THE SPIONKOP AFFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1900, Page 5

THE SPIONKOP AFFAIR.

. STORMING THE HILL. A DESPERATE DAY'S FIGHTING. SYDNEY, this das'. The "Daily Telegraph's" Capetown correspondent writes that the Boer, were surprised on Spionkop by a bod,} of infantry under Colonel Woodgate which left the British camp undei cover of darkness and noiselessly scaled a precipice on the western side of the hill. The men reached the base of the mountain after a long and difficult detour. i About two o'clock in the. morning i they gained the crest without being observed by the enemy. The sentrj then challenged. The answer was s ringing British cheer and a bayonel charge, the sei|try being killed among other Boers. Our leading section occupied the trench. Another trench was evaouat ed by the enemy before daybreak. Our men coolly waited the sterr work that; was before them. By good luck a mist covered the mountain. ",.'..' The mist lifting a moment the' little battalion was assailed by a heavy fire An interchange of shots continued .without causing much loss until the mist disappeared. While the British were awaiting the order to advance the whole of the Boer position was subjected to a heavj/ fire of Lyddite and shrapnel. This had fallen off somewhat about nine o'clock, and when the sun cleared away the mist the Boers scoured the [ face of the tableland with a hail ol bullets at long range, while Creusoi and Hotchkiss guns commenced shelling from a ridge. Our men began to fall fast. At one time it appears that thej were obliged to retire before overwhelming odds, but they stuck tc their positions gallantly. Reinforcements arrived at two in the afternoon. Before the main body arrived the Boers rushed up to the trenches, pointed their rifles, and called upon a section to surrender.

Our men refused to, and ere they could-use their bayonets the enemy fired and rolled a number dead back into the trenches. As reinforcements reached the crest they rushed and crawled forward.- '...- The space became congested, there - was little cover, and the bullets rained , and the shell fire was heavy, a number being killed. ! Unfortunately there was no water ;on the top of Spionkop, and it was impossible to take the guns up the : steep sides, while the fire from the; i enemy's masked guns on our artillery : made the position untenable. It was only the. heroic conduct of j the officers and men prevented the j overwhelming numbers of the enemy! rushing the position early in the day. The Boers exhibited splendid cour-"! age, some actually standing in front! of the firing line. j Three times one party coolly walked ! up to the trench occupied by the Lam ! cashire Fusiliers with hands up and their rifles slung in an endeavour to trick our men into believing that they were surrendering. Someone fired a shot while they were parleying and instantly' there J was a melee. | Some of the British charged with j the bayonet, others grappled with the I Boers, but not before ,the latter had got in a volley, tumbling many dead j backwards into the trenches. The next two occasions on Avhieli th? Boers tried the trick the defenders fired and drove them off. The desperate fire from the rifles and Maxim automatic shells caused i great havoc. After five hours' desperate fighting - the battalion on Spionkop was exposed to a cross fire from five different directions, and eventually at nine at . night it was ordered to retire. General Warren's force recrossed the Tugela the same night and the foll lowing morning. The Boers alleged that their loss on 1 Spionkop was 151, including one Ger- - man officer .