Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-03-06

Victory Comes After Months OF Eight
ing Brief Account of the Siege and
Efforts at Relief Gen. White Penned
in Ladysmith Oct. so After Disaster
to British Arms Reward of British
Generals Xalor and Perseverance.
Tt is officially announced in London that
Ladysmith has been relieved The war
office has received the following dispatch
from Gen Butler: "Lyttleton' headquar-
ters-Gen Dundonald, with the Natal
Carbineers and composite regiment, has
entered Ladysmith.
The events which led up to the siege of
Ladysmith began with the pouring of
Boer forces into Natal by way OF Laing' $
Mex and of Free State forces through
Van Ieenan's pass Immediately after the
war began on Oct l.. The attack on
Glencoe Oct 20 resulted in a reverse for
the British, their commander, Gen. Sym
ons, being MORALLY wounded. The BRIT
ish found their position untenable, and
under the leadership of Gen. Iue they
retreated toward I.adysmith, the force
of 1900 men being in imminent danger
of destruction by the Beers. To guard
the retreat force of British from Lady
smith under Gen. French fought the bat
tie of Elandslaagte on Oct. u, which re-
ulted in a victory for the British. the
Beers being routed and their commander
Gen. Keck, being mortally wounded.
Gen. Yule arrived safely al Ladysmth
on Oct ~, after severe march.
In the meantime the Beers continued
ito gather in Natal and by Oct. 30 were
strongly posted on three sides Of the city,
Gen. Sir George Stewart White, who
commanded the forces ut Ladysmith on
that day, moved out all his force in an
effort to break through the Boer lines
and rout them, but the left wing of his
command, composed of the First battal-
ion Of the Royal Irish fusiliers, the First
battalion Of the Worcestershire regiment
and the Tenth mountain battery, was sur
rounded by the Beers at Nicholson's Mex
and compelled to surrender. The other
British troops were driven back by the
Beers, and from that time Ladysmith
was under siege BY Nov. l the city
was well invested. The day before a
naval brigade had arrived from Durham
with some powerful guns, taken from the
warshps These guns proved Invaluable
in the long siege which followed, as they
were the only weapons in Ladysmith
which could compare in power with the
magnificent artillery used by the Beers
in Smelling the city. On Nov. the com
munications were cut south of Lady
smith
On Nov. 4 the British evacuated Colen-
so. which guarded the bridge crossing the
Tugela river. The Beers crossed the Iu-
CELIA and raided through Natal to the
outskirts of the British camp at Estcourt
and beyond, threatening even to attack
the capital of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
The British forces began to arrive from
England, and under command first OF
Gen. Cleary and later of Gen. Butler or
ganized AT Frere and Chieveley station
for the advance TO the relief of Lady
smith.
After collecting an army Of about -
600 men Gen. Butler on Dec. ID advanc-
cd to attack the Beers at Colenso under
Gen. Schalkburger and along the Iugela
river in an attempt to force the crossing
of that stream. A severe battle follow
ed in which the British showed bad lead
ership and were defeated at every poln'
with heavy loss of men and the capture
of eleven cannon.
Gen. Butler began his great movement
toward the relief of Ladysmith jan Is
Gen. Warren, with 1000 men, made
detour toward Weenen, but it was three
DAVIS later before the British troops be
! gan to get across the Tugela. Lyttleton
brigade. a battery of field artillery and a
howitzer battery crossed in the center
while Gen. Warrens command to the left
crossed on pontoons, Lyttleton c0ntln-
ued the advance under heavy artillery
fire from the Beers. At the same time
Gen. Warren's division met with strong
resistance There was hard lighting for
nearly week, and on Jan. y Gen. War
rem captured Spion kop. Jan. 20 the
Beers recaptured Spion kop and immedi-
ately afterward Warren's troops moved
back across the Tugela. The Beers cap
tured ,30S prisoners
At this point in the campaign many Of
the English officers advised abandoning
the relief of Ladysmith. On Jan 81
Gen. Butler sent out another reconnois-
sance. and on Feb. the British rccross-
ed the Tugela river and attacked the
Beers t@o days later, The Beers secur-
cd an advantageous position and checked
the advance Of the British for the time
More fighting followed. The Beers for
the frst time took the offensive against
Gen. Butler The two forces engaged IL
light skirmishes, Gen Butler trying TO
keep the Beers so busy that none could
be shared 10 assist Cen Cr0nje. who had
taken charge Of the federal troops at
Modder river.
On Feb. II Gen. Butler began an adj
vance to Ladysmith. and began to tight
his way toward the besieged city. Posi-
tion after position was captured by the
British. and two days later the Beers be-
gan moving their large guns from the
hills surrounding the city. evidently fear
FIJI lest they could not hold back the Brit
ish when the rush began to LadysmIth
Telegra pi1ic Brevifres.