The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-31
THE WAR In AFRICA.
The Greatest Defeat England
Has Suffered Since York.
town.

dispatch TO the war ofice states that
Spion kop was abandoned on account
Of lack Of water. inability to brirg
artillery there aud the heavy Boer
Gre. Gen Butler gives no Est OF
cssosl:ies. His whole force with
drew south Of Tugels river, with the
evident intention of reaching Lady.
smith BY another route
Following 10 the text Of Gen Bul
lsr's dispatch. dated Spesrmsn's
osnp. Saturday. Jan ~. 6 l0p m :
"Oo Jan 20 Wsrren drove back the
enemy aod obtained possession Of the
southern cvesls Of the bill and table
land extending from tho line Of Acton
Hooes 10 Hongersport to the
western Lsdysmish hills From then
20 Jss Is he remained in close con
tract with tho enemy The enemy
hsld strong position on . range Of
snsll kopjss stretching from north
west 10 southeast, sososs the plateau
ftod Acton Homes. through Spion
hop. 10 Che left bank Of the Tugels.
"The actual position held Was per
Ssctly tsnsbls, bot did not lend itself
60 an sdvsncs. % ihs southern slopes
vsrs % steep thst Wsrrsn could not
Uss su effective artillery position, and
wstes supply ives . difficulty
''0n Jsn % ssssnted TO bic attack
ing 0pion kop. large bill. (indeed. .
oountaio). which wss evidently the
ksy VI the position. bot was fer more
seesssible from ,bs north than from
. he south
"On she night of Jan 2S be attacked
Spion kop but found IL very diflcul,
to bold. % its periometer wss too
lasge. end wslsr. which he had been
Ied 20 believe existed In this extraor.
dinsry dry season. wss found very
e6enoisus.
"The cresis we're held oil that day
sgsinst severe attacks sod q heavy
she'll Ore Our men fought with
great gallsntry would especially
mention the conduct Of the Second
Csmeronsian and the Third Kings
Rifes. Who supported the attack on
che mountain from the steepest side.
end IN each case fought their way to
the top and the Second Lancashire
Fusiliers and Second Middlesex.
Who msgnifioently msintsined the
beet traditions Of the British army
shrosghout the trying day Of Jan "a
and ThoFnyoroft's mounted infantry
Who fought throughout The day equal
~ veil alosgside Of them
"Gen WoOdgase. who was in com.
Dsud st the summit having been
wounded the officer who succeeded
bin decided on tho night Of Jan "a
10 sbsDdon the position. and did 90
before dawn, Jsu rs
81 reached Wsrren's camp st 5 q
=. 90 jan 2h and decided that q
second attack upon Spion kop was
ss~less and that the eDemy's right
wss too strong TO allow me to force
IT, Accordingly. ! decided to with.
rev the force TO the south of the
dugela. Az 6 . m We commenced
Withdrawing the train. and by ga
-. Jan q Saturday. Wsrrsn's force
was concentrated south of the Tugela
without the loss Of man or . pound
Of stores F
"The fsot that the force could
withdraw from actual touch lit some
csses the lines were less than .
thoussud yards spart-with the enc
~ In the msuuer is did 10, ] think.
so@cient evidence Of the morale of
tho troops. end that We were permit
ted TO withdraw our cumbrous OK
end mule transport across the river
% ysrds broad. with 20 foot banks
eod very swift current unmolested
V. l think. proof that the enemy hes
been taught to respect our soldiers
Sighting powers "
DuringNt the morning and the earlier
part OF the afternoon . plscard, bear
ing the words. "No news" hung on
sAe iron railing in front Of the war
oHoe, end the shiveriDg sen,ries who
stood gnsrd on Pail Mall 10 the rain
and sleot had the district oil to them
selves About s p N however. the
plscsrd wss taken in, and on the
bu!letin boards inside. Gen Buller's
long dispatch was displayed.
The Sunday papers issued extras.
bot only the fsintest interest was
manifest on the streets At the ser
vice clubs the situation. "a revealed
BY Gen Butler. was considered very
unpleasant HE excuses or explans
tions were characterized az very
weak. The absence of water. which
Sir Charles Warren was "led to be
Iieve" existed. and the facts tha,
Spion kop was "indeed q mountsln"
and that its "perime,er was too