The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-18
THE REPULSE OF BUTLER.
How the British GUNS Were Lost On
the TuHeIa River M


this city yesterday. contains letter from
its correspondent. writing from chevsley
on December q, which gives the follow
te=:
I me action was begun shortly before 6
a, m'' by the naval contingent firing lyd-
d'te aud twelve-pounders. Heavily did
/ tney pound the trenches upon their front
Grooiers Hill, and the lesser ridges from
Fort Wyiie northward. but not an answer
\ came from the Beers Forward proceeded
| our infantry. while the Natal Carbineers.
| South Africa Light Horse. Thorneycroft's
! Mounted Infantry. and the Kings Mount
ed Infantry advanced to occupy Hang
wane Hill. Major General Hiidyard's
/ Queens and Devons were nearing the
platelayers and other outlying houses OF
/ COlenso. Colonies Long and Hunt had
come into line with their three field bat
teries. and Lieutenant James. R N. with
his six long naval tweIve-pounders. was
doing his best with 0x-wagons to range
alongside OF them. Major General Bar
tons brigade. on the right OF Hildyard's.
was doing nothing in particular. with the
exception OF part OF the Scottish and Irish
Fusiliers. who got later on well into ths
heat of the fray. The field batteries on
Hildyard's right might have been moving
down the Long Valley. Aldershot so ex-
cellently were they aligned over tho
downward slopes. They rumbled toward
the timher-truged bank of the Tugela.
/ half a mile or more east OF COIenso.
Colonel Long was determined his guns
I should not be outcIassed. and was. with
TOO great hardihood, bringing them within
l,5oo yards of Fort wylie Indeed. he
outpaced the infantry escort
Al 6:25 a. IN. suddenly there burst an
awful crash of Boer musketry upon the
batteries and advancing infantry Devons
and Queens. The rattle OF Mausers sweIIed
I and was maintained as one continuous
roar from within 500 yards. From build
ings and lines of trenches south Of the
river, and from the river bank ITSELF the
Beers fired at cur gunners and footmen,
and from trenches on the northern side OF
the Tugela and from Fort Wylie and else
where. they sent out hurricane Of leaden
hail. The bullets venomously rained upon
the ground in all directions. raising puffs
of dust and tearing the air with shriiI
sounds. IL seemed impossible that any
thing could face and live In that fire Few
have ever seen so heavy and deadly a
fusillade, but neither tn British gunners
nor infantry hesitated or WINGED. The
cannon were wheeled into position. al
though many horses and men were shot
down ere the maneuvre was completed
Our indomltable soldiers walked erect and
straight onward. Not Rome, in her palm
lest days, ever possessed more devoted
sons. As the gladiators marched proud
and beaming to meet death. SO the British
soldiers doomed to die saiuted. and then.
and with alaerfty. stepped forward to do
their duty-glory or the grave. l. like
hundreds more, am eager to proclaim that
Tommy Atkins is far grander hero than
ninety nine hundredthy OF the people in
England have any conception Of
With magnificent courage Long and
ridges across the Tugela for over an hour.
Fort Wylie and the adjacent stony crest
we're swept with shrapnel. but the Boer
fire from other coigns of vantage grew in
volume during the temporary pacification
by shell Of Fort Wylie. The Mausers did
their work all too we'll and gradually two
Of Longs batteries were put out of action,
but not before he and Hunt had been
wounded. as well as most OF the officers
and men. The horses had been shot down,
and the others brought up to retire the
guns shared their fate Happily the naval
battery and the third field battery we:e
able TO withdraw to safer position
Matters were at their worst about 10
a. IN. Daring spirits of the Irish Brigade
had got across the Tugela only to find
lines upon lines Of wire ENHANCEMENT.
Colenso was in our occupation. The
Queens and others OF the Second Brigade,
>
FusiiieFs. we're quite near the iron bridge
and the river. Regardless of the widest
fusillade ever heard from an enemy. our
men tried to bore in farther. Generals
Butler and Clery. with their STATS and
escort. had ridden near the lost guns, and
subsequently went toward the plateayers'
houses. The spouting hail Of lead and iron
snapped and spluttered: dust pulled more
than ever.
ard POha e. 4
X r. R.. with Captains SchoHeld and
Congreve of the staff volunteered to ride
out and endeavor to save the two field
batteries in the open. Readily other vol
unteers were found. Corporals from the
linesmen and drivers of the ammunition
wagons. taking spare teams. gaIloped out.
and men and horses again began falling
on every side. Young Roberts horse was
blown up with she'll. which inflicted Sc
we're wounds upon his body and limbs.
Congreve was hit in the leg with a bullet
and his clothes cut by other missiles.
Sehoiield alone escaped untouched across
that valley of death. Quickly the surviv-
ing animals were rounded up. the guns
hooked and dragged away. Again and
again that day were attempts made to
haul of the remaining guns. which be-
longed to the Fourteenth and Sixty-sixth
Field Batteries, but the Boer cannon and
rifle nre we're 1ncesSant and witherlns-
Self-seeriflce and heroism we're common
durini: those hours before Celenso. The
difficulty was to restrain too many from
rushing out to help the gunners; but that
detracts not an iota from the merit OF
Roberts, Congreve, and Schofeld, who
have earned the V. c. as worthily as it
was ever won. Scores OF times did | see
horse and rider fall beneath the stroke of
Boer bullet and she'll into the vortex. and
then some soldier comrade would ride and
assist his mate to rise, or two or more
would set the wounded man on horseback
and bear him from the field. How shall I
find space to tell half of the incidents?