Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-09
protracted defense, while it's fall

prestige throughout south Africa AL
ready the British retirement south of
Colenso has given the beers an oppor-
tunity to make a bid for the active sup
port of the disaffected Dutch in Natal
by prOclaiming the annexation of the
upper Tugela section. The Daily
Nails Stormberg correspondent, in a
dispatch of Friday evening, says: "An
Orange Free State force of 1000 men is
now at Pewen's farm, half way be-
tween the Orange River and Burghers-
dorp. The beers are awaiting there
for the arrival of achievements to
the number of 5000 from Rockville and
Blomfantein before moving on Storm
berg. There is third Free States
force at Colesberg." The st. Peters
burg correspondent of the Times tele-
graphs that rumors are af1oat regard
ing Russian designs upon Afghanistan.
Fighting at Ladysmith.
Estcourt, Natal, Nov. A messen-
ger from Ladysmith, passing the boer
| lines during the night, reports heavy
| fighting Thursday around Ladysmith.
The hottest engagement took place on
| George Tatham'S farm, on the Orange
Free States side of Besters. The Brit
ish drove the beers back to their camp,
the enemy suffering great loss. Ihir-
ty mounted beers were captured. The
| fighting was resumed Friday. Again
they were driven back on their camp
with loss. A small corcr-,ld is now
encamped on the south side of Peters
station, commanding the railway. The
I beers have torn up the culvers of the
railway near Peters station and
burned the wooden portions. No
damage has yet been done at Colenso.
Houses, stores, railways and iron
! bridges are intact. The messenger
says he heard the beers would at Co
lenso today, and that volunteers are
leaving. 1t is reported that the beers
lost 800 killed, wounded and captured
in Thursdays battle at Tatham's farm.
Basutos Allowed to Go.
Capetown, Nov IA dispatch from
Maseru, Basutoland, dated Friday
evening, says since Magistrate Lag
dens warning that their interference
with the Basutos would cause an upris-
ing, the beers have been letting the
Basutos cross the river into Basuto-
land. The natives, however, continue
to complain that they are being robbed
of their savings by the authorities.
There is no Disgusting from the natives
that the British suffered a reverse at
Ladysmith. The repulse Of the Free
State forces October 27 is claimed by
the beers, to have been brilliant boer
victory. They say that at Eldndslaagte
the British fled and that at Ladysmith
the beers retired because they had eX-
pended their ammunition. The beers
also assert that Gen. White has been
killed and show certain documents
found on his body.
To Defend Pietermartzburg.
Pietermaritxburg, Nov. LIVERY
thing possible will be done to defend
this city 1t was decided to form an
emergency mounted corps and a proc
lamation has been issued declaring the
Orange Free State proclamation an
nOuncing the annexation of the upper
Tugela district of Natal null and void
All rifle associations on the Natal coast
have been called out.
Ladysmith Completely Invested
London, Nov. THE officials of the
war office have no further news regard
ing the military situation in Natal
They could not say whether the rail-
road to Ladysmith was intact but ad-
mitted that Ladysmith is now com
! pletely surrounded.
Boer Prairie Fires.
London, Nov. THE Mails Kim
berley correspondent, in a dispatch of
Wednesday, says: The beers today
fired the veldt near Bronfeld, miles
from Kimberley. This afternoon the
flames set fire to the smaller of two
magazines, exploding the dynamite.
The veldt is still burning and it is
feared the larger magazine, containing
1,200 cases of dynamite, will be ig-
nited."
Beers Are Repulsed.
Pietehmaritzburg Nov. THE gen.
eral commanding the line of communi-
cation with Maritzburg has arrived
with his staff at Estcourt. Telegraphic
communication north of Estcourt has
entirely stopped. The British forces
at Ladysmith engaged the enemy
successfully Thursday and Friday. 1t
is reported that the cavalry scored
heavily and that the infantry did great
inI IL, ,Ior
carrying the principal boer position at