The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-18
FIRST BATTLE IN JANUARY.
DESCRIPTION OF THE HANp-ru.
HAND FIGHT AT LADysMfTH.
Captive CcasRr's camp and Wagon
Mn, Two strong Positions.

---------------
London, January ls.-The standard pub
fishes the following dispatch dated Lady
smith January 6 by way OF Frere, Iauu-
AIRY II: The enemy to-day made deter
mined effort 10 capture two positions.
Caesars camp aud WagonhilL Tho lat
tor II a lofty eminence 10 the southwest
which would have brought them within
rinc range oil the town. Caesars camp
MAS held by the nrst battalion Of the Man
chestor regiment. The position was sepd-
rated from that OF the Beers by a rocky
rayino. In the early hours OF tho morn
ing under cover OF darkness, the ifeidol.
berg commando succeeded in cVading our
picbots making thoir way through the
thorn bushes and reaching the foot OF the
slope at $50. The alarm was raised by
our aentries. but before the full extent OF
tho danger coud he realized tho outlying
Sangurs had been rushed aud their de-
Tenders slain On hearing the hring Two
companies OF the Gordon tighlanders
went 10 the assistance Of the Manchestors
AZ first n was thought hat Tho Hocra
wore concentrating on he south SLOPE
where they had already secured a footns
Va The plateau Here however their ad-
vance WAS checked by The steady vallcys
of our infantry and tho deadly hre OF IA
automato gun.
Lieutenant Hunt Gruhbe went out TO soe
n any aid was needed by the troops Bla-
tioncd On the ridA' nour the Town, He
WAS not aware thai The enemy hats al
ready captured the breaAtworia anG called
out TO The sergeant lie received tne ~
ply, Here ! am, Hr, aud then Do ynd
denly olsippeared from sight, faptais
Carnegie, suspocting iuAo. ordered the
Gordonn TO hre a Nollcy and to chalBa'
The enemy thercupon fell back precipitatc-
~ lcaVing behind them the officer whom
, they mad captured with 80 much preBenc'
OF mind. The lieutenant was quite IN
, hurt
It WAS nov quito evident that the osmr
was being assailed on the left and on thl
front By dayhreak rciniorcementB p
'Gordon Hghlanders and Of the ride brig
ado had been hurried up to the hghtn.
line, Lieutenant Colonel Diuk-Conyng'
q ham who waS leading The uordona out o
4 camp, foi mortaily wounded being hit b,
d n stray bullet while stil close to th'
q town The Fifty.third battery Of Geld ar
p tillory under Major ABBY, crossed the Xiii
o river and sheled the ridge aud reyerB
e. slope Of the front. whore tho enemy Wa
" lying among the thorn buahcs. The shrap
- mel which few oyer our heads did terrible
execution. - cfectually held the Boef
Z ihem 10 send achievements 10 tbcir nAeI
: thrOugb the rayine.
Al - terrific storm Of rain and hail. ac-
L companied by peals Of thunder. had burst
II over the camp during the lighting This
n served to swell the streams into raging
ID torrents, In their efforts 10 escape mum
d bers OF the enemy flung themselves into
- the current and were swept away, The
10 struggle IN this part az the fleld wa
!, now ended and the finale was terrific
fusillade all along the line. the crash oil
~ which almost drowned the Incesssnt thuu
m dor above.
!, Meanwhile Il more exciting contest wa
n In progress in the direction OF Wagon Hill
AZ 2 O'Clock a storming party furnished
7 by the Harrismith commando crossed SLOW
! ~ and cautiously along Donga, In th'
!. valley which divides our posts from theii
= camps few well aimed rifle shots
y killed our pIckets. Taking ADVANTAGE OF
y every Inch OF cover the Beers then gradu-
all, reached the crest OF the heights Here
= body Of Light Horse was posted, but
= they were forced to retire before tho adj
y vance OF the Free staters there beinl
= no breast works for defense on the west.
: ern shoulder OF the hill With nothing
q 10 impede their progress the enemy soor
) came 20 an enlightenment where they sur
J. pfised working parties Of the Gordon
Highlander and the sixtieth Riaes.
+ lieutenant Dgby Jones Of the Roya
] Engineers Enllfftfu " HdlnlNl 81 IutN SUI
made n gallant effort 20 held the position
OF but the numbers we're against him anf
a after a stubborn resistance he was drivel
back and the enemy got possession OF IN
n summit Even then. however, the Ere
.. staters were afraid TO venture further o
l. 10 face the heavy IRE from the sanga'
e. Here It was that Lieutenant McNapghtU
" and thirty OF the Gordons were captured
s. although not a map OF them Was wounded
'At O'Clock Colonel Edwards, Wi
two sQuadrons OF Light Horse,arriyed upo
the scene and the Twenty fret battery {
the Royal artillery, under Mtior Blew
~ came into action 10 prevent the stormiu
party being reinforced from the bo
M camp, A. the same time the Eighteens
Hussurs and the Fifth lsancers checkC
. the movement from the sprnit on Of
s right Hank Nevertheless our position Y
] this point had become critical Our me
n hal retired FOR cover behind the nOrthel
70 slope while the enemy had made the
way into tie pass. dividing them FRO
the hill sllgcr Bowen rallied few az q
ne Friiies hut fell while leading them TO Il
"a charge Fhs example was az once 70
n, lowed rs Lieutenant Tod. but the iatt
met ihc same fate.
y The mcmeui evidently hal arrived
r strike the FINAL biow and Colonel Par
re quickly issued The necessary orders. Tbri
Z. eorrsnies OF DevonshircS led b. C8piai
ad IaFono. Lieutenant Yield and Lien'ens'
m Mason made q brilliant charge across n
a onen under terrific Ore and fairly hurls
a The enemy down the hill al The pon;
q. the hsynnet iu-thes course 81 the sirusE
u. caplaln LaForr and Lieutenant f+r
~ we're Killed ard Jisufensnt Mabterfo
Il received 40 fever than ten Wounds
ne The garTisoD can noM anal the cor1iI
ar ~ relisf with rfnoWed Confidence.