Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-11-13
DE- WET THE REAL LEADER
Lord Roberts Will Try to Break
Boer Resistance by Effect
ing His Capture.
DETAILS OF TWO DAYS. BATTLE CABLED
Gen. Knox Disclnims Any Credit for
Successful Engagement November
g. GallOping Battery Arrives in
Nick of Time to Save british Who
We're In Dire Distress.

New York, Nov. IA dispatch to
the Tribune from London says that
Gen. De Wet is now the real leader of
the Boer cause, and his prestige will be
impaired by his recent serious defeat.
A dozen other Boer generals are still
in the field. Botha, whose health is
better, is on the Yields near Waterfall,
and Nilioen is near him with Delarey.
Schalkburger is in the mountains near
Leydenburg and Erasmus is in the
south. Grobler and Lemmer are in va
rious sections of the Transvaal. Lord
Roberts has evidently made the cap
ture of De Wet and Steyn his next work
and is employing his mobile mounted
forces to hunt them down at all haz-
ards.
Lord Roberts, telegraphing from Jo-
hannesburg under date of November
S, reports to the war office as follows:
Gen. Knox states that he takes no credit
for the very successful engagement Of
November 6, which was due in the first in
stance to the determination of LIE Calais
never to lose touch with the enemy, and,
secondly, to the able way in which De Lisle
handled the firing line after LIE Calais and
Ross were wounded.
Smith Dorrien reports that the two
days fighting mentioned was very hard.
His force consisted of $50 mounted troops
from the Fifth Lancers, the Royal Cana
dian Dragons and mounted rifles. two
Royal Canadian artillery guns, four guns
of the Eighty-fourth battery and 800 in
fantry of the Suffolks and Shropshires.
THE Beers were met soon after starting
from Belfast and hung on the front TANKS
and rear until the Komati river was
reached where they stood at a very strong
position. From this they were forced to
retire by a wide turning movement by the
Suffolks and the Canadian mounted troops
around their flank. All the first day Boer
signal fires were lighted in all directions.
and before morning they were strongly re-
enforced.
"Our casualties the first day were six
killed and 20 wounded. chiefly of the
Shropshires, who fought splendidly. The
next day the Beers tried to seize the strong
position on the bank of the Komati, from
which they were beaten out November 6,
but were prevented by Col. Evans. with the
Canadian mounted troops and two of the
Eighty-fourth guns. galloping two miles
and selling 1t In the nick of time. The rear
on the return march was defended by Col
Lessard. with the Canadian dragons and
two Royal Canadian guns under Lieut..
Morrison.
"Smith-Dorrien says no praise can be
too high for the devoted gallantry these
troops showed in keeping off the enemy
from the infantry conveys.
:In the afternoon an event unprecedented
in this war occurred, when some 200 mount
ed Beers suddenly charged the rear guard
to within 70 yards. when they were stopped
by the Canadian dragons. During the
fight l6 of the Canadians fell into the hands
Of the enemy who treated them kindly and
released them after removing their own
dead and wounded, during which opera
ton the Canadians were compelled to lie
ap~theis faces .i9 eEdeE bat ithd No.
Our casualties were two killed and u
wounded"