The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-02-22
BOers Make a Stand Near Birds
River Occupying Very
Strong Position.
BRITISH HOLD A COMMANDING POST
A Brisk Exchange of Shells is Being
Kept Up Over Dordrecht Both
Day and Night.
On the Retreat the Beers Kept Up a
Good Rear Guard ActiOn-Enem
Very Active Around Lady
smith-Latest War News.

London, Feb. 1S.-With Gen. Cronje in
fall retreat and Gen. Kelly-Kenny har
RAISING his rear, hopes run high that
al decisive action will occur, if it has
not already been fought. The dis.
patches from Jacobsdal confirm this
belief. saying Gen. Cronje has been
Obliged to "outspan," in other words,
form "A lager or camp, in order to
rest his oxen. This explains Gen. Kel.
1y-kenny's latest dispatch referring
TO shelling the lager, which also
Brought long expected word of Gen.
kitcheuer's whereabouts. That the
general who so relentlessly pursued
the khalifa to his doom is supervis.
Png the pursuit of Gen. Cronie adds
greatly to the confidence OF the ma
zion so eagerly awaiting further news,
.lacohsdal. Orange Free State, Feb.
Ii Further details of the Boer re-
treat show that the enemy has been
fighting II good rear guard action and
occupying successive kopies in order
to allow the moving of the convoy
which. however. has been going at a
very slow pace. the animals apparent.
ly being dead beat.
The latest reports show that the
Beers in the neighborhood of Kip
Jlraals drift are undoubtedly disheart-
ened.
Gen French's magnificent march is
xtill the subject of admiration. espe-
cially in view of the dust storms and
rhunderstorms that all experienced.
The work of shelling the Beers pro-
Creds vigorously. Owing to the style
s1f the action the Beers are bound to
show in the open whenever they are
Obliged TO leave the kopies.
Jacobsdal. Feb. 17.-Gen. Kelly-Ken-
ny is still pursuing the Beers. He has
now captured more than 100 wagons.
The Highland brigade reinforced him
after forced march. Gen. French
has left Kimberley 10 join in the pur-
suit of the Boer army. The guards
have occupied the Boer position at
Nagersfontein.
Birds River, Feb. 1.-THE position
near Dordrecht now is that the Beers
occupy a @:rong hill north of the
town and that the British hold a
commanding post to the south. Both
are maintaining a brisk exchange of
shells over Dordrecht.
Gen. Rrabant's Horse. 200 strong,
commenced the march from Penhooli
Thursday morning over trackless
ycIdt and through n mountainous and
difficult country. Early Friday they
We're fired upon and the firing con-
tiuued all day and we'll into the night
L 1,., ~
successive positions under terrific
life fire lasting eight hours.
Toward midnight Friday the Brit
fSh forced the Beers at the point OF
rhc hayonct out of their last position
an important one overlooking Dor
drecht The artillery duel was con
tiuued to-day.
Chievely. Feb. 1S.-Gen. Butler has
established his headquarters on Hus.
sar hill. Heavy artillery firing was
maintained at intervals by both sides
from Wednesday until Friday. The
British slowly pushed the advance and
their infantry occupied entrenched
new positions in front of Hussar hill
with slight losses. II is believed that
the lyddite worked havoc in the Boel
trenches. The Beers are supposed tC
have moved their big guns back over
1he Tugela Friday afternoon. The
rifle fire has been heavy at times. The
whole country is thickly wooded.
The British operations are directed
to the capture of Hlangwana hill
where the Beers are strongly fortified
and from which they are shelling the
lritish with great accuracy. The Brit
ish infantry are now disposed along ;
line extending for seven miles to the
small kopies at the base of Monte
Christie hill From 6 o'clock Frida.
morning the British incessantl,
shelled Monte Christie. with the mel
separating it from Blaauw Krantz hill
on the right.
The British infantry is making SLOW
progress up the mex in the endeavo
to occupy Monte Christie, which vii
enable them to enfilade the Beers OF
HIangwana.
LadySmith. Feb. II. by Heliograpl
via Weenan.-The Beers have beel
very active here during the last fey
days, and are evidently making NOV
Somewhere. The garrison, greatly de
lighted to learn of the relief of Kim
berley. is in excellent spirits and fl
. for anything.
Nai. Doveton's wife, who was give
a safe conduct through the BOer line:
arrived here TO nurse her husband
but he died Wednesday, Feb IA.
DR.. Jameson has the fever.
London, Feb. 1s.-The queen pre-
NOTED Gen. French to be major ger
eral. French heretofore has onl
ranked as colonel in the army, wit
the local rank of lieutenant genera
Lieut.. Col. kekewich has been pre-
NOTED colonel for services in the d.
tense of Kimberley.
Russell Harrison Changed.