The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-12-20
BUTLER ROUTED.
The Main Army OF the British Meets
With Disastrous Defeat.
Ge.. naiier was AttemptIaG "a Cro-.
the TuEeIa River-Fisdins u
Impossible ne Ordered a
Retirement.

London, Dec. i6.-The war Office has
received n dispatch announcing that
Gen. Butler has met with serious
reverse, losing ten guns.
Gen. Butler was attempting 10 cross
the Tugela river. Finding II impossi.
BILE To effect his object he ordered a
retirement IN order To avoid greater
losses. He left II guns behind.
The following IN the text OF Gen.
Buller's dispatch, announcing his re.
verse:
"lluller Ca Iansdowne, Chicvely
Camp, Dee. Is. 6;2O y. m.-I regret Co
report n serious reverse. I moved In
full strength from our cnmp near
thieycly at o'clock this morning.
There are two fordablc places In the
Tugela river. and II was INV intention
90 force a passage through at one OF
them. They are about two miles apart.
MY intention was 20 force one or
the other with one brigade. supported
Ivy u central brigade. Gen. Hart was
to attack the left drift Gen. HildyArd
the right road and Gen. Lytleton was
60 take the center and 60 support
either Fairly In the day ! saw that
Gen. Hart would not bc able To force
passage. and directed him 60 with.
draw. lie had. however, attacked with
great gallantry, and his leading bat
TALON. the Connaught Rangers, fenr,
suffered a great deal. Col. I. q. brooke
was seriously wounded
81 then ordered Gen Hildyard TO
advance. which he did. his leading
regiment. the East Surrey, occupied
Colrnso station and the houses near
the bridge At that moment heard
that the whole artillery had sent to
support the attack, the i4th aud Goth
field batteries aud six naval i2-pound-
cr quick -hrcrs, under Col Long. had
advanced close Ia the river In Longs
desire To Ice within effective range.
II proved 10 be full Of the enemy,
who suddenly opened q CALLING fire nt
close range, killing all their horses.
aud the gunners were compelled to
stand To their guns. Some ~ the
wagon teams got shelter for troops In
donga and desperate efforts were
made To bring out the field guns.
The fire, however, was too sewers
and only two were saved by Capt.
Schoheld and some drivers whose
names ! will furnish.
Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made hy an officer
whose name ] will obtain. OF the Is
horses ~ were killed, and a. several
drivers were wounded, would not al
low another attempt, az I; seemed
that they would he a shell mark. sac
rificing life To n gallant attempt to
force the passage. Unsupported by ar
tillcry directed the troops Ia with
draw. which they did in good order.
Throughout the day "A considerable
force Of the enemy was pressing on my
right flank, but II was kept back by
mounted men under Lord Dundonald
aud part of Gen. llarton's brigade.
The day was intensely hot and most
trying ON the troops, whose conduct
was excellent. We have abandoned 10
'1yuns and lost by she'll fire I. The losses
In Gen. Harris brigade. fear, are
heavy, although the proportion OF se-
yercly wounded. ! hope. IN not large.
The llth and Goth field batteries also
suffered severe losses. We have retired
to our camp at Chievely."
London, Dec. i6.-The news Of Gen.
Buffers reverse was received 80 late
that morning newspaper comment
saturday IN confined tn perfunctory
expressions Of extreme regret and dis
appointment. and of the necessity of
calmness and rcdoubled efforts Ia re-
trieye the position. This latest check
IL regarded as the most serious event
in Great Brltain's military history
since the Indian mutiny.
The Standard says: Gen. Buffers
dispatch is deplorable reading. II Is
the now familiar story Of concealed
Beers aud of British troops marching
up blindly, almost To the very mulzles
Of the enemy's rifles. II eau not he
doubted that the moral effect will he
To aggrnvate our difficulties over the
whole field of operation.
THE country has discovered with
annoyance aud surprise that sub,ii-
ing the Boer farmers In about the
hardest work We have entered upon
since the Indian mutiny. Their COM
mandnnts have shown themselves able
To give our generals useful, but eX.
pensiye lessons In modern tactics"
The Times says: "Since the days
Of the Indian mutiny the nation has
not been confronted with so painful
and anxious a situation. Plainly
ten. Buffers advance is paralyzcd for
he moment as completely as Lord
Jethuen's and Gen. Gatacre's.
The depression over the defeat of
ireat Britain's trusted ard idolized
commander is all the greater us. dur
ing the last ~ hours, there had been
reports Of the relief of adysmith.
Thursday the war office allowed IL to
la understood that the position of
affairs in Natal was entirely satisfac-
tory. The reaction Is all the more
pronounced on this account.
To Inspect Canal Routes.
Washington, Dec. l5.-The Isthmi-
an canal commission, of which Adm.
Walker is chairman, will start ON its
tour of inspection OF the Nicaragua