The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-25
CROWDS AT THE WAR OFFICE.
Anxious to Hear the Latest News
From Battle of Belmont.

From Battle of Belmont.
| London, Nov. 24.-The pathetic scenes
which marked the days following the
engagements between the British and
Beers at Glencoe and Nicholsen's Mex,
found their counterpart at the war Of
flee here today. Long before the doors
of the war office opened. troubled and
anxious women and men iD all sta
tions in life were assembled here, and
when the inquirers Were finally ad-
mitted, their anxious questions showed
they feared that yesterday evenings
official bulletin, though black enough,
had not recorded the full story of the
| British losses at Belmont.
Up to noon the government officials
| had issued no further dispatches, and
50 the nervous distrust of the public
remains unalleviated.
General Methuen's message leaves a
great deal to be explained According,
to all previous facts obtainable as to
the relative strength of the forces, the
Beers must have been in a decided mi
nority, yet the total British loss, 220
killed, wounded and missing, proves
! the effectiveness of their resistance,
and amply justifies General Methuen's
tribute to the courage and skill with
which the burghers fought.
| The fact that no guns and only forty
prisoners were captured by the victors
/ and that the Beers carried off their
dead and wounded, shows they retired
in an orderly manner. without pre-
f cipitation or confusion, and that prob
ably the Boer casualties were not nu-
merouS. owing to the strength of their
position. The destruction of the Boer
ammunition captured is taken as an in
dication that General Methuen occupied
the captured position at Belmont and
destroyed the Boer supplies in order
not to hamper the immediate advance
| of his flying column, which is march,
ing in the lightest order.
| The road is now presumably open to
the Boer position on the Modder river,
where the guards, who apparently bore
the brunt of yesterdays fighting will,
in all probability. have another chance
to get at close quarters with the bay
onet-
Lieutenant Blundell of the Grenadier
Guards, who was dangerously wound
ed at the battle of Belmont yesterday.
has since died of his wounds. The gov
ernor of Natal has forwarded the fol-
lowing dispatch to the colonial office:
"Tugela Drift was attacked during
the morning of Thursday, Nov. %, by
go to 300 Beers, who are believed to
have advanced from Helpmakaar and
Umvoti. The mounted rifles, under
Major Leuchars, and a small body Of
Natal police. totaling 140>-men. posted
south of the river bank, forced the
| Beers to retire after two hours fight
ing. Our loss was a sergeant major
wounded. The Tugela rose during the
day, and is now reported impossible
except by boats.'
A special dispatch received here from
Belmont says General MethuenS force
numbered 1000 men, and that the Beers
had 5000 men. The latter, it is added,
| held an exceedinly strong position on a
series of hills extending a dozen miles.
They were strongly entrenched. and
their cannon were posted strongly, and
were eXcellently served. The battle be-
gan at o'clock and ragged for several
hours.
The Beers held their position with
great StubbOrnnesS and splendid cOur-
age. The British rifiemen forced the
attack under a ral<ing fire and carried
position after position with superb
dash, driving out the Beers with great
slaughter. The engagement was /eally
a series of battles. during which the
Beers were constantly carrying off their
dead and wounded. The war office to-
day issued the following advices:
Cape Town, Nov. "A (afternOOn).-
General Methuen further reports this
morning that the wounded are doing
well. There are over fifty prisoners.
including a German commandant and
six field cornetS. Nineteen of these
prisoners are wounded. We are unable
to estimate the Boer losses. The priS-
oners say yesterdays attack was a sur
prise, and that it is the only beating
| they have had A large amount of cor
respondence has been secured. sThe re-
servists are doing well. Colonel Pole
Carew replaces FeatherStOnbaugh in
command of the Ninth brigade
Belmont, Cape Colony. Nov. "a. 10
a. m.-The entire western division
moved on the Orange river Tuesday
and camped at WitteputS. Two COM
\ Il
tachment of lancers were sent to hold
Thomas farm. Their pickets prevent
ed the Beers from advancing. The
Beers fired cannon and the British ar
tillery arrived on the scene and 81
fenced the Beers fire At 8 o'clock in
the morning the guards brigade moved
steadily forward to a hill few miles
east of Belmont staticN-- The Scots
and Grenadiers advanced to within
fifty yards of the base, when the Beers
poured in a scathing fire, staggering
the guards momentarily. But quickly
recovering, they returned the deadly
hail TO the Beers. The duel was con-
tinued for half an hour.
when the artillery commenced the
Beers evacuated their front position,
and the Scots guards rushed the hill
with the bayonet amid lusty cheers
The Ninth brigade then moved forward
in extended order, and the Beers start
ed a terrible cross fire from the sur
rounding hills. The Coldstreams, sup
ported by the Scots, Grenadiers. Nor
thumberlands and NorthamptonS
stormed the second position in the face
of a constant and effective Boer fire
The Ninth brigade then advanced, the
artillery in the meantime maintaining
excellent practice. The British infantry
never wavered, and when a tremendous
cheer notified them of the charge, the
Bors fled and succeeded in gaining a