
London, Jan. 3-Brltish war corre-
spondents are pouring in through the
mails columns Of descriptions Of opera
tions in South Africa Those recently
printed refer chiefly TO the battles OF
Gras Pan and Modder river. for 1t is
yet too early for the publication OF
fuller accounts OF Buffers defeat at
Colenso. The Times correspondent al
Modder river has written a graphic ac-
count Of the long, fierce battle that
takes its name from that river.
For the whole of the day." he writes,
'The guards brigade lay on the open
veldt in heat that was actually ITO
degrees In the shade at midday. While
the left flank had not been idle and
after the general had personally led
them TO the summit Of a slight rise
that commanded the only possible
means OF crossing the river-the dam
that had been built to turn the Modder
river into an ornamental water for the
picnic OF Kimberley excursionists-
they moved In echelon toward the edge
OF the river bank on the enemy's ex-
IRENE left.
That II could even be attempted to
cross the river sliding sideways
through the rush OF water over the
paddles OF a rickety Iron bar, one by
one, clinging to the short supports in
full view OF the opposite shores, was an
act OF reckless heroism against which
even the wary Cronje had not provided
This, however, is what was actually
done, and IL would be difficult 10 find
parallel for the stubborn pluck OF the
men who accompanied Col. Barter
across the 800 yards OF dam and weirs,
one by one, some 400 OF them crossing.
Then a detachment Of the royal en-
gineers, showing how well they could
take their part In the forefront OF the
fighting line, followed them, after that
some more OF the Yorkshire infantry.
which cleared several Of the nearest
houses on the right and affected an &C
cupation OF an irrigation patch, from
which they were never dislodged.
ITO fight for thirteen hours is an or
deal which in ordinary warfare would
be a terrible strain, but out on the tree
less. shadeless veldt, with the Their
mometer at the degree above men,
toned, the exhaustion suffered by our
men was so great that In hundreds OF
cases men and officers alike slept as
they lay In the scrub, careless Of shell
or rife fire. To provide them food was
impossible, 10 bring water cart on
| the field, as the Coldstream guards
| found by bitter experience. was only
tempting men to expose themselves 10
| death. rushing for the water at all haz-
| ards and leaving the cover, such as Il
was, afforded by the nine or ten-lnch
|. growth Of mimosa scrub.
early In the afternoon the general
was shot through the thigh and for
some time the two brigades, In the alb
sence OF orders, were compelled to act
independently Of the other, the only
communication being a warning 10 the
ninth brigade not TO fire upon the
first, OF which there was some danger.
The magnificent manner In which the
Beers had realized and augmented the
strength OF the position. the success
with which they had kept their works
and disposition secret until the crucial
moment. the feint on the extreme right
by which they drew OF the entire ar
tillery strength Of our force from their
position and the astonishing accuracy
e thsir picked sAe1 ~ tAs loaSest