Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-02-02
ORDERED A RETREAT.
Buller's Movement to Relieve Lady
smith Is Disastrous.
Forced to Abandon spion Kop and
Withdraw His Troops to the South
Bank of TugcIa River-snid to
Have Left 1,5OODend on Field.


Withdraw His Troops to the south
Bank of TugeIa River-snid to
Have Left ,5OODend on Field.
London, Jan. 20.--Gen. Butler says
that Warren's troops have retreated
south of the Tugela river. The Beers
say that the British lost 1900 killed
Wednesday. 1t is believed here that
this includes the wounded. The Beers
also claim that $50 of the English troops
surrendered at Spion KSp.
withdrnws His Forces.
London, Jan. 29.-Gen. Buffers dis
patch to the war Office states that Spion
kop was abandoned on account of lack
of water, inability to bring artillery
there and the heavy Boer fire. Gen.
Butler gives no list of casualties. His
whole force withdrew south of the
Tugela river with the evident intention
of reaching Ladysmith by another
| route.
Following is the text of Gen. Buffers
dispatch, dated Spearman's Camp, Sat-
urday, January 81, $40 p. M:
BuIIer's Dispatch.
| ION January 20 Warren drove back the
enemy and obtained possession of the
| southern crests of the high table land ex-
| tending from the line of Acton Homes ana
| Hongers Poort to the western Ladysmith
hills. From then to January % he re-
mained 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 perfectly
tenable. but did not lend itself to an ad-
vance. as the southern slopes were so steep
| that Warren could not get an effective ar
| tilery position, and water supply was a
difficulty.
Attack on spion Kop.
"On January % / assented to his attack
ing Spoin kop, a large Ill, indeed noun
tain. which was evidently the key of the
position, but was far more accessible from
the north than from the south. On the
night of January 20 he attacked Spior
kop, but found II very difficult to hold as
| its perimeter was too large and water
which he had been led to believe existed
in this extraordinary dry season was found
very deficient. The crests were held al
that day against severe attacks and 6
heavy shell fire.
Praise for the Troops.
"our men fought with great gallantry
/ would especially mention the conduct o.
the Second Cameronians and the ThirC
Kings Rifles, who supported the attack OF
the mountain from the steepest side and. IL
each case fought their way TO the top, anC
the Second Lancashire fusileers and SeconC
Middlesex. who magnificently maintained
the best traditions of the British arm,
throughout the trying day of January q
and Thornycroft's mounted infantry, VIII,
fought throughout the day equally wei
along side of them.
| Gen. Woodgate, who was in comman
at the summit, having been wounded, tn
officer who succeeded him decided on tn
night of January "A to abandon the posi-
ton. and did so before dawn. January 30
Force Withdrawn.
81 reached warren's camp at five a. m
on January % and decided that a secon
attack upon Spion kop was useless and tina
the enemys right was too strong TO al
low me TO force 1t. Accordingly decide
to withdraw the force to the south of tn
Tugela, At six a. m. We commenced with
drawing the train, and by eight a. m, Janu
airy q Saturday, Warren's force was con
centrated south of the Tugela without tn
loss of man or pound of stores.
THE fact that the force could WITHDRAW
from actual touch-in some cases the line
: were less than 1000 yards apart-with tn
enemy in the manner 1t did. is, thinl
sufficient evidence of the morale of tn
troops. and that we were permitted to with
draw our cumbrous OK and mule transpoi
i
foot banks, and very swift current, ur
, molested, Is. think. proof that the enem
has been taught 10 respect our soldier
| | fighting powers"
BOer Report.
Boer Headquarters, Modder Sprui
: Upper Tugela, Wednesday, Jan. q
= Midnight, via Lourenzo Marques
/. Thursday, Jan. 25.-Some Vryhei
D burghers from the outposts on the higl
: est hills of the Spion kop group rushe
r into the laager saying that the kop wa
e lost, and that the English had taken i
Reenforcements were ordered up, bl
: nothing could be done for some tim
o the hill being enveloped in thick mis-
8 AT dawn the Heidelberg and Carolin
i contingents, supplemented from otht
:. commanders, began the ascent of ii
d hill. Three spurs, precipitous proje
e tions, faced the Boer positions. U
d these the advance was made. The hors,
r were left under the first terrace
5, rocks. Scaling the steep hill, the Boel
h found that the English had improve
d the opportunity and entrenched hea
lily. Between the lines of trenches WI
Y an open veldt, which had to be rushe
o under a heavy fire, not only from riff
l. but of lyddite and shrapnel from fie
); guns.
v British Surrender.
o Three forces ascended the thr
N spurs coordinately, under cover of fl
from the Free State krupps, creus
S. and big maxim. The English tri'
,r to rush the Beers with the bayone
g but their infantry went down befo
;" the Boer rifle fire as before scyth
i The Boer investing party advanc,
Is step by step until two in the afte
is noon, when white flag went up al
re the $50 men in the front trenches su
Of rendered. being sent as prisoners
" the head laager. The Boer advan
il continued on the two kopjes east
q. Spion kop. Many Beers were shot, b