Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-10-26
BRITISH FORCED
BACK BY BoER
General YuIe's Retreat Covered by
General Sir George Stewart
Whites Column.
ABANDON DUNDEE AND GLENCOE
Onicial Dispatches Arc Rather Am
biguous, but Indicate That
Y"Ic Is Yet in Peril
GUS Position.

patch from General Sir George Stewart
White to the Marquis of Lanstowne,
secretary of state for war, received
last evening at II o'clock, was posted
at the war office soon after midnight:
"Ladysmith, Oct. 24.-9 y. m.--Infor-
nation received yesterday showed that
the Beers had established themselves
in considerable numbers in an exceed
ingly strong position west of the main
road leading from Ladysmith to Dun
dee. also had information that the
Dundee force, formerly commanded by
General Symons, and, since his wound
ing, commanded by General Yule, was
falling back on Ladysmith by way of
the Helpmakaar road. Beth and the
valleys of the Waschbank and Sunday
rivers, and was expected to reach Sun
day valley today. l therefore moved
out with strong force to cover the
movement of Yule's column. The ell
envy was discovered about seven miles
out of Ladysmith in a position of great
natural strength west of the road.
When he saw that preparations We're
being made against him he opened fire
with one gun with great accuracy.
Our artillery soon got into position,
and the gun was silenced Our troops
were ordered to occupy a strong ridge,
parallel 10 the enemy's position, but
nearer to the road.
II confined my efforts in occupying
him and hitting him hard enough to
prevent him taking action against
Yulc's column. Numbers of the enemy
fled to the west and the firing had
practically ceased at 2 o'clock"
The war office dispatch seems to
realize the worst fears. General Yule
has abandoned not only Dundee, but
Glencoe also, and so far as present
news would indicate he has neither
joined White nor reached Ladysmith.
General Whites successful action"
announced in parliament by Mr.. Wind
ham, seems to resolve itself into a
mere engaging of the art of the Free
State troops while he is slipping south
ward.
1t is evident from the official dis.
patches that both Commandant Gen
eral Joubert's column on the north
and tho Orange Free State troops on
the west now occupy strong positions.
and that nothing binders the Beers
from following up General Yule's re.
| tirement and getting around Lady.
smith from the southeast. Until rein
| forcenents arrive it seems that Gen.
eral White is obliged to concentrate on
Ladysmith.
It. is believed that the government
has other dispatches that have not yet
been published.
The Cape Town correspondent oil
the Daily Mail, telegraphing at 9:45 p
III. yesterday, says:
General Yule has performed a bril-
liant strategical movement. by a
swift march to the south, leaving
Glencoe empty, he has effected a june
ton of his forces with those of Sir
George Stewart White slightly to the
south of Ladysmith. The two are now
in position to offer battle. ! believe
the first attack will be made on the
large Free State force which entered
Natal by way of Tintwa pass, which
has since been harassing Ladysmith
The military authorities decided by
joining their forces the two generals
would be better able to cope with ono
large force at time than by having
two small detachments to oppose
simultaneously two big Boer forces.
Accordingly, after defeating the
Free State troops, they will offer bat
tic to Commandant General Joubcrt
Only forty miles now separate the two
Boer forces, hence the 1teel for swift
and telling action. va,
"Thc two sections of the Boer army
together outnumber the entire British
force by three to one. Hard fighting
is certain at very early date. Dun
men are confident and there is much
enthusiasm.
"The fighting today outside Lady.
smith was mere brush. The losses
on neither side were significant. II
was merely an artillery duel in which
the Beers came off decidedly the
worse"