Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-03-07

in Lee vssni h oct. 30 After Disaster
TO Br. t.ah Arm= Reward Of British
Generals NaIor aud Perseverance,.
1t is officially announced III London that
La smith has been relieved. The war
Office has received the following dispatch
from Gela Bulier: 'Lyttleton' S headqaas
tiers. Gen Dnudonald, with the Natal
Cartdneers and composite regiment, has
entered Lady,mth
| The events which led up 20 The siege Of
| I.adysmith began with the pouring Oh
Boer forces into Natal By way Of Lang
Mex aud Of Free state forces thronsh
Van Reenan's pass Immediately after TIE
war began on Oct. L. The attack on
Glencoe Oct. 20 resulted m reverse for
the British. their commander. Gen. Sym
ons. beihg MORALLY wounded, The Brit
ish found their position untcnable, and
under the leadership Of Gen. 1nie they
retreated toward Ladysmlth, the force
of 1000 men being in inimlnenf danger
of destruction by the Beers. 10 guard
the retreat force Of British from lady
smith lnder Gen. French fought the Dat-
tie Of Elandslaagte on Oct. II, winch re
uted in a victory for the British, the
Beers being routed and their commaI Ter
Gen. Koek. being mortally wounded.
Gen. Yule arrived safely at Ladyshlih
on Oct. 20, after a severe march.
In the meantime the Beers continued
| to gather IN Natal and by Oct 30 were
strongly posted on three sides Of the clty
Gen. Sir George Stewart White. who
commanded the forces at Aadysmith on
that day, moved out all his force III an
effort to break through the Boer lines
and rout the IA. but the left wing OF his
command, e,mpos d of the First battal-
ion Of the Royal IRISH tusiliers, the First
battalion Of the Glou, 2stershire regiment
aud the Tenth mountain ttery. was sur
rounded BY the Beers at Nicholson Mex
aud compelled TO surrender The other
British troops wee driven back By the
| Beers. aud from th1 time Ladysmith
was under siege BY Nov. l the city
was well invested. The dag before o
naval brigG le had arrived from Durham
| with some powerful guns, lken from the
warships. These guns proved invaluable
| in the long siege which followed, rs they
were the only weapons III Lady smith
which could compare in power nith The
magnificent artillery used by he Beers
| in Smelling the city On Nov. the com
mnnicatfons We're cut nth Of Lady
smith.
| On Nov. the British evacuated Coien-
SO, which guarded the bridge crossing the
Tugela river. The Beers crossed the 1u'
CELIA and raided through Natal 10 the
| outskirts of the British camp at Estcourt
and beyond. threatening even to attack
the capital Of Natal, Pietermarltzburg'
| The British forces began 10 arrive from
England. and under command hPst OF
Gen. Clcary and later Of Gen. Butler or
| ganized at Frere and CEieveley station
for the advance IN the relief Ct Lady
smith.
After collecting an army Of about II
| 600 men Gen. Butler ON Dec II adYanc-
! cd to attack the Beers at Colenso under
| Gen. Schalkhurger and along the 1ugeLa
| river IN an attempt 10 force the cfossitl'
NJ that stream. A severe battle follow
ed. in " hich the British showed bad lead
ership and were defeated at every point
with heavy loss of men and the capture
| of eleven cannon.
| Gen. Butler hag-. his great movement
toward the relief of Laaysmith Jan. ID
Gen. Warren. with 1900 men, made a
| detour toward Weenen, but it was three
| DAYS later before the British troops be
gan to Get across the Tugela. Lytueton s
brigade. A battery of field artillery ana a
howitzer battery crossed in the center
| while zen. Warren's command to the lef'
| crossed on pontoons Lyttieton eolltln
ned the advance under a heavy artillery
| Ere from the Beers At the same tune
Gen. Warren's division met with STRONG
resistance. There was hard fighting fol
nearly week, and on Jan. - Gen. War
rem captured spion kop. Jan. % me
| Beers recaptured Spion kop. and immedi
ately afterward Warrens troops movef
hack across The Tugcla. The Beers cap
tured 30S prisoners.
At this point III tine campaign many O.
the English officers advised abandonns
the relief OF LadySmith. On Jan. n
Gen. Huller sent ont another reeonnois
sancc. and on Feb > the British recross
cd thc Tugela river and attacked th'
Botrs two days later. The Beers secur
ed IN edvantaEeous position and checked
the al, ..acc OF the British for the time
More lighting followed. The Beers TO
the first time took the offensive agains
Gen. Butler. The two forces engaged IL
light skirrnishes. Cen. Butler trying q
keen the Beers 50 busy that none eoui'
be spared 10 assist Con. Cronje. who has
taken charge Of tn, federal troops a
Modder river.
On Feb. Is Gen. Bullcr began an ad
vance to LadysmitA aud began to Ugh
his way toward the besieged city, Posi-
ton after position was captured by tn
British and two days later the Beers be
gan moving their large guns from tn
hills surrounding the city. evidently fear
ful lest they could not hold back the Brit
ish when the rush began 20 Ladysmith.
TefsgraphIc BrevitIes-