Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-16
ABANDONED HIS GUNS
General Butler Fell Into a Trap and
Had to Leave Eleven Field
Pieces.
ALSOLOST AT MODDER RIVER
The British Are Dismayed At the Victory
Over Chief Commander Butler, But Are
Determined to Send All Avail
able Forces.

London, December 16.-The failure OF
General Butler in attempting to cross
the Tugela river to attack near Colensc
Is admitted to be a severe blow. One
division sought to- cross ford and
failed. Then the other division was to
try place two miles away. To aid In
the movement artillery took place toe
close to the river, and the enemy sud
denly opened fire at close range, killing
thirteen of the eighteen battery horses
and wounding several drivers. One gun
was dismantled by shell, and ten were
abandoned by order of General Butler
Colonel Hart's brigade suffered severely
before retreating from the first ford.
London, December 16.--As might have
been expected, the desperate state Of
the British arms in South Africa, as re-
vealed by the defeat of General Butler
at the Tugela river, where at one stroke
he lost treble the number of guns that
Wellington left in the hands Of Napo-
leon during the six years of fighting in
the Peninsula, while adding to the de-
termination of the authorities to send
every available man to the 'front.' caused
something in the nature of a momen-
tary panic among the public, which was
reflected on the stock exchange in a
opening jobbcrs started to realizing,
and all prices opened from one to six
points below the closing prices yester-
day. consols being down 1A After the
first rush the market steadied down
somewhat.
The market views of the situation are
of the most serious character, both po-
liticaly and financially the latter main
ly because the fresh defeat of the Brit
ish troops will delay longer the supply
of South African gold. Two unimpor
tant failures were announced. 1t is a
long time since the tone Of the newspa-
pers and the comment of clubs and 9th =
er resorts has been so chastened and
pessimistic. Some comment goes so far
as to say the crisis is so far-reaching
that Great Britain stands where she
stood over century back, when the
American colonists, men Of British and
Dutch blood, We're in arms"
Prices closed better than they opened
but much below yesterday
Modder River, December 15.-During
a demonstration in force this morning
the British guns shelled the Beers q
couple of hours. The Beers did not re-
ply until the British were retiring. The
Beers are further intrenching and
strengthening their old defenses, with
the evident intention of fiercely disput-
ing control of the railroad.
Pretoria, December 16.-An official
dispatch from the Modder river says:
The Beers captured great quantity
of loot, including 200 Lee-Metfords
cases. cartridges and hundreds Of bayo-
nets. Great numbers of British retired
from Tweo Riviere in the direction Of
Belmont. The loss of the British is very
great. There were heaps Of dead ON the
field The wounded are being attended
to temporarily at Bissel's farm. The
sappers and miners must have suffered
severely. The Beers suffered heavy
losses of horses. cannot otherwise de-
scribe the battlefield than as sad and
terrible slaughter Monday was for us
n brilliant victory. 1t infused a new
spirit in our men, and will enable them
to achieve greater deeds"