THE BOER REBELLION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2213, 30 March 1881, Page 4

THE BOER REBELLION.

THE FIGHT ON THE MAGTJBA. FULL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE. The special correspondent of tho “ Caps Times ” furnishes that journal with tho following graphic account of tho battle on the heights above Langenok, during which General Colley was killed : Heights above Langenek, midday, Sunday, February 271 h destination last night, which was kept profoundly secret till tho moment of starting, was the high hill on the left of tho Nek. Thera are, aa I have described by letter, two lofty hills, one directly on left flank of Mount Prospect Camp, the other some two miles nearer tho Nek, and commanding it; a ridge, along which runs a Kaffir path connecting the two hills. Starting with throe companies of the 58th, two of 930 d Highlanders, sixty Naval Brigade, and one company of Riflas, we left tho company of Rifles at the pass —a difficult and precipitous port of tho path on ridge ; one company of Highlanders remained at the base of. this hill, and with them all tho horses were left. Guided by Kafirs wo toiled up tho hill, which in parts is so steep that the men had to orawl upon their hands and knees. Other portion of tho journey were up dongas and over boulders ; single file only could be kept; in daylight many men might shrink from making tho ascent. Arrived on the crest of tho hill before daylight, wo found it largo ond hollowed out like a basin. Tho Boor’s camp and laagers at Nek and at tho back of the hill, also along the ridge, extending to Buffalo, were plainly seen at daylight. Tho Boers wore evidently much surprised to find us here, as they thought it impossible to make a night march hero. No videttes were encountered. Firing began at 5 a.m. on our aide ; the Boers rode round till they came into a favorable position and retained it. Had wo mounted guns wo oould have shelled their largo camp behind Nek before they knew we were here. Firing was kept up incessantly by Boers, Oar men very steady, returned the fire only when good chance offered. Wo have much better cover than at Ingogo, and only four wounded up to 11.30 a.m. Then Oapt. Romilly, Naval Brigade, was severely wounded in the abdomen while with General [surveying enemy’s position. Our men have three days'rations, and have dug and got good water. Wo expect to be here two days at least before reinforcements cun arrive and Nek be taken. 001. Stewarrt, Major Frazer, Oapt. McGregor, staff officers, ore here. Tse Boers cannot take our position from us. It is not more than 3000 yards from Nek, which looks like flat ground below us. X estimate that there are 2000 Boors round tho bill. They are keeping up an average of sixty shots per minute. There are only throe sides of the mountain up which tho Boars could climb. This,hill run N.N.E. and 8.0. W. The fire lately has been mosily to our party and the left. I sea the Boors have inspannod their cattle and are evidently ready to trek at a moment’s notice from the famous Nek. The general with his staff has been conspicuous for his coolness and courage, and is communicating with our camp by signal. The company of rifles at tho Pass and tho Highlanders are entrenching themselves until later in tho day. It is impossible to say what will be done, one side or the other. Certainly tho Boor losses are heavier than ours. How they ever came to leave their position nnwatohed at night no or.o can imagine. They evidently thought wo had guns hero. When they approached from their laagers the horsemen kept well extended. Sir George Colley deservos whatever credit attaches to this affair. No ono worked harder last night than he ; no one has been more actively engaged during this day than ho. The *a,y wo came last night is quite impracticable for mules carrying guns. I believe it is impossible for mules unloaded. Our reserves are kept in the hollow. Whenever tho Boers are reinforced at any particular point a squad is told off to answer their fire.

I had hardly written the last words at the Nek when a terrific fire reopened ; our men in vain tried to withstand it. It was useless to contend against the terrific hail of lead. The men wavered and were rallied, wavered again and ran in n general sanve qiii pent. Wo had to run fifty yards up and down hill before wo oould reach shelter of that donga, and the Boers, now at the crest of the hill, gave us a volley that worked terrible havoc. Four Highlanders fell in my way, and I saw Cameron, of “Standard” fall (I thought wounded), but saw him after on field all right, and came into camp with him. After taking shelter in the donga from fire, I want to the Boers, who treated cs well. (They made mo identify the body of Sir George Colley, and gave me a pass to this camp, FUETHEE PAETIOULAEB. MOUNT PEOSPKOT, Tuesday, Fob. 28 I had to out my account very short yesterday in order to ensure its going through the wire. To supplement it now. It was about ono o’clock, that of a sudden a most terrific fire oemo from our left. Immediately every available man of reserves was hurried up to meet it and they commenced it well for ton minutes. There wore men of Nsval Brigade, Highlanders, and 58-h, all firing as best they oould, perhaps fifty in all, against 200 Boers. The Boer fire was now very telling; our men wore shot right and left at this point, as they exposed themselves. No man oould show his head without a dozen shots fired at him. In ten or fifteen minutes the men wavered and broke, but in answer to shouts of officers, “Bally on your right” (that would bring them more to the left rear whore the General and about fifty men were), they did rally, and came up to the orest of the hill, at the point I indicate Colonel Stewart, Major Fraser, Captain McGregor, staff officers, and indeed every officer present, now revolver and sword in hand, encouraged the men by word and action. The whole of the Boor fire was now oonoenfrated on our present and last point of defence on the loft rear. Crowded as our men were by the necessity of finding cover at all behind this small clump of stones on the ridga, the officers called and directed the men to deploy slightly right and left, to prevent na being flanked on our rear direct. The other side of the hollow basin was at this time only held by some fifteen or twenty men ; our direct front by a score more ; but they sent word to say that there were not many Boors there in our direct rear, in fact, the ground waa so precipitous that no one oould scale it. To the front it was also free to a certain extent ef cover for the enemy. The Boors had evidently made up their mind to take points of the crest in detail, and now all their efforts were concentrated on the left. Major Fraser sang out “ Mon of the 92nd don’t forgot your bayonets.” Colonel Stewart added, “ And the 58th.” “ And the Naval Brigade,” camo from another officer, Captain McGregor, I think, the General at the sumo time directing movements an coolly as if at a review. The men did fix their bayonets, and, standing shoulder to shoulder in a somi-circle, poured volleys book for the volleys fired by the enemy. Numbers of our poor fellows now fell, and they could not be carried far, for there was no shelter of any great safety to take them to. The stand made at this last stage lusted perhaps lon minutes, and then onr men fell short of ammunition. It must bo remembered that there were only the seventy rounds carried by our men in their pouches. At the asms time a party of Boers crept up to tho two score of men holding our time front and extreme right and roar, and they poured iu volleys at tho little band of defenders, who fixed bayonets and charged down on the enemy. Perhaps not more than throe or four ever camo within thrusting distance, eo hot was the fire on them ua they charged the twenty yards seporaling them from their foes, to return ogain to where tho Oororol and staff and main body, now not more than 100 of our men, where, the officers □till encouraged the men to fire low, and only when the Beers jumped up to pour volley in. Give them tho bayonet next time after they they have fired,” was ths last command I heard given, and in a moment our poor follows broke and rushed for tho crest in our roar I ran with them, being only four or firo yards behind tho lino that had made the last stand. How anyone gained tho ridge at the rear, and escaped to camp down the precipice—there a fall of thirty feet oloar unit then on and over onortnom boulders and bush, a good quarter of a mile further yet to go before tho foot of the hill was reached, under tho bullets that rained on ua from all sides—l don’t know. Pour men dropped by my side us I ran with the oruwd ocrosn tho basin before even reaching the head of the precipice. Fortunately there was a kind of heather growing out of the side of tho precipice—l cun now only speak for myself, and I managed to save myself from injury in jumping down by catching at this

herb. Then immediately 1 found I was with two or three others who came after me exposed to a dreadful fire aa wo scrambled over the rocks. The bullets rained on the stones, and several poor fellows, panting and bleeding, wore struck as they tried to scramble away. I determined to give up running, us I could foil by the way the bullets came that Boors tv .to all round us, though I c:uld not see them myself, having thought best to follow a donga shrouded in bush, taking shelter as best I could in a dry gully covered with slabs of rook. I determined io woit till nightfall, and then try to reach camp All the while, and for at least half an hour after wo had mode a rush away, the bullets of the enemy pelted incoseantly in the bush and on the rocks in every direction, as I oould hear by the sound of powder and lead. Then I heard big guns firing, and took hope, thinking a party from camp, with artillery, had been pushed to the base of the hill to cover the flight of the fugitives. Half a dozen shots from the big guns, and then the fire of the Boors above my head, and right and left ceased, and I hoard a voice speaking in English, and several others in Dutch close round us. Knowing that they must be searching for their enemies, I came out of my hidingplace, and sung out to them. “ Hava you any gun ?” The reply was, “No, I have no gun. lam not a soldier.’’ “ Then come up here, we will not shoot.” I accepted tho invitation, and, clambering back up the rooks through the bush, saw a gentleman, who said ho was a field cornet. I told him my business, and asked to see tho General. Hearing an English voice, a dozen of our poor fellows who had boon hiding within twenty yards of me, sang out for help, ond I told them to come out as the Boers would not hurt them. Crawling as best they oould (everyone wounded), they clambered tip, delivered up their arms—those that had them—and we all went to the orest again, finding on the way Lieut. Hill of the 58th, with his arm injured by a bullet wound, bub as cheerful under the misfortune and as quiet as though nothing was the matter. This is the gentleman who distinguished himself by carrying wounded from under fire at Langeneok. Seeing Mr Smit, the General, I told him who I was. He said there had been six correspondents to him already. There happened to ho only a correspondent of the “Daily Nows,” “ Standard,” and myself in this action. I showed my pass, and got leave to return to camp on condition I would send them a copy of my account of the fight. First he asked, “ Who is the officer killed ?” I said, “ Take me to him and I will tell you if I can.” I accompanied him to the spot whore our final stand was made There lay a body, its face covered with a helmet. By tho clothing 1 recognised it at once. Lifting the helmet up I made sure that it was our poor General, the bravest soldier of tho day, a gentleman who had shown me many kindnesses since I have been in camp there—a commander who was loved and admired by every man under him, from highest to lowest. Knowing I would be first to carry this sad news back to camp, I wanted some token to bear out my information, but could find none about the body save a white handkerchief, and that not marked. The Boers doubted me when I said, “ It is the General,” but when they questioned mo again and again, “ Do you know him ?” “Are you sure you know him?” I replied, “I give you my word of honour it is General Colley ” They were satisfied. No word of exultation escaped their lips when they learnt this. I said, “ You have killed the bravest gentleman on this field,” and they answered, “ Yes, be fought well.” One man said, “Ho was a very nice gentleman; he dined at my house when ho wont to Pretoria,” and another said, “Ho did not think we were wrong, but he was a soldier, and he must obey orders.” Another remarked, “It was no use fighting against men who had right on their side.” Round tho General lay tho dead and wounded Captain Rcmily, Naval Brigade, and Lieut, Maude (lately joined tho 58th), I myself saw amongst the former—but I hurried away with a guide and tho white flag past the enemy’s videttes, and accompanied by Cameron, of the “Standard,” whom we picked up on tho way down, our guide took us safely outside the Boer lines down the road wo came up previously. Before we got far we saw the Boers on horseback, to the number of two or three hundred, galloping round the base of our hill to the laager made by tho Highlanders at the foot. Shots wore exchanged, and then the guns at camp opened on tho Boers, and kept them in cheek until the garrison of the laager had fallen back on camp, defiling through a narrow pass. This we sow as we descended the rocky slope, and also still more painful, we saw at every twenty or thirty paces our poor fellows either dead or wounded. They dotted the ground as far as the last bridge we passed. Poor Captain Morris, of the 58th, attended by his servant, was wounded in the shoulder. Cameron and I hurried on, anxious to give tho information we had, so that help might bo sent to the suffering. A mile from camp, Cameron knocked up, and I trudged on promising to send a horse for him. Close to camp an artilleryman coming out gave mo his horse to ride, and so I arrived in comp.