The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-03-09
WHEN THE RELIEF CAME.
Scenes of Joy When Ladysmith
Garrison Was Rescued.

scenes of JOY When Ladysmith
Garrison Was Rescued.
London, March 2-Colonel Rhodes.
the brother of Cecil Rhodes, describing
IN the Times the entry into Ladysmith
OF Lord DundOnald and three hundred
men of the Imperial Light Horse and
Natal Carbineers, February %, saws:
at is impossible to depict the entbusi-
asm of the beleaguered garrison: cheer
upon cheer ran from post to post, and
staft officers, civilians and soldiers
Hooked to greet them. The contrast
between the robust troopers of a dozen
battles and the pale, emaciated defenders
OF Ladysmith was great.
General White and his staff met the
troops IN the center of the town, He
was cheered with heartfelt enthusiasm.
He addressed the civilians and thanked
them and the garrison for their magnifi-
cent support through trials which we
alone can realize. We could possibly
have hung on for six weeks longer. but
the prlvatiOns would have been great
and the sickness and the paucity of our
ammunition would have limited the num-
Der OF assaults we would have been able
to resist.
"We started the siege with 10000
troops, 1000 civilians and 1000 natives.
Between casualties and sickness, 5000
soldiers passed through the hospital. 1t
is Impossible to OveremphaBize the priv
atIOns Of the sick, Since the middle OF
January man once down was lost.
The reduced ratiOns of soldiers lust sui
heed Tor their subsistence. Daily 80 old
horses and mules we're slaughtered and
we're converted into soup and sausages.
From January Is to now there have
been over 200 deaths from disease alone.
The last fortnight saw the majority of
the field batteries -unhorsed and the guns
permanently posted in our defenses. The
cavalry and drivers were converted into
infantry and sent to the trenches. A
line OF defense had been constructed with
the view OF a possible final contingency
II the outer works should be carried.
Since the Investment the total casual
ties were: Killed or died of wounds, "a
officers and 235 men; died of disease, 6
officers and $40 men; wounded, 20 Off
GERS and 500 men, exclusive of white
civilians and natives"
Reduced to Extremity.
London, March 3.-The Standard pub
fishes the following dispatch from Lady
smith, dated Thursday, March l:
The once dashing cavalry brigade
has practically ceased to exist. At the
beginning OF the year we had $500
horses and $500 mules. Before the end
of January we could only feed 100
horses, the Others had either been con-
verted into joints, soups and sausages
or had been left to forage for them
selves. These poor emaciated animals
mere phantoms-werea among the most
painful sights of the siege.
Had we possessed an unlimited
amount of heavy guns and ammunition
we might have made the position more
bearable, Although not a shot was
fired, except IN dire necessity, there we're,
on February 1, only 4 rounds left for
each naval gun, while the supply for the
field artillery would have been exhausted
IN couple OF minor engagements. For
tunately, the Beers we're ignorant of the
true state OF affairs. Had they known
our real weakness they might have dis
played greater daring with results which
now that we are safe-We can venture
to contemplate. We were victorious
solely because of mastery inactivity.
1.-The bOmbardment was heavy, but
on the whole Ineffective 1t is estimated
that during the investment about y. 900
shells were thrown into the town, an
average Of three tons of explosives
daily. Yet we had only 80 men killed
and 188 wounded. Our largest losses
were from disease"
With the Relieving Force.
London, March 3.-Winston Churchill,
who accompanied the Ladysmith relief
column, telegraphing his experience, says:
During the afternoon of February
% the cavalry brigade pressed forward
under Colonel Burn-Murdoch toward
Bulwana hill and under Lord Dundonald
in the direction of Ladysmith. The
Beers fired on both with artillery from
Bulwana. About O'Clock Major Coughs g
regiment, which was in the advance,
found the ridges surrounding and con-
cealing Ladysmith apparently unoccu-
pied. He reported the fact to Lord
DundOnald, who then determined to ride
through the gap with the light horse
and carbineers.
The rest of the brigade was sent
back to General Buffers picket line. 1t
was evening when We started.
"About an hour of daylight remained.
We galloped on swiftly in spite OF the
rough ground, up and down hill, through
scrub and rocks and dongas until we
could see the British guns flashing from
Wagon hill; but on we went faster, until
suddenly there came a challenge from
the scrub; Who goes there?'
"'The Ladysmith relieving army we
replied, and then the tattered and
almost bootless men crowded around
cheering very feebly. In the gloom we
could see how thin and pale they looked
but how glad they were"
PIums in Kansas.
Topeka, Kas., March 4.-The state