The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1899-12-14
.B0ERS WIN GREAT NC70RY.
British Force Under Gen. Gatacre
! Shattered at Stormberg,
SIN HUNDRED ARE PRISONERS.

List OF CASUALTIES Sent Is Only q Tar.
tial Qne-English Commander Says He
Was Mislel by His Guldcs-Gen.
Methuen Reports Progress.
London, Dec. IA crushing dis
aster to Gen. Gatacre's command in
Cape Colony is reported from Cape
Town. In an attempt to surprise the
Beers column at Stormberg on Satur-
day morning the British force itself
fell into trap and suffered severe
reverse, being compelled to retire to
Molteno, with loss of 632 men in
killed, wounded and missing. The
enormous list of missing is understood
here to mean another big addition to
the number of British prisoners in the
hands Of the Beers.
Lord Lansdowne, secretary of state
for war, received the dispatch which
follows announcing Gen. Gatacres re-
verse from Gen. Sir Frederick Fores-
r-Walker, commander of the British
troops in Cape Colony.
Cape Town, Dec. 10-The following
was received from Gen. Gatacre this
morning: L deeply regret to inform
you that have met with serious re-
verse. In an attack this Saturday
morning on Stormberg was misled
by the guides and found impracticable
ground"
In later dispatch to the war office
Gen. Forestier-Walker says:
In reference to my telegram of this
morning the casualties so far as known
at present are:
Second Royal Irish rifles, killed,
none; wounded, six.
Suffolk regiment, Capt. Weir and
three lieutenants missing; rank and
file, none killed, IL wounded and 290
missing.
berkshire mounted infantry, one
killed.
"Seventy-fourth battery, lieuten-
ant and three men severely wounded, a
major and one man slightly wounded,
and one gunner was killed.
Northumberland fusileers, Major
Stevens, Capts. Fletcher and Morley
and three lieutenants missing; also 306
on-commissioned officers and men
missing.
1.-THE remainder of the casualties will
be wired as soon as known"
The Central News correspondent at
Molteno, Cape Colony, gives the first
press account of the disaster that has
befallen Gen. Gatacre's command. He
says: EARLY yesterday morning Gen.
Gatacre took brigade northward to
surprise the enemy and make a night
attack on their Stormberg column, but
we ourselves were surprised, and had
to reulre in the face of much strong
er force, According to reports brought
to camp by our spies, the Stormberg
Beers did not number more than
$500, and the enemy's position and
circumstances generally appeared to
favor a surprise.
THE brigade, consisting of the
Shropshire regiment, the Royal Dub
lin regiment, the Second Northumber-
lard regiment, 800 mounted infantry.
and two batteries of field artillery, left
Putter's kraal, and, moving smartly
and cautiously, arrived safely at a
point two miles from Stormberg, when
suddenly they were exposed to ter
rife fire right ahead and on the right
flank simultaneously.
1.-The Irish, Who were in the van, i'm
mediately sought cover behind kopje
that was fortunately near on the left.
The artillery, Northumberland regi-
ment, and the mounted troops followed
in perfect order. The men were set
tied comfortably in their new posi-
tons, when they found they were COW
cred by the enemy's guns, which were
much more powerful than had been
supposed. Meanwhile the Beers were
maintaining heavy rifle fire, but were
not doing much damage. Still under
fire, the infantry and artillery sought
another position half mile distant,
the field batteries covering the with
drawal splendidly. The new position
was admirably adapted to holding the
enemy in check, the infantry firing be-
hind good cover with precision and eff
feet, while the mounted infantry moved
to the north with the object of get
ting the Beers on the right flank.
1.-THE action was now pretty gen.
eral, but was still at long range. Only
a few of the British were hit. Then
there was another quick change IN the
situation by the discovery of a strong
commando of mounted Beers moving
from the north, and the Irish and
Northumberland regiments were sent
to engage them. They, however, were
met by heavy fire from number of
machine guns in good positions. 1t was
clear that the enemy numbered at least
5000, with the best Of the ground
and plenty of guns. 1t was therefore
decided to retire thirteen miles to Mol
teno.
, 1.-THE retirement was carried out in
perfect order, despite the fact that the
Beers followed closely, bringing two of
their forty Founders to bear. Had
their gunners been worth their salt
they would have inflicted considerable
damage on us. Several shells directed
at the ambulance fell short.
ION arriving at Molteno it was found
that the casualties were slight. The
scheme of surprising the Beers failed,
but we obtained valuable information
at triling cost.
The Daily Nails correspondent at
/ Molteno says that Gen. Gatacre's force