Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-15
GENERAL KITCHENER
REPORTS Bad DEFEAT.
CASUALTY REPORTS ARE NOT COM
PLETE, BUT FIVE BRITISH
OFFICERS ARE DEAD.
DELARY COMMANDED BoERs.
BRITICH REINFORCEMENTS HAVE
BEEN SENT FROM PRE-
TORIA.

LONDON, December 14.-Lord Kitch-
ener reports that after severe fighting
at NooitgeGacht, General Clements
forces were compelled to retire by Com
mandant Delarey with a force Of $500
men. Five British officers were killed.
The other casualties were not reported.
Lord Kitcheners official despatch to
the war Office is as follows:
The scene of the fight is ominously close
to Pretoria Nooitgedacht is only % miles
northwest of Pretoria.
PRETORIA, December 13-Clem-
ents' force at Nooitgedacht, on the
Magaliesburg, was attacked at dawn to-
day by Delarey, reinforced by Beyers'
commando from Warm Bath, making
force estimated at $500. Though the
first attack was repulsed, the Beers
managed to get top of the Magalies-
burg, which was held by four compan-
les of the Northumberland Fusilliers,
and were thus able to command Glenn
ents' camp. He retired on Hekpoort
ard took up position on hill in the
center Of the valley.
The casualties have not been COM
pletely reported, but the fighting was
very severe, and | deeply regret that
Col. Legge, Of the Twentieth Hussars,
and Captains Macbean, Murdoch and
Atkins, were killed. Reinforcements
have left here"
Lord Kitchener also reports that the
Beers made an attack and were repuls-
ed at Iichtenburg, and that General
Letmer was killed. Attacks upon
bethlehem and Brede were also repuls-
ed, the Beers losing ten killed and four
teen wounded Bryheid was attacked
December 18th. Shipping continued
when the message was despatched.
LOURENZO MARQUES, December
14-The British troops at Koomati-
poort are standing to arms in the ex-
pectancy of an attack by Boer force
of fifteen hundred which is in that vi
cinity. 1t is believed to be the inten-
ton of this force to make dash upon
the town. The situation is regarded as
serious.
LONDON, December Alt is report
ed that General Knox, cooperating
with the British column at Redders-
burg, has stopped Gen. DeWet and that
a battle is proceeding. The report
adds that many OF Gen. DeWet's fol-
lowers have been captured.
The scenes at the war office to-day
recall those witnessed in the early
stages of the war. A constant stream
of excited people filled the lobbies all
seeking details of the disaster. The
absence of the names OF any Of the
officers of the Northumberland fusil-
iers in Gen. Kitchener's dispatch leads
to the foreboding that the four COM
panies of the fusiliers mentioned are
in the hands of the Beers.
The war Office officials evidently ex-
pect heavy casualty list, but they
are hopeful from the fact that the dis
patch does not mention the capture of
,he Northumberland that such a great
catastrophe has been escaped.
Orderas were issued at Aldershot,
Malta and other military centers to
dispatch all the available mounted in
tantry to South Africa.
STANDERTON, Transvaal, Thursday.
December 13.-Gen. Louis Botha is re-
ported to be twenty miles from here
with fifteen hundred men and one gun.
He has called meeting Of the Burgh-
ers for Saturday.