Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-11-03
NOVEMBER 3, 1899.
DISASTER TO BRITISH ARMY.
A Loss of Over 1900 Men Near Lady
smith.

Force Was SUR Ounded by the Boers---
Mules stampeded and Carried Away
Ammunition lSnglishFought Brave-
ly Until Cartridges Were Gone.
Gen. Joubert administered a singing
reminder to the British general at Lady
smith Monday that in the Beers the English
troops have foemen worthy of their steel
In an attempt to feel the enemy's strength,
Gen. White ordered two regiments and a
mountain battery to a position that proved
to be untenable, with the result that the
whole force was cut off and compelled to
surrender to prevent humiliation. In a
manly despatch to the British war depart
ment Gen. White accepts the entire blame
for the disaster. Over 1900 men with
their entire complement of officers, guns,
etc, were taken. The forces captured
we're the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Glouces
tiers and Battery No. 10 1t appears that
they were hemmed in by $4,000 Beers.
This catastrophe has caused great sens
alton in England and a movement has al
ready begun for the relief of Ladysmith.
Troops to replace those lost will leave Eng
land within ten days, and a second army
corps has been ordered to prepare itself for
calling out. Gen. Butler has arrived at
Cape Town and may be expected to hurry
things along The British movement to
the eastward of Ladysmith on Sunday
seems to have resolved itself into a recon
nossance in force without coming into
touch with the main body of the left wing
of the Boer army. AS reported by Sir
George White, force composed of five
battalions of infantry, six field batteries
and detail of cavalry was detached from
| cd 70 D.
it was found evacuated After desuitorv
engagement lasting some hours, with the
retreating Beers, in which the British loss
was about 100, this force returned to La
dysmith unmolested. The conclusion is
that the Boer commander refused to accept
battle and desired to draw the British force
on to attack him in a position of his own
choosing. But in this he failed and the po-
sition on that side of Ladysmith remains
as it was at last accounts.
On the west side the force sent out to
clear the British left flank and occupy a
position on the hills met with the disaster
as outlined above. With the exception
therefore, of the reported silencing of the
heavier Boer guns that had bombarded
| Ladysmith, 5000 yards distant, the British
| operations appear to have been a failure.
Sir George White seems also to have been
| in some doubt whose command he had in
front of him Sunday, whether the main
body under Gen. Joubert was there or one
of the subordinate commands; from which
it is evident that the British intelligence
| department is not very well served.
Gen. Whites repeated reference to the
| Beers superiority in numbers and their I'M
expected strength in artillery might even
suggest that he was beginning to find his
position untenable and contemplated re
treat. The fact that he was unable to To-
cate any Boer laagers during his recon
nossance, or to come into close touch with
their forces, would seem to indicate that
either they were retiring with a view tc
closing in toward their centre or of stretch.
ing out toward their left with the intention
of striking at the British communication
with Pietermaritzburg at some point be
yond reach of the country patrols. TheiI
reported attempt to reach Peters Station
10 miles south of Ladysmith, and their al
legged capture of 1900 transport mules il
that neighborhood, show that they have
command of the country right up to tbs
railway line, which the British commander
is using every precaution to guard. 1t i,
hardly time, however, to fear for Lady
smith The place is well-fortiied, and ha.
some H. 600 troops-mostly regulars-com
prising cavalry artillery and engineers, a,
well as infantry.