The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-02
ORDERED ARETREAT.
Buffers Movement to Relieve Lady,
smith Is Disastrous.


Forced to Abandon .spion Kop and
Withdraw His Troops to the south
Bank Of Tugela River-sail to
Have Left 4 500 Dead ON Field.
London, Jan. 29.-Gen. Butler saws
that Warren's troops have retreated
south of the Tugela river. The Beers
say that the British lost 1900 killed
Wednesday. 1t is believed here that
this includes the wounded. The Beers
also claim that $50 of the English troops
surrendered at Spion Kop.
withdraw His Forces.
London, Jan. 29.-Gen. Buffers dis
patch to the war Office states that Spion
kop was abandoned on account Of lack
of water, inability to bring artillery
there and the heavy Boer fire. Gen.
Butler gives no list of casualties. His
whole force withdrew south of the
Tugela river with the evident intention
OF reaching Ladysmith by another
route. -
Following is the text of Gen. Buffers
dispatch, dated Spearman's Camp, Sat-
urday, January ~, 6:10 p. m.:
Buffers Dispatch.
ION January 20 Warren drove back the
enemy and obtained possession of the
southern crests of the high table land ex-
tending from the line of Acton Homes and
Honger's Poort to the western Ladysmith
nils. From then to January 25 he re-
NAMED In close contact with the enemy
The enemy held strong position on a
range of small kopjes stretching from
northwest to southeast across the plateau
from Acton Homes, through Spion kop. to
the left bank of the Tugela.
The actual position held was perfectly
tenable, but did not lend itself to an adj
vance. as the southern slopes were so steep
that Warren could not get an effective ar
tillery position, and water supply was a
difficulty.
Attack on spion kop.
ION January % assented to his attack
ing spoin kop, large hill, indeed a noun
tain, which was evidently the key of the
position, but was far more accessible from
the north than from the south. On the
night OF January q he attacked Spion
kop, but found it very difficult to hold as
It's perimeter was too large and water,
which he had been led to believe existed.
IN this extraordinary dry season was found
mat day against severe attacks and a
heavy shell fire.
Praise for the TrooDs.
"Our men fought with great eallantrv.
l would especially: mention the conduct of
the Second Cameronians and the Third
hlng's Rifles, who supported the attack on
the mountain from the steepest side and. in
each case fought their way to the top. and
the Second Lancashire fusileers and Second
M1ddlesex, who magnifcently maintained
the best traditions of the British army
throughout the trying day of January %.
and Thornycroft's mounted infantry. who
fought throughout the day equally we'll
along side Of them,
Gen. WoOdgate, who was in command
at the summit, having been wounded. the
omcer who succeeded him decided on the
night of January "a to abandon the posi-
tloh' ana dld so before dawn, January g.
Force Withdrawn.
II reached Warren's camp at five a. m.
on January rs and decided that a second
attack upon Spion kop was useless and tina t
the enemy's right was too strong to al
low me to force 1t. Accordingly decided
to withdraw the force to the south of the
Iugela. At six a. m. we commenced with
drawing the train and by eight a. M, Janu-
airy q Saturday, Warren's force was con-
centrated south of the Tugela without the
loss of man or a pound Of stores
1.-THE fact that the force could withdraw
from actual touch-in some cases the lines
were less than LOCO yards apart-with the
enemy in the manner it did, is, think.
sufficient evidence of the morale of the
troops, and that we were permitted to with
draw our cumbrous OK and mule transport
across the river, IS yards broad, with 20
~ nj md 81
molested, Is, l think, proof that the enemy
has been taught to respect our SOLDIER
fighting powers"
A BOer Report.
Boer Headquarters, Modder Spruit,
Upper Tugela, Wednesday, Jan. "A,
Midnight, via Lourenzo MARQUES,
Thursday, Jan. 25.-Some Vryheid
burghers from the outposts on the high
est hills of the Spion kop group rushed
into the lager saying that the kop was
lost, and that the English had taken it.
Reenforcements were ordered up, but
nothing could be done for some time.
the hill being enveloped in thick mist.
At dawn the Heidelberg and Carolina
contingents, supplemented from other
OOSdA SAC dSC0II the
hill. Three spurs, precipitous projec-
tons, faced the Boer positions. Up
these the advance was made. The horses
were left under the first terrace Of
rocks. Scaling the steep hill, the Beers
found that the English had improved
the opportunity and entrenched heav-
lily. Between the lines of trenches was
an open veldt, which had to be rushed
under heavy fire, not only from rifles
but of lyddite and shrapnel from field
guns.
British Surrender.
Three forces assembled the three
spurs coordinately, under cover of fire
from the Free State krupps, creusot
and a big maxim. The English tried
to rush the Beers with the bayonet,
but their infantry went down before
the Boer rifle fire as before scythe.
The Boer investing party advanced
step by step until two in the after
noon, when a. white flag went up and
the $50 men in the front trenches sur
rendered. being sent as prisoners to
the head lager. The Boer advance
continued on the two kopjes east of
Spion kop. Many Beers were shot, but
so numerous were the burghers that
the gaps filled automatically. Toward
twilight they reached the summit of
the second kopje, but did not get fur
Their. The British maxims belched
flame, but a wall of fire from the
mausers held the English back. Their
center, under this pressure, gradually
gave way and broke, abandoning the
position.