DE WET'S ESCAPE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 81, 7 April 1902, Page 5

DE WET'S ESCAPE.

GALLANTRY OF THE .NEW ZEALANDERS,

HARRISMITH, March 2.

Colonels Rimington and Byng bavin o* arrived in this neighbourhood, it is now possible to obtain details of the lighting on the night of the 23rd February, when De Wet broke through the line of columns. It appears that on that night Colonel Byng's column, consisting of the '.New Zealanders, occupied a position on Colonel Rkniiigton's left, which consisted of the 3rd New South Wales Regiment, under Colonel Cox, and a detachment of the Black Watch. The Boers soon after midnight swarmed Reentrant, being covered by _ firing party on both flanks, while a great, mass of cattle and horses overwhelmed the pickets by sheer weight, The pickets only dared to fire on their direct front, the Boers having secured the picket line. v The New Zealanders made a splendid defence. Caught on the flank, they fought gallantly, altnough it was impossible for them to make full use of their strength, owing to the nature of the attack. All the other pickets, believing it to be the usual attempt to ride direct through, were firing furiously in front. The plucky New Zealanders, realising the position, slipped away, risking being shot by their own people, and reaching Colonel Cox, warned him of the position of affairs, whereupon Col. Cox immediately withdrew the left picket, prolonging them to the rear, at right angles to the line. Meanwhile the enemy, having forced the picket line, were enabled to

remove their wounded, and a portiq* continued north, leaving the mam body behind, and the whole of the cattle. Our men kept up a vigorous^ fire, using seventeen boxes of ammunition. In an hour and a-half all was over. Although our loss .was heavy, the Boeri loss was not Jess so. Manic Botha, one of the best Free State commandants, was killed, De Wet himself only escaped under cover of some. oxen. Seventy dead horses lay in front of Colonel Cox's force.