The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-14
BULLER BACK
WHERE HE WAS.
After Two Months Fighting the
British General
Is Compelled to Retreat to His
Starting Point.
TC ATT nHDnWyN AVEAU
is ALL THROWN AWAY.
General French's Work In Cape
Colony Is All Lost.
Beers ReOccupy Territory From
Which He Drove Them.

New York. Feb. 1.-THE dispatches
announcing the British retirement at
Rensberg are not satisfactory. "Out
losses are not yet known" says the
Daily Nails correspondent There was
hot fighting all day and at night the
British retreated. This is the more de-
pressing to London because only few
days ago it was believed Gen. French
was about to take Colesberg. If the
Beers are able to defeat Gen. Clements
in a decisive engagement they may
threaten Lord Roberts base of supplies
at De Aaar Junction. This unexpected
show of strength by the Beers at Coles
berg has amazed those who were pre-
dieting an easy march for Lord Rob
erts through the Free State. The eX-
perts who saw in Gen. Buffers capture
and abandonment of Vaal Krantz a fine
piece of strategy say that Gen. Glenn
ents' retreat to Rensberg is part of the
same policy to engage large forces of
Beers while Lord Roberts demolishes
Cronje.
It is believed Gen. Butler has with
drawn his force from POtgieters Drift
and Springfield to Chieveley and is ex-
actIy where he began two months ago.
The London Leaders war expert
says:
South African military opinion calls
for $4,000 or 75 coo more men as soon as
possible and this on the ground of mer-
cifulness and ultimate economy
This would bring our strength there
up to nearly a quarter of million men
and this force to put down two small
republics whose united white population
is supposed to not exceed $4,000 men. .wo-
men, children and Uitlanders.
Nothing but this fact was needed to
demonstrate the futility of the minis
terial scheme of army reorganization
laid before parliament on Monday The
precise nature Of Lord Roberts move
ments on MOdder river and Orange riV-
-er IS wrapped in mystery. Certain it
Is that the country Gen. French man
euvered the Beers out of in northern
Cape Colony has been reoccupied by the
Beers. Gen. Butler is keeping his own
secrets but we may look for another
move on his part in a day or two proba-
bly, to east Of COlenso-"
The Morning Posts war expert says:
The announcement of new appoint
ments confirms supposition that large
force has now been assembled at Mod
der river.
along the whole line and the cOmman-
der-in-chief must determine the point
at which he will act.
1T looks as though the Beers had ta-
ken their forces away from MagersfOn-
tein to reinforce the commandos az
Colesberg where a victory would threat
en- the British communication between
Cape Town and MOdder river
The expert compares the situation to
the American civil war at the time when
the army of the Potomac held all the
confederate forces in Vire mia while
the western armies moved down the
Mississippi and through the heart of
the cOnfederacy to Atlanta and Savan-
nah and thence north in General Lees
rear.
TWO DAYS FIGHTING.
London, Feb. 14.-A dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Rensburg, dated yes
terday, says:
.'Taere has been hard fighting for
two days near COlesberg. the Beers
making strenuous efforts to outhank the
British left The enemy occupies strong
positions from Achtertang through Pot
frentein to a point five miles south of
Jasfontein.
The fighting at the outpost camps
has been very severe during the last
few days. Yesterday the Beers at
tackled the position of the Worcesters to
the southeast Of Colesberg. Fighting
continued all day and after dark it
was considered necessary to withdraw
to Rensburg. Our losses are not yet
known"
ION the left the West Australians.
Wiltshires and Berkshires had hot fight
ing. but held their positions against
long odds. The Boer losses were con-
siderable.
owing to the growing difficulty ex-
perienced by conveys in reaching the
camps all of the latter were vacated
last night and the troops withdrew to
Rensburg
The Beers are burning the farms of
the lOyalists. but the latter have con-
trived to get away with their stock"
The fact that General Buffers dis
patch revising the casualties to the
British troops at POtgieter's drift is
dated from Chieveley is taken in some
quarters as an indication that General
Butler has removed his headquarters to
that place. There is nothing to indi-
cate whether or not he left any large
force at Springfield.
BULLER MAKES a RECONNAIS-
SANCE.
London. Feb. 14.-An official dispatch
from Gen. Butler at ChieveIey announces
a reconnaissance at Springfield, result
ing in no gain of ground on either side.
Capt. Hamilton Russell, Lieut.. G
Churchill and ten men were wounded
and Lieut.. .Pinkington and six men were
captured by the Beers.
The dispatch contains detailed ac-
counts of what appear to be unimport
ant operations They only tend to throw
light on the situation by proving that
the Beers are actively following Gen.
Buffers every move. From Field Mar
shal Lord Roberts at the MOdder river.
where all eyes are turned there is no
word.
A dispatch from Mafeking says the
garrison there can hold out until June.
Gen Buffers dispatch from Chieveley
dated Monday, February II. says:
The commanding officer at Spring
field reports this morning that squad
ron of the first dragons moving to the
outpost line covering the right flank of
the camp met a party of Beers near
F1lstenberg The Beers reaching the