The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-07

ADVANCE of British Relief Columns
Has Apparently Stirred Them to
Desperate ActiOn-Sortte From
Kimberley Results in One of the
Most sanguinary Engagemepta
of the War-ArtiIIery DueIs
| LADYSMITH, Saturday. Dec 2-TbA
hottest bombardment Of the siege took
pace last Thursday. The Beers got a.
new big gun on Lombard's Kopte in mo-
sition' completely commanding the town
and shelled our camp that day and ves-
terday planting shells with great ac.
curacy in the camp of the Gordon LJiob-
Ianders and the Manchester regiments.
Ahere were many narrow escapes. To-
DAY the enemy resumed the lombard
ment. doing some very effective shooting
| several of our guns have been shattered
| oy the Boer big gun.
BOERs ACTIVE.
| QUEENSTOWN, Cape Colony. Dec .
The Beers have become very active IN
the country around Stormberg Junction.
TO which Gen Getacre will make his next
move. The telegraph lines have been cut
IN various places, and communication
with Steynsburg, Dordrecht and Marais-
purg has been severed. 1t is believed
here that the Beers have occupied steyns-
purg. Firing has been heard in the diree-
uoh OF Stormberg, probably between
zen. Getacres vanguard and the Boer
| commando.
TO DEFEND PRETORIA
LISBON, Dec. 6.-Two Russian colonels.
d French general and a French colonel.
VINO nave been engaged by Dr. Ieyds To
assist in the defense of Pretoria. left
TO-DAY for Louranzo Marques They were
escorted to the ship by the secretary Of
| the French legation here.
GEN. JOUBERT ILL.
PRETORIA, Dec. 2 Cvia Lourenzo
MARQUES Monday, Dec D.-Gen Joubert
Is -lndisposed and has arrived at Voiks-
rust, across the Transvaal border, for
| medical treatment
A dispatch from the head laager. where
Cen Schalkburger is In supreme com
mand during the absence Of Gen. Joubert,
announces that a council of war will be
/ neld Dec. with reference to assaulting
/ Ladysmith. The state attorney has ar
! rived at the camp TO advise the Boer COM
manders Everything is quiet at Lady
smith.
LULL IN THE NEWS.
LONDON. Dec. 7-Again there is a
| complete lull In news from the seat of
war. Ladysmith has established hello
| graphic communication with FreTe, and
| 1t is reported that all was well up to
Sunday. y dispatch from the Boer laag-
| er, by way of Lourenzo Marques, dated
| Thursday Nov. 80. confirms the report
| that the commanders have been closing
| in upon Ladysmith and mounting big
| guns in new positions. According to the
same adyices a heavy cannonade had
| been maintained and a general assault
| had been ordered for Thursday morning,
| but was countermanded at the last mo-
| ment.
Modder river dispatches say that the
| Beers are encamped amid the hills half
way to Kimberley. but 1t is also asserted
| that large body of the enemy has gone
! In the direction CT Jacobsdal 1t is prob
| able. therefore, that Lord Methuen may
endeavor to clear his right flank as far
| as Jacobsdat before advancing. He Is
| still awaiting at Modder river for am
munitfon, stores and reinforcements
| KIMBERLEY SORTIE.
| The sortie from Kimberley on Nov %
/ appears to have been much more serious
than has been supposed. Details are
! now arriving of q reconnaissance in force
by mounted troops under Maj. Scott
Turner, in the direction of a ridge near
| Carter's farm, where the Beers are
| strongly intrenched. Finding the Boer
| pickets asleep Maj. Scott-Turner pro-
! ceeded along the ridge under cover and
| rushed the Boer redoubts at 5:25 a. M.
] in the face of a hail of bullets The
/ Beers hoiSted white flag and fired at
| the British under its protection before
! surrendering Owing possibly to the ex-
| haustion of their ammunition the British
! We're unable TO follow up the attack and
| to seize a large Boer laager about 800
| yards ahead especially as Boer REIN
forcements We're seen approaching, and
| the enemy was keeping up a heavy fire
| from the shelter OF a thick bush.
ARTILLERY DUEL.
During the reconnaissance an armed
train reconnoitered north ard south, wnile
considerable force of British. with field
| guns and MaXims, advanced towards
| Spytsfontein, holding the Beers in check
in that direction. Ten guns We're engaged
simultaneously, and, viewed from the
| coming tower, an artillery duel seemed
! proceeding in every direction except
towards Kenilworth, the fusillade being
terrific. At o'clock, having no forcs
| suficient to hold the position he had
stormed Mat. Scott-Turner turned and
began gradually retiring his men. He had
a horse shot under him, and bullet went
! through the fleshy part of his shoulder.
! 1t is alleged the Beers used Martins and
explosive bullets, and that they frequent
| ly fired on the British ambulance wag-
| ons. The British captured twenty-eight
| of the enemy.
| There appears to be some doubt as to
| whether this was the reconnaissance in
which, according to the announcement of
| the war office, Maj. Scott-Turner was
| killed, or whether that officer met his,
fate in a subsequent sortie.
| Il is reported the Transvaal government
| still refuses to acknowledge the right
| of the United States government to in
] Quire as to the condition of prisoners in
! Pretoria, insisting that Great Britain
must inquire through the general COM
| manding In the field.
! AMERICAN FLAG IGNORED.
The Times publishes a letter from an
| American citizen who left Johannesburg
] because he was liable to be impressed,
| and who had learned that the United
| States consul was unable to protect him.
| He complains bitterly that the American
| flag was not respected in Pretoria; that
| his government was not recognized, and
| his position was practically unbearable.
Funeral of Judge WOOlsOn.
DIES MONIES, To-, Dec. 6.-The funeral
| services of Judge John Simson Woolson,
| I0f+ y +ha foda for the Southern Iowa