Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-02
Thanked BoER POSITION
Details of Victory of Gen. French at
Colesberg.
RumOred Boer Plot to Seize Cape
Town Butler Faces Strong
Force mt COlensO.

LONDON, January 2-The Daily Mail has
the following dispatch, dated January /,
from Rensburg, Cape Colony:
Yesterday afternoon a big force of cav
airy and infantry, with ten guns, under the
personal command of Gen. French, moving
by detour, occupied some hills three miles
from Colesberg, where the Beers were in
strength confident in the natural aid af-
forded them by the hills around.
1.-THE enemy's position extended six miles
around the entire village. At daybreak our
artillery opened the battle. The Beers were
taken by surprise, but replied vigorously
An artillery duel was maintained for two
hours. Then a Boer Hotchkiss collapsed
and was abandoned. We captured it. A
Boer big gun was Silenced but this and
other Boer guns were withdrawn TO the
northWard, whittier We are harassing the
Boer retreat by damaging shell fire
"Colesberg is in our hands, and the few
remaining 1oya1ists are jubiant We have
captured many wagons and a considerable
quantity of stores
Our losses We're quite slight, but the
Beers must have suffered heavily. They
may stop at Achtertang or cross the river
altogether at Norval's Point, where the
bridge is still intact
Another dispatch from Rensburg says:
Gen. French has completely defeated the
Beers and occupie' Colesberg. The gen.
eral continued to keep the Beers on the
move. and pressed them closely Saturday
and Sunday, giving them no time to make
a prolonged stand, and when day broke he
was within striking distance of the enemy
Last night all the cavalry, artillery and in
fantry, the latter riding in wagons to in
crease the general mobility. started upon
night march, with the object of turning the
Beers right. The flank operations were
successful.
The infantry and field batteries imme-
diately made fetnt attack upon the Boer
and yrrt1i 10 I,,,rr
cavalry and light artillery got completely
around the enemy's right flank as arranged.
The program worked without hitch. The
Beers were utterly surprised, and, finding
their retreat threatened, fed in disorder to
the eastward, leaving Colesberg in Gen.
French's hands,
Plot to Seize Cape Town.
A dispatch from Cape Town says: Ugly
rumors are in circulation Of Dutch rising
with the object of selling Cape Town and
the docks and capturing the governor Of
Cape Colony. Sir Alfred Miner. The CEN
ter Of the movement Is said to be Paarl,
village about thirty miles from Cape Town,
where a meeting of the Africanker bund
was held Sunday. A similar meeting was
held at Richmond on December Is, and
1t is reported that the members of the
bund in these two towns are acting in
concert.
The members Of the bund at Wilmington
are said to be armed with Mausers and to
be anxious to use them in behalf of the
Beers.
Although the stories of rising are dis
credited, the police and military are taking
ample precautions.
Strong Boer Position at Ce1enso.
LONDON, January 2.-The Standards
correspondent at Frere Camp, telegraphing
on January 1, says:
Sir Charles Warren's division is now
nearly complete. Its headquarters will be
at Estcourt. 1t Is rumored here that the
guns which were captured from Gen. Bull
Ter at Colenso have been mounted in the
hills commanding the drift over the Tu-
gela river at Springfield. The Beers, it
appears. captured 620 rounds OF shrapnel
when they took the guns.
Gen. Buffers difficulties have been i'm
measurably increased by the inforced de-
lay since the last engagement. He now
has before him series Of walled and for
tilted hills running sixteen miles along
the line of the Tugela. These are swarm
ing with the enemy, posted in positions CT
great strength, and hristling with guns,
while the river in front is in full flood.
The coming battle will certainly be the
stiffest, and probably the most moment
Gus, of the entire campaign"