The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-01-10
FORT WAS IMPREGNABLE.
Badcn-Powe1l's Men Make Coura-
Eeos but Unsuccessful Dash.

baQcn- FOWelIS wen MAKE II AOuTl-
geos but Unsuccessful Dash.
! London, Jan. 6.-The war Office has re-
ceived, through Gen. Forester Walker at
| Cape Town, the following dispatch from
Col. BadenPowell. dated Mafeking, De
| cember 20:
We attacked one of the enemy'S works
| this morning, endeavoring to push back the
Gordon northward. Our force consisted of
| three guns, two squadronS OF the Protecto-
rate regiment, one of the Bechuanaland
rifles, armored train, etc. The enemy had
strengthened their works during the night
and doubled the garrison since yesterday s
| reconnaissance.
| Nevertheless our attack was carried out
| and pressed home with the greatest possible
galantry and steadinesSs. under. a. very hot
| fire. But all efforts to gain the interior by
| escalade failed, the fort being practically
| impregnable ..@
Compelled TO Withdraw.
Our attack only withdrew after six of our
| officers and large number of men had been
! hit Nothing could have exceeded the cour-
! age and, dash displayed. The general 'sitna,
ton remains unchanged and the health and
! spirits of the garrison are very satisfactory
| / regret to report the following casualties
| Killed-Capt. K. j. Vernon, Capt."H. G..
Sanford, Lieut.. H. c. Paton,i eighteen nom
commissioned officers and troopers Wound
Ied-Capt Charles Fitzclarence, twenty
T three noncommissioned officers and troopers.
! PrisonerS-Three troopers.
| Gen. Forestier-Wa lkers points out that
while the dispatch gives all the names it
fails to show that six officers were hit.
An Unsuccessful Attack.
The Times publishes the following dis
| patch from Mafeking dated December
! 26:
At dawn today.gCol. Baden Powell organ
lied an unsuccessful attack upon strong
position of the enemy at Gametree, two
| miles from Matching from which the Beers
have been manufacturing a desuitory but an
.,AlI Epr
The railway has recently been reconstruct
ed between the town and Gametree. where
the Beers had destroyed it, the final re-
pairs being made in preparation for the
sortie.
During the night the armored train, with
Maxim and HOtchkiss guns, under Capt.
attack from two sides. Capt Lord Charles
Bentinck and squadron were in reserve
upon the left, while the extreme left wing
was occupied by artillery under Maj. Pan
zera and galioping Maxim of the Cape
police, the whole being under Col. Hore.
Emplacements were thrown up during
dawn and the artillery fire to desist upon
prolonged footing from the armored train.
At daybreak the guns opened fire and rap
idly drew the reply of the enemy, our shells
bursting within effective range. Capt. YER
non gave the signal to cease firing and to
| advance, his squadron leading off.
Meet Fierce and Deadly Fire.
As our men engaged the position with
their r1f1e nfe II was soon round tnat the
strength of the fort was greater than we
had supposed The enemy concentrated
such an exceedingly hot fire that the adj
vance of Capt. Vernon was almost impossi-
bic, but, with remarkable heroism and gal
lantry, Capts. Sanford and Vernon, Lieut..
Patton and Scout Cooke, who guided the
squadrons, and a few men actually reached
the sandbags of the fort within 300 yards
of the area of the fort.
But nothing living could exist there, since
the ground was swept by Mauser and Mar
/ nj hull loft mar hn nhap rp6
this zone of fire suffered terribly, and in fol-
| lowing their officers to capture the fort
twenty men lost their lives. Capt. Sand,
ford was the first to fall, and Capt Yer
non. already twice wounded, and Lieut..
i Patton were killed at the foot of the fort.
These two officers. climbing ditch which
surrounded the fort thrust their revolvers
| through the enemys loophoes, only to be
shot themselves the next moment.
Deadly Aim of sharpshooters.
Gametree is surrounded with scrub. which
contained many .sharpshoOters, and their ac-
curacy of fire still further confused the mon
who had followed Capt. Vernon and who
saw him and his brother officers killed Be-
ing without commanders. they were driven
scale the fort at others. They found the
position of the Beers, however, almost i'm
pregnable.
When we retired under cover Of the ar
mored train so many men had been wound
ed that a suspension of hostilities occurred
under the auspices of the Red Cross The
dotted with flags of mercy, and it was seen
that our wounded were scattered within bnt
a short radius of the fort. We had almost
completely surrounded it, and had il MOI
been 30 extraordinarily well protected we
should have been in possession
| went with an ambulance to Gametree
The fort itself is circular. with wide in
terror and narrow frontage, between siy
and seven feet high, pierced with trinle
tiers of loophoes and surrounded by =
ditch
Reconnaissance from ChieveIey.
Four O'Clock, Camp Natal, Jan. G.
There was a reconnaissance in force from
Chieveley this forenoon with 2OOO horse
and two guns, the object being to locate
the enemy on hill south Of Hlangwano
HILL Several shots were fired supple-
mented by the naval gun. The enemy re-
piled at long range, but did not touch the
British
Lord Dundonald, perceiving a strong
mounted force issuing beyond the range
of the British guns, with the evident in
tention of working around our flank, di-
rected the force to retire to Chieveley
During the cannon fire natives in the
valley can be seen blowing complacently
pDYnFCu CITE MED CIINU