The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-19

cry one of the thirty Highlanders who
surrendered was wounded The dis
patch follows:
THE enemy today made a determin-
ed effort to capture two positions,
Caesars camp and Wagon hill. The
latter is lofty eminence to the south
west, possession of which would have
brought them within rifle range of the
town. Caesars camp was held by the
First battalion of the Manchester regi-
ment.
The position was separated from
that of the Beers by a rocky ravine-
In the morning darkness the Heidle-
berg commando evaded our pickets,
and reached the foot of the slope at
2:30 o'clock. Before the danger could
be realized outlying sangars had been
rushed and their defenders slain.
''On hearing the firing two companies
OF the Gordon Highlanders went to
the assistance of the Manchesters. The
Beers were thought TO be concentrat-
ing on the southern slope, where they
had already secured a footing on the
plateau. Here. however. their ad-
vance was checked by the steady vol
leys of our infantry and the deadly fire
of an automatic gun.
THE camp was being assailed on the
left flank and on the front. By day
break reinforcements of Gordon High
landers and of the rifle brigade had
been hurried up TO the fighting line.
Lieutenant Colonel Dick-Cunynham.
who was leading the Gordons out OF
camp, fell mortally wounded, being hit
by a stray bullet while still close to
the town. The Fifty-third of field ar
tillery, under Major Abby, crossed the
Kip river and shelled the ridge and
reverse slope of the front position,
where the enemy were lying among the
thorn bushes.
'The shrapnel which flew over our
heads did terrible execution. 1t effec-
tually held the Beers in check and
stopped their reinforcements through
the ravine.
THE enemy fought with stubborn
courage. Their gun on Umbulwana
mountain and the smaller Satellites
threw more than hundred shells at
Abdys battery and at the troops at
the hill. Our troops, however, were not
less gallant and resolved, and the en-
emy was pressed back step by step
until at length those who were left
broke and fled in utter disorder.
"A terrific storm of rain and hail,
accompanied by peals of thunder, had
burst over the camp during the fight
ing. This served to swell the streams
into raging torrents. In their efforts to
escape numbers of the enemy flung
themselves into the current and were
swept away. The struggle in this
part of the field was now ended, and
the finale was a terrific fusillade all
along the line, the crash of which al
most drowned the incessant thunder
above.
Meanwhile a more exciting con-
test was in progress in the direction
of Wagon hill. At 2 o'clock a storm
ing party, furnished by the Harry
smith commando, crept slowly and
cautiously along a donga in the val.
ley which divides our posts from their
camp. A few well aimed rife shots
killed our pickets. Taking advantage
of every inch of cover the Beers then
gradually reached the crest of the
heights. Here body of Lighthouse was
posted, but they were forced to retire
before the advance of the Free Staters,
there being no breastworks for de-
fense on the western shoulder of the
hill. With little to impede their prog
ress the enemy soon came to an en-
placement, where they surprised
working parties of the Gordon High
landerS and the SiNtieth rifles
Lieutenant Digby Jones, of the
Royal engineers, collected a hanaful of
men, made "a gallant effort to hold the
position, but the numbers were against
him, and after a stubborn resistance,
x
possession of the summit. Even then,
however, the Free Staters were afraid
to venture far or TO face the heavy
fire, from the sangar. Here it was that
Lieutenant MacNaughten and thirty
of the Gordons were captured, although
not until every man among them was
wounded.
two squadronS Of the light horse ar
rived upon the scene, and the Twenty
first battery of the Royal Field artil-
lery, under Major Blewitt, came into
action, preventing the storming party
being reinforced from the Boer camp.
THE Eighteenth hussars and the
Fifth lancers meantime checked the
movement on our right flank. Our posi-
tfon ait this point had become critical
Our men had retired for cover behind
the northern slope, while the enemy
had made their way into the pass di-
viding them from the hill. Major
Bowen rallied a few of the rifles, but
fell while leading them TO the charge
His example was at once followed by
Lieutenant Tod, but the latter met the
same fate.
THE enemy were making good the
footing they had already secured in
the emDlacement, when Major Miller
Walnut, calling the scattered Gordons
together, charged in and drove them
back. Having thus cleared the ground,
he Joined Lieutenant Digby Jones in a
newly prepared emplacement on the
western shoulder
"A pause ensued for time, but the
Beers were not yet finally beaten.
Taking advantage Of the storm now
raging, they assayed to capture the
position by another rush. Three of their
leaders reached the parapet, but We're
shot down by Lieutenant Digby Jones
and Lieutenant Walnut, the latter of
whom also fell
THE renewed check practically
ended the duel, though small parties
of the braver spirits kept UP murder
Gus fire on our men from behind the
rocks"
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