Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-11-03
AT THEIR OWN GAME
Trained Soldiers Are Beaten by
Boer Farmers.
DISASTER FOR BRITISH TROOPS.
Two Regiments and Their Guns Are
Captured Near Ladysmith - Gen.
White Tnlkes the Blame-Con-
sternntion in London.

Irish fusiliers, No. 10 mountain battery
and the Worcestershire regiment were
surrounded in the hills by the Beers
and, after losing heavily, obliged to
capitulate. Gen. White adds that the
casualties have not yet been ascer-
tanned.
Gen. White Takes All the Blame.
The following is the text of Gen.
Whites dispatch to the war office:
"Ladysmith, Oct. 3d. have to report
disaster to the columns sent by me to take
position on hill to guard the left flank OF
the troops. In these operations to-day
the Royal Irish fusiliers. No. 10 mountain
battery and the Worcestershire regiment
were surrounded in the hills and after los
Ing heavily had to captulate. The casual
ties have not yet been ascertained.
"a man of the fusiliers, employed as
hospital orderly, came in under flag of
truce with letter from the survivors OF
the column, who asked for assistance to
bury the dead. 1 fear there is no doubt of
the truth of the report
II formed a plan, in the carrying out of
which the disaster occurred, and am alone
responsible for the plan. There is no blame
whatever to the troops as the position was
untenable."
Sir George Whites honest admission
of full responsibility and the terms of
his dispatch are regarded in some cir
cles as virtually placing his case in the
hands of the home authorities, and 1t
is even rumored that the war Office has
already decided to supersede him. The
report, however, is discredited in we'll
informed quarters.
Boer Loss Heavy.
A special dispatch from Ladysmith
says the Beers suffered severely during
the engagement, some persons estimat-
ing their loss at 900 to 1000 killed and
wounded.
No Further News.
No dispatch, except the official tele-
gram of Gen. Sir George Stewart White,
has thus far been permitted to mention
the disaster, and no telegram from
Ladysmith has been received in London
since the advices from the British COM
mander. This gives rise to a belief that
communications have already been cut,
in which event some time must elapse
before details regarding British losses
are received. If the war office officials
have received information on this point
they have refrained from publishing it.
Gen. Whites estimate that the British
losses were about 80 is evidently quite
separate from the probable losses in
killed and wounded among the cap
tured battalions.
Late Tuesday evening the prince of
Wales and the marquis of Salisbury
sent their respective secretaries to the
war Office to make inquiries, but the re-
ply given was that no further news had
been received. Large crowds still wait
ed in the vicinity shortly before mid
night.
A Boer Ruse.
Public anxiety was increased by a
special dispatch from Ladysmith, pub
lished in the late editions of the Lon
don afternoon papers, to the effect that
before darkness Monday the Beers re-
occupied the old position held by their
heavy artillery, which Gen. White had
reported silenced by the guns of the
naval brigade from the Powerful, and
had opened fire again. The dispatch
further says: 'The enemy are again
closing in, and the situation is one of
grave anxiety. Beyond doubt the Boer
w
Gen. White into the hilly country and
away from the British camp"
White Outgeneraled.
This last sentence is significant, and
confirms the opinion of military ex-
perts here that Gen. White is allowing
himself to be outgeneraled by Com
mandant General Joubert.
Fror, bo Nv ol,,;oac ,.ooa;,.oJ =, -
to II o'clock p. M, it seems tolerably
certain that the disaster was simple
repetition of the battle of Majuba HILL
though on larger scale. The two reg
iments were allowed to march into a
trap set for them by the Beers. 1t is
simply case of the Boer spider and the
guileless British fly. In fact, the whole
engagement of Monday seems to have
been brought on by Commandant Cen
eral Joubert, who skillfully conceived
a gigantic trap, out of which, as the
official dispatch shows, Sir George
White only escaped with difficulty.
Gen. White advanced with the idea of
driving the Beers from the hill, seven
miles out, which Gen. Joubert made an
destinations show of terrifying on Sum
day. The Boer commandant left force
sufficient to draw Gen. White on, while
the mass of the Beers he moved stealth
lily round the British right, to deliver a
flank attack and to endeavor to cut off
Gen. White from Ladysmith. The Brit
Ash commander succeeded in beating off
the attack, but only with great diff
Guilty, and during the turning move
ment his troops suffered from flank
ing fire.
White May Retire.
London, Nov. 1.-Reports are current
here that Gen. White may retire to
Pietermaritzburg while the railroad is
intact. There is much divergence of
opinion in military circles as to the
ACCESSIBILITY of such step.
Reenforcements En- Route.
About 5000 fresh troops will arrive at
Cape Town on Sunday next from Eng
land and will be available to reinforce
Sir George White. Transports will ar
rive there daily after Sunday, until by
the end of next week 2S,OOO troops will
have been landed in South Africa.
These men are intended for Gen. Sir
Redvers Buffers army, but they will
undoubtedly be detached to Natal If the
situation there should become perilous.
The British army Will eventually reach
the huge total of s9,634, of which 60,634
will be regulars and the other 10000
miscellaneous, but excellent colonial