NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Colonist, Volume XLIII, Issue 9688, 18 January 1900, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The Battle of TugelaBritish ValourHobaet, January 17. The s.s. Papanui arrived at 1 p.m. and she brought < ape files to the 27th December. Farther particulars of the fight at Colenso show that the volunteers and irregular forces behaved admirably under trying circumstances. The men advanced with little cover under a heavy fire from an entrenched and invisible enemy, without artillery support, notwithstanding which they exhibited pluck and coolness that would have been a credit to veterans. Thorneycroft's troop faced a heavy cross fire, and lost one officer and four men killed, and seven dfficers and twenty-seven men wounded. A squadron of the Imperial Light Horse had a warm time, and then they dismounted, and when moving in extended formation acrosa a level country were surprised by a heavy rifle fire from an invisible enemy, apparently four hundred yards distant. The men immediately fell flat on the ground, subsequently retiring, but losing three men killed and seven wounded. The South African Light Horse were Btationed two miles from Colenso, but they reoeived their baptism of fire, which they found very distressing. Two officers were wounded, and four troopers killed and nineteen wounded, while two officers and eleven men are missing. Forty horses were shot. All the officers and men behaved grandly. Many acts of heroism are reported. LJeutenant McKay, of the Carbineers,! was wounded, and Trooper Young, under a heavy fire, carried him fifty yards at imminent risk of life. Lieutenant Ponsonby, who was ordered to retire, remained behind with a wounded man, dressed his injnries, and then tried to oarry him to safety. Whilst thus engaged his helmet was perforated by a bullet, but the injured man's life was short, a bullet lodging in his stomach causing death. Lieutenant Ponsonby then took shelter for a time, and then passed on, receiving an arm wound, and his coat was perforated. Seeing his condition, a Boer advanced

within a short distance to make sure of his" victim, bat Ponsonby shot him dead with" his revolver. Private Dowling discovered Sergeant Sheridan wounded, and carried him half a mile out of danger. Lance-Corporal Farrell made two trips into the field under a hailstorm of bullets and brought two wounded men in, but not before dressing their wounds.