The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-24
A Sortie From Mafeking Described in
Detail.

Correspondence of. Associated Press
London, Feb. 1.-THE first detailed
description of the desperate sortie from
Mafeking made on December 26 comes
from the Reuter- correspondent in that
hard pressed little town. as follows:
The day after Christmas we made
an attack upon the Boer lines. Our sew
en- FOUNDERS under Major PanZera, had
been emplaced during the night on our
left front As dawn broke a flash and
a cloud of white smoke showed they
were in action. Shot after shot fell
rapidly around the enemyS 5 position As
it grew lighter the maxim Joined in rap
ping automatically, and to the right
the armOred train crept slowly over the
plain toward its destination.
After that the attack developed with
marvellous rapidity to the east of Game
Tree (the fort which we were attack
ing) and Vernon and FitZclarence took
up their positions preparatory to a final
rush.
Away to the right flank, Capt. Cowen
with 20 men Of the Bechuanaland Rifles
was disposed to intercept reinforce
nents, or the enemy'S retreat. ArmOred
train under Capt. Williams with a ma
chine gun and HOtchkiss, run up as fast
as the broken state Of the line would al
low The whole frightful bank was COM
manded by Major Cooley. To the left
of US and to the west was the enemy.
The guns under Major Panzera We're
escorted by a squa dron under Lord
Charles Bentick. The whole command
ed by Col. Hore were delivering a rapid
fire.
Just before the sun rose the armOred
train sounded her whistle. It was the
signal from Capt. Vernon that he was
ready to rush the position and to the
guns to cease firing. AS the sun rose
we could see the Khaki clad troopers
of the protectOrate regiment rushing
eagerly forward hardly stopping to fire
waving their hats and cheering each
other on. 1t seemed scarcely seconds
iv,4o
which surrounds the sand bag fort and
some one exclaimed: They are swarm
ing over the bags; the position is oursi'
Meanwhile the firing was continuing
furiously and we waited for it to cease,
expecting that the enemy would surren-
der or be bayoneted to a man. Then
there was an anxious lulI. A staff off,
Ger said: Our men are coming back
1T was only too true. Slowly, sullen
and sulky, the men fell back, those that
We're left of them turning to fire in des
perate defiance now and again, at the
enemys works.
AN aide de camp came gallOping up
from Major Cooley, Capt Vernon, sir.
has been repulsed'' he said. The posi-
tfOn is practically impregnable to in
fantry and Major Cooley does not
think it worth while trying again.
For moment the colonel hesitated
and we could see that the question as
to whether he should or should not
again attempt to carry the enemy's pO-
SlIlOu was DelDR WelRnGQ IN MS 41llIQ-
Then he turned round to the c. 5. 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 well, three were dead, one
wounded and only two returned unhurt,
one of the two with his sword hilt bent
by a bullet OF the so men who formed
the storming party, Il were killed and
four have since died from their wounds.
Twenty eight lie today in hospital
SO out of 80
In the evening we gathered in the
cemetery to bury the dead. A long
trench was dug for the nOn-c -commiss-
stoned officers and men and there be-
cause neither timenOr material permit
ted they We're buried without collins,
wrapped in white calico.
We had done our best to break the
Gordon which surrounded US and raise
the siege to communications with the
north and we had failed"
London Feb 24-The war office to-
day received from Gen. Butler a list of
casualties resulting from the fighting
of February %, as follows:
Killed-The Hon. r. c. Cathcart. son
of Lord Cathcart of the Rifle brigade;
Lieutenants COe and Parker of the
Lancashire regiment.
Wounded-Fourteen officers, including
MAJOR General Wynne and Col. Harris
of the East Surveys.
Gen. Butler concludes: "Owing to the
continuous fighting it is impossible at
/ present to give the number of men
killed or wounded
/ CRONJE SAID TO HAVE ESCAPED.
Berlin. Feb. 24-6:02 D. m.-Several
newspapers here announce that they
learn from private sources that General
CrOnie has succeeded in forcing his way
through the British lines.
CRONJES PLANS.