Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-06-15
THE BOERS' BIG VICTORY
rHE VERSION OF THE DISASTER
TO THE DERBYsHIREs.
Two Hundred British Troops Killed,
and IE2nense Stores of Food and
Ammunition Captured-Two Pieces
OF News Encouraging to tho
British.

pieces Of news encouraging to the Brit
ish in the official dispatches are that
the broken communications of Lord
Roberts are in a fair way to be mend
ed by the forces moving northward and
southwark and driving off the rowing
commanders, and that Sir Redvers
Butler is at last master of Laings Mex.
Telegraphic communication with
Lord Roberts is expected to be restored
to o-day, a dispatch from Bloemfon-
tein dated yesterday says that the rail-
way is in British possession again, and
that the work of repairing the line is
going on rapidly with the abundant
material warehoused at Bloemfontein.
From the subjoined telegram it
would appear that General Hunter was
in command of the troops referred to
by General Kelly Kenny in his dispatch
from Bloemfontein:
: "Bloemfontein, June 12.-General
Hunter is coming UP rapidly from the
northwest, having severely defeated a
large commando of Beers who had de-
stroyed two miles of railway north Of
KroonstaG"
The Boer government is also issuing
news cheering the sympathizers.
{ The following bulletin, the Boer ver-
sion of the disaster to the Derbyshires,
was posted by President Kruger Sun
day at Machadodorp:
"On June four divisions OF Burghers
commanded by Steenkampf Froneman,
BuplOy, FOurde and Mel, attacked the
British at ROOdeVal, killed 200, took 700
prisoners and captured immense stores
of food and ammunition, a Maxim gun
and 1000 Lyddite shells. Some food
was taken by the BOer farmers, and the
rest was burned. The English mail
/ was taken. The Burghers attacked
from the open veldt and gave evidence
of unprecedented bravery
General DeWet was also fighting on
June I'd, whether at ROodeval or else
where is not clear, but the Boer war
| office gives it out that he captured 5000
suits of clothing, blankets, gloves,
boots, etc. Being unable to carry them
with him in his rapid sweep through
the country, according to the Transvaal
War Office, he burned the whole mass.
General DeWet has also reported that
he has put 1000 British out of action
and destroyed property valued at 1OO,-
900 pounds. AS Lord Methuen is off,
cially described as fighting on June 7th,
1t is possible that he was engaging GEN
; eral DeWet.
According to a dispatch to the Daily
Express from Machadodorp dated June
10th, via Lorenzo Marques, those
around President Kruger say that
Louis Botha has been offered Indirect
ly 10000 pounds a year to put down
arms, and President Kruger expects the
same offer to be made to himself, Presi-
dent Steyn and Dewet President Kru-
ger believes the British makes these
offers to close the war on the principle
that it would cost less than to fight it
out.
A dispatch from Lorenzo MARQUES
says that $4,000 Beers are reported to
be retiring on Middleburg from vari-
GUS quarters, and that after wedding
out the faint hearted 10000 steadfast
+, men are still left.
The Boers had two guns, which they
got away. Few dead or wounded Beers
were found. It seems probable that the
major portion of the Beers had with
drawn before the advance began.
Lord Methuen, General Rumble and
General Brabant are reported to have
$4,000 men and so guns engaged in en-
closing the Beers in the eastern part Of
Orange River colony.
The War Office casualty returns up to
June aggregate 23,664, besides 1872 off,
GERS and 1886 men sent home as in
valids, but not including the sick in
South African hospitals.
London, June II, 9:12 D. m.-The War
Office has issued the following:
Butler to the Secretary of War:
Jouberts Farm June II, sos p. m.
-Encamped four miles north of Volks-
rust. Laing's Mex and Majuba were
completely evacuated by the Beers last
night. General Cleary, from Ingogo, is
now coming over the Mex. I have had
to camp here for want Of water. A
correct list of yesterdays casualties
will he sent soon raoeive6
London, June 12.-The following dis
patch has been received at the War
Office from General Forestier-Walker
in command of the lines of communi-
cation in South Africa:
cape Town, June 1.-THE following
is from Kelly-Kenny:
June 1I-No communication from
Methuen since June T. He was fighting
June to the north of Vetchkop. Steyn
is near ReitZ.
""The British prisoners sent to Vrede
are well treated
London, June 12, 6:32 p. m.-The War
Office has received the following dis
patch from General Kelly Kenny:
"Bloemfontein, June 12.-Our troops
from the north are at Honings Spruit
(south of Roodeval, where the Beers
cut the British lines of communica-
tion), having defeated the enemy. They
will be at America Siding tomorrow at
8 a. m.
General Knox moves out from
Kroonstad TO intercept the enemy.
Fuller particulars later"
A comparison of General Kel1y-Ken-
ny's dispatch with the maps available
shows apparently that the British line
of communication cut by the Beers has
been restored by the movement Of
troops from the north toward Honing
Spruit to reach which place they
would have to pass through Roodeval
IL they followed the railroad. The fact
that General Kelly-Kenny says Knox
will move out from Kroonstad to in
tercept the enemy" would seem to DEM
onstrate that the Beers are retreating
before the northern British force, and
that troops from Kroonstad, south Of
Honing Spruit, have been sent to in
tercept them if possible.
London, June II, 1910 a. m.-The
War Office posts the following dispatch
from General Butler:
Headquarters in Natal, June live
forced Almonds Mex to-day. 1t is not
marked on the map, but is the last de-
file to Charleston Flats. The enemy
were in considere BILE force with several
guns in position. The brunt Of the
lighting fell upon the Second Dorsets.