The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-26
WARREN FORCED TO
ABANDON SPl0N K0P.
Continued from page One.)
LADYSMITH IMPROBABLE

Ladysmith, Sunday, Jan. 21-Ry run
ner, Wednesday, Jan. 24.--The garrison
is watching Gen. Buffers guns Smelling
| the Beers. Their fire can be seen at
| this distance and appears to be very
| effective. The movements OF the Beers
| show that they are evidently determin-
| ed to stubbornly oppose the advance of
| the relief column. They show no signs
| OF removing their guns and have
| mounted new ones and are continually
strengthening their fortifications. our
fortiffcauOns have been greatly
strengthened since Jan. and Lady
smith is now practically impregnable.
Owing to the dry weather the fever has
diminished and the number of conva-
lescents returning from Intombi Camp
exceeds that Of the patients being sent
there. The supplies are spinning olt
splenddly all the troops having suffi-
clent wholesome food.
The heat is terrific, the thermometer
registering lO7 degrees in the shade.
MoDDER RIVER FIGHT.
London. Jan. 26.-The following ac-
count Of the Modder River fight was
received today from one Of the Argyll
and Sutherland Highlanders:
We have had some hot fighting with
Methuen, but we got through all right
until the evening. when we got a lick
To march during the night TO surprise
the Beers. No one knew what we were
going TO do or where we were going
The rain came down in torrents and
we were soaked through, and that on
empty stOmachs. We were led right
into the Boer trenches by guides and
before we could deploy from column
half OF us were shot down. We all ran
for our lives and reformed 500 yards
back. when the Gordon Joined us and
we again tried the trenches. But Il
was no good.
SICK AND DISPIRITED.
"All day we lay out i'm the sun with
out food or drink, and In the afternoon
the Boer shells began bursting among
us. so we made the best Of our wav to
the rear The men were sick and dis
spirited. there was no fight left in them
and they would not stop for tse officers
or any one else. Gen. Wauchope was
Killed, hit in seven places. He was tho
right sort. They say II was not his
mistake at all and he ala not want the
night attack. Anyway il was a ghast-
ly failure
'The camp a. Modder river vas fuu
OF B'rr sp es-colonials and others ~
Cur cory movement was watched Gnd
information carried 20 the enemy.
; S)uc &C those disloyal cOloniat lave
pf.n c"lRht Ied-handpd fgh'in
against the queen why don't they
shoot them right off instead OF
tcnoing them down FOR trial They
don't deserve Il.
BOYS FOR OFFICERS.
Most OF the regiments here arc FUN
OF young boys for officers. and the men
don't care about them I saw some OF
them az Moddcr river fight like "a lot
OF schoolboys. shouting out orders that
none OF us could understand 80 tho
OLD hands took no notice or them and
went their own way as best they could.
Most OF the regiments are the same.
The guards are the best on for Of
hcers. None of US can make out why |
so many young officers are sent out % |
take charge of old soldiers. why
can't We have more of our old oficars2 |
Ny late captain. who left us at Alder |
saot. came 10 see us OF. and We asked !
whX he wasn't coming with us He |
wpled that the war office would not |
let him rejoin. He was a good man
We were a good brigade n We had |,
not been messed up and Or only Wau- /
chope had been lefi to handle us him /
SELF This is terrible war and God |
only knows how " viii end.
fMy wound Is not 4 bad onc-a shot \
through ihp heshv uart ~ the thigh |
and I WAS 80 excited I did not notice A. 1
for an hour or two"