The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-22
FIERCE FIGH!.
British and Beers Battle From
Morning Till Night
At Paardeberg Without Advan-
tage to Either Side.
BOTH LOSE HEAVILY.
CrOnje Holds His Position in a
Rain Of Lead.
Poured on Him From Fifty
British Cannon.
BOTH LOSE HEAVILY.

British Cannon.
Paardeberg, Orange Free State, Tues
day, Feb. 20 Cvia the Modder river, Feb.
zD.-One of the costlfest actions of the
war occurred at Paardeberg drift Sun
day, February IS. Gen. Kelly-Kenny
in his pursuit of Gen. Cronje caught
his rear guard at Kip drift and fol-
lowd the burghers to the Beers laager
at Koodoos Rand. The drift action be
gan at daybreak, the mounted infan-
try driving the Boer rear guard up the
river towards the main body while an
other body Of mounted infantry ma
neuvered on the right front and flank
OF the Beers. The British main body
advanced to outfank the Beers laager
on the north bank of the river. Gen.
Kelly Kenny having seized two drifts
found the Beers strongly enclosed, and
ordered an attack with the Highland
brigade on the left and Gen. Knox's
brigade on the center and right, while
Gen. Smith-Dorriens brigade crossed
the river and advanced along the north
hank On both the north and the south
banks the ground is level and the ad-
vance across this was deadly and the
British losses were heavy.
The battle was an exact replica of
the Modder river The soldiers were
under fire all day and all the fighting
had no definite results, as the Boer
lager was we'll barricaded and they re-
mained therein. The British guns
shelIed the laager vigorously and the
Beers confessed to a loss of over 800
men.
The terrific shelling was resumed
Monday when Gen. Cronje asked for an
armistice.
The sheHing was continued Tuesday.
over 50 guns pouring lead into the Boer
camp.
BoTHA's FORCE SCATTERED.
London, Feb. 22.-3:37 pm A spec
1al dispatch from Paardeberg dated
Wednesday, February q, says:
"Commandant Botha has been at
tempting to relieve Gen. CronJe. There
has been severe fighting. Gen. Botha's
force is scattered, with heavy losses.
CRONJE HOLDING OUT.
Paardeberg, Wednesday, Feb. 21.-6:2O
p. ma Boer kOpje has been captured
with so prisoners.
Gen. Cronje's position is unchanged.
COMMANDMENT OF LADYSMITH.
London, Feb. 22.-The Morning Post
second edition publishes a dispatch
from Ladysmith dated February 19.
which says that the bOmbardment con-
tinues with unusual persistence and ac-
tivity from Bulwana and Blaauwbank,
but is doing small damage.
The garrison is in good spirits over
Gen. Roberts success and the advance
of Gen. Butler which is now visible.
Gen Butler reports that his casual
ties Monday, February 10 were:
Killed-Captain ThOrnburn of the
Royal Fusiliers.
Wounded-Two officers and fourteen
men.
The Times has the following from Lo-
renzo Marques, dated February 81:
According to a Boer account General
Dewitt claims to have captured in an
attack upon the rear guard of General
Frenchs column, 1S0 wagons of provis-
ions and ammunition. $500 oxen and 50
men.
winston Churchill in a dispatch from
Chieveley. dated February 20, says he
still expects fierce fighting before La
dysmith is relieved, and he again urges
the imperative necessity of pouring a
continual stream of men, guns and sup
plies into the Cape. He declares that
soldiers are wanted in South Africa and
not at AldershOt- Meanwhile he sees
many encouraging signs that the
Beers are Wearying of the struggle
Lord Roberts list of 40 killed and
wounded officers including two generals
in the engagements up to Sunday even
ing, causes anxiety especially as in the
officers list neither the losses of the
Welsh and Essex regiments nor those
of the mounted infantry are included.
This is about the number that fell at
COlenSO where the commissioned
officers and men brought the total loss
es to 500.
Spencer Wilkerson. reviewing the mil
itary situation in the Morning Post,
says:
Sir Redvers Butler can hardly be ex-
pected to follow the Boer army to or
through the passes, but it is rather sur
prising that he should have allowed the
Beers to make good their retreat from
Natal without desperate effort either
to hold them fast or convert their re-
treat into rout.
THE net result will be the addition in
a weeks time of from $4,000 to 30, 600
men to the Boer army confronting Lord
Roberts"
The latter probably has 10000 men
available at Paardeberg.
a prolonged fight from Friday to
Monday seems to argue something like
q balance between Gen. CrOnje's and
Lord Roberts forces. The question
therefore is which side is able to get
the largest immediate reinforcements.
The most substantial endorsements
available for Lord Roberts are the d1-
visions now in Natal, but it will take
time to move them. Would that the
Eighth division had been held ready al
Cape Town instead of AldershOt. The
purpose of the British government is to
crush the BOer army and this purpose
implies possession by its commander
in-chief of an assured and growing
numerical superiority"
CAPTURED BOTHA'S HANDKER-
CHIEF.
Chieveley Camp. Natal. Wednesday,
Feb. 21.-The steady progress of the re-
lief column is uninterrupted. The Beers,
Tuesday were forced from their last
position south of the Tugela resulting
in the evacuation of ColensO, which was
promptly reoccupied be the Dublin Fus-
iliers and Thorneycrofts Horse. A
Ira 1svaal flag was captured as was a