The record-union., 1899-12-16
Attempts to Effect a Crossing Of
the TugeIa River,
Bat Is Compelled 10 Retire Under the Gall
Ing Fire Of the Beers.
Suffers Severe Losses In Killed and
Wounded, Besides Losing One
Field. Gun by Shell Fire and
Having to Abandon Ten Others
Great Depression at London
Over Buffers Repulse.

-Great Depression at London
Over Buffers Repulse.
LONDON, Dec. 16-Q2:47 a. ND
announcing that General Butler has
met with a serious reverse, losing
eleven guns.
General Butler was attempting to
cross the Tugela River Finding it i'm
possible to effect his object, he ordered
a retirement, in order to avoid greater
losses He left eleven guns behind.
The following is the text of General
Buffers dispatch announcing his re-
verse:
Butler to Lansdowne, Chiveley Camp,
December 18th, go p. MI regret to
report a serious reverse. I moved in
full strength from our camp near Chive-
ley at 4 o'clock this morning. There
are two fordable places in the Tugela
River, and it was my intention to force
q passage through at one of them. They
are about two miles apart.
My intention was to force one or the
other with one brigade, supported by a
central brigade. General Bart was to
attack the left drift, General Hillyard
the right road and General Littleton
was to take the center and to support
either Early in the day l saw that
General Bart would not be able to force
a passage and 1 directed him to with
draw. He had, however, attacked with
great gallantry, and his leading bat
TALON, the Connaught Rangers, I fear,
suffered a great deal. Colonel l. G.
Brooke was seriously wounded
II then ordered General Hillyard to
advance, which he did, and his leading
regiment, the East Surrey, occupied
Colenso Station, and the houses near
the bridge.
AT that moment 1 heard that the
whole artillery 1 had sent to support
the attack-the Fourteenth and Sixty
sixth Field Batteries and six naval p
FOUNDER quick firers under Colonel
Long-had advanced close to the river,
in Longs desire to be within effective
range. 1t proved to be full of the en-
envy, who suddenly opened a calling
fire at close range killing all their
horses, and the gunners were compell-
ed to stand to their guns. Some of the
wagon teams got shelter for troops in
donga, and desperate efforts were being
MI
fire, however, was too severe, and only
two were saved by Captain Scholfield
and some drivers whose names ! will
furnish.
three teams was made by an officer
whose name l will obtain. OF the
eighteen horses, thirteen were killed,
and as several drivers were wounded,
1 would not allow another attempt, as
it seemed that they would be a shell
mark. sacrificing life to a gallant at
tempt to force the passage, unsupport-
ed by artillery, / directed the troops to
withdraw. which they did in good or
der.
Throughout the day considerable
force of the enemy was pressing on my
right flank, but was kept back by
mounted men under Lord Rundon, and
another part of General Bart's bril-
gade. The day was intensely hot and
most trying on the troops, whose con-
duct was excellent. We have abandon
ed ten guns, and lost by shell fire one.
The losses in General Barts brigade
are, fear, very heavy, although the
proportion of severely wounded, hope,
is not large The Fourteenth and Six
ty-sixth Field Batteries also suffered
severe losses. We have retired to our
camp at Chiveley''
A MOST SERIOUS EVENT.
LONDON, Dec. 16.-(4:30 a. M 1.-THE
news of General Buffers reverse was
received so late that newspaper COM
ment to-day is confined to perfunctory
expressions of extreme regret and dis
appointment, and of the necessity of
caImness and redoubled efforts to re-
trieve 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: General Bull
ler,s dispatch is deplorable reading. 1t
is the now familiar story of concealed
Beers and of British troops marching
I'D blindly almost to the very muzzle
of the enemy's rifles. 1t cannot be
doubted that the moral effect will be to
agerayate our difficulties over the
whole field of operations. The country
has discovered with annoyance and
surprise that subduing Boer farmers is
about the hardest work we have en-
tered upon since the Indian mutiny.
Their commandments have shown them
selves able to give our Generals useful
but expensive lessons in modern tao
tics"
The s.Times" says: "Since the day of
the Indian mutiny, the nation has not
been confronted with SO painful and
anxious a situation. Plainly General
Buffers advance is paralyzed for the
moment as completely as Lord Me-
thuen's and General Gatacre's.'
The depression over the defeat OF
Great Britain's trusted and idolized
Commander is all the greater, as. DUR