THE BOER WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11280, 25 January 1900, Page 5

THE BOER WAR.

THE OPERATIONS IN NATAL.

EFFECT OF LYDDITE SHELLS.

COMMANDER VILJOEN RENDERED SENSELESS.

GENERAL HILDYARD THREATENS TO DIVIDE THE

BOER FORCES.

CABLEGRAMS FROM THE AGENT-GENERAL.

PATRIOTIC SPEECH BY LORD ROSEBERY.

NEVER SO PROUD OF HIS COUNTRY.

LIBERAL PROVISION FOR SOLDIERS WIDOWS.

By Telegraph.—Press A senciation.—Copyright.

Durban, January 24. : Commander Viljoex, of the Orange Free State, was rendered temporarily senseless by General Warren's lyddite shells on Saturday. At Pietermaritzburg and Durban the residents are organising supplies and comforts for the Ladysmith garrison. Durban, January 23. General Hildyard's troops threaten to act as a shears and cut the Boer forces in two. Wellington, Wednesday. The Agent - General telegraphed under date of London, January 22, 8.40 p.m.:—"General Warren with three brigades pushed the enemy's forces some distance on the 19th, and on the 20th the enemy's forces retired to Colley. Our loss was 350. On Saturday night Warren's force was 20 miles west. Nothing is known of the means of subsistence at Ladysmith. General Lyttelton with one brigade is still at Potgieter s Drift. A decisive battle is expected." A later telegram from the AgentGeneral is to the following effect: — Nothing decisive has yet been achieved. General Warren with Generals Clery, Hart, Dundonald, Woodgate, and Hildyard on our extreme left appear to be working to the eastward, and in the northeasterly direction so as to get the Boers' right wing between two fires. General Hart captured an advance post on Sunday. Our loss was 90. General Warren has been reinforced and has now five brigades. General Lyttelton, at Potgieter's Dirft, is stationary." About 110 deaths from disease have occurred at Ladysmith since January 1. SPEECH BY LORD ROSEBERY A MOST FORMIDABLE WAR. THE RECENT REVERSES. SPLENDIDLY BORNE BY THE NATION. London, January 24. Lord Rosebery, speaking at Chatham, said the war was in some respects the most formidable Britain had ever undertaken, recalling the Austrians' task in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He trusted the worst was now over. The spirit evoked counterbalanced the losses. The events during the week in which the Colenso battle was fought, when General Buller received his reverse, in the case of the other nations might have led to a revolution. He was never 60 proud of Britain as during that week. There was no tendency to accuse anyone. Politics disappeared and there was little or no criticism, but a passionate resolve to outpour the last shilling and the last man to assist the country's needs. Europe's antagonism to Britain was attributed to corrupt information. PENSIONS FOR SOLDIERS' WIDOWS. TEN SHILLINGS A WEEK FOR LIFE. London, January 24. The subscriptions to the war fund I are so liberal that every soldier's widow has received a life pension of 10s per week. A WOUNDED OFFICER. London, January 23. Lieutenant-Colonel H. A. Eagar, of the Irish Rifles, attached to General Gatacre's column, has had his leg amputated as the result of a wound. MILITARY ACTIVITY IN ENGLAND. London, January 23. Mr. R. Sutton Siever, a wellknown bookmaker, raised a company in Bedfordshire to serve with the Imperial Yeomanry, but it wis ultimately disbanded owing to difficulties raised by the War Office. A GUARDSMAN'S PROWESS. London, January 23. Private St. John, a champion boxer belonging to the First Grenadier Guards, killed 11 Boers before he was killed at Belmont. SOUTH AFRICAN LIGHT HORSE. Capetown, January 24. Two additional regiments of South African Light Horse, named after Lords Roberts and Kitchener, are being raised at Capetown.

EXCITEMENT IN INDIA.

Calcutta, January 24. The war excitement in India is eclipsing the excitement over the famine. CONTRABAND OF WAR. New York, January 24. An injunction has been granted by the Philadelphia Court at the instance of a Britisher detaining the steamer Mermuida on the ground that she was intended to convey contraband for the Boers. HOSPITAL SHIP. Capetown, January 24. The hospital ship Maine has arrived at Capetown, and proceeds to Durban. SORTIE FROM LADYSMITH. A DARING ACHIEVEMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH FROM WELLINGTON.] [FROM OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT IN LADYSMITH.] Ladysmith, December 15 (heliograph message): — Last night another sortie was made by 500 volunteers under General Hunter. They destroyed a Gin Creusot gun, a howitzer, and a Maxim, with only one killed. The Boers fled. It was a bold achievement. THE BATTLE OP COLENSO. DETAILS OF THE ENGAGEMENT. BRITISH CASUALTIES, 1100. SPLENDID COURAGE OF OUR TROOPS. FIGHTING LIKE LIONS. MANY ACTS OF PERSONAL HEROISM. [DY TELEGRAPH FROM WELLINGTON.] [FROM OCR WAR CORRESPONDENT WITH GENERAL DULLER.] Cfiievelkt Camp, December 17. The more that transpires concerning the battle at Colenso the more disastrous it is shown to have been. The official casualty list contains about 1100 names. The hilled numbered five officers and about 160 men. The wounded number 36 officers and 634 men. The prisoners nnmber 21 officers and 311 men. It is also most apparent that, our men fought with tho greatest stubborness, and it would be invidious to mention special regiments where all fought so well. The Dublins lost heaviest, their casualties being 216 out of 900. Many were positively indignant when ordered to retire, although crossing the Tugela, Bridge drift was

A DEADLY OPERATION. The Scottish Fusiliers lost 75 out of 390, nnd wore very keen on carrying the bridge, if allowed. If dogged determination and indifference to danger on the part of the men was all that was necessary, victory would have been assured, Everything confirms the splendid fighting qualities of our men, and whatever was the cause of our disastrous engagement, it certainly was not the fault of the rank and filo, or the regimental officers. The withering rifle fire from the Roer riflepits, ambushed on the east of Colenso, accounted for THE LOSS OF THE GUNS of the 14th Battery, and part of the 66th Battery. Both batteries were actually within 700 yds of the enemy's entrenched positionsCaptain Dick, of the Scottish Fusiliers, perceiving the two batteries, advanced, and asked the commanding officer of the 66th where he was going, and got the reply that they had been ordered to advance to the edge of the wood and halt. They were enfiladed with rifle nre. and nearly every man was hit, and either killed or wounded. The Irish Fusiliers' battalion suffered heavily, but the four companies of the Scottish Fusiliers suffered heavier still. Three hundred and ninety-four men were marched out, and they lost six officer? missing, besides 66 men killed and wounded. They FOUGHT LIKE LIONS, and only retired on being told there was no disgrace in retiring under such a hell of fire as the Boers poured in. Major W. A. Young was heard to shout," I slia'n't retire until I receive the order from a staff officer." The Welfih Fusiliers and English Fusiliers made up the Union Brigade, but their losses were slight, as they were acting as supports and reserves to the Irish and Scottish battalions. The irregular mounted forces played a prominent part in the fight. The Mounted Infantry Brigade were ordered to take Inhlawe Hill. The South African Light Horse were in the centre, the Imperial Light Horse, Carbineers, and a mounted company of the 60th Rifles on the left, and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry were on the extreme right. The latter were told off to work round the enemy's position, and while so engaged they

were euddealy attacked by a strong force on the right flank. After sustaining a heavy fire, which they returned, they were ordered to retire

The Carbineers and Imperial Light Horse got half-way up the hill when the South African Horse, finding the ENTRENCHMENTS IMPREGNABLE, took up a position on the lee of the hill, (and a general retirement, covered by the 7th Battery Field Artillery, took place. Lieutenant Ponsonby. of Thorneycroft's Horse, although wounded, returned to the fighting line, and carried away a wounded man. The force of the enemy opposed to us waa supposed to number 10.000 to 14.000. With such an entrenched position as they occupied, and with a dangerous high-banked river like the Tugela running between the ! defensive and attacking pities, the Boers I had a distinctly overwhelming advantage. From tactical or strategical standpoints their positions were unique. They were attacked by the coolest and bravest men possible, yet the tnsk was a hopeless one. Whenever the fire zone was entered NOTHING COULD LIVE, and I consider even greater loss was averted by the order given to retire. Tho Dublin Fusiliers suffered severely from shell fire. They were ordered to hold the river bunks, and cover tho advanco of tho main column. A withering fire was sent among them, but they held op until ordered to retire, after dearly winning tho position. During the retiring mnvements many ACTS OF HEROISM were porformed. Private Dowling was dis« covered wounded by Sergeant Sheridan, who carried him halfamile out of danger. Lance-Corporal Farrall went back, under tho mnrd'Tous fire, and made two trips, and brought two wounded men, and that nob before dressing their wounds. Major Butterworth, R.A., M.C., was here, there, and everywhere amone his wounded comrades, the Dublins. The hottest shell fire did not deter him from being WHERE DUTY CALLED. The men speak in the highest trims of liii untiring efforts to the wounded Dublins. GENERAL RUUFJrVS REPORT. General Buller telegraphed as follows to th" general oflVer rommandinj; Maritzburu,:— "Cbievelov. December 15. twenty minutes past six p.m. I moved out in full strength from eamp. Pliieveley. at foul 1 a.m. There are two fordable places in tho Tugela, and it was my intention to fnrce a passaee. at one of them. They arc about two miles apart. My intention was Iα force one or tbe othei with one brigade, supported by a central brignde, General Hart was to attack tlie left drift, General Hildyard the right, main road, and Oeneral Lvttelton in the centre, to support either. Early in the day I smv that General Hart would not be able to force a passage, and directed him to withdraw. He had, however, attacked with ifreat gallantry, and his IcadiiiL' battalion, the Connaujrht Rangers, I fear, suffered a great deal. Colonel Brooke was severely wounded. I then ordered General Hildyard to advance, which hi l d<l. and his leading regiment, the East Surrey, occupied Colcnso st."''»n and the houses near the bridge. .At 'Ti::t moment I heard that the whole of tlie artillery we had *ent to support that attack, the 14th and Mvh Field Butteries and six naval 12-pnunders, tho whole under Cohmel Lone. R.A., were out of action, as it appenrs that Colonel Lone, in his desire to he within effective range, advanced snm* scouts or efl'ertiw infantry supports close to the river, It proved to he full of the enemy, who suddenly opened fire at close range, killed all their horses, ■and the gunners were unable to stand to their puns. Rome ni the waggon teams got shelter in it donga, and desperate efforts were nude to brin; nut the field guns, but the fire was too severe, and only two were saved by Captain Rchnfield and some drivers, whose names T will furnish. Another most gallant attempt with three teams was made by an officer whose name T will obtain. Of the 18 horses 13 were killed, and as several of the drivers were wounded I would not allow another attempt. Seeing that it would be a useless sacrifice and loss of gallant lives to attempt to force a passage unsupported by artillery, I directed the troops to withdraw, which they did in good order. Throughout the day a considerable force of the enemy was pressing on my right flank, but was kept back by the mounted men under Lord Dundohald and part of General Barton's brigade. The day was intensely Iwt and most trying for the troops, whosu conduct was excellent. I have abandoned 10 guns and lost the use of one. The losses in General Hart's brigade nre, I fear, heavy, though the proportion of severely wounded is, I hope, not large. Tho 14th and 66th Batteries also suffered severe losses. I have retired to our camp at Chievcly.