The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-10
Story of British Attack On
Impregnable Boer Fort
Near Mafeking.

N0af mdlthluS.
Loudop, Jan g. AS m.-The
Times publishes the following dispatch
from NJ afeking, dated Dec 26 s:
.'As dawn today Col B.deo Powell
organized an unsuccessful attack upon
a strong position of the enemy at
Gametree, two miles from Mafeklog
from which the Beers have been maiu
tanning desultory bus annoying she'll
and riae FIRE for several weeks. The
railway has recently been reconstructed
between the town and Gametree. where
the Beers had destroyed it, the 6nal
repairs being made io preparation fer
the sortie
"Duripg the uight the arnored train,
With Maxim aud Ho,cbkiss guu', under
Capt Williams and troops, took up
positions for attack from TWO sides.
Capt LORD Charles BeDtinck aud a
squadron were 10 reserve upon the left.
while the extreme left wing was
occupied by artillery under Major
Paosera aud gallopiog Maxim of the
Cape police. the whole being under
Col Hore
..Em placements we're thrown up
during the night, the orders being to
attack at dawn and the artillery FIRE to
des,st upon prolonged footing from the
armored tam At daybreak the gus
opeoed Ere ard rapidly drew the reply
of the enemy. ocr shells bursting
within effective range. Capt Veruoo
gave the signal to cease firing and to
advance. bis squadron leading Of
cas- our men engaged the position
with their rife fire, it was soou found
that the strength Of the fort ~ss
greater thao we bad supposed The
enemy concentrated such an exceeding
" hot fire that the advance Of Capt
Vernon was almost impossible. but
With remarkable beroism and gallaptry
Caps Sanford and Vernon, Lieat
Patton and Scout Cooke, who guided
the equadroos. and few men actually
cached the saodbags of tbe fort with
io ;bree hundred yards of the area Of
the fort.
tBus pothipg living could exist there
aiuoe the groubd was swept by Mauser
aud Martini bslie,s TIE uen who
charged through this zone of Ere su:-
tered terribly, and 10 following their
officers to capture the fort. twenty men
lost their lives Capt Sanford was
tae FIRST TO fall aad Cap; Vernon. al
ready twice wounded, aod Lieut. Pason
were killed at the foot of the fort.
These swo officers, ci;oblog ditch
which surrounded the fort, thrust their
revolvers through the eneuy's loop
bcles only to be sbo; themselves the
oezt moment
"Gamesres is surrounded with scrubs
which contained many sbarpshoo:ers,
aad their accuracy Of fire st'l! further
confused the meo wbo bad followed
Capt Vernon aud who saw biu and
A;s brother officers killed Beicg with
ons commanders they we're dr;veo os
at Ole point. hus they eodesvof'd 70
scale the fort at others They soroa
the position of the Boers, however, =
mos1 imprcspable
"When we retired uoder cover Of :ie
armored ;raio so may men hod eeco
gouooed thu. susnsasion OF Sos;ls;
ties occurred uas.er the auspices Of tho
Red Cross. The ve!:: around he Haer
position vas a. ooce dotsei wi:h Gags
of mercy, and it vas scea taat CO!
@oun6ed were scatterrd with;n bu; q
. shor: racius cf the feTt 'se Sad a
nc: omple;eiy surrounded =; and
tad 1t DC: been Sc Extraordinarily ee:!
protested ve Shout; nsva assa &c
possession
4 vet; vii, az aelsuiaaesto 70 G sac
tree i'le iort i;seii j. e.rcglar. with a
vide ;n;e7,o. aaG q nargov fronfsse
between SIX arc ssylo feet aish, piece
ed With triple ,iers Of loopholes. ana
surrounded BY a DITCH