The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
FORWARD WITH ROBERTS
How the British Army Went March.
ing on Toward Pretoria.
The Scene on the veIdt Between
BIoemfOntein and SmnldceI-First
Opposition Encountered Nenr
BrandfOrt-Artillery Duel Mt the
Vet-COmmandcerfn n Farmhouse.

sMALDEEL, May 7.-Followfng the long
weeks of delay at Bloemfontein the British
army once more is on the march to Pre-
toria, and at the end of four days journey
has come to the little settlement of Small
deel. The houses of the place, situated
on the highest stretch Of one of the long
rises in the veldt, which In this ssot.on OF
the country succeed one another with the
regularity of the ground swell Of the sea,
number not more than two dozen all told,
including the railway station; and each
house-one- STORED, tin-roofed, in outward
appearances devoid of any suggestion tat
inside may be found such things as vases
on the mantel shelf, tides on the chair
backs, indeed, all the refining trivia.ities
which build the picture of somebody's
home-each house, bare walls with bare
ground about it, stands widely separated
from its neighbor, and to, each runs sepa-
rate read; they form the scaffolding OF a
settlement which needs the filiing-in
houses to make a village.
And all around the brown and empty
veldt reaches away far :ato the distance.
Such is the place where the British army
has come to a halt for a days breathing
spell in the march.
The advance began last Thursday, at
least it was on that day that General
Tucker moved forward from his camp at
Karee Siding and marched to Brandfort.
For two or three days preceding this there
were signs shown in Bloemfontein that the
forward march was about to begin.
The streets of the town became hlled
with an added amount of movement; there
was more dust, more riders. who galloped
fast, heavier and more constant rumble
of transport teams which sounded far into
the night, more regiments passing, all
taking the same direction, toward the
yard Of the remount department, where
begins the road to the north, SO that when
Thursday came and the head of the col
umn struck camp and started for Brand
fort the entire army was strung out along
the road for the length of many miles,
and the last, long journey had begun.
The First Opposition.
General fuckers force swung out the
east little to take up position on the
right of the advance. Pole Carew marched
on the main road to the centre, and Gen.
eral Hutton marched on the left. In this
way the head OF the column had very
nearly reached Brandfort when it was met
by the first signs Of opposition from the
Beers.
About three miles east of the town stands
a short range of kopjes. AS General
Tucker approached this range he discov-
cred that it was held by some of the
enemy's rearguard. and, sending General
Maxwells brigade to outflank the position
on the east, he uDlimpered one of his field
batteries and opened fire. The Beers at
once responded with Vikers- Maxim and
field gun, firing common shell. and at
the first shot of this latter the shell struck
wheel Of one of the British guns, Sc that
the gunner who stood by that wheel
dropped dead and three others fell wound
ed beside him. Two other British batteries
advanced and unlimbered, and the Boer
gun was shortly silenced.
While the thanking movement was de-
welcoming the remainder of the division