The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-10
Story of Britt sh Attack on
Impregnable Boer Fort
Near Mafeking.

Z
from Mafekiog, dated Dec %:
"At dawn today Col Badeo Powell
organised az unsuccessful attack upon
q strong position of the enemy at
0ametree, Two miles from Mafekinp.
from which the Bosrs have been main
ssioiog . desultory but annoying she'll
ADD rias FIRE for several weeks. The
railway has reoeutly been reconstructed
between tho town and Gametree, where
the Boets had destroyed it, tho Goal
repairs being made 10 preparation for
the sortie
"During the night the rnored train,
With Maxim and Hotobkiss guns, uodsr
Capt Williams aud troops, took 10
positions for ntssck from two sides.
Capt Lord Charles Beptiuok aud a
squadron were 10 reserve upon the left.
while the extreme left wing was
occupied by artillery under Msjor
Psnsera and q yallopiug Maxim Of the
Cape police. the whole being under
Col Hore
"EmplacemeO,s we're thrown up
during the night. the orders being to
attack at dawn and the artillery fre to
deslst upon prolonged footing from the
armored tram At aybreak the guns
opeoed fire and rapidly drew the reply
OF the enemy, our shells bursting
within effective range. Capt Vernon
gave the signal to cease firing aod to
advance. bis squadron leading of
"As our men engaged the position
With their rife 6re. it Was soon fouu d
that the strength Of the fort vas
greater than We bad supposed The
enemy concentrated such sn exceeding.
~ hot 6re that the advance of Capt
vernon was sluost impossible, but
With remarkable heroism aud eallautrv
Cspts Sanford and Vernon. Lieu,
Patton and Scout Cooke, who guided
the squadroos. and q few men actually
,eaohed the ssndbags of the fort With.
10 three huodred yards of the area of
the fort.
"But oothiug living could exist there
s'uce the ground was swept by Mauser
aud Martini bullets The men who
charged through this zone of fire suf.
tered terribly. and 10 following their
ofhcers to capture the fort. twenty mep
lost their lives Capt Sanford wss
the 6rst 10 fall aad Capt Vernon. all
ready twice wounded. and Lieut.. Patton
were killed at the foot of the fort.
These two officers. cliu biog q ditch
which surrounded the fort, thrust their
revolvers through the enemy's loop
holes only to be shot themselves the
oext moment.
''Gametree is surrounded with scrubs
whioh contained many sharpshooters.
aud their accuracy Of fire still further
confused the meo who had followed
Capt Vernon aud who saw bin aud
h's brother officers killed Being with.
out commanders they we're driven Of
at one point. but they eudeavored 20
scale eho fort al Others They found
he position Of the Boers, however, a
most impregnabo
"When We retired under oover of the
armored train SO many men had been
~ouoded that q suspension of bos,ili
ties occurred under the auspices Of tho
lied Cross. The veldt around the Boer
position was al once dotted with Gags
OF mercy. and it was seen that our
wounded we're scattered within but O.
short radius of ,he fort We bad al
most completely surrounded It; and
bad It not been SO extraordinarily well
protected we should have been 10
possession.
81 went with an ambulance 20 Game
tree Tho fort itacif j. circular. with a
vide interior ami narrow frontage
between SIX and seven feet high, pierce
cd with triple tiers Of loopholes, and
surrounded by ditch"