Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-09
SOUNDS OF A BATTLE
Firing is Heard at Bstcourt in the Direction
of 0olenso.
MAY BE BoMBkRDMENT OF LADYSMl1H
Reinforcements from Durham Arrive at Est
court and PietermaitSburg'
BIG FORCE OF E0ERS LEAVES PRETORIA
~!
BIG FORCE OF BoERS LEAVES PRETORIA
Accompanied by Contingent of German Ar
tillery with Quiok-Firing Guns
MARROW ESCAPE OF DURHAM VOLUNTEERS
Many Uniforms Arc Pierced by Bull
lets in the Escape of Hard
Bcsct Garrison from
Fort Wylie.

EsTCoURT, Natal, Monday, Nov. g.
1916 a. m.-The Natal field artillery left
camp today, escorted by troops OF the I'm
perial Light Horse, Carbineers and Natal
police. The destination of the force is un-
known.
Firing was heard this morning in the
direction of Colenso, from which 1t Is be-
lieved the Beers have resumed the bonn
bardment of Ladysmith.
CoLESBURG, Nov. 6.-lt is reported that
5000 Beers have left Pretoria and are going
to protect the southern border of the Orange
Free State. They are said to be accom-
panied by large contingent of German
artillery with quick firing guns of heavy
caliber.
LONDON, Nov. $50 the eyes of mill
tary experts the darkest page Of the war
IS now being written. But even that is
illuminated with bright passages, such as
General Whites victorious sorties. II he
can keep the British flag flying over Lady
smith until he is relieved, the campaign
will turn fresh page and with the advent
Of Sir Redvers Buffers force the British
public is promised more cheerful reading
This feeling OF relief, inspired by recent
good tidings, is nevertheless tinged by a
certain anxiety lest General White may
again make some fatal miscalculation.
The most interesting news tonight is
telegram from Estcourt announcing the de-
parture of a strong force of mounted troops
and artillery for a destination not given
Another message announces the arrival at
Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg within the
last few days of reinforcements from Durham
and that $500 troops are assembled ready
for an advance to Colenso when the oppor-
tune moment arrives.
Six transports with 4,500 troops were ex-
pected to be in Capetown harDor by this
tme but the War office last evening issued
a statement to the effect that the only ar
rival at Capetown were the Sumatra. from
DURHAM with the wounded; the Southern
Cross from Gibraltar, with mules. and the
collier Wenvoe
OF course, it is possible that dispatch
boats have been sent to meet troop ships
with instructions TO proceed direct to Dur
BAN and in that event the War office state
ment that not one has arrived at Capetown
would be literally accurate, even though sew
eral should be half way between Capetown
and Durham.
The reported departure of a Boer contin-
gent from Pretoria with German artillery
gunners moving in a southerly direction is
taken to mean cooperation in the northern
part Of Cape Colony, an undertaking which
luuS lar LAS ploBieSseu Se's idpluiy'
Dispatches from Lndysmith.
ESTCoURT, Natal, Nov. $3.50 p. m.-
Brigadier General Wolfe Murray has re-
ceived important dispatches from Ladysmitt
by runner, but their contents have moi
yet been divulged.
The armored train with detachment oi
the Dublin Fusieers and railroad engi
neering staff, which left here for Colenso t.
repair the line yesterday evening, and which
also intended to go through to Ladysmith, i
possible has returned here. The command
ing officer reports that he proceeded beyond
Colenso and found the dwellings there un
touched. There had been no looting ex
cept In the single case of a store which wa
looted by Kaffrs.
Several prisoners were arraigned befor'
General Wolfe Murray this morning.
1t is reported that the Beers are not within
twenty miles of here.
The bullet holes in the uniforms of Dur
ban volunteers show the narrowness Of thei
escape from Fort Wylie. which was on,
effected after the heavy fire of the Dublil
Fusileers had inflicted severe less on tn
Beers. A member of the garrison, who wa
hard pressed by the Beers, leaped into tn
river amid a shower of bullets. and, divin
repeatedly, reached far bank unscathed.
General French managed to leave Lady
smith by the last train from there. Fou
miles from Colenso the Beers fired on tn
train but no was hit. The general
going to Capetown in order to take comman
of the cavalry. The Border regiment ar
rived here on Friday,
Sub Inspector Petley OF the Natal polio
says that his men alone, forming one of sew
eral burial parties, inferred sixty four Boer
oJ Of ha ho pf hill
The Dublin Fusileers are being serve
with new kits, as they lost everything
the retreat from Dundee
The colonial forces are already fighting !
their shirt sleeves, and 1t is expected tha
this will spread to all the forces before loni
Details In regard to General BrOcklehurst
operation on Friday toward Dewdrop sho
that the British force consisted of III
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Hussars volur
teer cavalry, with a battalion of mounted ir
fantry, the Fifth dragons, ROystone's Ligi
Horse and two batteries, At midday Ger
eral Brocklehurst drove the Beers from a
their positions, sheled three of their gur
into silence and headed off 1000 Beers fro
the Pietermaritzburg road The Light Her.
pressed too far into a gully and were e.
trcated by the dragons, all getting safe
away. Under heavy fire Lieutena'
lOmeIOg VI Aut It lllH i'labboH hual'
pluekily rescued dismounted trooper fro
the fire zone The British casualties We
slight, The moral effect is excellent.
QUEENSTOWN, Cape Colony, Sunda
Nov. Sit is reported that the Beers ha'
blown up the stormburg- -Spruit bridge,
terrific explosion was heard in the dire
tion OF the bridge.
London Grows Optimistic.
LONDON, Nov, S.-An air Of relief WI
observable among the British war Office o
fcials today. as result OF reassuring neN
from Ladysmth and the tone Of comment
the war news has assumed optimism. viii
lately has been absent, leading to the bell
that, in addition to the brighter prospects
the beleaguered garrison, the war office
cheored by the news Of the arrival at the
destination of the first transports with &c
Continual on Fourth PaRe1