Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-12-19
MET A CRUSHING DEFEAT
Gen. Butler Overwhelmed by the
Doers in a Great Battle.
SUFFERS GREAT LOSSES
British Lose 963 at Magersfontein
Including Seventy
Officers.

London, Dec. 16-News has been re-
ceived of crushing defeat of Gen. Bull
ler's forces, which were advancing to the
relief of Ladysmith, and the fate of the
beleaguered city now hangs in the bal
ance. 1t seems that Gen. Butler divided
his forces in three parts to force a pas
sage across the Tugela river. Hart S
wing led the attack, but suffered severe
ly. Hildyard came to his relief and his
two field batteries and naval battery were
surprised, with loss of eleven guns, of
which six were the twelve-pound naval
quick-firing. The loss of men is admitted
as being heavy, but there are no details
Of the battle. The Connaught Rangers
suffered most.
Gen. Buffers Account.
The following is the text of Gen. Bull
ler's dispatch:
Butler to Lansdowne: Chievey Camp.
Dec. 10, go p. MI regret to report a
serious reverse. l moved in full strength
frCin our camp near Chievely, at O'Clock
this morning. There are two fordable
places in the Tugea and it was my inten-
tion to force passage through one of
them. They are about two miles apart. My
intention was to force one or the other with
one brigade, supported by central brigade.
Gen. Hart was to attack the left drift, Gen.
ton to take the center. and to support
either Early in the day l saw that Gen.
Hart would not be able to force Il passage,
and | directed him to withdraw. He had,
however. attacked with great gallantry and
his leading battalion, the Connaught Rang
ers. l fear suffered great deal. Col. /.
q. Brooke was seriously wounded
Ordered Gen. HiIdyard to Attack.
l then ordered Gen. Hildyard to advance,
which he did and his leading regiment, the
East Surrey, occupied COlenSo station. and
the houses near the bridge. At that mo-
ment l heard that the wnoie artillery l had
sent 20 support the attack-Fourteenth and
Sixty sixth field batteries and six naval -
FOUNDER quick firers, under Col. Long, had
advanced close TO the river in Longs desire
to be within effective range. 1t proved to
be full of the enemy. who suddenly opened
a CALLING fire at close range, killing all their
horses. and the gunners were compelled 70
stand to their guns Some of the wagon
teams got shelter for troops in a donga and
desperate efforts were being made TO bring
out the field guns.
Roer Fire Terribly Severe.
The fire. however, was too severe and
only two were saved by Capt. Schotield and
some drivers whose names | Will furnish.
Another most gallant attempt with three
teams was made by an officer whose name
will obtain. OF the eighteen horses thirteen
were killed. and as several drivers were
wounded | would not allow another at
tempt it seemed that they would be Il
shell mark. sacrificing life to Il gallant at
tempt " lOiSC liz poSoetSS.
by artillery, | directed the troops to with
draw. which they did in good order.
Throughout the day considerable force
of the enemy pressing on my right
flank but was kept back by mounted men
under Lord Dundonald and part of Gen.
Darton's brigade. The day intensely
hot and most trying on the troops, whose
conduct was excellent. We have abandoned
ten guns and lost by shell fire one. The
losses in Gen. Hunts brigade are, fear,
heavy.
The Situation is Desperate.
AS might have been expected, the des-
perate state of the British arms in South
Africa, as revealed by the defeat Of Gen.
Butler at Tugela river, where, at one
stroke, he lost treble the number of guns
Wellington left in the hands of Napoleon
during the six years fighting in the pc
ninsula, while adding to the determine
ton of the authorizes to send every avail
able man to the front, caused something
in the nature Of a momentary panic
among the public. which was reflected on
the Stock exchange. as already cabled.
1t is long since the tone of the news
papers and the comment in the clubs and
other resorts has been so 'chastened and
pessimistic Some of the comments go
so far as to say the crisis is so farreach-
ing that Great Britain stands where she
stood over century back, when the
American colonists men of British and
Dutch blood, were in arms