Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-19
Orange Free State and Trans
vaal Burghers Start First
Big Battle in Natal.
FIGHT IS IN PROGRESS.
Stories of other Battles and skirmishe.
In the Transvaal-HeroicD Defense
of Mafeking-Eoers Unableto
Make Any Advance

London, Oct. 19.-The long expected
movement on Sir George +. Whites
position i'll Natal has begun in earnest.
The Orange Free State burghers, who
recently made q forward movement in
the direction of Acton Homes, south
west of Ladysmith, and who retreated
when discovered by General Whites
force on reconnaissance, advanced
through Tintwa Pass Tuesday night
and began hostilities by opening with
their artillery on small squads of caval-
ry on the British outposts. The range
was considerable, and the shooting OF
the Boer artillery wild. The outposts
were bivouacked at the time some ten
miles west and eighteen east OF camp.
The evident object of the Beers was to
attack either, and by the feint to draw
the main body of troops from Lady
smith, or preclude their concentration
against the town. At any rate the fir
ing lasted short time, after which
the Beers ceased. No casualties We're
reported.
Later, the Beers made another sortic,
this time colliding with the cavalry pa
trolls at Acton Homes and Testers
Station, southwest of Ladysmith.
The firing continued the greater part
of the day, and there We're several Brit
ish casualties, the exact number as yet
being unknown.
Sir George White is pushing up his
supports rapidly. and it is generally
believed that big engagement is COM
ing today.
According to the latest and best in
formation, The Boer army in this vicin-
ity numbers about $4,000 men, OF
which 1000 are Orange Free Staters
Sir George Z. Whites Immediately
available force in the field is about
$4,000. Both the Beers and Free Stat
ers are supplied with artillery, and
probably have q total of thirty guns.
against which White has forty-sx.
A good force of volunteers has been
left to hold Ladysniith. The plan oil
the Beers is believed to be to advance
on Ladysmith and Glencoe simultane.
ously, the former from Tintwa Pass
and the latter from Dannhauser. Gen
eral Joubert arrived at Newcastle last
night preparatory to lead his troops III
the contemplated attack on Glencoe
Boer scouts have already been seen al
Hattingspruit, seven miles from Glen
coe.
BOers Unable to Advance.
The Daily Telegraph's Ladysmith cor
respondent last night cabled:"A force
of 1000 Beers is engaged at Actor
Homes. The Beers, as usual, took ad
vantage of the hills, rocks and guile:
to hide themselves, but We're unable II
advance. They used their cannon
against our rifiemen, who nevertheless:
maintained stout resistance. The fir
ing was heavy. 1t is anticipated that ;
number of Beers We're also hit.
The country about Acton Homes be
ing more open, our mounted volun
teers are falling back upon Dewets
dorp.
'It is reported that the enemy ther.
10 hemmed in and suffering severely.
"News from Ladysmith by private in
formation reaches me that the discon
tent in Swaziland is taking form hos
tile to the Beers, who quilted Bremers
dorp precipitately. The Beers dread
Swaziland rising. Most of the Dutcl
settlers in that country are preparin:
to leave. They have sent their wive
and families into the Transvaal.
"More definite news at hand show
the Basutos intend rising against thei
traditional enemy, the Orange Ere
State. Ii so, the Beers holding tn
Drakensburg passes have serious diff
culties to contend with apart from pos
sible British attack
The situation in Kimberley is appal
emily quiet, though Taungs, a tow,
eighty-four miles north, is occupied b
the Beers, who destroyed the railroa,
between there and Vryburg. A skir
,nish has taken place at Riverton, wher
an armored train from Kimberley fire,
upon party of Beers who We're remoy
ing rails, and was struck by a shel
from one of their guns.
The country about Ladysmith an
Glencoe is fairly open for northern Ma
tai, though there may be Il heavy tas
in moving the big guns, which are eS
pected to do the best part OF the fight
ing, at the start, at least.
The British troops in both camps ar
reported to be in fine fettle and cage
for battle.
Heroic Defense of rInfeking.
There is still little reliable news re
igarding the position of Baden-Powe
. at Mafeking. Reports coming fror
Boer forces at Pretoria admit that th
Beers lost seventy in killed in Tuesday
triple assault.
Communicate Cronie cut oil the waite
supply of the town and began a bon
bardment.
A parley under a flag of truce seem
to haze taken place before the bon
bardment, bnt Baden-Powell apparen
ny made no proposals satisfactory TO til
besiegers. That he is not without HOP