Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-01-20
EXPECT LONG BATTLE.
Two or Three Days Fighting
Likely to Reach Ladysmith.
BEsIEGED HEARD BULLER's GUNS.
Reported at Durham That Dundonald
Smashed Boer COnvoy-Bcts In Pieter-
marItzburg That I.sdysmith VIII lie
Reached Today.

LONDON, Jan. 20.--4:30 q. m.-Every
hour that General Butler delays his
combined attack makes his position
stronger. Transports continue to ar
rive at Durham ana fresh troops are be.
ing sent up the line to reinforce those
in front of Colenso. 1t appears that
General BullerAs troops north Of the Tu.
gela number at least $1,000, and practi.
cally $4,000, with 80 guns. Tho total
forces, forming o great outer curve
south and west Of Ladysmith, probably
number 10000.
While General Buffers forward oper.
ations, which began ON Jan. 10, develop
rather leisurely, the Beers appear to bc
fully aware that they must meet siren.
uous assault.
Military critics in touch with the war
Office think that news that general fight
ing has begun may be expected at any
hour. IL is not thought that one day s
fighting will settle the fate Of Lady.
smith, but rather that there will be two
or three days Of continuous fighting.
The Times has the following dispatch,
dated Thureday, from Pietermaritz.
burg: General Buffers wagon train
is 10 miles in length, and embraces 400
wagons and 5000 animals. AS some Of
the drifts are narrow and muddy, only
one wagon Is aDle to Cross at time.
The officers are betting two to one that
Ladysmlth will be relieved tomorrow
(Friday)."
LONDON, Jan. 2O.--A Durham special.
dated Thursday night, says;
ut is reported here that Lord Dun.
donald has smashed Boer convoy.
General Butler is said to be within
10 miles Of Ladysmith and General
Warren to be about six miles to the
rear"
LApYsMIru, Wednesday, Jan, II, via
Spearman's Camp, Jan. i9.-Every'
thing is quiet. The position is un.
changed, and there is very little bonn
harding.
The welcome sounds Of the guns Of
the relief column were heard yesterday
from Colenso and Springfield.
LONDON, Jan. 20.-General Butler
telegraphed the war Office from Spear
mans Camp, undor date of the evening
of Jan. Is, as follows:
"Lord Dundonald. with body Of
mounted troops, came into action this
afternoon with u force Of Beers west Of
Acton Homes. After fight he occu.
pied several kopjes which he is still
holding. Field Oornet Heilburn was
killed and 20 Beers were killed or
wounded and ID prisoners We're taken.
Two British soldiers killed and two
wounded.
LONDON, Jan. 20.-The Boer accounts
Of the passage Of the Tugela river wero
given in the two following dispatches
from Commandant Viljoun's camp on
the Upper Tugela. via Lourenzo Mar.
Ques, dated Jan. lS:
"Jan. l8-Buller's second move was
o reconnaissance In force with an arm.
ored train aud o large party, supported
by cannon, toward Oolenso last night.
A heavy bombardment ensued, and
thereupon the British returned, having
wounded one OF our men.
''No reply was made. This nove was
feint to cover extensive movements up
the river. Kaflirs on this side of the
Tugela have been warned by the Brit.
ish to leave their kraals as the fight will
commence shortly"
The second dispatch ran thus:
Jan. 1.-THE night was unbroken,
save for slight rifle encou2te between
outposts. which led to nothing. At
daybreak the enemy was lo,ated as be.
fore. He had not brought single gun
across the river. But from the ridges OF
Swartzkopa battery and d half of siege
guns opened on our position at 8 q. m.
1.-The bombardment WAS probably the
most frightful ever witnessed on land.
Frequently five heavy naval guns
fired simultaneously ut one schanze
(eutrenohment)."