Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-01-02
FRENCH BEAT Beers.
Fled In Disorder After Being
Surprised.
LEFT CoLEsBURG TO BRITISH.
a Dispatch said Beers Loss Must Have
Been Heavy-British LOSS Slight.
Were Hafrassed on Retreat-British
Rescued Near Derdrecht.

RENsBERa, Cape Colony, Jan. a.
french completely defeated the Beers
and occupied Colesberg.
The general continued to keep the
Beers on the move ond pressed them
closely Saturday and Sunday, giving
them 40 time TO make a prolonged
stand. and when day broke lie was with
in striking distance of the enemy. Sun
day night all the cavalry, artillery and
infantry, the latter riding in wagons TO
increase the general mobility, started
upon night march with the Oh, ect of
turning the Beers right. The flank OPP
erations were successful The infantry
and field batteries Immediately made
feint attack upon the Boer front and,
while this was proceeding, the cavalry
and light artillery got completely around
the enemy's right flank, as arranged.
The Beers were utterly surprised, and,
finding their retreat threatened, fled in
disorder to the eastward, leaving Coles
berg IN General French's hands.
LONDON, Jan. AIT Modder River,
General Buffers scouts have discovered
a Boer camp established in the vicinity
of Springfield, southwest of Colenso, by
a Free State commando. A similar
movement was made at Modder river.
A large force of Beers, it was reported,
formed new laager about 10 miles
down the stream. at Kameelhoek.
Photograph reports from Ladysmith
showed that all was well on Dec. 81.
The bardment was being continued,
but its intensity had relaxed. An Off
cial dispatch from Ladysmith confirms
the report, cabled yesterday, that sew
eral officers of the Devonshire regiment
were severely wounded by the explosion
of Boer shell in the mess tent.
The Daily Mail had the following dis
patch, dated Jan, /, from Rensburg:
yesterday afternoon big force OF
cavalry and infantry with ten guns, un-
der the personal command of General
French, moving by detour, occupied
some hills three miles from Colesburg,
where the Beers were in strength, con
fident in the natural aid afforded them
by the hills around.
"Tne enemy's position extended six
miles around the entire village. At
daybreak our artillery opened the bat
tie. The Beers were taken by surprise
but replied vigorously.
IAN artillery duel was maintained
for two hours. Then a Boer Hotchkiss
collapsed and was abandoned. We cap
tured it, A Boer big gun was silenced,
but this and the other Boer guns were
withdrawn to the northward, whittier
we were harrassing the Boer retreat by
a damaging shell fire.
'sColesberg is i'll our hands and the
few remaining loyalists are jubilant.
We have captured many wagons and
considerable quantity of stores.
"Our losses were quite slight, but the
Beers must have suffered heavily. They
may stop at Achtertang or cross the
river altogether at Norvals pont, where
the bridge is still intact"
CAPE Town, Jan. 2.-Ugly rumors
were i'll circulation of a Dutch rising,
with the object of seizing Cape Town
and the docks and capturing the gov
ernor of Cape Colony, Sir Alfred Mil
ner. The center of the movement is
said to be Pearl, village about 30 miles
from Cape Town, where meeting of
the Afrikanker Bund was held yester-
day. A similar meeting was held at
Richmond on Dec. % and it is reported
that the members of the bund in these
two towns were acting in concert.
The members of the bund at Willing
ton and the Dutch in Clan William dis
trict were said to be armed with Maus-
ers and to be anxious to use them in be-
half of the Beers.
Although the stories of a rising werc
discredited, the police and military were
taking ample precautions.
LONDON, Jan. Near Dordrecht,
Captain Montmorency sortie with a
patrol OF 100 men of the Twenty first
Lancers and his retreat Dec. 30 were
followed up the next day by a successful
British engagement.
Under Captain Goldsworthy force
of ITO men. with four guns, accompanied
by Captain Montmorency's scouts, sal
lied out of Dordrecht during the morn
ing of Dec. 81 to relieve Lieutenant
Turner aud 81 men left over night at