The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-19
CLAIMS TO HAVE
DEFEATED BOERS
DURING a SORTlE

ESTCOURT, Natal. Friday evening.
November IA runner arrived here from
Ladysmith bearing dispatches from Cen
| eral White. who reports all we'll there.
He adds that the Boer shells have no
effect. General White recently made
sortie and drove the Beers from their
guns position. The British did not lose
man. The town is healthy.
II is rumored that the Beers have oc-
cupied the village Of Weenen. twenty-five
miles hence. What advantage they hope
10 derive therefrom is not known.
The bombardment of Ladysmith has
continued almost daily with big guns. The
Beers endeavored on Tuesday, November
i. TO make a closer investment. but were
repulscd, General White following this
up with a sortie which drove the Beers
from all their positions with considerable
loss. The Beers are reported to be seri-
ously short of provisions.
DR.. Briscoe, who was in charge of the
Red Cross train sent TO fetch the killed
/ and succor the wounded of the armored
train disaster. gives an interesting ac-
| count Of a second interview which he had
with the Boer commandant, who met Dr.
Rriscoe as soon as he left the train carry
ing a white flag. The commandant re-
piled TO the doctors request for permis-
sion 10 remove the dead and wounded by
! saving that there was no need 10 hand
over the dead who had already been
buried. and that so far as the wounded
were concerned. they We're being well
cared for by the Boer Hospital Corps.
The Boer commandant and DR.. Briscoe
| II IS added. interchanged compliments on
the pluckiness displayed on both sides
! The commandant spoke English fiuently.
was Of highly polished manners, expressed
/ admiration for the English soldiers and
promised to do his best TO get the names
OF the killed. When questioned concern
/ ing the whereabouts of Winston Churchill
/ the commandant replied. 81 do not know"
! Dr. Briscoe says the public and the rela-
/ tives of the wounded may be assured that
they will be well cared for, as a Scotch
/ surgeon, DR.. Maxwell, was pressed into
/ the Boer service at Ermelo to take charge
OF the Boer hospital.
/ LORENZO MARQUEE. Delagoa Bay.
/ Nov 1.-THE official Vostem reports that
the bridge over the Tugela River near
/ Colenso was completely destroyed on
! Wednesday. November Is.
] The Beers are looking forward with
great interest TO the impending encounter
between Colenso and Estcourt with the
/ advancing British. About COO burghers,
/ with cannon. are guarding the Helpma-
/ kaar Pass. eighteen miles from Dundee.
TO battle any strategical attempt TO reoc-
/ cupy Dundee by the Pietermaritzburg-
] Greytown route.
Belated dispatches from correspond
ent with the Beers near Ladysmith up to
| Tuesday, November Il are arriving here,
/ after being strictly censored at Pretoria.
/ They throw some light on the fighting al
/ ready reported from other sources. They
say that on Friday, November 10. eight
/ lyddite shells were fired into the Trans
vaal central artillery position without do
! ing any harm. The wooden platform of
! the second big gun on Buluwana Hill was
damaged. but has since been repaired.
Commandant Weilbach captured a man
who reported that General White was
wounded and had gone 10 Pletermaritz-
burg. leaving General French in COM
mand. This. however, does not tally with
/ the Transvaars Information. The prisoner
/ also reported that the British forces were
/ hiding in underground chambers in order
to avoid the shells. and said there were
about 1000 wounded in the hospitals
General Joubert has been indisposed. but
/ is better. On Monday. November 13 the
| British forts on the north side Of Lady,
smith opened on the nearest Boer bat
terry. and the shells fell so thckly that
the Beers were compelled to lie fat for
shelter. Later they opened fire on the
British batteries, which ceased firing.
Heavy fighting occurred between the
Orange Free State troops and the British
south of Ladysmith during the morning
OF Tuesday, November "A. The result IS
not known.
From Lombards Kop the British bat
teries were visible sheling the Free
I Staters' position. A Transvaal big gun
shelled the British batteries