Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-29

Butler has withdrawn his whole forces.
but 1t is generally assumed that Lytt!e-
toms brigade and Lord Dundonald's cav
airy and other troops are still ON the
north side Of the Tugela.
General Buffers confidence that the
Beers did not modest his retreat because
they had been taught to respect the
fighting powers of the British soldier is
not shared in London. 1t is thought
rather that the Beers had some other
plan in store or did not wish to waste
their men.
Large arrivals Of troops are due at
Capetown during the week. 4
There has been great activity in mil
ltary parts of England since Saturday
The war office, ANTICIPATING
a great crush at the opening of parlia,
ment. has placed restrictions upon visit
ars during the session.
The situation at other points is un
changed, but indications that Lord Rob-
erts is preparing plans for an advance
across the Orange river come in a dis
patch to the Daily Chronicle from Sterk.
strom, dated Jan. rs, which says that
'IneDlts, In important position near
'Stormberg, on the Stormberg-Rosemead
is now occupied by the British, who
are repairing the railway bridges.
The correspondent observes that this
Will facilitate communication between
General Gatacre and General Kelly-Ken-
ney.
Roer Headquarters, Modder Spruit, Up
per Tugela, Wednesday,, Jan. Il. mid
night, via Lorenzo Marques, Thursday.
25.-Some Vryheid burghers from the
outposts on the highest hills of the Spion-
kop group. rushed into the laager saying
that the kOp was lost and that the Eng
lish had taken it. Reinforcemen,s were
ordered up, bur nothing could be done for
some time, the hill being enve!ope.d in
thick mist.
At dawn the Heidelberg and Carolina
c~ontingents. supplemented from other
commandos, began the ascent of the hill.
Three spurs, p~recipitous projections faced
the Boer positions. Up THESE the advance
was made The horses were left under
the first terrace of rocks.
Scaling the steep hill, the Beers found
that the English had improved the OPP
portunity entrenched heavily. Be
tween the lines of trenches was an open
veldt, which had to be reached under a
heavy fire, not only from rifles but of lyd"
dyte and shrapnal from field
Tnree forces ascended the three spurs
co-Ordlnately, under cover of fire from
the Free State Krupps, a creusot and a
big Maxim. The English tried to rush
the Beers with the bayonet, but their in
fantry went down before the Boer rifle as
before a scythe.
The Boer investing party advanced step
by step until two in the afternoon, when
d WHlCe nag went up ana l5O men in the
front trenches surrendered, being sent as
prisoners to the head laager.
The Boer advance continued on the two
kopJes east of ~SDionkOp. Many Beers
We're shot. but so numerous were the
that s-.e gaps filled automatic
cally. Toward twilight they reached the
SUNNI Of the second kopje, but did not
get further.
The British MaXims belche@ flames but
a wall of fire from the Mausers held the
English back: Their center, under this
pressure, gradually gave way and broke,
abandoning the position.
The prisoners speak highly of the brav-
cry acf. the burghsrs who, despising
cover. stood against the sky line edges
of the summit to shoot the Dublin fusi-
leers. sheltered In the trenches.
Firing continued for some time and
when the fusi,eers and the light horse
serving as infantry threw up their arms
and rushed out of the trenches.
The effect Of the abandonment Of Spion-
kop by the English can hardly be gagged
as yet, but it must prove o be immense,
An unusually high proportion Of lyddite
shells did not explode.