The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-16
BIG BATTLE Is DUE.
Hard Fighting Is Looked For Near
ColenSo.

London, Dec. 15.-The artillery hiring
heard near ColenSo is taken to indicate
a preliminary to the expected big bat
tie. General Barton is reported to have
thirty-eight guns. in good positions, and
the Beers are apparently pursuing the
same tactics as at Magersfontein, not
replying. with the view of concealing
their position until the infantry Is
brought into play.
1t was feared that the first war office
dispatch announcing fighting at Zouts-
pan Drift indicates that General Me-
Ihuen had been forced to return to the
Orange river. But apparently 1t only
involved a brush with the troops pro-
tecting the line of communication, as
Zoutspan Drift is considerably south
west of the Orange river base Some
of the specials estimate the Boer loss at
Magersfontein at 1900 men,
Considerable satisfaction is felt. both
in military and civilian circles, by the
announcement that General Hector
Mcdonald, whose splendid defeat of the
dervishes' flank at Omdurman turned
critical situation into a British vic
tory, has been ordered to leave India
Immediately to succeed the late Cen
eral Wauchope in command of the
Highland brigade. General Tucker,
commanding at Zecunderabad, has also
been ordered to the Cape to command
4 division.
A special dispatch received here to-
day from Frere camp says that stimuli
taneously with the bombardment of
Colenso, a furious artillery duel COM
menced between the garrison of Lady
smith and the Beers on Unabulwan hill.
The following named officers of the
Highland brigade, who are reported to
have been missing after the battle of
Magersfontein. were killed: Captain
I e L. ID Co. .~,sr,
MacFarlane, Lieutenant Ramsay and
Captain Brodie. and the following sub
sequently died of their wounds: Colo
mel bowman and Lieutenant Camp
bell
The war office this afternoon re-
ceived an unimportant dispatch from
General Butler, under today's date. This
indirectly gives the quietus to the ru-
NOR of the relief of Ladysmith.
The war Office has a dispatch from
Colonel Kekewick, dated Kimberley,
Sunday, Dec. 10, saying:
THE Beers have reattacked Kuru-
man, and have again been repulsed by
loyalists and Bechuanas.
1.-The Kimberley forces made a dem
onstration northward Dec. 9, and drew
500 Beers and three guns. Fighting
ensued for several hours. The British
casualties were one man killed and
seven wounded"
The war Offices has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from the officer COM
handing at Orange river, Thursday,
Dec. IA:
Yesterday part of the mounted in
fantry. under Captain Bradshaw and
the Yorkshire and Lancashire guides.
under Lieut. nant MacFar:ane, patrolled
in the direction of Ramah and Zouts-
pan Drift, about ten miles east of the
Orange river, to reconnoiter and report
the strength of the enemy reported tel
be holding the Drift. The mounted in
fantry found a strong detachment of
the enemy at the Drift. and a sharp en-
gagement ensued. The enemy ulti-
mately retreated to Goemansburg
Captain Bradshaw and three men were
killed. Lieutenant Gregson of the East
Kents and seven men were wounded.
The Beers had five men killed and sew
eral wounded"