Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-20
BOER FORCES
ARE RETREAT|NC.
British Ladysmith Relief Force
Working Steadily NOrthward'
HEAVY FIGHTING OCCURS,
Brief Report from Capetown - Relief
OF Ladysmith Almost Accom-
piished-Bsttie IL On.

London, Jan. 2O--A special dispatch
from Capetown, dated Friday, January
18th. p. m, says:
'"rhc Ladysmith relief force is stead
lily working northward, Heavy fighting
occurred yesterday. The Beers are re-
treating"
Every hour that Gen. Butler delays
his combined attack makes his position
stronger. Transports continue TO ar
rive at Durham and fresh troops are
being sent up TO the line to reinforce
those In front Of Colenso. 1t appears
that Gen. Buffers troops north of the
Tusela numbering at least 1900 and
possibly $4,000, with fifty guns. His
total forces. forming great outer
curve south and west OF LadysmIth,
probably number 10000.
While Gen. Buffers forward opera
lions, which began on January 10th,
developed rather leisurely, the Beers
appear to be fully aware that they
must make strenuous assault. Bal
loon observers have roughly estimated
that 10000 Beers are using spade and
pick in artitcially strengthening posi-
tions which nature has rendered easy
Of defense.
Military critics in touch With the war
Office think the news that general
fighting has begun may be expected
at any hour II is not thought that
one days fighting will settle the fate
OF Ladysmith, but rather that there
win be two or three days Of continuous
fighting.
The Times has the following dispatch,
dated Thursday, from Petermaritz-
burg: Gen. Buffers wagon train Is
nineteen miles In length and embraces
400 wagons and 5000 animals. As some
Of the drifts are narrow and muddy,
only one wagon is able to cross at
time. The officers are betting two to
one that Ladysmith will be relieved to
morrow friday"
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph,
dated Thursday, from Spearnans
camp, describes the difficulties OF the
march, owing to the unwieldy baggage
column, Including all the tents and
sheep, over the roads, in wet weather
The correspondent then goes on to
say: Some TO- 900 Beers arlived I'm the
vicinity OF Potgieter's drift~on Thurs
day and Friday Of last week and be.
gan the erection Of extensive and for
midable lines Of trenches. for their po-
sition apparently could only be turned
from the west by assaultlng the high
ridges Of the sproonkog.
"a balloonist reported today that no
guns were visible In the enemy's works,
but there was large Boer camp in the
direction OF Brakfontein, brown ridge
four miles from Potgieter's drift. Beers
arrived in large numbers today from
Colenso and Ladysmith. They have
certainly run branches of the railway
from Modderspruit around Mount Bula-
waya. Nearly all the Beers have gone
TO attempt TO check Gen. Warren's ad-
vance. but he made no sign today"
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph
from Spearman's farm, OF camp, as
the correspondents now describe Il,
dealing with Lord Dundonald's move
ment TO the west OF Gen. Warren's
force, already cabled. says: "Hls sue
cess gives us control OF an easy en-
trance to Ladysmith. Our guns con-
tinue 10 lombard the Boer lines, the
Beers replying but feebly. Gen. War
rem Is advancing steadily"
The Daily Mail publishes the follow
ing dispatch, dated Thursday, from
Spearman's camp: 1T is rumored that
the Beers have evacuated Colenso in
order 10 reinforce their troops here.
Heavy-gun firing was heard from
Ladysmith this morning. Gen. Buffers
order instructs the men TO heed the
white flag OF the Beers only when they
lay down their arms. II also instructs
them TO beware Of false bugle calls"
The Standard publishes the follow
ing. dated Thursday, from Spearman's
farm; ut Is reported that the Beers
opposite Colenso, on finding that Gen.
Butler had outmaneuvered them,
crossed the south OF the Tugela on
Monday and set fire TO all the houses In
the village.
"As the force from Chieveley ad-
vanced, the Beers retired before them
TO trenches on the hill In line with Col