Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-11-02

The last sentence is significant and
confirms the opinion of the military
experts here that Gen, White is allow
ing himself to be outgeneraled by Com
mandant General Joubert. From scan
" advices received up to IL p. m, it
seems literally certain that the disas-
ter was simply a repetition of the bat
tie of Majuba hill, though on a larger
scale. The two regiments were al
lowed to march into trap set for them
by the beers. The whole engagement
Monday seems to have been brought
on by Commandment Gen. Joubert who
skillfully conceived the gigantic trap
out of which, as the official dispatch
shows, Sir, George White only escaped
with difficulty. Gen. White advanced
with the idea of driving the beers from
the hills seven miles out which Gen,
Joubert made an ostentatiouS show of
terrifying Sunday, The hoer COM
mander left a force sufficient to draw
General White on while the mass Of
beers he moved Stealthily
around to the British right to
deliver a flank attack and to endeavor
to cut off Gen. White from Ladysmith
The British commander succeeded in
beating off the attack, but only with
great difficulty, and during the turning
movement his troops suffered from a
thanking fire. Harsh things are said in
military circles of the British tactics
which have made possible the ambush
of the eighteenth huSSarS at Glencoe
and now the loss of two fine regiments
1t is feared Sir George White is no
match for the beers, in that cunning by
which boer tactics are conceived, and it
is pointed out that if the British COM
manders continue to lead their men in
to the obvious traps further disasters
must be looked for. An interview is
published with a British officer who is
described as "a we'll known general of
distinguished record during the India
mutiny," in course of which he passed
criticism upon the conduct of the cam
paign. yesterdays disaster" says he
lis only another proof of serious blum
dering. Although Sir George White is
a good regimental commander he does
not seem to excel in strategy or man
agement of big divisions. regard the
Glencoe business as another example
of laundering" As for yesterdays
casualties it seems ineXcusable that
two regiments should have been al
lowed to separate themselves from the
main body especially with a consider
a 10 Of 1,A
against them. know
am expressing the opinion of many
military officers. We are Disguised
with the war officers for having pre-
maturely allowed the issuance of glow
ing reports of victories without equal
frankness and promptitude in disclos-
ing those of defeat" 1t is even ru-
mored that the war office has already
decided to supersede Gen. White The
report, however, is discredited in well
informed quarters. About 5000 fresh
troops will arrive in Capetown Sun
day next from England and be avail
able to reinforce Sir Geo. White.
Transports will arrive there daily after
Sunday until the end of next week
when $4,000 troops will have been
landed in south Africa. These men are
intended for Gen. Sir Redvers Buffers
army, but will undoubtedly be de-
tached to Natal If the situation there
should become perilous. The British
army will eventually reach the huge
total of 1854 of which 69,634 will be
regulars and other 10000 miscel-
laneous, but excellent colonial troops.
Miners Counter Proclamation.
| London, Nov. 1.-The colonial office
received Tuesday evening a dispatch
from Sir Alfred Miner, governor Of
Cape Colony, saying he had issued a
proclamation in reply to the boer proc
lamation anneXing portion of Cape
Colony. Sir Alfred adds, however,
that so far as he can discover the peo-
pie north of the Vaal river accept the
alleged annexation as fact.