Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-03-14
gJ0LED BY ROBERTS.
Poer Forces Attacked Where They
1 Did Nor Expect 1t.
EFFECTIVE TACTICAL MANEUvER.

Joubert Evidently Looked for . Flank
Attack from the North. Whereas 1t Was
Delivered from the South-Casualties on
the British Side Reported ut Fifty
Roberts Captures u krupp Gun and Q
Number Of Tents and Wagons.
London, March 1O.-The war Office
has received the following dispatch
from Lord Roberts:
sPoplar Grove, March 9.-Presi.
ents Kruger and Steyn were both
resent at the fight of March and did
lin their power to rally their troops.
The rout. however. was complete. the
men declaring that they could not
tand against the British artillery and
pchsa formidable force of cavalry"
fLondon, March GA special from
yMoIteno says that the British have oc.
scupled Burghersdorp unoppesed.
London, March 9.-Lord Roberts
telegraphs that he has captured a
Krupp gun and a number of tents and
wagons. The general also announces
that General Clements has occupied
Norvals Pont.
Following is the text Of Lord Rob.
erts' dispatch:
"Popar Grove, March S.-Two bril-
gades Of cavalry, with horse artillery
and Kelly Kenny's division, marched
today ten miles eastward. The Beers
were quite taken by surprise yester-
day. They moved off so hurriedly that
hax lnf hnh Nn
captured Krupp gun and several
tents and wagons.
Casualties of the Day.
'Srhe total casualties were: Killed:
Lieutenants Keswick and Frieslick.
Wounded: Lieutenants Bailey of the
Twelfth lancers and Decrispigmey OF
the Second Life guards, botn severely,
and Lieutenant Smith of the Chrop-
shires, who is believed to have been
picked up by Boer ambulance. Two
men were killed, forty-six were wound
ed and one man is missing.
"Gatacre reports that he intends 0c-
cupying Burgersdorp today. Repairs
to the railroads toward both Strom-
berg and Steynsberg are being pushed.
Clements now occupies NOrvars pont,
on the south bank of the Orange river.
The bridge was blown up March g.,
and the enemy are holding the north
bank of the river but not, ii Is be-
iieved, In any great strength"
The full extent of Lord Roberts sue
cess of Wednesday is not clear. but
the best Informed appear satisfied that
II brings peace perceptibly nearer. Elk
perts anticipate that the burghers will
make no further stand west of the
Free State capital and some of them
even deduce from the fact that the
BOer forces are divided and have re-
treated in different directions, that de-
moralization has set ia and that the
Transvaal forces will next be found
carefully entrenched in positions north
of the Vaal river, while the bulk of, the
Free Staters will abandon the contest
and sue for peace.
HOW ROBERTS FOOLED THE BOERs.
Way Is Now Open for His Advance on
Bloemfontein.
London, March 9.-Lord Roberts
second turning movement was sim
pie but effective tactical maneuver.
The Dutch forces were holding a dou.
BILE entrenched position about fifteen
miles In length north and south of
Modder river. General Roberts does
not explain his own strategy in his bull
letin. but it can be inferred from the
press dispatches which have already
appeared that he stationed one divi.
sion north of the river and two divi-
sions south Of 1t, and then posted Gen.
eral French with three cavalry bri.
gades at the end of his own line north.
ward and ordered him to make a re-
connoissance In force. He created in
this way the impression that he would
turn the enemy's position northward,
because wherever French's brigades
were massed the thanking movement
might be expected. He then brought
French's brigades around to the Op-
fosite line and turned the enemy's po-
sition southwark. enabling Kelly Ken
uy's division to advance without oppo.
sition.
The Dutch forces at once retreated
rOrthward and eastward followed by
the Sixth division and French's force.
The Dutch commander evidently had
expected a flank attack from the north,
whereas 1t was delivered from the
south, and in his retreat he has ex.
posed Bloemfontein, which is now open
to General Roberts advance The
Dutch were again out-maneuvered by
being attacked on the flank where they
were not expecting the blow to be de-
livered, and their communications
with Bloemfonteln were threatened.
The casualties were light on the Brit
ish side. being reported at fifty in Cen
eral Roberts second report. but the
moral effect of this fresh demonstra.
ton of superior generalship and mo-
bility will be great. The occupation of
Bloemfontein is likely to follow this
brilliant turning movement, by which
the enemy was routed without a bat
tie, as the Dutch forces will not be
able TO make another stand in defense
of their capital.
RUSE TO GAIN TINE.
Kruger Appeals for n Cessation Of HOstil-