MAIL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 23

MAIL NEWS.

THE ASSAULT ON LADYSMITH. A DETERMINED ATTACK. MELBOURNE, February 14. The 6th of January saw the first important break in the monotony of the siege. During the night a party of about 4500 Boers made an attack on , a picket at Csesar's Camp Hill, just off the river at the bottom of the town. Our men were driven back by superior numbers, contesting every inch of the ground. The Boer front extended from Waggon Hill -around the flats to the near side of Cfesar's Camp. Their advance was supported by their big guns on Umbulwana. Fortunately a squadron of Imperial Light Hor.se were handy, and relieved the picket by a dashing charge. Our naval guns and artillery shelled the enemy beautifully all along the ridge "to Ctesar's Camp and drove them back, slowly but surely, to where the Gordons were lying in wait. The Highlanders got among them with the bayonet, doing some splendid execution.. The Maxim and Nordeirfeidt guns speedily added to the terrific din of our artillery, which Ind bepn brought into action. At a distance of about 500 yards, from the town we had a very hot time from tbe Umbulwana guns, although, fortunately, the casualties were extremely few. Gradually the Boers were driven into a somewhat limited space at the end of Cresar's Camp Hill, and the fighting grew hotter than ever, our artillery being advanced as the enemy retired, and doing good work. Contrary to expectation, the enenry contested the ground with the utmost determination and dogged obstinacy, and a courage not usually associated with j the Boor nature ; but, despite their most J stubborn efforts they had to give ground, j although they made a capital fight. Towards midday the filing slackened all along the line, and for a time things were j quieter. Our men were so manoeuvred that early in the afternoon the Boers were driven into a piece of donga-torn country, from whence they could not retire without exposing themselves tremendously. The Gordons, Manchesters, and Rifle Brigade, which by this time had come into action, were waiting at a distance of about 80 yards to receive the enemy with shot or the bayonet, as circumstances might dictate, while the Dragoons and Hussars were thrown further into the field among the thorn country, ready to swoop down should any attempt at a retreat be made. While the Boers were in this predicament the most terrific rain and hail storm we have had this season broke over the scene of strife, and their position in the dongas must have been anything but enviable. To add to their discomfort, our batteries of artillery had been moved into a position commanding the dongas, and shell after shell was dropped with admirable precision right among them. In addition, the rain was so heavy that the actual and moral support of the Umbulwana guns could no longer be given them, and their plight became truly pitiable. Having in this way cornered the enemy, our men kept potting away as fast as opportunity offered, the artillery pounding them with shells at a pace to marvel at. About 5 o'clock the rain descended so fast that very little fighting was possible, although a scattered and irregular rifle fire was kept up-_all through the night. At a quarter to 6 .the rain cleared, and the fight was renewed with great vigour all through the evening, until darkness rendered further firing a matter of random. Chance firing continued, and our men were still awaiting the issue of the enemy from their unhappy position. Unfortunately our casualties were heavy, although we had comparatively few killed. The Imperial Light Horse were the heaviest sufferers, Colonel Edwards, Major TCan-i Daves, and several other officers be-

ing among the wounded. Lord Ava, who was attached to the staff, was also mor- ' tally wounded, being shot through the head. Colonel Dick Cunyngham, of the Gordons, who had just lecovered from his Elandslaagte wounds, was shot by a stray bullet as ho was standing on the road bridge at the bottom qf the town preparing to take his men into action. ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. , BOER TREACHERY AND TRICKERY. I As the darkness fell on Saturday night the Boers retired in direct line with the neutrjl camp, rendering it impossible for our men to fire in that direction, so they escaped with fewer casualties than would otherwise have occuned. Our forces re- j mained in possession of the position for which such a determined struggle was made. During the fight the Gordons, under the leadership of General lan Hamilton, made a couple of splendid bayonet charges on ■ "Waggon Hill, which had a tremendous ef- .; feet on the enemy. At Ciesar's Camp a | company of the Manchester were outj witted by the enemy through "the use of ; the white flag. A party of Boers climbed , the sinmnit of the hill under a white flag, | and, of coui.se, our men did not fire. Xo , sooner was the crest gained than the enemy ! poured a withering fire, inflicting heavy | loss, on the Manchester.?. The captain of • the company and several men were taken ■ prisoners, and remained in tliyt predicament until Captain Carnegie, with a company of Gordons, rushed to their rescue, ' and drove the enemy off \iith great loss. ! The Border Mounted Rifles al?o came m for some swindling, a party of JBoc-rs shoul1 ing out- to them not to fire ;>s they be- ' longed to the town guard. The Border I Mounted Rifles unfortunately did not see the mistake until too late, a rattling volley being sent among them. ! On Sunday morning the battlefield was ! * a dreary spectacle, dead Boers lying j ' shoulder to shoulder with dead Engi lishmen. The dead were being brought ' into town for burial. The Boers have not J .yet sent to remove their dead or wounded. j One of the artillerymen, who had his left knee blown away and left arm mangled, ■ remarked as he was being taken to the j hospital that they " had managed to scratch | him a bit this time."' All the wounded ■ are very cheerful. The majority will pull ; through aIL right. On Waggon Hill alone j the Boers' loss may be estimated at 150 killed or severely wounded. The fight all through was the most stubborn of the campaign. The fighting was practically going on without cessation from 1 in the morning until 8 in the evening. The attack was supposed to have been made by the Boers who retreated before General Bulk-r from Colenso. Among the Boer dead .were .some local Boers. A leader who was shot carried a German flag. We are now probably within two days of General Buller's arrival. Relief may be looked upon as certain. His gun 5 : are eagerly watched shelling the Boer positions, the lyddite throwing up volumes of brown smoke quite distinguishable from ordinary shrapnel shell, and even when seen from this distance appearing very effective. Six Boer camps are visible. Further bodies of the enemy are observed riding towards the Tugela, evidently determined to stubbornly oppose the advance of the relief column. They show no signs of removing their guns, but have put new ones up recently. They are still continually working at their fortifications. Our fortifications, on Waggon Hill and at Caspar's Gamp are greatly sticngthened. making Ladysmith practically impregnable. Owing doubtless to the dry weather the fever has abandoned us. Our commissariat has been most ably managed during the siege, our supplies spinning out splendidly. The heat is terrific. ' THE DISASTER TO THE NEW SOUTH WALES MEN. The details of the mishap to the New South Wales Lancers patrol are meagre. l Lieutenant Dowling's force was divided in . two. One party went towards Slingersi fontein, which is eight miles east of Coles- • berg, and forms an open wedge, and pushed ■ into the country which was. known to he ; occupied by the enemy, consequently it was ! doubly necessary to be specially alert when : patrolling the neighbourhood. There is ! only too much reason, however, to believe ■ that the disaster was due to some neglect I in this respect. All went well for a time l with one of the paities. The smaller one penetrated as far as Vorsten's farm, seven [ miles from camp. The inhabitants there ■ spoke the Dutch language only, and as- • sinned an unfriendly attitude to the men, who were returning, when suddenly a party i of Boers, estimated at 50 or 60, were obl served coming over the plain towards the • kopjes a mile or two from the farm. The L patrol thereupon retired, and immediately after Lieutenant Dowling and his party s appeared on the scene. Some of the Boers ' at once opened fire, whilst others took up ■ a Dosition with the object of intercepting

the patrol's retreat. The Australians made an attempt to reach a certain hill, where they proposed to take refuge, but found that this also was occupied by the enemy, so they attempted to effect a retirement in skirmishing order. All accounts state that they made a gallant but ineffectual stand. It is ceitain they did everything they could, whilst the enemy fired volley after volley into them. Of 22 men, six only reached the camp. Lieutenant Dowling took Trooper Bucholz up behind him, the latter' .s hor«e having been killed. Then Dowling's horse was in the face. Bucholz was stunned and lay 011 the ground, where he was oveilooked by the Boeis-. GENERAL BULLER'S SECOND ADVANCE.