The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-16
STILL ANOTHER DEFEAT.
For the British Troopai In the South
African Campaign. Il
THE BoBRs CAPTURE TEN Guns
And Destroy Another By She'll Fire.
Britons Tried to Cross TnEela River,
But Were Compelled to Abandon
the Attempt After Heavy Loss.

1ut Were NOMPsAcu " A"A"~~
the Attempt After Heavy Loss.
London, Dec. 16.-The war Office hal
received q dispatch announcing that
General Butler has met with a serious
reverse, losing eleven guns. General
! Butler was attempting to cross thu
Tugela river. Finding 1t impossible
to effect his object, he ordered re.
tirement In order to avoid greater
losses, leaving the guns behind.
Following is the text OF General
Bullcr's dispatch announcing his re-
verse, dated Chleveley camp, Dec. Is:
Il regret to- report serious reverse
I moved in full strength from onr
camp, near Chieveley, at 4 O'Clock this
morning. There are two fordable
places in the Tugela river, and 1t was
my intention to force passage
through at ono of them. They arr
about two miles apart
my intention was to force one or
the other with one brigade. supported
by a central brigade. General Hart
was to attack the left drift, General
Hildyard the right road and General
Lgttleton was to take the center and
to support either.
EARLY In the day I saw that Cen
passage. and l directed him to with
draw. He had, however. attacked with
great sallantry. and his leading battal-
ion. the ConnaugLl RANGERS, fear.
suffered o great deal. Colonel I. G.
Brooke was seriously wounded.
Il then ordered General Hildyard
10 advance, which he did and his lead
ing regiment, the East Surrey, occu-
pied Colenso station and the houses
near the bridge.
"At that moment l heard that the
whole artillery I mad sent to support
the attack.--the Fourteenth and Sixty
sixth field batteries and six naval r.
FOUNDER quick ffrers-tnder Colonel
Long, had advanced close to the river
In Longs desire to be within effective
range. It proved to be full Of the
enemy, who suddenly opened calling
fire at close range, killing ell their
horses, and the gunners were compell-
ed to stand to their guns. Some Of the
wagon teams got shelter for the troops
in donga, and desperate efforts were
made to bring out the field guns. The
fire, however, was too severe, and only
two were saved by Captain Schoheld
and some drivers.
Another most gallant attempt with
the teams was made by an officer whose
name will obtain. or the 16 horses
10 were killed, and as several drivers
were wounded I would not allow an
other attempt, as 1t seemed that they
would be a shell mark, sacrificing life
to a gallant attempt to force the pas
sage.
unsupported by artillery. directed
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 under Lord Dunronald
and part of General Barton's brigade.
The day was intensely hot and most
trying on troops whose condition was
excellent.
1--WE have abandoned ten guns and
lost by shell fire one The losses in
General Hart's brigade are, l fear,
heavy, although the proportion Of Sc
yerely wounded is, hope, not large.
THE Fourteenth and Sixty ninth
field batteries also suffered severe loss
es. We have retired to our camp at
Chleveley."
This latest check Is regarded as the
49, - To- nu;x -
military history since the Indian mu-
tiny
No Independent reports of the en-
gagement have yet been allowed to
come through, but General Buffers
own dispatch tells the sad tale in suf-
ficient outline to show that the British
have been entrarped again by the as
tute Beers.
It was not anticipated that General
Butler would make frontal attack.
No criticisms of his movements are
made, however, since apparently he
suffered repluse rather than defeat,
and did not push the attack here, but
broke 1t of In tho middle, so as to save
a useless sacrifice of life. 1t is ex-
pected that he will renew the attack
shortly.
Immediately on receiving the news
the war Office decided to mobilize still
another division and to replace the
losses Of artillery. The necessary re-
Inducements will be hurried off as
speedily as possible
The latest dispatches indicate the
continued bombardment Of Ladysmith,
whose position is now periious.