Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-30
STORY OF THE FIGHT
MORE DETAILS OF THE BRITISH
VICTORY AT BELMONT.
PRISONERS WELL TREATED
Correspondent Visits Winston Church
i'll at Boer Camp in Pretoria-Amer-
lean Consul Macrum Given Orders
TO Insist on Right to Protect Inter
ests OF British Citizens.

al dispatches describing the battle of |
Belmont bear a stereotyped character, |
proving that the hand Of the censor |
has been at work upon them. 1t is too |
ncOherent to enable the reader to |
form an accurate idea or place the
proper estimate upon the value of the
Belmont victory. All accounts agree
respecting the splendid fighting quail
ties exhibited on both sides. Nothing
could have exceeded the steady cour-
age and pluck of the British infantry
in the face Of a terrific fire, while the
boer guns were splen0idly served, the
gunners standing together with logged
determination, exposing themselves
until the very last moment, only be-
coming wild and inaccurate in their
aim during the final deadly charge of
the British infantry. All admit, how
ever, that the victory could not be
properly followed up and utilized
owing to the want of sufficient cavalry.
The pursuit of the defeated enemy by
the fifth lancers was evidently not
very effective. Curiously enough,
while correspondents report the
capture of the boer guns,
Lord Methuen's own report omits any
mention of such achievement AS all
evidence tends to show that the enc
my's retirement was orderly, he doubt
less will soon be heard of elsewhere.
A correspondent of the Times at Bel
mont says: After the battle the lager
was burned and the ammunition de-
stroyed. Cavalry and mounted in
fantry on both TANKS pursued the enc
my but were unable to overtake the re-
treating beers, who got away with
their transport. The boer rout was
complete and their losses are believed
to be equal to ours. Everything was
in their favor. 1t is rumored there
have been some threats to assassinate
recalcitrant burghers who are tired Of
the war and are deserving. On the
whole it almost seems safe to assume
that the boer guns were not captured
Gen. Whites dispatch effectually dis
poses of all rumors of another sortie
from Ladysmith and defeat of the
beers. The situation in Natal remains
unchanged, sortie from Estcourt to
Willow Grange having had little effect
The position of Mafeking is beginning
to be regarded with anxiety in view of
the impossibility of Lord Methuen be
ing able to relieve the town for some
time to come. Gen. Buffers destina-
ton is kept secret at CapetoWn, some
reports saying he has gone north,
others that he has gone to Durham, as
already cabled. A dispatch from Mo0i
River gives the British casualties in
the Willow Grange affair as three
killed and A wounded.
Story Of the Fight.
London, Nov. 25.-The Daily Mail
publishes the following dispatch from
Belmont describing the battle: ''The
beers held a position which British
troops would hold against almost any
force. The British victory was COM
plete. My estimate Of the boer losses
is 500 killed and $50 wounded. The
boer prisoners are ignorant, dirty and
wretched. They say half of their COM
mandO is tired of war and will refuse
farther service. The whole force of the
fearful fight was borne by the infantry
who were obliged to climb 500 feet,
straight into a terrific stream of mis-
SHES The ninth lancers pursued the
enemy with great vigor, but the beers,
we'll mounted and familiar with the
hills, melted before them. Possibly,
however, our victory would have been
even more decisive had we possessed
more cavalry
Beers Treat Prisoners Well.
Pretoria, Nov. 25.-Through The
courtesy Of the Transvaal authorities
correspondent of the Associated
Press was enabled to visit Winston
Churchill at the model school, where
he is confined with other captured Of
ficers. Beyond a slight bullet wound
in the right hand he seemed well and
looked hearty. In the course of an in
terview Churchill said: THE beers
have treated us with much kindness.
On the journey hither great num-
Der of burghers crowded to see us, but
there was only one who made insulting
ICudIh0, Lu6 OLuGlO COulISOuo1y OHSl-
ing us cigarettes, or showing such
marks of attention" Churchill said
most of the beers regretted the con-
fiict, asserting it had arisen as re-
suit of Misrepresentation. So far as
he could learn, however, the spirit of
the burghers in the field, despite pri-
vations, was most determined and
there was no chance of an early peace.
Will Call Kruger to Time.
Washington, Nov. 25.-Mr Macrum,
United States consul at Pretoria, has
been instructed by cable to impress up
on President kruger that the usages
of all civilized nations sanction the
ministration of neutral representative
in the interest of citizens and captives
of one Of the parties to war, and he
must further insist upon performing
the sacred duties imposed by all con-
siderations Of humanity. This is prac-
tically an announcement of the insist
ence of our government upon the exc
cution of the trust it assumed to look
after the interests of British citizens
in the south African republics.
OF RACETRACK WIRES.