The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-08

London, Nov 7-Tonight's welcome
dispatches from the front have rent the
veil of gloom enveloping Ladysmith,
showing the British garrison not mere
ly standing on the logged defensive,
but executing a series of brilliant scr-
ties. Accounts from different sources
agree that the lacOnic official descrip-
ton of Thursdays enga cement as IAN
effective Smelling of the Boer lager
was unduly modest. 1t appears that
General Sir George Stewart White sent
a strong force of cavalry and infantry
to attack the Beers 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
camp captured. Encouraged by this
success. General White decided to risk
an even more important engagement
on the following day. which was again
justified by success.
Ladysmith has been isolated and
Boer force has intercepted the railway
between Ladysmith and Colenso. This
force on Friday had descended upon
Colenso, and, as shown by the dis
patches from Estcourt, had compelled
hurried abandonment of Colenso and
a retirement of the British to Estcourt.
General Whites Strategy.
tTGnGIdl W mite Ddu dSCtildllitu liltl
the Beers were attacking Colenso. but
he was not aware of the British retire
ment. He had determined. therefore, TO
attack the Beers in the rear, thus hop
ing to achieve the double object of
drawing off an attack upon the weak
garrison of Colenso 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 in the rear, and after the hills
had been sheled the British infantry
stormed the position. Meanwhile the
British cavalry swept round the hills
and as the retreating enemy descended
into the plains. with British bayonets
behind and the river in front of them.
they We're charged by the cavalry and
seem to have persisted almost to a man.
The British then returned to Lady
smith without coming into touch with
the Colenso garrison. which had re-
tired to Estcourt.
Better News Expected.
Sundays dispatch from Estcourt,
however, showed that an armored train
had been sent back to Colenso to repair
the line. and the next news may posi- |
bly, be of the restoration of the COM
munication with Ladysmith.
While the British troops We're thus
engaged in successful endeavors 10
wipe out the Nicholson's Mex disaster !
the situation inside Ladysmith. as
shown by an official dispatch from the !
general as Estcourt. was most salts |
factory, encouraging a hope that Sir |
George White may yet completely re- |
trieve his shaken reputation and that |
his force may emerge triumphant from /
the ordeal through which it is now |
passing.
General Lord WoIseley. the com /
mander-in-chief. has written TO Lady |
Randolph Churchill. thanking her for /
the efforts of the American ladies in !
England in fitting out a hospital ship /
for South African waters. He says:
Thanks American Ladies.
81 am only too anxious to help you
in this matter. in order to show YOU
how thoroughly our army, and. indeed. 1
the nation, appreciate the evidence Of
the interest American ladies take in
our sick and wounded"
The Maine viii san for the Cape on
Nov p. with Lady Randolph Churchill
on board.
Il is now virtually decided to send /
another division of $1,000 men 10 South
Africa as speedily as possible For this
purpose a second and third army corps
viii be mobilized. The second win con-
sist OF 10000 men. of which 10000 will go
10 Africa, the rest being concentrated
at Aldershot in readiness for emergen-
cies. The third CORPS a nominal affair (
viii number $4,000 men, who will be /
used for garrison purposes at home
Thus the entire British army will viz
tually be modified, which viii be an
unprecedented occurrence.
Another Fight Reported.
Evidently more detailed reports of
General Whites doings at I,advsn1ith
must be received before the public will
be able to form clear idea of what
has happened. Reports from various
sources show that another important
reconnaissance or engagement occurred
on Saturday to the south of Lady
smith. and Cape Town newspaper
reports that 1000 Beers were captured
there.
The suggestion of Sir Redvers Butler
IN his dispatch to the war Office on
Sunday that the name of General
French had been given by mistake for
that of Colonel Brocklehurst in advices
10 him by pigeon post from Durham is
now explained by dispatch from
Pieternaritzhurg which says that Gen
eral French has left Durham for Cape
Colony. Evidently General Butler
was aware Of this.
The Daily Telegraph publishes the
following dispatch from Pieterinaritz-
burg dated Saturday evening:
Since their occupation of Colenso.
the Beers have attempted no advance
further south. Estcourt is now becom-
ing q strong and growing camp Maori
Wolfe Murray is in temporary COM .
mand
The enemy bombarded Coiense on
Thursday until sunset at the .xtreme
range of his nine centimetre Krupp !,
guns
Bosr Advance Not Probable.
Confirmation has been obtained. of
the report that General Schaliberger {
is the Eoer commander at Vryburr. A s
gener~l Boer advance is not thought J
probable. Means have been taken to I
secure Pietermaritzburg against any :
POSSIBLE attack and also to relieved :
Ladysmith before the enemy can come !
further
Widespread rumors OF both Dutch /
and native origin have been-current :
since yesterday that during a recon- !
noissanee from Ladysmith northward !, l
toward Mattawans Hook and Nichol- f
sons Neck. the british troops engaged, s
the enemy. Il is said that lySidfte {; i
battery drove the Beers into a valley
where shes British cavalry charged ! i