Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-05
IN SOUTH AFRICA
Colonel Pitchers Visit to the
Town Of Douglas Was Very
Dangerous.
RElNFORCEMENTS ARE SENT
Oolesberg Has Not Yet Been Occupied
and May Not Be Very soon-The
zulus Wish to Fight the
Beers.

London January Sit is rumored at
Cape Town that Col. Baden-Powell
again defeated the Beers at Mafeking
A dispatch from Cape Town, dated
| to-day, says the prize court released
the British steamer Mashona, captured
by the British gunboat Partridge early
in December, with American -four, said
to be intended for the Roers, on board,
but ordered the cargo to a warehouse
pending the trial Of the case
Belmont, Cape Colony, January g.
Colonel Pitchers column, with the
Douglass refugees, returned to camp
this morning.
Pietermaritzburg, january 5.-The
restlessness of the Zulus is increasing.
Many are on the verge of starvation,
and there have been several instances
of looting stores 1t is feared the mag
istrates will not be able to restrain the
warriors much longer. 1t is asserted
that they are anxious to attack the
Beers.
London, January 5.-The war office
this afternoon published dispatch
from Cape Town, da ted January 8, say
ing that at General French's special re
quest the Household cavalry, battery
of field artillery and the 1st battalion Of
the Essex regiment have been dis
patched to re-enforce him temporarily
Rensberg, Cape Colony, January s.
Hnln CHI 1nc ~ Tod
The Beers unexpectedly attacked the
British on the left at daybreak, but
were repulsed. They occupied the hills
to the north of town, but were eventu-
ally driven out of their positions after
hours of Smelling by our guns They
still hold, however, the hills immediate
ly surrounding the town, preventing the
British from advancing along the rail-
way. The British loss in to-day's en-
gagement was light, while the Beers
are reported to have lost 100, including
twenty prisoners.
The Boer attackers numbered 1000
men. The Inniskilling dragons fought
their way through Beers, who were
forced to retreat by heavy artillery and
musketry fire.
London, January 5.-There is still no
important news from the front, but the
silence which has descended on General
Buffers huge force at the Tugela river
is believed to be the prelude to another
attempt to reach Ladysrnith. Mean
while, the extraordinary tenacity the
BoerssaRe displaying around Colesberg
where they even assume the offensive.
tends to detract from the success Cen
eral French is supposed to have
achieved.
The latest news of Colonel Pitchers
raid shows some of the first accounts
were considerably exaggerated as to the
effect on the Beers and their sympa
thizers. While it is true he successfully
drove a couple of hundred rebels from
Sunnyside, killing or wounding thirty
and capturing forty-three, Colonel Pill
dher's immediate evacuation Of Doug
lass seems to prove that he had infor-
nation that there was sufficient num-
ber Of Beers in the neighborhood to
make his position unsafe Indeed, there
Is reason to believe that only the dis
patch of a cavalry brigade from the
Modder river prevented the 600 men
sent by General Cronje from attacking
Pitchers column, and as soon as the
cavalry returned to the Modder river
Cronje's troops reoccupied Sunnyside
According to advices from Sterk-
stroem the Beers have completely re-
tired from the neighborhood Of Molte-
mo, but General Gatacre does not ap-
pear to have pursued them, as the re-
endorsements from Sterkstroem return
ed there.
Cape Town, January 5.-The Trans
vaal's high sheriff, Juta, while attempt
ing to sail for Delagoa bay to-day, was
arrested here. He was subsequently
paroled.
London, January 5.-General Cat"
acres report of the Molteno affair con-
firms the Associated Press dispatches,
showing it was merely a determined at
tack on the police outpost, which was
successfully repelled. There We're no
British casualties.
London, January 5.-A special from
Rensberg says Major Harvey. 10th hus-
sars, was killed, and Major Alexander
wounded, while the hussars We're pur-
suing the retreating Beers after an at
tack on the British left January near
COlesberg,