The Battle OF Ladysmith.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 9496, 27 November 1899, Page 2

The Battle OF Ladysmith.

FURTHEB

SYDNEY, November 25.

At the I: -dysn ith the Boer gunnois sent shel's flyng through the air in scarei f-om thei: Ion? Toms, or 40 pounders c? they are rick nprneJ, but although tbey we.'e exner'e in getting the range tho shots did no gre J damage. Tho greater pn; of the British guns were out of ad;on, not being within range of the Boen' long distance metal. The Boers bad an admirable position. Ihey foimed a ngment of a circle rouid the Biitish with artilleiy cross fire. There was no central objective or no individual position to storm and take.

The Boers seamed to be in every position in the vicinity, and thero were not enough Bri ish to storm half a dczen hilts at once. The Boers did not attempt to pui sue as the British retired to ladysraitb. The brunt of the fight was on the where tho chaos of liro was awful.

The Maxim and Hotchkiss rifle artillery belched fuith, the Boers serving and manning the guns with indomitable pluck. The arrival of a naval brigade with two long range 12»pouudors saved tho situation and got their guns into position with the loss of a man. At the eighth shot they silenced the long toms effectually.

In despite of the brilliant victory at tho battle of Dundee on Friday it was found advisable on Sunday night to evacuate the to'wn to avoid the possibility of being cut off from our main bedy at Ladysmith, That General Joubert was close ht hand with no less than 17,000 men and three 40* pounders, was known on Friday evering after the battle, and distant filing was plainly hoard in Dundee camp Miat evening, which sceoud to indicate that he was er page d \vi f h a body of reinforcements expect*d f-ora Lady« smith. The tenb had bren s.ruck preparatory to shifting c. mp, and the men who were fighting at! tho previous day drenched to tho skin, wore just about maki'i'g un effort to get fettled in their new quarters, when a shifliug boom of big guns was heard close by and a shell fell right in tho middle cf the camp, followed by others at rapid intervals.

It was found that tho Boors had taken up a position at two poiut3 on thelmpata mountain on the north aido of the camp. No damage was done by the shells. The Boeis made admirable shooting with heivy guns and it was soon evident the (jump must be evacuated. This was done and the men wet and woaiy marched out of the range of the Boor artilleiy, though not before one shell took effect, kiilin<? Lieut, Hannah arid a private of the Leicester regiment, as we!'. as a Ciuple of horses. One of tho enemy's shells fell sotlo3e to the field telegraph that the telegraphists very promptly oleared out.

Again the Boers fired on the field hospital, Many poor fellows wouaded in Friday's battle left their teats and made for the town. Ttoro was great consternation among the townspeople, including the town guard, a d nearly everybody left the hotels and houses and made for the open veldt. Here

they , camped under wagons all the wet chilly night, which was bitterly cold. Early on Sunday the welcome Elnndslaagute victory came at the mouth of a Berg Dutchman,' who i was caught pushing a wounded j comrado along the railway on a trolly, IHo said the Laucers did terriblo j Ipxi'oution amongst the Brers at ! Elandslaagate, Late on Sunday night the maroh commenced and safely reached Ladysmith, Tlie ; lyfin'om'eer Pass, through which they ror robed, could hive beon ; held against an army by fifty men, but there was not a sign of a Boer there-