THE BATTLE OF ELANDS LAAGTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 275, 20 November 1899, Page 5

THE BATTLE OF ELANDS LAAGTE.

ADDITIONAL PARTICU-

LARS

BOERS DISPLAY THE GREATEST BRAVERY. '

ACCURACY OF BRITISH FIRE DISCONCERTED THE ENEMY.

THE FIGHT CONDUCTED BY MAJOR-GENERAL

FRENCH

(Received 9.20 a.m.)

ADELAIDE, this day.

..Details of the fighting supplied by the War Intelligence Department shows that General. White Avas' present, but left the command, to Major-General French, while Colonel Hamilton commanded the infantry.

The position was only carried after heavy fighting, during Avhich great gallantry Avas displayed, the enemy resisting' with great courage and tenacity until the last. - The sth Lancers and a squadron of the sth Dragoons chargeel thrice through the retreating Boers. ■ During the infantry advances the Boers seized every opportunity of coming into action, and behaved with great courage. They served their guns Avhenever the}* could find an opportunity, but their artillery Avas silenced as soon as it opened fire.

The Boer loss was considerable, including a large number of wounded and unwounded prisoners.

The British captured tAvo guns, the .whole , camp equipment and horses, provision train previously captured by' Boers was retaken, and one British prisoner recovered.

.The- Imperial colonial troops behaved AA'ith conspicuous gallantry.

Other accounts state that the Boers fought most stubbornly until the Gordons and Light Horse got round on their right flank and drove them in on their main position. Even then they sustained a sharp fusilade Avhich lasted

for a minute, but did not wait for the bayonet but ran for an adjacent kopje under a hot fire.

After the battle the Boer artillery continued firing at lougc range but ineffectively.

One Boer said if he had known thatthe English could shoot so well he would never have fought.

Another said he knew he was fighting a lost cause, and a third expressed surprise at having to shoot at kharkee, as he had expected to shoot at red coats and white collars.

The scene of the bailie field was awful. The groans of the badly wonnded, mingled with the cries of those less injured, created a perfect babel.

Amonogst the captured wounded was Blingnawat, the well-known Boer cyclist.