The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-25
DE- VETS DORP OCCUPIED
General Chermside's Forces Enter
The Town UnOppOsed.
The Reported Relief of Wepener
Premature The BrrEhers Re-
~ AbRndOncd-Braban and Hart
stan Close TO tke Besicged Town.

LONDON, April 25-The War Office ha
received the following despatch from Lor,
Roberts:
"Bloemfontein. april 25.-General
Chermside occupied Oe Vets Dorp an
opposed at $3.50 O'Clock this morning.
''Pole-Carew's Division reached
Roode Kop yesterday evening without
suffering any casualties. The enemy
was driven back with heavy loss. Bra
bent and Hart are still within a few
miles OF Wepener.
Pole Carew's advance WIS covered
by cavalry and horse artillery. which
drove back the enemy with heavy less.
Several Of their dead were left on the
ground. The mounted men halted for
the night at Groot Fontein and at I:30
this morning were crossing the Modder
River at Valshank in accordance with
my instructions TO French to endeavoT
to place himself astride the enemy's
line Of retreat. FTenchs arrival near
the Modder. evidently, however, alarm
ed the Beers for they evacuated their
strong position near De Vets Dorp
during the night and it was occupied
by Chermgide's division at $40 this
morning
The mounted infantry under Ian
Hamilton drove of the enemy from all
the kopjes near the water works.
There were no casualties on our side.
The Highland Brigade marched :wen-
ty-four miles yesterday to the support
OF Hamilton and halted for the night
at Klir Kraal, four miles short Of
Sannas Post.
--Brabant and Hart are still a few
miles short of Wepener. The numbers
Of the enemy appear to them 10 have
increased in the last two days, but it
is not likely that there will be much
more trouble in the neighborhood Of
Wepener. once De Vets Dorp is occu-
pied by our troops.
u inspected the City Imperial Volun-
teers yesterday on their arrival az
Bloemfontein. They are in fine form
and look very wOrlImanlike. l also in
spected the Thirty eighth Company of
the Imperial Yeomanry. the first to
reach BloemfoItein. The men turned
out smart and the horses were in admi-
Table condition.
ROBERTS"
The reported practical relief Of Wepene
appears to have been premature. Maser,
messages this mornig say General Bra
bants force found that the Beers, who hai
retreated on Monday had readvanced dur
ing the night and occupied strong position
which enabled them to delay Brabant's ad
vance. At the same time force of Boer
with six guns severely attacked Colone
Dalgetty at Wepener.
\ despatch, dated at Kroontstad. Orang
Free State. April %. via Lourenco Mar
ques, April "a, 3 ?. m, says:
sharp fighting on Saturday resulted il
the British force in the vicinity OF BOsho
retreating. The British left fifteen deai
and three wounded on the field and tel
prisoners were captured"
a Brandfort. Orange Free State. des
patch. dated April %. via Lourenco Mar
CUES, April "A, p. m, says:
Fighting is still going on vigorously
both at Wepener and De Vets Dorp. o.
Friday night twenty-eight men Of tn,
Worcester regiment were taken prison.
ers.''
A despatch from Buluwayo dated Apri
II, says: There were some gallant deed,
during Colonel Plumer's recent fighting il
his attempt TO relieve Mafeking. Captain
Crewe was killed while trying to bring il
Captain Gates. whose horse had been shot
Trooper Lees. who had been wounded, said
Comrades, don't mind me, I'm sent for
Give me rife till have one more shot
A rife was handed TO him and he fred one
shot, after which he rolled over dead"