The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-26

the Beers Graphically Described by
Field Corrtspondents-Eng stu.
pidity Criticised.
The first detailed description of the
desperate sortie made from Mafeking
December 26, which comes from the
Reuter- correspondents, says:
"The day after Christmas we made an
attack upon the Boer lines. Our seven
FOUNDERS under Major Panzera, had
been emplaced in the night on our left
front. AS dawn broke a flash and
cloud of white smoke showed they were
in action. Shot after shot fell rapidly
around the enemy's position. AS it grew
lighter the Maxim Joined in rappins
automatically, and to the right the ar
mored train crept slowly like great
black snake over the plain toward her
destination. The whole scene COM
menced to unfold itself like a photo
which is being developed The outlines
grew sharper, and we could see the
Union Jack floating proudly over the
leading truck of the train. The attack
developed with marvellous rapidly to
the east of Game Tree fhe fort which
we were attacking), and Verona and
Fitzclarence took up their positions pre-
paratory to final rush. Away to the
right flank Capt. Cowan with seventy
men of the Bechuanaland Rifles, was
disposed to intercept reinforcements, or
the enemy'S retreat. The armored
train, under Captain Williams, with a
machine gun and Hotchkiss, ran up as
fast as the broken state of the line
would allow.
"The whole of the right flank was
commanded by Major Cooley, at the left
Of us and west were the enemy The
guns, under Major Panzera, were es-
corted by a squadron under Lord
Charles Bentinck, the whole, command
ed by Colonel Hare, were delivering a
rapid fire. AS the sun rose we could
see the khaki-clad troopers of the Pro-
Electorate Regiment rushing eagerly for
ward, hardly stopping to fire, waving
their hats and cheering each other on.
1t seemed scarcely seconds before they
plunged into the scrub, which surrounds
the bag fort, and some one exclaimed:
ssThey are swarming over the bags; the
position is ours" Meanwhile the firing
was continuing furiously, and we wait
ed for it to cease, expecting that ths
enemy would surrender, or be bayonet-
ed to man. Then there was an anXl-
Gus lull. A staff officer said: Our men
are coming back
BOERS REPULSED ATTACK.
"It was only too true. Slowly, sui
len and sulky, the men fell back, those
that were left of them, turning to fire
in desperate defiance now and again at
the enemy's works. We could hear the
hoarse shouts of the officers as they rail-
lied the troops under cover of hollow
in the ground Then there was pause.
There seemed very few in the little COM
pany which we could see gathering to-
gether. An aide-de-camp came gallop-
ing up from Major Cooley. Captain
Vernon, sir, has been repulsed,' he said.
THE position was practically impreg
nable to infantry, and Major Cooley
does not think it worth while trying
again
For a moment the colonel hesitated
and we could see that the question as to
whether he should or should not again
attempt to carry the enemys position
was being weighed in his mind. Then
he turned around to the C. S. O.. and
said: Let the ambulance go out
"That was all. The battle of Game
Tree was over. How daring, how des-
perate, how gallant the attack had been
we were only to learn later on when the
tale of dead and wounded came to be
told Out of the six officers who had
led their men so we'll three were dead,
one wounded, and only two returned
unl1urt, one of the two with his sword
hilt bent by bullet. OF the eighty
men who formed the storming party
twenty-one We're killed and four have
since died of their wounds. Twenty
eight lie to-day in the hospital-fifty-
three out of eighty.
cit was strange to think that merry
crowds We're gathered in the theatres
If London hailing with delight the
Christmas pantomimes. We have done
,ur best to break the Gordon which sur
founded us and raise the siege to COM |
with the north, and we
nave failed, not for want of courage, |
lot because the attack was in any way
,ungled, not because there had been |
mistakes, for there We're none, but be-
,ause the enemy must have been in
ormed of our intended movements and |
lad rendered their position practically |
to anything but heavy ar
illery."
NEW MANAGEMENT FELT.
Cape Town this week is especially
prolific in well-written reviews of the
var as seen from the main base. H.
Provost Bat tersby, who went out with
Lord Roberts to represent the Morn
ne Post" writes:
"Already the force of new manage
nent is felt. Lord Kitchener is reor- |
the transport and his methods
md standards are not those which have
Prevailed With him departmental in
rtness cannot be pleaded in excuse for
Iuties unfulfilled. The man to whom
work. is ntrusted is the man who must
10 it or make room for one who Will.
rate with him is no defense of failure;
ate is only a wheel for the pots Of
mans moulding, and those of whom he
makes potters have to know their trade.
IS might have been expected OF the
nan who broke the Dervish power in
he Soudan by a Zine of rails, the rail-
vav stands first in Lord Kitchener's
avor as a means of transport, The
ashton in which our advance has hlth-
rto been tied to the railway has proved
source of weakness, offering the Beers
n advance selection OF positions cut Of