Elands River (Second Boer War).
On August 4, 1900, a force of 400 Australians, under Colonel Hore, were surrounded by 2,500 Boers, with 6 guns. The Australians occupied an exposed kopje, with no water nearer than the river half-a-mile away. Their maxim became unserviceable, an attempt by General Carrington to relieve them failed, and so severe was the Boer fire that, in 11 days, 1,800 shells fell within their lines. They held out, however, till August 15, when they were relieved by Lord Kitchener, having lost 75 killed and wounded, and nearly all their horses.
El Caney (Spanish-American War).
Fought July 1, 1898, when 12,000 Americans, under General Shafter, captured from the Spaniards, after heavy fighting, the strong position of El Caney and San Juan Hill, commanding Santiago de Cuba. The Spaniards made various attempts on the 2nd and 3rd to dislodge them, but without success. The American losses during the three days amounted to 115 officers and 1,570 men killed and wounded.