The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-01-31
IN SOUTH AFRICA.

hopes that were repOsed III zen. Bul
ler's turning movement and Ot his an
nounccment that there would be emo |
turning back At the very moment |
when DR.. Ltyds is being received as
an honored guest TO the highest circles |
on the continent, Great Britain has to
face the worst disaster in campaign
thus far disastrous. Open talk is
heard Of the absolute necessity of aban-
doning Lsdysmith to it's fate while
l. I'd Roberts reverts to the original
plan OF an advance over the Orange
river, up the Bloemfontein.
A despatch from Gen. Butler dated
Saturday evening says: Goa January
20 Warren drove back the enemy and
obtained possession of the southern
ores of the high table land extending
from the line of Acton Homes and
Hongef's Poort to the western La iy-
smith hills. From then to jan % be
remained in close contact with the en-
envy. The enemy held q strong posi-
ton on range of small kopjes stretch
| ing from northwest TO southeast across
| the plateau from Acton Homes,
through Spion Kop, to the left bank of
the Tuguela. The actual position held
was perfectly tenable, but did not lend
itself to an advance and the southern
slopes were so steep that Warren could
not get an effective artillery position
and the water supply was difficulty.
"On January 23 assented to his at
lacking Spion Kop, large hill, in
deed mountain, which was evidently
tn @ key of the position but was far
more accessible from the north than
from the south.
"On the night of January % be at
tackled Spion Kop but found it very
difficult to hold, as its primeter was too
large and water, which be bad been
led to believe existed, in this extraor-
binary dry season, was found to be de-
ficlent.
''The crests were held all that day
against severe attacks and heavy shell
fire. Our men fought with gallontry
"Gen. Woodgate, who was in com
wounded, the officer who succeeded
him, decided on the night of January
"a to abandon the position and did &c
before dawn, January %.
81 reached Warren's camp at 2 P. NJ
on January %, and decided that sec
ond attack upon Spion Kop was useless
and that the euemy's right was toe
strong to allow me to force it.
Accordingly, decided to withdraw
the force to the south of the Tuguels
Al 6 A. NJ. we commenced withdrawing
the train and by 8 A. M, January q
Saturday Warren's force was con
J centrated south of the Tuguela, with
, out the loss of man or a pound o
stores.
=
"The fact that the force could with
draw from actu.l touch-in some case
the lines were less than Thousand
, yards apart-with the enemy in tn,
. manner it did is, think, sufficient evi
dence of the morale of the troops an,
that we were permitted TO withd.ay
r our cumbrous OK and mule transport
l across the river, IS yards broad, witt
20.ioot banks aud a very swift current
unmolested is, think, proof that tn
enemy has been taught to respect on
soldiers fighting powers"
This retreat must be keen dsap
: pOiDtment to the garrison at Lady
smith. A despatch from the Doe
lager near the town, dated Januar
8 "a, describes the garrison as Every evi
C DENLY preparing desperate coup i
order to effect q junction with Ger
Blu ler's advancing army"
1t may be regarded as certaint
: that ia the confident hope of early re
= lief, Sir George White has lately bee
q issuing extra rations, and this fact hs
9 ven rise to an exaggerated idea as t
= the length Of time the provision woul
It last. Even should it be decided t
8 send Gen. Butler reinforcements an
V to attempt to reach Ladysmith by I
= movement through the still more diff
= cult country east of Colenso, it is e2
|, tremely doubtful whether the garriso
C could held out long enough as such
If movement would occupy at least
+, month.
% The war office does not give any ide
l. of the casualties in taking and holdin
2 Spion Kop, but report from the Doe
n headquarters, near Ladysmith, vi
, Lourenzo Marquee, says that sc
British dead were left on the battle
q field. This number is thought to il
clude the wounded.
LONDON, Jan. 29.-Great anxiety
removed by the announcement thi
Dundonald's cavalry force, which
,r was feared had been isolated in tt
e neighborhood of Acton Homes, is sal
h on the south bank of the Tugela.
II LONDON, Jan. 30.-There is a paus
II in the war news from South Africa.
l. is one of those unsatisfactory paus,
s. that is nearly as trying to BIRTHS
at nerves as sequence of reverses, ant
y apparently, it will terminate only whe
T. Lord Roberts gives the word for IL
'r forward movement into the Free Sal
which, according to the most cheerf,
10 view, he will be unable TO do for for
IT nj hit.
N LONDON, Jan. 30.-It is reporte
" that Gen. Roberts has advised Ii
or abandonment of Ladysmith. At tt
lie war Office no confirmation could be oil
s. tanned of the report and it is cable
as with the reserve the now critical W,
lie situation demands.
De The s.. James Gazette says: "Tt
ot meaning Of the retreat is OBVIOUS. W
d. have had to recognize that we cann'
In | force our WaV through the enemy