The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-13
Succeeds in Destroying a HowitzsT
Belonging to the Beers,
But at Heavy Loss TO British Forces. En-
gagged In the Charge.
"A Lieutenant and Eleven Men KILL
ed, a Second Lieutenant and
Eorty-One Men Wounded and
Six Men Captured - General
Gatacre Tells of His Crushing
Defeat at Stormberg.

- We 1872
LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE War Office
publishes the following dispatch from
General Butler:
Dispatch from General White, dated
December 18th, says:
Last night Colonel Metcalf and SUI
of the Second Rifle Brigade SORTED to
capture a Boer Howitzer on hill. They
reached the crest without being discov-
cred, drove off the enemy and then de-
stroyed the Howitzer with guncotton.
When returning Metcalf found his
retreat barred by the Beers, but he
forced his way through, using the bay
onet freely. The Boer losses were con-
siderable. The British losses were as
follows: Lieutenant Ferguson and elev-
en- men killed; Captain Paley, Second
Lieutenant Davenport, Second Lieuten-
ant Bond and fortyone men wounded;
six men captured who had remained
behind in charge of the wounded
LONDON, Dec. ID, 4:45 a. m-With
the exception of Sundays sortie at
Ladysmith, which the morning papers
are unanimous in regarding as a brill
liant piece of work, there are no fur
Their advices from the seat of war. A
War Office dispatch reports that Mafe-
king was safe up to December 4th, but
that the Beers had been Smelling the
town since November 9th with in
creased effect. Rations had been re-
by quarter of a pound, in view of a
probable long siege. Water, however,
was still plentiful
The Beers fear the British bayonets-
This is illustrated in the full accounts
now arriving of previous sorties. 1t
seems that in Sir Archibald Hunter s
sally from Ladysmith to capture the
Boer guns, the British did not carry
bayonets. While they were storming
the hill the Beers. suddenly aroused
from sleep, rushed to the edge and
opened an indiscriminate fire upon
them. But just before the British Sc
cured footing on the top of the hill
some one among them shouted: Fix
bayonets and give them cold steel" AT
this the Beers turned and fed into the
darkness
Little mention is made in the War
Office dispatches of horses, but it is
understood that the losses in this re-
spect have been exceedingly heavy.
Among the officers alone from 20 to
80 per cent. of their mounts have been
shot from under them, the Boer tactics
tn ar N
horse, and then the rider when dis
mounted.
General Gatacre's disaster at Storm
berg has been blamed to lack of knowl
edge of the country, but according to
the Daily Telegraph when the war
began there were no available maps at
Cape Town, and therefore it is prob
able that General Gatacre is still with
out them
The Times" while praising Colonel
Metcalf's brilliant feat at Ladysmith.
expresses the opinion that relief being
now SO near such a sortie was rather
perilous, and it would be better for Gen.
eral White to avoid them SO far as
possible.
The Morning Post" again endeavors
editorially to arouse the British people
to recognition of the serious nature
of the struggle and of the grave posi-
ton in which matters now stand. 1t
urges the Government to prepare i'm
mediately to send more troops to South
Africa
Lord Mayor Newton, the Aldermen
of the city of London, and other prom
inent officials of the corporation. to-
he foI mil tof I1t
ties, will attend the memorial service
to be held in ST. Paul's Cathedral for
the men who have fallen in the war.
The almost complete absence of news
from the theater of war increases pub
lie anxiety, SO deeply stirred by Satur-
days disaster. Such scanty messages
as have dribbled through seem to indi-
cate that preparations are about COM
pleted for simultaneous attacks at
TugeIa River and Modder River = the
dispatches showing that the British and
Beers were in touch in both directions
Monday. There is no confirmation or
the report of another day-long battle
along the Modder River Monday, but
possibly there has been a resumption
of fighting as reported by General
Cronje last evening, as the searching
lyddite shell fire of Sunday was prob
ably a preliminary to an advance.
A strange item of news has reached
here from Boer sources, announcing
that the Waschbank bridge is damaged.
This is taken in some quarters as a
possible confirmation of the sugges-
ton that the British have made wide
sweep. by way of Helpmaaka-, and are
preparing to attack the Beers north
of Ladysmith in the rear.
A message from Naauwpoort dated
Monday. De cember 18th, shows that Cen
eral French has apparently no incliHa-
ton to withdraw his advanced troops
at Arundel, as it was feared might be
the result of General Gatacra's defeat.
General French reports .ha- his artil-
lery. December 18th, forced an advance
post of the Beers south of Colesburg,
to evacuate its position ana seek ref
uge behind Vaalkop.
There is great Indignation in Great
Britain at the ignorance the British
intelligence department is display ing in
estimating the Boer strength in Cape.
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