The state herald., 1899-12-15
GATACRE DEFEATED
LED INTO A TRAP BY BoERs.
He Attacks Big Force and Only Escapes
After u Hot Fight Having Lost 600
Man

Molteno, Dec. 1O.-1 p. m,-General
Gatacre, commanding the army In Cen
tral Cape Colony, In his first battle met
with serious defeat early this morn
ing, after an all-night march, that for
a time looked line complete annihila-
ton. A large part of his army, how
ever, by heroic efforts, managed to ex-
tricate itself from the ambush into
which the column had fallen, and re-
treated rapidly and in some confusion
to the main camp Mt Molteno, after los
ing over 600 officers and men captured.
1t is feared great number We're left
dead and wounded on the field.
The willy Beers led the British into Il
neat trap by furnishing General Gata-
ere and spies with information that
enemy's camp at Stormberg could be
easily taken by surprise and captured.
He was told that the Beers there num-
bered only $500 and that they We're in
weak position. General Gatacre de-
termined to make an early morning
march with strong column and strike
u rapid and decisive blow.
The troops chosen for this undertake
ing Were the Second Royal Irish Rifles,
the Second Northumberland Fusilliers,
the Kings Shropshircs, the Second
Royal Berkshres, acting as mounted
infantry and field batteries "A and II.
We marched out smartly, but eau
tlously. from Putterskranl, and got
within two miles of Stormbcrg without
the slightest indication of Beers. But
in this hot-bcd Of Boer sympathy there
are hundreds of colonists ready to give
information of every British move to
the enemy.
Our forces were proceeding cautious
ly, when suddenly we met n hail Of
bullets from behind low ridges to the
front and on the right TANKS. The re-
ception was too warm to withstand,
and the lrislmen leading General Cat
acre quickly sought shelter behind n
kopje, fortunately near. The other
troops did the same. But even this
shelter was untenable, being covered
by numerous Boer cannon, which We're
more powerful than supposed, and the
Beers shelled us out of the position.
The mounted infantry Were some dis
tance OF. but by hard riding and n
long detour they succeeded In joining
the main body behind, and the British
again retreated. this time to a second
kopjc, but still we were poorly covered
from a rain of rifle fire, and the big
Boer guns threw shells unpleasantly
around us.
Our field batteries swung into line
and did splendid work keeping the
Beers of while we sought better po-
sition half Il mile away. Here we found
good shelter and the infantry quickly
got into position and opened fire at
long range. while the mounted Infantry
Were sent out 10 try TO get the Beers
right flank up.
. This time we suffered little loss, but
n new danger suddenly appeared.
The Beers who ambushed We're In
front, and on our right flank. But now
there came down from the north n
strong command, all mounted, who
menaccd the British left flank. General
Gatacrc sent the Irish and Northum-
berland regiments TO meet them, and
the result was disastrous defeat.
They dashed straight into the dead
ly fire of number OF machine guns,
which the Beers had placed In con
cealed position. II was evident that we
We're caught In Il nasty position. and
the lrishmcn and Northumbcrlands got
back ms best they could. each with 800
men gone. many OF whom We're cap
turcd
How many We're Killed and wounded,
We do not know.