The sun., 1900-01-03
BRITISH SXS WIN AGAIN
.Boer Forces Reported Beaten
at Their Lager at
y Sunnyside.
THE BATTLE OF COLESBURG
General French Reports That He
Took the Beers Completely by
surprise.-Feyer and Dysen-
terry Are Now Rampant
I'm Ladysmith.

London, Jan. 2.-The war Office has
received the following from Cape Town:
"Colonel Pitcher reports, through the
officer commanding at the Orange river:
at have completely defeated hostile
command nt the Sunnyside laager this
day, Jan. ], taking the lager and 90
prisoners, besides the killed and wound
ed. Our casualties were two priyates
killed and Lieutenant Adie wounded.
Am encamped at Dover farm, 20 miles
northwest Of Belmont and 10 miles from
Sunnyside.'
A dispatch from Dover farm, dated
Jan. l, says:
"a mounted force consisting of 100
Canadians OF the Toronto company and
200 Queenslanders, commanded by Colo
mel Richards, two guns and horse bat.
terry under Major De Rougemont, 40
mounted infantry under Lieutenant
Ryan, and 200 OF the Cornwall Light
200 Queenslanders, commanded by Colo
mel Pitcher, left Belmont yesterday at
noon on a march westward, covering 70
miles before sunset.
"The force encamped at Cooks farm,
where the troops were welcomed en-
Enthusiastically. AT 0 o'clock this morning
the force approached spot where a
langer OF the Beers was reported. Colo
mel Pitcher, on approaching the position,
which was a line OF strong koples, de-
tached Major De Rougemont with the
guns, Torontos and mounted infantry to
work toward the right, making turning
movement himself, with the Queensland
ers, toward the south position.
I'M gsHNaV VNF.Nn
cess. The British shells were the first
indication Of the presence OF the troops
The Beers left their laaSer and opened
fire, but the Qucenslanders completing
The movement, the laager was captured
with 40 prisoners. The British casual
ties were two men killed, three wounded
and one missing. The whole force work
ed admirably. .S'he two men killed be
longed to the Queensland contingent.
General French's Victory.
The success Of General French's col
umS is at length confirmed officially, III
war Office issuing "A dispatch from Cap
Town, dated Jan. ], as follows;
"French reports at = p. m. today iron
Coleskop by heliograph as follows:
"'Leaying at Rensburg, holding III
enemy in front, half Of the First Suffolk
and a section OF the Royal Horse artil
lery, started thence at in the after
noon, Dec. 81, taking with me five squad
rons OF cavalry, half OF the Second Berk
and so mounted infantry Infantry cal
ried in wagons) and ten guns. l halte
for four hours at MaidOr's farm and n
3.30 this morning occupied the kopJ
overlooking aud westward Of Coiesber;
The enemy's outposts were taken con
pletely by surprise.
"'At daylight we shellCd the laage
and enfladed the right Of the enemy
poeition. The artillery FIRE in reply wa
very hot from - FOUNDER using Roy'
laboratory ammunition and other gun
We silenced the guns on the enemy
right flank, demonstrating with cavalr
and guns 10 the north Of Colesberg, Z
awrd the junction. where a strong laag'
OF the enemy was holding hill and
position southeast Of Colesberg as far q
the junction.
Beers Retiring.
"Our postion cuts the line Of retrei
via road and bridge. Some thousands
Beers with two guns are reported to
retiring toward Noryals Pont. All Rer
ington's scouts proceeded toward Achte
land yesterday morning. Slight casua
ties. About three killed and few woun
ed. Details later"
Brief independent messages from Ken
burg, filed the evening OF Jan. ], su
plement General French's dlspat'
slightly. According TO them, the Briti'
were still shelling the Boer position
s o'clock Monday evening and expect'
to enter Colesberg at once.
The British losses were three men III
ed and seven wounded. No ONCE
were killed or wounded. The Beers a
supposed TO have suffered heavily FRO
the .cy Of the British artillery hl
General French's statement that
Beers were using Is FOUNDER and Wo
wich ammunition evidently refers TO
OF the British guns captured az storl
berg.
The Boer strength in the engageme
with General French was estimated
from 5000 to 1000 men.
While the afternoon newspapers
disposed 10 overrate the brilllancy
General French's success, II VIII don
less have a good moral effect, ana
promptly followed up, as seems hk.
from the fact that Remingtons guie
are already advancing on Achterlann'
NAV result In securing NorvaIs 10
thus gaining an important stiate7
vantage, as thence General French
probably x>-lble TO threaten Bethr
bridge, which is the main line OF retr'
for the Beers facing General Gatacre.
situntion NJ Modder River.
Other official dispatches, dated Jan.
saw General Methucn's position is
H changed.
Sir Charles Howard Vincent colonel
the Westminster volunteers. has failed
mass the medical examination necessi
~ qualify him 10 command the city
london infantry division bound
south Africa. The command OF I
corps must, therefore, be given TO
other.
!. Mr. Harry McCalmont, the well kno
r sportsman. has been ordered To- 30
Africa with the Warwiekshire militia
Mr.. George Lynch, the newspaper
respondent who was captured outside
I.adyspnitb and imprisoned at freto
has been released ard has asEiVsa
rrit-enro Msr1nss--
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