The Elbert County tribune., 1900-02-01
BRITISH WITHDRAW.
suLLEH REcRossEs THE TU-
| OELN-

OELA-
After n Severe Repuise at sp,on Kop he
Decides 1t Impracticabis to Continue
the Advance 70 Lndysmifh.
I.ondou. Jan. 2S.-Following is the
text of General Buffers dispatch. dated
Spearman's camp. Saturday, January
27th. $40 p. m: -
January Doth General Warren drove
hack the enemy and obtahed posses
sion of the southern crests OF the nisH
table land extending from the line Oh
Acton Homes and Honger,s poort 70
the western Ladysmith hills. FROM
then to January 18th he renniheu III
close contact with tile enemy.
"I'be enemy held strong position on
a range of small kopjes stretching from
Northwest To southeast across the
plateau from Acton Homes, through
SpIon kop TO the left bank of the Iu-
gela.
..The actual position held was per
fectly tenable, but did not lend itseii
to an advance, as the southern slopes
were so steep that Warren could no,
get an effective artillery position, ana
water supplies were diff1culty.
january 23rd assented TO his at.
tacking Spion kop, large hill, indeed
d mountain, which was evidently KEY
TO the position, but was far more acces-
sible from the north than from 'he
south.
ION the night of January 23rd ne h,-
tackled Spion kop, but found II diincui.
to hold, as its perimeter was too large
and water. which he had been LED TO pe-
lieve existed in this extraordinary dry
h..firtanf
.'The crests were held all that day
apnlnst severe attacks and heavy
shell fire. Our men fought with great
gallantry. | would especially mention
the conduct of the Second Cameron In
dians and the Third Kings Rifles, who
supported the attack on the mounthin
from the steepest side, and in each case
fought their way to the top, and tine
Second Lancashire Fusiliers and Sec
ond Mlddlesex, who mngnihcently
maintained the best traditions of the
British army throughout the trying day
of January 24th, and Thornycrofts
mounted infantry, who fought through
the day equally well alongside OF them.
General Woodgate, who was in com
mnnd at the summit, having been
wounded. the officer who succeeded
him decided on the night of January
Z1In 10 uUuHuOn tlt Dtnitipbs hAfN Ns'S-
so before dawn January 18th.
II reached Warren's camp at . a m.,
January 25th. and decided that sec
ond attack upon Spion kop was useless
and that the enemy's right was 100
strong 10 allow me to force II.
Accordingly, | decided to withdraw
the force to the south of the Tugela.
AT O a, IN. we commenced withdrawing
the train, and by s II. M, January 9th
Saturday, Warrens force was concen-
trated south of the Tugela without the
loss of a man or a pound of stores.
"rhe fact that the force should with
draw from actual touch-in some cases
the lines were less than thousand
yards apart-with the enemy in the
manner 1t did. is. think. sufficient evil
dence of the morale of the troops, and
that we are permitted to withdraw our
cumbrous OK and mule transports
across the river. eighty-five yards
broad. with twenty-foot banks and a
very swift current. unmolested, Is, l
think, proof that the enemy has been
taught to respect our soldiers fighting
powers
A dispatch from Pretoria. dated jan
uary 25th, via Lourenzo. Marques, JAN
uary 26th, says:
"The government is advised that, af-
ter heavy fighting near Spion kop. some
British on the kop being stormed hoist
ed a white flag and 1J0 surrendered"
Boer Head Laager. Ladysnith. Jan.
%, p. m.-'rhe British dead left on the
battlefield yesterday numbered 1.oOO.
1t Is believed IN London TINT this in-
cludes the wounded.
II appears that General Butler had
nil together FIVE brigades. wholly or
partly engaged. General Cookies. Gen
eral Hildyard's. General Hart's. Gen
eral Woodgate's and General Lyttle-
toms, and the 2T0 casualties already
announced In Lyttleton's brigade are
thus explained. Much mystery still
surrounds the retreat. 1t Is possible
that General Butler has withdrawn his
whole force, hut 1t is generally assumed
that Lyttleton's brigade and Lord
Dundonald's cavalry and other troops
are still on the north side of the Tu-
gela.
General Buffers confidence that the
Beers did not molest his retreat be-
cause they had been taught TO respect
the fighting powers of the British sol
dier, is not shared in London. 1t is
thought rather that the Beers had
some other plan in store. or did not
wish to waste their men.
Large arrivals of troops are due nj
Cane Town during the week
There has been great activity in mill
tary quarters In all parts of England
since Saturday morning.
At the very moment when DIR. Leyds
is being received as an honored guest
In the highest circles on the continent
Great Britain has TO face the wors,
disaster in n campaign thus far dis
astrous. Open talk is heard of the
absolute necessity of abandoning
Ladysmith to Its fate. while Lord
Roberts reverts to the original plan OF
an advance over the Orange river upon
Bloemfontein.
To Ladysmith the disappointment
must be bitter. A dispatch from tn,
Boer laager. near the town, dated
January 24th. describes the garrison
as "evidently preparing desperate
coup In order TO effect junction witt
General Buffers advancing army
II may be regarded as certaint,
that. in the confident hope OF early re
lief, Sir George White has lately beer
issuing extra rations. and this fact has
given rise to an exaggerated idea as Il
the length of time the provisions woult
last.
Even should it be decided to sent
General Butler reinforcements and I,
attempt TO reach Ladysmith by
movement through the still more diff
ficult country east of Colenso, 1t is ex
trcmely doubtful whether the garri
son could hold out long enough, a.
such a movement would occupy a
least month.
French Consul Sends Men to Kruger
London, Jan. 29.-The correspond
ent of the Times at Lorenzo MARQUEE
telegraphIng Thursday, January 25th
says:
''Over thirty Frenchmen, who ar
rived here by the French etaa,,ar 80