Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-08
Made FIND SORTIES.
British Not Merely on Defen-
sive at Ladysmith.
BOERs WERE CUT TO PIECES.
a Force of Them at Tatham's Farm
Practically Wiped Out-Another Sue
cessful Engagement Believed That
Railway VIII BE Opened.

LONDON, Nov. S.-Ihe welcome dis
patches from the front have rent the
veil of gloom enveloping Ladysmith,
showing the Br. .ish garrison not merely
standing on the logged defensive, but
executing a serie; of brilliant sorties.
Accounts from different sources agree
that the laconic official description OF
Thursdays S engagement as ''an effective
shelling OF the Boer lager" was unduly
modest. 1t appears that General Sir
George Stewart White sent strong
force of cavalry and infan try to attack
the Eoers at Tatham's farm, about ten
miles to the northwest, near Besters,
and APPARENTLY achieved surprise, the
Beers being caught on the open veldt
and cut TO pieces and their army cap
tured. Encouraged by this success,
General White decided to risk an even
more important engagement on the fol
lowing day, which was again justified
by success.
Ladysmlth had been isolated and Il
Boer force had intercepted the railway
between Ladysmlth and Colenso. This
force on Friday had descended upon
Colenso and, as shown by the dispatches
from Estcourt, had compelled hurried
abandonment of Colenso and retire
ment of the British to Estcourt.
General White had ascertained that
the Beers were attacking COlensO, but
he WAS not aware OF the British retire
ment. lie had determined, therefore,
to attack the Beers i'll the rear. thus
hoping to achieve the double object of
drawing off an attack upon the weak
garrison OF Coienso and possibly of re-
opening communication southwark.
The Beers had advanced southwark
until they had occupied the hills north
OF Tugela river and dominating Colenso
on the other side of the stream. The
hills slope to plain that reaches to the
banks of the Tugela.
General Whites division caught the
Beers i'll the rear and, after the hills
had been shelled, the British infantry
stormed the position. Meanwhile the
Brlti;ih cavalry swept around the hills,
and, as the retreating enemy descended
into the plains with British bayonets
behind them and the river in front of
them, they were charged by the cavalry
and seem TO have persisted almost TO
man lie British then returned to
Ladyslnlth without coming into touch
Will Tie COie1SD ,StlTIlSOll, WuiCu ndQ
retired to Estcourt.
Sundays dispatch from Estcourt,
however, showed that an armored train
had been 5. lit back to Colenso to repair
the line, and the next news may posi-
bly, he of the restoration of communlcs,-
tion with Lidysnltn.
While the British troops were thus
engaged in successful endeavors to wipe
out the Nlcholsons Mex disaster the SIT
uation inside Ladysmith, as shown by
an official dispatch from the general at
Estcout was most satisfactory, encour-
aging Il hope that Sir George White
may yet completely retrieve his shaken
reputation.
Interesting news came from the chan
mel squadron ut Gibraltar, showing pre-
cautions against all eventualities almost
unknown i'll European waters in peace
time. On the way to Gibraltar the fleet
spread ont four miles apart and sharp
outlook was kept for suspicious craft
At Gibraltar extra sentries are posted
at night ut dinerent parts of the ships
with ten rounds of ball cartridges each
The small guns on the upper deck and
in tne lighting tops are kept ready for
immediate use, the ammunition being
on deck; IL few men sleep at the guns,
the searchlights are kept working and
all boats are hailed and not allowed to
approach without the permission of the
officer of the watch.