The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-11

| dition and two years ago was actively
| engaged in me campaign on the North
west Indian frontier.
For these services he was decorated
! knight Commander Of the Bath His
| selection as a commander cf the Natal
| troops was principally owing 70 his ex-
! perience with mounted rifles, for the
| country IN which he was expected to
| operate was mountainous and unsuited
| either for the regular infantry or cav
airy.
The battle of Glencoe was the first i'm
portant engagement in the South Afri-
can war It was fought between Cen
| eraI Symons. in command CT the British
camp at Glencoe, and General Joubert
and Jan Kock. at the head Of some six
| thousand Beers.
For days before the engagement be-
gan the Beers had been gradually clos-
ing IN on the British camp Scouts had
reported them in strong force in var
ious places in the vicinity At day0reak
on the 18th it was discovered that dur
ing the night they had occupied strong
position on Dundee Hill. about three
miles east Of Glencoe and overlooking
the camp OF General Synons.
At exactly six a. m, the first shot same
from a Boer gun, and a few minutes
later a heavy artillery fire was opened
on the British position. The lombard
ment, however. did little damage. The
British replied with such effect that the
Boer guns were soon silenced.
Tov-- t,asc
swarming over the hill outside Of Dun
dee and making toward the south, with
the evident intention Of turning the po-
sition Of the British. An advance Of
British cavalry and infantry was there
upon ordered. In the face Of a terrific
rife fire these troops pushed forward to-
ward Dundee HilI. Twice they attempt
ed to reach its top. Twice they were
driven back. The third time, however,
rallied by General Sy-mons in person.
who was shot through the stomach and
mo-taIly wounded in 50 doing, the Brit
ish charged up the hill, captured the
Beers position and drove them back
eastward with great slaughter.
After the battle II developed that the
Beer plans had miscarHed. They in
tended to attack Glencoe with three col
umns aggresating about nine thousand
men, but only some six thousand men
were engaged with the British, who were
in about equal force.
The first column, under General Eras-
mus. left the Boer camp on the Ingagene
River and halted at Hating Spruit
on the main road between Bauhausen
and Glencoe. The second column, the
larger, commanded by GenraI Lucas
Meyer, made a long turn and took up a
position on Dundee Hill, commanding
the Glencoe camp. The third column,
Free State burghers, under General VII
joen, marched from Wasehbank, on the
railroad south of Glencoe This column
succeeded in destroying railroad and tel
egrphic communications between Glen
coe and Ladysmith.
General SynOns however, foreSaw what
eraI Erasmus should lure the whole Brit
ish force on the northern road toward
Hating S9ruit, and while the British
were engaged in the apparently easy task
Of destroying General Erasmus forces,
Viljoen and Meyer were to attack the
British flank and rear.
GeraIaI Symons, however, foresaw what
was intended, and took measures accord
ingly. The Beers lost telegraphic touch
between the three columns, which pro-
ceeded regardless of time. with the re-
suit that General Meyer became en-
gagged before the column from Hating
Spruit was even in striking distance,
while General Vijoen was a long way
south. Thus Meyers four thousand men
with six guns bore the brunt Of the bat
tie Only half of General SymOns' men
attacked the hill the remainder being
in position behind the camp watching
events.
After two and a half hours fighting
detachments of the Hating Spruit col
umn were seen lining the hill west Of the
camp, and a British battery behind the
camp opened fire and scattered the Beers
Thus the Hating Spruit column did not
get into action. except when il came in
10 contact with the British Hussars and
mounted infantry, who were pursuing
General Meyers column.
Nevertheless, General Yu1e, who sue
ceeded Symons in command as soon as
he fell. could not prevent the latter from
falling a prisoner into the hands Of the
Beers. who took every care Of him. But
the wound was mortal. On October %
he died.
General Jouhert sent the news 20 Gen
eral White in a characteristic letter. ex-
pressing his sympathy. declaring his
hope that the great God would speedily
bring to a close the unfortunate war
st,--.-.r,+
lators and capitalists. in which 50 many
valuable lives have been and are being
sacrificed. as instance General Symons.
and others. and concluding with a mes
sage of sympathy to Lady Symons in the
loss OF her husband.
As General Symons was a CathcIic.
the Pope said requiem mass for Inn
in the Sixtine Palace, and likewise for
waried 8 message Of sympathy and con-
d0ience with the bereaved widow.
Mrs. Symons had for some years been
separated from her husband. Bur on
the occasion Of his death she was made
the recipient Of special favo-s from The
Queen A message Of sympathy had
been despatched 20 her when Her Maj
esty received the caAIe5 news If the Cen
erals death. She responded with mes
sage that thrilled aH England
Not content with mere sympathy Queen
Victoria secured f-- her special royal
warrant and an extra pension and Of
fe-ed her . home IL Hampton Court.
IT was therefore with great amaze
uenr that the monarch learned the news
az the Widows marriage six weeks ,2tsr
10 a su5Al tern half her own age. The
wedding was kept secrst as l7rE - p5s-
sia.e. and thus the couple were enabled
10 escape 10 the south ct Europe where
tEey are now honeymooalng.