Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-12-22
BoERs WIN AGAIN.
British Forces Under Gen. BuIIer Meet
Serious Reverse Near Colenso-
Eleven Guns Are Lost.


Eleven Guns Are Lost.
London, Dec 16.-The war Office has
received dispatch announcing that
Gen. Butler has met with a serious re-
verse. Gen. 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. He left II guns behind. The fol-
lowing is the text of Gen. Buffers dis
patch announcing his reverse:
Butler to Lansdowne; Chievely Camp.
Dec. 15.-I regret to report a serious re-
verse. moved in full strength from our
camp near Chievely at four o'clock this
morning. There are two fordable places in
the Tugela river. and It was my intention
to force passage through at one of them.
They are about two miles apart. My nten-
tion was to force one or the other with one
brigade, supported by a central brigade,
Gen. Hart was to attack the left drift, Gen.
Hildyard, the right road, and Gen. Lyt-
ueton was to take the center and to sup
pnrt either. Early in the day 1 saw that
Gen. Hart would not be able to force pas
sage, and 1 directed him to withdraw. He
had, however attacked with great gall
lantry, and his leading battalion, the Con-
naught rangers / fear, suffered n great
deal. Col. l. G. Brooke was seriously
wounded then ordered Gen. Hildyard to
advance, which he did, and his leading reg
iment, the East Surrey occupied Colenso
station and the houses near the bridge.
"At that moment heard that the whole
artillery had sent to support the attack
the Fourteenth and SiXty-sXth field bat
teries and six naval 12-pounder quickfirers,
under Col. Long, had advanced close to the
river, In Longs desire to be within effective
range. 1t proved to be full of the enemy,
who suddenly opened calling fire at close
range, killing all their horses, and the gun
ners were compelled to stand to their guns.
Some of the wagon teams got shelter for
troops in a 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 Capt. Scho-
field and some drivers whose names 1 will
furnish. Another most gallant attempt
with three teams was made by an officer
whose name l will obtain.
'Of the is horses 1S were killed, and as
several drivers were wounded, would not
allow another attempt, as 1t seemed that
they would be a shell mark, sacrificing life
to a gallant attempt to force the passage.
Unsupported by artillery, 1 directed the
troops to withdraw, which they did, in good
order.
Throughout the day a considerable force
of the enemy was pressing on my rigx
flank, but was kept back by mounted men
under Lord Dundonald and part of Gen.
Barton's brigade. The day was intensely
hot and most trying on the troops, whose
conduct was excellent. We have aban-
doned ten guns and lost by she'll fire one.
The losses in Gen. Hart's brigade, 1 fear,
are heavy, although the proportion of Sc
verely woanded, hope, is not large. The
Fourteenth and Sixty-ninth field batteries
also suffered severe losses. We have re-
tired to our camp at Chievely."
London, Dec. 16.-The news of Gen.
Buffers reverse was received so late
that morning newspaper comment is
confined to perfunctory expressions of
extreme regret and disappointment
and of the necessity of calmness and re-
doubled efforts to retrieve the position.
The latest check is regarded as the most
serious event in Great Britain's military
history since the Indian mutiny. The
Standard says the Boer "commandants
have shown themselves able TO give our
generals useful but expensive lessons
in modern tactics"
No independent reports of the en-
gagement have yet been allowed to
come through, but Gen. Buffers own
dispatch tells the sad tale in sufficient
outline to show that the British have
been entrapped again by the astute
DUETS II WIS not anticipated tnat Gen.
Butler would make frontal attack.
No criticisms of his movements are
made, however, since apparently he
suffered a repulse rather than defeat,
and did not push the attack home, but
broke it off in the middle so as TO save
a useless sacrifice of life. 1t is expected
that he will renew the attack shortly.
Immediately on receiving the news,
the war Office decided to mobilize still
another division, and to replace the
losses of artillery. The necessary reen-
forcements will be hurried off as speed
lily as possible. Fifteen transports are
due to arrive at Cape Town between De-
cember II and January s, with about
$4,000 troops of all arms, but unless
Gen. Butler is able to renew the attack,
which is exceedingly doubtful, the Brit
ish generals will be compelled for an
other fortnight or more to remain
practically on the defensive.