Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-12
ROYAL IRISH RIFLES.


ana three men. Slightly Wounded-rwo
men.
SEVENTY FIELD BAT
Terry.
Killed-One gunner. Wounded-Major
Purceval.
NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILEERS.
Missing-AaJor Stevens, Captain Fetch
er, Captain Morley. econd-Lieutenant
Wake, Second-Lieutenant Coulson, and
Lieutenant Radcliffe.
DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT.
Missing-Three hundred and six nom
commissioned officers and men.
ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT.
Killed-One private.
The remainder OF my casualties will
be wired as soon Is ascertained.
DETAILS or THE FIGHT.
The Times publishes the following dis
patch from Molteno:
General Gatacre attempted TO assault
the Boer position al Stromberg al dawn
to-day Sunday. The guides led US
wrong, and we were surprised while in
Tours, and after a very trying night
march. our retirement was effected in
excellent order. there being no hurry,
even at the most critical time. The
Northumberiands and Irish Rifles be-
haved as II on review day. / fear our
losses are heavy. one OF our guns We
had 10 abandon
The War Office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Cape Town, dated
Saturday night:
The position Of the enemy in Storm
berg District last night vas the following:
Al StOrmberg, .aagers; AT DOrdrecht
800 men; twenty-three miles south OF
Sterkstroom. 220 men.
Major Elliott reports that Dalgetty.
with a force, has gone toward Dordrecht
10 cooperate with Gatacre.
THE railway bridge at Modder river
was completed December 18th. Me;huen
reports that he ma le a demonstration up
the line of the ra lV@y IL daylight to-
day with artillery. The enemy did not
respond. Methuen is receiving the re-
mainder OF his reinforcements and SUP
plies. He has established detached posts
on his lines Of communication.
'Mafeking reports all well on November
Goth"
RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE.
SIOLTENO, CAPE COLONY. December
10.-General Gatacre's movement may be
termed reconnaissance in force It's OBJ
ject was to ascertain the strength of the
! position OF the Beers. who We're strongly
/ entrenched along the Stormberg Range.
| tie left Putters Kraal shortly after noon
| yesterday. with a lighting force slightly
| over 1000 men.
Leaving MOlteno at o'clock last eve
| ming. he made a memorable night march
| toward Stormberg over the rocks and
| veldt. There was no sound except a
| steady tramp. and there We're no distin-
| gushing lights, the bright moon having
| a. 1
! The column arrived safe within a cou-
| pie Of miles of its destination, the only
incidents OF the march being an OCCASION
al sudden call Of Haiti under the be-
Lief that the Beers Were near
THE BOERS OPEN FIRE.
Suddenly d terrific fire opened stimuli
| taneously on tho British front and right
flank. The Royal Irish Rifles, which
| formed the advance, sought shelter be-
hind neighboring kopje. ana were
| speedily joined by the remainder of the
column. 1t was soon found. however,
! that this position also was covered by
Boer guns. which We're more powerful
than had been supposed. The troops.
therefore, sought safer position about
half mile away, TWO batteries I'm the
mean time engaging the Beers and cover
| ing the troops In their withdrawal
ACTION BECOMES GENERAL.
The action now became general at long
range, and a detachment OF mounted in
fantry moved nOrthward with a view Of
getting on the eneny's right iank. Sud
denly a strong commando was seen NOV
ing from the north, and tho Royal Irish
Rifles and the Northumberland Regiment
were sent out TO meet il.
1t was soon discovered. however that
the Beers had machine guns well placed,
| and the British were compelled to face a
terrible fire.
THE BRITISH RETREAT
Finding it impossible to hold the posi-
ton in the face OF an enemy apparently
superior in position, numbers, and artil-
lery, the British retired on Nolteno. the
Beers following up the retirement close
ly and bringing two big guns to bear on
tho retiring column.
The engagement began at AIS A. NJ.
and the British retired at Z A. NJ
THE POSITION Of STORMBERG.
(New York Times)
Stormberg is situated near tho summit
of mountain range Of the same name,
an onset Of the Drakensberg in tie
northern part OF Cape Colony. 1t occu-
| pies an important strategic position, at
the junction of two railroads. one extend
ing southeast TO East LOnion on the
coast, and the other, a branch line eighty
three miles long, connecting vita the Fort
| Elizabeth railway AZ heidelberg. the
! place was used by the British in the early
part of the war as d base OF supplies. and
large stores were accumulated there. bu,
General Butler ordered It's evacuation
soon after his arrival in Cape Colony.
Molteno is on the railway. about twelve
miles from Stormberg ard sixteen miles
| south Of BurgheI sdorp.
GENERAL GATACRItS RECORD.
(New York Times.)
When Major-General Gatacre was Sc
lected for his present command in South
Africa there was much criticism In the
London newspapers and the military
clubs with regard TO the appointment.
General Gatacre Is what Is known as an
J ..of,ice general" and IL was tacitly adj
! u,tted by the authorities of the War
| Once that he was selected in order 10
nrovide a sop for the clique OF which he
forms a unit. He has seen little active
service. none at all under the conditions
which the British troops have to face IN
the present contest, and II was freely
nronhesied in London. when the war he
ran' that disaster would overtake any
Column under his command.
General Gatacre was born In 1913. ana