Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-25
Bll|OER FORCES
AND LOSSES.

A war correspondent Bloemfontein
wrote to the EGinburg Scotsman on
April 81: obtained today some In
l5teresting information respecting the
strength and position OF the enemy's
position between Dec. and March 10.
My informant is q high official OF the
Boer commissariat, and consequently
1.-The returns of the total Boer force
passed thru his hands.
In December there We're 600 Beers
I.ruund Ladysmithw who We're distributed
later, leaving 1000 about the town and
1900 around the line of the Tugela;
500 at Helpmakaar, 1000 on the Swaxi-
land border, 1000 on the Zululand
border, 1000 AT Komrad Poort. 1000
watching Rhodesia, 1000 facing Tul.
6,000 about Mafeking and kimberley,
and 1000 with Cronje. The forces be-
fore Kimberley and Mafeking were
CONTINUALLY iluctuating. Cronje finally
drew 4. 900 from Matching, leaving 1000
| to wat ch the town and making his total
force 1000.
There We're 1000 in the Colesberg
district. 1000 in the Stormberg district,
| 5000 Cape rebels and 1000 guarding the
railways, mostly Hollanders.
The Natal rebels numbered only 35l.
These figures my informant absolutely
guarantees, Stating that the number
caused the bitterest disappointment in
the Transvaal.
Others may have made a pretence of
allegiance. but only that numebr was
l!included among the communicates
grand total of6l 900 odd.
The Hollanders have proved them
selves nbject towards from the begin
ming. They placed dynamite under
railway culyerts, and alleged that it
had been placed there by disaffected
British. Consequently the Hollandtrs
were entrusted with the care OF the
railways.
On March Is there were 10000 Beers
in Natal. 1000 al Mafeking. $500 at
Warrenton. $500 retreating from Coles
berg and Storlnbers. $500 retreating
from Blocmfonteins and 1000 guarding
the railways--total. 26,50H
The Boer losses up to that time num-
bered $500 prisoners and 5000 killed
and wounded leaving shrinkage Of
$4,000 unaccounted for
My informant AYERS that fully $4,000
have skunk home since the beginning OF
the war. and he prophesies that the
commencement OF frost in the Trans
wal, which may appear any day. may
prove the signal for a further shrink
age by thousands. The Beers are in
tinitely more Interested in saving their
beasts than in fighting, and their cat
tie Will certainly perish unless driven
from the high yeldt at the beginning
of the frost.
Other information, which / have OBJ
tanned from the same source Illustrates
the condition. of the enemy prior to the
Occupation of RoeInfontein.
Eight hundred Beers We're ordered to-
parade In the marke, place in order to
proceed 10 springfontein and create a
diversion. Only 900 gobeyed, and scarce
ly$ any resistance remained in the Beers
laftcr8the Occupation of the Free state
capital The expeditions into the grain
districts We're more for the purpose OF
iobtaining food than for fighting.
However. the British reversess at
Sauna $ Post and Reddersburg reheart-
ened the Beers TO an extraordinary de-
gree.
My informant believes that the first
Vance are certain to reawaken alarm
and that the Beers are not likely to OF s
fer any further serious resistance.
They possess no positions incapable Of
being turned by our forces on this side
of Pretoria. the Vaal Offering no pros
lection since IT is forbade every dozen
miles
The Boer official also states that the
Boer losses up to Dec. Mere 60i killed.
500 wounded and GOO prisoners. Their
losses AT C;esar's Hill were 2s6. and
their casualties at spionkop 3l5.
GLEANINe;s.