The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-01
B0ERS TOOK TWO REGIMENTS.
WHITE REPORTS A SEVERE LOSS
To BRITISH FORCES.

Says He Formed The Plan, and He
Alone Is RcspOnsibIe--TrOOps
Taken Were the Royal Irish Fusii-
leers, the GIOUcesterShire Regi-
ment and Mountain battery.
English Are Greatly DismnyeI
Over the Disaster to W4,ite's Army.
London. Oct. S1.-The war Office has re-
ceived a dispatch from Gen. White, COM
manding the British forces at Ladysmith
reporting that the Royal Irish Fusilleers,
number ten mountain battery and the
Worcestershire Regiment were surround
ed in the hills by the Boers, and, after
losing heavily. were obliged to capitulate,
Gen. White says that the casualties have
not yet been ascertained.
The following is the text Of Gen. Whites
dispatch to the war Office:
"Ladysmith, Oct. go l0:35 p. MI have
to report a disaster to the column Sent by
me to take a position on a hill to guard
the left flank of the troops. In these op-
erations to-day the Royal Irish F'usileers.
No. 10 Mountain Battery, and the Glou-
cestershlre Regiment were surrounded in
the hills, and after losing heavily. had to
capitulate. The casualties have not yet
been ascertained.
"A man of the F'lsilleers, employed as a
hospital orderly, came In under a fag OF
truce with a letter from the survivors oi
the column. who asked for assistance to
bury the dead. 1 fear there is no doub,
of the truth of the report.
Il formed the plan, in the carrying out
of which the disaster occurred, and am
alone responsible for the plan. There IL
no blame whatever to the troops, as the
position was untenable."
Gen. White, in a subsequent dispatcn,
gives the names Of the officers taken pris-
oners. They number forty-two, of whom
five were wounded
Feeling of Great Dismay.
At the government office no effort was
made to conceal the feeling of dismay,
caused by the receipt of the news from
Gen. White. One official said to repre-
sentative of the Associated Press:
ut is inexplicable, and 1 am sorry to
say that it's moral effect is inesrlmable.
We have lost heavily in many wars, and
nave naO regiments almost WlpeN out Dut
to have regiments captured, and by the
Boers-it is terrible"
An official Of the war Office said to the
representative Of the Associated Press:
This disaster is more likely due to the
craze of our younger officers to dlstin-
guish themselves, obtain mention in the
dispatches and earn the Victoria cross,
than the fault of that splendid Indian vet
eran, Gen. White, in spite of his avowal."
The war office has sent the following
dispatch to Gen. Butler:
Three extra battalions of foot and one
mountain battery, with reserves. will leave
England during the course of ten days to
make good the casualties"
A special dispatch from Ladysmith says
the Beers suffered severely during the en-
gagement some persons estimating their
loss at 300 to 1000 killed and wounded
Another Army Corps.
1t IS learned by the Associated Press that
the war office has ordered another army
corps to be in readiness to be called out.
The military officials have not yet decid-
ed whether the consumma ton of the plan
will be necessary, but they are determined
to have everything in readiness either for
a demonstration in Europe of Great Brit
aims capabilities or for sending even
larger force to the scene of action.
Until the receipt of the news of the
Ladysmith disaster, the latter course was
considered out Of the question But now
there Is no knowing what steps will be de-
cided upon.