Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-04-03
DISASTER TO
THE BRITISH
Later Accounts Do Not Improve
Matters. Though They
are Meaeer.
BOERs HOLD wATERwORKs
General Otis Cables the War
Department Some Desired
Information.
RUSSIAN WAR PREPARATIONS

London, April 3-Fuller news of the
disaster to the British army in the
neighborhood of Sannas Post does not
tend to improve matters from a
British point of view, but with the dis
patches so mystifying, it is impossi-
BILE to accurately portray the present
situation or foretell the ultimate issue
of Lord Roberts attempt to retrieve
the defeat The war Office posted a
dispatch from Roberts, as follows:
"Bloemfontein, April Pin continue
tion of my telegram of March 31st,
there has been considerable delay in
getting accurate returns of the cas-
ualties, as action took place twenty
two miles hence, the telegraph and
cable have been interrupted several
times, cloudy weather interfered with
signalling, and although there has
been no engagement since, the force
is continually in touch with the enc
my. There were many acts conspic-
uous of gallantry displayed during the
day @ remained in action under
cross fire at 1900 yards for some
hours, the officers serving the guns as
the casualties reduced the detach-
ments. Several gallant attempts were
made to bring in two guns, the teams
of which had been killed, but at each
attempt the horses were shot"
Essex, Munster, Shropshire and
Northumberland mounted infantry of
Roberts horse covered the retire
ment then of the guns from that posi-
tion to the crossing drift and were
found by the cavalry two miles fur
ther south and withstood determined
attacks of the enemy, who in some
cases advanced within 100 yards of
the U battery. The Royal Horse ar
tillery was suddenly surrounded in
the drift and the officers and men
were made prisoners without a shot
being fired But Major Taylor and
a sergeant major succeeded in escap-
ing in the confusion. Five guns were
captured at the same time. Further
details tomorrow"
Roberts dispatch seems to finally
dispose of the early report of the re
covery of the guns. A dispatch from
Maseru Basutoland says the Earl of
Rosslyn, who is acting war cores
pondent for the Daily Mall" South
Africa, has probably fallen into the
hands of the Beers.
Pretoria, March S1-Reports from
Brandfort state that 1000 federals at
tackled 5000 British successfully, but
$4,000 British reinforcements arrived,
and the federals were compelled to
retire after furnishing the British
severely. The federal loss was slight.
New York, April 3-The Journal
Advertiser" assume that the Ameri-
can named Reichman, said to have
been in command of the Beers at
> yBushman's Kop ambush, was Captain
Carl Reichman, U. s. A. Reichman
was detached from the Seventeenth
infantry and was sent to the Cape to
report on all military operations.
Like French and German attaches, he
is believed to be helping the Boer
forces in whatever way he can. If he
joined in fighting without first re-
signing from the United States army,
he will be liable to court martial on
return. If he does not return he will
be dismissed from service in disgrace.
Bushmans Kop.-The Beers are
still occupying the waterworks which
the British shelled yesterday after
noon. The Beers replying.
Cape Town, April S-At a mass
meeting of 10000 persons a resolu-
tion was passed declaring the solemn
conviction that incorporation of the
South African republic and the Orange
Free State into the Queens dominions
alone would secure prosperity and
public freedom of South Africa.