Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

SlI1Cca NcI0rdl y dCkSOu dUO Ills #lEOIG-s
iersmen of the west moved down tie
at New Orleans. Down in
the dust went the gallant English to
save their lives For ten long hours
they lay fiat on the ground, knowing
that to rise was counting instant death.
Night relieved them. In tho morning
the enemy had disappeared. A great
English victory was flashed over the
wines, but victory dearly bought.
It was the Bunker Hill of this war.
Methuen was not slow in following up
his "victory." He crossed the river
and after few days preparations did
what the Boer generals expected him
to do. He attempted to surprise the
Boer forces early of morning, but
the doughty frontiermen shifted the
approaching martial tread and were
not caught mapping. Their carefully
laid trap was set and the British
walked into it. Again came this un-
expected dreadful fire, the ranks were
enfiladed and hundreds went down bee
fore cover could be reached. Ag.lin
and again were gallant charges made
during all the live-long day. But in
vain. The Britishers could absolute
ly get no nearer than 25O yards to the
Boer trenches before this CALLING fire
made further assault impossible.
Seventy British commissioned officers
including general and a colonel
were picked Off. OF the Black Watch
regiment only 100 remained when the
last rally was made. The Highland-
ers and Gordon Highlanders also
suffered terribly. The British with
drew to Modder river-to wait for re-
infOrcements which must be gathered
from the ends of the earth. The Beers
captured many prisoners. and took
valuable stores of arms and ammuni-
ton. It is known that this Boer force
was made up largely of Scandinav ian
regiments. Kimberley was not re-
lieved.
Gen. Gatacre proceeded on his mis-
sion of invasion and devastation.
With II, 900 men he took trains as far
as Molteno in Northern Cape Colony.
Then they could proceed no farther
on the railroad and the army was
mustered for the march to the north.
When he reached Stormberg after
marching few miles his road led up
a narrow valley. Suddenly deadly
fankiny fire was poured into his
troops, and it was only by heroic ef-
forts that his army was saved. His
retreat was covered by the artillery
that receded from one hill to the other
and kept the enemy at bay. The Bo-
ers, however, captured nearly 100 pri-
soners, and the English loss in killed
and wounded was great. Completely
worsted, Gen. Gatacre fell back to his
railroad-to wait for reinforcements
to be gathered from the ends of the
earth. And the worst of all for the
British is the fact that the force which
defeated Gatacre we're mainly rebel
lious Africanders of the British Cape
Colony. The Orange Free State was
not invaded.
But Butler, the grim, the terrible.
Surely he would not fail. The exi-
gencies of the hour demanded VIC
tory. The fate of the empire hangs in
the balance. A decisive victory
might check the rising of the Cape
Dutch and make a bad position bear.
able. Butler advanced with his
splendid army last Friday. At Col.
enso, about 80 miles from Ladysmith,
he must ford the Tugela river. He
met the enemy. Details are meagre at
this writing. He lost over thousand
men according to his own reports.
He lost II cannon, ten of which were
captured and one destroyed by the Bo.
ers He lost them because horses and
men could not live in the fusilade
long enough to take them away. BE
retired to await reinforcements to be
gathered from the ends of the earth
Ladysmith was not relieved.
England is staggered. The entire
reserve is called out Lord Kitchener
takes command in South Africa. The
entire Cape Colony is honey-cop.bed
with revolt. British consols are
quoted lower than for years. South
African securities have dropped ou'
OF sight. Ireland, the oppressed, is
jubilant. Continental Europe is jubi.
liant. The British empire is shaken
to its foundations. It is at the mercy
of it's rivals should they take ad an:
tage of her position. Nothing could
prevent any part of the British en.
pire to become independent if it sc
chose. Australia has but to say the
word and she becomes nation. In.
dian newspapers are imploring the
government not to remove another
soldier from there, because they may
be badly needed to hold the "sulle1
peoples in check. No human eye car
foresce what complications will arise
nor where the trouble will end.
Meanwhile the plain Dutch ia, mel
and his neiglbors of other nationali.
ties in south Africa, who have asked
for nothing but to be left in peace with
their flocks, are offering up ferven'
thankSgiVinpS to the Cod Of BATTLES