The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-18


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day, as the enemy's tactics turned out to
be Identical with those observed on that
memorable occasion"
The Times correspondent at Ladysmith
writes under date of Dec. 10:
at is impossible to express the feeling
of CONSERVATION with which the news of
Gen. Buffers check on the Tugela was
received in the invested town. All had
made up their minds that the period of
enforced inactivity was at an end. We
were proud to think that we should be
able to meet the relieving troops with the
little histories of our own regarding the
Gun and Surprise Hill batteries. No one
for a moment imagined that the southern
force would be anything but successful
On Dec. u heavy firing had been heard in
the direction of Colenso, while on the fol-
lowing day the pickets on Caesars Camp
and Wagon Hill had seen the smoke made
by the bursting shrapnel Then we wait
ed for news-waited brea thlessly for or
ders to be given to the flying column COM
posed of the Devonshire and Manchester
regiments and the Gordon Highlanders, to
leave camp to complete the devastation
which the southern force had begun. Men
and women congratulated themselves in
the streets when they heard that one of
our heavy guns had been sent to Wagon
Hill to cover the movement of the flying
column. But the silence was prolonged,
though the hello winked carelessly from
the hiltops, yet rumor had its way, and
stories were told of a splendid victory, of
deserving Beers, of fleeing Dutch, and
slaughtered burghers. But nothing from
headquarters. Dec. 16 was Dingaan's
day, the anniversary of the declara ton of
independence of the South African re-
public by the triumvirate in 1880. 1t was
thought that this would be a suitable date
for us TO crush the power of the reoel
state Day dawned, and with the advent
of the sun the big gun on Buiwana OPEN
ed a spiteful fire. Twenty-one rounds
were fired into the town. The Beers had
remembered the salute which we had fired
on the Prince of Wales birthday. Grim
ly, on Dingaan's day, they returned the
salute. And with effect, for there were
three fatal casualties from the fire.
'fStill the garrison congratulated itself.
This salute was but the song of the dying
swan In fit of bravado the enemy had
fired into us before removing the gun to
escape the advance from the South. A
story came in from Intombi Camp that
the Beers had sent number of wounded
Dutch for treatment. Excitement ran
high. and a speculative photographer cir
culated a notice to the effect that now
the siege was practically at an end, he
would be happy to take mass group OF
the civilians who had survived. But on
Saturday night a sinister order appeared.
umn were sent back to their positions ON
the line of denfenses. On the morrow
the following general order was published
to the garrison:
Buffers Defeat Announced.
The general officer commanding the
Natal field force regrets to have to an
nounce that Gen. Sir Redvers Butler failed
to make good his first attack on Colenso;
achievements win not, therefore, arrive
WAS xnppted Sir George
White Is confident that the defense OF
Tadysmith will be continued by the garr1-
son in the same spirited manner as IT mas
hitherto been conducted until the general
officer commanding in chief in South AT
RIGA does relieve it.
's1'he news was received with blank dis
NAV. fhe disappointment was over
whelming. Then, as the situation began
10 be studied calmly, the tension was re-
Eeved 1t did not really matter III the IN
vestment lasted a few weeks longer. We
had few of the Injuries of life, but there
was a full ration of the necessarleS FOR at
least two months The defenses
were practically secure against at
tack our worst enemy was sickness.
THE situation was anything but desperate.
The men having so long stood 10 the nelo
fortifications seemed satished TO remain
ON the defensive. The disappointment
was acute, but, as far as the garrison was
concerned, tlS Situot-DiA
changed. s -.
"From all accounts the invaders have
carried out their devastation with a ruin
ices hand Not content with lifting all
cattle found on the farms, they nave de-
s+roved private property in a shameful
and childish manner. When the orders
were given to leave the homeSteads stand
ING the raiders after removing every
thing portable resorted to the petty spite
of Sitting pictures and firing bullets into
niapos and IN every way trying TO do as
much annoying damage as possible In
farm which we have retaken we found
the pictures with the eyes gouged out or
The portraits and all the little harmless
ornaments which the feminine mind loves
so well deliberately smashed. poor re-
venge."
A Boer Boy Mt the Front.
From Pretoria the Daily News has Sc
cured an interesting translation of letter
written by Deneys Reitz to his father, the
Transvaal State Secretary. The writer Is
with the Boer forces before Ladysmith; he
Is Il years of age. Joubert is younger
brother. while Hjalmar is an elder brotnef
Just returned from Europe.
Before Ladysmith, Dec. R-Dear rain
err: Joubert aud / are still safe and well
I see in the STANDARD and Diggers News
that the English had stormed Lombard
kop, but II is not stated that they dam