The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04


In last weeks fighting: Lombard. of Wat
erburg; Grobelair. of Bremersdorp; Opper-
man. OF Pretoria: Daniel Erasmus. of Ma
galiersburg, and one Free State cornet. The
British artillery. broke seven Boer guns.
The Boer casualties were approximately
LOCO, though this information Is not con-
firmed officially
A dispatch from Sterk's spruit. dated
Jan. %. says: "Commandant Olivier. Of
the Orange Free State, in speech to the
Beers at Lady Grey. said his men were al
most surrounded at Stormberg, and unless
recruits were forthcoming he would be
compelled to abandon the position. 1t is
admitted that in the recent fight at Lady
smith the Beers lost LOO killed and GOO
wounded. New York colonists who fought
at Stormberg have gone back to their
farms and have refused to return to active
service, though threatened with death.
Among them are some burghers who orig
inally invited the Free Staters to invade
Cape Colony"
The War Office is silent as regards
General Butler, but there is every rea-
son to believe he Is continuing his
move on Ladysmith. Those who are
In a position to know say he re-
crossed the Tugela river and was engaged
yesterday. The message from Ladysmith
Thursday saying the Boer forces were leav-
ing again and that the besieging force was
considerably diminished. tends to confirm
this.
The Morning Leader believes that General
Butler has begun a movement toward La
dysmith 1t says: General Butler proba-
bly, engaged the Beers soon after noon yes
terday (Friday), if all his artillery and mu-
nitions had come up. In any case, his or
ders were definite for an advance at the
latest this morning. There is no reason
to suppose that the direction is that Of
Dundonald's march toward Honger's Poort,
close to Bethany although some cavalry
and horse artillery may go by that way,
so as to operate on, or perhaps, beyond, the
Acton Homes road. We are inclined to be-
lieve General Butler means 20 pound out or
existence any Beers or any works lying
on the river near the junction OF the little
Tugela. If he succeeds In establishing him.
self there on the northern bank, he Will
virtually have turned the Boer positions at
Onderbrook and Groebelers kloof, over
looking Colenso. This would mean the
splitting of the Boer forces on the south of
Ladysmith. Probably General White would
be able to help in the effort by engag-
ing with energy the remaining bodies OF
the enemy"
There is no actual news to support the
above statement, but several Of the Lon
don papers profess to believe that General
Butler is pushing toward Ladysmith. War
ren's troops on Wednesday were still rest
ing south of the Tugela, while General
Lyttleton's brigade held its position on the
north bank. General Joubert has gone to
the Boer camp on the upper Tugela, an ap-
parent indication that he expects another
attack on his right.
The Beers are exhibiting considerable
anxiety in regard to the movement of the
British flying column, which started
through Zululand in the direction of Vry-
held about the time that General Butler
began his move toward Springfield. Boer
reinforcements from about Ladysmith have
been hurried back to protect their lines of
communication northward.
General Charles Tucker. who came from
India to command the Seventh division,
has gone up to Modder river. This seems
to indicate the troops of that division,
which are now arriving at the Cape will,
as well as those of the Sixth division. un-
der KellyKenny, be utilized along the
border of the Free State and take part in
the prospective invasion.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts has noti-
fled the War Office that forty Highlanders
who were previously reported killed at Ma
gersfontein. are prisoners at Pretoria
Major Bathurst, who was wounded at the
battle at Colenso, has arrived at South
ampton on board the Servia. He says there
are 10000 Beers at the Tugela river but
that General Butler can get through if he
is prepared to sacrifice 5000 or 5000 men.