The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06

uritish Generals i'm South Afri-
ca Are Criticised.

british otncer, WrfsihS III 1o-uay' VI
val Krantz, says:
@'- :. not know if It is of any use to
- always on the shortcomings of
Cen morals. but they are brought home
ou- 90 constantly by bitter experiences
We cannot keep them from our
'n@ ,- and we cannot but resent the OBJ
-.,noev of the war office authorities, who
,-,,,,sratelv allow thousands of lives to
.acrifced rather than remove those
.ho in peace, have won favor and pro-
VIM nv social influence and backstairs
norio1Ie and are really responsible for
~ of our disasters. The General who
- his brigade in mass of quarter col
I'M" under the enemy's guns at Co
ie1so is still in command of THAI brigade,
~ there has been no voice raised in
gna,and against such stupendous folly.
TTs hundred and fifty men were lost on
,ot occasion. but because the Irish bri-
do stood firm il did not attract public
,ontion The Highlanders at Mayors
,r.ein. under similar but less aggravat-
circumstances, suffering no greater
,e retreated three times from the field,
all England clamored for the super
zion of the responsible person. Since
n Gen. Hart has lost no opportunity
4 the i'll success of the day 60 the
+ that the battalions were afterward
snded to single instead of double rank,
censured commanding officers for
'ng saved an even greater disaster.
Spion kop he took personal COM
nd of the York and Lancaster and the
9TH Lancaster Regiments, and ordered
futile bayonet charge at an enemy
,rly 500 yards away. This attracted
hat "a fx1yn rppiD1pntEs
ught shelter and declined to follow their
Rcers another yard. The Irish brigade
to be called to the rescue, and pass
through the PROSTATE line. No one
$ any confidence in Gen. Harris leader
7ip and every officer and man, from
en-. Butler down, is aware of his incom-
etency. Nearly half of his brigade have
cen killed and wounded; neither the
highland nor any other brigade has suf-
fered in anything like the same proper
ton; the Inniskilling Fusiliers have only
three Of the officers who were with them
three months ago still serving, and can
now. in all, muster only five officers. A
few more battles, and the brigade will
cease TO exist Gen Harris talents fit
him to be q drill sergeant-not a leader
Of men, No latitude is given to even the
most experienced commanders. He must
always keep, as he says, tight grip on
his lTl2a0e, winch means ulScOHlOil
annoyance in peace and disaster in war.
As an example of the extremes to which
this policy is carried, I will give one in
stance among many. After the battle of
,pion kop the troops, who had been for
IN DAYS under constant fire and endured
very sort of hardship, were naturally
mewhat exhausted; moreover, they had
d a severe night march covering the
ar the retreating army. Gen. Butler
,.&t haxr yhn rt11
We some days rest, and a camping
ound was selected. The tents, however
were not pitched in the morning, and the
men lay out in the sun all day. In the
afternoon Gen. Hart was of the opinion
that the camp might be within range of
the enerny's big guns, and decided to pitch
eamp a mile further back. But instead of
} inting out the ground to the command
Ing officers and directing them to move
their battalions to the place he formed
the four regiments on a brigade parade,
snd after some time had been given up
10 covering correctly an elaborate brig
b de naneuVer began. The ground was
broken and covered with deep water
tourses, so that the dressing and distance
hera difficult to maintain. Staff officers
from place to place; the men
ana officers were abused, halted, moved
10 the right, moved to the left 1t was inn
lOSSlDl6 10 smut one > ears " tie ilAdt-
tered curses of men, worn out with ia
tigue and want of sleep, as this useless
show, which might possibly have been
Kerry edifying at Aldershot at a royal re-
Eiew. but which, in actual warfare, Strain
td the much needed strength of the sol
hiers An hour and a half was occupied
In traverslng a mile and a half of ground
which could easily have been covered in
twenty minutes. In this way men were
harassed and worn out at time when
Ihay should be recovering strength for
future efforts; in this way the hospitals
kre filled with soldiers who have never
been hit by a Beer bullet but whose con-
ktitutions have been Slapped by unneces-
kary labors.
Gen. Hart placed himself on a hill with
telescope and a bugler and ordered the
Brigade to attack q position. The bugler
Sounded alternately throughout the day:
fAdvancer "Doublew Charger L need
frly say that this method of fighting re-
lied in terrible loss; sixty officers and
eco men is a terrible total for one brig
so per cent. OF the whole. 1t
Eould be impossible to enumerate the
fagaries that daily occur. But, though
fhe worst, l regret to say, that Gen. Hart
b not the only brigadler notorious for in
At least two other brigadiers
n re unfit to command, but the accidents
~ war have removed one or them. Inc
divisional commanders were no better;
Hu. war has also made some changes here,
fna it would be premature to judge their
successors.
What Handful of Beers Did.
Gen. French, in trying to intercept the
lain body of Beers in their retreat at
Poplar Grove was foiled by few rifle
Ten. A Daily News correspondent de-
nbes how this came about:
About six thousand yards from the
duare kopje at Driefontein, 6-inch Creu-
Eot and Vickers- Maxim opened fire on our
fdyance. great many shells were
Ehrowu; we, however, suffered no loss,
tlnd Battery opened in an attempt
n silence these guns, whose chance OF
Fseape seemed then very slender.
But here an exciting and unlocked for
*hange occurred, French once more re-
#izing that extension on his right was
he thing to effect, gave orders to that
*nd and riding himself 20 make his dis
positions, suddenly discovered on a ridge
eiore him a party Of about fifty Boer
a narpshooters, who not only drove off the
GENERAL and his staff, but forced the re-
rement Of the whole right wing, barring
q squadron of Household with two
&laxims, some mounted infantry with a
aaxim, and a squadron of Rimington' 5
"a iuides, all posted in broken ground on
Y rt-l4