The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-19
Attempt a Rush on the Important
British Position,
But Were eclpltateIy Sent Back BY
Shells From the Naval Forces.


ton Being to Cut Off Relief for
Ladysmith, and if Possible, to
Isolate or Capture Estcourt.
- ESTCOURT, Nov. 1S.-1:30 p. M
At 10 O'Clock this morning the Beers
attempted to rush Estcourt, but one
shot from our naval gun and several
long range volleys fired by the Dublin
Fusileers sent them back precipitately-
The Beers had several guns posted on
surrounding kopjes, but our naval men
apparently astonished them, and their
guns were Withdrawn.
LORENZO MARQUES, Friday. Nov.
1.-THE official Volstem reports that
the bridge over the Tugela River, near
Colenso, was completely destroyed
Wednesday, November 10Th.
The Beers are looking forward with
great interest to the impending en-
counter between Colenso and Estcourt,
with the advancing British About 600
Burghers, with cannon, are guarding
the Helpmakaar Pass. eighteen miles
from Dundee, to battle any strategical
attempt to reoccupy Dundee by the
Pietermaritzburg- Greytown route.
LONDON, Nov 1S-The latest news
from the seat of war in South Africa
is. from one point of view, favorable to
the British, showing that Kimberley is
able to hold her own against the Beers,
and that Estcourt is in a position to
beat back an attack by the Boer forces
now facing it. On the other hand, the
advices pay testimony to the ceaseless
activity of the Burghers on the Free
State frontier, and their determination
to cut off relief for Ladysmith and. II
possible to isolate or capture Estcourt,
which is the nearest town to Lady
Smith still held by the British.
A number of small Boer Commands
from the east and west are converging
on Estcourt and the railroad just south
of that place. The Beers already ag-
gregate at least 1000 with a few guns,
which they evidently, from the en-
trenchments they are throwing up,
mean to mount on hills dominating any
advance north from Estcourt, where
General Hildyard is still commanding.
Even with the strong relief column
now hurrying up from Durham, The
British will have a tough job to pierce
the Boer forces thrown across the roads
to Ladysmith, while crossing the Tu-
on bridges in HE
face of the Boer artillery and rifles
fired from the northern ridges com
manding the river. will probably prove
one of the stiffest enterprises of the
war.
The full story of the armored train
disaster has brought into relief num-
Der of cases of Individual gallantry.
Among them is that of a crack rifle
shot named Caegenhead. who fur
nished the range at three different
points for the crew of the train and
kept firing until his trigger finger was
shot away. An old black watch vet
eran named Crow was conspicuous for
bravery in helping to clear the derailed
trucks. Winston Churchill, amid a hail
Of bullets, turned to him and shook his
hand, calling him a brave old man.
Another case was that of a volunteer
named Wright. who 6lring the firing,
knelt in the regulation position, re-
manning cool and collected and crack
ing a joke with every shot, thus keep
ing his comrades from becoming fur
ried. while all the time he was SUI
fering from wound, his right ear hav-
ing been shot away. Corporal Dickie,
though wounded and lying on his back,
encouraged the men by shouting Give
'em beans, boys.
From the Free State frontier comes
ews that reinforcements are RAPIDLY
arriving at the Orange River camp.
where Lord Methuen is hurriedly pre-
pairing TO push relief force on TO KIM
berley The Scots Guards arrived from
Cape Town on Thursday, and the relief
force ought now to be almost strong
enough to tackle the Beers besieging
the town.
Beers DRIVEN FROM THEIR
GUNS.
LONDON, Nov. 1S.-The salient
feature of to-day's war news is the
arrival of a runner at Estcourt from
Ladysmth and information from
Ladysmith dated Wednesday, Novem-
Der 18th, that the inhabitants were
cheerful, and that the only recent cas-
ualty was a volunteer killed in tent.
The sortie referred to in the run
ners report occurred Tuesday, Novem-
Der 18th. The Beers We're driven from
their guns and five were killed and two
wounded There has been no news later
than this to justify the belief that the
comparatively cheerful situation then
prevailing at Ladysmith has in any
way been altered. so there has been
visible relaxing of the extreme tension
which existed all over the country,
owing to the long absence of reliable
news from the beleaguered garrison.
The sortie referred to by the Lady
smith runner is probably the same as
reported from General Joubert's camp.
mentioning heavy lighting between the
Free Staters and British. 1t is pointed
out that while the position at Lady
smith may momentarily be less unsat-
isfactory there will be no lack of
cause for anxiety before the place is
relieved
Ominous statements are coming by
mail that the British retreat from Dun
dee was largely due to the shortness of
ammunition and as this, it is thought,
is probably the plight at Ladysmith and
elsewhere it seems to furnish ground