The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-26
forces in the Herschefl and Barley

State forces in the HerscheIl and Barkley
East districts A dispatch from Queens
quarters, announces that four hundred
colonial rebels. including an ex-magistrate
OF Barkley East, have joined the enemy
at the latter place., inc that the Wnole force
Is reported 10 De marching on DOrdrecht,
whence II can operate and possibly inter-
cept General Gatacre's advance TO reoccupy
Stormberg Junction, a strategic point from
which General Gatacre can get in direct
touch through the railroad with General
French at N~aauWpoOrt and thus with the
British base at D2ar-
Another dispatch says refugees arriving
at Queenstown assert that LadygTey has
been occupied by the colonial farmers, and
IL Is feared there that there Is a general
movement IN favor OF the Beers.
Further DISPATCHES from Belmont con-
flag by the Beers are arousing indigna-
ton. The troops engaged are bitterly COM
planning. and IL is feared the result will be
incident similar 10 the one which occurred
at the battle Of Giencoe, when an officer
vas SHOT oy a wounded Boer, is reported
oy the London Times correspondent at Bel
mont, who says that Lieutenant Blundell.
or the G~renadier Guards, was shot by a
wounded Boer, whom ne was ending. Such
statements seem incredible, but they are
now confirmed officially by the protest OF
General Methuen, who has sent a message
10 the Boer commander, saying: Il mus
ask you TO warn your wounded not to shoot
our off1cers- l must warn you not to use
oum-dum bullets or use the flag OF truce
LEtdCucTouSlJ. SuCn action Is cOUar0lN IN
the extreme and L cannot countenance it."
All accounts confirm the splendid charg-
Ing OF the British infantry. the Scots Guards
entering the fight with drums beating and
nfes playing. The second ridge was the
strongest position. The Beers there were
sneltered behind ramparts of powders.
many OF them coolly smoking.
h. +. Knight a ~well-known war CORE
spordent. who went to Havana during the
Spanish-American war, was wounded in the
arm by a dum-dum bullet.
The hospital train arrived at Orange river
In the nick of time from Cape Town, and
was sent to Belmont. The train is con-
structed on the corridor system, with beds
arranged In tiers on each side. On its re-
was found that a number Of them were able
20 walk. but there were many Stretcher
cases. The troops in camp lined the route
from the station to the hospital. The wound
ed were cheerful. and as they limped along
supported by medical orderlies. exchanged
chaff with the soldiers in the crowd.
Got n lOot?" asked a soldier.
Yes" was the grim reply from the
manned man, in my bloomin' leg"
There is much discussion now as to
whether General Methuen intends to march
directly to Kimberley or double around on
the Free Staters who have invaded the
Colesburg and Burghersdorp districts and
French. inficting a crushing defeat on
them. The general opinion, however, is
that he will proceed north and attack the
Beers at Modder river, thus relieving Kim
berley.
u There Is much anxiety now as to the fate
of Mafeking, in view of the latest and
somewhat respondent advices. 1t was ru-
m0red in the Glasgow Stock Exchange to-
day that Mafeking had surrendered, but
the War Office officials declare they have
nothing confirmatory or otherwise.
In the meanwhile the news from Natal is
not encouraging: Estcourt and the Mooi
river camp are both hard pressed. A dis
patch from Pretoria, dated Thursday. gives
advices from south of Ladysmith TO the eff
feet fnqf General JOuhorf tho Gapna paOrp-
ing shelled Estcourt camp. but without re-
Spouse. The Inhabitants of the town were
reported to be leaving. The dispatch from
Pretoria also indicates that news of the
battle of Belmont has reached Pretoria, as
II says heavy fighting Is reported south of
Kimberley to-day between the Free Staters
and a supposed British relief force from
the Orange river" The attack is said to
have been a surprise, and. although the
British retired. they did not do so until
they had bayoneted eighty Beers and cap
tured all their equipment and a number Of
horses- A big gun posted in position, the
capture of which appears to have been the
Bfis.sh objective, was found TO have been
An oficiaI statement was issued at Dur
ban yesterday that there were no Soers
south-of the Mooi river. The Beers, how
ever, as shown in recent dispatches. are
rapidly closing around the Moot river
camp An armored train and mounted pa
Wednesday reported seeing but few of the
enemy. Yet the following day the Beers
We're found In strong force in two direc-
tons near by.
Two Beers have surrendered to the Brit
fsh at Nottingham road station. south OF
the Moof river, and there are reports that
the Boer forces are starving. which, 1T Is
said, explains their raiding farms.
Numbers of loyal Natal farmers have
taken the field in response to the call for
mobilization of the rifle associations and
are now doing splendid scouting work. The
government has realized the value of their
services and yesterday authorized the rails
ing Of a mounted corps of farmers to check
Beer raiding.
The reported determination OF the United
States TO compel President Kruger TO allow
Consul General Macrum to exercise his
rights as British agent at Pretoria has Gre
ated an excellent impression here and has
called out various expressions of satisfac-
ton and gratitude. The Pail Mall Gazette
says: "The United States government Is
not going TO stand any nonsense from
President Kruger. 1t was the British rep
resentative who kept an eye on Hobson's
captivity at Santiago. and IL was British
representatives who did similar service for
captured Americans everywhere i'm Cuba
and the Philippines. More power to Ma
cr11m'e a1h0uvr