The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-03


 ity to the east of Game Tree (the fort
 which we were attacking) and Vernon
 and Fitz Clarence took up their posi-
 tions preparatory to final rush. Away
 to the right flank Captain Cowan with
 seventy men of the Bechuanaland Rifles was disposed to intercept reinforcamants
 Or the eneny's retreat. The armored
 train, under Captain Williams, with a
 machine gun and a Hotchlliss, ran up
 as fast as the broken state of the line
 would allow. The whole of the right
 flank was commanded by Major Cooley,
 to the left of us, and west of the ene-
 my The guns under Major Panzera, Were escorted by a squadron under Lord
 Charles Bentinck, and the whole, com
 manded by Colonel Hore, were deliver ing a rapid fire. The fort had been re- - ported upon and reconnoitred some days
 beforehand, and the east had bsen pos sible to a storming party. Just before the sun rose the armored train sounded
 her. whistle It was the signal from Captain 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 Pro- tectOrate Regiment rushing eagerly for word, hardly stopping to fire. waving their hats ad cheering each other on. i It seemed scarcely seconds before they plunged into the scrub which surrounds the sandbag fort, and some one eXclaim- ed "They are ewarmng over the bags; the position is ours!" Meanwhile, the firing was continuing furlously, and we waited for it to cease. expecting that the enemy would surrender or be bay onetted to a man. Then there was an anxious lull A staff officer said. Our men are coming back"
 It was only too true. Slowly, sul lenly and sulkily the men fell back, those that were left of them, turning to fire in desperate defiance now and again at the enemys works. We could hear the hoarse ahouts of the officers as they rallied the troops under cover of hollow in the ground Then there was pause. There seemed very few in the 1 little company which we could see gath ering together
 | An aide-de- camp came galoping up from Major Cooley, Captain Vernon, i sir has been repulsed," he said. The position is practically impregnable to l infantry and Major Cooley does not think it worth while trying again" l 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 position was being weighed in his mind Then he turned 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 un- hurt, one of the two with his sword hilt bent by a bullet. Of the eighty men who formed the storming party twenty one were killed and four have since died of their wounds. Twenty eight He day in hospital--fifty-thre out of eighty.
 In the evening we gathered in the cemetery to bury the dead. long trench was dug for the non-commie- stoned officers and men, and there be- cause neither time nor material per mitted, they were buried without collins. WIdpPeu III WUllt CdliCO. AL lle tuSt of the trench stood the escort. It would have been unwise to fire volleys, as we might have drawn the return fire of the enemy. At the far end the English rec tor, MT. Weekes read the service over the dead. Down the line of the long trench the white bodies showed through the half light. In separate place and in collins we buried the officers, and over the darkening veldt the wall of the Last Post" sung sadly, and WE turned away with the knowledge that even then we had not buried all our dead,
 It was strange to think that merry crowds were gathered in the theatres of London hailing with delight the Christ mas pantommes. They have called it here Black Boxing Day" We had done our best to break the cordon which sur rounded us and raise the siege to com munications with the north, and we had failed; not for the want of courage, not because there had been mistakes for there were none, but because the enemy must have been informed of our intend ed movements, and had rendered their position practically impregnable to any thing but heavy artillery.
 A DARING EXPLOIT.
 General Funston's river swimming ex- ploit was daringly emulated on Lord Dundonalds advance upon Potgieters s Drift "The Daily Newss s correspond ent with that column sends this account of the feat from the Natal Witness:
 While surveying the position it was noticed that the pont at the drift was lying moored on the Boer. eide of the river, and the suggestion was made that it would be piece of luck for us if the troops could get possession of the pont, which would serve as the beginning of the means to carry our men over the swollen stream. The offer of Lieutenant Carlisle, of the South African Light | Horse, to lead a few men. all of whom, like himself were good swimmers, across the river for the pont, was ac- cepted, those volunteering being Ser geant Turner, Corporals Barkley and | Cox and Troopers Coliingwood, How ell and Golden, all of F Squadron. The | forlorn hope set forth amid great in- tereGt. They got down the preciptious l slope and into friendly donga, run | ming toward the river, and so reached ! the drift, as they thought, unnoticed | Five of the party stripped, but the Lieu tenant and another only threw off their boots.