The Holly chieftain., 1899-12-22
ANOTHER DISASTER.
BULLER BEATEN THIS TIME.
After Desperate Attempt to Force the
Boer Pesition at Tugela River. He
withdraw With Heavy Loss.


wIthdraws With Heavy Loss.
London, Dec. 16.-The war office has
received a dispatch announcing that
General Butler has met with serious
reverse, losing eleven guEs and many
men killed.
General Butler was attempting to
cross the Tugela river. Finding it i'm
possible to effect his object he ordered
retirement in order to avoid greater
losses.
The following is the text of General
Buffers dispatch announcing his re-
verse:
"Chieveley Camp. Dec. Is. $40 p. m.
report a serious reverse. / moved in
full strength from our camp near
Chieyeley at 4 o'clock this morning.
There are two fordable places in the
Tugela river and it was my intention
TO force a passage through at one Of
them. They are two miles apart.
Intention was to force one or the
other with one brigade, supported by
central brigade. General Hart was
to attack the left drift, General Hilyard
the right road and General Littieton
was to take the center and to, support
either. Early in the day / saw that
General Hart would not be able to
force a passage and I directed him TO
withdraw. He had, however. attacked
with great gallant-y, and his leading
battalion. the Connaught hangers,
fear. suffered a great deal. Colonel ].
G. Brooke was seriously wounded.
II then ordered General Hilyard to
advance, which he did, and his leading
regiment, the East Surrey, occupied
Colenso station, and the houses near
the bridge. At that moment l heard
that the whole artillery l had sent to
support the attack-the Fourteenth aud
Sixty-fifth field batteries and six naval
twelve-pounder quick-firers, under Col
onel Long-had advanced close to the
river in Longs desire to be within ef-
fective range. 1t proved to be full II
the enemy, who suddenly opened gall
ing fire at close range. killing all theii
horses and the gunncrs were COM
peeled to stand to their arms. Some of
the wagon teams got shelter for troops
IL donga and desperate efforts were
being made to bring out the field guns.
The fire. however, was too severe
and only two were saved by Captain
Scholtield and some drivers whose
names l will furnish.
Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made by an officer
whose name l Will obtain. OF the
eighteen horses. thirteen were killed
and as several drivers were wounded.
l would not allow another attempt. as
1t seemed that they would be shell
riark, sacrificing life to a gallant at
tempt to force the passage. Unsup-
ported by artillery. directed tho
troops to withdraw, which they did in
good order
Throughout the day considerable
force of the enemy was pressing on my
right flank. but kept back by mounted
men under Lord Dundonald and part of
General Barton's brigade The day
was intensely hot and most trying on
the troops, whose conduct was excel
lent. We have abandoned ten guns and
lost by shell fire one The losses In
General Hunts brigade. I fear, are
very heavy. although the proportion of
severely wounded, hope. is not large.
The Fourteenth and Sixty-fifth field
batteries also suffered severe losses.
We have retired to our camp at Chieve-
ley
London. Dec 16-The news of Gen
eral Buffers reverse was received 80
late this morning newspaper comment
to-day is confined TO perfunctory ex-
pressions of extreme regret and disap-
pointment and Of the necessity of calm
ness and redoubled efforts to retrieve
the position This latest check is re-
garded as the most serious event in
Great Britain's military history since
the Indian mutiny.
The Standard says: General Bull
ler's dispatch is deplorable reading. 1t
is the now familiar story Of concealed
Beers and of British troops marching
up blindly almost TO the very muzzles
of the enemy's rifles. 1t cannot be
doubted that the moral effect will be
to aggravate our difficulties over the
whole field of operations.
The country has discovered with
and surprise that subduing
Boer farmers is about the hardest work
we have entered upon since the Indian
mutiny. Their commandants have
shown themselves able to give our gen
erals useful. but expensive, lessons in
modern tactics"
The Times says: .Since the day Of
the Indian mutiny the nation has not
been confronted with SO painful and
anxious situation. Plainly, General
Buffers advance is paralyzed for the
as completely as Lord Me-
and General Gatacre's."
Immediately on receiving the news
the war office decided 10 mobilize still
another division and TO replace the
losses Of artillery. The necessary re
Inducements will be hurried OF as
speedily as possible