THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2, 11 January 1900, Page 20

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA

Affairs had been somewhat quiet in South Africa until Saturday morning, when General Joubert attacked Beaters and Ladysmith from all sides of the town. The garrison repulsed the attack. There was a tremendous fire of musketry and field guns, and the fighting was of a desperate character, and almost continuous throughout the day — the fiercest hitherto during the war. At 9 a.m. General White heliographed to General Buller : ' Enemy repulsed.' At 11 o'clock: 'The fighting continues. Enemy been reinforced from the south.' At 1 o'clock : ' Enemy beaten off, but still round me in great numbers.' At 3 p.m. : ' Attack was

renewed, and lam very hard pressed.' At this stage the sun failed, and General White stopped heliographing. However, a private heliograph message showed that the Boers got so near the Gordons and Manchesters in the morning that the latter used their bayonets in repelling 1 them.

General Buller, reporting 1 to the War Office upon the attack at Ladysmith, mentions a camp rumour that the Boers were defeated and 400 prisoners taken. War correspondents agree that the Boer losses were heavy.

General White later on reported to the Home authorities that the Boers were repulsed everywhere with heavy loss, greatly exceeding the casualties on the British side.

A London message, under date January 8, says that the widespread suspense over the attack on Ladysmith was relieved late this afternoon by the War Office publishing a heliograph message from General White stating that the attack lasted 17 hours, and was pushed with the greatest courage and energy.

Some of the British antrenohments on Waggon Hill were thrice taken and retaken. The enemy held one point throughout, but at dusk, during a heavy rainstorm, they were ejected most gallantly, at the point of the bayonet, by the Devonshire Regiment, Major Cecil W. Park leading, and Colonel lan Hamilton rendering valuable service

General French reports that four companies of the first battalion of the Suffolk Regiment at night attacked a hill some distance from his main position. The enemy sounded the British order to retire, just at the moment when Colonel Arthur John Watson, of the Suffolks, was wounded. Three-fourths of the Suffolks thereupon retreated. The remainder held their position till they were out* numbered. Sixty-three men and seven officers were made prisoners. General French's situation remains unchanged. The first battalion of the Essex Regiment have replaced the captured Suffolks.