The Washington weekly post., 1900-01-02

I..'..... jan 81 ne DdiAs Adall iAdS ltit
f-aRag dispatch. dated January !, from
E-s..r-, cape Colony;
yesterday afternoon a big force OF
,.a.g and infantry. with ten guns. un-
..rfHs PERSONAL command Of Gen French,
moving ay LetOur, occupied some hills
,-rae miles from Colesberg, where the
Beers were In strength. confident in the
tsturs. aid afforded them by the hills
around.
The oncmy's position extended fix
niles around the entire village Al day
lr-4k our artillery opened the battle.
IT.. Eu-Es were taken by surprise. but
re1.le4 vigorously. An artillery duel was
maintained for TWO hours. Then Boer
Ha,eHkss collapsed, and was abandoned
We captured il. \ Boer big gun was ST.
Iaread but this and other Boer guns
were withdrawn TO the northward, whith-
e. w- are harassing the Boer retreat by
q damaging shell ire.
"Co.lsterg Is in our hands, and the few
rtma.niEg loyalists are jubilant. We have
captured many wagons and a considerable
quantity Of stores.
British Loss IncOnsiderable.
"Our losses were quite slight. but the
Beers must have suffered heavily They
may stop al Achtertang OF cross the river
altogether at NOrvars Point, where the
bridge is still intact"
Another dispatch from Rensburg says:
Gen French has completely defeated
the Beers and occupied Colesberg. The
general continued TO keep the Beers on
the move, and pressed them closely Sat-
urday and sunday, giving them no time
20 make a prolonged stand, anC when day
broke he was within striking distance Of
the enemy. Last night all the cavalry,
artillery, and infantry, the latter riding in
wagons 10 increase the general mohinty
started upon a night march. with the OBJ
JeCt OF turning the Beers right. The flank
operations were successful.
''The infantry and field batteries imme-
diately made a feint attack upon the Boer
front and while this was proceeding the
cavalry and light artillery got completely
around the enemy's right flank as ar
ranged. The programme worked without
hitch. The Beers were utterly surprised,
and, finding their retreat threatened, fed
in disorder TO the eastward. leaving Coles
berg III Gen. FreDch's hands"
Welcome Bit of News.
The success OF Gen. French in driving
ihe Beers from Colesberg has shot d vel
come ray of light through the gloom of
the campaign in South Africa. Every
where IL is commented upon as an exam
Die Of sound tactics, and as an illustTa JiOn
OF what may be done when the right
methods are employed with the Beers
The government is urged to take the les
son to heart and to see that no stone is
left untuTned in the endeavor TO get the
largest possible forces of cavalry and
mounted infantry to the front
Now that Gen. French has the Beers on
the run, the hope is expressed that ne will
give them no rest, but will harass them
until they have found their way across tie
Orange River. which is twelve miles dis
tant. The old wagon route to the Free
State traverses Colesberg, and crosses the
river by a fine bridge 1910 feet long. 1t is
believed that the Beers retreated toward
NoTvafs Point, farther east, and the ques-
ton is whether Gen. French will be able
to secure these two bridges before the
Beers destroy them.
one important effect of the success of
Gen. French is that it will probably have
d deterrent influence upon Dutch disaf-
fiction.
There is some disposition here to ex-
assrTdie the Importance of small skr-
M.s-es and engagements. Ii should be
borne in mind that Gen. French has only
-"t' men, and 50 far as the important
points OF campaign are concerned, the sit
H@'oh is virtually unchanged
Pnzzlins Boer Movements,
A. Modder River the Beers appear IN ha
modifying somewhat their line of de-
Tense. Gen. Buffers scouts have discov-
eFrl a Boer camp established in the vi
cLlly Of Springfield, southwest of Colen-
81, by a Free State commando. A similar
movement has been made at Modder
N'er A large force of Beers. it is re-
ported has formed a new laager about ff-
Teen miles down the stream at KameeI-
Aask
Telegraph reports from Ladvsmitb
s.o" that all was well on December Il
l-e lHmbardmtnt WAS being continued
'lj IT'S intensity had relaxed. An official
''ya,"a from Ladysmith confirms the -
I''- aaled yesterday. that several Off
GERS "t the DevonshiTe Regiment were
severely wounded by the explosion OF a
-'.'. shell IN the mess tent
a Dr." armored train has reached Cen
L--el from Durham.
A Cape Town dispatch says that an ey.
tua
-r entire Seventh division will have
s-''-t from England by January Il.
''.'t Aulseley replying 10 a CORE
sI"--.-1 who had asked for information
''-"l.Hr The British artillery, wrote:
'-f A".t artillery is at least as good
On any held artillery in Europe"
81 Lt-sh hrm, according TO the Daily
-''"-. after keen competition with several
''.... .H firms, has secured the govern
..-' contract for the new seven-span
...-- oyer The Tugela River az CoIenso.
'". -.m .s working night and day to
cong ..e the order
st.l that John Churchill, younger
S.-.. .. Winston Churchill. will ac-
80 aly lhe Duke Of Marlborough TO the