The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-02
HORRORS OF CRONJE'S CAMP
WONDER THAT MEN COULD LIVE
TEN DAYS IN SCCH A PLACE.
stencil From the Dead Animals NauseatinR
Food. Cooking Utensils. Clothing and
Ammunition Scattered About the Place
supply Wagons Had Been Destroyed.

Ammunition Scattered About the Place
supply Wagons Had Been Destroyed.
'p,ctai Cable Dsspateh,s to THE Sun.
From THE SUNS Correspondent With Gen. Roberts's
Forces.
PAARDEBERo. Feb. q. via Modder River. Feb.
%. 1868 y MA two hours inspection OF the
Boer LANCER to-day was nauseatinR. 1t Is mar
vellous how any one could remain ten days
there among the ~decomposed horses and the
~entrails Of cattle and sheep which were being
roasted BY the sun.
TIKI SUNS correspondent ira ped out on the
veldt and saw some British soldiers removing
the Boer sick on stretchers. The correspond
ent did not see n single wagon intact any
where. Most Of them we're half burned. Meal
and potatoes were scattered among old clothes.
trunks and cooking utensils.
There were thousands OF rounds OF Mauser
and Martini Henry cartridges. but there was
scarcely any artillery ammunition. Only four
Krupp l2-pounders. one Maxim and one Wick.
ers-Maxim were found.
The position south OF the river was protected
with remarkable trenches that looked like
split dumbbslls. They were banked with
sandbags waist high and the ends were deep
and overhanging.
There we're many bags filled with -four.
bread and cartridges. Probably not more than
three persons lived in each trench.
The prisoners look more like an irregular
horde than soldiers. There are many gray
bearded men aud many boys among them.
They appear TO be- well fed but tired. They
carry a rough roll like that used by farm ser.
wants in carrying their effects when they are
changing situations. Gen. Cronje and about q
dozen others alone looked like men Of position.
Even the uniformed Orange Free State artil-
lerists were ragged.
All the prisoners accepted their position com.
placently. Gen. CronIe sat silently smoking
under the trees near headquarters. The Others
were arranged in rows on the veldt according
to their commandos.
About fifty women and children travelled In
their own Cape carts.
The Canadian troops had the honor OF finish
ing the work which compelled Gen. CronIe's
surrender.
The Boer commander knew yesterday morn
ing that there could be only one possible
result to any sorties by his men. He became
convinced that the British Gordon could not be
broken from within. After he learned OF the
dispersal Of the Winburg commando from
Kitchener's Hill. he knew that the Gordon was
not likely to DO broken from without.
This black outlook became worse during the
day when the fifty British guns kept firing and
the engineers began sapping forward and
building two miles Of trenches around the
western boundary OF the lager. which point
was held by the Ninth Infantry Division under
Gen. Sir II. T.. Colville.
Gen. Smith Dorrien's brigade was the one
nearest to the enemy In front. When darkness
fell they bivouacked In silence.
At 2:40 o'clock this morning they were or
dersd to creep forward silently toward the Boer
trenches. But the Canadians and Gordons
charged forward for 200 yards under cover Of
volleys from the Corn walls and Shropshirss.
The firing OF the Cornwalls and Shropshires
enabled the Canadians to entrench themselves
parallel to the Bosr trenches. Before dawn
there was a distance OF only thirty yards be-
tween the Canadians and the Beers and the
former were in such q position that they could
enflade the trenches.
The Beers made a brief but stubborn resist
ance In the semi-darkness. The only effect
this had was on the British extreme left where
part Of the Canadians scarcely had time to
erect cover. Daylight showed the Beers how
utterly indefensible their position was.
Neither tho British artillery nor the other
infantry divisions fred a shot. for the reason
that the Gordon had been 50 contracted that
there was danger Of hitting their owe men.
When the Beers hoisted the white flag Col.
Ewert OF Gen. Colville's staff responded and
entered the lager. lie asked the occupants
to pile their arms up and they quietly com.
piled. Then Col. Ewert sent Gen. Cronje's
message OF surrender TO Gen. Lord Roberts.
The Boer prisoners have been trekking into
the British camp all morning under escort,
crossing the river at Layers Drift,
OF the prisoners taken 1892 are Transvaal.
ers and 1927 Free Statsrs. In the former
number 40 Scandinsvians are included. and in
the latter As artillerists and 300 sappers.
These Boer officers. besides Gen. Cronie. are
prisoners: Major Albrecht, commander OF the
Orange Free State artillery, Commandments NJ.
J. Wolmarans. W. l. Wooste. J. J. Roos, J.
Martins. r. West and verster: Field Comets ].
snyman. J, II. Vande. j. II. l.. Bosnian. W. l..
Lemmer and Badenhorst, Adjutants J. s.
Maree. r. A. Aling and J. A. Botha: War Com.
missioner Arnolds and Acting Field Comets p.
V. Devilliers and g.. J. Duplessis.
The biggest commandos that surrendered
were the Potchestroom OF 100 men and the
Bloemfoutein OF 800 men.
CAPE Town. Feb. %. 2l5 p. M.-The Boer
prisoners captured by Lord Roberts include
Commandment Wolmaians. q mem ber Of the
Transvaal Executive Council. two members OF
the volksraad, and two sons Of Herr Fischer. a
member OF the Orange Free State Executive
Council. Gen. CronIe and Commandant VOL
marans are President Ringers frmest and
closest supporters. Wolmarans attended the
Bioemfon'ein conference.
LONDON, Marcel IA news agency despatch
from paarIeberg states that the women and
children in the Boer lager were uniniured,
except one cir. who was wounded on the tip
OF the finger. Three British officers and nino
soldiers who were prisoners In the lager dur.
ing the bombardment were all provided with
deep shelter holes and kindly treated. The
Bosrs are reported in full force to the south
west.
Gen. C%ronje's force numbered 400 odd.
The food In the laager was very scarce. and
most OF what remained was putrid.
Before the arrival Of the guard to remove the
prisoners the lager presented a pitiable sight.
The Beers were lying or sitting In groups.
Their faces were haggard and worn and nearly
all we're crying out for q drop Of spirits. The
lager had been practically destroyed.
Nearly all the Free Staters spoke English and
their main idea seemed to DO thankfulnessf for
their present dsliverancc. One OF them, shak.
ing his fist in the direction Of Gen. Cronje,
said
Damn you, you hard man you deserve to be
.tAt ~