The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-02-03
FORCED TO REcRoss THE RIVER
War Office Gives Out Dispatch Tell
ing Of the Withdrawal Of
the English.
RumoRs OF TERRIBLE LOSSES
onicial Report Silent as TO Casual-
ties. but Dispatches From
Bocr Sources Say 1900
Were Killed.
Boer Head Lager, Ladysmith, Jan.
e5.-6 p. m.-British dead left on bat
tlefield yesterday numbered 1900.

London, Jan. 30.-General Buffers
dispatch to the war office states that
Spion kop was abandoned on account
of lack of water, inability to bring the
artillery there. and a heavy Boer Ere.
Butler gives no list of casualties. His
whole force Withdrew south Of the
Tueela river, with the evident inten-
ton of reaching %Ladysimth by anoth-
er route.
Following is the text of Buffers
dispatch, dated Spearman's camp, Sat
urday. January %, 6:10 p. M:
On January 20 Warren drove back
the enemy and obtained possession of
the southern crests of the high table
land extending from the line of Acton
Homes and Honger's poort to the
western Ladysmith hills. From then
to January a5 he remained in close
contact with the enemy.
THE enemy held a strong position
on a range OF small kopjes stretching
from northwest to southeast across
the plateau from Acton Homes,
through Spion kop, to the left bank of
the Tugela.
THE actual position held was per-
fectly tenable, but did not lend itself
to an advance, as the southern slopes
were SO steep that Warren could not
get an effective artillery position and
water supply was a difficulty.
ION January 20 | assented to his at
tacking Spion kop, a large hill, indeed
a mountain, which was evidently the
key of the position, but was far more
accessible from the north than from
the south.
ION the night of January 23 he at
tackled Spion kop, hut found it very
difficult to hold, as its perimeter was
too large and water. which he had
been led to believe existed, in this eN-
traordinarydry season was found very
deficient.
1.-The crests were held all that day
against successive attacks and a heavy
shell fire. Our men fought with great
%gallantry. | would especially mention
the conduct of the Second Cameroni-
ans and Third Kings rifles. who sup
ported the attack OIL the mountain
from the steepest side, and in each
case fought their way to the top, and
The Second Lancashire fuslleers and
Second MiddleseN, who magnitieently
maintained the best traditions of the
British army throughout the trying
day of january "a, and Thornycroft's
mounted infantry, who fought
throughout the day equally well along
side of them.
General Woodgate, who was in COM
mand at the summit, having been
wounded, the officer who sue
ceeded him decided on the night of
January "a to abandon the position,
and did so before dawn January %. /
reached Warren's camp Mt 5 4. M. on
January %, and decided that Il sec
ond attack on Spion kop was useless
and that the enemy's crest was 100
strong TO allow me to force it.
accordingly | decided to withdraw
the force to the south Of the Tugela.
At 6 o'clock Il. IN. we commenced with
drawing the train. and by s Il. III. Jam
nary u Saturday Warren's force
VAS concentrated south of the Tuyela
without the loss of a mau or a pound
of stores.
'srhe fact that the force could with
draw from actual touch-in orr
"a saS- tha GnpS. y.ar,n 1aps. fl,,,u 4 npn