THE SIEGE OF WEPENER.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 128, 31 May 1900, Page 5

THE SIEGE OF WEPENER.

PARTICULARS BY MAIL. A GALLANT AISD SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE. (Received May 31, 9.50 i.in.) SYDNEY, This Day. The details of Colonel Dalgety's defence of Wepener are detailed in Cape newspapers just to hand. The British position covered some seven miles, and the defending force numbered seventeen hundred men, while the attacking force was froir four to six thousand strong. The fight opened with an artillery duel of several hours, interspersed with heavy rifle fire. The British losses on the first day were eleven killed and forty-one wounded. The Cape Mounted Rifles and the Royal Scots bore the brunt of this part of the fighting, the former losing heavily. On the second day the attack was continued with great determination, and fighting was kept up till midnight. The Boers determined to attack and capture the position held by the Cape Rifles, and crept within 250 yards, but their reception was too hot, and they withdrew. The British loss was forty-four killed and wounded. A desperate attempt was .made on the fourth day to capture the north-west position, but again the enemy were driven back, this time by Brabant's Horse. The attack subsequently weakened as the relieving force approached, numbers , of the besiegers being detached to intercept them. The losses to the fifteenth day -were twenty-nine killed and 140 wounded. ! The British troops had an exceptionally hard time cooped up in the trenches, and only able to take exercise at night. There was wet weather for several days, and the men were badly off for boots and clothing. The Boer losses were very heavy, and their ambulances were kept hard at work.