Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-04-06
Within a few Miles Of Lord
Roberts, Beers Surround
and Take a Command.
ENGLISH GET PARTLY EVEN
French Gen. VIIlebols MareulI
Killed and Fifty Beers
Captured.
CECIL RHODES ~ LONDON


London. April 6-Lord Roberts
reports five companies of British
troops captured by Beers near Beth
any.
London, April 6-Following is the
text of Lord Roberts dispatch to the
war office announcing the capture of
five companies of his troops "Bloem-
fontein, April 5-Another unfortunate
occurrence has occurred, resulting,
fear, in the capture of a party Of in
fantry consisting of three companies
of the Royal Irish Fusileers, two COM
panies of the Ninth regiment of mount
ed infantry, near Reddersburg, little
eastward of Bethany railway station
and within a few miles of this place.
They were surrounded by a stronger
force of the enemy, with four or FIVE
guns. The detachment held out from
noon, April Sd, until April 4th, at 8
a. m, and then apparently surrendered
for it is reported that firing ceased
at that time Immediately after |
heard the news, during the afternoon
of April Sd, / ordered Gatacre to pro-
ceed from Springfontein, his present
headquarters, to Reddersburg with all
possible speed and | dispatched the
Cameron highlanders from here to
Bethany. He arrived at Reddersburg
at 10:90 a. M, without opposition but
could get no news of the missing de-
tachment. There can be no doubt
that the whole party were made pris-
oners"
War Bulletin.-London, April g.
The war office received the following
dispatch from Lord Roberts, dated
Bloemfontein, April s. Methuen tele--
graphs from Boshof Orange Free
State, little northeast of Kimberley,
as follows: Surrounded General Vile
bois Mareuill and a body of Beers to-
day and none escaped. Villebois and
seven Beers were killed, and eight |
wounded. We captured fifty prison
ers. Our losses were, killed: Captians
Boyle and Williams, both of the yoe-
manry, and two men of the yoemanry
wounded. about seven men, Attack
lasted four hours. The corps behaved
very well. Our force was composed of
the yoemanry, Kimberley mounted
corps and the Fourth battery of ar
tillery."
General De Villebois Mareuil was
chief of the staff of the Boer army,
about fifty years old and is said to
have been responsible for many of the
Boer successes in Natal Cape Colony.
and the southern part of Orange Free
State. 1t is said he entered the Boer
service merely because war was his
trade. He went through a number
of campaigns with the French army
Beers in unknown numbers are how
CIln6 DlOClulOAtClA OuI vi
range of the British guns. This tele-
gram comes from Kimberley: "Since
the departure of the main body of
troops, Lieut. Col Chamier remains
in command of the garrison here.
The departure of any considerable
body of troops has heretofore been
unmentioned. Lord Methuen was last
reported at Kimberley ten days ago.
The supposition is that he has ad-
vanced the main force from Kimber-
ley to the relief of Mafeluing. Up
ington has been occupied by the Brit
ish.
New York, April ga dispatch to
the Herald" from Pretoria, says
"The Transvaal government authorizes
me to state positively, it has no in
tentions of destroying johannesburg
or property there"
Acora, British Gold Coast, Africa
Tribal fighting has taken place in
Ashanti. Telegraph wires are cut
and communication is stopped. The
Hussars are leaving here for Coomas-
sic. The situation appears to be SER
ious.
London, April Cecil Rhodes ar
rived in this city today. He is well
and cheerful but much more reticent
Bloemfonteln, April 5-Small bodies
of Beers can be seen in the vicinity of
this town. Beers are stiIl in the
neighborhood of the waterworks.
Lord Roberts is taking steps to meet
the activity of the Beers.