Show BATTLES FACE mere telegraphic reports of a battle can at best give but a taint idea of the grim tragedy of war the imagination la left with nothing but the figures as to tho number killed wounded and missing and the general result of victory or defeat from which to furnish forth the sombre details which mean so much of weal or woe to individuals and to nations the faco of the gret battle of colenso the story of gloom and defeat as seen from the british eide are strikingly portrayed by our special correspondent whose letter is dated at camp frere december 26 the weird night retreat of the defeated army under the full light of the south african moon must have been a memorable eight still more thrilling from the perception of what this disaster to the british arms meant in treasure and blood the heat of a summer night and the clouds of dust which enveloped the long trains of wagons and columns of men the continuous rumbling of wheels creaking of axles cracking of whips and hoarse shouting of the kaffits to the mules and oxen columns 0 infantry and cavalry sweeping onward as tar as the eye could penetrate in the night these bring before the mind of the reader a different conception of the battle from that conveyed at the time by the brief telegrams and cables the men were defeated and they knew it says the correspondent and he adds 1 I feel sure that it the boers had followed up their victory by moving out at once upon the british army as a continental force would have done the retreat that night would have been a rout A nearly total eclipse of the moon added to the and its startling realities by heightening the superstitious ious fears of the and even painfully suggesting to the soldiers themselves the eclipse of british prestige in the battle of colenso the story is an intensely interesting one and it is sate ito say that no one who reads its opening paragraphs will willingly lay it aside till he reaches the end so strongly does it grip and fasal nate the attention chicago news |