Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-12-16
BATTLE or S'r0RMBBRG.
British Killed Wounded and Cap
tured Number Seven Hundred.
TOTAL BRITISH CASUALTIES.

La the Nine engagements Fought
Forty-hve Hundred and Seventy
Dritonx Have Yielded TO the Beers,
Over Five Hundred Being Killed.
London, Dec. 12.--No further official
news has been received to remove the
mystery overhanging General CAT
acres retreat from Stormberg. He has
not yet forwarded the promised adj
ditional message. and the censorship
has prevented the correspondents from
explaining the matter While 1t APP
pears to be generally admitted that
General Gatacre is inclined to over
work his men, it is felt that consider
able allowance must be made for the
extreme difficulty of getting intelli-
gence in a country whose inhabitants
are in strong sympathy with the
enemy
According to reports thus far receiy-
ed General Gatacre left Putters Kraal
by train for Molteno. and then. pro-
ceeded by forced march II miles to-
ward Stormberg. He had 1000 men,
including the Northumberland Fusil-
iers, the Royal Irish Rifles and two
batteries of field artillery.
The British were unmolested by the
Beers until the Boer position was
reached, when a hot fire was uneX-
pectedly opened upon the advancing
column.
The engagement began at Ais a. m.
At a. m, after sharp artillery
duel, the British retired to Molteno.
General Gatacre found the enemy's po-
sition impregnable. 1t was impossible
for the British infantry to get at the
Beers. The British losses were two
men killed. nine officers and II men
wounded and 672 captured. The Beers
also captured three British guns.
Stormberg is described as a stronger
position than Laings Mex. The only
road winds through lofty hills and
flanking is impossible. Colesberg is
also said to be an almost impregnable
position, and as no troops are avail
able to reinforce the columns acting
in those directions, it becomes evil
dent that General Gatacre's misfor-
tune or error will delay the invasion
of the Free State perhaps some weeks.
1t is exceedingly probable that he will
be compelled to retire on Queenstown
and to wait for reinforcements, which
can hardly reach him until Sir Charles
Warren's division arrives at the cape.
The first detachments will sail Satur-
day next. Even if General French is
not compelled to retreat he will be
obliged to pause in his advance.
1t is announced from Cape Town
that the Beers have succeeded in re-
pairing the Leuwfontein bridge, be-
tween Stormberg and Burghersdorp.
which the British had destroyed on
retiring.
Details are expected from the Boer
outposts in the direction of Modder
River. There is a report that the
British are advancing on the plain. and
heavy fighting is anticipated. General
PrIns Loo and General Cronje COM
mand the Boer forces.
The following dispatch has been re-
ceived at Lorenzo Marquese from the
Boer lager near Ladysmith: Several
kaffir runners from Ladysmith to Est
court have been captured. They re-
ceived from SIS to e40 for the trip.
The intercepted messages show that
men and horses in Ladysmith are now
on half rations, that whisky is 81 a
bottle and that beer is exhausted.
The Transvaal government has de-
cided to consider Mr. Winston Church
i'll, who was captured Nov. IL between
Estcourt and Chieveey, comDatant
officer, and to retain him as prisoner.
Mr.. Churchill has applied to General
Butler with view Of getting an eX-