The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-06
BULLER ON THE MOVE.
Believed to be Again Attempting TO
Relieve L~adysmith His Plans IN
known.

known.
London. February S.-The var office
is silent as regards General Butler.
but there is every reason to believe
that he is continuing his movement
upon L~adysmith. Those who are in a
position to know. confirm his reported
recrossing of the Tugela river and be-
Iieve he was engaged yesterday. The
message from Ladysmith Thursday
saying the Boer forces were leaving
again and that the besieging force was
considerably diminished tends TO con-
firm this.
Field Marshal Robert has notified
the war office that forty Highlanders
who were previously reported killed at
Magersfontein are prisoners at Pre-
toria.
Major Bathurst. who was wounded
at the battle OF Colenso. arrived AZ
Southampton today on board the Ser
via. He says there are 10000 Beers at
the Tugela river. but that General
Butler can get through If he is prepar-
ed TO sacrifice five or six thousand
men.
London, February spencer VIII
kinson writes the following review OF
the situation in South Africa for the
Associated Press at midnight:
1t is morally impossible for Buffers
army. SO long as there is any fight left
in it to sit still while Sir George White
is invested at L~adySmith-
Better than that would be to lose
10, 600 men in an attempt at relief. Ac-
cordingly, it is probable that General
Butler will try again and, indeed. 1T is
probable that he is now on the move
or fighting.
las he has kept General Lyttleton's
brigade north of the river, the proba-
bility is that his next move will be an
advance on Lyttleton's right. he
would hardly go to Lyttieton's left. be-
; cause that would only lead to a fresh
attack of Spion kop and the range of
which it is a part. He would not go
to the east of Colenso except with his
whole force, less Barton'S brigade
The retention OF Lyttleton's brigade
at Potgieter's drift may, therefore be
taken as proof that the new move viii
not be to the east of Coienso.
East of Potgieter's there are several
drifts, one or two of which General
Buffers guns command and ne can.
! therefore, cross the river. but the Beers
have had ample time I'd prepare posi-
tions beyond the river.
a lIODldi dIldth NFfFNAhF ao o0NaA
be costly. but unless the general is
prepared for - Eeavy loss he has lie
chance OF breaking through the b-e
defences.
THE right plan would be that adopt
ed by General Sherman when ne push
ed back Johnston from Chattanooga
to Atlanta. Sherman e~ntrenched
| along Johnston's front and then ex-
| tended his line TO one of the TANKS.
| By the time Sherman was ready 10
move q force around behind his en-
trenched line to attack Johnston in the
flank and threaten his retreat. the con-
federate general usually withdrew
|! Such tactics are probable only when
a force is numerically superior. We
don to know the strength of the Beers
/ in Natal. Winston Churchill
| them at only 10000 of whom 1900 are
y observing L~adysmith. This would give
fBuIler 5000 against Il, 900 and should
render possible something like Sher-
mans but there is reason
to believe that Buffers own estimate
of the Boer force is much higher.
Lord Roberts will certainly not
hurry his move from the al He
will first complete the assembling OF
his forces, which will not all have ar
rived for another three weeks. Then
he will have transports property organ
lied and in working order before he
will start. After that he will probably
make & rapid move, but no outcry
will induce him to start until he con-
siders all is ready.
Last weeks report that Mafeking
had been relieved seems to have arisen
from Colonel Plumer's. skirmish near
crocodile pools. The report came from
Boer sources and this origin Of 1t seems
to show that the Beers are now san
guine of success in the northwest.
They have probably reduced their
forces in that region in order to
strengthen themselves against Me-
thusn and General Butler"