The sun., 1900-02-24
WILMINGTON DELAWARE SATURDAY. FEBRUARY "a, 1

overtake tile retreating enemy was a
splendid performance.
Deserters say that great number of
the Beers lost their horses. Trek oxen
are daily scpn wandering over the plain.
anG many come into the British lines.
Monday morning broke finding the
Beers in the same place. During the |
night they had constructed intrenchmcnts |
around the laager which was threatened |
by General Smith -Dorien. The British |
infantry rested after the terribly hard |
days fighting ON Sunday, but the artil- |
lcry was active.
The mounted infantry and a battery OF |
horse artillery started to observe the enc |
my, who were holding Il kopje. While |
riding around the southern, side of the
hill the reconnoitering party received a
heavy fusilIade and was obliged to move
farther out Not a man had been hit,
however.
Pushing OH, the detachment found that
the kopje extended q considerable dis
tance west and sloped gradually to the
plain. A good defensive position was
seized and garrisoned. The movement
was continued. and the Beers We're turn.
ed. On the latter's left was farm
house, which the burghers held That
war shelled vigorously. The detachment
returned TO camp at nightfall, having left
a garrison on the ridge.
Meanwhile II desultory bombardment
! of the Boer position had been maintain
| ed, and rifle fire was concentrated where
| the Essex were attempting to rush up
| the river.
About midday the cry that General
| French had arrived was passed down the
ranks, but his division operated out OF
sight.
When Lord Roberts arrived, he ad.
dressed several regiments and was cheer
ed enthusiastically.
Early in the day General Cronjc asked
for a "A hours armistice i'll order to bury
his dead. Lord Kitchener refused, and q
little later came another messenger with
word to the effect that if the British
were nhuman enough to refuse an armis
tice for the purpose Of permitting burial
of the dead General Cronje saw no Other
resource than 80 surrender. On receipt OF
this message Lord Kitchener proceeded
to the Boer laager i'll order to arrange
the capitulation, but he was met by {
messenger, who informed him that Gen
eral Cronje said the whole thing was ;
mistake; that General Cronje had no
the slightest intention of s,lrrendering
nuI WOulu uSul uutii lt hicbs N'ShNita -
Kitchener thereupon returned and order
ed the bombardment Of the Boer position
to be proceeded with.
Three field batteries and howitze
battery took position directly in front 0
the laager and began terribly accurat
fire. The howitzers used lyddite shell
freely. The Beers were seen retirin
from the trenches to the river bed in oil
der to seek cover, but no cover could pre-
tect them from such accurate and dead
FIRE. The howitsefs especially arsnpe
u lyddite shells with marvellous precisio
= into the very bed of the river, and th
Is Roer trenches were soon filed with fume
u of the explosive and green smoke, br
9 the enemy held sn grimly.
e Again during the night desefters a
Is rived in the British cSmp. They WEI
y .terribly frightened and shaken by the
u awful experience. They reported ths
s they had water in abundance, but wei
e able to draw only scanty supplies FRO
their laager during the night.
Tuesday was the third day of GeRer
al Cronie's imprisonment and grim resis
ID ance. Early in the m5rning the Britis
ID infantry engaged the enemy in the bt
le of the river and drove him back Il sho
T. distance.
T. The morning sun disclosed the Boe
d. toiling like ants on intrenchments aroui
their laager A few shells were fired
ID prevent them from continuing that wor
80 but most of the day was quiet.
General Frenchs artillery was hea1
ID in the east. presumably engaging Il
Beers re-enforcements.
la Every opportunity was given the Doe
Ia to surrender. but when toward the afte
noon there was no sign of any such /
n tention Lord Roberts determined to q
ig tempt to crush General Cronje's resis
z ance once and for all
I'll On the south bank of the river, at
he range of about 1000 yards. three iie
III batteries and two naval II pounde
were put in position. On the north bal
he and entilading the whole river one ho
of itzer, three field batteries and three nav
d. Al guns were placed. Then follow
he a scene that is seldom witnessed even.
war. In Thessaly, during the Grace
y, Turkish war, ITO guns were in actio
e: but never before perhaps was SO large
N number Of such powerful guns conce
he tratcd on a spot about mile square
ne Lord Roberts brought to bear ON Genei
- Cronje's laager.
The exploding lyddite shells rails
. M great clouds of green smoke, which hill
he the bed of the river. The shrapnel bul
" on the edge of each bank, except for
'h short space near where the British
~, fantry was advancing slowly. The Br
e, ish shells searched every bush and eve
20 ravine of the river bed. The enfladi
~ guns must have done terrible execute
I, The roar was deafening, vet with a spi
~ of desperate madness now and again t
-. Beers would attempt to snipe the nav
~ guns which were firing at a range
e.' 1000 yards. The long line of three b,
te. teries belched forth death, while on ea
is side lay two battalions of infantry, who
fic Maxims sounded petty beside the roari
all big guns.
Or What loss the Beers suffered is Il
rk known yet.
as This dispatch is being written in t
he middle of sleeping camp. Not sou
ad disturbs the heavy sumber of the tir
soldiers. Down the river bed not f
lb- is seen, not a cry heard.
ers There is something tragic in the ste
resistance which General CFonje is off
he ing hopelessly. 1t is impossible not
ew admire his -luck, but all condemn
ur- wiekedness of useessly sacrificing t
lev lives of his brave followers.
RAJ Cruelty Treated a Mule.
l.. 4 l.xn1w