The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-27
BOERS NOT ENTRAPPED.
THEY ESCAPE FROM THE COLUMNS 40
VANGING ON THEM.
THE SIEGE OF WEPENER RAISED
The British Drive the Enemy from De
Vets Dorp - Heavy Fighting with
Forced Back-Heavy Marching of the
British Relieving Forces - Dalgetty
Severely yAttacked-TheI Irish-Ameri-
can Brigade.

London. April 25.-The war office has
received the following dispatch from
Lord Roberts:
"Bloemfontein. April 25.-Pole-Ca-
rew's division reached Roode kop yes
terday evening without casualties. Its
advance was covered by cavalry and
horse artillery which drove the enemy
with heavy loss, their dead being left
on the ground. The mounted troops
halted for the night at Groontfontein
and at 7:30 O'Clock this morning were
crossing the Modder river at Valsbank,
in accordance with my instructions to
French to endeavor to place himself
astride the enemy's line of retreat.
| French's arrival near the Modder ev-
identity, however, alarmed the Beers.
for they evacuated their strong posi-
ton near De Vets dorp during the
night and it was occupied by Cherm-
sides division, this morning.
The mounted infantry under Cen
| eral Hamilton drove the enemy off the
| kopjeS in the neighborhood of the
waterworks without casualties on our
| side.
THE Highland brigade marched
| twenty-four miles yesterday to sup
! port General Hamilton and halted for
| the night at Kip kraal, four miles
| short of Sannas-Post.
| "Brabant and Hart are still a few
| miles short of Wepener and the num-
bers of the enemy appear to have some
! what increased during the last few
| days; but it is not likely there will be
| more trouble in the neighborhood of
Wepener once De Vets dorp is occu-
! pied by our troops"
The war office has issued the follow
| ing from Lord Roberts dated Bloem
( fontein, April 25th, 1925 p. m:
] THE enemy retired from in front Of
| Wepener last night and this morning
| fled northeastward along the Lady
brand road. Their number was be-
| tween 1000 and 5000
| Lord Roberts has telegraphed the fol-
| lowing message to the war office:
! "Bloemfontein, April 25-De Vets dorp
| was occupied by Chermside, without
| opposition, at $50 o'clock this morn.
| ing"
FRIDAYS FIGHTING AT DE VETS
DORP.
De Vets Dorp, o. F. S., Saturday.
| April 21.-When General De Vets
scouts announced on Thursday even
| ing that General Kelly-Kenny and
General Rundle's column was advanc-
| ing on De Vets dorp, he sounded up
| saddle and moved with the Ficks-
burg command and Generals Cronje,
! Olivier and Vessels to intercept their
! march. This was successful Friday
| morning. The British occupied the
grassy hills at Taljard's farm and De
| Wet those Immediately southwes- OF
! De Vets dorp, facing the British.
! Cronje delayed occupying an impor-
tant hill which the British took at
| noon.
A. o,oIoo,- ,,as,ordo,, r;aa 6ripo
commenced briskly. The British had
made trenches and had thrown up
schanzes. At IL O'Clock the Free State
cannon and Maxim guns opened fire
| and the former constantly dropped
| shells into the British camp. Darkness
stopped the fighting, until IL o'clock,
! when the Bethlehem men on the eX-
! t-eme right heard some British in their
| immediate vicinity and opened fire.
| Their commandant stepped out into
| tine darkness and discovered a wounded
man and fifteen British, who declared
they had lost their way while search
| ing for water. At daybreah thirteen
| more British strayed into camp.
In the morning the British started
| an outf1anking movement, sending a
| large body of horse to the hills south
| of De Vets dorp. General De Wet i'm
mediately dispatched General Vessels
| with three cannon to head off the
| British and the latter, having no can
non, were forced to return to camp.
| - the main positions a constant
.dnnonade was maintained but there
7 was little rifle fire.
The British camp was observed at
| sunset to be hastily packing up and
was subsequently removed behind the
| hills, the troops in the Schanzes firing
volley after volley to distract attention
| from the camp, which was seriously
| damaged by the Free State shells.
The prisoners declared the British
| numbered $4,000 men.
| Lieutenant LOsberg, of the artillery,
| was shot through the head, leg and
| arms but continued at the guns, and
| Field Cornet Englebrecht was killed
| while standing up and giving orders.
The loss during the two days was three
| killed and twelve wounded. The Brit
ish loss is unknown. but where their
| right flank was driven back today, a
number of dead were left on the field.
General Kelly-Kenny's left was beaten
back yesterday and his right today It
is expected that he will wait reinforce
ments.
Aiiwai North, Tuesday. April 24.-It
| is reported that firing has been heard
| between Zastorn and Wepener, and IT
is believed that Generals Brabant and
Hart are in contact with the enemy.
| The Beers are so numerous that II
took them two days to cross the Cal
edon river at Bastard;s drift
BOERS ADVANCE ON BRITISH
Maseru, Basufoland, April 24.-On
the breaking up of the bivouac this
morning, Generals Brabant and Hart
discovered that the Beers who fell
back towards Wepener yesterday, had
advanced during the night several
miles nearer to Strauss farm. which is
q favorable position for resistance
colonel Da1getty was severely at
tackled with six guns this morning.
| probably with view of preventing
him assisting the relief column. 1t
seemed yesterday that Dalagetty had
practically been relieved, but the Of
fensiye attitude assumed by the Beers