Abandonment of Spinkop

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9560, 30 January 1900, Page 4

Abandonment of Spinkop

GENERAL BULLER'S DES- ' ; PATCH.

(Preet Association— Ctopjright.)

LONDON, Jan. 29. General Buller cabled that. General Wan-en's position up to Thursday was perfectly tenable, though the advance was difficult. „..,. „..,, .

Owing to the enemy's strong position, stretching from Acton Homes through Spionkop to Tugela, General Warren was unable to secure an effective position owing to the steepness of the southern slopes, and experiencing a deficiency of water. He seized Spionkop, the key of his position, and held the crests of the mountain on Wednesday with great gallantry. / The Second Cameroriians,' Third King's Royal Rifles, Second Lancashire, Fusiliers, Second Middlesex,and Thorneycroft Mounted troops, be-

hayed magnificently, maintaining the best traditions of the army throughout a trying day. Woodgate's successor abandoned Spionkop before daylight on Thursday. General Buller immediately ordered a withdrawal to the south of Tugela, and by eight on Saturday morning General Warren's force was across without the loss of a man or a pound of stores, though in some places their opponent's lines were less than a thousand yards apart. General Buller claims tiiat the perfect withdrawal is a proof of the morale of the army, and the evidence of the Boers,' respect for the British fighting powers, or they would not have allowed them to recross a bi'oad and very swift river, with the bants twenty feat high, unmolested. Further particulars show that the British came within eighty yards of the Spionkop trenches before the Boers awoke to their presence. They .'fired a harmless volley and then fled, . . , At daybreak the Boers opened a withering shell fire, splendidly accurate, from a high point eastward beside storming with great detenmnation. , , j A part of Generals Lytteltons and Coke's brigades reinforced the Cameronians. The King's Royal Rifles scaled the steepest side of Spionkop, but when half way up were exposed to a sharp flanking fire, and lost heavily. Climbing on hands and knees they reached the summit panting and exhausted. The British held the eastern and western range all Wednesday. ; The Boers held the .intermediate range, besides commanding position? on an adjacent kopje.