The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-03-30
BRITISH ARE DRIVEN
FROM LADYBRAND
Heavy Firing Heard Toward
Modder Point.
BOERS DESTROYING MINES

i""'h'icTy nio"h Up Win Dynamite.
British Losses Now Foot Up More
Than 16, 900 Officers and NIcn-Sick.
ness Among Troops.
CAPE Town, March 29.-Tho British
force that entered Ladybrand was forced
to retreat hurriedly before a largo num-
bor of Beers who may have been part of
Olivicr's command. Firing has been
heard at Moddcr Point, which would
seem to be near Modder Poort, to tho
southwest of Clocotan. Possibly the
Bocr rear guard has been engaged there.
There have been cavalry slZirmishes at
Lord Roberts outposts i'll the FREQ State
and General Buffers in Natal
The weekly casualty list shows that
the British losses will be very heavy.
Mr.. Wyndham's original roseate csti-
mate that the war would be carried
through at cost OF not more than 5000
lives Is bound To be very much exceeded.
Up to Saturday the British forces had
lost 2,l3O mon killed, while 9,S07 were
wounded and 3,5l5 missing or prisoners,
making Il total of -, ,453. To these must
be added 300 deaths from disease, or Il
| grand total of 1862.
These figures, however, do not make
| evident the actual weakening of the
British army due TO illness. har(lshipS
and long marches.
General Macdonald. writing from
Paard"burG, states that the Highland bri-
Eadc lad at the time only 81 officers and
500 mon fit for duty out of total of
81 officers and 5000 men. Hard march
ing, blvOuaCing i'll the open and other
trials of the severe campaign have re-
duccd the brigadC's strength nearly 80
per cent.
The 1000 men that remained of the
garrison az LadySniith are recovering
very slowly from the effects of the siege
1t may bc weeks before they are able to
| participate i'll any military movement.
Letters are now arriving from Lady
smith which show the desperate c0udi-
| ton to which the garrison had como
when relieved. Only l,OOO men were
left fit t" offer any determined resistance
to the BacrS at the time Lord MacDnn-
aid arrived.
United States Consul Hay and hi; sec
rctary have gone to kroAuStadt to make
necessary arrangements for United
States representation il the Free State
A dispatch received here from the
BDcr headquarters in Natal announces
that the destruction continues of coai
mines likely TO be useful t. the British.
The Dundee colliery has been blown
up, the machinery destroyed and the
mine has been rendered useless for three
liioli'liS 10 COM Z trrsDatch from Kroon-
Stadt, Conrandant Olivier has ioincd
Generals Grobluir and Lomncr.
General DClar"y is still sick at Prcto-
ria, but he will proceed to the front Sun
day Trains are Frequently leavingwith
burShcrS for the fighting line on this
side of BlOcmfont"in.
Ii Is learned that Generals Olivier.
Grobllir and L"mncr have arrived at u
point sufficiently far north 10 relieve all
apprrh"nsionS of tn" possibility of their
beng cut of 1t Is expected they will
arrive at Windburg in few DAYS and
form junction with Jcwr.t. when the
fcdGralS' position, it is declared, will
formidably oppose Lord Roberts
Sir Alfred Milncr arrived at Bloem
tontrln last night and was met by Lord
Roberts and his staff.
According to the same dispatch Gen
Gral frchcn, previous TO returning t.
Blocmfontcin, occupied the flour mills
car Batter, which is valuable ncouisi-
tiOn.
Reports from RDuXvillc and other
towns say the surrender of arms to the
British continue satisfactory.
General Clements column entered
FaurcSmith Tuesday. March -. having
previously occupied Laagcrsfcntein.
The dispatch from MaScru, Basuto-
land, dated Tuesday, March II, says the
BocrS are rc-cutcring LadySbrand.
special dispatch from Blocmfontein
says:
"Thc period of inaction IS coming to
an end. Troops are being pushed to the
front and transports and stores are be-
ing collected"