The Portland daily press., 1899-12-14
English Could Advance Only
Within 200 Yards.
Beers Were Practically Invisible During
The Fight.

nearer. It was here that Col. Doxnham
fell. 1he Beers had free recourse to bar
bed wire entanglements which offered
great obstacles sven after the damage In
iiic.ed by the British artillery flte.
This morning Tuesday both sides oc-
oupied the POSITIONS they held before the
battle. The greatest bravery was dis.
played BY both officers and men.
The wounded inclrd, Lieut.. Col. A.
e. Co5rington and Captain Sterling,
both Of ths first battalion of the Cold
stream guards.
A detachment Of Beers posted among
some thick bushes to the east, maintained
most destructive tire on our right. With
the remarkable tact for taking cover
which the Bosrs always displayed, they
were, generally speaking, virtually In
visible; and. although the enemy's artil-
lery was practically silsnced. bis rifle IRA
was so persistent and concentrated as
well as unusually we'll aimed, that It was
absolutely impossible for the British In
fantry to take the position by assault.
At the first advance OF the HighIar dsrs
the Boer shooting, probably owing to the
darkness, was somewhat high. otherw
tho British les es would have been still
heavier.
SAYS HE is SECURE.
Lordon, DecemD Der i3.-Gsneral Fores-
tier Walker. telegraphing from Cape
Town at $50 p. m., today. sends the fol-
10 wing dsspatch from Lord Msthuen,
dated Mo6dsr River. Tuesday. December
IL. go p. m.:
AS the Beers occupied their trenches
strongly this morning, / retired In per :
f.ot !d.r. here. where 1 am In perfect
security. have gathered from some
the prisoners and from our men with the
nbGlances, who talked with the Beers.
that the ensmy's loss,s were terrible,
some corps icing completely wiped out.
The Beers have been most kind to my
wounded.''
BULLEH'S ADVANCE BE GINS.
London, December l3 -Gsnerai Butler s
rdvance In the direction of Colenso seems
to have actually commenced. The mill
tary attashes have left Cape Town to join
General Buller. via Durham. There are
renewed reports OF cabinet crisis at
Cape Town, where It is said that Gov.
Miner Is about to act In cons, qusnce Of
disclosures involving the ministry g loyal
ty.
The White Star line steamer Cymric
has been chartered for use as a TRANSPORT.
NOTHING FURTHER FROM
MEIhUEN
London, December 13.-1hs war office
today received the following message
from General Forester Walker:
Cape Town, Tuesday, December 1a.-No
fur ther details from Methuen. From Or
angs river it il reported that $50 wounded,
"a officers, have arrived there from the
Aodder river. Gataore is moving from
Bushman's Hook to Stsrkstrom today.
The magistrate at Sterkstrom wires that
the situation there has slightly improved.
None of the missing have turned up.
French reports that dstaohment Of cav
airy with two guns Of the Horse Artil-
lsry, Ieccnnoitered the enemy's position
yesterday at Duilfsntsin and Vaalkop,
eight miles north Of Arundel. They
shellsd farm and drove the enemy from
Vaalkop. The Boer loss was one killed
and several wounded. No casualties on
our side.
FIRST OF THE FIGHTING.
North of Moddsr River, Monday. De-
cembsr Il.-Early yesterday evening, the
guards and the Highland brigade moved
rom the Mcdder river camp, marching
in the night, in q northeastsrly direction.
The objective Of the Highlandsrs was the
eastern spur Of the Boer position, ths
guards following the bank Of the river,
while the Yorkshire light infantry moved
along the river side. just before day
break the Highlanders arrived within
two hundred ysrds Of the Bosr sntrsnoh'