LATER CAPE NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2200, 15 March 1881, Page 3

LATER CAPE NEWS.

THE BATTLE OF LAINGSNEK. [Per s.s. Botomahana, at the Bluff.] NATAL, February 7. At six on the morning of January 28th the order to advance was sounded. A mounted squadron, composed of seventy men of the 60th, led up to the Flat, which lies between here and Neck, followed by the Naval Brigade, with three rocket tubes, the 58th, end a body of artillery, with two seven-pounders and four nine-pounders, the Mounted Polioe bringing up in the reor with the ambulanoes. The Flat was reached without the enemy making ony demonstration. The rocket tubes then took up a position on the loftfront, nearly facing the high road which runs through Neck. To the right two ninepounders and seven-pounders were unlimbered, and on the extreme right the other two nine-pounders. One company of Rifles (a detachment of the 21st) and tho Gatlings were_ left in camp. At 9.55 the guns began shelling Neck. By this time the Boers were seen at the top of Neck, but not a shot had been fired by them. General Oolley commanded in person, and was aware of the strength of the enemy's position, Majors Poole and Bukett having reconnoitred the place during the night After three-quarters-of-an-hour's firing, during which the guns made excellent praotice, it was thought practicable. to carry the position 500 yards to the left of the Boers' lines at Neck at the point of the bayonet. A mounted squadron was accordingly ordered to take the hill at the extreme right, the 58th to carry the height, that is to say, the position just referred to. On the right, Colonel Deane, Major Essex, Major Poole, Lieutenant Ewes, Lieutenant inman, staff, led. Major Brownlow and Captain Hornby commanded the Mounted Infantry. When the leading companies of the 58th got about halfway up the rise, the first troop of the mounted squadron, led by Major Brownlow and Sergeant-Major Luny, charged a kopje held by the enemy on the extreme right. The men rode close up to the place, and in about five seconds half the saddles were empty. As an imtanoe of valour shown by the mounted men, SergeantMajor Luny actually got into the trenches of the Boers, but was there immediately shot dead, half a dozen rifles being fired at him. The squadron retired after the first destructive volley, and re-formed,and a seoond time charged up the hill in the same way. Nothing, however, could live under the fire, and they fell back, with seventeen men killed and wounded, and thirty-two horses kors de comhat. By the time the cavalry were in retreat, the 58th were attacking the hill. The first rush up the incline made the men blow hard. The grass was long, and the previous day's rain made a quick movement forward hard work. After two minutes' rest, they gained a slight ridge intervening between them and the position they were trying to reach. Before the order given to deploy to the right could be carried out, and the moment the heads of our men were seen by the enemy over the ridge, and while the men were somewhat crowded together, the front company received a terrific volley, the Boers enfilading them on the right flank. After about five minutes under this fire our men retired as best they could. Colonel Deane called for a charge, and immediately afterwards his horse was shot under him, and he fell to the ground. Springing to his feet he reassured the men, calling out, "I am all right." The words were hardly out of his lips when he fell again, this time mortally wounded. When Colonel Deane called for a charge Major Hingeston and other officers went well to the front in order to encourago them for the desperate work before them. When the colonel was laid low Major Hingeston took oommand, and gave the order to fix bayonets. He was immediately shot down, and has since died. The Boers during this time kept well within their entrenchments, our men lying on the ground taking a shot whenever an opponent was seen. When the British rose up to charge the fire poured into them is described by everyone who came back as something terrible to remember. Our men were actually within twenty yards of the trenches and lying on the ground kept up the fire. That of the Boers told with fearful effect, whilst ours was 'necessarily less destructive. Here Major' Poole and Lieutenant Dolphin were killed. Their bodies were found afterwards lying well to the front. Captain Lovegrove was seriously wounded, and nearly all She noncommissioned officers were either killed or seriously wounded. Those who survived the fire say that in the Boer lines they saw coloured men armed for fighting, but whether Hottentots or Kaffirs they cannot say. Whether they were under compulsion or election is an equally open matter. The fact remains, however, and cannot be disputed. The only commissioned officers with the regiment who came out of it are Captain Jjovogrove (wounded), Lieutenant Jopp, Lieutenant Bolton, Hon. Monok, Acting - Adjutant O'Donnell (wounded), Morgan, Hill, Peel, Lacy, and Quarter-Master Wallace. Captain Hornby, of the 58th, in command of the mounted squadron, now commands the 58th. Out of five staff officers there, only one, Major Essex, came out alive. He must bear a charmed life, being one of the survivors of Isandula. Beturning to the details of the encounter, there is but the fact to add that the 58th was compelled to retire. Lieutenant Bailie, who carried the regimental colors being mortally wounded, Lieutenant Peel offered to assist. " Never mind me, save the colors," was the reply. Peel, who was carrying the Queen's color, took both, but, falling into a hole, Sergeant Bridstock, thinking he had been shot, took the oolors and ran with them out of danger. The body of Bailie was recovered on the following day, minus boots, leggings, &c. This applies to the accoutrements of all the men. When the retreat commenced, the Artillery began firing fast on the Boers, who now showed themselves and kept up a oonstant fusilade on our men. The shells did good service, and kept the Boers from following our men. But for the artillery at this moment the loss of life must have been greater than it was on our side. The practice of the artillery was really splendid, the shells dropping within ten or fifteen yards beyond the regiment in retreat. Upon reaching the foot of the hill the 68th Regiment refilled their pouches with ammunition, and were prepared to make another attempt to storm the position. They found seventy-three killed and 100 wounded. The 58th having come up to the guns the whole force then fell back towards the camp. A flag of truce was sent forward to the enemy, and both parties engaged in the work of burying the dead and removing the wounded. The offer of a surgeon to attend the woun-ied Boers was refused by them. They probably sent their wounded away, as waggons were seen later on travelling in the direction of Wakkerstroom. General Colley, addressing the troops after the disaster at Laingsnek, said—" I wish everybody to understand that the entire blame of to-day's repulse rests on me, and not on any of you." He went on to say that we had suffered no loss of prestige, and that he was determined to take the field. The Boer General's report on the battle, says that there were only from seventy to eighty Boers present when the blue jackets charged, but just then Commandant-General Joubert appeared on the scene with reinforcements. Joubert gives his loss at twenty-four disabled.