The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-20
MOUNTED INFANTRY
To Be Enlisted For the South AZ
rican Campaign.
IMPERIAL YEoMANRY CALLED.
Their EurolIed strength Now Reaches
Over Ten thousand - Have Never
Been Called Upon Before Fer War
Service--Velunteers Enthusiastic.


Over Ten thousand - Have Never
Been Called Upon Before Fer War
servics-vslunteers Enthusiastic.
London, Dec. 20.-The government
has at last consented to mobilize a
force, which General Butler is credited
with having demanded all along as an
essential of success In South Africa.
namely, 10000 mounted infantry. This
morning ths war Office issued an order
to the effect that the government had
decided to raise for South Africa a
mounted infantry force, to be called
Imperial yeomanry," and TO be re-
cruited from yeomanry, volunteers ana
civilians possessing the requisite quali-
fications. Enlistment Will be for one
year. or during the continuance OF the
war. The men must be between 40 and
IS years of age. Ofiicers and men are
to provide their own horses and to
wear neutral TIT cloth shooting jack
cts, not necessarily uniform, felt hats.
breeches and CATERS. All must DO
good riders and marksmen.
The same order invites every v0lun-
teer regiment that is linked with q
regular battalion serving at the front
to supply full company. which will
take the place Of the mounted infantry
Of the regiment.
The arrangements are expected to
result In a considerable force. The
enrolled strength Of the yeomanry
forces, which originated in the trouble
some period of the French revolution.
is now 1O,433. Their services have
never before been called for In war.
The lord mayor of London, Alfred
Newton. is raising and equipping a
force Of q thousand volunteers among
the city corps. The large city firms
are contributing the necessary expen-
sas.
Colonel Sir Charles Howard Vincent,
commandant Of the queens WestminB-
ter volunteers, has also offered to raise
a regiment of thousand picked
marksmen.
The enthusiasm of volunteer enlist
ments continues, and promises to give
the government ample material.
A press dispatch from Chieveley
camp says: The relief column con-
tinued its advance from Chisveley
early yesterday, intending to asssil the
Boer positions, which were known to
be very strong to the westward and
northwest of Colenso. During the two
preceding days the Beers had allowed
themselves to be bombarded without
condescending to reply with single
shot. They further gave half an
hours opening yesterday without an
exchange, when suddenly they belch-
ed out stream of fire from all their
entertainments. beside opening fear
full cannonade with all their quick
firing and siege guns, which were
posted from end<o end Of their po-
sitions. When their presence and
actual positions had been determined
the British naval brigade commenced
Smelling all the ridges north of the
town with marvellous accuracy.
At this time the artillery attached to
General Harris division was busy
among the Entertainments on the hills
on the British left, under cover of
which the Irish infantry brigade
marched out in extended order to cross
the river and attack. Undoubtedly
aiming at this battery, the Beers sent
several shells near the ambulance
train, which was forced to change its
position.
While this was Transporting the field
artillery on the right we're busy she'll
ing the ridges of the Beers left flank.
their excellent practice attracting the
attention Of the Beers, who retaliated
with scathing fire, almost demolish-
ing all the guns and stampeding the
gun carriage and timber horses.
The, Beers excuse themselves for FIR
ing on the stretcher bearers by assert
ing that two squads of the Connaught
Rangers took cover under the civilian
bearers of the Red Cross and that
this act drew the Boer fire, three being
killed and several wounded.
Special reports regarding the fight
ing at the Tugela river are still filter
ing through, but all the newspapers
complain that these are severely CEN
sored, and it Is still impossible to get
an accurate idea of the battle. From
the latest accounts, however, it ap-
pears that General Butler was in per-
sonal command.