The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-22
The Little Army of $500 Beers Ran
the Gauntlet of British Guns
for About Four Miles.
GALLoPED IN OPEN ORDER
PAST FORTIFIED POSTS WHERE AR.
TILLERY WAS BELCHING,
And Paid No Attention to Incessant
Infantry Fire-victory for Gen.
French-RevOlt Spreading.

LONDON, Dec. 21.-The ubiquitous and
willy De Wet, "the South African fox" as
he is sometimes called. promises to pass
into history as one of the most dashing and
daredevil military figures of the closing
decade of the century. Numerous traps
have been set for him, but so far he has
evaded them all. Occasionally he has found
himself in close quarters, but his daring
and bravery have always helped him to
safety. Advices from Bloemfontein say:
THE details of General De Vets latest
escape from the encircling British column
show that it was one of the boldest Incl
dents of the war. When Haasbroeck's
commando joined De Wet Dec. II, some
fifteen. miles east of Thabanchu, General
Knox only about an hour distant and
the Boer situation seemed desperate. But
De Wet was equal to the occasion. Dis
patching Haasbroeck westward to make a
feint at Victoria Mex, De Wet prepared to
break through the British columns at
Springhau Mex Pass, about four miles of
broad, fiat, unbroken ground. At the en-
trance were two fortified posts. while artil-
lery was posted on a hill eastward, watch
ing the Beers. Suddenly a magnificent
spectacle was presented. The whole Boer
army of $500 men started at a gallop in
open order through the mex President
Steyn and Peit Fourier led the charge and
De Wet brought up the rear. The British
guns and rifles doomed and ratified inces-
sanity. The Beers first tried the eastward
route, but, encountering artillery, they di-
yerged and galloped to the point of the hill
to the eastward, where the fire of only a
single post was effective. The whole man.
euver was a piece of magnificent daring,
and its success was complete in spite of the
loss of fifteen-pounder and twenty-five
prisoners. The British force detached after
Haasbroeck came in contact with his COM
mando at nightfall. The burghers were
scattered and the Welsh yeomanry gal
loped among the retreating Beers, using
their revolvers and the butt ends of their
rifles with great effect. An incident Of the
fight was the gallop of a British ammuni-
Beers, the gunners using the revolvers
freely"
IN OPEN REVOLT.
1--WE understand that private reliable ad-
vices have been received in London" says
the Daily Mail, Ito the effect that virtually
all the districts of Cape Colony in the vi
less open revolt and that there is likely
to be sharp fighting rather large scale
before the invasion is crushed. The tao
tics of the Beers in rallying as many as
possible Of the Dutch in the back country
to their cause are proving successful"
From it's Cape Town correspondent the
Daily Mail has received the following: '"The
second invading force was designed to oc-
cupy Britstown; but. being checked by the
De Aar troops. it has disappeared into the
Caederberg mountains. An enormous con-
centration of troops is being made upon the
veldt country occupied by the invaders, but
ii is not likely that the Beers will offer bat
tie in large numbers. There is a renewed
demand for the wholesale proclamation of
martial law"
dispatch from De Aar, Cape Colony.
says that the yeomanry have driven the
Beers out Of Houtkraal, the enemy retir-
ing westward.
The Beers attacked Zunfontein, Dec. Is,
but were beaten off.
The War Office made the following an
nouncement this evening: I'm view of the
general position in South Africa, the fol-
lowing reinforcements of mounted troops
have been arranged: Eight hundred will
start next week. Two cavalry regiments
have been ordered to leave as soon as the
transports are ready The colonial police
will be increased TO 10000. Detachments
will leave as fast as they are formed. Fur
ther drafts of cavalry will be dispatched
at once. Australia and New Zealand have
been invited TO send further contingents.
Three thousand extra horses, beyond the
usual monthly supply, have been contract
ed for
AS the outcome of statements made dur
ing the recent session of Parliament and
since reiterated TO the effect that some
OF the colonial troops have refused to fight
again the War Office late last evening
issued the following explanation from Lord
Kitchener: "A number of men belonging
to two of the South African corps refused
to march on one occasion owing to some
mistake to carry out their discharge at
the expiration of their term of service
Lord Roberts. on the ground that they had
grievance, overlooked the matter, simply
reprimanding them. The men OF both
corps have since done good work in the
field. and IL Is absolutely unfounded to say
that there was mutiny that guns or
any other force were used against them.
1t is considered cruel To publish an incident
u bich al concerned