Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-12-12
Had 10 Retreat Before Beer Force,
Near Stormberg.
HIS LOSS Is SEVERE.
Over Six Hundred o. His Men Are
Killed, Wounded and Missing.
Beers Used Rapid Fire
Guns In Their Attack.

Gus deieA, British arms have ye, sus
tanned in the whole campaign Already
the Official adViees show that men
were killed. officers and II men were
wounded and 9 officers and 500 men are
missing Bat 1t is evident that the
uors, IL not yet known The proper
ton Of wounded and killed is so small
when compared with the missing Who
are undoubtedly prisoners in the hand.
Of the Boers-thAt the supplement- ~
lis, Of casualties is awaited with seriou.
misgIvings II is also feared that there
were serious losses Of guns and eqaip.
ments
The most serious AIpec, Of the affair
IL the effect il will have on the Dutch In
Cape Colony who have been wAvering
A. TO whether 10 throw in their lot with
the Beers Hosts Of the northern farm.
ers are now likely 10 join the rebellion.
Defeat is also serious because It will de-
lay the junction oi General GAtacre
with General French AZ NaAuwpoort.
The plan was for their combined forces
70 relieve the pressure on Lord Methu.
ems column The disclosure Of such q
strong force az Siorrnberg was quite un.
expected Doubtless General GatAcre
was the victim Of trssohoTous guides
But the result points also 20 the absence
Of proper cavalry scouting
The British troops who recently occu.
pied Arundel are advancing They have
had several skirmishes but no casual.
ties Three miles north Of Arundel
they found the Beers 1000 strong
The Pretoria reports Of renewed fight
ing at Modder river originated from the
fact that the British with a team Of 80
oxen hauled a naval gun 20 the top Of a
high ridge north q Modder river town.
whence they fred lyddi,s shells on the
Boer position At 3 range Of 600 yards.
where the enemy was apparently con.
structing an efnplAeemeut for fort
The lyddite shells appeared TO DO I'm.
mense damage The Beers retired. bat
the incident is interesting as showing
that the Beers are still in position quite
close 10 Modder river
The engineers report that u would
take two months 10 rebuild the iron
bridge Lord Me,huen is still com.
PEELED 10 ride about in dog cart a. his
wound prevents him going on horseback
Should the rains destroy the temper AIRY
bridge there is enough rolling stock on
the north aide Of the river 10 serve Lord
Methusns purpose
II 10 reported that the Beers are busy
making entrenchmvnis at Spyfontein
Several tiers Of work are beginning 10
Appear At the foot Of thu heights The
force hred on by the British naval gun
is believed 10 form the right wing Of the
enemy's main body thrown forward for
patrolling and scouting purposes
Il IL reported that the bad water at
Spyfontisn threatens al epidemic Of ty.
phoid
Kimberley reports all quiet there up
Dec. aud that the pressure Of the in.
Vestmsnt 10 diminished.
From the best information that can
be obtained Il seems that General Cat.
acres movements may be termed are
eonooissancs In force. lts object was 10
ascertain the strength Of the Beers who
were strongly enirenched along the
Stormberg range lie left Putters
krAAl shortly after noon Saturday with
. fighting force Of slightly over 1000
men.
Leaving Molteno at Saturday even.
ing. he made a memorable night march
over the rocks and vsldt There was no
sound except = steady tramp aud there
was no distinguishing lights, the bright
moon having gone down about II 30.
The column arrived safely within a
couple Of miles Of its destination, the
only incidents Of the march being an
occasional call Of halt under the be.
lief that the Beers were near. Suddenly
. terrific Gre opened simultaneously on
the British front aud right TANKS. The
Royal Irish rifles, which formed the Ad.
vance, sought shelter behind q neigh.
boring kopie and were speedily Joined
by the remainder Of the column. II
was soon found. however. that this 20.
sition was also covered by the Boer
guns, which were more powerful than
had been supposed The troops. there
fore. sought safer position about half
q mile away. two batteries in the mean.
time engaging the Beers and covering
the troops In their withdrawal
The action now became general at
long range and q detachment Of mount.
cd infantry moved northwArd with the
view OF turning Calling on the enc.
my's right flank Suddenly a strong
was seen moving from the
north and the Royal Irish rifles aud the
Northumberland regiment were sent out
10 meet H. Il was soon discovered that
The Beers had machine guns well placed
Ind the British were compelled TO face
terrible fire
Finding II impossible TO hold the posi-.
lion in the face Of the enemy apparently
superior In position, numbers and ar.
Iille,y, the British retired on Moltsno,
The Beers following up the rstirsm.nt
closely and bringing two big guns 70