The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-08

nounccd in n cable dispatch from
Capetovn dated November Z, morn
ing, that the British have been VIC
toriOus In nm engagement Mt In
dysmith and that the Door loss was
very heavy, Including 1000 prison.
crs.
London, November 7.--Tonight's well
come dispatch from the front has dispelled
the gloom enveloping Ladysmith, showing
the British garrison not merely standing
on the logged defensive. bnt executing a
series OF brilliant sorties Accounts from
different sources agree that the laconic Of
fetal descriptions of the third engagement,
as IAN effective Smelling of the Boer
lager" was unduly modest 1t appears
that Sir George Stewart White sent a
strong force of cavalry and infantry to
attack the Beers at Lathams farm, about
ten miles to the northwest, near Befler.
and apparently achieved surprise, the
Beers being caught on the open welt and
being cut to pieces and their camp cap
tured
Encouraged by this success, General
White decided to risk even a more i'm
portant engagement on the following day.
General White ascertained that the Beers
were attacking Colenso, but he was not
aware of the British retirement. He de-
termned, therefore, to attack the Beers
in the rear, thus hoping to achieve the
double object of warding off an attack
upon the weak garrison of Coenso and
possibly, of reopening communication
southwark. The Beers had advanced south
ward until they had occupied the hills
north of Tugela river and dominating CO.
lenso on the other side of the stream. The
hills slope to a plain that reaches to the
banks of the Tugela. General White
caught the Beers In the rear. and after
many hills had been shelled the British
infantry stormed the position. The Brit
ism cavalry swept around the hills and as
the retreating enemy descended into the
woods they found bayonets behind them
and the river in front of them. and they
were charged by the cavalry and seem to
have persisted almost to a man. The Brit
ish then returned to Ladysmith without
again coming in touch with the enemy.
Dispatches from Estcourt, however.
showed that an armored train had been
sent back to Colenso to repair the line
and the next news may possibly be of the
restoration OF communication with Lady
smith.
While the British troops were thus en-
gagged in successful endeavors to wipe out
the Nicholsons Mex disaster the situation
inside Ladysmith, as shown by an official
dispatch from the general at Estcourt
was most satisfactory encouraging hope
that Sir George White may yet completely
retrieve his shaken reputation and that
the ordeal through which it is now pass
ing,
Evidently more detailed reports Of Con-
eral Whites doings at Ladysmith must
be received before the public will be able
to form clear idea of what has hap
pened. Reports from various sources show
that another reconnaissance or engagement
occurred on Saturday to the south of Lady
smith and Capetown newspaper reports
that 1000 Beers We're captured there.
The suggestion of Sir Redvers Butler in
his dispatch to the war o1ice Sunday thar
the name of General French had been
given by mistake for that OF Colonel
bfocklehurst In adyiees to him by pigeon /
post from Durham Is now explained by
dispatch from Pietermaritzburg which says
mat General French has left Durham for |
cape Colony. Evidently General Butler !
was aware OF this.
The Daily Tpiapra nh ,,,,hI,.L.- -
ing from accommodating dated Saturday
evening; Since their occupation of Colenso,
,he Soers have attempted no advance fur, |
ther south. Estcourt Is now becoming n
growing camp. Major Wolf Murray is In
temporary command.
me enemy bombarded Colenso on Thurs
uay uhtii sunset at the extreme range OF
MS nine centimeter Krupp guns.
confirmation has been received of tn.
report That General Schalkenburg is the
boer commander at Vryburg. Boer ad-
Vances are not thought probable.
, arrangements have been made to defend
against possible attack
ana TO relieve the town before the enemy
,an come further.
Widespread rumors have been current
since Yesterday that during reconnois-
sance from Ladysmith northward toward
and Nicholsons Mex theI
srltlsh troops engaged the enemy II is
'aid that lyddite battery drove the
Soers into valley where the British cav
MY charged through them. The Boer
osses In this engagement are said to have 1
eached 1000, the British losses being only
II is fact that General Joubert drew
MS line today and that the Beers now
ave only outposts at Colenso RumoIx I
re bringing the names OF Beers who were i.
iiied and wounded outside Ladysmith and
nelr reports havs caused much mourning 7
nong their relatives.
according to special dispatches from
.s,court, the Beers on Thursday asked a
armistiee. General White agreed
THIS on condition that they would make 7
0 movement. The British military bal
'on. however, detected the Beers masslns Z
the south, and General White thereupon
anewed the attack
noer reports have reached Capetown ,ol :
le eject that on the arrival at johann
ssburg OF the news OF the Boer reverse q
Eiandsiaagte the whole rand sp.6ia! DO C
e force was sent TO the front With guns h
ON me johannesburg forts, the fortress c
ing LETT with only one gun AMI garrl- 4
N OF twenty men. !,
me men OF the Eighteenth Hussars who Of
s'e captured at Dundee first took refuge D