The suburban citizen., 1900-02-03
BI:jULLER IN RETREAT.
BRITISH TROOPS UNABLE TO FACE
BoERS AT sPION KOP.
1900 DEAD ON THE FIELD.
Lamo Excuses of the Commander--Advise
War Office That He Approved Gen. War
ren's Movement, but That II Retreat be-
came Necessarynnd Withdrew His Whole
Force South OF the Tugela River

London. Eng. (By Gable. )-Gen. Sir
Charles Warren. with his British army di-
vision originally numbering about 10000
troops, has been forced TO retreat south of
the Tugela river Natal.
A dispatch from the Boer head lager,
near Ladysmith, states that tho British left
1900 dead on the battlefield Wednesday, the
day Of the lighting at Spion kop
The news OF General Warron's retreat
comes in an official dispatch from Gen. Sir
Redvers Butler, British commander-in-chiei
In Natal, sent from his headquarters at
Spearmans Camp.
Perhaps the remainder OF General Buffers
army, which was north of the Tugela, has
also retreated. The Generals dispatch says
he decided to withdraw "the force" to the
south side. This, taken with adjoining sem
tences, apparently refers only to Warren's
division, but is construed In some quarters
In London to mean Buffers entire force
1t is believed in London that II the re-
naming troops under Butler have not re-
treated already they must DO so soon.
All or part of General Lyttleton's brigade.
1t Is now known, went to the help of Warren
at Spion kop and shared 10 the reverse
all his available troops in trying to hold the
kop.
General Butler, It is stated, will probably
try next to force bis way to Ladysmith by
another route. He has tried the central and
western routes, and the only one left opNg
seems to be the one east Of Colenso, by way
OF Weenen.
change Of plans like this would prob
ably involve a delay Of perhaps month. In
the meantime Ladysmith might be forced to
surrender.
An opinion held IN London is that Gen
Sir George Stewart White, at Ladysmith,
win fire off all his ammunition, blow up his
cannon, break his rifles and then walk out
to surrender to the Beers.
The dispatches from correspondents with
the British army give no estimates of the
losses In fighting. The Boer statement that
l,500 were left dead on the battlefield We'd
nesday, it is said in London, may include
the wounded also.
The Boer account OF the Spion kop battle
intimates that the British really surprised
the Beers when they ascended the kop and
occupied one Of its ridges. The British also
intrenched themselves hurriedly, but the
Beers advanced on the trenches and after a
desperate fight caused the British TO abandon
the position. "AIany Beers were shot says
the dispatch, but 1t gives no figures
Dispatches from Spearman's Camp give
the British account Of the fight
The accounts are important as tending to
confirm the generally accepted belief that
the whole affair was a Boer trap. They
state that "the Beers had the ranges fixed
to nlcety" and that their first volley
"momentarily staggered the British The
resistance Of the small force OF Beers who
retreated from the position into which Gem
eral Warren advanced Is described as ''dis-
spirited" which indicates that they were
leading him on.
The failure OF General warren's move
ment must have been a great surprise to
General Butler. In an order to his troops at
the beginning OF the movement he used
these words; "Our generals will be given
only one order, namely, advance. There
will be no turning back"