St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-12-27
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

London, Dec. ga dispatch from
Pretoria says: Over 500 British pris-
oners, captured at the battle of Storm
berg, have arrived here. They have
been taken to Waterfall to join the other
prisoners. An official account of the
Boer casualties at the battle Of Tugela
river says 30 men were killed or wound
ed. General halk-Burgers' report of
the battle says:
Friday, at dawn, the day long ex-
pected arrived. The Pretoria detach-
ment of artillery gave the alarm. Cen
eral Buffers Ladysmith relief column
was in battle array, advancing on the
Boer positions, close to the Tugela ana
Colenso. The centre consisted OF an
immense crowd of infantry, fianked on
each side by two batteries, with strong
bodies of cavalry supporting. The
Boer artillery preserved absolute 81
lence,' not disclosing its position. Two
batteries came within rifle distance of
our foremost position, and the Eoers
then opened fire with deadly effect.
Our artillery also commenced and, APP
parently, absolutely confused the en-
envy, who were allowed to think the
bridge was open for them to cross
Their right flank in the meantime at
tackled the Beers southernmost posi-
ton, but the Mauser rifle fire was so
tremendous that they were rolled back
like a spent wave, leaving ridges and
ridges of dead and dying humanity be-
hind. Again the British advanced to
the attack but again fell back. swelling
the heaps of dead. Thei" cavalry
charged to the river, where the Ermelo
commando delivered such murderous
fire that two batteries of cannon had to
be abandoned, which the Beers are 60
ing to bring here. Twice the British
assayed to bring horses to remove them.
The first time they succeeded in hitch
ing on to one cannon, and on the second
trial the horses and men fell in heap.
Then the British We're in full retreat
to their camp, whence they sent heavy
shrapnel fire on Bulwer bridge, across
the Tugela, to prevent the burghers from
recovering the cannon.
the German attache, Braun, say the
fight could not have been improved
upon by the armies of Europe. Cen
erals Botha and Trichart were always
at the most dangerous points Of the
fighting. Eleven ambulances removed
the English dead and wounded.
Such a tremendous cannonade has
n. 4 . fnr, fta,
was covered with dead and wounded.
1t was a most crushing British defeat.
Nine of the cannons have since been
brought across the river.
THE British asked for. and were
granted, 24-hour armistice."
Nothing has arrived from South At
RIGA that would indicate any change la
the military situation there. The war
office is issuing lists of further deaths
and wounds as well as accounts Of
sickness. The most serious report Of
the last class is that horse sickness has
broken out in both British and Boer
camps in Natal,
Four hundred British cavalry horses,
1t is said have already been shot owing
to the occurrence of CHAMBERS. The
disease is likely to spread with much
greater rapidity among the British
horses than among the hardy Boer
ponies, and this may mean a considerable
prolongation of the campaign.
A dispatch from Chieveley, dated Dec
10, says The British naval guns have
destroyed the Colenso foot bridge, thus
preventing the Beers holding any posi-
ton south of the Tugela river. The
enemy are taking up fresh positions on
the eastern side nearer the British
camp. The British position at Frere is
being strengthened. The Tugela river is
rising and there is a prospect of heavy
rains. A two-hour bombardment OF
Ladysmith has been heard from here.
According to reliable native reports, the
Beers had 200 killed in the fight al
Colenso.
The news that the Colenso foot bridge
has been destroyed seems to show that
General Butler is more anxious to keer
the enemy at bay than to attempt fur
Their advance.
Despite the severity of the censorship
hints are being continually received OF
the serious spread of Dutch disaffectior
In both the Queenstown district of Cape
Colony and Natal.