The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-10-20
Beers CAPTURE A TRAIN
Several officers Fall Into the
Enemy's Hands.
BoER SLAUGHTER AT MAFEK1NG.

Says Report of Colonel Baden-
POwelps RepuIse of TransvaaI
Army IL Confirmed.
London, Oct 20.-Yesterday was one
of the most exciting days known at the
war Office since the crowd attended there
to learn the result of the relief expedition
to Gordon at Khartum.
The news that the Fifth lancers had
been engaged brought many ladies and
other friends of the regiment to inquire
for news.
The gravest intelligence today seems to
be the report of the capture of a train with
officers at Elandslaagte, because it was
understood that the whole cross country
line was regularly patrolled.
AS no correspondents are allowed at
the front it is impossible to gain definite
information, but it is known that General
Sir George Stewart White has been max
ing some extensive movements of the
troops in that neighborhood, and develop
ments are hourly expected
1t is rumored that Commandant Gen
eral Joubert's northern column, with IL
guns, is now at Dannhauser.
Although the Beers have shown consid-
cradle activity in Natal, there is nothing
to indicate that they are yet prepared for
serious combined attack, and the gener-
al belief here is that unless something I'M
expected happens General Sir George
Stewart White will maintain the defen-
sve.
Mafeking news is still confined to
repetition of the stories that Colonel Ba-
den-Powell moved down 300 Beers with
his Maxims.
Nhn ,1nN IS - - -
great Importance, but it will be regarded
throughout Boerdom as a splendid tri-
umph over the British.
Some military critics think it not i'm
possible that General Sir Stewart White
may be about to withdraw his forces
from Glencoe and concentrate them at
Ladysmith. there to await Developments
BOer Loss ut Mafeking Confirmed.
The Daily Telegraph publishes this dis
patch from its special correspondent at
Pietermaritzburg:
Reports have been received here from
various sources which state that the
British inflicted heavy losses on the
Beers in the course of the fighting near
Mafeking
kilograms from Cape Town and
Colesberg report that great slaughter has
occurred.
"Advices have come by way of Biera
confirming the report that the enemy
lost 300 killed and the British 10.
According to private intelligence,
Colonel Baden-Powell placed a force of
400 men upon the enemy's flank during
the night. In the morning, by means of
a feigned attack and retreat, he led the
Beers into position where the Maxims
wrought havoc in their ranks.
"In the absence of direct telegraphic
communication, however, these details
must be received with caution. This
fight is supposed to be the same engage
ment in which the Beers admit that they
had three men killed.
1.-THE Beers were repulsed with loss
of five killed in an attack on a detach-
ment of the Lancashire regiment in an
armored train near Kimberley
at is a noticeable fact that all our re-
ports of the artillery fire of the Beers
agree in describing it as wildly indiffer-
ent. For instance, not single shell hit
the armored train"
The correspondent of The Morning
Post at Ladysmith, in a dispatch sent
Thursday night, confirms the statement
that a train has been captured at Glands
laagte and says:
'The train was partly made up of four
trucks of cattle consigned to an army
purveyor at Dundee.
1T is reported that one British officer
and Mr. Mitchell, the johannesburg Star
war correspondent, besides other war cor
respondents, were captured. The train
which preceded the captured train was
fred on, but the Beers attack was not
successful.
II am informed that there are four
trucks of stores at Elandslaagte station.
The place is full of rumors of fighting,
but there is nothing definite There are
said to be 5000 Beers, with a heavy
wagon train, encamped near Acton
Homes