The silver star., 1900-02-02
BRITISH WITHDRAW.
BuLLRR RRcRossEs THE TU-
0gLA.
After . Severe Rspuise at spson Mop He
Decides II Impractlcabie to Continue
the Advance 70 Ladysmith.

| the Advance TO Ladysmith.
London, Jan. 2S.-Following Is the
text Of General Buffers dispatch, dated
Spearman's camp Saturday, January
9th, 8:1O p. M:
january Goth General Warren drove
back the enemy and obtained possess
| sion of the southern crests OF the high
table land extending from the line OF
Acton Homes md Honger's poOrt to
the western Ladysmith hills. From
then to January 25th he remained In
close contact with the enemy.
"The enemy held n strong position on
a range of small kopjes stretching from
northwest to southeast ncross the
plateau from Acton Homes, through
Spion kop to the left bank of the Tu-
gela.
"The actual position held was per-
fectly tenablc. 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 supplies We're II difficulty.
january 23rd l assented to his at
tacking Spion kop, large hill. indeed
| mountain, which was evidently key
to the position, but was far more acces-
sible from the north than from the
south.
ION the night of January 23rd he at
tackled Spion kOp, but found 1t difficult
to hold, as Its pcrImeter was too large
and water, which lie had been led to be-
lieve existed in this extraordinary dry
season was found deficient.
1.-THE crests were held all that day
against severe attacks and n heavy
shell fire. Our men fought with great
gallantry. l would especially mention
| the conduct of the Second Cameron In
dians and the Third Kings Rifles, who
supported the attack on the mountain
| from the steepest side, and in each case
| fought their way to the top, and the
Second Lancashire Fusiliers and Sec
ond Middlesex. who mngnificently
maintained the best traditions of the
British army throughout the trying day
of January oath. and Thornycrofts
mounted infantry, who fought through
the day equally well alongside of them.
General Woodgate, who was in COM
mand ut the summit, having been
wounded. the officer who succeeded
him decided OH the night of january
oath to abandon the position, and did
so before dawn January 25th.
~ reached Warrens camp at 5 n. M,
january 25th, and decided that sec
ond attack upon Spion kop was useless
and that the enemy's right was too
strong to allow me TO force 1t.
Accordingly. decided to withdraw
the force to the south of the Tugeln.
At A. III. we commenced withdrawing
the train, and by Il. H.. january 9th
saturday., Warren's force was concen-
trated south of the Tugcla without the
loss Of man or II pound of stores.
'Ihe fact that the force should with
draw from actual touch-in some cases
the lines were less than thousand
! yards apart-with the enemy In the
manner II did. Is. l think. sufficient evil
dence OF the morale of the troops. and
that we are permitted to withdraw our
cumbrous OK and mule transports
across the river. eighty-five yards
broad. with twenty-foot banks and a
very swift current. unmolestcd. is.
think. proof that the enemy has been
taught to respect our soldiers fighting
powers"
A dispatch from Pretoria. dated Jan.
uary 2Jth, via Lourenzo Marques, Jan
uary 2Gth. says:
"The government Is advised that, af.
ter heavy fighting near Spion kop. some
British on the kop being stormcd hoist.
ed white flag and 40 surrendered
Boer Head Laager. Lndysmith. Jan
25, Z p m.-The British dead left on the
battlefield yesterday numbered l.JO0.
1t appears that General Butler had
all together five brigadcs, wholly OF
partly engaged. General Cookies. Gen
eral Hildyard's. General Harris. Gen
eral WoOdgate's and General Lyttle
tons. and the 27O casualties already
announced In Lyttlcton's brigade ar,
thus explained. Much mystery still
surrounds the retreat. II is posslbl,
that General Butler has withdrawn his
whole force. but It II generally assumed
that LyttletOn's brigade ana LORD
DundOnald's cavalry and other troops
nre still Oh the north side Of the Tu
gela.
General Buffers confidence that thu
Beers did not molest his retreat Ike
cause they Ind been taught to respect
the fighting powers OF the British sol
dier. is not shared In London. II II
thought rather that the Beers hnd
some other plan In store, or did no,
wish to wnstc their men.
Large arrivals OF troops are due n,
Cape Town during the week.
There has been grcnt nctivlty In mill
tnry quarters In all pnrts OF Englnnd
since Saturday morning.
At the very moment when Dr. Tey,ls
Is being received ns mn honOresi g,ics,
In the highest circles on the continent
Grent Britain has to face the wors,
! uisnstcr III n campaign thus fur dis
astrouS. Open talk is heard OF thu
! absolute necessity Of abandoning
Lndysmith to its fate. while Lord
Roberts reverts to the original plan OF
mn advance over the Orange river upor
BloemfontcIn.
To LndysmIth the disappointment,
must bc bitter. A dispatch from IN,
Isoer lnngcr. nenr the town, dated
january 2itli. Describes the garrison
ms "cvidently preparing n dasrcrnt,
coup In order To effect junction witt
! General Buffers advancing army"
II may liz regarded ns n certnint,
that, IN the confident hope Of early rc
/ lief, sir George White hns lately hcer
isshing extrn rntlOns. nnd this fact I'M,
! gwen rise TO mn exaggerated itIen M n
last. "''
a Even should II hc decided 10 senf
! General Butler rclufOrcpucnts and =,