AN ARTILLERY DUEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 295, 13 December 1899, Page 5

AN ARTILLERY DUEL.

-BEAUTIFUL PRACTICE

The following is a bit of Mr Steeven's description of the artillery duel outside Ladysmith on October 24th. After detailing the start, etc., the correspondent says: —

"The cavalry had pushed ahead past Moder Spruit, and the vanguard of the infantry was just level with the station, when from a lofty double hill called Jonono's whizzed a shell, which dropped plump on to one of our guns. A lieutenant had a marvellous escape, his horse being wounded and his haversack torn. The next few shells from the Boer guns were also wellplaced. It was beautiful to see how our artillery broke up their solid columns, and' galloped into a position under cover.1" They opened fire within five minutes, and silenced the enemy's guns in less. The Boer artillerists skilfully changed their position, but finally desisted on'finding our shell pattering round their ,gun each time it was brought up into position and before it could be fired. The action opened at half-past eight. The Boer fire at first was,very lively, though the range was nearly 2000 yards, but our artillery made such .practice that the Boer lire dropped and flickered desultorily for five hours, when our force retired. Our loss 40, including the Colonel of the Liverpools. who was badly wounded."