THE SPION KOP FIGHT. February 19.

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

THE SPION KOP FIGHT. February 19.

! The Daily Telegraph's Capetown corre- , spondent writes that the Boers were surprised at Spion Kop by a body of infantry under Major-general Woodgate, which left the British camp under cover of darkness, and noiselessly scaled the precipice on the western side. The men reached the base of the mountain after a long and difficult detour about 2 o'clock in the morning, and gained the crest without being observed. The enemy's sentry then challenged, and the answer was a ringing British cheer and a bayonet charge, the ,-entry being killed along with other Boers. Our leading section occupied the first trench, but another trench was excavated by the enemy before daybreak. Our men coolly waited for the stern work before them. By good luck a mist covered the mountain, but when it lifted for a moment the little battalion were assailed by a heavy fire. The interchange of shots continued without causing much loss. Until the mist had disappeared, and while the British were waiting the order to advance, the whole Boer position 'was subjected to a heavy fire of lyddite and shrapnel, but this had fallen off somewhat about 9 o'clock, when the sun cleared away the mist. Then the Boers secured the face of the tableland with a hail of bullets at long range, while their Creusot and Hotchkiss guns commenced shelling from tli3 ridge. Our men began to fall fa^t, and at one time it appeared that they would be obliged to retire before the overwhelming odds, but they stuck to their positions gallantly. Reinforcements arrived at 2in the ( afternoon, but before the main body had arrived the Boers rushed up to the trenches 1 , pointed their rifles, and called upon the section to surrender. Our men refused, and, ere we could use our bayonets, the enemy fired, and a number fell. As our reinforcements reached the crest of the hill the space became congested with troops, and there was little cover, whilst the bullets rained and the shell fire was heavy, a number being killed. Unfortunately there was no water on the top of Spion Kop, and it was simply impossible to take the guns up the steep sides, while the fire from the enemy's masked guns on our artillery made the position untenable. Only the heroic conduct of our officers and men prevented the overwhelming numbers of the enemy from rushing the position. Early in the day the Boers exhibited s-plen-did courage, some actually standing in front of the firing line. Three times one party coolly walked up to the trench occupied by the Lancashire 'Fusiliers, with their hands thrown up and their rifles I slung, in an endeavour to trick our men j into believing that they were surrendering. j Then some one of their number fired a shot while they were parleying. Instantly there was a melee. Some of the British charged with the bayonet, while others grappled the Boers, but not before the latter got in a volley, tumbling many dead backwards into the trenches'. On the next two occasions when the Boers tried the trick the defenders simply fired and drove them off. A desperate firo from the rifles and the -Maxim automatic shells 'caused great havoc. ' After five hours" desperate fighting the bat- , talion on Spion. Kop was exposed to a cross fire from five different directions, and eventua'ly, at 9 at night, our men ,\vere ordered to retire. Sir Charles Warren's force recrossed the Tugela the same night and the following morning. The Boers allege that their loss at Spion Kop was only 151, including a German offi- . cer.