New-York tribune., 1900-05-31
STORY OF THE BOER WAR.
SUMMARY OF THE STIRRING HISTORY
OF THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS
IN SOUTH AFRICA

OF THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS
IN SOUTH AFRICA
The TransvaaI War actually began on October 10,
1893, when the Boer Government sent their ult-
matum. Two DAYS later the British agent left
Pretoria Natal and Cape Colony were invaded.
and Lang's Mex occupied: Mafeking and
Kimberley invested by the Beers and
armored train with guns captured
Mafeking within the two days. A combined
movement directed against the British force Of
4.oo0 men under General Syrnons at Glencoe Com
rnandant Lucas Meyer made the attack the 29th-
General symons, the British commander, carried
the hill on which the Beers had established them
selves. captured their guns and drove them off, but
he was himself mortally wounded and died a day or
two afterward A detachment Of Hussars was capt
ured while pursuing the retreating foe. Meanwhile
the Beers had seized the railway between Glencoe
and Iadysrnth and were only dislodged after
stubborn fight at Elandsiaagte on the 2lst On this
occasion Commandant VilJoen was killed and two
guns taken by the British. The attempt to
isolate the British force at Glencoe thus failed,
but as another attack threatened the British
force was compelled retire and join the main
body Ladysmith. leaving the wounded at Dun
To cover his ratreat General Sir George White
had to fight again. Retfontein the 24th, and
again the Beers were dislodged The loss both
sides this occasion heavy A little later
Colonel Baden-PoweII inflicted
Cronjes command in brilliant sortie and oayoneL
d
gradually being invested by General Joubert, and
the British suffered great loss October 80. On
that day about thousand men, consisting OF
the Royal Irish Fusliers and the Gloucestershire
Regiment, with No. 10 Mountain Battery, were sur
at Nicholson Mex and forced to capitulate
They were overcome after they had lost their
muniton through stampede Of the mule train.
The British troops at Colenso November
forced TO retire over the Tugela bridge and all
communication between Ladysmith and the south
was off 1SO he hridp he
River into Cape Colony were seized. Aliwal North,
Jamestown and Colesberg were occupied on the 18th
and a considerable number OF he Cape CoIonists
Joined the Beers The British then began an ad-
from the south and Lord Methuen.
% relieve Kimberley to Belmont and on
November % defeated strong Boer force.
B-itish deaf enotheT severe slow 70 me Roers aT
Enslin on the 25tn. when the Beers fought under
The position OF Kimberley had much influence on
the progress Of the war Cecil Rhodes Went to the
T9wn on October Il and pronounced it as safe as
Piccadilly. The force under Lord Methuen five
days after defeating the enemy Belmont effected
trying tights in the annals of 1 the T BTiffsb @ most
ARRIVAL OF BULLER AT DURHAM.
The arrival or Sir Redvers Butler at Durham
marked a new stage in the Ladysmith campaign.
The Beers after investing that place. had contin-
ued TO spread south and toward the Tugea. Before
the appearance of the British renforcements, they
occupied Colenso well Beacon Hill and the
01OOi river among The prominent incidents of
British advance Were night attack on the Beers
at willow Grange and the arnOred train engage
Churchill especially distinguished himself General
Hildyard made an attack from Estcourt Bea-
con Hill, and General JoubeTt had to withdraw in
last GaV a. NoveIohar at a4s, -.t, IN eH
sheiled by the Beers from Lombard's kop.
On December the British stormed I10En-
days later General Gatacre attempted to surprise
the Boer position al Stormberg, in Natal The at
Tempt resulted dlsastrousIy, his forces being raked
by the Beers rifle and artillery fire, without a pos
slbiIity OF replying. While the BOer loss this
engagement was slight the British 6s7 officers
on the 11th General Methuen in attempting 70
relieve Kimberley, attacked the Boer position
were forced TO retire with heavy losses. Genera
MauG nope ana the Marquis of Worcester being
killed. Two days later the Beers, who were ad-
v2nctng south in Cape Colony toward Naauwpoort,
were driven back by General French, with a loss
serious reverse. General Butler. in attempting
was repulsed. with loss Of 1Os7 officers and men
and eleven guns. Three days later the British War
to command in South Africa. with Lord Kitchener
as chief OF staf. and that 100000 would be
For nearly the whole of the following month the
hostlites consisted chiefly in an occasional sortie
and in more or less harmless artillery warfare But
on January the Beers made desperate attempt
tackled Two strong positions OF the British at
dcrcely fought both sides and the positions men
toned were captured ana recaptUred three times
ficting tremendous loss on the Beers The attack
GonenGeG @ s nn6ii ~ fSo P m and al dark the Beers
British losses were $50 officers and men and those
OF the Beers were thought to have been very
much heavier On the same day General French
ported serious accident Coesberg: q company
Of the Suffolk Regiment, with seven officers. was
e e aa n more or ,s nan o % score Of oiceys and
and Kitchener reached Cane Town.
THE ADVANCE TOWARD LADYsMrTH.
On January z the British army under General
Warren, and Lord Dundonald, prepared for a gen
eral advance from Colenso 70 the relief of Lady
smith. They crossed the Tugela at Potgieter's and
Trichardt's drifts and Lord DundonaId's mounted
troops engaged in successful action with the
BoerS near Acton Homes. On January % General
Clery, with a part of General Warrants force
fought for thirteen hours, driving the Beers from
hill TO hill for three miles. Next dav he pursued
them two miles further on the 97st The T2aere ra
ary % General Butler announced the capture o.
Spion Kop the kew of the Foer Dosifion on he In
that he was obliged to give that position On
reached General White during this engageent The
losses AT Splon kop in the attempt 10 relieve Lady
that date was nearly 1900 Rumor placed the Boer
Meanwhile the bombardmeut OF Kimberley was
foundation in tact that Colonel Plumer had
great failure of General Buffers second attempt
10 relieve Ladysmith followed by with
drawal south OF the Tugea on January q Three
days later General Butler the undaunted told his
troops tnat he hoped to be in Ladysmith in
week and February 5 he again crossed the
TuPela a third attempt relieve the beleaguered
crossed to the south OF the Tueela being unable
TO make headway against the strong Boer posi-
ton Vaal KrantZ.
With the operations leading up to the relief OF
ia change. The fact that Lord Roberts and Lord
Kitchener had arrived and had gone. early IN
February the British headquarters south Of
the Modder River seemed good omen. From
Orange Free state led By Lord Roberts. besan
or February Il. An expedition under General Mac
donald 20 KoodoesbeTg. fifteen miles 70 the west
ward. had been made to divert the Beers IN that