Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-12
Disastrous Failure Of Attempt TO
Surprise Free State Camp.
HEAVY BRITISH LOSSES
Ono-Firh of Attaching Force IziIicd,
wounded or asissins-Lonnon APP
prehcnAivo of Dutch cotonists
Rising Recent Victories Mny
Draw whvcrins Enrmer. to Hoer
Standard : British Garrison ut
Andysmi,h on short RntIonY.
tay Telegraph to virginian-Pllot.,

tBy Telegraph to virginian- Pilot.)
London, Dec. 11.-Upon the heels CT
Sundays news of the gallant sortie
from Ladysmith this morning comes
intelligence OF the practical defeat OF
General Sir w. Il. Gatacrc in his first
engagement with the Boers.
While this latter reverse, though Sc
r.ous enough. is regarded as only
lnomentary check, still its effect upon
the morale OF the Beers and the minds
ur the wavcring Dutch farmers IN
Cape Colony. will undoubtedly render
the task OF the British much Inora diff
iicult ana drawn out.
General Gntacrc. moving out Satur-
day with three thousand men and two
batteries of artillery from putters
l<raal in the hope of surprising the
Bocrs ut Stroinberg. was Inisled by his
guides and found himself in an untcn-
able position, with the result that he
was obliged To retire with severe losses
upon Molteno.
He reports over six hundred and
dition To small list of killed and
wounded
This intelligence has been received
with the greatest apprehension here
ana is especially deplorcd because of
the effect 1t liz likely to have on the
Dutch In the north of Cape Colony.
1telnforccmcnts will doubtless be sent
up with all speed to make General
Gntacre's position secure. but the fact
mat he has gravely underestimate
inc strength of the Beers opposed to
him Is responsible for n Keeling of con-
siderable uneaslness as To the imme-
diate future OF tile campaign in that
section of the country.
OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION.
London, December 1.-THE War Of
flee publishes the following dispatch
from General Forester Walker at
Cape Town
Gatacrc reports:-Decply regret TO In
form you that / met with Il serious re-
verse in the attack on Stormbcrg.
l was misled as to the enemy's posi-
ton by the guides and found impracti-
cable ground
Casualties so far as known at pres
ent, are:
Second Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Wounded: Lieutenant Colonel Eager,
Major Seaton. Captain Bell, Captain
Kelly, Lieutenant Stephens, Lieuten-
ant Barnardston.
Suffolk ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Second
Lieutenant Maynard, twelve men.
Misslng-Captatn Eiutrtu1rfrnt Christie
Second Lieutenant Rodney, two hun
drcd and ninety men.
Seventy-fourth Field Battery Sc
verely wounded Lieutenant Lewis,
three mon.
Slightly Noundcd-Two men.
seventy-seventh Field Battery -
Killed: One gunner
Woundcd-MajO Pcrceval
northumberland Fusiliers Missing:
Major Stevens, Captain Morley, Cap
tain Fletcher, Second Lieutenant Coul-
son. Second Lieutenant Wake, Lieuten-
ant Radcliffe. three hundred and six
non-commissioned officers and men.
Royal Berkshire Regiment = Killed:
One private.
The remainder of my casualties will
be wired as soon as ascertaned
~ HOT FIRE WITH LYDDIrE,
Moddcr River, Cape Colony, Sunday
evening" December 10.-The naval a 7
inch gun again took up position north
of the camp this afternoon, while the
HoWitzcr battery was posted southeast
on the left of the Beers. Both opened
a hot fire with lydlite shells and
shrapnel. to which the Beers sharply
replied with a dozen guns, thus I'M
masking their position, which was the
object of the British mhnoeuvre Az
ter an hours firing the Boer guns were
silenccd, the Howitzcrs searched the
trenches and then threw Shell after
she'll upon the hills, the explosion of
the lyddite causing the whole ground
over an extensive area to rise in the
Air In dense brown clouds.
n Boer long gun was dsmantled.
THE NEXT FIGHT.
1t now appears that the Beers intend
that the next fight is to take place nj
Magersfontcn. Apparently Spyfon-
tein is not defended or the Beers arc
unwilling 10 unmask their positjon
there, as the replies to the British ar
tiilery were all from guns at Mayors
fontein.
NUMBER PRISONERS CAPTURED
Preoria,. Dec. 11.-Six' hundred and
seventy-two British prisoners taken at
Stormbcrg.
In the hgting at Modder River yes
tcrday evening, General Cronje main
tanned his position and captured fifty
British soldiers.
GUNS TAKEN.
Pretoria, Dec. 11.-(via Lourenzo
Maruucs)-The Beers captured three
in ha