The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
ROBsRTys DESPATCH or CENsURE.
The Report TO ire War ONCE CondsmnlnE War.
= reB's and Rulers Conduct nj spion Hop.

ren's ana Rulers Conduct nj spion Hop.
From me London GasSfs
To the Secretary OF state for war. Army Heat-
quarters. souih Africa. Camp. Dssia Drin. Rta
Rirey i,h February 1900:
My LoRD--l have the honor TO submit for
your Iordship's Information dispatches from
Gen. Fir Redvcrs Bniler. describing the
advance across TIC Tuccla River on the 18th
aud 18th of January, 1900. and the capture
and evacuation o: the spion Kop position on
the 23rd and ?,th Of %j0auary. at well AZ certain
minor operations hctw"cn. the 10th and ?4th
Of January on the right or eastern line Of adj
vance.
Second The plan Of operations is not very
clearly described in the dispatches themselves.
but II may he gathered from them and the
ACCOMPANYING docr Tents themselves that
the original intention was to cross the Tu9els
at or near richards Drift, and thence by
following the road part Fair View" and Acton
Homes. to gain the oreAplain north of spion
Kop. the Boe? position iffrort Of Potgieter's
Dri't being 100 strong to be taken by direct
attack. Tho whole force, lsss ore brigade.
was placed under the orders OF Sir Charles
Warn'1. WHO, tie day alter he had crossed
the Tugcha. Gems TO have consulted his gem
eral and principal ytaI officers and to have
como To ~" conclusion that the fanking move
men, which Sir Red, ers Butler had mentioned
In hs secret in, tructlons WAS inpracticabls
on acco,nt of tlc iusr c1ciency of ,upplies.
He occordinc lv deciied IN advance nv IN.
u,oro ,troa, ,a.a ,o.dInr ,or,,oo,, ,na hr.,,h-
n''e u.'''' 'oo ""o"s 'oi.n'"H' a." o'an.n.
ing Off from a point east Of Three Tree Hill"
The selection of this road peocssitated the
oon,,ro AMI r.,or,,or ~ S,ion ~ h,e
'"p'u'' Nv" '.o"''" op,o" NY -
whether II would have been equally necessary
IN ppr,ny SIMON Epp Ind the line If ndNapco
,nai,,,na ~, o., posro-s p,l,or h.on foI,r.a
i"u'""u y, ." h,u'e'H h"''' oee" ''"o"eu'
IL not stated IN TIE correspondence As 81
,,nro N, r,l. CABIN ,,o, or,.n, nh;ch ro.
maze 'e vice .a"hins No,'nme"' N"nn Ws
recommended II not actually prescribed.
in his secret Instructions. he should n, once
..,aau.,,," ca. paarors p,ror ,,,,h ~.
oonr.o ~ "t,iau Glitch pa nror".Sd =" odor,
~ h", :, onI'. ,.,r ~ cir rho,,o.
VI y wv, I'M u mn. Gu p"re.
Warren to ioint out that sir Rcdvels Butler
nopaa-s throughou, 10 have been aware Of
,h,, r,.a h,r,o,iro nv e.,oro, nooosion.
he wos nrc"en, IuTipr the orerations' Ne
rcrcatcdly gave advice to his subordinate com
n,ardar ana :, ,ho do,. or,er ,he adj ua,
from Spion Kor he resumed tie chief command
Third Az regards ,he withdrawal Of the troons
"" . .sn,,Lnn ".hiah 800
from '' op'oh NOD poh'''oh' "hich' 'houen
occupied almost without opposition in the
.,rI' ,nornIng Of ,,o ,.th or J,nuory had ~ ba
~ ' "',"> ~ .u
hoIu Ihrou'lou' tue "aE uhucr an e"'reHleiy
heavy fire, and the retention Of which had be-
come essential 10 the relief Of Ladysnith. I
regret, that i am unable TO concur with sir
poIvars I,ll,r In ,6inlrino thnt | tam -Col.
T T%dreaS pT,is aycr ~ ui'i n w mHs S Siat ion in or Dr.
neriny mo tronns 10 retire Even admitting
tHat due preparations may not have been made
FOR strenrthenina 10 nosi,ion during The night.
,,eo,gani1ing me dcl,nce and bringing no ar
tti9lpleerSValnniinn Tsg ar to to wrIch Ntr Charles WarTrens
report does lot altogether bear out Sir Red
tba santnr onIc,rs "n the sI'n,nit of The iii
mivit have been more promptly informed o.
TIE measures taken by Sir Charles Warren, 10
s"ppg't - ii Thnrn,vnrnf,, a ansum niinn ~
r raanonSlhiiiity ana "uii6oritv vas whollyN in
aynusonIo puriny ,Sa MINT Tho enenv's Are
r. rSyi T. dii3 M, D censn aI,oRntsner '" could ny, have
haor fo,,niIoII. md ,ho,irh lamn sivnallinp
W nv ~ ~, nnsSibia n, The iinIe owing ~ he sun
NV 81 of boyiyv fnued Il would no, have taken
ply % Si nura, * liz, Gr bo, mon nv ,n ~ f y ismt
r rJp' TIorn"vcpaFt m c"mrntn,cata nv mes
.enger yiiS Si,ior-Gon Coke or Sir Charles
Warren. and to receive 9 reply.. iMnjor,Gen;;
y NJ "lnr Inc n,irnose of consulting with Sir
CHARLES Warren. md nm TO tha, hour The idea
of n Withdrawal nd not been entertained. Yet
ooiimnos, ir madi,tsiv after huior-Can. Coka's
aenart,re iie,t col. Tnorneycroft issued an
| order " thou, reference to superior authority,
\ wSicb ,r.n, tta whole nlan OF orerotions and
renIered unnvailing the sacrifices which had al.
renSv been maze 10 carry II into effect.
on tho ot,cr hcri, il Ia oulv riga, to state
that I ion. -Col IChorrrycroft oppears 10 have
bsiaved in a very gallant manner throughout
~ dov and II was oouo,iess due in a great
meos,,re to his exertions and example that
the troops continued to hold the summit of the
Xii mil directed 10 retire.
Fonr,h-The conduct OF Capt. Phillips. Brigade
Major - the Tenth Brigade, on the occasion in
onas,ion is deserving of high concentration.
fie did his hast 10 rectifv The mistake which
was being made, hui, I wa TOO late. Signalling
$50 4. II on the 18th Of January, and by that
| summit of tIn hin before dayhrcak. Major
Gen Coke did not return and l.ieut.-Col Thorn
everett Ind gone away. Moreover. most Of
tSe troops Ind begun 10 leave the hill. and the
working parties, with the half company Of
ROYAL En1inears Mad also withdrawn
Tifih"it is TO be regretted that Sir Charles
| Warren did not hinSsIf visit Spion Kop during
,ho afternoon or evening. knowing as he did
that the state OF affairs there was very critical,
and thu, the loss OF the POSITION would involve
| ihe failure of the operations. He was, conse-
omently. Obliged TO summon Major-Gen. Coke
10 his hcsdGuarters in the evening in order
,bot no ,night ASCERTAIN how matters were
gong on and the command on Spion Kop
49,. loln,aJ n N iapt .Cnl HhorneycrOfI.