The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-10
THE BRITISH REFUSED.
IN A JOINT ATTACK BY PlUMER AND
FROM MAFENNG.
THE Beers MORE AGGRESSIVE

Roberts Position-He Hemains Inac-
tive-Importance of the Victory at the
Observation-Disclosures Score Papers
Captured-The Burghers Anxious TO
March on Bloemfontein Desultory
Smelling OF Mafeking.
London, April 5.-A special dispatch
from Lorenzo Marques says sharp
borhood Of Mafeking. The garrison
made a sortie. while Colonel Plumer's
cavalry attacked the Beers al Rama
thlabama- Both attacks We're repuls-
ed. Twenty of Colonel Piumer's meu
were found dead on the field and six
others Were made prisoners. The
federal losses were small.
Pretoria, April Sin the fight OF
R~amathlabama. March 31st h follow
ing were taken prisoners:
Captains Crewe, Duncan-Robertsor
and McLarnen; CCrewe and Duncan
Robertson have since died); Staff Of
icers Cecil and Granville and nin sol.
diers, of whom six were wounded. The
prisoners all belonged to Colonel Plum.
er's R~hodesian force. Thaba N'Chu i:
now in possession of h federals
Forty-one British subjects were es'
corted across the border this morning
London, April st is thought tbs
officer named Cecil captured at Rama.
thlabama, is not Lord Salisbury's son
Lord Cecil. as the dispatch says he be-
longed to Colonel Plumer's force, AND
If the Beers had captured the premier
SON they would aSSuredly herald the
fact.
PLUMER'S DARING MARCH
Gaberones, Bechuanaland, Wednes'
day. March 2S.-Colonei Plumer, with
a force of British mounted infantry
started on a daring march Sunday
March 18th, with the object of threat
ening the Boer lines of communication
After two rapid night marches through
Transvaal territory, they arrived a
dawn March 9th within twelve mile.
of Zeerust and distinctly heard thu
bombardment of Mafeking. Having
reconnoitered the country with a view
of future operations without sighting
a single white man, Colonel Plume
crossed the railroad south of LobatSi
which he fOund in possession of a Boo
force, and returned to the vicinity o
Mafeking.
Rumors reach here thai a relief col
umn is approaching Mafeking from
h south.
NO CHANGE AT MAFEKING.
Mafeking, Friday, March 23.-Ther'
has been little excitement during tn
past week. The Boer shell fire come:
in fitful gusts and has little effect
The British casualties are almost nil
The Beers seem ITO be breaking VI
their main guard westward, but hav
taken up an entrenched position north
ward, with the view of preventing tn
approach of a relief. The sharpshoot
ers keep up a steady interchange o
fire. 1t is rumored that relief is near
The usual Sunday truce enables tn
garrison to continue playing cricke
matches.
Mshete, a native chief southwark
has broken out against the Beers
There was heavy firing in the direction
of his chief kraal March 22nd.
An Irish-American trooper of tn,
protectorate regiment has deserted t
the Beers. A reward of $50 las beef
offered for his capture. dead or alive.
RAIDTNG PARTIES OF BOER CAV
AIRY.
London, April 5.-Detached bodies o
Boer horse, numbering from 500 t
1000 each have appeared at severa
places to the southwark n eastward
of Bloemfontein, threatening the rail
road, but communication by rail anC
wire is not in the least affected. On,
of these forces is near S~pringfontein
on the East Bloemfontein railroad, an
General GatacreiS forces are reported
to be about to engage it. Lord Rob
erts, except to safeguard the railroad
seemingly declines to send column
| chasing the Boer bands. He is reserv
ing his cavalry n transport animal
for the forward movement.
ROBERTS INACTIVITY EXPLAIN
ED.
Explanations having indirect Origin
in the war office as to why Lord Rob
ertS is inactive, are that there ha
been a lack Of horses for re-mounts
but new horses are arriving by train
loads hourly. The pressure on the rail
road is so great that private parcel
and the officers newspapers have no
beer forwarded from Cape Town 70
three weeks. The situation in tn
Free State remains far from clear an'
is unsatisfactory to British observers.
INCREASED SICKNESS AMONG
PRISONERS.
The sickness among the Boer pris
oners at Simonstown continues TO in
crease. Five men died April 3rd. Tn
prisoners who were on board the trans
port Monaghan have been transferre.
to the shore camp. Unless the sick
ness abates, it is not likely h a NOR
prisoners will be e to St. Helena.
THE BOER AMBUSCADE.
Branford, Orange Free State, Mon
day, April 2.-Burghers who are re
turning here from the scene of the San
nas-Post ambuscade. (also referred [
as Karee and Korn spruit) furnish in
teresting details of the occurrence.
appears hat when the first retreatin
British wagon entered h drift tn
ambassadors shouted: Hands UP:
They eInoved the officers and let tn
cart through. This process was re
peated several times, till h wager
arrived in a bunch, when the use wa
discovered and d~iSorderly flight follow