Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-02-22
COLENSO RETAKEN,
PLACE is OCCUPIED BY GENERAL
HART AFTER LITTLE FIGHTING.

Beers Leaving Positions In British Terri
tory to Defend Their Own-Massing to
Prevent Roberts Advancing Into Trans
vaal Territory-Retrent of Cronje.
LONDON, Feb. 21.-News has been re-
celved here that General Hart has occu-
pied Colenso after slight engagement.
LONDON, Feb. 21.-The Beers are
leaving all the positions held by them on
British territory and are concentrating
for the defense of their own. Sir Red
vers Butler thinks they are about to
raise the siege of Ladysmith and this is
the large news Of the day.
General Clements reports that the
forces confronting him are greatly
diminished. Ten thousand men are
estimated to have gone from the Coles
bnrg district alone. The Beers are also
retracing their steps from Zululand.
Thus they are relaxing their hold on all
sides in order to assemble to oppose
Lord Roberts. He is pressing on stead
lily toward Bloemfontein. This is
shown by his inconsequential telegram
from Paardeberg, so or 60 miles away.
Doubtless he is miles behind the column
that is pursuing the Beers and the next
important news may be the occupation
of Bloemfontein.
Think Cronje Has Got Away.
Nothing has been heard from the
chase of Cronje for two days. Although
the last words of the war office were
that there was no news for publication,
there is strong disposition to believe
that favorable information has been re-
ceived, but is being withheld until the
operations culminate in something more
conclusive. There is an equally strong
disposition to think that General Cronje
has got away. Owing to the lack of
transport, the British are not likely to
invade Boer territory except where
Lord Roberts is operating. General
Butler will have to stop at the Drakens-
berg mountains Probably part of his
10000 men will ultimately join the
legions of Lord Roberts.
If, as General Butler AYERS, the Beers
are retreating from him, then the news
on every side is favorable to the British.
4>ON CA VASASsS tAoOpS COuUluu6 CO go up.
The war office thinks that the call to
veterans to rejoin the colors, together
with the bounty, will bring $4,000 men
to the home defense. The urgency
with which home defense is pressed ex-
| cites some wonder
With the casualties just reported the
British losses in killed, wounded and
captured aggregate 11,1O2.
Beers Capture Rich Supplies.
A Daily Mail correspondent who was
with the British convoy attacked by the
Beers at Riet river ford, wires:
Ultimately the British abandoned
the convoy, in order not to check the
advance. Thus 200 wagons and 900
tons of stores fell into the hands of the
Beers, though it is doubtful if they will
be able to carry them away
General Butler has achieved a real
success seemingly in capturing the
range of hills south of the Tugela. It
makes more feasible another attempt to
relieve Ladysmith. The queen has sent
direct message to Lord Roberts con
graduating him and his troops Gen
eral French and Colonel Kekewich have
been acquainted with their promotions.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily News, telegraphing Sunday, says:
Lord Methuen' S force, 1 learn, has ar
rived at Kimberley, having got through
from Magersfontein without fighting"