The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-05-11
THE WAR IN
SOUTH AFRICA
Roberts Advance Ccn:ilueS--Bat-
tie of VT River.

LONDON, May Tho capture of Win
burg by the British is confirmed aud the
main advance 20 Pretoria continues with
the machimc-lii;c precision and rapidity
which has characterized al Lord Rob
crts' forward movements. BY the occu-
patton of Winhu.g, General I'm Hamil-
ton has put himself nearly parallel with
Lord Roberts and crly - miles cast.
ward, while he ha; the additional adj
vantage Of being connected with his
chief 10y means of the railroad that runs
from Smaldeel or Wiuburg road sta
ton, IS 1t Is sometimes called to Win
burg.
The only feature Of tho carefully de-
VlScd plan OF general advance that is
not disclosed by Chc swift Developments
Is the part that Butler has elected to
take i'll tho Operations. At present there
are no indications of any movement on
the Part of the Natal army. Doubtless
few days CT less will bring ont the
British line Cf ;;Stion before the Big
garsburG.
Lord Roberts is now miles north of
the Vet and 63 miles north of Bloemfon-
TEN. The BUrrS seem anxious to re-
treat to Ar1OnSt2At and are doing 80.
ut the tive ;,ni ,;i patch is sont there
Is nothing new flo:n General Hunter,
but 1t Is presumed he i p!S!ing steadily
forward III the d.rcCtirn of Mafcking,
aided by tic GT,crt.S,iNClC > of Blr,on'S
and Pages bYga;lrS.
The critics Of the afternoon ncwSDa-
pcrS view the situation with the great.
est Satisfaction. y Dispatch from Small
dcci gives "details ot The occupation Of
Ninlurg - IL" British. Ii says:
"NeWS has Jus, cnn" here that Gon-
cral Hamilton is giving the Beers no
rest and that they are falling back hrr-
rHdiy. He has entered. Winbrg after
brisk fight, i'll which the Beers fell
Dach so qnictIly that one OF their guns,
III addition toa Maxim, was abandoned. "
The same dispatch describing the
crossing Of the Vet river by the British
says:
The Bocr forces, Cntrenchcl OF the
opposite bank, prepared to contest the
crossing. Our gunS were brought into
play and 4 terrific shell fire was directed
on the Blcr lines. At tn" SAM time
the ttuccnSlandcr.i, Und2r Il heavy fire.
dashed across tho river, and, advancing
IN the open, completely turned the Boc.
right.
at was dusk, bat no.hing could sto,.
the gallant Australians. They pushed
va s'r~'ii; i"S't tiit COMMANDING kDIlS
ana by brilliant movements and cOutin.
uous rife fire drove OF th" enemy in the
darkness. The first glcam of the diwI,
found the enemy Ill full flight and our
men after tl"m and by O'Clock we en-
tered this Important strategic point"
y dispatch from Bo:hoT says Genera!
Methu"n made II reconnaissance from.
there To the neigh hbnrhDod of Siartliop-
pic$fontcin, locating the Bocr laager.
After an uninIrortaut exchange of fire
the B1"rI removed their laagrr.
a fairly strong force of Beers was
seen moving n0rthward. General Me
thucn then returned to Boshon.
Lord Roberts reports to the war office
III dispatch from Smaldcvl as follows:
eve crossed the Vet river Sunday
and arc now Cncampcd at Sma!uccl
Junction. The enemy il III full retreat
toward IaTd river and kroonS.alt.
"Ihc naval guns and tho artillery
made excellent practice, particularly
two 5.inch guns, used for the first time
with this force. We captured q Maxim
and 25 prisoners. Our casualties were
very small-only 10 wounded, one killed
and 3 missing.
The British army arrived here with.
out opposition. The Beers last train
left late Saturday night Tho Boor
losses OH the west flank were 40 killed.
The rear guard remains behind kopiys
10 miles distant. There is much rail
way tovaCo and cora here. Ii is stated
that the Beers arc retrcating toward
Kroonstadt. The Zand river bridge is
reported to have been destroyed"