The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-04-12
Their Commands Are Coming and
Going Throughout a Wide
Region as They Please.
BRABANI'S COMMUNICATION CUT OFF.
Telegraphic Connection With Bloem-
fOntein Kept Up. But No News for
the Public Comes Through.
In the Orange Free State the SItua-
tion II CompIex-L London Alter
noon Papers friffetse the
Conduct OF Affairs.


Bloemfontein continues, the Boer
commands seemingly coming and 60
ing throughout a vide region rs they
please, but taking good care not 10
throw themselves against strong bed
les of the British. The retirement OF
the Irish Rifles from ReuXgille to Ali
wal leaves Gen. Bra5ant without com
municatiOn with TIE other British
forces. He has 1900 or 5000 colon
falls holding n fine defensive country,
but he is apparently invested. so far
as London knows. Telegraphic and
railroad communication with Bloem-
fontein are kept up as usual, but
nothing comes through for public
consumption. Lord Roberts last mes
sage was dated April 6, and the last
unofficial message bore date OF April
r. The absence OF news as usual dis
heartens the people, and produces
an altogether discOuraging effect. The
last unofficial message notes that
good spirits at Bloc tmfontein arc con-
tlllulllkg anu iNil0 VI AliN al ifhi Va
animals and two fresh cavalry regi-
meEts. Lord RobeI Is has now $4,000
mounted men altogc ther.
In the Orange Free STATE the situ-
alton is complex, with scanty ma
terial for forming d correct estimate
of the situation, and the afternoon
newspapers, not being in the conf
dencc Of the managers, are crlticising
the conduct of affairs as they see
them. Thus, the ST. James Gazette,
reviewing the army system. says: "As
II consequence of the foolish, sporting,
boysh estimate of the work Of the
war, Gen. Butler is anchored indef-
pitely, as he must wait for transports;
until Lord Roberts is adequately sup
piled"
Cape Town, April 1o.-l ieut. Gen.
Sir Henry Rundle, commander of the
sth division, has been ordered to Kim
berley OH special duty.
London, April THE following is
the text of Lord Roberts dispatch
TO the war Office announcing the cap
ture of five companies of his troops:
'Bloemfontein, Thursday, April s.
Another unfortunate occurrence has
occurred, resulting, ! fear, in the cap
ture of party of infantry, consist
ing of three companies of the Royal
Irish Fusiliers and two companies OF
the 9th regiment OIL mounted infan-
try, near Reddersbnrg. a little east
ward of Bethany railway station,
within a few miles Of this place. They
were surrounded by a stronger force
of the enemy, with four or five guns.
"The detachment held ont from
noon, April ,, to April 4, n. m, and
then, apparently, surrendered, for 1t
is reported that the firing ceased at
that time. Immediately after l
heard the news, during the afternoon
of April 3, | ordered Gatacre to pro-
coed from Springfontein, his present
headquarters. to Reddersburg, with
all possible speed, and l dispatched
the Cameron Highlanders hence to
Bethany. lie arrived at Redders0urg
at 1O:3O yesterday morning with OPP
position, but could get 10 news OF
the missing detachment.
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Lord Roberts,
dated Bloemfontein, ,Thursday, April s.
"Methuen telegrGphs from Bochoa
lin the Orange Free State, little
northeast of Kimberley as follows:
Gen. Mareiul and body
of Beers to-day. None esclped. Vile
bois and seven Beers killed, eight
wounded, fifty prisoners. Our losses
were: Killed, Capts. Boyle and Will
lams, both of the yeomanry, and two
men of the yeomanry. Wounded,
about seven men. The attack lasted
four hours. The corps behaved very
well. Our force was composed of yeo-
manry, the Kimberley mounted corps
and the 4th battery of artillery.
London, April 9.-When 1t is borne
in mind that all the dispatches from
the front are severely censored, there
is little in the news to bring satisfac'
ton to England. Assurances that
nothing need be feared, even il the
railways and teleg; apis are cut and
Bloemfontein isolated, together with
the news that the ladies and other ci-
villains are being ordered away, do not
augur well.
There are rumors from Cape Town
that the telegraph wires were cut on
Sunday, and also that tue Hussars,
who were sent to the relief OF the
ROYAL Irish Rifles, are also missing
although these are probably the out
come of Boer exaggerations designed
to encourage the burghers
The attempt of Gen. Colvilie 10
catch the Boer leaders in conference
at, Geitfontein failed probably. as
us,,al. because of the lack OF cavalry
The results of these serious checks to
the British arms ae that the whole
Free State is up again and that the
Beers are full of activity over the en-
tire field. -,
Mafeking was still. besieged on April
/, The garrison was suffering severe
lv from lack of bread, and mixture
of oats. bran and mea'ies was doing
duty for that article. which Is de-
scribed as coarse in substance, OF the
color of ginger bread ana OF the con'
sistency Of Norwegian pine'"