The National tribune., 1899-12-14

instructed MIR. Macrum to protest against
1t. The Department grantei his requested
leave of absence and appointed Adelbert
Hay, son of Secretary Hay. as United
States Consul at Pretoria in his place. not
understanding why he should be so anxious
to leave when duties were to be performed
and the conditions being altogether puz-
Zling. On Dec. 8. however. Macrum
cabled that he will sail on the 18th instant
via Naples. for the United States. This is
an indication that he has received the De-
partments cablegram granting his appli-
cation for leave of absence. Mr. Adelbert
| Hay has left for Pretoria
On Dec. Gen. Fore ester- Walker at Cape
Town sent dispatch to the London War
Office stating that telegraph and railway
communication to Modder River which had
| been cut off, was reopened. A battery of
! field artillery and a battalion Of infantry
were dispatched from Modder River against
a force of 1000 Beers, with one gun, who
had destroyed the railway
dispatch issued by Boer agency in
Berlin said "COmmandant Prins Loo's force
is near Jacobsdal. between Modder River
and Piet River. Gen. Cronje is still on the
north bank of the Modler River, his rear
being protected by fortified positions at
Spyfontain. The hills between Modder
River and SpyfGntain and those between
Beers. Commah hdabtii DeIareys force is
stationed between Gtas Pan and Honey
Nest Kloof" II was believed in London
from this that there tnust be some is, 600
Beers around Methueh, who is believed to
have 11,000 men. -
Ladysmith and eaptgfed Maxim gun and
destroyed Credzot gln and howitzer.
GEN. GATACRE'S DEFEAT.
Gen: Gatacreia eon,9landing the British
forces in ntrallCapel Colony on the morn
ing of Dec. 10, advarited on the Boer camp
at Stormberg, fa4ling.'into an ambush that
resulted in a severe defeat with heavy losses
to the British. 10. H.1Swallow, American
correspondent with Gen. Gatacre's com
mand. sends the following report under date
of! Dec. 10 from Molteno. Cape Colony, tc
the New York Jo,tffdt:: '' ''''+S'' ~
"Maj-Gen. William F. Gatacre in his
first battle with the Beers met with a serious
defeat early this morning after nights
march from this camp-a defeat that for a
annihilation of a large part of his army
By heroic efforts, however, he managed r.
extricate himself from the ambush into
which he had fallen, and retreated rapidly
to the main camp at Molteno, after losing
over 600 officers and men captured. His
known. are comparatively slight. although
there may be number of dead and wound |
ed left on the field.
"The willy Beers led the British into
trap by furnishing Gatacre and his spies |
with the false information that the enemy's |
camp at Stormberg could be easily taken by |
and captured. Gatacre was told |
that the Beers there numbered only $500. |
and were in weak position. The General |
determined to make an early morning ]
march with strong column and strike a |
rapid blow.
''The troops chosen were the I'd Royal |
irish Rifles, the I'd Northumberland Fus-
ileers, the Kings Shropshires, the I'd /
Royal Berkshires, acting as mounted in
fantry. and field batteries Nos. "a and II |
We marched out smartly but cautiously |
from Putterskraal, and got within two |
miles of Stormberg without the slightest |
indication of the whereabouts of the Beers, |
but in this hot-bed of Boer sympathy there |
are hundreds of colonsts ready to give
of our every move to the enc
my. Our forces were proceeding cautious
Iy, when suddenly we were met by hail |
Of bullets coming from behind the low !