, 1899-12-21
ANOTHER DISASTER.
BULLER BEATEN THIS TIME.
After n Desperate Attempt to Force the
Boer Position at Tugela River He
withdraw with Heavy Loss.

"
London. Dec. 1G.-The war office has
received a dispatch announcing that
General Butler has met with "A serious
reverse, losing clever guns and many
men killed.
General Puller was attempting 10
cross the Trigela river. Finding it I'M
possible to effect his object he ordered
a retirement in order to avoid greater
losses.
The following is the text Of General
Buffers dispatch announcing his re
verse:
"Chieyeley Camp. Dec. 10, 6:2O p. III.
Butler t. LnndsdOwne: | regret TO
report a serious reverse. l moved III
full strength from our camp near
Chieveley mt 1 o'clock this morning.
There are two forbade places in the
T'ugela river and it was my intention
to force n passage through nt II Oh
them. They are two miles apart.
Intention was to force one or the
other with one brigade. supported by
a central brigade. General Hart was
to attack the left drift, General HiIyard
the right road and General Littleton
was to take the center II TO support
either. Early in the day | saw that
General Hart would not be able to
force n passage and | directed him to
withdraw. He had, however, attacked
with great gallant"y, and his Leading
battalion. the COnnaught hangers, |
fear, suffered a great deal. Colonel i.
G. Brooke was seriously wounded.
81 then ordered General Hilyard to
advance. which he did, and his leading
regiment, the East Surrey, occupied
Colenso station, and the houses near
the bridge. At that moment | heard
that the whole artillery l had sent to
support the attack-the Fourteenth ana
SiXty-fifth field batteries and six naval
twelvc-pounder quick-tirers, under Col
onel IOng-had advanced close TO the
river in Longs desire to be within ell
fectivc range. 1t proved to he full II
The enemy, who suddenly opened n gall
ing fire at close range, killing all theii
horses and the gunncrs were COM
peeled To stand to their arms. Some or
the wagon teams got shelter for troops
IT. n donga and desperate efforts were
being made To bring out the field guns.
THE fire, however, was too severe
aad only two were saved by Captain
Scheduled and some drivers whose
names ! will furnish.
"Another most gallant attempt with
three teams was made by an officer
whose name | will obtain. OF the
eighteen horses. thirteen We're killed
and as several drivers We're wounded.
l would not allow another attempt. as
1t seemed that they would he n shell
mark. sacrificing life to a gallant at
tempt to force the passage. tnsup-
ported by artillery, | directed the
troops to withdraw, which they did in
good order.
Throughout the day n considerable
force of the enemy was pressing on my
y,pIt t1opI 1,,t bon. In.Iy h- np,,DtaH
men under Lord Dundonaid and part of
General Barton's brigade. The day
was intensely hot and most trying on
the troops. whose conduct was excel
lent. We have abandoned ten guns and
lost by shell fire me. The losses in
General Hunts brigade, | fear, are
very heavy. although the proportion Of
severely wounded, | hope. Is not large,
The Fourteenth and SiXty-tifth field
batteries also suffered severe losses.
We have retired to our camp Mt Chieye-
ley
London. Dec. 1G-The news of Cen
eral Buffers reverse was received so
late his morning newspaper comment
to-day is confined TO p~crfunctory ey-
pressiors of extreme regret and diSap-
pointmcnt and of the necessity of calm
ness and r~cdOuhled efforts to retrieve
the position. This latest check Is re-
garded ms the most serious event in
Great Trltain's military history since
the Indian mutiny.
The Standard says: General Bull
ler's disratch is %deplorablc reading. II
is the new familiar story of concealed
Beers ard of British troops marching
up blindly almost TO the very muzales
of the euemy's rifles. 1t cannot be
doubted that the moral effect will be
IN pfrtrt.D NFrtn pI1r IttR ,.1Ilfias ,,.nr tI,
whole field of operations.
The country has discovered with
annoyance and surprise that subduing
BOer farmers is about the hardest work
we have entered upon since the Indian
mutiny. Their commandments have
shown themselves able to give our gen.
erals useful. hut expensive, lessons in
modern tactics"
The Times says: "Since the day of
the Indian mutiny the nation has not
been confronted with so painful and
anxious II situation. Plainly. General
Buffers advance is paralyzed for the
moment n completely ms Lord Me
thuen's Il General Gatacre's."
lmmcdint " on receiving the news
the war Off" decided to mobilize still
another div ion and 80 replace the
losses of ART ,llery. The necessary re-
Inducements will he hurried off ms
speedily as possible.
Fifteen transports are due TO arrive
mt Cape Town between December 1Tth
and January 18th, with about 10000
troops of all arms. but unless General
Butler is able 10 rcncw the attack.
which is exceedingly doubtful. the
British generals will be compelled for
another fortnight or more TO remain
on the defensive.
The latest dispatches indicate the
continued bomhlrdment of Ladysmith.
whose position j. now perilOus.
May Srt Seat Allen
Omaha, Neb.. Dec. 15.-The question