The defender., 1900-01-27
IITTLE OF SPION KOP.
,,,,., to the British Forces Said
70 Have Been Appalling
...rprG HUNDRED WBREKILLED

to Il Report From BOer
,nuarter< Near L"dy~mith-The
D.treat. Says Gen. Butler,
vs.. Accomplished without Loss
,,,sop. Jan. 29.-General Buffers
DOuLgs, djsnatch to the war office states
aIeSt cs;on u-2n Kop was abandoned on ac-
Dbl 'PLol - lack of water, inability to
QUIZ. ortiIIerv there and the heavy
s rns fire. General Butler gives no
rI - >" casualties. His whole force
" a,yror " south of the Tugela river
nIu. DI .bo evident intention of reaching
.Ih 'ar.ritb M by another route. The dis
,,tcb ~ri dated Jan. 27, is in substance
.on lU,'J Ian % Warren drove back the
Nv w and obtained possession Of the
n'4I sborn crests of the high tableland
,,tsnding from the line of Acton
nsr, a.U.s and Hongers Poort to the west
a.1, Tadysmith hills. From then to
~ y. .; he remained in close contact
Ial. - Ho
With the enemy. ~ ;..,,
range of small kOpjes stretching
s..m rorthwest to southeast across
a" M nIateau from Acton Homes,
Irorgb Spion Kop to the left bank of
6e Tugela.
~Tbe actual position held was per-
.,,tlv terable, but did not lend itself
4 n on advance, as the southern slopes
+ rsrp so steep that Warren could not
81 an effective artillery position, and
later supply was a difficulty.
I'm Ian. % | assented to his attack
4 ,y Spion kop. a large hill, indeed
norntain. which was evidently the key
E 4 tbe position. but was far more &C
s,sibp from the north than from the
puth
"Or the night of Jan. % he attack
4 S Spon Kop. but found it very diff
irult 10 hold. as ITS perimeter was too
y hrpq and water. which he had been
nj ia believe existed, in this extra
rdiDarv dry season. was found very
a efficient
The crests were held all that day
,gDst severe attacks and a heavy
bel fire Our men fought with great
plantry. | would especially mention
!. bp cOnducs of the Second Cameron
sns and the Third Kings Rifles, who
mpported the attack on the mountain
Il tnm the steepest side, and in each
ass fought their way to the top, and
a he Second Lancashire Fusileers and
Second MiddIeseX, WHO magnitlcently
maintained the best traditions of the
British army throughout the trying
hy of Jan "A, and Thornycrofts's s
mounted infantry, who fought through
out the day equally well.
General WOod9ate, who was in COM
nsnd at the summit, having been
wounded, the officer who succeeded
him decided on the night of Jan. "a
Dabandon the position. and did so be-
lore dawn, Jan. 25.
Ireached Warren's camp at 5 a. m
20 Jan. y. and decided that a second
ttack upon Spion Kop was useless
nd that the pnemy's right was toe
strong to allow me to force it.
Accordingly I decided to withdraw
lhe force to the south of the Tugela
A6a m we commenced withdrawing
ls train and by 8 a. m. on Jan. n
BaFrenS force was concentrated south
Nthe Tugea without the loss of mai
OF pound nf stores.
The fact that the force could with
CaT from actual touch-in some cases
Ae lines We're less than a thousand
sf0S apart-with the enemy in the
manner 1t did, is, | think. sufficient evi
selce OF the morale Of the troops, anC
4aI We We're permitted to Withdraw
yu clmbrouS OK and mule transport
sIoSS The river 81 yards broad, witt
2loot banks and a very swift current
alloieSted is. | think. proof that th'
% .gTnF mas been taught TO respect ou
@.alers fighting powers"
Inc war Office does not give an.
@ ~ta Of the casualties in taking am
~. a~VLhg Spion KOp, but a report from
~e Doer headquarters near Ladysmitl
~S mat l,1OO British dead were lef
~ We battlefield. This number
4Uasat to include the wounded.
a.. = Ine Boer reports are to be &C
Ts. Vypseu the abandonment of Spiol
s,i.,., N.Y. was due to the inability of tn
R,a.Su 10 resist the Boer attacks, tn
sE,. Gs carrying the first trenches an
aug I0O prisoners"
n. ue very moment when DR.. Leyds
Ao,er poer agent, is being received as a
M DuUre0 guest in the highest circle
~. 4e continent Great Britain has t
nr, NE worst disaster in a campaig
Ss.., @ lar disastrous. Open talk
hsss ol the absolute necessity c
MT. oalng Ladysmith to it's fat,
oTais s Lord Roberts reverts to tn
Orsnaal Omal plan of an advance over th
Prsse river upon Bloemfontein.
Gnoe.ua, should it be decided to sen
,tsmStl ,tr,Sl Butler reinforcements and t
soyaap 10 reach Ladysmith by
uh rleut nn' through the still more diff
tsm.S,u .SGuntry east of Colenso. it is e1
Son uoubtful whether the Carr
ach NOuIu hold out long enough, a
last . movement would occupy &