, 1900-01-02
A BRITISH VICTORY
GENERAL FRENCH STRATEGY
COMPELS BOERS TO EVACU-
ATE COLESBURG.
Capture Many Wagons, Stores and a
Hotchkiss Gun-Surprised Beers
With Unexpected Ar,lllery Battle
at Daybreak-British Losses Slight
Beers Moving.

LOuuOH JAN. & Lt DdlIy hdi
the following dispatch, Gated Jan.
from Rensburg:
Yesterday afternoon a big force o.
cavalry and infantry, with 10 guns, In
der the personal command of Genera
French, moving by deLour, occupied
some hills three miles from ColesbuIg
where the Beers are in strength, conf
dent in the natural aid AFFORDED them
by the hills around.
The enemy's position extended six
miles around the entire village. AT
daybreak our artillery opened the bat
tie. The Beers were taken by surprise,
but replied vigorously. An artillery
Then the Boer Hotchkiss collapsed and
was abandoned. We captured it. A
Boer big gun vas silenced, but this and
the other Boer guns were withdrawn
TO the northward, whittier we are har-
RAISING the Boer retreat by a damaging
shell fire.
oiNSpo 5 10 III oul hauuo IL IL
few remaining loyalists are %jubilant,
We have captured many wagons and a
considerable quantity of stores.
Our losses are quite slight, but the
Beers must have suffered heavily.
They may stop at Archtertang or cross
the river altogether at Norval's point,
where the bridge is still intact"
The success of General French in
driving the Beers from Colesburg has
shot a welcome ray Of light through the
gloom Of the campaign in South Afri-
ca. Everywhere it is commented upon
as an example of sound tactics and as
an illustration Of what may be done
when the right methods are employed
with the Beers. The government is
urged to take the lesson to heart and
see no stone is left unturned in an en-
deavor to get the largest possible force
Of cavalry and mounted infantry to the
front.
Now that General French has the
Beers On the run, the hope is expressed
that he will give them no rest, but ha-
rass them until they have found their
way across the Orange river, which is
twelve miles distant.
The old wagon route to the Free
State traverses Colesburg and crosses
the river by a fine bridge, 1910 fee
long. 1t is believed the Beers have re.
treated toward Morals point, further
east, and the question Is whether Gen.
eral French will be able to secure these
two bridges before the Beers destroy
them.
One important result of the success
of General French is it will have a de.
terrent effect on Dutch disaffection
There is some disposition here to ex
aggerate the Importance of small Skin
mishes and engagements. 1t should b,
borne in mind that General French ha.
/ only 1000 men, and so far as the i'm.
p~ortant parts of the campaign ale con
cerned, the situation is virtually un.
changed.
At Modder river the Beers appear tt
be modifying somewhat their line O.
defense. General Buffers scouts havt
discovered a Boer camp established il
the vicinity of Springfield, southwest o.
Colenso, by a Free State commando
A large force Of Beers, it is reported
have formed a new lager about fifteer
miles down stream at Kameethoek.
Heliograph reports from Ladysmitt
show all well on Dec. 81. The bonn,
bardment is being continued, but it!
intensity had relaxed. An official dis
patch from Ladysmith confirms the re,
port received yesterday that severa
officers of the Devonshire regimen
were severely wounded by the explo
sion of a Boer shell in a mess tent.