The Afro-American advance., 1900-02-24
The Relief Forces Under Command
ant Botha Driven Back with
Heavy Loss.
GEN. CRONIE's POSITION IS uacHaNGEO
KopIe Captured with Fifty prisoners
Lady smith IL In Coed spirits and
Hopeful OF Early Relief 50 Gen.
BuIier's Forces Now Tn sisht et
the city.


Yesterday afternoon | was satisfied. by
a careful reeonnoissance In force OF the
enemys position, that l could MT assault
Ii without very heavy ,oss. which I Was
most haxious to aVotd Accordingly | de-
cided to bombard hlp With artillery ard
iurn my attention 10 the tSeHy'a tttt-
foreemoats The result was mest satisfaca
tory. The Beers were driven on In all di'
roetions, losing good many killed and
wounded and about 50 prisoners. who say
they arrived from Ladysmtth two day ago
by railroad. They also say II was our ar.
,ilery tlre which caused them TO abandon
the kopie they were occupying our loss
was two officers-Capt, Campbell, OF the
Ninth lauCers aud Lieut.. Houston, ot the
artillery and four men, all slightly
wounded -
Relief Forces scattered.
London, Feb GA special dispatch
from pnardeherg, dated Wednesday,
February Il, says;
"Commandant Botha has been attempt.
Ing to relieve Gen Cronlc, There has been
severe fighting Gen. Botha's force Il scat
tered. with heavy losses"
The fact that the Beers from Lady.
smith have already arrived In the
neighborhood Of Paardeberg cnuses
some apprehension, but reenforce-
ments of guns and men are also reach.
ing Lord Roberts, and IL Is not thought
that the Trnnsyaal and Free State rail.
roads will be able To transport hurried
~ the great number of men and horses.
Boer Kopjc Captured.
PaarieberE. Wednesday, Feb, 2i.-
Boer kopje has been captured with
so prisoners Gen, Cronje's position
in unchanged.
Deadly Engagement.
Panrdeberg Drift, Orange Free
State, Feb. 20 (yia the Modder river,
Wednesday. Feb. 2D.-one of the cost.
liest actions Of the war occurred at
Paardeberg drift Sunday, February
is. Gen. Kelly. Kenny in his pursuit
Of Gen. Cronje, caught his rear guard
nc Kip drift and followed the burRh'
ers 10 the Boers' LANCER at koodoos-
rand. The drift action began at day
break. the mounted infantry driving
the Boer rear guard up the river to.
wards the main body. while another
body Of mounted infantry mancur'
cred on the right front and flank OF
the Beers. The British main body nd-
ynnced to outfank the Boers' laager
on the north bank Of the river.
Advance Was Deadly.
Gen. Kelly Kenny, having seized two
drifts. found the Beers strongly In.
closed and ordered an attack with the
Highland brigade ON the left and Gen.
KnoN's brigade on the center and right,
while Gen. smith Dorrien's brigade
crossed the river and advanced along
the north bank On both the north and
south banks the ground is level and the
advance across this was deadly and the
British losses were heavy. The battle
was an exact replica of the Modder
river. The soldiers were under fire all
day long. and all the fighting hnd no
definite result. "a the Beers laaRcr WIS
well barricaded and they remained
therein. The British guns shelled the
laager vigorously and the Beers con
iessed 10 loss Of over 500 men.
The terrific shcllinR was resumed
Monday. when Gen. Cronje asked for
an armistice.
The shcliing was continued Tuesday,
over 80 guns pouring lead into the
lsoer camp.
uuIIer In sIEhi of Ladpsmtih.
London. Feb. ~. -~ The Morning
Posts SECOND edition publishes dis.
patch from Lhdysmith. dated February
10. which says that the bonbardmen'
continues with unusual persistency
and activity from I,uIwaBa and Blaanw-
bank, but In doing small damage.
The garrison IN IN good spirits over
Gen Roberts success and the advance
Of Gen. Butler which II now visible.
Gen. Butler reports that hls casual
ties Monday, February ~. were
Killed Capt. Tborburn Of the Royal
fuSileerA. Wounded ofiieert and
~ men.
steady Advance made.
Chleveley Camp. Natal. Feb. 2i.-~
The steady progress of the relief col.
nmn II uninterrupted. The Beers.
Tuesday. were forced from their last
position south Of the Tugsia resulting
in the evacuation Of Colenso. which
was promptly rsoecupisd by the Dub.
lin fusilisrs and ThOrneyeroft' horse.
4 Transvaal flag was captured, ~ was
a handkerchief inscribed with Gen.
Botha's me. This Is treasured as
great trophy
The Beers heavily sheIled Hang
wanm hill aud C0lenso Wednesday Feb
ruary 81. and the British advanced IN.
fantry WAS subjected 10 severe mus.
ketry Ere. but they had excellent
cover aud the casualties were few.
The H,ern had the railroad running
from Colenao 10 Bniwanh.
The British continue 20 discover
large quantities Of ammunition. The
Beers ere we'll s1pplisd with food and
a quantity Of provisions was left be.
hind.
IL Is expected that further resistancs
will bs haif.hearted aud that Lady.
smith will fJs reached in fs~ days
sasptIssd st Dastey.
London. Feb. %. - zen. fiuiiefss AZ.
parent taraiosaa ard failure 70 prevsni
the roers fron siipping round TO a..