Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-02
Col. BroadWocd's Command Ambush
ed East Of Bioemfontein,
LOST SEVEN PIECES OF ARTILLERY
Nearly All the Men of Two Bat
teries Missing,
BOERS At THE VAAL RIVER

LONDON, April ., 400 p.m--The war
office has received another dispatch from
Lord Roberts, dated at Bloemfontein, sun
day, April /. s:15 pm, in which, after re-
ferring to his previous telegram. he gives
a partial list of the missing British officers.
OF . Battery, four officers were wounded
two of whom are missing. One gunner was
killed and forty nOn-commiss.oned officers
and men are wounded missing. Lord
Roberts then continues:
In Battery all are missing except
Major Taylor and sergeant major. The
two cavalry regiments did not suffer so
much.
"A report has just come in that the
enemy has retired toward I.adyhrand leav-
ing twelve wounded officers and some
50 -nty men at the water works. We are
now sending an ambulance for them.
It will be noticed that in the foregoing
advices Lord Roberts says nothing i'll re-
gard to the British guns being recaptured.
Gen. Roberts First Dispatch.
The war office has received the following
dispatch from Lord Roberts. dated Rloem-
foutein. April /:
II received news late yesterday after
noon from Colonel Ercadwood who was At
Thaba N'CIu. thirty-cght miles east of
here. tina, information had reached him
forces. from tn" north and the east He
stated that If the report proved true he
would retire toward the water works. sew
euteen miles nearer Blctnfontcin, where
We have had a detachment uf mounted In
fSutry for the protection II the works.
.'Broadwood was told in reply that the
ninth div!si N with Martyr mounted III
fantTy Will march at daylight today 10
support him. aud that il he considered 1t
necessary rs should retire from the water
works. He moved there during the night
T...1TN
shelled by the enemy. VINO attacked on
three sides. He imrle diatcly dispatched two
horse artillery batteries and his baggage
toward Bl'rmfaEtr-n, covering scne OF
taem with his cavalry
Nm:,u~heG at "a Spruit.
some Two miles from ,ila water works
the road crosses a deep nu!lah, or spruit.
in which during NJ night a force Of Beers
had concealed themselves. - well were
they hidden that our leading scouts passed
over the d-ii, without discovering them,
and it was not until tho wagons and guns
were euJr.iras the lrifl that the Busrs
showed themselves and ..g'-Tled fire. Many
of the drivers IF the artillery horses We're
Immediately shot down at short range and
sCsrr;l nf the guns We're captured. The
remainder Eail"p.i away covered by
Roberts horse. which suffered heavily.
meanwhile Lirul gIGt CHCslermGstcrs of
REIning{ous Scouts found Il passage across
the spruit uuoceupt-d 10y the enemy. by
y
crossed. Tiny rgformrd with great steadi-
ness, notwithstanding all that had pre-
yfOuSly occurred
Broad woods report. which has just
reached me and which contains no details
stated that he had lost seven gUHs and al
his baggage. He estimated all his casual
ties at about 3Iu, including 2tln missing.
"On hearing This morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed. | imre diatelN
ordered G-n. French. with TWO remaining
cavalry brisades. to follow in support +"
he r7fp n 1ig-i.i be f.rf, To-
n.ticent march, arrived on the scene o
action sh"rliy after pm,
"Broadwpod's force consisted of th'
Royal Household cavalry, the 10th Hus
sars. q and L Batteries of the ROYAL Hors
Artillery and Filcher'z Battalion Of Mount
ed Infantry.
~ from 500" 10 10.nn'. with guns, the mum
her Of which is nut yet reported
Incidents of the Fight.
\ special dispatch from BIoemfonJcir
Gated today. says:
The loss IF tho guns was attended b
incidents Of splendid neroisrn. The leadn
tattcry was so near the Beers ambuscade
in the river bed that The latter said:
1T is useless. your attempting to ad
vance Throw down your arms
Tho sergeant # the battery. fearing IN
other battery would misunderstood The hir
drance. rushed through the convey an
warned his comrades. enabling the rcai
most battery To saw portion Of the gun:
which came into action later.
Life GUariSmen and a gunner got a gu
out under a tremendous hre, and four "Cf
@rs were saved by the men dragging thel
eff after their horses had been shot"
KIMBERLEY. SUNDAY, April There
great B1er activity along the Naal rive
About G.W0 burghers have assembled
various points between Fourteen Stream
and Chrstian!a- About 900 men are occt
pying Witrani. north Of Klipdam, and i,
men are idagvred at BOctSap