The silver star., 1899-12-22
ANOTHER DISASTER.
suLLER BEATEN THIS TIME.
After . Desperate Attempt TO Force the
Boer Position At Tugeia River no
Withdraws with Heavy Loss.

After . Desperate Attempt to Force the
Boer Position At Tugcia River. He
withdraw with Heavy Loss.
London, Dec. 1G.-The war office mas
received a dispatch announcing that
General Butler has met with serious
reverse, losing eleven guns ana many
men killed.
The following is the text Of General
Buffers dispatch announcing MS re-
verse:
"ChIeveley Camp. Dec. Is, $40 p. m.
Butler to LandsdOwne: ! regret 10
report serious reverse. ! moved IN
full strength from our camp near
Chieyeley Mt 4 o'clock this morning.
There are two fordable places IN the
Tugela river and 1t was my Intention
to force passage through Mt one OF
them. They are two miles apart.
"Intention was to force one or tine
other with one brigade, supported py
n central brigade. General Hart was
to attack the left drift, General hiiyaru
the right road and General Littietoh
was to take the center and to suppor.
either Early in the day ! saw tha,
General Hart would not be able to
force a passage and I directed him TO
withdraw. He had however, attacked
with great gallant-y. and his leading
battalion. the Connaught Hangers,
fear, suffered great deal. Colonel !.
G.. Brooke was seriously wounded.
II then ordered General Hilyard to
advance. which he did, and his leading
regiment. the East Surrey, occupied
Colenso station, and the houses near
the bridge, At that moment i heard
that the whole artillery / had sent 10
support the attack-the Fourteenth anu
Sixty-fifth field batteries and six naval
twelve-pounder quick-firers. under Coi-
onel Long-had advanced close TO the
river in Longs desire to be within ef-
fective range. 1t proved to he full ~
the enemy. who suddenly opened a gaii-
ing fire at close range. killing all thei;
horses and the gunners were COM
peeled to stand to their arms. Some OF
the wagon teams got shelter for troops
ir n donga and desperate efforts We're
being made to bring out the field guns.
''The fire. however. was too severe
and only two were saved by captain
Scholfield and some drivers whose
names will furnish.
"Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made by an officer
whose name VIII obtain. OF the
eighteen horses. thirteen were killed
and as several drivers We're wounded.
I would not allow another attempt. ms
II seemed that they would be shell
riark. sacrificing life to n gallant at-
tempt to force the passage. Unsup-
ported by artillery. l directed tho
troops TO withdraw. which they did in
good order
"Illroughout the day considerable
force Of the enemy was pressing on my
right flank. but kept back by mounted
men under Lord Dundonald and part of
General Barton's brigade. The day
was Intensely hot and most trying on
the troops, whose conduct was excel
lent. We have abandoned ten guns and
lost by shell fire one. The losses In
General Hunts brigade. fear, are
very heavy. although the proportion OF
severely wounded. hope, is not large.
The Fourteenth and Sixty-fifth field
batteries also suffered severe losses.
We have retired to our camp mt Chieve-
Icy"
London. Dec. 16-The news Of Gen.
eral Buffers reverse wns received so
late this morning newspaper comment
to-day Is confined to perfunctOry ex-
pressions of extreme regret and disap-
pointment and of the necessity Of calm
ness and redoubled efforts TO retrieve
the position. This latest check is re-
garded as the most serious event in
Great Britain's military history since
the Indian mutiny.
The Standard says: General Bull
ler's dispatch Is deplorable reading 1t
Ia the now familiar story OF concealed
Beers and OF British troops marching
mp blndly almost to the very muzzles
OF the enemy's rifles. 1t cannot be
doubted that the moral effect will he
to aggravatc our difficulties over the
whole field of operations.
1.-The country has discovered with
annoyance and surprise that subduing
Boer farmers Is about the hardest work
we have entered upon since the Indian
mutiny. Their commandants have
shown themselves able to give our gen.
erals useful, but expensive, lessons IN
modern tactics"
The Times says: "Slnce the day OF
the Indian mutiny the nation has NOT
been confronted with 40 painful and
anxious n situation. Plainly. General
Buffers advance is paralyzcd for tn,
moment as completely ms Lord Me
thuen's and General Gntncre's."
Immediately on receiving the news
the war office decided to mobilize still
another division and 80 replace tho
losses OF artillery. The necessary re-
Inducements Will bc hurried on n,
speedily MS possible.
Fifteen transports arc due to arrive
mt Cape Town between December 17ti
and January Sth. with about 15.OOt
troops OF all arms. but unless Genera
Butler IL able to renew the attack
which IL exceedingly doubtful, tn,
British generals Will liz compelled 70
another fortnight or more to remaiI
on the defensive.
The latcst dispatches Indicate IN,
continued bombardment Of Lndysmitil
whose position liz now periIOus.