The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-04-10
Dispatched Most Gallant Troops
in His Army to DO the
Impossible.
DISASTER AT RAILWAY HlLL.
British Officers Letter Tells How
"ihe l:raveSt Soldiers in South
Africa Were Sen, to
Their Doom

'"'i"s.""i-r." "f ttr Asso. i,,.l pres
''''ld"h' March 81 The officer wirh GEN
| 'ft' iuII'r VII" 80 scathngiv Described the
'iS'iSt'r al Snion Eup. IN To-Day continues
| "'9 r"nl'.fkahie series. with 4 donunclator
"S b'''"r a ever fell upon a General. This
week his article is confined 70 general
review of the strategy. or rather lack Of
strategy. which preceded the relief of Lady
smith ard h" Includes a terrible Indictment
against the useless sacrifice Of the Irish
! brigade. who" gaautry excited 50 much
admiration in England.
| Yes. writes this officer, 'I4ativsmith has
been relieved at iasr. W. have been ..fun-
d-rIns along the line of hits tha, form, IN.
! northern bank OF the Tuscla Cor miny
months; attempting "a pass il at all sorts
| 'f lhp"s%it!" places. uud suffering he,vy
loss each time. That Is an accurate 10
! s'fipti"n Of th" ten w--kS campaig,, on the
| 'HE''id. No ON" knew tn" ground or took
| III" u"nhI" to learn il As an exanpl. u!
| th'N subilm" Indifference. General Rullrr
| "as not aware that liiangvane Mounta!n.
| winch commanded HE crossing Of the tn.
! s'la, WIS on the southern side of the riv-r
| MI he lat! failed in thra- different at
trinpiS Yet IL" lived for We. ks within .hre"
, or four miles Of The. hill and ~ the bat;l.-
/ 81 '"l"nS" Ills right fsnk extended be
| y"nd it.
There Was Va Strategy
AS 10 strategy. there Wa none. neither
! good nor tad. The troops wer.- moved
along. ami when It hill! "r am iutrenchu"I,t
appeared IN front they were ordered ia take
H. Sometimes they failed sometimes thcy
! succeeded. often when iucy had succeeded.
after f"rrih!- ioes. tii.. post WIS found T. l,..
uNtl'ss ana was abandoned This i tho
fiii!i i"lIN III which hdv.. l..-n ,:,l.t...I
ana which. more through .:ou,! luck than
Eu"u management, hJ, eventually succeed
td But had not Lord Ruberts's victory
"fdNh away a grea: part uf the Beers fog
'iie u'i"hS. "i their own country 1t would
never have succeeded ana I.advsinith would
nav" fa!l"n. Thus Weakened the Beers had
ROY l'ffe enough t" occupy such long
defensive position, and one by one the
strong places fell into our hands
on Friday. February - General Hart
was ordered tn .end up the Conuaught
Hangers, the lnniskilliags and the Dubins
along the lin" of the railway to attack
some low hills where the river turned again
toward the east. This operation WAS mos,
dliilcui; and dangerous Six companics nf
me iHniskiiinss and two companies of the
'oh!ia"Sht Hangers formed the attacking
mes the remainder of the Rangers ANA
- nan OF me D''eiins We're In support: the
'nblihS. In this order the Irish brigade
r'cr"ssed the railway and began the attack.
coming AT once under IA severe cross fire
from the hills on the right and left II was
at such times that tactical errors ied ,o
such terrible loss OF life. Some tr0ops had
inGced been sent to the hill on the left but
.. amss ,h We're NOT ordered I" push the attack.
;td they could not. from their positien,
eEen see the northern slopes They merely
acted as Sentries to prevent our being en-
t!reiy cut off.
The Madness of 1t.
Any one could see that it was madness
10 Sci.d an attacking force up the central
hiii while the fianking hill was unoccupied
ana the Beers thereon were left free to
conc"ntrate their fire for its defense. but
stupid as was the scheme The. ,nr,hnd
adopted for its execution was even worse.
General Hart placed himself on a neigh
boring hiii with Il telescope and a bugler
attack and could not know when a res;
was necessary or when an attack could
hr"htihly be pressed. These matters are
II is absolutely necessary TO leave il to
their discretion. There he stood sounding
At intervals the Advance! then the
Hearcd t" him that the attack was not
proceeding rapidly enough to suit his taste
tn buSie rang out again i'll peremptory
our artillery. meanwhile WAS she1I,r,,
the trenches at the top Of the hill and kept
down the cncmy's fire from that direction.
81
hun.rcd yards Of what seemed TO them 10 |
b. the top and waited for Il moment to take !
hT"ali; uIu"f cover OF the st.cpneS.s of !
the hill Then the Generals buplcr sound |
cd the three calls. 'Ativance, .Doubl.l' |
Charge"
The word was passed along the ranks. |
paNone's were hXt'i. and. spriuging to their |
feet. the men dashed forward with 4 cheer |
Not q Sfot was fired by .he enemy and the |
place seemed tn he deserted. The crest was
reached and passed and Tho triumph seemed |
bat
one, there "aS slight dip behind then an |
o'her rise. which constituted the real crest.
Az the mon advanced over the sky line ana |
exposed themselves to full view III. Eoers |
suddenly stood up IN their trenches ard |
tired i'll quick succession tho i've rounds
with which thcir Mausers wcr.. charged al
irliIh!" I" describe. That great rush of !
men, confident AMI erect ,s = great wave =;
nearing The shore. WAS checked in a mo-
then all that remained was a linn of poor
helpless human beings struggling on the
ground in agony, Some rose again, per
ana tell. pierced Ill many instances. with Il
dozen bullets.
Those WHO nIarrelously escaped the mur-
dcrous discharge could only lie with the
others. hcrlng 20 escape observation The
slightest movement of an arm or leg wheth-
er 1t was the death struggle of a wounded
lucky ones TO get better cover behind
rock drew a shower of bullets bringing !
certain death not only to the unfortunate
man himself. hut to many who lay around |
him. stiffness was the only hope of life.
Almost Wipcd Out.
II will nnt anticipate the official returns.
as tho numbers killed and wounded have
been differently stated. but fear they are !
very had. know that oiIt of :! hundred |
mon who charged with the two companies
sixty fell. ana thLt any escape due only
10 til" uu"vcIIncSS OF the ground in certain |
spots. which partly concealed at the critical
moment portions of the line.
'"rhc loss rf the lNuislilinGs was stated
tn he well over ~" out of SCI mustered that
morning, hrt ] believe this To he an exas-
geraiInn. Two companies Were left behind.
only about 80 advanced TO the attack and
possibly ip took part in the charge. |
should think go should h. nearer the mark
tiv. officers only are left
This disastrous charge took place about
O'Clock. and there the unfortunate men
lay, dead wounded and sound. hudied to-
gcther or SCattered just they fell. GOV
rred by BOe: rifles. unable tu movn even
o lock around. The groans and cries of the
wounded were terrible to listen 10: some
'ri"d for help. some nGrmured for water
once or twice. moved by pity, Il sound man
would try To get his wounded neiEhhor 10
the rear. hut he was shot instantly. What
vas felt during thOse terrible hours ! will
not attempt 10 discuss.
Il come now to the SsiddeSt part OF the
story. The poor wounded men who had