THE BATTLE OF ELANDS LAAGTE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XXII, 25 November 1899, Page 971

THE BATTLE OF ELANDS LAAGTE.

HOW IT WAS FOUGHT. BRITISH GALLANTRY AND BOER COURAGE. LONDON. October 23. The British victories in Natal, following each other in quick succession, though accompanied by heavy losses on the side of the victors, bear striking testimony to the valour of the vanquished Boers. They appear to have fallen victims to the very plan on which they counted to drive the British to the sea. They have been beaten in detail by counter strokes carefully considered and brilliantly carried out in the face of courageous

opposition, which has done much to increase British respect for the burghers. whose splendid valour ami determiimtion. it is universally admitted, reached the highest level. Fuller accounts of Saturday's battle at Elands Laagte emphasised the splendid gallantry exhibited on both sides and the superiority of the British in pitched battle, although the Boers fought with the greatest tenacity to the last, only yielding when further fighting was hopeless. An armoured train with the men of the Manchester regiment appeared on the left at Ladysmith at daybreak Saturday in support of the Johannesburg Imperial Light Horse and Natal field artillery, with the object of reopening communication with Elands Laagte. The artillery took up a position above the town and shelled the railway station, from which the Boers ran out. whereupon the British mounted infantry, entering the place, released the English prisoners. The Boers, numbering some 1600 men. with three guns, occupied a commanding position. They poured such a well directed fire on the British, and their scouts were so active, that the British force steadily retired until reinforcements arrived. when the mounted infantry were sent to drive the' Boer scouts from the ridges on the right. A large force of mixed cavalry, in the meanwhile, swept over the plain and up the hill on the right. The lancers met with a heavy fusillade, while on the left a British battery opened fire with good effect. The British infantry, who had debarked from the railway train during the interim, advanced steadily over the plain and up the rocky ridge, previously cleared by the cavalry. The Boer artillery dropped shrapnel into the advancing columns, but the British finally scaled the hill whence overlooked the broad valley to three rocky hills forming the Boers' position, the camp being in the centre.

The Boers had a battery of three large guns. The smaller hills were also strongly held. On the Boer right was the station, in a valley on the British left. The latter's cavalry was on both flanks and a battery on the. right was busy throwing shrapnel at. the Boers' batteries.

The British infantry formed for the attack in extended order behind the brow of the hill, the Devonshires on the left, with four companies of the and some of the Gordons on the right.

At about. 5 p.m. the infantry advanced through the valley as steadily as on a field day. Half way down the slope they met a terrific infantry and artillery fire.

The men fell rapidly and the wounded were carried to the rear, but. in spite of the steady work of the Boer guns and the sharpshooters concealed behind the rocks, the increasing fire of the advancing British infantry gradually gained the upper hand, anil the Manchesters and Gordons, edging towards the right, gained the top of the ridge, thus outflanking the enemy's left.

At 6 o'clock the bugles sounded the “charge," and the British swept ahead. The Boers fought to the last, only attempting to escape when further fighting was hopeless. In the meantime the Devonshires, pressing steadily up the left, were strongly opposed at the Boer camp and from the flanking hills, but carried both at the charge with wild cheers and bugle blasts. By 7 o'clock the British had gained the position, and ''cease firing" was sounded. Three 12* pounder Jf.ordenfeldts were captured, with quantities of munitions.

The Boer dead*)®! wounded among the rocks, who were numerous, were attended to as far as possible in the dark.

General French thanked the troops on the field, especially mentioning < olonel lan Hamilton's splendid handling of the infantry.

The British bivouaced on the captured position Saturday ight. Some estimates place the Boer losses at 500, but this is probably exaggerated. Colonel Scott Chisholm, the only British officer killed, was formerly attached to the Ninth Lancers. He served with distinction in the Afghan war. and organised the present Imperial Light Hone, a majority of whom are refugees from th Rand. The death of General Viljoen is a severe blow to the burghers, and the death of General Kock and the capture of General Pretorius will handicap the further movements of this column. •• The Parliamentary Secretary of the War Office Mr George Wyndham, made a statement in the House of Commons to-day, saving: "Lords Wolseley sums up the position in Natal early this morning as follows: — “‘ln the battle of Elands Laagte, October 21. two guns were captured from the Boers, who lost heavily. •' "A large column of the enemy appeared advancing from the northwest on General Yule, who consequently had fallen back from Dundee and was concentrating at Glencoe Junction. In this operation we gather in the wounded and medical attendants left at Dundee. “‘General White was in position at Ladysmith, and is being reinforced from Pietermaritzburg. “ "The enemy appears to be in large numerical superiority.' "