The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-20
Guns Of Relief Column at cOlenso and
Springfield Were Music
BFLFAGUEERD AT LADYSMlNH
Giving Assurance That the victOri-
Gus British Troops Would
Believe the Garrison

general Butler is said to be within
twelve miles of Ladysmith and General
Warren to be about six miles to the
rear,
LADYsMITH, Wednesday, Jan. ~
via spearman's Camp, Jan. 1s.-Every-
thing Is quiet. The position Is un-
changed and there is very little bonn
harding.
The welcome sound Of the guns OF the
relief column was heard yesterday from
colenso and Springfield.
The heat is intense, but there isno In
crease in sickness.
LONDON, Jan. 2O.-The Daily Mall
publishes the following dispatch dated
Thursday from spearman's Camp:
ut is rumored that the Beers have
evacuated colenso in order to reinforce
their troops here. Heavy gun fire was
heard from Ladysmlth this morning.
General Buffers order lnstructs the
men to heed the white flag OF the Beers
only when they lay down their arms.
1t also instructs them to beware Of false
bugle calls"
The Standard publishes the following
dated Thursday. from spearman's FARM:
1T is reported that the Beers opDo-
site Colenso on finding that Gen. Butler
had out-msnoeuvred them. crossed TO
the south of the Tugela on Monday and
set fire to all the houses in the village.
"As the force from chleveley ad-
yanced the Boers retired before them
to trenches on hill In line with colen-
so. Our infantry advanced to the at
tack In skIrmishlng order. followed by
supports and reserves, our cavalry
scouting on the right close up to the
river. The Boer forces at Colenso must
have been considerably weakened by
the despatch of large reinforcements
westward to meet General Buffers I'D
vance, and they now hurriedly evacu-
ated the river trenches and ths kopjes
opposite the village and scattered be-
fore our shrapnei. BY evening none Of
the enemy was left within rife shot Of
colenso. The British force then retired
to chleveley."
LONDON, Jan. 20, $3.50 a. m.-Every
hour that General Butler delays his
combined attack makes his position
stronger. Transports continue to ar
rive at Durham and fresh troops are
being sent up the line to reinforce
those in front of colenso. 1t appears
that General Buffers troops north of
the Tugela number at least $4,000 and
possibly 25,OOO with fifty guns. His to-
tai forces, forming n great outer
curve south and west Of Ladysmlth,
probably number 10000.
While General Buffers forward oper-
atlons, which began on January 10. de-
velop rather leisurely. the Beers np-
pear to be fully aware that they must
meet strenuous assault. Balloon OBJ
servers have roughly estimated that
10000 Beers are using spade and pick in
artifcIaIly strengthening positions
which nature has rendered easy Of de-
tense.
Military critics in touch with the
war office think that news that general
lighting has begun may be expected at
any hour.
1t is not thought that one days fight-
ing will settle the fate Of Ladysmith,
but rather that there win be two or
three days of continuous fighting.
LONDON. Jan. 2O.-The Times has
the following dispatch, dated Thurs
day, from Pieters rltEburg;
General Buurrs wagon train IS
nineteen miles In length and embraces
four hundred wagons and 5000 animals.
As some OF the drifts arc narrow and
muddy, only one wagon is able to cross
at a time. The officers nre betting two
to one that Ladysmith will be relieved
tomorrow FridGy.)"
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph,
dated Thursday, from spearman's
Camp, describes the dlaacultIes of the
march. owing to the unwieldy baggage
column, Including all the tents and
sheep. over bad roads In wet weather
The correspondent then goes on to
say:
Some 10000 Beers arrived in the vi
cInlty of Potgletcr's Drift on Thursday
and Friday OF last week and began the
erection OF extensive and formidable