A SECOND BATTLE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1279, 24 March 1881, Page 2

A SECOND BATTLE.

The following particulars of a disastrous action which General Sir PomeroyColley fought with the Boers on February 9, after the battle of Laingsnek, with the view of preventing the enemy from cutting the communications between his camp at Mount Prospect and Newcastle, are obtained from an account written by the special correspondent of the ( Jupe Times, who was present at the engagement.: — Early on the morning of the 9th February General Sir Pomeroy-Colley moved out of the camp with five companies 60th Regiment, two field and two mountain guns, and a detachment of mounted men, to patrol the road. Leaving the two mounted guns and one company of rifles on a commanding height on the Natal side of the Ingogo, he crossed the river with the remainder of the force. On rising the ridge beyond Ingogo the enemy showed in considerable force. A plateau four miles across in extent, about one mile on the Newcastle side of the river, was seized, the Boers occupying a lower ridge about 600 yards distant, from which they were dislodged by a few shells. Presently the Boers surrounded the hill, and kept up a hot rifle fire, which killed Captain Greer, who commanded the artillery. Lieutenant Parsons succeeded him, and fought his guns with good effect, though all his gunners were Trilled but five, for they were fighting within 500 yards of

the Boers. The reinforcements from the camp did not come up, though the Boers were largely reinforced. At 6 p.m., the Boers showed a white flag, and the British ceased tiring. The Boors, however, re-opeued fire, and wounded Lieutenant Parsons in the hand, and so the British commenced firing also It was estimated Hint from 700 to 1,000 Boers wero engaged. Soon after eight o'clock the British force marched back to camp. General Sir Pomeroy-Colley stated in his despatch that the Boers were repulsed at all points. The special correspondent of the Cape Time* remarks : — "lt is impossible to regard "■ the affair other than a reverse for our side." The British lost about 150 men, killed and wounded, and had to leave most of the latter on the field all night. Captain M'Grogor, assistant military secretary to Sir PomeroyColley, was killed, with several other officers.