Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-02-08
BULLER BEATEN.
English Commander Is Forced to
Retreat Across the Tugela.
Gen. Warren Captures an Important
, Position from the TransvaaIers,
but Is Forced TO Abandon
IL i'm n Few Hours.

Following is the text of Gen. Bull
ler's dispatch, dated Spearman's
Camp, Jan. 27, $40 p. m:
'On Januarv 20 Warren drove back
the enemy and obtained possession of
the southern crest of the high table
land extending from the line of Acton
Homes and Hongers Poort to the west
ern Ladysmith hills. From then to
January 25 he remained in close con-
tact with the enemy.
The enemy held a strong position
on range of small kopjes stretching
from northwest to southeast across
the plateau from Acton Homes,
through Spion Kop, to the left bank
of the Tugela.
THE actual position held was per-
fcctly tenable, but did not lend itself
to an advance, as the southern slopes
were so steep that Warren could not
get an effective artillery position, and
water supply was a difficulty.
"On January % | assented to his at
tacking Spion Kop, which was evil
IDENTIFY the key of the position, but
was far more accessible from the
north than from the south.
"On the night of January 90 he at
tackled Spion kop. but found it very
difficult to hold, as its perimeter was
too large and water, which he had
been led to believe existed, in this eX-
traordinary dry season was found very
deficient.
Gen. WoOdgate, who was in com
mand at the summit, having been
wounded. the officer who succeeded
him decided on the night of January
"A to abandon the position, and did 80
before dawn January 25.
Il reached Warren's camr on Janu-
ary 25 and decided that a second at
tack upon Spion kop was useless and
| that the enemy's right was too strong
to allow me to force it.
Accordingly | decided to withdraw
the force to the south of the Tugela.
At a. m. we commenced withdrawing
the train, and by a. m. January -
Warren's force was concentrated south
of the Tugcla, without the loss of y
man or Il pound of stores"
Adviccs have been received from
Spearman's Camp that Gen. Woodgate
has succumbed to the wounds he re-
seived in the attack upon Spionkop.
Boer Headquarters, Upper Tugela,
Jan. 2j.-Somc Nryheid burghers from
the outposts on the highest hills of
the Spion kop group rushed into the
laager saying that the kop was lost
and that the English had taken It,
Reinforcements were ordered up, but
nothing could be done for some time,
the hill being enveloped in thick mist.
Scaling the steep hill the Beers
found that the English had entrench-
ed heavily. Between the lines of
trenches was an open veldt, which had
to be rushed under a heavy fire, not
only from rifles, but of lyddite and
shrapnel from field guns.
Three forces ascended the three
spurs co-ordinately, under cover of
fire from the Free State Krupps,
Creusot and big Maxim. The Eng
lish tried to rush the Beers with the
bayonet, but their infantry went down
before the Boer rife fire as before a
scythe.
The Boer investing party advanced
step by step until 2 p. m, when n
white flag went up and one hundred
and fifty men in the front trenches
surrendered.
London, Jan. 3o.-History pauscs
for time in South Africa.
The admiralty has warned all half
pay naval officers to hold themselves
in readiness for service. This, with
the fact that able seamen not thor
oughly experienced have been with
drawn from the channel squadron, is
taken to indicate the early mobiliza-
tien of the reserve fleet.
London, Feb. 2.-Mr. Wyndham's re-
markable declaration in the house Of
commons yesterday that Great Brit
ain will have in a fortnight 100000
regulars in South Africa, 1000 Cana
dians and Australians and 10000 South
African volunteers, is received with
wonderment. OF this total of 213000
troops, with 452 guns, all are now
there with the exception of about IS
600 that are atloat. Beyond compari-
son this is the largest force Great
Britain has ever put into the field. At
the end of the Crimean war she had
scraped together $4,000 men.
Mr.. Wyndhams speech was the
strongest defense the government has
yet put forward as to what has beeu
done and is being done. The general
tone Of the morning papers is that
his figures will astoniSh the country.
Roughly speaking only $4,000 men arc
at the front. Ten thousand others
have been lost and 10000 are shut up
at Ladysmith.
Excluding these, there are 10000
troops who have not yet been in ac-
ton. in addition to those at sea. Why
so many electives have not yet been
engaged is explained by the lack of
land transportation and the organiza-
ton of supplies, to which Lord Rob
erts is devoting his experience and
Lord Kitchener his genius for details.
\ further list of casualties publish
ed by the war office brings the total
from the crossing of the Tugela to
the abandonment of Spion Kop to
1855 officers and men.
Three Soldiers Murdered.
NN,+a,.+,,rn Y Inn oo The