Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-11-03
BritOns Walked Into a Trap
Set by Beers.
THEN IT'S JAWS CLOSED.
Two Regiments and a Battery
Were Captured.
ALL ENGLAND is ALARMED.
News of the Disaster Causes Intense
Excitement Throughout the United
Kingdom and Even Worse Tidings
are Expected.


Excitement Throughout the United
Kingdom and Even Worse Tidings
are Expected
London, Nov. 1.-The war Office yes
terday received dispatch from Gen.
White, commanding the British forces
at Ladysmith, reporting that the
Royal Irish fusileers, No. 10 mountain
battery and the Worcestershire regi-
ment were surrounded in the hills by
the Beers and, after losing heavily,
were obliged to capitulate.
There was n continuous stream OF
.allers at the war Office until a late
hour, everybody anXiously inquiring
regarding Mondays casualties. but
the war Office declared that nothing
had been received since Gen. Whites
dispatch communicating the news of
the capture of the Irish fusileers and
the Worcestershire regiment. This
delay in getting further intelligence
is attributed in part to the break down
of the east coast cable, but it stands
to reason that the war Office must be
possessed of further news, which it is
probably not thought advisable should
be published as yet.
akin to CONSERVATION and in Glouces-
tershire and the north of Ireland,
where the captured regiments were
recruited, the blacklist gloom prevails,
families awaiting with beating hearts
the names of the killer and wounded,
which are expected to reach high
figure. Many homes are already in
mourning in consequence of the losses
efofn nI lyyt Tiu re in
vious engagements. Public anxiety
was increased by a special dispatch
from Ladysmith, published in the late
editions of afternoon papers, to the
effect that Monday before dark the
Boers reoccupied the old position held
by their heavy artillery, which Gen.
| White had reported silenced by the
guns of the naval brigade, and had
opened fire again. The dispatch fur
ther saws: "The enemy is again
closing in and the situation is one of
crave anxiety. Beyond doubt the
Boer retirement was a ruse to draw
Gen. White into hilly country and
away from the British camp
This last sentence is significant and
confirms the opinion of military ex-
perts here that Gen. White is allowing
himself to be outgeneralled by Gen
Joubert.
From the scanty advrces received it
seems tolerably certain that the disas-
ter was n REPETITION of the battle
| of Maluba hill, though on a larger
scale. The two regiments were al
lowed to march into trap set for
| them by the Beers. 1t is simply q
case of the Boer spider and the guile
less British fiy. In fact the whole
engagement of Monday seems to have
been brought on by Commandant Jou-
bert, who sllillfully conceived n gigan-
tic trap, out of which, as the official
dispatch shows. Gen. White only es-
capped with difficulty.
Gen. White advanced with the idea
of driving the Beers from the hill
seven miles out which Gen. Joubert
| made an ostentatious show of fortify-
ing on Sunday. The Boer command
er left a force sufficient to draw Gen.
White on, while with the mass of the
Beers he moved stealthily around the
British right to deliver a flank attack
and to endeavor to cut off Gen. White
from Ladysmith. The British COM
mander succeeded in beating off the
attack, but only with great difficulty,
and during the turning movement his
troops suffered from n tianking fire.
Harsh things are said in military
circles of the British tactics. which
have made possible the ambush of the
Eighteenth hussars at Glencoe and
now the loss of two fine regiments.
It is feared that Gen. White is no
match for the Beers in cunning, and
it is pointed out that if the British
commanders continue TO lead their
men into obvious traps further disas-
ters must be looked for.
About 5000 fresh troops will arrive
MT Cape Town on Sunday next from
England and will be available to re-
inforce Gen. White. Transports will
arrive there daily after Sunday until
by the end of next week $4,000 troops
will have been landed In South Africa.
These men are intended for Gen. Bull
ler's army. but they will undoubtedly
be sent to Natal if the situation there
should become perilors. The British
army will eventually reach the huge
total of S9.634.