Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-03

veriest Tyro might be expected to OBJ
serve and blunder into traps which the
observance of elementary military
rules would have revealed. There is
no attempt here to minimise the dis
credltableness of the whole affair, so
lar as the British are concerned OF to
detract from the deNterity of the
Beers, who were apparently command
ed by General Dewet. The tactics of
the burghers were evidently excellent
ly conceived and boldly carried out,
and unless the reinforcements sent by
Roberts have turned the tide and re-
captured the prisoners a couple of
hundred men from the two crack
corps. the Household cavalry and the
Tenth Hussars, are now on the way to
swell the growing deposit of British
prisoners at Pretoria. Kruger is said
to have promised to re-occupy Bloem-
fontein, this week and stubborn burg
hers seem to be closing around the
place in such force as promises to be
troublesome, especially when the ac-
tivity of the strong Boer force in the
vicinity of Paardeberg is realized.
Communication interrupted.
This force has already interrupted
direct communication btween Roberts
and Kimberley. and but for the over
whelming numbers at the disposal of
Roberts the Situation would Justly
cause Great Britain greater anxiety.
As 1t is the nation is now beginning
to realize from the nature of the guer-
lila warfare that it is liable to embar-
rasS the future movements of the Brit
ish troops.
special dispatch from Bloemfon-
tein this morning reports the water
supply Of the place has been cut off.
This is the natural sequence of the
Boer success at the water works, but
the authorities are hopeful that The
strong reinforcements sent by the
commander-in-chief will promptly rem
edy this. 1t is evident from Roberts
dispatch that big. engagement is in
progress. Altho it is difficult to esti-
mate the number of British engaged,
they probably exceed even eight or ten
thousand, which is the Beers estimated
number. The scene of the British dis
aster appears to be Mealie Spruit,
where the Bloemfontein road crosses a
tributary of the Modder river. A dis
patch from Lourenzo Marques, dated
today, announces the arrival there of
Captain Haldane, of the Gordon High
landers, and Lieutenant L. Aesieurier,
of the Dublin Fusiliers, who escaped
from Pretoria after perilous adyen-
lures.
Another Dispatch From Roberts.
London, April 2.-By Associated
Press. 1.-The war Office has received an
other dispatch from Roberts, dated
Bloemfontein, yesterday, at s:15
o'clock p. m, in which, after referring
ITO his previous telegram, he gives a
partial list of the missing British Of
ticers. OF 80" battery four officers
We're wounded, and two of them are
missing. one gunner was killed and
forty non-commissioned officers Ind
men are wounded or missing. Roberts
then continues: In " battery, all
are missing except Major Taylor and
the sergeant major. The two cavalry
regiments did not suffer so much. A
report has just come in that the enemy
has retired towards Ladybrand, leav-
ing the wounded officers and some
seventy men at the water works. We
are now sending an ambulance for
Them 1t will be noticed that in ;he
foregoing adyices Roberts says moth
ing in regard to the British recapturing
the guns.
Activity Along vaal River.
Kimberley, Sunday, April IL (By AS.
sociated Press. ~ There is great Boer
activity along the Vaal river. Six
thousand burghers assembled at vari-
Gus points between Fourteen Streams