The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-06-15
AN ENGLISH DISASTER.
A Battalion Killed, Wounded or
Prisoners Except Six Privates.
Boer Report says THAT the british
Have Been Defeated with Con-
siderable Loss st Donkers-
poort-Other War News.

London, June iO.--Gen. Forester.
Walker cables TO the war Office from
cape Town. under date OF June sth,
A. follows:
"kelly-kenny. at Bloemfontein. re-
ports that the telegraph has been cut
az Roodeval. north OF Kroonstad. by
body of Beers estimated TO 2,OOG
strong with six field guns. lie Is
sending achievements 10 Kroonstad
md am reinforcing from Cape Colo
ny. ! hope the interruption will TO
only temporary"
London, June 1.-The Beers have
torn mp n miles OF Lord Rob
rrts' vital line OF railway between
America Siding and Roodeval. II Is a
bold raid aud vexatious. but IL does
not disquiet the military authorities
as YET, for they expect Gen. Kelly
Kenny 10 drive on the marauders and
20 reopen the line.
London. June i2.-Iicut. Gen. SIR
Frederick Foresticr-Walker. in COM
mand Of the lines OF communication
IN south Africa. reports that in the
disaster 20 the British troops June :.
a. koodcsal, where the Beers cut
Lord Roberts line OF communications,
the ith battalion Of the Derbvahirc
regiment were all killed. wounded or
made prisoners. except six enlisted
men. Two officers and IS men were
killed and officers and - men were
wounded. many OF them severely.
The Beers returned the wounded
Co the British. The officers killed
were Lieut.. Col. Baird-Dosglas and
Lieut.. nawiey.
The wounded inc.side Col wilkins
aud Lieut.. blanchard. of the Cana
dian infantry.
II 4 inferred that the Beers cap
turcd over 500 men. and a. late as
June 10 held positions cutting of the
British forces north OF Kroonst ~
from reinforccmcnts.
The news that the shutting on 81
lord Roberts communication with
the outer world was accompanied by
such "a serious loss comes like "a bolt
from "a comparatively clear sky. In
London. until the news came. IL was
thought that destruction of the rail-
road was accomplished by Free
skaters. who were avoiding. rather
than aunihiiating. che lir .sh de-
inchmeuts stationed az the point at
tackled. Nor are Gen. Forester Wal
kcr's vague statements REQ riding Me-
thucn aud the situation az Hebron
looked upon as rcassurinR. The Io.rs
U.. d.
completely separate an fhc British
forces north and south Of line
stretching some 90 miles between
Roodcsal and Hebron. Mcthucn's
march upon the latter place seems
somewhat in the nature of move
mcnt for the relief Of Colsille. The
only British officer left at Iloodeyal
appears 90 be the doctor in charge
OF the hospital. which is full OF
wounded.
What has happened 10 the troops
Immediately north Of Roodeyal Il still
q matter for con lecture.
London. June i2-Fify thousand
british troops are within half hurk
drcd miles Of the marnuding Beers
north of kroonstad. and they ure *
pected. OF course. to make short work
OF them. Nevertheless. outside of the
slender war Office kilograms. no one
knows what Is going on. South OF
Kroonsfad there h "A wide gap. The
railway h only partially defended.
and a. Gen. kelly-Kcnny has hurried
all the available troops norihward.
the assumption j. that there Is dan
ger of a second raid. The loss OF the
Dcrbyshires Is estimated at from 600
TO 700 men.
\ Reuter- dispatch from Maseru.
dated June II. s;35 p. m, says; "Fif-
teen hundred Beers surrendered 10
Gen. Brabant to-day In the Ficksburg
district"
Machadodorp has been officially pro-
claimed the capital Of the Transyaal.
A Lourenco Marques Dispatch says the
village has swollen into a small city.
the majority of the new Inhabitants
living In tents.
An official Boer telegram asserts
that the British have been defeated
with considerable loss az Donkers-
poort. In the southern extremity OF
the Free State. or OranRe River Col
nny, ten miles from Noryelspout. IL
was thought that this district had
been cleared OF Beers and rebels long
,go The Beers still cling To Laing's
Mex. hut Gen. Buffers forces are still
working far around in that direction.
Lord Roberts has wired Cape Town
that prior to "Wednesday he liberated
i5i officers and $500 of the rank and
lle The Beers consequently took of
only 900.
Food is still scarce at Mafeking. but
he railroad is nearly rpaired. Seven
ty-two rebels have been arrested in
he Nergberg and Mafeking district.
Sixty-fve were marched into Mafe-
King nv two of their late prisoners at
Mostia.
The seat brought $4,000.
New York. June i0.--A cotton ex-