Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-01
A SEVERE BLOW.

London. oct 3l.-There was a con
Y tinuous stream of callers ut the war "
/ fec. today, until late hour. every
Y body anXiously inquiring regarding
yesterdays casualties near Ladysmith;
\ hut the war Office declared that MOTH
! ing had been received since Sir George
( Whites dispatch communicating the
7 news NJ the capture of thu Royal Irish
I Fusiliers and the Worcestershire
Regiment
This delay in obtaining further in
/ telligcnce is attributed in part to the
! break down Of the East coast cable.
but il stands to reason that the war
office must be possessed Of further new
which it is probably not thought advis-
able should be published as Yet.
The disaster has caused a feeling
akin to CONSERVATION. and, in Glouces-
tcrshire ana the north Of Ireland
where the captured regiments were re-
cruted. the blacklist gloom prevails,
many families there awaiting with
beating hearts the names of the slain
and wounded. which are fully expected
to reach high figure. Many homes
ar already in mourning in consequence
of the losses sustained by these reSi-
monts in the previous engagements.
Public anxiety was increased by a
special dispatch from Ladysmth pub
lished in the late editions of the London
afternoon papers, to the effect that be
fore darkness, yesterday the Beers re
occupied the old position held by their
heary artillery, which Gen. White had
reported Silenced guns of the naval bri-
gade from the Powerful, and had again
opened fire.
The dispatch further says: THE en-
envy are again closing in and the stu
alton is one Of grave anxiety. Beyond
doubt the Boer retirement. yesterday
Monday, was ruse to draw Gen.
White into the hilly country and away
from the British camp"
This last sentence is significant and
confirms the opinion Of military eX
nerts here that Gen. White is allowing
himself to be outgeneralled by Com
mandant General Joubert.
From the scanty advices received up
to II o'clock Z. NJ. it seems too tolera-
bly, certain that the disaster was a
simple repetition Of the battle of Ma
iuba Hill. though on a larger scale
The two regiments We're allowed to
march into a trap set for them by the
Beers 1t is simply n case Of the Boer
spider and the guleless British fly. In
fact, the whole engagement of Mon !
day seems to have been brought on by /
COmmandant General Joubert who |
skillfully conceived a gigantic trap, out
Of which. as the official dispatch shows !
Sir George White only escaped with |
difficulty.
Gen. White advanced the idea of |
driving the Beers from Tintwainyoni |
Hill. seven miles out, which Gen. Jou- +
bert made an ostentatious show of for |
tifying, Sunday. The Boer command !
er left force sufficient to draw Gen. |
White on, While the mass Of the Beers !
he moved stealthily round the British /
right, to deliver a flank attack and to |
endeavor to cut off Gen. White from !
Ladysmith. The British commander /
succeeded in beating off the attack. but |
only with great difficulty, and during /
the turning movement his troops suf-
fered from a thanking fire.
Harsh things are said in military cir
cles of the British tactics. which have
made possible the ambush of the 18th
Eussars at Glencoe and now the loss
IF two fine regiments. 1t is feared that
Sir George White is no match for the
Beers in that cunning by which Boer
tactics are conceived, and it is pointed
out that if the British commanders
continue to lead their men into OBJ
vious traps further disasters must be
looked for.
An interview publish with a British
officer whose name is withheld, with
an excellent record and who served
with distinction in the Indian mutiny.
in the course of which he passes Sc
we're criticism upon the conduct of the
Yesterdays disaster" said the Off
'er in question, lis only another proof
Continued on page % n