Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-12-21
BULLER HARD HIT.
BRITISH LOSSES ON THE TuGELA
NEARLY 100 MEN.

Boer Trap at Stormberg and Magersfon-
tein Is Duplicated at Colenso-Pour
Deadly Shot Into Ranks of Enemy at
Close kange.
LONDON, Dec. lS.-General Butler re.
ports to the war office that his losses in
Fridays engagement We're: Killed, 50;
wounded, 661; missing, 34S; total, 1907.
The revised list of the British casual
ties at the battle of Magersfontein shows
the total to be 963, of which number 10
We're officers. The Black Watch We're
the heaviest sufferers. Of the rank and
I file AZ We're killed 1872 wounded and III
are missing.
The British losses in killed, wounded.
prisoners and missing throughout the
campaign now reach the enormous total
of $3.50.
LONDON, Dec. 16-The war office has
received a dispatch announcing that
General Butler has met with a serious
reverse, losing l l guns. The following
is the text of General Buffers dispatch:
"CHIEvELY CAMP, Dec. 15-I regret
to report serious reverse. I moved in
full strength from our camp near
| Chievely at o'clock this morning.
There are two fordable places in the
Iugela river and it was my intention to
force passage through one of them.
They are about two miles apart
My intention was to force one or
the other with one brigade, supported
by central brigade. General Hart was
to attack the left drift, General Hill
yard, the right road, and General Lyt-
tleton was to take the center and to
support either. EARLY in the day saw
that General Hart would not be able to
force passage and l directed him to
withdraw. He had, however. attacked
with great gallantry and his leading
battalion, the Connaught rangers, l
fear, suffered a great deal Colonel 1.
q. Brooke was seriously wounded.
81 then ordered General Hilyard 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 had sent to support
he attack-the Eighteenth and Sixty
sixth field batteries and six naval l2-
Founders, quick tirers-under Colonel
! Long, had advanced close to the river
III Longs desire to be within effective
range. 1t proved to be full of the
enemy. who suddenly opened CALLING
fire at close range, killing all their
horses, and the gunners We're compelled
to stand to their guns. Some OF the
wagon teams got shelter for troops in a
donga, and desperate efforts We're being
made to bring out the field guns.
''The fire, however, was too severe
and only two We're saved by Captain
Schotield and some drivers, whose names
I will furnish.
Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made by an officer
whose name l will obtain. Of the IS
horses 13 We're killed, and as several
drivers We're wounded would not al
low another attempt, as it seemed that
they would be shell mark, sacrificing
life to u gallant attempt to force the
passage. Unsupported by artillery I
directed the troops to withdraw, which
they did i'll good order.
Throughout the daya considerable
force OF the enemy was pressing on my
right flank. but was kept back by
| mounted men under Lord Dundonald
and part OF General Barton's brigade.
The day was intensely hot and most
trying for the troops whose conduct
was excellent We have abandoned ten
guns and lost by shell fire one. The
losses i'll General Hrts brigade, fear,
are heavy, although the proportion of
severely wounded I hope, is not large,
The Fourteenth and Sixty-sixth field
batteries also suffered severe losses. We
have retired to our camp at Chievely'"