The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-01
FREE STATE CAMPAIGN TURNED INTO
RUNNING FIGHT.
THE NEXT COMMANDING RIDGE
Will be Held by Them as Base of OPP
CREATIONS I'm front of the Pursuing
Britfsh-Their Retreat from wepener
and Dorp 80 French Inter
Latter Close I'm Their Rear His FUR
Their Advance-satisfactory Reports
from Mafeking.

London. April 26.-All the interest In
the South African war is now conferred
in the running fight in progress be-
tween the burghers, r~etreating from
the southern portion Of the Orange
Free State, and General French's horse
men and the infantry OF Generals Pole
Carew, Chemside and Rumble. They
have slipped off to hold the lex COM
handing ridge through a broken coun-
try admirably suited for a rear guard
defense.
Dispatches from Aliwal North under
date of Wednesday April 18th say the
Beers left Wepener so hurriedly that
many of the dead We're left in the
trenches unburied. Commandant S.
Cronje is reported TO have been killed.
According to- advices from Bloemfon-
tein, the attempt of the Beers at
Brandfort to get in touch with the coma
mand at Thabanchu was frustrated
a force despatched by General Tucker
from Glen.
A despatch from Pretoria reports the
arrival there of Lord Rossyln a an I'M
prisoner.
Beers RETREAT FROM DE VETS
DORP.
London, April ga special despatch
from De Vets dorp, dated yesterday
says: owing to the approach of Gen
eral French and to General Rundle's
persistent Smelling, the Beers relin-
pushed their positions last night, re-
firing with their guns in a northeast
erly direction. Generals French and
Rl1ndla lnina6 hands nocf of IN yIyatpc
dorp this morning. General Rumble is
pursuing the Beers in forced marches.
De Vets dorp, Wednesday, April %.
Genera French entered this town to-
day, with two cavalry brigades. He
left camp at daylight and found the
Beers had reiterated. The cavalry
pushed around the position of the
Beers above the town, where they were
holding General Rumble in check. 1t is
reported hat 5000 Beers passed
through the town last night in order
to avoid General French'S attack in
the rear.
Beers DRIVEN FROM STRONG PO-
SITION.
London, April 26.-The following has
just been posted by the war office, from
General Roberts headquarters at
B~loemfontein: General Hamilton yes
terday drove the enemy off a strong po-
sltion, at lsraePs poort by a we'll con-
ceived turning movement which was
admirably carried out by General Rid
ley, commander of the second mounted
infantry brigade, and General Smith
Dorrien, commanding the Eighteenth
brigade. These troops are today ad-
vancing toward Thabanchu."
NEWS FROM MAFEKING.
The war office has received the fol-
lowing message from Lord Roberts:
"Bloemfontein, April 25.-Good news
from Baden-Powell up to April 10th.
MacLaren is much better. All the
wounded are doing we'll. The Beers
captured several native women who
were trying to escape from Mafeking.
but these were turned back after being
stripped and sjamboked.
Boemfontein, April 26.-General Pole
Carew's force are seven miles north of
De Vets dorp today. They are disap-
pointed at the failure to surround the
Beers, but believe the march will have
a good effect on the Free Staters. The
latter, trusting to British leniency, had
played the game of pretending to sur
render and of taking every opportunity
to fight. Wherever he found Free
Staters who had broken the oath Gen
eral Pole-Carew seized their cattle and
horses.