The Van Buren press., 1900-03-03
STORY OF MAJUBA HILL.
The Disaster to the British Arms
that "TOmmy Atkins" WAS AHA
ious to Wipe on the State

tnc BElIlSH SApelith'S"
most disastrous defeats recorded Ill
English army annals, and Sir George
Collev Governor of Natal and com
mander-in-chef OF the colonial forces'
was among the killed. The engage
ment on Maiuba Hill was the conclud-
ing episode of the Boer-Britlsh war; IN
1851 and paved the way to the es'ao-
lisbment of n peace on what may be
termed a Hoer basis.
After dark on the evening OF feoru-
ary 20, 1851, Gen. Colley paraded HIS
force of 554 men in the camp at Mount
Prospect. TO which he had retired al
ter the repulse at Laing's Mex, and the
doubtful victory of the lngogo' Inc
force consisted of seven companies
belonging to the Fifty-eighth regl-
mert. Sixtieth rifles, and Nlnety-see'
ond Highlanders, with "a men from
the naval brigade. Not man in that
camp, outside of the staff, knew OF l's
destination.
TO his staff. Gen. Colley revealed the
plan and purpose Of the seizure Oh inc
srmmit. The occupation OF such
commanding point would. he urged
compel the Beers TO evacuate their po-
sition at Laing's Mex and restore 10
the British possession of the passes
through the Drakensberg mountains
The Majuba, like mtst South Atrl-
can mountains, shows at the summit
n horizontal sky line. The crest OF
the hill was some 1000 feet hlgher
than the Mount Prospect camp, ana
the northern side of the summit dom
mated the Boer position at Laings
Mex. but was not held by them. Inc
Boers, in fact. were fully occupied in
concentrating their forces ana lhelr
energies in strengthening the defenseS
of the pass itself, as they believed by
holding it, they could bar the road
into the Trnnsvaal.
Guided by Kaftlr scouts, Colley post
cd two companies of the SiNtieth Ri
fes and one of the Ninety-second
Hiehlanders, at important points be-
tween Mount Prospect carp and Ma
iuba. and with the remaining four
conlparies and the sailors, numbering
lust 400 men, the general himself LED
the way up the southern spur OF the
mountain. The climb was long ana
tiresome. The path at one point was
so narrow that the men had to clam
ber one by one, round projecting
rock. each man leaving his rifle with
the next behind, till he had gained
footing on the further side, The sum
nit was gained just before dawn, and
it was found that the crest of the pla-
teau Of Maiuba was a perimeter OF
fully loo yards, but so commanding
in appearance was the position that
no shadow of doubt as to the ability
of the little force to hold ii against
vastly superior numbers appears 10
have crossed the minds of Gen. Colley
and his advisers.
When the morning mist cleared
away, it was found that the distance
to the Boer camp was too great Tor
effective rifle fire, and the British had
neither gatling guns nor rocket tubes
to drive the burghers away from their
breakfasts. After inspanning their
oxen, Boer skirmishers were thrown
out, approached within range, and the
recent experience of Spion kop was
forcshadowed. The Beers had n deti-
mite mark, the sky line of the hill. The
British saw here and there pun OF
smoke, and knew that at that spot a
Boer had found sheltering rock. Up
to II o'clock no great harm had been
done, and the consensus OF opinion
on the British SIDE was that the Beers
were wasting their ammunition
The firing ceased for two hours, then
suddenly, at $780, about sixty Beers
appeared close to II body OF the British.
They occupied small kopje, and,
firing II vollcy, killed, disabled or dis
persed the English in moment. The
sudden collapse Of this party so dunn
founded those who were in sight OF
the spot that they recoiled from the
brow of the hill thus leaving the at
tacking force free access to the sum
init. The rapidly increasing contingent
of Beers clambered over the edge
swept the pcrimeter with n storm OF
lend, which sent the British dying
hcadlong down the side of the noun
tain, All cohesion was lost. The rout
was complete and ignominious' All
the efforts Of the general and his o'll'
GERS to rally their men were vain, and
then ut last having suffered all the
bitterness that life has in store Tor u
soldier, Collcy had the supreme good
fortune to lind death, facing the en-
emy.
When Gen. Joubert, the Bocr COM
mander, recalled his men from the
pursuit OF the fleeing British that at
ternoon, and retruced his steps up the
Mniubn, he found 40 dead soldiers on
the slope Of the mountain, while on
the summit, surrounding the body OF
Gen. Colley, were officers and 80
men, slain in that brief struggle, Nine
officers and l2l men were wounded,
and I officers and - men were taken
prisoners, OF the original 400 which
gained the summit, just 1872 got back
to the camp ut Mount Prospect un'
ecnthcd, The Beers had one man
killed and five woup1cd
Creamery Combine,