DESERTED MAGERSFONTEIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2407, 19 April 1900, Page 26

DESERTED MAGERSFONTEIN.

WHAT THE BRITISH FOUND THESE. CLEVER CONCEALMENT OF. THE BIG

GUN"S POSITION,

The iolloft ing i-i a graphic description, from the pen of one of the Age special correspondents, of Magerifootein : — •

Magerofo.u.tein is ours at last. After'costing us many weeks of" weary waiting and hundreds of brave and useful lives, it has fallen to us without a single blow. The few shells fired by the Boers on the night of the 15 Ih were evidently a farewell salute, for early on Ihe following morning the observers reported from the balloon and outposts that the hill and trenches were apparently- deserted. It v/as at once decided to determine the accuracy or otherwise of the report, and shortly before 9 o'clock the Guards, the Fighting Fifth (Northumberland Fusiliers), and the Yorks Regiment moved forward in skirmishing ord-ir with the object of searching the kopjes. The utmost caution was adopted in leaking the advance. A couple of observers were on the crow's nest in front of No. 2 redoubt, and on the redoubt itself every instrument had a gunner posted at it with orders to scan the country on all sides, and report at once any signs of a movement on the part of the enemy. The 4.7 guns of the siege train battery were cleared i«s action, ammunition was brought up, and every preparation made to open fire in the event of Boars showing themselves. The infantiy went forward slowly, taking advantage of every bit of cover. But as they approached nearer and nearer the foot of Magersfontein their cor fidence increased. The field glasses failed to reveal any sign of an enemy, and gradually the fear that perhaps they might be advancing into a death-trap disappeared. A few minutes later a systematic investigation began. It at once became apparent that the enemy had left the previous evening, or early that morning, and had done so hurriedly, if not actually in a panic. In one of the very first trenches examined some saddening traces of the fateful engagement of the 11th December Avere found. Piled up in confusion Aveie hundreds of kilts, helmets, and jackets, which had at one time belonged to the lads of the Highland Brigade, who, in that memorable assault, had fallen victims to the murderous accuracy of the Boer rifle fire. When the trenches which had most recently been occupied by the enemy came under the notice of the searching parties it at once became manifest that Cronje's army mu?t have cleared out at an instant's notice. Civilian clothing, evidently the property of departed Boers, was lying about in all directions. Brown boots, black boots, patent leather boots — boots, in fact, of all descriptions — were found everywhere in such quantities as seemed to suggest that every individual Transvaaler and Free Stater must have begun the campaign remarkably well provided with pedal coverings. Trousers, coats, waistcoats, under vs3ts, shirts, slouch hats, necktie?., handkerchiefs, socks, etc., were to bo seen at every corner, and on the following day the British troops at Modder River turned out like toffs in clean underclothing and white shirts — luxuries they hud not known for some time. The oft-repeated story that the Boers had a number of women and children with them at Magersfontein received ample confirmation, for several lots of women's clothing were unearthed, and, strangely enough, a few baby feeding bottles as well, came to light in one of the huts behind the entrenchments. A

sergeant of the Guards discovered a silk dress in the pocket of which was a lady's small gold watch. The watch, which was found about 2 p.m. on Friday, was -still going, and probably had been wound up not more than ai dozen hours previously.

Getting behind the hill new discoveries were made. In a hut or cottage about half a million rounds of Mauser cartridges were brought to light, and, it is almost needless to add, promptly destroyed. On the crest of the hill there lay a dismantled gun "and gun carriage, evidently one of those which, the Boers used on the 16th and 17th of January, but, a good deal to the surprise of many, not a trace could be discovered ai first of the big piece of ordnance which had long been known among our men as the "Magersfontein gun." The mystery, however, wag solved when the second line of kopjes, about a couple of hundred yards to the rear of the first line, came under investigation. It was there, behind the crest of the second hill, which is almost exactly of the same height as the first, that ths big gun had been fixed! on rails, along which it recoiled on discharge.. The smoke, rising at once above the first line oi kopjes, would, of course, convey to our gunners and observers the idea that it had beea fired from the nearest hill, whereas, as a matter of fact, its real position was considerably in the rear.

Continuing their work of investigation, tho" Yorks and the Northumberlauds came on considerable quantities of loose provisions. , Numerous hams, some whole and some cut.' bottles of brandy, whisky, and gin. tinnedmeafs, preserves, and biscuits rewarded the search, and though looting is, as Kipling feiys, ' : entered a- a crime," it is beyond doubt that sin^a Friday last there lias been a decided falling oil in. the trade done at theva;iius genoxvl stores at Modder River.

Pciietiutiiig beyond the hills in the direction, in which Cronje's own lieadqi nrters were weeks ago Fttspected to be, our troops made moro interesting and curious finds. In a tent* whic.i it is generally believed the Boer general' must have occupied, an officer of the Guards found tne dword which he himself had 'lost on Dr-r>ember 11. Tn ths same tent a privace picked up a s o-,u,lc of 1 andsome rings, for one. of which hs afterward-s rpfussd the modest bum. of £35 ; another soldier annexsd an oldfashioned word-bayonet, bearing a monogram, believed to be Oronje's. A heap of English official blu? envelopes bearing the legend " On Her Majesty's Sci-vicj," and, mosb significant find of ail. tevrrai hundred unopened letters, haaving various Tr«in.a\ Aal and Free State po3fc i^arkd, find c f ;)]1 dutes from three months £.go . up to within tho past 10 days, turned up in. another corner of tho teat. The letters in. question were addressed to different members of the Boer commandos, and a fe^v, which, were thoughtlessly broken open by some of our soldiers before their officers had an opportunity of reminding them that such correspondeuco must bo kept iotaet, were found to be written ii«. D"i!c'i, and to were not understandable, to tho=e into whose hand 3 they had fallen. In view of the habit which the enemyhod of miuiiaisiug their losses in killed and' wounded, one cannot help wondering how many bereave .l Boer wives and mothers 1 these letter.- ie;ires3nt — women who, up to the present time, ha\ o boon carefully kept in cruel ignorance of the face that their husbands, sons, and sweet!) parts havo fallen victims to their own rashness in opposing the irresistible might of England.

Magersfontein has been visited by almost every English officer, and not a few others', who could get away from camp, and a good deal of admiration v. aj expressed at the scientific nnnticr in which the Boors had strengthened the great natural defence.; of the hill. Contrary to general belief, nothing in tho shape of barbeJ-vire fences was found, bub only a couple of lines of ordinary wire fencing, such as would hardly be an obstacle at all to a body of infantry charging witli the bayonet. The enemy's trenches had been laid on the most approved European methods, and at such angles as would have enabled c their occupants to swesp with a furious enfilade fire any body of troops advancing to make a frontal attack. They were for the roost part douVe trenches, that is. trenches dug in parallel line?, about 6ft wide and <sffc deep, with the excavated earth thrown up a"<itf forming a breastwork between them. Of the mines, with which the ground in front of the Boer centre was reported to be honeycombed 1 , no signs were discoverable ; in fact, the more closely tbe vacated position is examined the more evident does it become that it was sheer bad luck which caused the attack of Deoeniber 11 to result so disastrously.