The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-26
BULLER IS
BADLY BEATEN
Three Brigades Driven
Into Camp.
ELEVEN GUNS ARE LOST
The British Casualties are Very
Heavy--A Boer Ambuscade the
Cause of Defeat.

LONDON, Dec. Is 02:47 a. m)-
The War Office has received despatch
announcing that Gen. Butler has met
with a serious reverse, losing II guns
in an unsuccessful attempt to cross
the Tugela river.
The following is the text of Gen. Bull
ler's despatch to Lord Lansdowne:
CHIEVELEY CAMP, Dec. Is 1920 p.
verse. l moved in full strength from
our camp near Chieveley at 4 this
morning. There are two .fordable
places in the Tugela river, and it was
my intention to force a passage
through one of them. They are about
two miles apart My intention was to
force Cne or the other with one brigade,
supported by central brigade. Gen.
Hart was to attack the left, Gen. Hid
yard the right road and Gen: Lytleton
to attack the center and tq|I support
either. i
Early in the day l saw that Gen,
Hart would not be able to force pas
sage. and directed him TO withdraw.
He had, however, attacked With great
gallantry, and his leading battalion,
the Connaught Rangers, fear suffer
ed a great deal Col. l. G. Brooke was
seriously wounded.
7 then ordered Gen. Hildyard to ad-
vance which he did, and his leadlng
right the East Surrey, occupied Co
lenso station and the houses near the
bridge.
At that moment I heard that the
whole artillery l had sent to support
the attack, the 14tih and 66th nelo
batteries and six naval 12-pounders,
under Col. Long, had ad-
vanced close to the river, inIong's de-
sire to be within effective range. 1t
proved to be full of the enemy, who
suddenly opened a CALLING lire at close
range, killing all their horses, ana the
gunners were compelled to stand 10
their guns. Some of the wagon teams
got sheltered for the troops in donag,
and desperate efforts We're made 10
bring out the field guns. The FIRE.
however, was too severe, and only two
were saved by Capt Schofield and some
drivers, whose names | will furnish.
Another gallant attempt with three
teams was made by an officer, whose
name | will obtain. OF the Is nofses'
13 were killed, and as several drivers
were wounded, | would. not a1loW
another attempt, as it seemed that tney
would be a shell mark. Not Wishing
To sacrifice life to a gallant attempt 10
force the passage unsupported by ar
tillery. I directed the troops to with
draw. which they did in good order.
Tbroughout the day a considerable
force of the enemy was passing on my
right flank, but was kept back by
mounted men under Lord Dundonald
and part of Gen. Barton's brigade
The day was immensely hot ana trying
to the troops, whose conduct was eS-
cellent.
We have abandoned 10 guns and lost
by she'll one.
The losses in Gen. Hart's brigade
are. / fear, heavy, although the proper
tion of severely wounded is, I hope,
not large. The 14th and 66th field bat
teries also suffered severe losses.
We have retired to our camp at
Chieveley.
The News in London.
LONDON, Dec. 16 (4:30 a. m.)-The |
news of Gen. Buffers reverse was re-
ceiyed so late that morning newspa- |
oers' comments are confined to per- |
functory expressions of extreme regret |
and disappointment, and of the neces-
sity for calmness and redoubled eff |
forts to retrieve the position.
The Standard says: Gen. Buffers |
despatch is deplorable reading. 1t is |
the now familiar story of concealed |
Beers and Of British troops marching |
up, blindly almost, to the very muz-
zles of the enemy's rifles. It cannot be |
doubted that the moral effect will be
o aggravate our difficulties over the
whole field of operations The coun-
try has discovered with annoyance
md surprise that subduing Boer farm
ers is about the hardest work We have
entered upon since the Indian Mutiny /
The cOmmandants have SHOWN them
selves able to give our generals useful