The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-18
RUMORS OF THE DEFEAT
OF BRITISH RELIEF COLUMN THIRTY
MILES FROM MAFEKING ,
To MAKE DESPERATE STAND
The Beers Not to Give up Pretoria
Without Determined Resistance.
Guerrilla Warfare in Cape Colony.
Abuse Of the White Flag-Roberts In
active at Kroonstad-Vast Reach of
His Army-Buller with 5000 Men
Driving Back 5000 Beers.

| London, May II, $3.50 a. m.-The
British relief fought the Beers at
Kraai Pan, thirty-two miles south of
| Mafeking, on Saturday, according to
a telegram received Wednesday night
at Lorenzo Marques from Molopo 1G0
| miles north of Mafeking.
This intelligence is accepted here
with some reserve, because it is diff
cult to understand how the news could
have been 50 quickly put on the wire
from place 1872 miles from the scene
| Of the engagement.
The British public is keenY expec
tant of the announcement that Mafek-
ing has been relieved. News of it's
succor is awaited with more anxiety
than has been felt regarding any other
event of the war.
Douglas Story, The Daily Nails cor
| respondent at Pretoria, wires: The
Boer government is holding back some
big news. Feverish activity prevails
here. President Kruger is working
day and night. The latest Boer official
bulletin is that the relief column has
been defeated with great loss.''
ROBERTS PASSIVE AT KROON-
STAD.
| Lord Roberts continues passive at
| Kroonstad. His cavalry are stretch
ing like a Semi-circular screen many
miles in length, with overlapping
fianks. The railway will probably be
completed today. The Kroonstad CEN
sor permits the passage of long dis
patches dealing with incidents prior to
the occupation.
General French's cavalry had one
lively fight after crossing the Zand
river. A mixed squadron, composed
of the Scots Greys, the Inniskillings,
CarbineerS and Australian horse, took
4 kopje and dismounted. The Beers
| suddenly fired from a concealed posi-
ton killing many horses and stamped
ing the rest. The Beers then advanc-
| ed in overwhelming numbers and drove
the squadron, capturing some. The
Beers robbed the dead and looted the
saddles. Finally a brigade of cavalry
drove them off.
Farther north the Hussars charged
the Beers, killing and wounding many
StragglerS with SabreS and pistols.
SOME LONG MARCHES.
Lord Roberts infantry marched 142
miles in seven days. General French
marched thirty miles in one day. The
Beers when retiring dragged thirty
two guns through Kroonstad.
BULLER'S MOVEMENTS.
General Butler is moving toward
New Castle He appears to be using
$4,000 men against 5000 or 5000. His
operations will almost certainly re-
suit in his forcing the Beers back and
his way into the Transvaal, possibly
in time to cooperate with Lord Rob-
erts' advance although General Bull
ler is now 252 miles from Johannes
burg, or twenty-five days march.
FOREIGNERS IN BOER Ar
a Dane who was captured by the
South African horse, says that there
are 500 Frenchmen with the Beers who
are opposing General Butler, together
with many Germans and other for
eigners.
General Rumble is sweeping through
the northeast of the Free State. The
Beers are diSsolving before him, and
some are surrendering. Their main
force is assembled between Fricks-
burg and Winburg; but it is without
close organization.
According to todays installment of
the war story every part of the field
is, therefore, seemingly, a narrative Of
British successes; but, with the Beers
preparing for a last desperate stand
farther i'm the interior, and with Boer
guerrilla war parties footing houses
| and stores in the northwest section of
Cape Colony, it is not all roses for the
British. The Upington district is the
locality where the guerrilla tactics of
the Beers are just now most in evil
dence.
The postponed congress of the Afri-
kander bund has been called to meet
at Paarle June 18th.
London, May 16.-The war office
posts the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts,:
1.-TWO officers and six men of Prince
Alfred's guards, while out foraging
yesterday, a few miles from Kroon-
stad, visited a farm flying a white flag
the owner of which surrendered him
self, with arms and ammunition. They
then approached another farm, also
| flying a white flag. When within for
ty yards of the enclosure, they Were
fired upon by fifteen or sixteen Beers
concealed behind a farm wall. Two
| of the men were killed, Lieutenant F,
N. Walton was wounded and Lieuten-
ant w. b. Everton and two non-com-
miSSioned officers Were taken prisoners
THE owner of the farm states that
the Beers shot him when he protested
against their making improper use OF
the white flag
BULLER AT GLENCOE.
The war office has posted the follow
ing dispatch from General Butler dated
Dundee, May 18th:
I'VE occupied Glencoe yesterday.
The Transvaalers have now evacuated
Baggarsberg. The Free Staters on the
Orakensberg are much reduced in num-
! oers. The Carolina, Lydenberg and
Pretoria commanders trekked north
from Hlatikul on 18th and 14th Of May.
Eleven guns were entrained at Glen
coe. The last train with ambulances
left there at dawn May 18th. This re-
suit mas oeen largely produced by the
acton OF the Fifth division, which,
during the last few days, had done a
great deal Of very hard work, march
ing, mountain climbing and road MAX
ing Trains are now running to weS-