Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-02-15
GOES BACKWARD.
Con. Butler Again Retreats Be.
yond Tugela River.
After Two Days Fighting the English
Commander Finds His Position
UntenabIe and Abandons His
March Toward Lad ysmith.

war field. A combined attack upon
the Beers appears to be in progress.
Gen. Butler has gained a footing on
the plateau north of the Tugela after
two days hard fighting.
On the far western border Lord
Methuen has begun a turning move
ment against the Boer right, while
Gen. Macdonald threatens the Boer
flank, thus relieving the pressure on
Lord Methuen's front.
Lord Roberts, who is in the middle
of the theater of war, has begun the
march on Bloemfontein.
The Standard has the following
from Spearman's Camp, dated Febru-
ary z:
THE force under Gen. Butler is
again advancing to the relief of Lady
smith, and after two days of severe
fighting it may fairly be said to have
made a good first step on the road 10
the besieged town.
"The movement was begun at an
early hour on Monday morning by
way of Potgieters Drift. The Elev-
enth brigade, forming a part of the
Fifth division under Gen. Warren,
made a feint attack upon the kopies
Immediately on our front.
ward the Boer entrenched position at
Brakfontein and kept the enemy bus
lily employed. While this diversion
was being made the remainder of the
infantry told off for the attack, who
had bivouacked Sunday night under
Mount Alice, moved along at the foot
of SWartZ's kop in the direction Of
our right.
"a pontoon bridge was thrown
across the Tugela by the engineers
under the fire of the enemy. The first
battalion to move across in the fore
noon was the Durham light infantry.
They advanced against Naal Krantz,
which lies on the most direct road to
Ladysmith, and after two hours
splendid work they got within charg-
ing distance of the Beers.
The first of the iOpies was carried
by them at the point of the bayOnet
with the utmost gallantry. Almost
simultaneously the First battalion's
rifle brigade cleared the second kopie
and, after moving across the long
ridge, they bivouaclsed on the spot.
The feint attack at Potgieters
Drift having served its purpose in pre-
venting the concentration of the en-
emy at the critical point, the Elev-
enth brigade fell back to the river.
In the course of the operation both
the infantry and the artillery were
subjected TO severe shell fire.
TUESDAY at in the afternoon the
enemy. encouraged doubtless by their
success at Spion Kop, endeavored to
recapture the position taken by us at
Vaal Krantz. They were beaten back,
however, with loss"
\ special dispatch from Spearman's
Camp, dated February 7, says: "Our
further advance is at the moment pre-
vented, as the Beers enflade us from
their positions on Spion kop and
Doorm kloof. Our casualties, al
though estimated at $50, are trifiing,
considering the great Importance of
the movement just concluded"
London. Feb. 1O.-London accepts
as true the Boer statement that Gen.
Butler has failed again. These state
ments were passed by the British CEN
sor at Alden and are read in the light
of Mr.. Balfour's announcement in the
house of commons that Gen. Butler is
not pressing his advance.
Winston Churchill wires that Naal
Krantz was impracticable for the guns
which were needed to support a fur
ther advance. His cable"ram leaves
Gen. Butler on Tuesday night sending
fresh brigade to relieve the tired
holders of Naal Krantz.
A special dispatch from Spearman's
Camp, dated Friday noon. says that
owing to the Boer cross fire and the
impossibility of intrcnchin@ Naal
Krantz, Gen. Buffers force Withdrew.
Heliograms from Ladysmith dated
Monday, describe the effect Gen. Bull
ler's cannonade had on the garrison.
Hope ran high that the period of in
activity and tedium was drawing to d
close. The crash of guns was almost
continuous for ten hours, and at times
il seemed as if 20 shells burst in a
minute. The Beers, preparing always
for the possibility of defeat. were
driving herds and sending long wag-
on trains towards the Drakensberg
passes. Intense darkness and silence
followed, broken only by frogs croak-
ing and the occasional blaze of star
shells, surrounding the town with a
circle of light to prevent the unob-
served approach of the enemy. \
series of British mines, laid for the
Beers. exploded accidentally, shaking
and alarming the city and camp.
Gen. MacDonald's retirement pul-
zles the military commentators. The
theory that finds acceptance is that It
was ordered by Lord Roberts and that
both Gen. Buffers and Gen. MacDon-
AIDS operations were, by the direction
of the commander-in-chief. in order 10
occupy the Beers at widely separated
points, so they would be unable to
transfer any portion of their forces 10
oppose the projected central advance.
Pretoria, Feb. 10.-Col. Plumer's
force on February 2 attacked the Boer
position near Ramonsta and after
heavy fighting, including an endeavor
to take thc place by storm, the Brit
ish were repulsed. Their loss is un-
known. No Beers were injured.
The Rush to Cape Nome.