The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-10
THE FIGHTING AROUND PRETO-
 PJA

RIA.
 In my telegram of June 12 I gave an
 outline of the comprehensive operations
 east of Pretoria, and I now furnish de-
 tails of the severe fighting which fell on
 General Hamilton's division, extending
 over three days
 Generals Broadwood and Gordon nov
 ed to turn the left of the Pienaarspoort
 range on June 3, They had consider
 able chance of success. as they had the
 start of the Boers who had taken little
 precaution to guard their left rear, Un- fortunately, the operation was stayed
 on Sunday, owing to negotiations with
 Botha through his wife, who went out
 from Pretoria Botha took advantage
 of the respite to improve his position,
 and seized the hills which Broadwood
 would have taken if he had not been re-
 strained by headquarters.
 On Sunday evening BOtha rudely re-
 pudiated his overtures, and on Monday
 the second phase of Hamiltnn's turn | ing movement developed But Botha had recovered his left, and the fighting I was severe Broadwood advanced against the kopjes on his front, the mounted infantry protecting his left and Gordons cavalry his right. Per l ceiving gap in the enemy's line be- hind which two guns were firing shrap- mel with damaging accuracy Broad wood determined to attempt to cut this in order to break up the Boers' first line and reduce their artillery fire. @" battery galloped for the gap and un- limbered.
 The Boers, seeing an opportunity, did what they had rarely done before. A large mounted body charged in close formation across the open up to within 500 yards of the battery and opened a murderous rifle fire. The Twelfth Lam cers were ordered into the open in front, where they formed and charged The enemy did not wait long enough for the squadrons to get really home, They scattered, but ten were left dead and several wounded. The guns were saw ed, but the cavalry as they rallied, came under rifle fire again. However, they had attained their object.
 Simultaneously another mass of Bo- CTS attempted Broadwood's right flank. The Household cavalry wheeled out from behind a kopje and charged. The moral effect of the naked steel and the shouting troopers was too much for the enemy, who broke and fled demoralized A hundred of them ensconced in kraal evacuated it in sheer terror of the sword. It was a decided cavalry coup; the enemy were sctatered and broken and our mounted infantry came up and held all the positions taken.
 General Gordon, on the right, was not heavily engaged, but was in touch with the enemy all day, the Seventeenth Lancers losing two officers. Hanliton's infantry, as already reported, shelled the enemy out of the under features be- low their main position and prepared the way for an assault on the morrow. l Gordon maintained himself in spite of threats on his flank, He was slightly | to Broadwood's right rear rather than on his flank. Broadwood in the morn- ing sent the following message to Ham, | ilton: |
 ''If Pole-Carew supports you strongly | enough to release your mounted infan- try and they can come to my assist | ance I can advance; otherwise I must | be content simply to hold my posi- tion.''
 It proved impossible to detach mount ed infantry, consequently Broadwood | was unable to advance. The Heidel- berg commando threatened his right, but was kept in check by guns and carbine fire The brunt of the day fell on Hamilton's infantry and the Guards brigade, which was diverted to his sup port.
 The Boer position consisted of steep ridge with plateau beyond, succeeded by second position artificially The plateau afforded lit tie cover as there were no stones and the grass was burned short.
 Under cover of a five-inch and field guns the infantry advanced to the as- sault at two o'clock. The Derby's were on the right, the City Imperial Volun- teers in the center and the Sussex reg lment on the left. They seized the pla- teau under shrapnel and rifle fire, once on the summit they were received with a murderOus fire from an ascertained range from the Boer second position. They were enfiladed by a one-pounder Maxim on the right and swept at short range by shrapnel. It was impossible to advance further and the First Cold stream Guards were pushed up in sup port. But attempts to bring up artil- cry aid failed owing to the steepness of the ascent.