The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-27

who say they arrived from Ladysmith
two days g by railroad. They also
say IT was our artillery fire which
caused them to abandon the kopje they
were occupying. Our loss was two of
hcers-Captain Campbell, OF the Ninth
Lancers. and Lieutenant Houston. OF
the a~rtillery-and four men, all slight
ly wounded"
A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER.
Paardeberg Drift, Tuesday. February
90. via Modder River. February 21.-One
OF the costliest actions of h war oc-
CURED at Paardeberg drift, Sunday,
February 18th. General Kelly-Kenny
In his pursuit Of General Cronje. caught
his rear guard at Kip drift and fol-
lowed the b%urghers to the Beers lager
at k~oodoosrand. The drift action be-
gan at day break, the mounted in
fantry driving the Boer rear guard up
the river towards the main body. while
another body Of mounted infantry ma
neuvered on the right front and flank
Of the Beers. The British main BODY
advanced to outflank the Boer lager
on the north bank of the river. Cen
eraI kelly-Kenny having seized two
drifts, found the Beers strongly en-
closed and ordered an attack, with
the Highland brigade on the left and
General knox's brigade on the centre
and right, while General
rien's brigade crossed the river and ad-
Vanced 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 ar exact replication
OF that Of MOdder river. The soldiers
were under fire all day long, and all
the fighting had no definite result, as
the Beers laager was well barricaded
and they remained therein. The Brit
ish guns shelled the laager vigorously
and the Beers confessed to a loss Of
over 800 men.
The terrific Smelling was resumed
Monday. when General Cronje asked
for an armistice.
The Smelling was continued Tuesday,
over fifty guns pouring lead into the
Boer camp.
Paardeberg. Wednesday,, February
GA Boer kopje has been captured,
with fifty prisoners. General Cronje's
position is unchanged.
BULLER'S STEADY PROGROESS.
C~hievelry Camp, Natal, Wednesday.
February 22.-The steady progress of
the relief column is uninterrupted.
The Beers Tuesday were forced from
their last position south of the Tuge-
la, resulting in the evacuation of CO.
lenSO, which was promptly re-Occupied
by the Dublin Fusiliers and Thorny-
croft'S Horse. A Transvaal flag was
captured, as was a handkerchief in
scribed with General Botha's name.
This is treasured as a great trophy.
The Beers heavily shelled Hlangwane
hill and ColensO on Wednesday, Feb
ruary 21st, and the British advanced
infantry was subjected to a severe
musketry fire, but they had excellent
cover and the casualties were few. The
Beers had the railroad running from
Colenso to W
The British continue to discover large
quantities of ammunition.
The Beers are we'll supplied with food
and a quantity of provisions was left
chino
1t is expected that further resistance
will be ~half-hearted and that Lady
smith will be reached in a few days.
BRITISH LOSSES.
London, February 22.-General Bull
Ter reports that his casualties Monday
February 18th, were; Killed, Captain
wounded, two officers and fourteen
men.
BOMBARDING LADYSMITH.
The Morning Posts second edition
publishes a dispatch from Ladysmith,
dated February 18th. which says that
the bombardment continues with I'M
usual persiStency and activity from
Bulwano and Blaauwbank, but is do
ing small damage.
The garrison is IN good spirits over
Lord Roberts success and the ad-
vance of General Butler, which is now
visible.
VIEWS OF THE CRITICS.
All the critics of the African news
papers urge rushing achievements to
Lord Roberts, so that he may be able
to risk much in ~endeavoring to inflict
a decisive defeat before the Boer forces
now gathering from every quarter
Strengthening General Cronje's threat
ened force.
The relief of Ladysmith is now ak
en- to the a matter of course n is
likely to be announced before the end
Of the week, but it is quite within the
probabilities that severe fighting will
occur previous to the relief, while the
detachmentS to be sent by General
Butler to reinforce Lord Roberts, sub
sequent to the relief, are likely to meet
with strenuous resistance in the passes
of the Drakensberg, in which fairly
powerful burgher forces remain.
Boer reports say General Joubert's
nerves are unstrung and hat he no
longer exercises the chief command.
a dispatch from Sterkspruit, dated
Wednesday, February 21st, says: 1.-THE
prominent rebels in this district intend
to surrender and the Stormberg rebels
will shortly lay down their arms"
There a been many eulogistic
references to the speeches of Laurier
and other Canadians on the subject of
the losses of the Canadians in South
Africa. concerning which, ~curiOusly
enough, there is not a single word, Of
fetal or otherwise, known or publish
ed here, except that two officers were
wounded.
ROBERTS AT THE FRONT.
Great relief has been caused here by
the receipt Of the news from Paarde-
berg showing that Lord Roberts is per-
sonally experimenting the operations
and. though it is difficult to grasp the
real situation. it is generally thought
Lord Roberts is gradually Tightening
his grip on General Cronje'S forces.
In spite of the apparent failure of
Sundays attempt to storm the Boer
position it is evident that General Cron-
je is not merely laagered in the ordi-
navy acceptatiOn of the tarm hut &C.