The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-23
FRS' BRAVE STAND.
ssu,a Fslhus Under Terrific Bonn
,.,,l But Think Not Of Surrender.
En,nlEps THROW LyDDlTt SHELLS
\ rroducc n Poisinous Gns In
~ the River where Lies
y 4. devoted Dutch Army.

.a,herg Orange Free State, Tues
y,aruary %. Monday morning broke
!, ~ Beers in the same place. They
,.r,nr the night built entertainments
!, A. lager, which was still threat
/, i General Smith-Dorien. The in
,,.ted after the terrible hard days
IN On Sunday.
4. mounted infantry and ba terry of
4, artillery started to observe the
y, xho was holding kopje, but
. ,i1Ing around the southern side OF
pvls they received heavy fusllade
|; ,re obliged to move further out.
q attained no casualties. Pushing on.
knschment found that the kopje ex-
IN considerable distance westward,
k,r gradually to the plain. They
En- good defensive position, which
4 rarrlsoned. They continued the
krsnl and completely turned the
N whose left was held strongly by a
a house. which was vigorously shelled.
kshlle.. desuLtory bombardment OF
4 sar position was kept up and a good
q /, rine fire concentrated where the
VA we're attempting to rush up the
n About midi the cry That Gen
French had arrived was passed down
rurks, but his division operated out
,,h Of our force When Lord Roberts
-ei he addressed several regiments
vas vigorously cheered.
Nil IN the day General Cronje asked
(, twenty four hours armistice in or
10 bury his dead. Lord Kitchener re-
!. and little later came another
s.sngsr with word to the effect that
i British were inhuman enough to re-
piu armisticr for the purpose of bury
ma dead, General Cronje saw no other
nite but TO surrender Upon receipt
lis message Lord Kitchener proceeded
Ae Bosr lager in order to arrange
Apitulation, but he was met by q
'snger, who said that General Cronje
I.ct the slightest intention of surren-
'as but would fight until lie died.
vial Kitchener returned and ordered
Nmbardment 1f-tho Beers position.
h held batteries and a Howitzer bat
took possession directly in front OF
hager and begun terrible accurate
{. the Howitzers using lyddite shells
u. The Beers were seen retiring from
breaches to the river bed in order 70
cover, but no cover could pro eot
j from such accurate and deadly fire.
Howizers especially dropped lyddite
! with marvellous precision into the
bed Of the river and the trenches
non filled with terrible fumes and
D smoke, but the enemy held grimly
L exploding lyddite shells raise dgreat
b Of green smoke, completely filling
hsd Of the river. The shrapnel burst
be edge Of each bank. except for a
| space, where the proximity of the
Isa Infantry made It dangerous. Our
Is searched every bush and every ra-
~ the river bed. The enfilading guns
I have done terrible execution. The
vas deatening, yet with a spirit Of
pifate madness nav and again thu
Is would attempt to snip the naval
which were firing at a range of 1000
The long line of three batteries
I'd forth death, while on each side lay
Attalicns Of infantry, whose MaXims
'sd petty beside the roaring big guns.
81 loss the Beers suffered is not yet
'stds somsthiug tragic in the stern
y Ise which General Cronje is hope
Illering. II is impossible not to adj
rs pluck; but all condemn the wick
y Of uselessly sacrificing the lives
: brave followers.
non, February 2S.--The Times says
rally: THE fact that the Beers start
reinforce General Cronje from Natal
ago Is an additional reason why Lord
US should finish with him as prompt
5 possible. Small bodies of Beers,
as have already been broken up. are
very formidable, but large body
guns and supplies would call for
~ treatment, in which no doubt Gen.
french would lind congenial work.
ROBERTS at present has the advantage
Jug nearer his base than the Beers
thelrs. but that advantage will be
"a IN proportion to his eastward
ess, and 1t is important that bodies