New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-18
THE ATTACK on L4DYSMITH.
DESPERATE NATURE OF THE FIGHTING ON

DESPERATE NATURE OF THE FIGHTING ON
JANUARY G.
London. Jan. 18-"The Standard" publishes
the following dispatch from Ladysmith dated
January 6, by way of Frere January II:
The enemy to-day made determined effort to
capture two positions, Cesars Camp and Wagon
Hill. The latter is lofty eminence to the south
west possession Of which would have brought
them within rifle range of the town. Caesars
Manchester Regiment
The position was separated from that of the
Beers by a rocky ravine In the early hours Of
the morning under cover or darkness, the
Heidelberg Commando succeeded in evading
brush and reaching the foot of the slope at 2:3O
o'clock. The alarm was raised by sentries,
but before the full extent Of the danger could
be realized the outlying sangars had been rushed
and their defenders slain.
On hearing the firing two companies of the
Gordon Highlanders went to the assistance Of
the Manchesters At first 1t thought that
the Beers were concentrating the southern
slope where they had already secured a footing
on the plate Here, however, their advance
was checked by the steady volleys of our infan-
try and the deadly fire of an automatic gun.
Lieutenant Hunt-Grubbe went out to If
any aid were needed by the troops stationed
the ridge near the town He was not aware
that the enemy had already captured the breast
works and called out to the sergeant. He
ceived the reply Here am. sir" and then he
suddenly disappeared from sight. Captain Car
negte, suspecting q ruse, ordered the Gordons to
fire Yolley and to charge. The enemy there
upon FELL back preclpitately, leaving behind
them the officer whom they had captured with
so much presence of mind. The lieutenant was
quite unhurt.
1t was now evident that the camp was being
assatled on the left flank and the front By
daybreak reinforcements of Gordon Hghanders
ana OF the rifle brigade had been hurried up to
the fighting line Lieutenant-ColOnel Dick
Cunningham, who was leading the Gordons out
of camp, fell MORALLY wounded being hit bv a
stray bullet while still close to the town The
53d Battery of Field Artillery, under Major
Abby crossed the Kip River and sbeIled the
Of he front
where the enemy lying among the thorn
bushes. The shrapnel which flew over our
heads did terrible execution. 1t effectually held
the Beers In check, and rendered it impossible
for them to send achievements to their men
through the raYine
The enemy fought throughout with the most
stubborn courage being evidently determined
10 take the camp or die in the attempt. Their
o-lnch gun on Umbulwana Mountain and it's
smaller satellites threw more than q hundred
shells at Abdy's Battery and at the troops on
the MIL Our troops however, were not less
gallant and resolved, and the enemy was pressed
back step by step until at length those who
We're left broke and fled in utter disorder
A terrific storm OF rain and hail. accompanied
by peals, of thunder had burst over the camp
during the fighting This served to swell the
streams into raging torrents. n their efforts 10
escape numbers of the enemy flung themselves
into the current and were swept away Tbe
struggle in this part of the field was now ended
and the finale was a terrific fusillade all along
the line, the crash OF which almost drowned the
incessant thunder above.
Meanwhile more exciting contest was in
progress in the direction of Wagon Hill At .
OSloch d storIllng party, furnished by the Har-
rismith commando. crept slowly and cautiously
along donga in the valley which divides our
posts from their camp. A few well aimed rife
shots killed our plckets. Taking advantage of
every inch OF cover, the Beers then gradually
reached the crest OF the heights Here a BODY
OF Light Horse was posted. but they were forced
TO retire before the advance OF the Free Staters
there being no bFeastworks for defence on the
western shoulder OF che hill. With little TO i'm
pede their progress the enemy soon came to an
emplacement, where they surprised working par
ties OF the Gordon Highlanders and the Goth
Rifles.
Lieutenant Digby Jones, of the Royal En-
slneers' collecting a handful OF men. made a
gallant effort to hold the position, but the num-
bers were against him, and after a stubborn re-
slstance he was driven back and the enemy got
possession OF the summit. Even then, however
the Free Staters afraid to venture far or
TO face the heavy fire from the sangar Here n
was that Lieutenant Macnaughten and thirty OF
the Gordons were captured, although not until
every man among them was wounded
At o O'Clock Colonel Edwards. with two SQUAD