The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-08
BeIated Dispatch That Tells of an En-
gagement Between Gatacre
and the Enemy.
CAPTURE OF INSURGENTS
200 REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TAX
EN- BY THE BRITISH.
Brnbant's Army of COlonials Said to
he i'm Danger-Escape of Pris-
Oners at SimOnstOwn.

LONDON, April Lord Roberts reports
to the War Office as follows:
"Bloemfontein. Friday, April 6.-The cas-
ualties at Reddersburg were: Officers
killed, Capt. +. G. Casson and Lieut.. c. r.
Barclay both of the Northumberlands;
wounded, 2; captured, S. Noncommissioned
officers and men killed. s; wounded, %. The
rest were captured. Our strength was 167
mounted infantry and 424 infantry. The
enemy was said to be $500 strong, with five
guns"
The afternoon newspapers are unsparing
In their criticism of the military DISPOSE
tions permitting 500 men to be isolated and
captured. The st. James Gazette and the
Globe dwell with sneering emphasis on
1.-The unfortunate occurrence"
'In England" says the st. James Ga
zette, 1--WE can but sit still and wonder
what will next happen
The latest unofficial dispatch from Bloom
fontein, dated Thursday, says: 1.-THE Beers
continue to show great activity, and num-
bers of British troops arc arriving daily
No news was issued by the War Office
tonight. None was received from the
front except one from Bloemfontein, dated
April 4, relating to the engagement of Gen.
eral Gatacre at Reddersburg, which seems
to have been held back by the censor.
This dispatch reads: General Gatacre had
burg to-day Details of the affair have
rot yet been received here
1t will be remembered that Lord Rob-
erts, in reporting the unfortunate occur
renee at Reddersburg. said that General
Gatacre had arrived there on the morning
of April 4. Hence he may have succeeded
in engaging the Beers later in the day.
1t is strange, however, that General Cat
acres subsequent movements have not been
mentioned in Lord Roberts's other dis
patches the last of which was dated the
evening of April 6.
1t is reported from Ladysmith that the
Beers are beginning to construe General
Buffers inactivity sign of fear or
inability TO resume active operations.
Hence they are showing much activity,
particularly around Biggarsberg, and are
said to be planning to outflank General
Butler by an advance in force by way of
Helpmakaar. AS the plan is known, 1t is
not likely that the Beers will find Butler
unprepared.
Stormberg commanders, numbering 5000
men and ten guns, have reached Kroon-
stad.
Speaking at an annexation meeting at
Wynberg on April g. ex-Premier Sir John
Gordon Sprigg declared that he had been
informed by a member of the Afrikander
Bund. who had just returned from Pre-
toria that the executives of the repub-
lies at the commencement of war ex-
pected the active assistance of $1,000 colo
malls. He had learned also that documents
existed incriminating a number OF leading
colonials in Vaccinations with the gov
erment of the republics.
Speaking at a large imperial demonstra-
ton at overwhelmingly tonight,
Mr.. w. G. Mccartney, secretary to the
Admiralty, said that when the war was
ended the settlement that the government
would feel incumbent upon itself to make
would be received by the people of the
country as adequate satisfaction for the
expenditure of blood and treasure that has
been made in the defense of the rights of
British subjects.
The alleged ill-treatment of the farmers
who gave up their arms has called to the
lEOnl the Oh the fTee state, pup
lished by the correspondents under military
supervision. In its comments it says:
when the question of settlement comes
those who are responsible for the outrages
will be called to account. We show lenien-
cy and tolerance towards rebels, and we
expect our example to be followed by those
directing the enemys affairs. We shall
exact from the two Presidents full repara-
tion for cruelty and inhumanity.''
The army people in Bloemfontein are de-
pending on water drawn from the wells.
Sergeant Major Brocker, who. it now ap-
pears, escaped from Pretoria with Captain
Haldane and Lieutenant Lemesurier, has
reached Lourenzo Marques. He lost his
companions at Glands river, obtained a
situation as bar man at a railroad station,
and eventually made his way to the from
tier.
A small contingent Of gunners from the
British battleship Monarch left Cape Town
for Bloemfontein Friday.
Though Lord Roberts lost nearly thou
sand men this week he is stronger rela-
lively, as four times as many men have
been landed at the Cape.