NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 95, 8 May 1900, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE DOOKNSPRUIT DISASTER. STARTLING PARTICULARS. HORRIBLE BLUNDERING. Received 7, 11.56 p.m. Sydney, May 7. The Jftmi correspondent, writing on April 2nd, gives particulars of the disaster to General Broadwood's column at Doornspruit. " The whole affair is inexplicable. The merest neophyte ii the art of war, one would imagine Would have taken the trouble to fine out if any of the enemy were in th neighbourhood before camping in : hostile country, and the youngest sub altern would have been cashiered if b was guilty of bivouacking withou throwing out pickets. The Boers cam down without warning, and it wasonl as the British were prepared to crof the donga that the whole scheme of tl B»er attack was painfully apparen One hundred of the enemy sue denly emerged from the dong and within 80 yards range, wil rides ready to tire, demandtd tl surrender of batteries and waggon Almost simultar.e ms with the appeal ance of the hundred Boers was tl arrival of 800 more, who rushed to tb scene by way of various spruits, an the entire force was practically sui rounded. 'Throw down your arm* was the next order. Many did s utterly demoralised by the suddennei of the attack, but a portion of Roberts Horse and others made a dash fur frei dom and were literally cud to piece. 0 10.-iiig about 90. The scene hei beggars description. Huddled togetht jn batches were piunging horses, mei waggons, shrieking Kaffirs, and gum Tha artillerists fought bravely enougl "■ but there was no chance, for one of th batteries,« U,' was right on the dong when attacked. Out of this it issai that only a major, sergeant-majoi cjrporal, and fourteen men wer hit to tell the tale. The sei geant-major made a gallant attem[i to rescue one of the guts and thouj;! the near-side wheeler was lying deadii the poles succeeded in lashing up th gan away for Eome distance, and at te npted, single-handed, to get it int > ac.ion before it again fell into th fcunds of the enemy. The whole of th gamtf the <y' Battery mrattan

fore captured by the Boers. Oa our left flank the New Zealand Mounted Infantry went, unaware of the seriousness of the engagement goiDg on in the donga. They ;were sent down with a portion of Roberts's Horse, and oponed up the retreat to Boesman's Kop, towards which, by a very circuitous route, carrying them far to the south, the rest of the battered brigade made its way. As our men fell back aud sought shelter among the long, rank grass, the Boers boldly pursued and shot many of them from the saddle, recklessly exposing themselves to our fire. One of the New Zealanders' waggons was captured, and the driver, Pitt, was sent, with a wounded attache, to some tin houses near where the battle took place. In the hurry and turmoil of the scrimmage he was apparently forgotterj, for he found his way back to his company without further mishap. Amongst the missing New Zealanders are:—Quartermaster Sergt. Berland, Sergt. Harris, and Privates Jewell, Oatherall, Franklin, J. U. Riley, G. Powell, the two Butlers, Prosser, Valintine, Pope, Tarrant, Cosser, E. H. Palmer, Waldie, and Miller—l 6in all, who, with the exception of Quartermaster Borland, supposed to be badly wounded, are prisoners."