The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-27

w y a III DtuScf-Ine
ment of Dundee-The Victories Gain
ed After Most Stubborn Ffghting-The
Loss on Both Sides Heavy-In the
Face of n Calling Fire the British
Carry the Heights with the ayone
London, October 24.-No news yet re-
ceiVed tends to dispel the apprehen-
sion caused by Lord Wolseley's brief
summary of the situation. A PETER
marftzburg dispatch says that the CEN
sor now permits no messages to be
sent from the front. Other dispatches
represent the Beers as Boosting that
Dundee is absolutely cut off, and as
sert that despite the British victories
the situation is stil1 uncertain.
The Pretoria dispatch giving the re-
port of General Jouber to the govern
ment evidently refers to the first battle
at Glencoe, and the reasons why COM
mandant Erasmus failed to come to
the assistance of Commandment Meyer
cannot be fathomed. Had he done so,
the British victory might have been
still more IDEALLY bought.
1t appears certain, however, that the
brilliant victory ait Elandslaagte was
productive Of no effect for the relief
of Glencoe, and the very reticence and
brevfty of Lord Wolseley's commune
cation are only too ominous. 1t seems
to be Worded to prepare the public for
bad news and it is only too likely that
General Yule a been compelled TO
abandon the ounde and the prison.
er5 at Dundee because his force Is too
weak to hold the four and a half miles
separating Dundee from Glencoe.
Probably General Yule believes he
can better protect Dundee from an en-
! envy advancing from the northwest by
concentrating all his available strength
at Glencoe where there are now $500
men and three batteries. In the mean
time efforts will be made to reopen the
railway and to get reinfOrcements from
Ladysmith.
1t is expected tina ~Commandant
Erasmus has by this time Joined Com
mandant General Joubert and that
their combined columns amount to
some &c, 900 or II, 900 men, while the
Free State Beers, now threatening
Ladysmith from the east, n a column
reported to be coming through Zulu
land must also be reckoned with.
In short General Sir George Stewart
White has been unable to follow up his
successes and is obliged to remain at
Ladysmith without being able to re-
store communication which is probably
broken at other points beside Gland
Slaagte. Thus the enemy, though their
original plan, which is supposed to
have been Colonel Schiel's, failed, may
be fairly credited with having isolated
General Yule's brigade and divided the
British forces in Natal.
General Yule may find himself in a
light place, needing all his experience
in Indian and RTrmpSp fighting TO pX-
tricate himself.
1t is quite evident that the war office
has news which has been withheld from
the public, and if the situation, as here
sketched, is confirmed, BOer divisions
may be expected at other frontier
points.
A dispatch to The Times from Coles
burg, Cape Colony, says: THE situa-
ton today MOnday) is grave. The
Beers are $50 strong and will be rein
forced from DriekOp. No defence is
possible. The town guard will retire on
NaauWpOOrt IN the appearance of the
enemy.
Glencoe Camp, Natal, October o.
Heavy firing is now in ogress to the
northwest of this camp.
Cape Town, October 22-10 D.. ma
dispatch has just arrived announcing
that the Beers are Smelling Dundee,
east of Glencoe, at long range, but that
their fire is Ineffective. 1t is now def
nitely known that Glencoe was attack
ed yesterday by the Boer main north
ern column. Our forces are i~ntrenched
in a good position. The situation there
is not yet fully cleared up.
Cape Town, October 23.-It is rumor
ed here this morning that Barley
West, northwest of Kimberley, has
been surrendered to the Beers without
firing a shot. Cape volunteers, it is re-
ported, will be sent to relieve Kimber-
ley.
London, October 22.-According to q
special dispatch from Glencoe Camp,
the British cavalry, while pursuing the
defeated Beers, were engaged by a
strong force of the enemy on the north
a Firing is now in progress.
GENERAL WHITES REPORT.
The war office this afternoon publish
ed the following dispatch to the secre-
tary Of state for war from the general
commanding in Natal, Sir George Stew
art White, regarding the engagement
yesterday at Elandslaagte, between
Glencoe and Ladysmith, when the Brit
ish, under General French, routed the
T~ransvaaI forces under General Jan H.
NJ. Koch, second in command in the
TranSvaal army, who was himself
wounded and captured and has since
died:
Il was present in person from $3.50
p. m. to $50 p. M, but did not assume
direction of the fight, which was left
in the hands of General French. AL
though desultory fighting took place
earlier in the day, while reenforcements
sent out later on ascertaining the enc
my's strength were arriving from
Ladysmith, the real action did not be-
gin until $3.50 p. m. AT that hour the
Beers held a position of very excep-
tional strength, consisting of a rock
hill about a mile and "a half east OF
Elandslaagte station. About $3.50 p m
our guns took a position on a ridge 4,10C
yards from the Beers, whose guns at
once opened fire. This fire was general
ly we'll directed, but somewhat high.
Contrary to previous experiences their
shells burst we'll.
The Imperial Light Horse moved to-
ward the left of the enemy's position,
and two squadrons of the Fifth Lam
GERS toward the right. During the ar