Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-11-22

II
BRIDGE NEAR COLENSO.
interest to the impending encounter
between Colenso and Estcourt, with
the advancing British. About 600
burghers, with cannon, are guarding
the Helpmakaar pass, eighteen miles
from Dundee, to battle any strategical
attempt to reoccupy Dundee by the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS route.
London, Nov. 16-The following has
been received here:
"Cape Town, Nov. 1O.-A dispatch
received here from Pretoria, under
date of Thursday, Nov. 8, says the re-
said heavy cannonading started at
daybreak, that some of the Boer forces
were within 1900 yards of the British,
when the cannonading ceased and rife
fire commenced. The Pretoria dis
patch also announced that all was
quiet at Mafeking and Kimberley.
London, Nov. 1S.-Lord Randolph
Churchilps son, Lieutenant Winston
Churchill, and Captain Haldane, with
$50 men of the Dublin fusileers and Of
the Durham regiment, are prisoners in
the hands of the Beers or are dead on
the field Of battle. The imperial
troops have once more walked into
trap set by the burghers and were
unable to extricate themselves. 1t
was an expedition on an armored
train which left Estcourt Wednesday
morning that suffered. Each day since
Colenso was abandoned to the Free
State forces accommodating party
has proceeded as far as possible to the
north and returned when the Boer
troops were sighted. Shots have been
exchanged, but no serious engagement
occurred previous to Wednesday. This
-tssse the British were ambushed and
At a point where they least expected
an attack.
Beers Cut or Retreat.
When the train neared Chievely,
some miles south Of COlensO, a BOer
detachment appeared In it's rear and
loosened the rails. The attack was
then .begun. The engine was reversed,
but, striking the damaged track, two
of the trucks left the rails and were
overturned. Then the object of the
move was apparent, for from kopje
near by came a hail of shell from
heavy guns, while Boer rifiemen hid
den behind powders anG in the brush
began a fusillade on the disconnected
Britons
Part of the force at once began the
work of repairing the track, while 9TH
ers engaged the attacking Beers. Many
fell in this engagement and, the rails
being replaced, an attempt was made
to place all the wounded on the train.
Lieutenant Churchill led in this, but
the Boer fire continued, wrecking the
big gun carried by the British and
well-nigh demolishing the engine and
tender.
Leaves Larger Part Behind.
Seeing that total destruction was
certain. the engineer pulled open the
throttle and hurried back to Estcourt,
leaving many of the wounded and the
larger part of the troops behind
Special dispatches from Estcourt
estimate the wounded and missing Of
the armored train contingent at from
100 to $50. 1t is hoped that some es-
capped over the veldt and will return
to Estcourt in a few days.
A Red Cross train, later sent to the
scene Of the engagement, could OBJ
tain no information as to the number
of wounded or regarding the fate Of
those missing. The doctor in charge
was told to put his request in writing
and was promised reply the next
day, after General Joubert had been
communicated with.
General Joubert Is Not Dead.
The Times publishes the following
dispatch from Pietermaritzburg, dated
Wednesday, Nov. 10:
-'Estcourt Is short of artillery The
garrison may retire to the Mool river,
southwark, tonight in case a strong
force of Beers should advance. The
enemy's intention is to keep back the
British relieving column"
The war office has received news
that General Pet Joubert is still di.
recting the movements of the Boer
armies, thus proving false the sensa-
tional rumors that the Transvaal COM
mander-in-chief was killed before
Ladysmith Thursday of last week
The report as to General Joubert prob.
ably arose from the fact that his wife
has left the Boer camp at Ladysmith
for the Free State.