The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-13
NEWS FROM THE TRANSyAAL
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT or The BATTLE
ny MEN WHO SAW IN.
The Modder River EnEaGement, It's
Result md the Lesson which II
Observation-Disclosures wound,

London, January 1e,--Mail reports from
British war correspondents in South AZ
RIGA recently printed refer chiefly 10 the
battles at Gras Pan and Moadcr rlycr
for ii is yet too early FOR the publication
Of full accounts OF General Buffers de
feat az Colenso The Times correspondent
al Modder river has written a graphic
account Of the long, horce battle that
takes its name from that stream
For whole day" he writes the
Guards brigade lay on an open vcldt in
heat that was actually ITO degrees in the
shade at midday. Meanwhile our left
flank had not been Idle and afterward
the general personally led them tor the
summit OF slight rise that commanded
The only possible means Of crossing the
river-the dam that had been built to turn
Modder river into an ornamental water
way for picnics OF the Kimberley excur-
sionsts--they moved In echelon toward
! the edge Of the river bank on the enemy $
extreme left. That IT could even be at
tempted to cross the river, sliding size
WAYS through a rush Of water, over pad
dies of riekety iron bar by one cllnslng
| 10 the short supports in fun view OF the
| opposite shore, was an act OF reckless
| heroism against which even wary Cron'e
had not provided. This, however u
what was actually done. and y would 20
difficult to find a parallel for the stubborn
! pluck OF the men who accompanied Coio-
mel Barter across the 300 yards OF the
dam and weir. One by one 40A crossed.
Then a detachment OF the Royal enslnesrH.
| showing how well they could take tho T
part In the forefront Of the fighting line.
I followed them After that some moro OF
the Yorkshire light infantry Little bY
little force was collected which cleared
seyeral OF the nearest houses on the
right and effected an occupation Of the
irrigation patch. from which they were
never dislodged To fight thirteen hours
is an ordeal that In any KIND OF warfare
would be terrible strain but out on q
treeless. shadeless veldt with the Their
mometer al the degree above pentioneh
1.-THE exhaustion suffered by our mer wa
so great that IN hundreds Of cases msr
and officers alike slept as they lay in th'
scrub. careless OF the shell and rim fir'
lfhaf surged over them. To provide then
with fool was impossible, TO bring I
water cart on the field as the coldstrear
Guards found by bitter experience WI
only tempiirg the men 70 expose them
selves TO death BY rushing FOR water a
all hazards and leaving the cover suei
as Il was. afforded BY q nine or ten-incl
growth OF uimosa shrub.
EARLY this afternoon the general wa
shot through the thigh. and for som
time two brigades, In the absence OF or
ders were compelled TO act independent
~ OF the other the only communication
being warning 60 the Ninth brigade no
10 IRE upon the First. a which there wa
some danger. The magnificent manne
J 10 which the Beers had realized aud aug
mentsd The strength of their position. th
sBrvess with which they kept .hei7 work
and the disposition Of the secret until lib
crucial moment Of the feint on the ex
trerps right By which they drew off tn
rntire artillery strength Of oar fore fror
the main position and the astonishing al
quarry of their picked shots At the LONGS