The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-01-20

p. M: Inc force marched westward
on Jan. 10. Lord Dundonald, by q
dashing movement, occupied the hill
above Petgieter's Drift, fifteen miles
west Of Colenso. taking the Beers per-
fectly by surprise.
The same evening the infantry fol-
lowed. General LyttIeton's brigade
crossed the river yesterday and today
shelled the Beers beyond with how
itzers.
General Warren's force is now
crossing Trichardte Drift. five miles
above. He is not opposed, although the
Beers are holding a position five miles
from the river"
The other morning papers are out
with extra editions confirming the dis
patch from Spearman's Farm to the
Times The Daily Telegraphs CORE
spondent, under date of yesterday.
says:
Il am permitted to wire from Spear
mans Farm that General Lyttleton
yesterday ferried and forded Petgieters
Drift and seized with little opposition
line of low ridges a mile from there
During the night a howitzer battery
was carried across. Today from Mount
Alice, near Swartzkop, naval guns and
hoWitzers effectively shelled the Boer
position, which is strong.
General Warren also today crossed
the Tugela, six miles farther to the
l.
in the face of q hot and heavy fire from
Boer cannon and rifles. He has eff
1ected most satisfactory Judgement
two miles further on toward Sproen
Kop."
A special dispatch from Spearman's
Farm, dated Jan. II, says: The Brit
lSh column moved to Spearman's Farm.
beyond Springfield, on Jan. II. The
dlf1culties in crossing the swollen river
were great the wagons being quite
covered"
dispatch to the Daily News from
Spearman's Farm describes Lord Dun
d0nald's advance to Swartzl1op hill.
commanding Petgieter's Drift and
says:
General Lyttletons brigade was
sent to hold a position on Swartzkop !
hill Leaving a strong body to hold |
Colenso, and General Hildeyard's bri- |
gade at Springfield. our whole force ad- |
vanced without delay. The ferry pont |
at Peltgeiters was on the further bank !
of the Tugela, and in order to bring ,
II to our side Lieutenant Carlisle and |
I'VE men Of the South African light
morse swan across the river and
brought it over.
After four days halt on the south
side of the Tugeia, our advance north
ward began on Tuesday, Jan 16 Cen
eral Lyttleton's brigade crossed the
drift that evening and held the kopjes
on our right.
Sir Charles Warrens division has
made an attack upon the enemy's- left
flank. The column is now crossing the
river"
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent
Of the Daily Mail, telegraphing late
Wednesday evening, Jan. Il, says:
Arrivals from Estcourt report that
there was lighting on the Tugela to-
day. The result is not. know here"
London, Jan 1S.-The Standard pub :
fishes the following dispatch from La
dysmith, dated Jan. g. by way of Frere,
jan II: THE enemy today made a de-
ternined effort to capture two posi- !
tons. Caesars camp and Wagon hill.
The latter is a lofty eminence to the :
southwest, possession of which would {
laVe brought them within rifle range /
IF the town. Caesars camp was held g
~ the first battalion of the Manches-
.er regiment
The position was separated from {
hat Of the Beers by a ravine In the /
.arly hours Of the morning, under S
over Of darkness, the Heidelberg COM '
nando succeeded in evading our pick c
It's, making their way through the
horn bush and reaching the foot of the r
lope at $3.50. The alarm was raised by +
ur sentries. but before the full extent !
( the danger could be realized the out
wing Sangars had been rushed and
heir defenders slain.
on hearing the firing two companies h
I the Gordon Highlanders went to the b
SSiStance Of the Manchesters. At first q
was thought that the Beers were o
CONCENTRATING on the southern slope, a
here they had already secured a foot 81
lg on the plateau Here, however. | Ia
heir advance was checked by the II
teady Volleys of our infantry and the az
eadly fire Of an automatic gun. ~
1T was not quite evident that the -
amp was being assailed on the left 81
ank and on the front. By daybreak
Of Gordon Highlande-s H
nd of the rife brigade had been hur- a
ed up 10 the fighting line. Lieutenant u
oloneI Dick Conyngham, who was "
aiding the GOrdons out of camp. fell ri
ortally wounded. being hit by a stray "
ullet while still close to the town The nj
ifty-third battery Of field artillery in
1der Major Abby. crossed the Kiln IN
YER and shelled the ridge and reverse ID I'd
ope Of the front position, where the y
lemy We're lying among the thorn pr
lshes.
THE shrapnel which flew over our tr'
lads, did terrible execution. It eff Ip
ctUally held the Beers in check and &c !
ndered it impossible for them to send SCI
Inducements to their men through an
e ravine. in
THE enemy fought throughout with
e most stubborn courage, being evil de
ntly determined to take the camp or 90 90
e in the attempt. 'CAeir six-inch gun
Umbulwana nor tain and its small
satellites threw hore than 100 shells
Abdy's battery and at the troops on
e hill. Our tr3 gps, however, were not
IS gallant a.. = resolved. and the enc w.
Y was pres ed back step by step until
length hose who were left broke g.,
d fed Al utter disorder.
"A T. fife storm of rain and hail ties
com Anied by peals of thunder had wa
rst over the camp during the fight 10
:. This served to swell the streams =
. raging torrents. In their efforts to Su'
ape numbers Of the enemy flung Jul
emSelves into the current and were Pr
ept away. The struggle in this part STA
the field was now ended. and the pea
ale was a terrific fusillade all along at
line, the crash of which almost '
'wned the incessant thunder above. ilIt'
MeanWhlle a more exciting contest III
s in progress in the direction Of deI
lgon hill. At 2 o'clock a storming De,
-ty furnished by the Harrismith ON
crept slowly and cautiously OF
ny a donga in the valley which di- ne
es oar posts from their camp. A ana
p yvell aiyoad rife ebo+e lliIIa5 80. urd
kets ''-'0 - fNi''s0 0U' Fiji
Taking advantage Of every inch of I'VE
er the Beers then gradually reached cd
crest Of the height. Here a body of i@dI
1t horse was posted, but they were wiz
eed to retire before the advance of III
Free Staters, there being no breast couI
ks for defense on the western sbouI- age,
of the hill With little to impede
ir passage the enemy soon came to
emplacement, where they surprised DJ
king parties of the Gordon High proT