The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-26

avs ~
Africa received UP to the time of going
to press Monday morning:
a battle between the British and
Beers southwest of Ladysmith, Natal,
has been raging two days.
The Beers, at last advices, were still
holding their main positions, though
the British were said to have driven
in their right flank.
Two hundred and ninety of the Brit
ish wounded have been sent back from
the front The full extent of the losses
is not known yet.
The main British attack has been
made on the Beers right flank by Cen
eral Sir Charles Warren's division
which a been heavily reinforced. Bri-
gades under Generals Woodgate, Hart
and Hildyard, the whole being directed
by General Clery, advanced from hill
to hill. The Beers compelled the Brit
ish to fight uphill all the time.
General Butler, at 8 p. m. Sunday,
caDled to the London war office: 1T is
DIFFICULT TO say exactly how much we
have gained, but / hin we are MAX
ing substantial progress"
While the attack on the Beers right
Hank wGs proceeding, General Lyttle-
tons troops made a reconnaissance in
u Oh III " ISlI lOuT miles nOTIn
OF Potgieter's drift. At the same time
this position was heavily bombarded
by General Buffers cannon. The OBJ
Ject was to prevent the Beers on the
left from reinforcing those on the right.
n present Boer position, as indi-
Gated by n dispatches, is about ten
miles long,, thy of
Ladysmith, so as to block the British
advance. At no place have the British,
so Tar as known, forced their way near
er to Ladysmith than sixteen miles, be-
ing held off by the Boer i~ntrenchments.
The last act of the battle will doubt
less be an assault in force on the main
Boer position. This may have occurred
already, or it may occur today. Lon
don, in breathless suspense. awaits the
result.
SUNDAYS BATTLE.
(By Associated Press.)
Spearman Camp, Natal, January %,
$3.50 a m.-Early on Sunday morning
General Warren commenced a thanking
movement on the extreme left of the
British position. The infantry advanc-
ed at D o'clock in the morning along
the irregular Tabamyama
which ends at Spionkop. The artillery
occupied positions behind and on the
plain. The British carefully worked
along the hills until within 1000 yards
of a commanding kOpje, on which the
Beers were concentrated, concealed be-
hind immense boulders strewn thickly
over the hill. The artillery opened the
attack and the batteries worked con-
~tinuOusly. pouring tons of ~shrapnel
among the Beers, who devoted their at
tention to musketry firing on the Brit
ish infantry. The Beers stuck to their
businesses with the greatest tenacity
n at the conclusion the British had
only advanced across a few ridges. The
Beers apparently have few guns and
fhnU did 1ift1n oroa~n To-%o- h.
ley, of the Dublin Fusiliers, fell NOR
tally wounded while leading his men
to seize a fresh point CT vantage
THE DASH FOR LADYSMITH.
London, January 22.-General Butler
reports from Spearman's camp one Of
fcer n five men killed; three officers
and se~venty-fve wounded and eight
missing, as the result of Sundays
lighting.
Though there is considerable anxiety
as TO the immediate result of General
Buffers dash at Ladysmith, which la
ter developments indicate was under
taken independent of Field Marshal
Lord Roberts, the wal office has now
come to. the conclusion that the relief
of Ladysmith is only a matter of short
time. According to the war office Of
fcials' ideas, a dash to the relief of
Kimberley will quickly follow the re-
lief Of Ladysmith and then will follow
a long spell of organization and per-
hapS three or four months will elapSe
before the column or columns will
have the transportation service in
shape to advance with the certainty of
meeting with no serious 1everSes. The
latter conditions are held by the au-
thorities to be absolutely essential be-
fore any forward movement towards
the invasion of the Transvaal is begun,
hence there is small probability of the
war ending inside of six months.
The widow of General Wauchope, in
an open letter, holly denies the stories
that the general in any way criticised
General Methuen.
Lord Wolseley has also issued a de-
NAL of the report that the war office IS
in possession of a letter from General
Wauchope, written the night before the
battle of Magersfontein, saying that it
would be the last letter he would write
as he had been asked to perform an
impossible task and he had either to
obey or to surrender his sword.
BRITISH ORDERED TO LEAVE.
Kimberley, per photography Wednes-
day, January II, via Modder River,
January 22.-Native reports say that a
proclamation has been issued at Bark
ley West by Commandant Boithof, Or
dering all British subjects to quit be-
fore January 22nd. Ladies are being
subjected to great insults. The Beers
are again very active, bombarding from
all positions from dawn till s o'clock
a. M. the fire being directed chiefly
against the redoubts.
STEADY ADVANCE OF THE
BRITISH.
London, January 23.-The Daily Mail
has the following, dated Sunday night,
from Spearman's camp:
There has been hot fighting all day.
At dawn our attack was resumed along
fha onfira limo all tho hripadnS taking
part. We soon discovered that the
Beers still occupied the range of hills
in force, their position being very
strong. The range is ~intersected by
steep ravineS any many approaches
very difficult of access.
from their trenches yesterday took COW
, -er in dongas and behind the rocks with
which the hills are strewn. The forces.
therefore. commenced the task or dIlv-