The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-12-13
MISIEAD BY TREACHEROUS GUIDES.
HEAVY BRITISH LOSS.
Gen. Gatacrc Surrounded by The Beers al
Stormberg-Lo 600 Men and
Abandoned Equipment

The London war Office publishes the
following dispatch from Gen. torestier-
Walker at Cape Town:
"Gatacre reports: Deeply regret to in
iorm you that | met with serious re-
verse in the attack on Stormbcrg. was
msled as to the enemy's position by the
guides and found impracucable ground
The war office has received the follow
Ing dispatch from Cape Town dated Sat
urday night:
The position OF the enemy in Storm
berg district last night was the follow
ing, ,-.. -. Da-
drccht, 500 men; % miles south OF
Sterkstroom, 22o men.
"The railway bridge at Moddcr river
was completed December 7. Methuen
reports that he made a demonstration UP
the line of the railway at daylight with
artillery. The enemy did not respond.
Methucn is receiving the remainder OF
his reiniorcements and supplies. lie has
established detached posts on his line
OF communication.
The Times publishes the following
dispatch from Moltcno:
Gen Gatacre attempted to assault the
Boer position at Stormbcrg at dawn to-
day Sunday. The guides led us wrong
and we were surprised while in fours and
after a very trying night march. Our
retirement was effected in excellent or
der. there being no hurry even at the
most critical time. The Northumber-
lands and Irish rifles behaved as ii on
review day. fear our losses are heavy.
One of Our guns we had to abandon"
Ii is hardly too much to regard Gen.
Gatacre's repulse near Stormberg as the
most serious defeat British arms have
yet sustained in the whole campaign.
Already the official advances show that
men were killed, o officers and II men
were wounded and Q officers and 500
men are missing. But it is evident that
the worst is not yet known. The pro-
portion OF wounded and killed is so
small, when compared with the missing
who are undoubtedly prisoners in the
hands OF the Boers-that the supplement
tary list OF casualties is awaited with Sc
rious misglving
1t is also feared that there were seri-
ous losses OF guns and equipment.
The most serious aspect oi the affair
is the effect it is likely to have on the
Dutch in Cape Colony, who have been
wavering as to whether to throw in their
lot with the Beers. Hosts OF the north
ern farmers are now likely to join the
rebellion. The defeat is also serious be-
cause it will delay the function OF Gen.
Gatacre and Gen. French at Naauw
poort. The plan was for their combined
forces to relieve the pressure on Lord
Methuen's column.
The disclosure OF such strong force
at Stormberg was quite unexpected.
Doubtless Gen. Gatacre was the victim
OF treacherous guides. But the result
points also to the absence OF proper cav
airy scouting.
Some interesting light is thrown on
the position OF affairs along the western
frontier in South Africa by a dispatch
issued by Boer agency in Berlin,
which says: "Commandant Prins Loos'
force is near Jacobsdal, between Mod
der river and Riet river General Cronje
is still on the north bank OF Modder
river, his rear being protected by forti-
fed positions at Spytfontein. The hills
between Modder river and Spytfontein
and those between Jacobsdal and Riet
river are occupied by Boers. Command
ant Delarey's force is stationed between
Gras Pan and Honey Nest klooi."
II this Berlin dispatch be correct
and it is especially significant when
judged in connection with General For
estier-Walker's advices to the war Of
hce-there must be some $1,000 Beers
around Lord Methuen, who is believed
to have 1900 men. Kimberley, how
ever, possessing an armored train, can
materially assist Methuen by harrassing
the Beers from the rear.
According to a special dispatch from
Lourenzo Marquee the Moddcr river
battle is described by a Bocr corre-
spondent with General Cronje as zone
OF the fiercest the Boers ever expert
cnced." The correspondent goes on to
say:
British right throughout the day. The
Transvaalers tenaciously held their po-
sition until 7 in the evening, when the
Free State burghers were forced to re-
tire by the heavy British shell fire. Gen
eral Cronje then retired under cover OF
darkness, after facing the concentrated
fire OF all the British batteries.
The Boers freely acknowledge the
herculean assaults OF the British and
the death-dispensing fire OF the attack
ing infantry, but they held their po-
sition for I3 hours against the flower
OF the British army, replying solely
with their Mausers and maintaining an
uninterrupted rifle fire. The Boer ar
tillery was silenced early in the battle
through the overwhelming number OF
the British artillery"
Modder river dispatches say that the
Beers are encamped amid the hills half
way to Kimberley, but it is also asserted
that large body OF the enemy has gone
in the direction OF Jacobsdal. 1t is pos
sible therefore that Lord Methuen may
endeavor to clear his right flank as far
as Jacobsdal before continuing his ad-
vance. He is still waiting at Modder
river for stores, guns and ammunition.
A dispatch from Frere camp, dated
December 5, says: "The Beers are
firing into Ladysmith entertaining the
gravest fears as to the safety OF their
own country"
The hottest bombardment of the
siege at Ladysmth took place last