The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-23
No Late Dispatches Concerning the
Situation I'm Either Cape Colony
or in Invaded Natal.
BULLER'S DISASTROUS BATTLE
FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE RE-
VERSE AT TUGELA RIVER.
How Young Roberts Was Killed
An American ON Lord Roberts's
Staff-PortuGuese Aid the Beers.

LONDON, Dec. 3, 4:i5 a m.-beiateo
South African dispatches throw no light
on the present situation at the seat or war.
There is no confirmation OF the report that
Iadysmith could hold out several weeks
longer and it is feared that this was cir
culated by the Beers for their own pur-
poses.
1t is hoped that Mr.. Winston Churchill,
| having arrived safely at Delagoa bay. viii
| soon be heard from regarding conditions
| in the Transvaal, as he must have obtained
| important information.
The following dispatch has been received
| from Lourzenzo Marques, under date or
| Dec. II. regarding Mr.. Churchill's escape:
| MIR. Churchill wrote General Joubert on
| Dec. 9, asking to be released on the ground
| of being a war correspondent. General
| Joubert, on Dec. 13 replied that Mr..
| Churchill had been detained because he
| had been represented as a combatant, as
| sisting an armored train to escape. He
| added that Mr.. Churchill was unknown to
| him personally. but he would accept his
assurance that he was a noncombatant
and would order his release. The order ar
| rived at Pretoria ten hours after Mr..
/ Churchill had escaped, leaving behind him
a letter expressing gratitude for the treat
ment he had received
A dispatch from Sterkstrom. dated Dec
| le says: .The Beers have been largely
reinforced since General Gatacre's reverses
at Stormberg. The country north Of that
point is in arms, and the farms OK the
Ioyalists are being taken by the Beers, who
reap the crops. Boer accounts Of success
full engagements are printed for distrfbu-
ton throughout the disaffected districts.
A Cape Town disaptch, dated Sunday.
Dec. L. reports that Commandant Died.
ericks, of the Boer forces. was killed in &
recent engagement, but no details are
given Advices from Naauwpoort describe
everything as quiet there and the only
fresh news from Arundel concerns the
| weather, which is excessively hot
| The Daily news sees immense significance
| in the fact that Lord Roberts has appoint
ed on his staff Lieutenant Colonel Hender~
son, author of life OF Gen. Stonewau
Jackson, the Confederate leader. and .
man who has closely studied the history
! of the American civil war. especially a.
| he has not served under Lord Roberts be-
| fore and is but little known to him per-
sonally. The appointment is regarded BY
the Daily News proving Lord Roberts's
belief that what is wanted IN the war In
South Africa is a strict application or
Jacksons principles. 1t also connects the
appointment with the rumor that General
Joubert served under Gen. Stonewan Jack
| son.
The Daily Telegraph has a special from
| Chievely. dated Dec. l6, which tells how
Lieutenant Roberts. son Of Lord Roberts.
L Ts H. Ixr.xu
of the Fourteenth and Sixty-sixth batter
| les had been killed and Lieutenant Rob
erts, Captain Schoield and Captain Con-
greve, of the rifles, attempted with gum
ner volunteers to drag out the guns Cap
tain Schofield succeeded. helped by cor
poral and some men. Lieutenant Roberts
was hit by a shell. Captain Congreve was
struck and wounded slightly. After a
while Captain Congreve. Captain Foster
and Major Baptie brought Lieutenant
| Roberts from the open into a little ravine.
| where he lay hidden from the enemy's ter
| rible fire. Fourteen gunners. sixteen men
| of the Devonshire regiment and - men
| were with Colonel Bullock When the re-
tirement was ordered these men. with iso-
| lated parties OF Devonshires and Scots
| Fusiliers, together with several OF the
| Queens, were cut Off and captured Many
| fought until late i'm the afternoon. part
| of the freshmen running the gauntlet OF
| the Boer Mausers from hiding places along
the river bank. At 5 p. m forty Beers ap-
preached the abandoned guns. On espying
| Colonel Bullock, Captain Congreve and the
| others in the ravine they called upon the
British TO surrender. Colonel Bullock de-
clined and threatened TO shoot. although
his party had only fourteen rifles The
Beers retired from the guns and a parley
ensued Then a hundred Beers rode ZIP TO
within a few yards OF the party. but Col
Bullock swore he would not be made a
| prisoner, whereupon a Boer knocked him
| down with his rife butt. Afterward the
enemy gave our wounded water and cor
dials. Then. having taken all their arms.
ammunition and field glasses. they let
| them return by our ambulances. Colonel
| Bullock, Colonel Hunt Major Walter ana
| Captain Goodwin were taken prisoners.
The Scots Fusiliers lost nearly two COM
panies captured"
| A dispatch TO the Daily Mail from
Cnevely, dated Dec. II. estimates the casu-
alties in General Buffers repulse as 1.l5o
including s5e missing. 1t announces that
portion OF the British troops have returned
to Freere.
| A correspondent OF the Associated Press.
| at Modder river. under date of Dec. IL. de-
scrioing the changes In the art OF warfare
| says: 1T would be almost impossible 70
take such position as Magersfontein BY
assaull. The modern battle. owing to the
! length Of the rife range. viii last six days