The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1899-12-19
BUTLER ROUTED.
The Main Army of the British Meets
With Disastrous Defeat.
Gen. Butler Was Attempting to Cross
the TuEela Rtver-FindinG 1t
Impossible He Ordered
Retirement.

London, Dec. 1.-THE war office has
received a dispatch announcing that
Gen. Butler has met with serious
reverse, losing ten guns
Gen. Butler was attempting to cross
the Tugela river. Finding it impossi-
BILE to effect his object he ordered
retirement in order to avoid greater
losses. He left IL guns behind.
The following is the text OF Gen.
Buffers dispatch, announcing his re-
verse:
Butler to Lansdowne, Chieyely
Camp, Dec. IS, 6:2O p. nj regret to
report serious reverse. / moved in
full strength from our camp near
Chievely at 4 o'clock this morning.
There are two fordable places in the
Tugela river, and it was my intention
to force a passage through at one of
them. They are about two miles apart.
my intention was to force one or
the other with one brigade, supported
by central brigade. Gen. Hart was
to attack the lef drift. Gen. Hildyard
the right road and Gen. Lytleton was
| to take the center and to support
either. Early in the day 1 saw that
Gen. Hart would not be able to force
passage, and 1 directed him to with
! draw. He had, however, attacked with
great gallantry, and his leading bat
TALON, the COnnaught Rangers, l fear,
suffered a great deal. Col. L. G. Brooke
was seriously wounded.
81 then ordered Gen. Hildyard to
advance, which he did, his leading
regiment, the East Surrey, occupied
Colenso Station and the houses near
the bridge. At that moment 1 heard
that the whole artillery 1 had sent to
support the attack, the 14th and Goth
field batteries and six naval 12-pound-
er quick-irers, under Col Long, had
| advanced close to the river in Longs
desire to be within effective range.
It proved to be full of the enemy,
who suddenly opened a CALLING fire at
close range, killing all their horses,
and the gunners were compelled to
stand to their guns. Some of the
wagon teams got shelter for troops in
q donga and desperate efforts were
being made to bring out the field
guns.
"The fire, however, was too severe
and only two were saved by Capt.
Schofeld and some drivers whose
names 1 will furnish.
Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made by an officer
whose name l will obtain. Of the Is
horses 13 were killed, and as several
drivers were wounded, would not al
low another attempt, as it seemed
that they would be shell mark, sac
rifcing life to a gallant attempt TIC
force the passage. Unsupported by ar
tillery 1 directed the troops to with.
draw, which they did in good order
Throughout the day considerable
force of the enemy was pressing onmy
right flank, but it was kept back by
mounted men under Lord Dundonald
and part of Gen. Barton's brigade
The day was intensely hot and most
trying on the troops, whose conduct
was excellent. We have abandoned II
guns and lost by shell fire 1. The losses
in Gen. Harris brigade, 1 fear, art
heavy, although the proportion of Sc
verely wounded, I hope, is not large
The 14th and Goth field batteries also
suffered severe losses. We have retired
to our camp at Chievely."
London, Dec. 17.-As might have
been expected, the desperate state o.
the British arms in South Africa, al
,, revealed by the defeat of Gen. Bull
Ter at Tugela river, where at on
stroke he lost treble the number O.
guns Wellington left in the hands O
Napoleon during the six years fight
. ing in the Peninsula, while adding
, to the determination of the author
tiles to send every available man Il
the front, caused something in tn
nature of a momentary panic among
the public.
The Evening Standard declares tn
situation calls for all the equanimity
determination and perseverance o
the empire, and demands the immedi
ate calling out of all the volunteers
l The Star urges the commandeerinl
''Of all the great English Atlantic lin
ers for the transportation of rein
forcements,' and says the countr.
must ''set herself the task of pluck
; ing victory out of defeat"
Queen Victoria was greatly con
cerned about the latest reverse. Tn
commander-in-chief Lord Wolseley
was at Windsor Castle when the new
arrived, and he took special trail
5 back to London.
The revised list of the British casu
D alties at the battle of Magersfontei
: shows the total to be, 963, of whic
e number 20 were officers. ,..
Death of James w. Refs.
Newcastle, Pa, Dec. 1S.-James "
. Refs, general manager of the Nations
;. Steel Co. died at his home Sunday