The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-12-26
.BUuER NEETS A REVERSE
DEFEATED BY JOUBERT NEAR
COLENSO.
Was Trying to Pass Tugela River-Ten
Guns and Many Men Lost-British
Had to Fall Back.

LONDON, December 16 G2:47 a. M
The war office has received a despatch
announcing that Gen. Butler has met
with a serious reverse, losing II guns
in an unsuccessful attempt to cross the
Tugela river.
The following is the text of Gen. Bull
lers despatch to Lord Lansdowne
Chieveley Camp, December 10 CG:20 p.
NIL regret to report a serious re-
verse. ! moved in full strength from
our camp near Chieveley at 4 this morn
ing. There are two fOrdable places in
the Tugela river and it was my inten-
ton to force passage through one of
them. They are about two miles apart.
My intention was to force one or the
other with one brigade, supported by a
central brigade. Gen. Hart was to at
tack the left, Gen. Hildyard the right
road and Gen. Lytleton to attack the
centre and to support either
Early in the day l saw that Gen. Hart
would not be able to force a passage,
and l directed him to withdraw. lie
had however attacked with great gall
lantry, and his leading battalion, the
Connaught Rangers, | fear suffered
great deal Col. |. G. Brooke was scri-
Ously wounded.
then ordered Gen. Hidyard to adj
vance, which he did, and his leading
right, the East Surrey, occupied Coleuso
station and the houses near the bridge
AT that moment ! heard that the
whole artillery l had set to support the
attack, the 14th and Goth field batteries
and six naval 12-pOunders, quick -firers.
under Col. Long, had advanced close to
the river. in Longs desire to be within
effective range. 1t proved to be full OF
the enemy, who suddenly opened a gall
ing fire at close range, killing all their
Ifts nd h.. grt1rnr 1ap J~Ap mol /
ed to stand to their guns Some of the
wagon teams got shelter for the troops
in a donag, and desperate efforts were
made to bring out the field guns. The
fire, however. was too severe, and only
two were saved by Capt SchOfield and
some drivers, whose names l will fur
nsh.
Another gallant attempt with three
teams was made by an officer whose
name I will obtain. OF the IS horses, Is
| were killed, and as several drivers were
wounded, I would not allow another at
tempt. as it seemed that they would be
a shell mark. Not wishing to sacrifice
life to a gallant attempt to force the
passage unsupported by artillery I al
rected the troops to withdraw, which
they did in good order.
Throughout the day a considerable
force of the enemy was pressing on my
right flank, but was kept back by
mounted men unuei lOru DuIluOlldlu
and part of Gen. Barton's brigade. The
day was intensely hot and trying to
the troops, whose conduct was eXceli-
ent.
We have abandoned 10 guns and lost
by shell one.
The losses in Gen. Harris brigade are,
I fear, heavy. although the proportion
of severely wounded is. I hope not
large. The 14th and Seth field batteries
alSO suffered severe losses,
We have retired to our camp at Chi
eveley.
LONDON. December 16 4:3O a. M
The news of Gen. Buffers reverse YVES
received so late that morning newspa-
Ders' comments are confined to perfume
| tory expressions of extreme regret and
| disappointment and of the necessity
! for calmresS and redOubled efforts 10
retrieve the position.
The Times saws: "Since the days Of
the Indian Mutiny the nation has not
been confronted with so painful ana
| ANXIOUS a situation. Plainly Gen. Bull
ler's advance is paralyzed for the mo-
ment as COMPLETELY as Lord Methuen' s
and Gen. Gatacre's."
MODDER RIVER, December 10
Ambulances started out early yester-
| day morning under a flag of truce to
| collect the wounded and bury the dead
who fell at MagersfOnten.
brigadier General NauchOpe, VINO LED
the Highland brigade, was found dead
near the trench and shot in the chest
and thigh. A few wounded were found
near the trenches. Several wounded
Beers were taken to the British hospi-
tai. The side Of the hill and the i'm
mediate neighborhOod of the Boer
| trenches showed dead bodies all about.
One wounded Boer informed a corre-
spOndent of the Associated Press that
! their loss was terrible. The whole
| scandinavian contingent was destroyed.
| Judging from information CLEANED from
| the Boer wounded and prisoners taken
| i'm different parts of the field the Boer
| losses must have exceeded 700. The des-
| truction wrought by the naval guns was
enormous. Word was passed along the
| Boer lines to retreat al night fall. All
confess that it was their greatest loss
| during the war.
The British troops returned to Mod
der River owing to lack of water near
| the position held yesterday.
Sir Charles Warren, who arrived at
| Cape Town yesterday, will probabaly
join Lord Methuen and take command
of the combined forces.
The Daily Chronicles MOdder River
| despatch, which is at variance with all
| other reports, represents Lord Me-
| thuen's forces as retiring Tuesday on
| the camp at Modder River as the re-
suit of renewed artillery fire that day.
! The correspondent says: Tuesday aft
ernOon the Beers brought heavy guns
| into action. ! ord Methuen thereupOn
withdrew his forces out of range and
| concentrated at MOdder River"