Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-12
A BRITISH
REVERSE
General Gatacre Walks Into a
Boer Trap. Meets With
Disaster.
SIX HUNDRED MISSING.
Calamity the Result of an Effort to Disc
lodge the Enemy From His Posi-
tion-Details of the Business
Coming Slowly.


weeks of careful preparations General
Gatacre opened his campaign on the
southern frontier Sunday, and lost
nearly 700 men in discovering that the
Beers position at Stormberg was i'm
pregnable.
Gatacre officially describes the en-
gagement as a serious British reverse,
md lays the defeat TO misleading in
formation from his guides.
The Boer force was estimated at g.
600 and the British at from 1000 to
5000.
The fighting was severe at times,
but the British losses are almost en-
tirely wounded and captured.
So far as is known only two were
killed, one private and one gunner.
Among the wounded are Lieutenant
Colonel Eager, Majors ..seon and Perci-
val, Cartains Bell and Kelly, Lieu
tenants Stephens, Stone, Maynard and
Lewis.
The missing include Major Stevens,
Captains Weir, Fletcher and Morley,
and iieutenants Christie, Rodney,
Wake, Coulson and Radcliffe. The to-
tai wounded is twenty-siN, and missing
500, ana OF the latter, 263 belong to the
Second Irish Rifles, and 312 to the Sec
ond Northumberland Fusileers.
Even these figures, however, are in
complete, as General Gatacre concludes
his report by saying the remainder of
the casualties will be wired as soon as
known.
The details of the fight are meager.
II saesls-tfiaf aitt.-sas. known at Cane
lHosSns for several days that the Beers
had concentrated in considerable force
at Stormbefg and were well entrenched
IN a strong position. From this posi-
ton Gatacre decided to Try to expel
them. He took the precaution to send
several scouts to investigate the Boer
strength at that point. They reported
that the force was not over .. 500 and
the position only fairly strong. Gem
eral Gatacre expected serious fight.
but was led to believe that the Beers
could be driven out by spirited ac-
ton
General Gatacre left Putterskraal.
Twelve miles off, with a force of from
2,oOo to 5000. composed of the North
umberlands, the Irish Rifles, and two
batteries of field artillery.
His intention was to surprise 4ba
Beers at dawn, Sunday, but before the
light broke he was himss.f surprised
while the column was still in marebin5
order and wearied with the trvin@
night march. The British were maIe
to realize the wakefulness of the Beers
py a sudden and terrific fire into the
van and upon the right flank simultane-
ously.
The Irish Rifles. who headed the col
umn, quickly turned to the left and
sought shelter behind hill.
ne Northumherlane!s and the mount-
ed Infantry attempted to follow. hut
the ground was SO rough the LATER
We're forced to make considerable de-
tour.
The Beers evidently anticipated this
movement, for no sooner Mad the Brit
elsh column concentrated under the
shadow OF a kopje than it was covered
by the Boer guns, which planted shells
with remarkable accuracy.
Again the British column packed I'M
and made off in the direction of am
otherhill .salf mile or so away, Dur
in@ the retreat the Beers kept up an
'incessant fire.
Ahe new British position, however.
proved to be more advantageous rh,n
the first, and the artillery secured good
cover and did telling work in prevent. t.
Ing the Boers from following for the
time and covering the Withdrawal of
the rest of the English troops. The
action for perhaps half an hour was
geneSal and then it was found that
considerable force of mounted
Beers was advancing from the north.
General Gatacre ordered the North
umberlands and the Irish Rifles to en-.
gage them, and the two British repi-
ments responded promptly. but they
met before going far b.isterinp fire
from Il lot of machine guns carefully
Placed.
Details Ofthe Disaster.
London, Dec. 11.-(By Associated
Press.) Later details regarding the
disaster to Gatacre's column show that
but for the magnificent work of the
British artillery the disaster would
have been far more extensive. as the
incessant Boer shell fire in its midst
repulsed the infantry and ultimately
led to disorder which only escaped de-
yeloping into rout through the bat
teries and artillery, occupying success
sive positions and covering the retreat,
thus drawing portion of the Beers
calling fire, Apparently the British
We're set an impossible task and were
treacherously guided. After a trying
march under arms of sixteen hours
thsy attacked the wrong part of the
Boer position, where the Hill was i'm
pregnable and the Bnrghers We're esti-
mated to number 6,0oo instead Of $500
as the spies reported. Theirs is little
in the story TO mitigate the intense hn>
initiation occasioned by the episode