Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-11-03
BOERS WIN AN OVER
WHELMlNG VICTORY
BRITISH REGIMENTS cAPlTULATE
Two Whole Regiments and rlOun-
tain Battery Captured by
the Beers. d. ~

LONDON, Nov. 1.-General White,
commanding the British forces at
Ladysmith, telegraphs the government
as follows:
II have to report disaster to the
column sent by me to take position on
the hill to guard the left flank OF the
troops. In these operations to-day the
ROYAL Irish fusiliers, No. 10 mountain
battery and the Gloucester regiment
were surrounded in the hills and,
after losing heavily, had to capitulate.
The casualties have not yet been ascer'
tanned.
"A man of the fusiliers who was
employed as hospital orderly, came IN
under flag of truce with a letter from
survivors of the column, who asked 1or
assistance to bury the dead. l fear
there is no doubt of the truth OF the
report.
II formed the plan in the carrying
out of which the disaster occurred,
and alone am responsible for plan.
There is no blame whatever to the
troops, as the position was untenable.
While minor reverses in South Africa
are not wholly unexpected nothing
like the staggering blow which Joubert
delivered to Whites forces yesterday
was anticipated. The full extent 81
the disaster is not yet acknowledged
if it is known, at the war office. The
loss in effective men must be appalling
to the general, who is practically sur
rounded. Two of the finest British
regiments and mule battery are thus
deducted from the Ladysmith garrison,
which weakens it about fifth of its
total strength and alters the whole
situation very materially in favor OF
the Beers, who have again shown
themselves to be stern fighters and
military strategists Of no mean order
The disaster has cost the British 1880
to 1000 men and six seven-pound
screw guns, and as the Boer artillery
was already stronger than imagined,
the capture of these guns will be a
great help to the Beers. From a list
furnished by General White it is learn
ed that forty-two officers have been
made prisoners, besides newspaper
correspondent, ]. Hyde.
At the government offices no effort
to conceal the feeling of dismay pre-
vailing wac made. One official said to
the Associated Press: at is ineXplic-
able and 1 am sorry to say its moral
effect is inestimable. We lost heavily
in many wars, and regiments were
almost wiped out, but to have regi-
ments captured, and by Beers, is ter
rible."
Public anxiety was increased by a
special dispatch from Ladys1nith, pub
lished in the late editions of the Lon
don afternoon papers, to the effect that
before darkness yesterday the Beers
reoccupied the old position held by
their heavy artillery, which General
White had reported silenced by the
guns of the naval brigade from the
Powerful and had opened fire again.
The dispatch further says: 'Thc en-
envy are again closing in and the situa-
ton is one of grave anxiety. Beyond
doubt the Boer retirement yesterday
(Monday) was a ruse to draw General
White into the billy country and away
from the British camp"
This last sentence is significant and
confirms the opinion of military experts
here that General White is allowing
himself to be outgeneraled by Com
mandant General Joubert.