Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-08
Roberts and His Army Are
Now Encamped at Small
deel Junction.
BOERs M s:7LL RETREAT
Burghers FalIin, X on Kroonstad
Roberts Prai. avery of His
Troop.-Br Dash of
the Pro e ais.

Y i
London, May 7.-By Associated
Press. 1.-THE war Office has received
the following from Roberts dated Small
deel, May 6: eve crossed the Vet riv-.
er this morning and are now encamped
at t~ssmaldeel Junction. The enemy is
in full retreat towards the Zand river
and Kroonstad. The turning move
ment was made by the mounted infan-
4 try just before dark yesterday. 1t
was a very dashing affair. The Cana
dians, the New South Wales and New
Zealand rifles and the Queensland
mounted infantry We'd with each other
in determination to close with the ene-
my. Captain Anley, Of the Essex regi-
ment, commanding the Third infantry
battalion, behaved in very gallant
manner. The naval gums and artil-
lery made very excellent practice, par
ticularly two five-inch guns used for
the first time with this force. We cap
ttured a. Maxim and twenty-five pris-
oners Our casualties are fifteen
wounded, one killed and three miss
ing"
smaldeel, May 7.-By Associated
Press.) British arrived here with
out opposition. The Beers last train
left late Saturday night. The Boer
losses yesterday on the west flank
were forty killed. Their rear guard re-
mains behind the kopjes ten miles dis
tant. There is much railway forage
and corn here. 1t is stated that the
Beers are retreating towards Kroon-
stad. The Zand river bridge is report
ed to have been destroyed.
London, May 7.-(By Associated
Press. 1.-The war Office has received
the following from Roberts dated
Snaldeel: Hunter, after defeating
the enemy on May 4, joined hands with
Paget near Warrenton. The enemy
left thirteen killed and wounded on
the ground. We captured several pris-
oners. Our losses are slight The en-
emy has retired from in front of Tha-
ban Chu and the exceedingly strong
position they held is now occupied by
Rundle's division
Advancing With Broad Front.
London, May General Roberts ad-
vance is continued steadily with a
front forty miles wide. General Rob
erts himself reached the Vet river
with Pole -Carew's division on Saturday
night.
The Beers were in considerable
force on. the northern bank, but their
position was turned by General Hut
toms mounted infantry after a three
{ hours cannonade. Hutton's troopers
crossed the river under hot fire, and
their gallantry has received official
recognition.
Two additional brigades are well
abreast of e-Carew's division, but
farther east, so that General Roberts
has virtually four brigades and a
strong mounted force on the extreme
left of his line, and is probably head
ing for Smaldeel Station, on the rail
way.
General Hamilton on the extreme
right, was in action Friday, and suc-
ceeded in preventing a junction of two
Boer forces.
Cavalry Gets a Chance.
The chief feature of his engagement
was charge OF three bodies OF
mounted troops with the Household
cavalry well in front. The Beers were
routed, and their losses were severe.
This is one of the few instances dur
ing the campaign of successful on
set of cavalry in old fashioned tactics.
MacDonald's Highland brigade also
did brilliant work under the cover OF
naval guns, and the Black Watch re-
trieved the reputation which was
clouded at Magersfontein without
its having chance to show it's met
tie.
Hamilton's victory was complete,
and the troops under him resumed
their advance on Saturday toward the
little Vet, aiming apparently to get
astrlde of the road which leads from
Winburg to Ladybrand. General
French is not mentioned in the Off
clal dispatches, but he. will probably
turn up in the center OF Roberts
line.
Young Men I'm Front.
Young men are now playing great
part in these difficult operations.
French, Hamilton and Pole-Carew had
hardly been heard of before this cam
paign, but they are now leading the
way to Pretoria.
remarkable feature of the opera
lions now in progress is the use being
made of mounted troops. Cavalry and
mounted infantry are found at every