THE NATAL FRONTIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 22

THE NATAL FRONTIER.

(CAPETOWN, March 1

After six days' hard fighting the British established themselves on the lower spurs of Pieter's Hill. < The Inniskillings, Dublins, and Connaughts made desperate efforts to capture the heights. Facing a murderous fire, they were simply mown down.

The Inniskillings were almost annihilated. The colonel, both majors, and two senior captains were phot. The Connaughts lost five officers wounded. , It was found impossible to silence the Boers' effective shell fire. X 'Their entrenchments completely dominated the British position. Three days of fruitless and incessant fighting followed, which compelled General Buller to attack the hill from a point more to the eastward. General Barton, Avith battalions of the 6th Brigade of the Dublins, scaled a precipitous cliff, capturing the position, artd turning the Boers' left flank. General Warren then assaulted the main position, presumably Onderbroek Mountain, the South Lancashires magnificently storming, and scattering the Boers in all directions. The General in his despatch adds that a considerable " body of< .—Boers is still at -Bulwana Mountain.

The British losses on Tuesday were notheavy. - ; 1 ' March 4. The Onsland, the official organ of the Afrikander Bond, asserts that General Joubert commenced the - withdrawal of his troops - from Natal on Sunday, the 25th ult. ' It further declares that General Jou■bert's future tactics will be solely of a defensive character. ■ ! LONDON, February 27. ! The Naval , Brigade shelled Isimbulwana Hill, to the south-east of Ladysmith. On Monday last, the forces under General White co-operated with those under Generaf" Buller. Letters received here from officers at the front in Natal reveal the fact that General Buller- ordered 'the attack on Spion Kop solely in order to relieve the pressure on the division under Sir Charles Warren. February 28. The Irish Brigade rank and file casualties on Friday were 252. The Inniskillings lost four out of 17 officers. Severe fighting continues in the vicinity of Pieters Station.

tain, the South Lancashires magnificently storming, and scattering the Boers in all directions. The General in Iris despatch adds that a considerable " body. of< .—Boers is still afc -Bulwana Mountain. The British losses on Tuesday were not heavy. March 4. The Onsland, the official organ of the Afrikander Bond, asserts that General Joubert commenced the - withdrawal of his troops - from Natal on Sunday, the 25th ult. ' It further declares that General Jou■bert's future tactics will be solely of a defensive character. LONDON, February 27. The Naval , Brigade shelled Isimbulwana Hill, to the south-east of Ladysmith. On Monday last, the forces under General White co-operated with those under Generaf" Buller. Letters received here from officers at the front in Natal reveal the fact that General Buller- ordered 'the attack on Spion Kop solely in order to relieve the pressure on the division under Sir Charles Warren. February 28. The Irish Brigade rank and file casualties on Friday were 252. The Inniskillings lost four out of 17 officers. Severe fighting continues in the vicinity of Pieters Station. The Boers admit 600 casualties. General , Joubert is removing his stores and ammunition^across the Klip 'River. March 1. General Buller reports the capture of the enemy's main position, and the taking of 60 prisoners. General Buller was baffled in his attack upon Langverwachb Spruit, and, after sustaining very heavy losses, chiefly on the part of the Inniskillings; and Fusiliers, he withdrew his force across the Xugela, but again crossed it elsewhere on the 27th (Tuesday). Then the Dublin Fusiliers crept along for a mile and a-half, a&cended a cliff 500 ft high, and carried Pieter's Hill. The Queen has telegraphed to General Buller, expressing- her deepest concern at the heavy losses experienced by her brave Irish soldiera.

It is officially announced that Lady* smith is relieved.

Lord Dundonald, at the head of the Natal Carbineers and a composite regiment, entered Ladysmilk on Wednesday night.

General Buller is advancing from Nelthorpe, which is reported to be clear of the enemy.

General Buller has entered Ladysmith.-

The garrison had been living on horses and mules and a half pound of meal per day.

Mr Winston Churchill, in his account of General Buller's advance, estimates that there were 10,000 Boers and seven guns at Pieter's Hill.

Mr Bennet Burleigh states that the difficulties in _ General Buller's path were stupendous, and that his progress had to be painfully slow.

The intervening country between Cfesar's Hill and Buller's army is studded with hiils, and intersected by streams.

The capture, of Pieter's Hill was preceded by a terrific conflict. The Boers - were bayoneted. It was the most desperate incident of the campaign.

The Somersets and Durhams repulsed a determined attack made by the enemy on Fort Wylie on Sunday night. The barbed wire entanglements bewildered the Boers, who lost 40 men.

The Boers are retreating by the newline of railway east of Isimbulwana Hill, where it junctions with the main line across the Klip River. They have also constructed a new line from Harrismith to Kronsladt.

Soldiers' private letters received in England indicate that during the attack on Spion Kop a British provision convoy passed into Ladysmith. If this is confirmed it explains Buller's action.

nne or railway east oi Isimbulwana Hill, where it junctions with the main line across the Klip River. They have also constructed a new line from Harrismith to Kronsladt. Soldiers' private letters received in England indicate that during the attack on Spion Kop a British provision convoy I passed into Ladysmith. If this is confirmed it explains Buller's action. I General Buller reports that the Boers are retreating in hot haste. Except a 1 small rear guard north of Surprise Hill and south of Ladysmith the besiegers have vanished. The Ladysmith garrison will require a little nursing^ before they are fit for service.

It is feared that the Boers saved their guns. Their sudden retreat from Ladyj smith is largely attributed to Lord Roberts's victory. March 2. . The Times correspondent at Ladysmith' ' says that when" the British relief column made their entry into the town many pathetic and moving scenes were . wit« ". nessed. j The women, with their children in their arms, tearfully grasped the hands of their rescuers, and strong men burst into tears. . | Seventy - three waggons loaded with ' stores have arrived at Ladj r smith. j A party consisting of 70 Umbulwana Boers, when retreating from the advance ' of the British, halted on the 23rd ult. opposite to the town of Ladysmith. A' battery of artillery gave them a rousing ,v farewell, annihilating the majority. I Major-general Barton was wounded in the fighting on the 27th ult. 'March 3. Boulders sheltered the trenches at the nek leading to Pieters Hill. General Buller used 95 guns, the lyddite sweeping the entire range. The havoc was terrible. The wounded were yellow from the fumes. The British infantry, advancing in three simultaneous assaults, felt the effec f s of the lyddite fumes. Lieutenant-colonel Kitchener, commanding General Wynne's brigade, bore the brunt of the engagement. The Royal Lan- ' casters, and South- Lancashires accompany-" j ing them, led the assault. The • Boers - j doggedly stuck to their trenches -in thenek until bayoneted. ] On the flanks the onslaught was irrej sistible. The Bows were paralysed, firing wildly. Those persisting were bayoneted in trench after trench. , The Royals on reaching the summit surmounted their bayonets with their helmets. 1 The West Surreys, and General Barton's force on the right, completed the victory. One hundred prisoners were taken. The ! majority are Hollanders, who were glad to be taken. The British buried 100 Jioers. Seven officers were killed and 25 wounded, including an Australian, H. B. Macartney, of the Royal Fusiliers. Our casualties in men were 170.

When Gr.obler's Kloof was evacuated ftihe artillery pushed its limits to the posi tions won by the Boers' Bulwana cannonade.

General Buller's cavalry advancing on foadysmith, Colonel Gough found the aridges to the south-east unoccupied. Lord (Dundonald, with two squadrons of Light 'Horse and Carbineers, swiftly traversed the gap, and were welcomed to Ladysmith.

General Buller on Friday wired : '' The defeat of the Boers is fuller than I Bared anticipate. The . whole district is "clear, except on top of Van Reenen's Pass. The last train left Modder Spruit on Thursday, when the Boers exploded the 'bridge. They had packed their waggons 'six cays ago and moved north of Lady'smith, abandoning vast quantities of ammunition, herds, and necessaries, but took all their guns except two."

Ladysmith lost 30 officers and 513 men ikilled or died by disease, 70 officers and 520 men wounded, exclusive of civilians and . natives. - Eight thousand soldiers passed through the hospital. The garrison suffered great privations.

Since the middle of January rations were reduced " after each of General Buller's re-

buffs. Finally the allowance was half a pound of horse flesh, half a pound of biscuit, an ounce of sugar, and one-third of an ounce of tea daily. * The garrison are pale and listless, and tumble to join in the pursuit of the Boers. Most of the horses belonging to the field batteries were converted into -soup and sausages.

Twelve thousand shells were thrown into the town. They did little damage, and only killed 35 and wounded 188.

At the battle of Pieters Hill women were in the Boer trenches until three hours before the British charged. Two were found ■ — one, aged 70, being dead, and the other, aged 60, dying. The latter declared that heu husband kept her in the trench because she was a good shot. March 4 Lord Roberts now admits that he considered it almost hopeless to relieve Ladysmith.

The Queen's message to Generals Buller and White begani: — "Thank "God!" and after congratulations paid- a tribute to the heroism displayed.

General White, in thanking- the Queen, said any hardships- and privations had baen "compensated for a hundredfold by the sympathy and appreciation of the Queen. The message would ■do mqre to retone the officers, and men than anything else.

Deliberate Boer pollution of the water feupply of was the chief cause of disease and suffering.

General White reports that while Lord Dundonald's cavalry came galloping towards Ladysmith on Wednesday, at sunset, "an outpost in the scrub on Waggon Hill suddenly challenged them, and received the reply that it 'was the relieving army. Then the battered, pale, wV>rn, and almost bootless men crowded round tbem, cheering very feebly, and conducted Lord Dundonald to General White.

Then the garrison and the civilians rushed out to meet the relievers.

The sick and wounded crawled from their tents fco cheer, and the whole scene was one of uncontrollable excitement.

The cavalry then started in pursuit of the retiring enemy, hoping to capture their big> gun " Long Tom/ which had been previously removed from Ishnbulwana Hill. ■

On the same day General 'White, addressing the citizens in the semi-darkness, lauded their heroic patience, ■ and sard : "It hurt me terribly to reduce your rations, but, thank God, we • kept the flag flying."

Durban and Capetown are del -ous with joy.

Several children and one baby, wrapped in a blanket, were -found in the trenches at Pieters Hill.

Lieutenant Brassey, of the 9th Lancers, s son of Albert, nephew of Lord Brassey, was killed during the advance to the relief of Ladysmitb. „, March 5. Many Boers are retreating in the direction of Biggarsberg, near Dundee. The British are sending additional mounted troops to Zululand to intercept the Boers. The Queen congratulated the bluejackets who assisted General Bulle" in the -flief of Ladysmith. General Joubert '%. collecting a' - , tr"ces at Abraham's Kraal.