The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-04-03
CHASTITY
SPECTACLE.

|
scene of ambush and battle, this
correspondent witnessed one Of thu
most terrible spectaclcs OF the war
Horses lay stitfened in the various
attitudes of sudden death. an6
mingled among them were ghastly
human bodies, with the wrecks o.
wagons and food and forage scat
tered wide. Everything told OF {
terrible tale of surprise and earn
age.
1t would be impossible to conceive
anything more ingenious than the
Boer trap, and the only wonder is
that single man escaped.
On crossing the spruit where the
ground rises Immediately toward a
grassy knoll. with stony slopes
facing the drift, one came upon al
inclosurc from which it was posi-
bic to fire over the drift. At this
point the spruit makes a circular
bend, while the south embankment,
which is protected by the partially
constructed railway embankment,
enabled the enemy to pour in a
calling fire on three sides, as well
as double tier OF fire in front.
When the convoy was first at,
tackled scene OF frightful confusion
followed. The mules stampeded
and the wagons were overturned,
while the concealed enemy poured
in a deadly fire.
When the first battery appeared
the Beers seemed industrious of
continuing the slaughter, and call
ed upon the British to surrender.
At that moment. however, "B'
Battery, which was escaping from
the rear Of the CONVOY under ncayy
fire, wheeled into action and began
shelling the Beers with the four
remaining guns. The Bocrs con-
fcss that this battery accounted for
five KILLED and nine wounded Of
their losses.
Early in the afternoon the Beers
collected about the convoy began
removing the guns and wagons and
permitting the collection of the
British dead and wounded. Our
actual casualties were less than
had been expected.
Despite this regrettable incident,
il is impossible not to admire the
gallant manner in which the little
force was able to eXtrlcate itself
from an almost hopeless position.
London, April Lord !. Roberts
cables to the War Office as FOL
lows:
"A report has Just come in that
the enemy has retired toward Lady
brand, leaving twelve wounded OF
tcers and some seventy men at the
water works. We are now send
ing an ambulance for them
The guns lost in the ambuscdde
number seven instead Of six, and
unless the re-entorccmcnts sent by
Roberts recaptured the prisoners
two or three hundred men Of the
Hover Of the British army have
gone as prisoners of war. The
casualties number $50.
The rccapture of the guns, re-
ported in the Daily Chronicle is not
borne out by subsequent reports.
Lord Roberts second dispatch,
dated Sunday, SIS p. m, says
nothing in regard to their recap
ture.
After referring to his previous
telegram las given below he gives
a partial list of the missing British
officers.
OF 9 Battery four officers were
wounded, two of whom are missing.
One gunner was killed and fcrty
commissioned officers and men
are wounded or missing. Lord
Roberts then continues:
In u Battery all are missing
except Major Taylor and asergeant
ma or. The two cavalry regiments
did not suffer so much.
y dispatch from Bushman's kop
has been received, dated Sunday,
April !, which says that the Beers
who were hidden in the sIruit
when the British guns were captur-
cd Yesterday were commanded by
Rcichman, Il German american.
The Beers retired this morning
when they discovered the British
scouts, leaving two Dutch military
attaches, one of them dangerously
wounded, in the hands Of the Brit
ish. All the wounded are doing
we'll.
Every one agrees that but for
Colonel Broadwood's splendid
handling Of his troops net Il men,
Der of thcior would have escaped.
The Bocrs are still holding the
water works and the line of hills
behind them.
A special dispatch from Bloem-
lonlcin, dated to-day, says:
The loss Of the guns was attend
ed by Incidents of splendid hero
ism. The leading battery was SC
near the Beers ambuscaded in the
river bed that the latter said:
1T is useless your attempting to
advance. Throw down your arms.
The sergeant Of the battery, fear
ing the other battery would misun-
derstandng the hindrancc, rushed
through the convoy and warned his
comrades, enabling the rearmost
battery to save portion OF the
guns, which came into action later.
"Lilcguardsmen and a gunner
got a gun out under tremendous
fire and four others were saved by
the men dragging them off after
their horses had been shot.
A special dispatch from 'Bloem-
fontein this morning reports that
the water supply of the place has