ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1900, Page 5

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

SHARP FIGHTING NEAR RENDSBURG.

OUR BOYS IN A HOT

CORNER

(Press Association.—Special. )

(P.v Telegraph from Wellington.)

WELLINGTON, this day

Reneberg, January 7.—Along with ■the Carbineers and two grins the New Zealamlers moved out of Arundd on December 30th at 2.30 a.m. They found that the Boers had evacuated their position at- Taiboshlaagte. and also a strong position on the Rensberg range of kopjes. Across four miles of flat, veldt lay another range behind which is Colesberg. This range was reconnoitred and the expedition met with lively shell fire from a light gun, which, however, did no harm. A farmer named Hooper, accompanied the troops in order to see what damage had been done to his property. With an officer of the Carbineers he approached, and seeing men in slouch hats thought they were a party of New Zealanders. They proved, however, to be Boers, and both were taken prisoners. THE CAMP SHIFTED. In the evening the camp was shifted from Arundel toßensberg, and in the j meanwhile the Engineers in about half !an hour had repaired the railway line | which the Boers thought they had rendered impassable for weeks, and so all the stores were brought xip at once. . No. 2 Company had a hard day. They came across no water till evening. On the kopje called' Porter's Hill where they bivouacked and remained in occupation all 'day, they had a slight diversion in peppering four : Boers who were reconnoitring the | place. One was shot through the body. After 44 hours continuous duty with little rest they were relieved by. No. 1 Company. ■ '■' That night the Second Brigade with ten guns started out to get round the Boer position, and dawn' of the Nev? Year broke to the"sound of a distant cannonade. OUR BOYS IN A "TIGHT CORNER. Our men, however, took no part in the fight beyond escorting ammunition to Porter's Hill, where nothing could be seen. In t'jje afternoon 100 men, including Lieut. Lindsay's troop of 25, sallied out from Porter's.Hill to gain possession of a poinfc opposite which had apparently been evacuated, and in doing this they got into a hot cross fire, and Col. Porter sent Major Robin to' bring them back. This, fortunately, was done without loss, though the bullets were humming all around. The whole of Lindsay's men seem to bear charmed lives. The guns on Porter's Hill shelled the Boers and caused their fire to become unsteady. They lost some ten or a dozen men. In the evening we learned that the Second Brigade had occupied a strong position overlooking Colesberg, and had been under .-h.ea.yy fire, losing one officer and four men killed and 27 wounded. Shortly after our arrival at Rens- ! berg, Trooper Bradford's gra.ve was ! discovered close to the railway station, so that our last hopes 'he might again join us were dispelled. ■ A Dutc'Ji woman at the railway station who had tended him said from the time she had seen him he had been unconscious. He had been wounded in two places on the ISth and died on the 28th. A private of the 10th Hussars was buried close by Bradford. Each grave had aboard over it on which was written the men's names taken from their identification cards. ■ ,THE WRECKED PROVISION- TRAIN ~&3 ; -:,- -.EPISODE.- ----- - Describing the wreckage of the provision train mentioned in the telegrams, the correspondent says it con-

tamed 36 trucks laden with 22,000 rations, 300 gallons of rum, and large quantities of lime-juice, chocolate, forage and stores. The loss, however, was not felt, and we. still have our rations of rum and chocolate. A party of New South Wales Lancers succeeded in setting- fire to the wreckage, despite a hot fire, and the Boers did not get the spoil after all. On the 4th and Gth the Dragoons and Suffolk Regiment had a skirmish, losing five or.six men and fifteen horses. The Boers suffered heavily, and 2(J_ were taken prisoners. They mostly expressed gratification at being captured, as they were sick of the war, and were, getting- bad and uncooked food. The next operation was the movement by the Second Brigade and the attack of an important ■kopje on the left of the Boers position while the First Brigade were threatening the right flank. We. marched, at 3. a.m., and the artillery opened fire at a very long range. The fire, was replied to and one shell fell wit'lnn/a foot or two of Trooper Enderby, who. was lying down. It buried itself harmlessly. " We returned to' camp, getting .in about mid-day. All were full of hope, and anxious to hear the news from the left si do. HOW THE SUFFOLRS MET DISASTER.. It appears that General French yielded t.o the urgent '.request of the colonel commanding the Suffolk. Reginient (Colonel Watson) to be allowed to attack at dawn a kopje held by the Boers. Four companies of the regiment waited half-way up the hill till dawn, when the first company received the order to charge the crest. They got to within a few yards.of their goal, when they were mown down by a withering fire. " ;■ • . *" The second companj' then charged, and met the same fate. Someone, said to be a Boer, shouted "Eetire! re-tire!" whereupon the remaining two companies, who were extending, retreated down hill in the- darkness, tumbling over rocks, and several- losing their arms. Confusion reigned supreme, and apparently a panic ensued. The survivors of the first two companies held their ground for twenty minutes, but were surrounded and forced to surrender. On the roll being called 1-J0 men and 10 officers were missing, and one officer and 11 men . were brought in wounded. Colonel Watson was. shot twice through the head, and it is supposed several of the missing are killed. The news was staggering, and .needless to say cast a. deep gloom over the Eendsberg camp. ... The ambulances and burying party returned here to-day from the scene of the Suffolk's disaster. At. first the Boers .would not allow them to approach, but eventually did so. ._.... . - Our medical officer met the Boers and a Britisher, from Kimberley, from whom many details were gathered. Four officers and 26 men. including the colonel and adjutant, were killed outright; 5 officers and 45 men were wounded and taken prisoners; and 69 men were taken prisoners unwouuded, and one officer, of whom it is unknown whether he is wounded or not. The Boers had treated the wounded well, and. expressed their surprise at our folly in attacking them as we did. As a.matter of fact by some ineafißthey were fully aware of our coming artack some hours before it commenced, and were strongly reinforced. This is almost incomprehensible, as the order was only sent by General French to Colonel Watson late the night before by one single code word. Up till this General French's column was the only one of the four which had not had'a reverse. It has not, altered our position in any way, and we should I think soon score a big' success here. Orders have just been received for the Ist Brigade, including our Contingent, to go out at 3 a.m. to -morrow, taking three days' provisions.