Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
How General Butler Attempted to
Turn Joubert's Right.
GALLANT FEAT OF BRITISH ARMS
But at Last Task Was Found to
Be Impossible.
GEN ERAL BULLER'S CHI AGR1N

LONDON March THE siege of Lady
smith with its narrowing experience has
pass.1 into history, yet it is only now that
the British public has chance to get a
connected account and to learn the details
of the sanguinary struggles which accom-
plished its relief. The latest mails only
take the graphic story up to General Bull
ler's third attempt. when. on February 4.
for the second time. he crossed at Pot
gei:er's Drift and after three days fight
ing was forced to retire from Vaal krantz.
To this series of actions Bennett Burleigh
devotes four columns of the Daily Tele-
graph while the other correspondents are
not far behind in point of length. After
describing the feeling of keen disappoint-
ment that followed Spion Kop, Mr.. Burleigh
writes:
w all knew on Sunday, February 4,
that next day General Butler intended at
lacking the line of low hills opposite Pot
gieter'S Drift. BrakfonteiD is the principal
feature of that chain, running nearly east
and west. and connects the Spion kop
mountain ridges with Doom kop. There
was to be a feint or demonstration from
our left against Brakfontein and a deter
mined attack later in the day upon the
right to carry the separate crested hills of
Naal krantz. From Signal Hill and Swartz
kOp General Butler and staff had looked
upon Vaal krantz-
They had come to the conclusion that it
vas possible to sieZe the hill, for the Beers
had not strongly fortified the spot From
Naal krantz. krantz kloop and other p0-
sitions were to be occupied, and under the
cover which the interlocking ridges gave
the army to be hurried across the
Tugela upon pontoon bridges to threaten
Brakfontein and other salient points from
flank and rear.
1t Appeared to Be Feasible.
1T all looked very feasible from Swartz
I.,r in tbje nP hi
seems 70 be commanded by another behind
or to the right or left of the one you desire
TO occupy. And so Gen. Butler found out
later. Recollect, hasty carpers, that scout
ing is easy thing in Natal, more particu-
larry before an enemy whose rifle practice
a l.5so yards is not TO be despised. Very
quietly our preparations were completed.
Guns were with infinite labor placed upon
Swartz kop, and Warren's division, with
other troops moved down toward the in
tended field of action. The eyer-wonderful
mules somehow. notwithstanding many
falls. got the mountain battery up, al
though the place was as steep in parts as
the side Of a house. The sailors. helped
by the Scottish Rifles, with steel hawsers,
warped their guns up over the worst parts.
1T WAS altogether as astounding a per-
formaHce as heaving batteries to the mast
head of ship.
As Tor the ammunition, the soldiers car
ried il by hand. each man bearing a shell |
powder charge. Except by using ones |
hands. there Were parts Of the hill it was |
impossible otherwise to surmOunt- L saw !
six mules toiling up on later day with !
water breakers for the men. The leading |
one. when nearing the top. missed his foot |
ing rolled over and over, carroming against |
the others Down. with fearful clatter of |
falling rocks. scrambiug hoofs and af- |
frishted snoFtings, went the six mules, |
some 2dD feet. Killed to the last Kicker
Not hit of it, Only their harness knocked |
about. About a the cavalry went for
ward. but it was an hour later ere our ma
val guns from Mount Alice began the bat !
tie. Tney directed their fire against the
Boer works upon SpiOn kOp. BrakfOntein !
and the positions fronting Potgieters.
Col. wynne's Assault
col NOW Mai. GEM Wynne has sue
Ceeded to the command of the Lanca shire |
brigade since Gen. Woodgate was wounded |
About an. he led his men forward from |
hehind the five low detached hills. or hill |
locks. mile rorth of Potsieters drift. The |
rev balloon was sent up 10 spy out what |
The Beers were about, and more particular
~ where their cannon were placed. Bal |
looms. like good maps. are scarce military
commodities in Natal. The best map OF
Natal was produced by the German military
attache from his pocket whittier il has
leen returned As the Lancashire Brigade
went forward in widely spread and far
apart successive lines of skirmishers five
field batteries and the tifty-pound howitzers
fhuUdered lyddite and shrapnel upon the
enemys trenches and works The balloon
iSt directed by telephone where the Beers
clustered thickest behind their defenses.
The infantry went steadily, slowly, for
ward as il to charge the Boer works. BY
- o'clock they were near enough for the
enemy to begin sniping in earnest at
ranges OF 200 yards or less. Their marks
nranship was indifferent. and the troops,
d:sregarding their torrnentors, walked or
ran forward. At convenient stages they
would lie down fiat upon the ground ana
open Independent and voliey firing at the
enemy concealed in dorgas and trenches.
Meanwhile the Royal Engineers were
busily laying down trestle work and pom
toOu bridge combined. near NungeT's Drift
which * upstream from Schiet Drift. When
they discovered what was going on at the
drift they opened a sharp fusilade upon the
Ss-Ep-rS and the covering party of soldiers
Their aim was Indifferent and so. luckily
only five sappers and a few soldiers We're
wrundtd
The bridge having been completed there
was no further need for continuing the
demonstration before Brakfontcin. Under A
redouhled fire from Boer guns and Mausers
General Nynne proceeded in Withdrawing
his brigade. To the casual observer it was
probably as if the Lancashire lads had been
driven in, although they were retiring very
deliberately and in perfect order.
Wave Crest of Battle.
Toward noon the storm OF artillery roar
and shock of cannon and shrek of shells
II mdair was almost deafening and be-
wiierng. Never was stouter. more indom- |
liable courage displayed than by the how
itzsr and field batteries. hurricane If
Boer common and ShrapneI shell descended
upon them Shells burst to right left front
and behind them but found them unmoyed
Many Of the missiles struck under the linn
hers, almost under the gamers feet and
out Of the bursting. splashing smoke and
dUst-cncircling clouds. steadily the gtynners
laid their pieces. pulled the Ianyards flash
OF exploding shell answering upon the in
slant with darting flame from British can
non To and fro the gunners walked do
llS their duty without tiuster or haste and
slowing by their shooting that their aim
was good and true Horses were wounded
ana one or TWO killed.
\ rev gunners also fell and were carried
in. and for nearly an hour the contest rose
and fell from the enemy's lines but from
ours the fire continued with undated force
and steadiness.
Al ; pm. from near MunGer's Farm
Gen. Lytueton launched his brigade at
Naai krantZ. With the Durham Light In
fantry leading and the Sd Battalion Kings
Royal Rifles upon their right. uprose from
tho slOping banks of the Tugela the troops
ANA dashed forward toward the rugged
sides Of Vaal Krantz- From front and
no fire