The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-21
Beers Drive the British
From Colesburg District.
Unkuown Force Of Enemy
Near Brttish Line Of
Communication.

Losdoo. Feb II. 4.20 Q. m.-The
aevs Of the dsy 10 enforced retire
osnt Of the British from the Coles.
berg district. under heavy Boer
p'essus end probably after brisk
6ghtisg. Thus, at Q time when Lord
Roberts 10 apparently about to push
en sroy into the Free State, the
Boers mako . counter stroke in On
known but seemingly grea, force
3 not for from the vital line of railway
connecting DeAsr end Orange river
Military observers do not regard
this % more than . menace Never.
shs'ess, the news produces On no.
pleasant Impression here Gen
French had manouevered the Beers
oss Of Reosburg 10 December On
Jso let Il wee reported that he could
take Co'esburg in tvo days with rein
Sososmeots These we're sent, but
the Boers slso were reinforced
Since then the British lines have
been extended east and west, 90 ths,
se the opening Of thiS week they
constituted . great horseshoe, rs
0iles In length The liues were not
oonsisuous bot oil the strong posi
sions were held.
Geo French when he joined Lord
Roberta. presumably took most OF
hia cavalry. bot Command ment
De Lsrey With double turning
movement hes onmpelled the British
20 oouceotrate st Rensburg besides
threatening Lord Roberts comment
cssious
The Boer mastery Of the district
bee csosed . spread of tho insurreo
tion. but this, no doubt. vill be
promptly repressed, % large British
fosoes ere . vsilsbIe not far away.
Tho iudicssions % to Gen Buller's
ioosdisse intentions srs contradic
tory One informant, who has inti
osse relations with the var Office,
predicts Q movement within the next
600 dsys A number Of correspond
tuts Who have been with Gen Butler,
sowever. have gone to Durbsn for Q
lev days rest. under the impression
that nothing 10 TO be done immediate
".
The wsr Office hes directed the
Hight division Of 10000 men to pre-.
psse 10 60 oot
London. Feb 13 Tho cessation OF
vss news from South Africs 10 taken
10 Indicate thss tho British prepsra
tons for move from Aodder river
ere sboot completed and thst import
ant events oan be anticipated within
fsw days Interest centres slmos,
wholly upon Field Marshal Roberts,
especially since Gen Buller's repor,
Of bic withdrawal from vasl Krsn,z
esme. for the fret time. through Lord
Roberts. sbowiog that oil the differ
snt operations over the wide field
vill hersresher Do completely coor
dioated. IL In now known that the
military attaches have gone to Join
I'd Roberts ct the Modder river,
-.other move preluding on advance
A dispatch from the Moddey river
announces the arrival there Of l,lOO
rsfugees from the Bsrkly West die
trict They had been ordered away
BY the Boers because they refused to
join the republicans The refugees
resched the Modder river. vie Koo
doosberg IL is learned that 200
Boers were killed or wounded during
Gen MscDonsld's reconnsisssnce
There 10 "c confirmation Of tho re
ported sortie Of British troops from
Lsdysmith nor of the Buer ou,aank
ing movement.
A repors comes from Durham that
British artillery forced ,he Beers to
evscuaie their camp on Hlsugwana
bill, south Of Colenso
The absence Of Gen French from
the Rensburg district seems To have
given the Beers sn opportunity for
rene ~ed activity They have appa
reutly commenced an extended at.
tack on the British lines and are
meeting with minor successes which
ere having considerable moral effect
on the border colonis,s
The Boer invasion Of ZuiuIsnd ia
causing keen sxiety Apart from
the fact that IL threstens Gen Butler q
supplies. IL is difficult, to believe ,ha,
the Zolus can long be KEEP, qniescen,
while their cattle sre cob6sosted and
their country overrun by their hered
isssy foes