MAIL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 25

MAIL NEWS.

HOBART, January 31.

The lonic brought Capetown files, dated 15th January, from which the following extracts are made : — Chieveley Camp, January 6. — The relieving force heavily bombarded the Boer entrenchments to-day beyond the Tugela. The naval guns searched the Boer positions in front, continuing for hours to pour deadly missiles into the trenches. The field artillery galloped into position, and sent a perfect hailstorm of shrapnel into the enemy's trenches. The work was most effective, the shells bursting low. Attention was paid all along the Boers' lines, the enemy not replying. Hundreds of Boer horses were seen stampeding, and many were killed. Dordrecht, January 6. — A reconnaissance was made to-day by the Imperial, Cape, and colonial troops, 120 strong, in search of the Boers. The scouts soon saw objects moving on a pinnacle of Kikfonsfontein Mountain. Suddenly a heavy volley was opened on the British. Montmorency dashed out, facing a shower of bullets, dauntlessly followed by a band of gallant fellows, who kept the enemy at bay. The rear section, under Lieutenant Gordon Turner, rode into an extensive donga, but got severely peppered from that ridge. They dismounted, stealthily making their way to a neighbouring krantz, but the Boers, who were in superior numbers, drove them back. Twenty-six horses were killed in one heap. They were shot just as the riders dismounted. The Boers got round the donga, and from seven different points poured lead therein. Down went Warren, shot through the thigh, but he lay there, cheering his comi'ades on. He was badly hurt. Drs Purcell and Pirkins were attending him, when the former got a bullet through the leg of the trousers, grazing the calf. Bullets flew like hailstones. Word was sent for reinforcements. At length, after hours of waiting, help came, but in the meantime the Boers, with the British gun taken at Stormberg, fired with accurate range shell after shell into the relief force. Darkness coming on, +.he firing ceased, and the men went to sleep near their dead horses. Next day the band returned to camp, one man being missing and one wounded seriously. Rendsburg, January 6. — To-day before, daybreak four companies of the Suffolks, under Colonel Watson, occupied a kop north-east of the Boer position. They advanced steadily and scaled the height. When they had almost gained the top a terrific rifle fire was poured into them oy the hidden Boers, and, although still advancing, the order was given to retire, it is supposed, by the enemy. The Suffolks lost heavily in retiring, and some were forced to surrender. Lieutenant Watson and six officers who were -\\ ounded were taken prisoners, and 70 men were killed and wounded. At midda}^ a truce was proclaimed to bury the dead and bring in the wounded. The artillery opened a heavy fire at daybreak next day, shelling the kopjes under which the Boers were hidden, and doing severe damage. 'sortie from mafeking. February 1. The mail brings additional news from

I Maf eking up to December 26, and full details are furnished of one of the most gallant and determined attacks in the history of the siege made by the garrison upon the enemy's works at a place known as Same Tree Fort. The attacking force was disposed into two squadrons, supported by an armoured train. The men took up a | position under cover of the darkness, and i at daybreak the fighting commenced, j ' Frequent reconnaissances disclosed that ' the enemy's position was strongly defended in front, but accessible to attack from the east, and an advance was made in that di- ' rection under fire of the guns. Captain , Vernon, being anxious to get at the enemy, signalled too soon, and before the guns had I done any work. The sun rose, and the advance was developed. The men cheered and waved their hats, officers and men being eager to be first among the enemy. > i The British bayonets glistened amongst the scrub, and the bullets came whistling close to them. A British cheer was borne upon 1 the wind, and someone shouted : '-' The place is ours ; our men are in the ditch," ond so they were ; but the enemy had made the position practically impregnable to anyone or anything but heavy battery ! guns. Their parapet was loop-holed in ' triple tiers, and roofed with bomb-proof protection. There was only one entrance to • j the fort, and this for the most part was ■ underground, and only large enough for ! one man to enter at a time. The men j swarmed round, trying to effect an en- I trance, and our losses were terrible. It I was here that Captain Vernon was killed j and Lieutenant Paton fatally wounded \ while firing into one of the loopholes. Captain Fitzclarence was wounded, most of the officers were killed, and the men fell ' back, firing as they went. Out of a storming party of 80, 21 were killed and 33 wounded. THE ASSAULT ON LADYSMITH. HEAVY LOSSES. Additional lonic files bring news from Ladysmith up to the 9th of January. General White sent a message stating that ' the Boers had attacked our position m j great strength, and were pushing their attack with the greatest courage and energy. ! Some of the British entrenchments on Waggon Hill were taken three times by ; the Boers, and then retaken by the British. J The attack lasted nearly six hours. One point of our position was occupied by the Boers all day, but at dusk, and in a heavy rain storm, they were turned out at ' the point of the bayonet in a most gallant ' manner by the Devon Regiment. The ' troops had a trying time, but the enemy were repulsed everywhere, and with a | heavy loss, greatly exceeding that of the [ British. The following day at dawn the j Boers attacked the south-west position, but were driven back with heavy loss. A number of the enemy's ambulances were witnessed coming from the back of the J laagers, carrying away their wounded and killed. j COLONIALS IN ACTION. On January 3 the New South Wales i Rifles arrived at Prieska from De Aar, and were sharply engaged •with the Griqualand West rebels, whom they drove back from Pout Drift into the mountains. In their flight the Boers fired their rifles anyhow, and lost their ammunition, saddles, and a lot of other war provender. Sixty Australians altogether were engaged, with 140 inounteo. infantry and 20 Rimington Tigers. THE SUNNYSIDE SKIRMISH. SYDNEY, January 31. The Evening News correspondent states j that the Sunnyside affair was merely a skirmish, 'lne occasion did not call for special acts of bravery, and could not he i construed into the glorious victory which i it was represented to have been. As far as could oe gathered there were only 190 Boers, with no artillery. Against this force we had 550, with artillery and Maxims. The enemy's shooting was abominably bad. It was only towards the end that Trooper M'Leod, of Queensland, was killed. Before opening fire Lieutenant Adie and four Queensland troopers went j out to discover the line of the enemy's retreat. On rounding a kopje they saw four ] Boers retreating from a kopje on their , right. Lieutenant Adie ordered them to ! stand and delivev their arms, but, before anything could be done, twelve more of ' the enemy were seen descending the hill | 'simultaneously from about 25 yards range, and a volley was fired which shot Trooper Jones through the heart and wounded Lieutenant Adie in two places, and killed both their horses. Butler's horses, startled by the firing, got away. Rose and Herman, finding the fire too steady, retreated, but, noticing Lieutenant Adie, covered with i blood, limping away, went towards him. Rose caught Butler's horse amid a hail of bullets, and helped lieutenant Adie to mount. No 'sooner was Lieutenant Adie wp i in the saddle than his horse bolted away with him. Rose was left behind to look j after Butler, who was attempting to mount ' behind him, when a bullet pierced the calf of his leg and killed the horse under him. '

Meanwhile Lieutenant Adie, on the bolting horse, had fallen in with Herman, who went to inform tne colonel what had taken place, and to send an ambulance. Shortly after this, weakened by loss of blood, Lieutenant Adie fell from his horse, and lay for some time on the veldt. THE DISASTER TO THE SUFPOLKS. MELBOURNE, February 5. The Argus special, in describing the fighting near Colesberg, when four companies of the Suffolk Regiment came io grief, says that the Britishers had their bayonets fixed, and marched steadily towards the Boers' position. They found the enemy ready for them. The latter flashed a row of lighted lanterns in the faces of the attackers, and at the same time a murderous fire was poured in by the Boers. The cry of " Retire " was raised, some say by the Boers, and two of the rear companies of our troops fled down the hill, throwing their rifles away. It was a terrible retreat. Out of 400 Britishers engaged 160 were missing, killed, or wounded. All the officers were taken prisoners or killed, except one, and he was wounded early, and came back with a bullet through his leg and another through h's shoulder. The exact reason for the defeat is hard to get at. There is no doubt that our men got to the Boer trenches, but they came away again. They say they were received with a fire against which it was impossible to stand. Others say that a panic set in. The Boers did not lose any men so far as we know, our troops not firing at all. The same correspondent mentions that thd New Zealand troops are earning great praise from all quarters. ""