Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-02
BUTLER
ARRIVES
British African General
Reaches CapetOwn
Monday.
Will be Given a Great
Ovation on Landing
Today.
Details of Repulse of Beers
in the Ladysmith
Battle.

London, Oct. 31-A dispatch from
Capetown announces the arrival in
Table Bay late last evening of General
Redyers Butler and staff, who are ex-
pected to land this morning. They
will meet a tremendous ovation N
Capetown. 1t is reported from Pre-
toria that 200 of the British wounded
from Dundee have arrived there and
been furnished accommodation in the
state school building.
Baden-Powell's Unique Defense.
London, Oct. 31.-The CapetOWn
correspondent of the Daily Mail says
he learns that Col. Baden-Powell
British commander at Mafeking has
laid railway in complete circle
around Mafeking and is running
armored trains around the town,
ready to meet the beers at any point.
Suspect Dutch Duplicity.
London, Oct 31.-According to dis
patch to the Daily Mail, from Durham,
1t has been ascertained that the Natal
Dutch have been actively assisting the
inf
ing British movements. 1t seems that
although landings and departures OF
troops are effected by night and the
greatest secrecy is maintained yet the
enemy somehow gets information
despite the severe censorship. 1t is
also believed in Durham that the Dutch
have assisted the beers by pointing out
the British officers in battles.
Beers Had Gone.
Ladysmith, Oct. 31.-The advance
was made at daylight with the object
of Smelling the beers from the position
where they had mounted a number of
guns. On reaching the spot, however,
it was found they had evacuated their
position. The British continued to ad-
vance and the movement developed
into a reconnaissance in force. The
enemy were posted on a range of hills,
having a frontage of about sixteen
miles. The scheme was we'll devised
but failed in execution, owing to the
fact that the boer position which
formed our objective point was evacu-
ated. Our artillery quickly reduced
the volume of the enemy'S fire, but the
attack delivered on our right flank was
the principal one, and the column was
compelled to change. The bOer attack
had been silenced for a time and our
infantry advanced, covered by cavalry.
The enemy now began to develop a
heavy counter attack and as they were
in great numerical superiority, General
White gave orders for the infantry to
gradually withdraw. The movement
was carried out with great steadiness
and elaboration under cover of our
guns, which made excellent practice.
Some shells were thrown into the town
from the enemy's forty-pOunders at a
range of over 5000 yards, but no dam
several hours and resulted on our side,
in from 80 to 100 casualties. The boer
losses must have largely exceeded this
total. The attack was admirably de-
livered by our right and the beers
were fairly driven out of one of their
strongholds near Loombard's Kop. 1t
was not possible, however, to push sue
cess much farther as beyond that point
lay long, broken ridge, affording
every kind of natural cover. Of this
the enemy took the fullest advantage
Our shells failed to dislodge the boers
and as our infantry moved forward in
extended order they came under a
heavy we'll directed rifle fire, the eff
feet of which was soon apparent. The
battle had lasted four hours, during
which the artillery fire on both sides
had been almost incessant. The naval
brigade which landed at Durham had
arrived on the scene toward the end of
the fight and Immediately brought
their heavy guns into play Their
practice was magnificent. At the
fourth shot the enemys forty-pounders
had been knocked out of action. The
LOW III - uOM lISeO IL OH Tie dppI6utu-
sion of bombardment. Throughout
the engagement the beers held their
ground with courage and tenacity, and
considering the intensity Of our artil-
lery fire, they must have suffered Sc
yerely."
British Loss Small.
London, Oct. 31.-The war office has
received a dispatch which says Gen.
White fought an engagement, presum-
ably with General Joubert's force
which was pushed back after several
hours fighting. The British lost about
100 men; the beers losses being much
greater. The beers were in large num-
bers and had better artillery.
Beers Repulsed at Mafeking
Lorenzo, Marquesi, Delogoa Bay,
Oct. 31.-A dispatch received here to-
day from Pretoria, under date of Oct.
IS, says Gen. Cronje, the boer COM
mander, announced that the British
garrison at Mafeking made a bayonet
attack on Commandant Louw's laager
near Granstand, but were repulsed,
leaving six dead on the field. 1t was
believed many of the attacking party
were wounded. The dispatch adds