The National tribune., 1900-03-01
SOUTHbARICAN WAR.
cronje suErenders to Roberts
Butler :, Makes Further At
tempts.
N IA

DlHl"r $ Oh tliySl HgrsIa renewing operations
Minor movements occurred elsewhere.
: Although the rapid march of Gen
French's division was marked by a numbe
! of conflicts, the actual entry into Kim berley
was unOpposcd. When the British wer'
still eight, miles off, the signaling corp
intercepted a heliograph message from th'
beleaguered garrison TO Modder River
The advancing column replied: "This is
sren. French coming to the relief of Kim
berlcy." The garrison was incredulous
ana thoiight the message was a Boer ruSe
and flashed the query: What regiment are
you?'
The reply satisfied the defenders of Kim
berley that the anxiously-awaited succol
| was at hand, and a few hours later Gen
French. at the head of a column, made a
triumphant entry into the place. the people
surrounding the troops and intermlngling
WITH them. cheering wildly. grasping the
soldiers hands. waving flags, hats. and
handkerchiefs. aud exhibiting in hundred
ways the intensity of their JOY.
1lle inhabitants had been on short ra-
hons for some time. eating horsefcsh and
living in burrows under heaps of mine
| refuse. The miles of conveys bearing pro-
| visions for the relief column and the town,
Slowly winding its way across the plain i'll
the direction of Kimberley, was the gladdcst
| sight which greeted the eyes of the besieged
| for four months.
PURSUING THE BOERS.
On Friday morning, just after midnight.
5000 Beers" the dispatches say, under
Gen Cronp. with their heavy guns and
wagons. evacuated the Magcrsfontein
lines. At dawn on Friday the retreating
Boer army was seen from the British naval
gun station on Kip Drift x opie trekking
eastward across the British front Our
guns opened upon them and force of
mounted infantry. crossing the river. made
a daShlng charge in the attempt to cut off
the head of the enemy's column. But in
half an hour their whole force had gained
shelter under line of kopjes.
Meanwhile two of our batteries had
come up, and the Oxfords, Bluffs. West
Ridings and Gloucesters. Our infantry
crossed the drift and for three hours were
engaged with the enemy. while our bat
teries shelled his position. The mounted
infantry kept hard at work.
Unable to withstand our calling fire,
the enemy retired, disputing every inch
of the way, and took up Il second position
on the kopjes to the eastward.
''rhc action lasted through the day The
enemy held his ground under the CON
tinued bombardment. Later on the Boer
commander, leaving 1000 of his men under
cover, Withdrew the rest from his main
position and headed for Kip Kraal Drift,
six miles TO the east.
Our moun!ed1nfantry came back across
the drift and marched along the south
bank, to cndeayor to, head off the enemy
When they reached the neighborhood of
Kip kraal Drift night had fallen, and
half the Beers were already across to the
south side, our moa1tcd infantry harass-
ing their movcments.
Meanwhile the Boer rear guard, having
covered the CROSSING of the main body,
retired slowly and successfully past the
drift. harasscd on the, flank and rear by the
British.
Having thus passed the Modder under
cover of darkness, the Beers trekked
throughout tie night in the direction of
Bloemfontein. Gen. kelly-Kenny, with the
Sixth Division. pursued them at daylight;
Gen. Macdonald, with the Highlanders,
followed him Macdonald reached Kip
Kraal Drift by, forced marches Sunday.
Gen. kellv-k eilny,,f moving from Kip
kraal Drift, was endeavoring to outfank
the enemy and TO oYt them off from Bloem-
foptein. so as to drive them back into Gen.
Macdonald's hands. French left Kimber-
ley Saturday, going along the Modder
River"
This graphic account shows what des-
perate and able fighters the Beers are even
when moi strongly intrenched. Cronje's
escape was more important to the BOeT
cause than even the safety of Bloemfontein,
although the moral effect of its capture on
the Free Staters would be serious to the
Beers. Ii would seem that from this time
great efforts were made to reinforce Cronie.
simultaneously with the dashing pursuit
of Cronje, Butler renewed his movements
against the besiegers OF Ladysmith.
The pursuit Of Cronje seems to have been
under the immediate direction of Kitchener.
Again late on Saturday the British
mounted infantry came in touch with the
Beers rear-guard, driving them upon the
main body.
On Sunday morning the action was re-
newed, but the Bosrs. who had intrenched
the river bed during the night. prevented a
further advance Of the mounted infantry
in this direction.
Meanwhile the Highland Brigade, COLI
sisting of the Seaforths, the Black Watch,
and the Argyles, advanced from the south
bank. and the Essex, Welsh and York
shires formed long line on the left, which
rested on the river, the extreme right being
the Welsh. The whole line was ordered
to cnvelop the Beers, who lined both banks
of the river.
The firing soon became heavy. The
Beers, holding u splendid position, covered
the left Of the Highland Brigade, which ad-
vanced partly up the river bed and partly
in the open, while the rest of the brigade.
with the other regiments, swung round the
front of the Highland Brigade on the level
over ground exposed TO a terrible fire.
which obliged the men to lie upon the
ground, rs they did for the remainder of the
day. This began at 7:30 in The morning.
liiOhSSii tu' meat anu Il thfrlDlc
thunderstorm the men hung to the position.
answering the Boer fire and shooting
steadily.
In the meantime, the rest of the infantry
completed the cnvelopiiig movement, the
Welsh regiment having succeeded i'm seiZ-
ing the drift. thus closing in the Beers,
| who had fought throughout with splendid
| courage. Gen. Cronje's laager. full of
| carts. ammunition. and stores, could be
plainly seen near the north bank.
Gen. Smith-Dorricn collected a large
body of men, including the Canadians.
| and crossed the river by Paardeberg Drift,
| advancing toward the taager. which was
| being vigorously shelied.: This force made
| an attempt to charge. into the laager, but
failed. 81; 2,s-
One hundred &ndpf6rty-six British were
killed in the figiGng3f the 18th.
The Beers wjre Continually subjected
| 10 a heavy artillery fire. Tuesday
this was kept uH tie British hanging on
with bulldog tellattty. Meanwhile Maj
Gems. Knox arH Macdonald had been
wounded and Lijut; 7GOl Aldsworth killed
| Roberts had arri tEsd,aand on Feb. 21 wired
that the day 5effc he had scattered the ;sd
vance OF the Bber reinforcementS under
Botha, presuma1 1ly from Ladysmith.
| 81. AT ARUNDHL AND ELSEWHERE. .
| The British to lhe south. who had retired
! from the Colesbtrg district to Rensburg.
thence TO Arundel, from the Beers, held
| their positions, lflving occasional conflicts
1 II. f.h l.ttffn