The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-07
VET RIVER r.. |
IS CROSSED.
Roberts Now at That Point
But Beers are Battling.
Savagely to Stay On
ward March.

headquarters esta bEshed there,
and dispatches thence from Lord
Roberts have been received, sup
plemented by details from cores
pondents.
In these dispatches the occupa-
tion OF Winburg by General Hamil-
ton is alluded to, which is the first
intlmation London has had of that
important event.
In the fighting, which has been
continuous and at times severe, the
Canadians and the Black Watch
have distinguished themselves.
the fighting lasted seven hours,
and although the casualties are
not given and Lord Roberts hopes
are not numerous, there is an ON
inousness about this not pleasing
to Englishmen, who have heard
something OF the same kind on other
occasions.
The War Office has published the
following dispatch from Lord Rob-
erts, dated Vet River, Saturday,
May 5, It's p. m.
81 marched here to-day with
Pole-Carew's division. Hcadquart-
ers and Wavells brigade of the
Seventh Division are two miles in
the rear. Maxwell's brigade. Of
the same division is the.same dis
lance to our right.
The enemy are in considerable
strength on. the opposite bank of
the river. Our guns engaged their
for some three hours without being
able to force a passage of the river
but shortly before dusk the mount
ed infantry, under General Hutton,
turned the enemy's right and in
very dashing manner pushed across
the river under heavy shell and
musketry fire.
We are now bivouacking for the
night within three miles OF the Vet
River. Our casualties, hope, are
not numerous.
Hamilton was in action yester-
day and succeeded in preventing 4
junction of two Boer forces by
well-executed movement by some
of the Household Cavalry, the
Twelfth Lancers and Kitchener'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 by our doctors.
Macdonald's Highland Brigade
dislodgcd the enemy on the right
flank under cover Of the naval guns
in which operation the Black
Watch distinguished themselves
and were very skillfully led.
Hamilton was advancing this
morning to difficult drift oyer the
kleine Vet River.
Hunter reports that Bartons
brigade was heavily engaged this
morning two miles north of Ruidam
(Rooidan?) The cnemv's position
was quite four miles long and
strongly held.
He states that our men marched
magnificently and carried ridge
after ridge i'll grand style.
Casualties in this force, in Hamil-
tons and Hunters, will be report
ed as soon as possible, Captain
Miller. who was taken prisoner
near Thaba n Chu, has been sent
TO Rundle's camp by the enemy
with severe wound in the abdo.
men.
Brabant reports that one SER
geant and three men were captur-
cd on May while on patrol. and
that one of them, who had been
brutally ill-treated and left for dead
by the Beers, was found the fol.
lowing day.
Lieutenant Lilly, Victoria Mount
ed Rifles, reported missing, was
found at Brandfort dangerously
wounded and has been most care
fully attended by the Netherlands
ambulance.
Additional and supplementary
facts are told in correspondents
dispatches dated Sunday, May 6,
at Vet River, which have been re-
ccived here, stating:
Yesterday the British, after q
long march, encountered the Beers
holding Vet River, with six guns,
two being OF long range. An ar
tillcry duel ensued.
Meanwhile General Hutton, after
sharp engagement, crossed the
river on the left just before sunset.
The Beers retreated during the
night.
General Pole-Carew started at
day break yesterday on a nineteen
mile march. He first came into
contact with Beers holding the
river at l O'Clock p. nj. The Brit
ish soon had two batteries in action,
and later they added two naval
ninc-pounders, two 4, : and 5-inch
siege guns.
The Beers fired with great ac-
curaCy, and the duel continued
undated, with a terrible din. until
sunset, and even later their was
desultory firing. 1t is marvellous
that nobody on the British side was
injured.
General Hutton stated early to
find the dr,it on the west. When
this was discovered it proved to be
strongly held and protected by two
guns. The British speedily eng ag-
ed the Beers, who entiladed the dis
mounted firing line with a Maxim,
but General Hutton pushed for
ward his own pOmDom and n ual-
Looping Maxim and forced the Beers
to leave the river bed.
The encounter was terribly hot.
Later the whole British force
eros sed the river, threatening the
right.