The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-06

London, January 6.-4.4o a. m.-lhs
lines publishes the following despatch
from Mafeking, dated Deoembsr 90;
"At dawn today Col B.den- Powell
orasnissd an unsuccessful attack upon
q strong position Of the enemy at Came
tree, two miles from Mafeking from
which the Beers have been maintaining
a desuitory but annoying shell and rifle
fire for several weeks. The railway has
recently been reconstructed between
the town and Gametrss where the Bosrs
had destroyed II. the final repairs being
made in preparation for the sortie.
"During the night the armored train
with Maxim ard Hotchkiss guns, under
Capt Williams and troops. took up po-
sitions for attack from two sides. Lord
Rsntwick and Q squadron were In re- :
. serve upon the left while the extreme
left wing was occupied ny artillery un-
der Major Panzsra and gslloping
Maxim Of the Cape poles, the whole be-
ing under Col. More.
mplaoements were thrown up dur
ing the night. the orders being to attack
at dawn and the artillery ire to dssist
upon prolonged footing from the armored
train. At dAybreak the guns opened
fire and rapidly drew the reply Of the
enemy, our shells bursting within efec-
tive range. Capt. Vernon gave the signal
to cease firing and to advance, his squad
ron leading off.
"As our men engaged the position with
their rifle fire, 1t was soon found that
the strength OF the fort was greater than
we had supposed. The enemy concentrated
such an exceedingly hot fire that the
advance of Capt. Vernon was almost i'm
possible; but with remarkable heroism
and gallantry Captains Sanford and
Vernon, Lieut.. Patton and Scout Cooke,
who guided the squadrons and q few men
actually reached the sand bags Of the
fort within 300 yards OF the area Of the
fort.
"But nothing living could exist there,
since the ground was swept by bullets.
The men who charged through this zone
Of fire suffered terribly, and in follow
ing their officers to capture the fort 20
men lost their lives. Capt. Sanford was
the first to fall, and Capt. Vernon,
already twice wounded, and Lieut.. Patton
ere killed at the foot OF the fort. These
two officers climbing ditcn which sur.
rounded the fort, thrust their rsvolvers
through the enemy's loopholes only TO
DO shot themselves the next moment.
"Gametree lie surrounded with shrubs,
which contained many sharpshooters.
and their accuracy OF fire still further
confused the men who had followed Capt.
Vernon and who saw him and his brother
officers killed. Being without comman-
ders they were driven eff at enc point,
but they underworld to scale the fort at
others. They found the position Of the
Beers, however, almost imDreg nable.
"When We retired under cover OF the
armored train so many men had been
wounded that suspen sion of hostilities
occurred under the auspices of the Red
Cross. The ysldt around the Boer posi-
tion was ut once dotted with flags of
mercy; and 1t was seen that our wound
cd were scattered within but short rsdi.
MS Of the fort. We had almost completely
surrounded 1t, and had 1t not besn SO ex :
irAordinar,iy we'll protected. We should
have BEEN IN possession.
I went with an ambulance to Game
tree. The fort itself is circular with a
wide interior and q marrow frontage, be-
tween six and seven feet high, pierced
with triple tiers of loopholss aud sur
rounded by dltoh."
81 was psrmistsi to assist 10 drsssine
the Wounds msjor,ty of which appeared
to have been caused by explosive bullets,
the point OF entry being small, bat the