The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-08
Late Dispatches From the Seat Of
War About Ladysmith
Show That tho Garrison Is Not Merely
Standing on a Dogged Defence,
But Is Executing Series Of Bril-
liant Sorties-The Battle at
Tatham's Farm Results in the
Beers Being Gut to Pieces and
Their Camp Captured.

Tatham's Farm Results in the
Beers Being Gut to Pieces and
Their Camp Captured.
LONDON, Nov. 7.-To-night's well
come dispatches from the front have
rent the veil Of gloom enveloping Lady
smith, showing the British garrison not
merely standing on the dogged. defense,
but executing a series of brilliant
Sorties.
Accounts from different sources agree
that the laconic official description OF
Thursdays engagement as IAN effective
Smelling of the Boer lager was un-
duly modest. 1t appears that General
Sir George Stewart sent strong force
of cavalry and infantry to attack the
Beers at Tatham's farm, about ten
miles to the northwest. near Besters,
and apparently achieved surprise
the Beers being caught on the
open veldt and cut to pieces, and
their camp captured. Encouraged by
this success, General White decided to
risk an even more important engage
ment on the following dav, which was
again justified by success.
Ladysmith has been isolated, and q
Boer force has intercepted the railway
between lAadysmith and Colenso. This
force on Friday had descended upon
Colenso, and as shown by the dis
patches from EStcourt had compelled
hurried abandonment of Colenso and
a retirement of the British to Estcourt
General White had ascertained that
the Beers were attacking Colenso, but
he was not aware of the British re-
tirement. He had determined, there
fore, to attack the Beers in the rear,
thus hoping to achieve the double OBJ
ject of drawing off an attack upon
the weak garrison Of Colenso, and pos
sibly of reopening communication
southwark. The Beers had advanced
southwark until they had occupied the
hills north of Tugela River and DOM
mating Colenso, on the other side OF
the stream. The hills slope to a plain
that reaches to the banks of the
Tugela-
General Whites division caught the
Beers in the rear, and after the hills
had been shelled the British infantry
stormed the position. Meanwhile the
British cavalry swept round the hills
and as the retreating enemy descended
into the plains with British bayonets
behind and the river in front of them
they were charged by the cavalry, and
seem to have persisted almost to a
man. The British then returned to
Ladysmith without coming into touch
with the Colenso garrison, which had
retired to Estcourt.
Sundays dispatch from Estcourt
however, showed that an armored train
had been sent back to Colenso to re-
pair the line, and the next news may
possibly restore communication with
Ladysmith.
While the British troops were thus
engaged in successful endeavors to
wipe out the Nicholson's Mex disaster,
the situation inside Ladysmith. as
shown by an official dispatch from the
General at Estcourt, was most salts
factory, encouraging a hope that Sir
George Stewart White may yet COM
pletely retrieve his shaken reputation
and that his force may emerge tri-
umphant from the ordeal through
which it is now passing.
General Lord Wolseley, the COM
manderin- chief, has written to Lady
Randolph Churchill thanking her for
the efforts of the American ladies in
England in fitting out hospital ship
for South African waters. He says: 81
am only too anxious to- help you in
this matter, in order to show you how
A. q
nation appreciate the evidence of the
interest American ladies' take in our
sick and wounded"
The Maine will sail for the Cape on
November 25th with Lady Randolph
Churchill on board.
1t is now virtually decided to send
another division of 10000 men to South
Africa as speedily as possible. Fol
this purpose a second and third army
corps will be modified. The second
will consist of 10000 men. of which
10000 will go to Africa, the rest being
concentrated at Aldershot in readiness
for emergencies. The third corps. a
nominal affair, will number 25.00O men,
who will be used for garrison purposes
at home Thus the entire British army
will virtually be modified, which will
be an unprecedented occurrence.
BOERS ALMOST ANNIHILATED.
ESTCOURT CNataD, Nov. 5-5:3t
p. NIT is now possible to furnish Off
cial details of Fridays fighting around
Ladysmith The Boer artillery fire was
accurate and we'll sustained, but inef-
fective. The British cavalry was con-
Of q ntlv ont the investment not being
close enough to prevent this. Cavalry
and artillery under Colonel Brockei-
hurst about noon drove the enemy from
all their positions with great slaughter
This attack was directed against a re
ported move Of the enemy toward
harrisburg. The artillery shelled three
of the enemy's guns into silence. The
British casualties were slight.
The Beers are now Smelling the tonw
Their artillery is we'll handled, but is
doing little damage The Beers prof
tied by a flag of truce on Thursday to
send in Transvaal artillery officer
disguised as an ambulance driver, with
the wounded to observe the action OF
the British artillery fire.
A reliable native has brought con-
firmatory evidence of Fridays fight
south of Ladysmith. A reconnaissance
in force was made by a British division
the object being to relieve the Colense
column, which had been attacked by
the Beers The. British infantry charged
the Beers, who were strongly posted on
Globers, Kloofhill, and drove them