Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-06
NEWS FROM
LADYSM|TH
The Garrison is Still Intact, But Suf=
fering From the Close
Confinement.
THE B0ERS SEEM TO Be CLOSING IN
The Smelling of the Town is Quite Effective=-A Tele=
gram from General Butler in Regard TO the Boer
Losses in the Different Fights=-Report that the
Enemy is Retiring From the Siege of Ladysmtf,==
Some Reinforcen,ents for Butler Will be Needed in
Short Time

! London. Dec. CA budget Of news from
Iadyship which arrived today brings the
history Of the 'beleaguercd garrison up to
Nov. 20. In spite Of rumors OF a retro
grade movement upon the part of the
Beers stories just received show that the
garrison, although still strong, was suf-
fering from confinement, restricted diet
and the increasing volume of Boer artil-
. lery fire, especially that of the additional
heavy calibrc guns placed in position
5000 yards from the western defenses.
The dispatches relate that the Beers
had discovered the most vulnerable
points OF the garrison and that shellng
WAS becoming disagreeably effective.
The rations had been reduced and there
was a great deal of sickness. nevertheless
the troops of the garrison were In every
way preparing to meet the assault which
it was anticipated the Beers would carry
out in final effort to reduce the city.
The belief was current in Ladysmith
that the Beers were preparing for ret
roGrade movement after another attack.
Several bodies of burghers We're reported
to have been seen Nov. IS moving in the
while Nov. % detachments We're observed
journeying northward with wagons. Dis
cord between the Transvaalers and Free
Staters was also reported. There was no
Indication, however. that the Beers were
preparing TO dsmantle their gun posi-
tions, but the idea was prevalent in some
quarters of Ladysmith that the continued
shelling of the place was intended to
cover the retirement of the Boer forces
toward the Transvaal frontiers.
A Pretoria dispatch of Saturday. Dec.
via Lorenzo Marques Monday, Dec. 4,
however. announced that a Boer council
of war Dec. was planning a renewal OF
the assault on Ladysmith.
A dispatch from Frere. dated Sunday,
Dec. 3, reports that in Colonel Dundon-
AIDS reconnaissance near ColensO. fifteen
Beers We're killed and many wounded.
The road bridge across the Tugea river
is intact. The same message reports that
Kruger is anxious that the burghers
leave Ladysmith in order to oppose the
British marching in the direction of Pre-
toria from the west
Advices from Putter's Kraal. head
quarters of General Gatacre's division.
dated Dec. 2, say that the Beers entered
Dordorredht that morning. This it is
added. is probably Groebelers force Of
$50 men from Stromberg.
The war office has received a list OF
casualties during the sortie from Kim
berley Nov. 2S. as follows: Killed: Major
Scott Turner of the Black Watch; Lieu
tenant Wright Of the Kimberley light
horse, and twenty non-commissioned Off
GERS and men. Wounded: Captain Wal
deck, Lieutenanis Clifford and Watson
and 2s commissioned officers and
men.
There is possibility if General Butler
asks for further reinforcements that a |
brigade of militia will be sent to South !
Africa with a view of conciliating the |
who think that branch OF the |
service has been sighted in favor of re-
servists.
The war Office has received the follow
ing from General Butler dated today: |
"Pietermaritzburg. Nov. 6.--It is very |
difficult to make any statement in regard |
to the enemy's ,oss. For instance at Bel |
mont eighty Of their dead were ac-
counted for. The enemy gave Is as the |
number killed. There is every reason to |
believe the enemy's loss in the fight at !
Ladysmith Nov. . was over 500 killed ana |
wounded. Information from trust |
worthy Boer source shows that at HID
yards fight Nov. 23 the enemv's loss was
30 killed and 100 wounded. II IS impossi-
BILE to say how far these numbers are cor
rect but it is evident the enemy does not |