The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-04-02
Beers at Karee Held in Check
Several Times Their Own
Number
And Then Retired in Good Order,
British Losing Nearly Two
Hundred.
Late Reports From Natal Ind.
cate a Speedy Clash Of
Forces There.

KRooSsTADT, Orange Free State,
March 3o.-General Smutz today ell.
gagged the British at Mafetkop, south OF
Brandfort, and held them at bay for six
hours. The burghers fought well. The
casualties are unknown.
The Free State raad will assemble at
Kroonstadt, April 2.
LONDON, April 2.-11:45 a. m.-The
war Office has posted the following dis.
patch from Lord Roberts, dated at
Bloemfontein, March 80, evening.
reports point to the enemy's leaving
Brandfort and proceeding in anortherly
direction. The casualties in yesterdays
engagement were more numerous than
at first reported:
Officers killed 2, wounded s; rank and
file killed 10 query 1922, wounded 1859;
missing g."
LONDON. April 2.-The war office
has issued the following from Lord
Roberts:
"Bloemfontein, March 3O.-Owing to
the activity of the enemy on our imme-
diate front and their hostile action
towards the burghers who surrendered
under the terms of my proclamation, I
found it necessary to drive them from
some kopjes they had occupied near the
Karee Siding station, a few miles south
of Brandfort. The operation was sue.
c~essfully carried out b. the Seventh
(Tucker's) division, assisted by the
First and Third cavalry brigades, under
French, and LIE Calais regiment of
mounted infantry. The enemy re-
treated to Brandfort and our troops now
hold the kopjes- Our casualties were:
Scottish Borderers-Killed, Captain
Going; wounded, Captains Sellar,
Lizard. PEBBLES, Curgonven and Ed.
wards; Lieutenants Coulson and French
and about 100 rank and file.
LONDON, April EVEN the details
Of the engagement at Karee Siding sta
ton. a few miles south of Brandfort,
fail to instill much interest. 1t appear
to have been a one-sided affair, although
the Beers stoutly held their ground
against a force three or four times their
size for three hours when, f~oreseeing
the danger Of the British cavalry envel.
oping their tanks, the burghers with.
drew in good order on their main body
at Brandfort, which according to Lord
Roberts, they seem later to have de.
cided to relinquish with the view,
doubtless Of occupying a prepared posi-.
ton further north. There will proba-
bly, be a general shifting of camps on
the part of the British, the new position
being made the base of a further ad.
vance as 500 as the railroad is repaired.
Lord Roberts has reported to the wal
Office that he had received news from
Colonel Baden Powell, at Mafeking, up
to March 10, when the general health of
the garrison and it's spirits were good,
the locally made gun, searchlight and
ammunition We're working we'll, the
food was holding out well, and the
paper currency which the British COM
mander had issued was satisfactory.
At Cape Town, it is reported that
President Steyn has gone to Pretoria,
after, according to refugees, issuing an
order that all British bnrghers refusing
to join the Boer armies shall be shot.
The stories Of refugees, however, are
VIGOROUSLY unreliable.
The news from elsewhere is meagre,
though the last reports from Natal indi-
Gated the speedy clashing Of the oppos.