The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-05-11
A GENERAL ADVANCE
Eeavy and Continuous Fighting
All Along tie British Front.
C2y. HAMILTON OCCUPIES WIyBURC.
Hot EnEHEcncuts Sustained by Cen
erals HHrt"n aud PREet-RePOrt
from 6.rn. Roberts of Great
Progress All Along The Line.


Progress All Along The Line.
London. Nav The war office has
published the following dispatch from
lord Roberts, dated Vet River, Satur-
day. May >. .:I5 p. m:
Il marched here to-day with Pole
Carrw's division. Headquarters and
Wavcll'S brigade, of the seventh divi-
sion. are two miles in the rear. Max
wells brigade. of the same division, is
the same distance to our right.
BiN ouaCEinE Near the River Vet.
.The enemy are in considerable
strength on the opposite bank of the
river. Our guns engaged theirs for
some three hours without our being
ablC 10 force a passage of the river.
but. shortly before dusk the mounted
infantry. under Gen. Hutton, turned
the cnemy's right and i'm a very dash
ing manner. pushed across the river
under heavy shell and musketry fire.
I'VE are now bivOuacking for the
might within three miles of Vet river.
oar casualties. I hope, are not numcr-
Gus.
The Euemy Fled.
Hamilton was i'm action Yesterday.
nud succeeded i'm preventing junction
Cf two Boer forces by a wcll-eNccuted
movement 10y some of the Household!
cavalry. the Twelfth Lancers and
KitChencr's horse. who charged body
Of the enemy, and inflicted serious
loss The enemy fed, leaving their
dead on the field and their wounded
TO be attended hv our doctors.
"McDonald's Highland brigade dis.
lodged the enemy on the right flank,
unGer cover Of the naval guns, il
which operation the Black Watch dis
tineuiShed themselves, and were very
Ekilfully led.
''Iiamilt on was advancing this morn
inc 10 a difficult drift over the Kleinoet
river.
BRrten'S Rri=Hde Heavily Engaged.
Hunter reports that Barton'S bri-
Cade was heavily engaged this morn
ing two miles north of RoOidan. The
snemy'S position was quite four miles
Ioug. and strongly held. lie states
that our men marched maguifcently.
nnG carried ridge after ridge in grand
stvIc.
Casualties in this force. in HamiI-
tons and Hunters, will bc reported as
soon aS possible.
Capt. Miller. who was taken prison
er near Thaba N'Chu, has been sent TO
BUNDLES camp 10y the enemy. with 4
severe wound in the abdomen.
BrutHIIS Treated by the Beers.
and three men were captured. on May
.. while on patrol. and that one OF
them. who had been brutally ill-treat-
eel and left for dead by the Beers. was
found the following day.
Lieut.. Lilley. Victoria mounted
rifles, reported missing. was found NJ
Brandfort dangerously wounded. and
has been most carefully attended by
the Netherlands ambulance"
The Fight at the Vet River.
Yesterday the British. after a long
march. encountered the Beers holding
Vet river with six guns. two being of
long range. Nu artillery duel cnSued.
Meanwhile Gen. Hutton. after a share
engagement. crossed the river on the
left lust before sunset. The Beers re-
treated during the night
AH Artillery Duel.
Gen. Pole-Carew started. yesterday.
on ~ 19-miIe march. lie first came into
contact with Beers holding the river at
] y. IN. The British soon had two bat
terIeS in action. and later they added |
two naval nine-pounders, two ~ and
E-c-iuch siege guns.
''The Beers fired with great ac-
curacy. and the duel continued una
bated with a terrible din. until sunset, |
and even later there was dcSultOry fla |
ing. II was marvellous that nobody on |
the British side was injured.
Forced the Boers 4" Fall Back.
Gen. Hutton started early to find the |
drift west. When this was discovered |
81 proved 10 he strongly held and pro- |
tected by two guns. The British speed |
fly engaged the Beers, who entiladed |
the dismouuted firing line with a |
maxim. but Gen. Hutton pushed for
ward his own pom pom and gallOp- |
ing maxim. and forced the Beers To |
leave the river bed.
The encounter was terribly hot.
Later the whole British force crossed |
the river. threatening the Boer right.
The Beers must have received about
the same time news of Gen. Hamil-
tons occupation of Winburg.
Brilliant Capture nv Australians,
About sunset detachment of 20
Australians. who had crept unseen to-
ward the river bed. found themselves
near a kopie occupied by the Eoers.
After firing they fixed bayonets, and
capturing the koFie. All
R-S done on their own initiative.
The Whole BOcr Fcrcc Had Fled.
Thus night fell. Early this morn
rg IL was discovered that whole Boer
-orce had fed. Gen. Hutton, during
he night. had got two squsdrOns 10
Dlow up the line near SwaldseI.
The British discovered, yesterday,
II every hundred yards along the rail-
Nay concealed small packets of high
explosives. The Beers had destroyed
hree bridges over spruits between
lcre and Brandfort, but in every case
I was impossible TO make detour.
The Beers appear TO be fighting with
much less spirit. 1t is reported they
ire commanded by Gen. Lucas Meyer.
The bridge over the Vet river is COM
2lerely destroyed. Gen. Hutton cap
,uyed q maxim and took IL prisoners