Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-02-02
APPALLING Toss
TERRIBLS DEFEAT FOR THE
BRITISH AT SPION KOP.
Dead Left on the Battlefield Said to
Have Numbered 1,5O0-Buller
Retires to the Tuge1a.

bOER HEAD LAAGER, LadySmlCn,
Jan. 25.-The British dead left on the
battlefield yesterday, Wednesday,
numbered 1900.
LONDON, Jan. 29.-General Buffers
dispatch to the war office states that
Spion Kop was abandoned on account
of lack Of water and inability to
bring the artillery there and heavy
Boer fire. Butler gives no list of cas-
ualties. His whole force has retired
south of the Tugela river with the ev-
ident intention Of reaching Ladysmith
BY another route.
The week has opened with the ut
most gloom for the British and the re-
action is all the stronger because OF
the high hopes that were reposed in
General Buffers turning movement
and of his announcement that there
would be no turning back. At the
very moment when DR.. Leyds is being
received as an honored guest in the high
est circles on the continent, Great Brit
ain has to face the worst disaster in
campaign thus far disastrous. Open
talk is heard of the absolute necessity
of abandoning Ladysmith to its fate.
If Boer reports are to be credited, the
abandonment of Spion Kop was due to
the inability of the British to resist the
Boer attack, the Beers carrying the
first trenches and taking $50 prisoners.
As 1t required a month for Butler to
recover from his earlier defeat at
Colenso, it is not thought he can pull
his disheartened army together now in
time to do anything for Ladysmith.
London waits anxiously for the Beers
to move. They seem to be fighting on
livery definite plan, and it is thought
they may attack Butler or assault
Ladysmith.
Following is the text Of General
Buffers dispatch, dated spearman's
Camp, Jan, 81, 6:1o p. m.
"On the night of Jan. % Warren at
tackled Spion Kop but found it very
difficult to hold as its perimeter was
y
fcient.
1.-The crests were held all that day
against successive attacks and a heavy
she'll fire. Our men fought with great
gallantry.
GENERAL Woodgate, who was in
command at the summit, having been
wounded, the officer who succeeded
him decided on the attack of January
"a to abandon the position and did SO
before dawn Jan. Is. l reached War
ren's camp at a. m. on Jan. IS and
decided that second attack on Spion
Kop would be useless and that the en-
emy's crest was too strong to allow me
to force. Accordingly I decided to
withdraw the force to the south of the
Tugela."
LONDON, Jan. 2o-The situation at
other points is unchanged.
HEAD LAGER, Ladysmith, Jan. rs,
via Lorenzo Marquee, Jan. 26.-It is
reported here that as result of Long
Toms practice on Monday DR.. Jameson
was wounded in the leg.
New YORK, Jan. 2o.-There is COM
ment in Ladysmith on the discrepancy
between the Boer account of the re-
capture of Spion Kop and that sent by
Butler. The latter says not word
about the Beers scaling the hill and
attacking the British trenches and
capturing $50 men who had hoisted
the white flag, as at Majuba Hill. In
stead he spoke of the maintenance of
the "best traditions of the British
army" There is not much doubt that
the Boer account is correct. It Is by
no means boastful. 1t is believed that
the war Office has further dispa tches
which it is Withholding. For days
nothing has been heard from Lord
Dundonald and his mounted brigade
and it is rumored he has been cut off
on the upper Tugela. London mill
tary critics have given up the hope of
saving Ladysmith, which is undoubt-
edly short of food and ammunition.
The garrison went on short rations
December I'd.
LORENZO MARQUEE, Delagoa Bay,
Jan. 29.-It is reported on good Trans
vaal authority that Mafeking was re-
lieved last Tuesday.