The Lamar register., 1899-12-13
kCRE DEFEATED
u1o A TRAP BY BoERs.
ug Force and Only Escapes
Hot Fight Having L.ost 900


Dpr, lO.-i p. m.-Genernl
sorgmRuasng the army In Cen
C6louy, in his first battle met
s,-teus dcfeat early this morn
Il an all-night march. that for
,roEcd line complete aitaihila-
l,rr, parf Of his army, how
heroic cfforts, managed to es-
Irs,.lr from the ambush Into
h. column bad fallen, and ne
apldly and in some confusion
M camp at Molteno, after los
eaI offic-rs and men captured
and a great number were left
A wounded on the field
1r Beers led the British into
m By furnishing General Gaia
spies with information that
camp At Stormherg could be
assu by surprise aud captured.
toll that the Beers there num-
alr 25.u and that they were In
ns<itiun. General Gatacre de~
1 % make an early morning
via a strong column and strike
And decisive blow.
TSsQs chosen for this undcrtak-
= thF second Royal Irish Rifles.
Ipnd northumberland Fusiliiers,
h. ShropShires. the Second
Berkshlrys. acting ms mounted
and held batteries a and a..
narchgd out smartlyt but eau
fr,n Pufterskraal. and got
two niles ot St0rrnbcrg without
3,b:sst Indication OF Beers. But
Ih8,.t.,i cf Bcsr sympathy there
lry-!S * ctlouists ready to give
Sz;IDa Of every British move 20
-
fSrceS werss pruccedlnE cauiicxss-
b. suddenly we met a hzl 81
fr1nl behind low ridges ,o the
La on the right banks. The rs>-
! vas iu-p warm TO Withstand.
lrshucn lcaiing General Cat
kulrsly sought shelter h--htnd
fortunately near. The other
"a the same, But cvrn this
VS. untrnAhis. being covered
bsrsus Bocr cannon. which weTe
tourrful than supposed. and the
Skilled Us out OF the psssiisou.
|z0aatei Infantry wcrc some dis
oE. hut By hard riding and a
kseogF .key suc,-c-sdri In Joining
! Ila b.oiY h-.hind. and the British
|retrcat-i. this dine 10 a second
bg; stiii we were poorly covered
j F7ln % ride fire. anc the bag
Euas threw sleIls unyiessanuy
! Is
sell tattrrics swung into line
4 sgIgndid work Keeping the
- WhIle we souxh, n better 20
Aalf Ealle away. Herr we found
better. and tho Infantry quickly
| 70 POSITION and opened rrr at
bhcr, u WEil~ the rDountgd Infantry
~, cot 10 try to get abe Beers
tank up
-Hls Nc suffered iitth- loss, but
tiErvr snitirniy appeared
! l&surd straight into th. dead
< A number Of machine guns.
tie Bu-rs had piaerj In cou-
Vu,lTpu- II Was eyidrn; that we
gauEhl in a nasty position, and
ishsBsn and SoEthumhrgiands got
II b-~t they could, each with 300
c1ae. many OF whom were cap
n uas n1thins now To do bat re-
stisA We did IA best we could.
'osrs uunh~rrd ar is-ast Aosp. had
ri ground. and plenty OF guns,
WF Errc thirteen miles frou1
GrnrEaI Gatacrr knew II would
sgbi every step Of the way, but
a discipline alone saved the
Tb"rc was no confusB-n. or dis
after we started back. and eyr
an wss In his plac-. The hong
! vas carried on In ISerfes-s order.
Dast serious aspect % the affair
eject ii Is likely 10 have on the
"a Cape Colony. VINO have been
7ns - To whether to throw their
q 'b" Ho-TS. Hosts OF the north
TnrCs are now likely 10 toip the
.0E- The dcfcat Is also serious.
sr Il will delay the Junction OF
al Ga;aCrc with General French
AgwEs,UTt- The plan was for
rTrmhaHe-l forcrS 10 relieve the
IN ul Lord Mpthu.n'g column