HOW THE HIGHLAND BRIGADE FELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 33

HOW THE HIGHLAND BRIGADE FELL.

THE BOER TRENCHES DESCRIBED.

Dr M'lnerney (says the Melbourne Argus) has received two letters from his brother, Captain M'lnerney, both written from Enslin, and bearing date respectively December 10 and December ; 27. The letters contain an entertaining account of the daily routine of the Victorian men, and in the latter one the following brief, but extremely interesting, description is given of the Magersfontein disaster. This occurred on December 11, and the details were, Captain M'lnerney said, only becoming known at the date of his letter. He proceeds : —

" The Boers' position was a very strong one — a strong kopje, about 300 ft high, and extending in a ridge for about three miles. From this ridge the Boers' position stretched right back to the Modder River. The Boers had some 200 head of cattle grazing between their position on the ridge and the river. When the British sent up the war balloon they saw the cattle grazing, and assumed that the main Boer position was on the ridge near where the cattle were, and accordingly shelled it with lyddite. It was only when poor Wauchope anti the Highland Brigade marohed to their slaughter that it was discovered that the Boers had terraced the face of the kopje with rifle-pits, and that the earth from the trenches had been carted away, so as not to disclose the position of the trenches. The pits were of such dimensions that men and horses could go through them without being seen, and they were so constructed that even if our men had reached the first line of trenches, the trenches so reached could be enfiladed from both flanks. The engineering for the Boers was done by a sergeant-major of the Royal. Engineers, who had been dismissed from the service some years ago. When in the service he was acknowledged to have been an exceptionally able man, although an unreliable and dishonest one. He has certainly proved both his capacity and his vileness. If we catch him, his death will not be one of shooting."

[The sergeant-major referred to is Greener, who was captured, and has since been shot as a traitor. He belonged to the Engineers at Aldershot, and from a member of the Permanent Force who knew him the Post learns that he' deserted when it was discovered that he was concerned with a foreman of Messrs

Martin and Wells (army contractors, London) in the selling of lead and zinc, the property of the Crown, to another London firm. The method adopted by Greener and his confederate was a bold and hazardous one. The pair would enlist the services of a steam sapper for the haulage of the stolen materials to a railway station, whence it would be booked through to the purchasing firm. The scheme was eventually exposed by Mr Labouchere in Truth, whereupon the London firm advised Greener that steps were beings taken for his arrest. Acting on this hint, he obtained seven days' leave of absence before his officers became aware of the oircumstances, and at once made good hisescape.]