Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-22

Following the reverses to Gen. Gatacre
at Stormberg and Gen. Methuen at Mayors
fontein came the staggering news TO Eng
land of the repulse of Gen. Butler Friday,
in an attempt TO force a passage of the Iu-
Rela river near Colenso, on his way to the
relief of the beleaguered city of Lady
smith. Buffers casualties numbered lO9I
men, 80 being killed, 667 wounded, while
346 are missing. Sixty-fve officers are in
the list, seven being killed and Al wound
ed, while Ia are prisoners and three are
missing. The British now refer to last
week as "Black Week" During the week
the total loss to the British forces was
about 5000 men, and since the opening of
the war the total loss in killed, wounded,
prisoners and missing is nearly 1000 men.
The conditions at Tugela river we're sim
liar to those at::Stormberg and Magersfon-
tein. The British artillery was pushed
forward to a point where it was intended
il should cover the passage OF the river by
two fords There it suddenly received a
furious fire from a swarm of Beers IN a
concealed position, resulting in all the
horses of two field batteries and six naval
guns being killed. Efforts to extricate the
guns failed, and after a fruitless loss of
life retreat to Chieveley was ordered.
Eleven guns, one of which was injured by
a Boer shell, were abandoned to the enc
my. The infantry engaged suffered heav-
ily, and but for the resistance offered by
the cavalry and an infantry brigade, the
retreat of the force to Chieveley would
have been cut off by Boer commando that
been pressing its right flank from the com
mencement of the action.
The gravity of the whole situation in
South Africa can hardly be overestimated.
Apart from the effect it must have in de-
Gliding the wavering Dutch of Cape Colony
to throw in their lot with the two repub-
lies, the influence these successive defeats
of the British will have on the natives Is
the most to be feared. 1t will also call for
the most arduous efforts on the part of the
British government to restore the prestige
of the British arms, shattered by a handful
of uncouth farmers defending their indie
pendence, and perhaps lead to a complete
revolution in the British military system.
Gen. French, after driving the Free
Staters from Arundel, has had an encoun-
ter with large body of the enemy trying
tp work it's way round his Hank toward
Taauw Poort. They were driven back with
some loss, but their activity shows the dan
ger to which Gen. French's communications
are exposed, and we shall probably hear of
some brisk fighting at this part OF the Brit
ish line. For the moment Gen. Gatacre's
movements appear to be completely check
ed while his troops recover from the effects
of their defeat at Stormberg, details OF
which as they come in render it more in
comprehensive. especially as the Free
State force holding the position was only
800 strong, being the advanced guard Of
the force occupying Burghersdop. U=E'c i
The British war office announced Sun
day that General Lord Roberts will go tC
Cape Town as commander in chief of al
the forces in South Africa, with Genera
Lord Kitchener as chief-of-staff.
The ministers have also decided to senC
out the seventh division with all possible
despatch, and have called in the remaining
army reserves for further re-enforcements