Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-02-01
|,500 bR|Y|SHffRRSS KILLED.
GUEEHS FORCES MEET THEIR DOOM At
SPION KOP-WARRENS FORCES ARE
DRIVEN ACROSS THE IUGELA RIVER
BY the Boers-About 1000 Captured and
Wounded--Deieat Staring at Britain.

| LONDON, January 2S.-Goncral Bulle,
says that Warren's troops have retroatot
south of tho Tugela river. Tho Boors
say tho British loss is 1900 killed
Wednesday. 1t is believed hero thai
this includes tho wounded Tho Doors
also claim that $50 of tho English troops
surrendered at Spion Kop.
Boer Hcad Laager, Ladysmith, Jan
uary %, 6 =. M.-'rho British dead loft
on the battlefield yesterday number
| 800
BuLLER GIVES NO CASUALTIES.
LONDON, January 28.--Gonoral Bul
lcr's dispatch to tho war Office states
that Spion kop was abandoned on account
of lack Of wator, inability to bring artil-
lcry there and tho heavy Boor fire. Gen.
| BuIlor gives no list Of casualties. Ills
whole forco Withdrew south of the
Tugcla rivor with tho evident intontior
of reaching Ladysmith by another route.
Following is tho text of General Bullors
dispatch, dated Spcarman's camp, Sat
urday, January 9th, G:l0 =. NJ:
"On January 20 Warren drove back
tho cncmy and obtained possession of the
southern crosts of tho high table land
| extending from the line of Acton Homes
to llongor's Poort to the western Lady
smith hills. From then to January %
he remained in close contact with the
enemy.
"'rhc enemy held a strong position on
range of small kopjcs, stretching from
northwest to southeast, across tho pla.
tcau from Acton Homes, through Spion
kop, to the left bank of tho Tugcla.
"Thc actual position held was pcr-
fcctly tcnablo, but did not lend itself to
an advance, as tho southern slopes wcro
so steep that Warren could not got an
effective artillery position, and water
supply was a difficulty.
"On January % | asscntcd to his
attacking Spion Kop, large hill,
indeed, a mountain, which was cvidontly
the key Of tho position, but was far more
accessible from tho north than from the
south.
"On tho night of January - he
attacked Spon Kop, but found it vcry
difficult to hold, as its pcrmctcr was too
large, and water, which he had been led
to believe existed in this extraordinary
dry season, was found very deficient.
"Thc crcsts were hold all that day
against severe attacks and heavy shell
fire. Our men fought with great gal
'antry. | would especially mention the
t.n1uct of tho o1 ('onor,,,;,,,, AL a., .
Sd Kings Rifles, who supported the
attack on the mountain from the steep
est side, and in each case fought their
way to the top, and the I'd Lancashire
Fusilcrs and I'd Midtlcscx, who mag
niiccntly maintained tho best tradi-
tl"ns of the British army through
ont the trying day of January II, and
Thornycrofts mounted infantry, who
fought throughout the vay equally well
alongside of them.
"Gcn. Woodgate, who was in COM
mand ut the summit, having been
wounded, tho officer who succeeded him
decided on the night of January ~ to
abandon the position, and did SO before
dawn, January %.
Vi reached Warrcn's camp at ) A. NJ.
on January 25, and decided that n second
attack upon Spion Kop was useless, and
that the cnemy's right was too strong to
allow me to force it.
"Accordingly | decided to withdraw
the force to the South Of tho Tugela.
AT a. M. we commenced withdrawing
the train, and by S a. NJ, January y,
Saturday Warrcn's force was conccn-
tratcd south of the Tugcla without the
loss of man or a pound Of stores.
"Thc fact that the force could with
draw from actual touch--in some cases
the lines were less than Il thousand
yards apart-with the enemy in the man
ncr 1t did is, think, sufficient evidence
OF the morale Of the troops, and that we
were permitted to withdraw our cum
brouS OK and mule transportation across
the river, eightyiiv yards broad, with
twonty-f"ot banks and a very swift cur
rent, unmolcstcd, is, think, proof that
the enemy has been taught to respect
our soldiers fighting powers"
COMFORTING FEATURE FOUND.
One comforting feature Of the situa-
ton, however, is the fact that Gen. Bul-
accomplished without loss, Which puts
an end to the unpleasant rumors that
were III circulation here and on the con-
tincnt. Tho splendid galantry of the
men i'll capturing Spion KOp is read of
with great pride and satisfaction. II is
taken as an assurance of the ultimate
success of their arms.
HOW SrloN Kor WAS woN.
Srcarman Camp, Friday, January rs.
About 2o'clock on the morning of
January 2i, "wednesday with heavy
clouds res ting upon the kopjcs, the main
point Of the Bocr position, Tabanyama,
was stormcd by The British infantry
under Gen. Woodgatc. Our force crossed
over rayinc aud climbed tho mountain
side steadily, getting within thirty yards
of tho cncmy'S first limo Of trenches.
Tho 'ocrs: who had been asleep,
dccampcd, leaving everything behind,
and the British, with ringing clocr.
climbed to tho summit.
The }ocrs opened fire from several
points, but it was apparent that they had
hccn taken completely by SURPRISE and
their resistance was dispiritcd. The
western crest of the hill was soon won,
and the infantry crcpt along the top Of
the hil, At daybroak, however, the
Beers, from hiGh point on the extreme
east, sent whitening ire among the
British, which momcntarily staggered
them. The Beers had the range fixed to
Il nicely and their artillery sent several
shells right to thc top of the crest, fore
ing ;hc infantry to tako Cover. A Bocr
Nnrnrnfrlt also WIS worked with great
precision.
The British held the position against
great odds. At 10 o'clock strong rein
forccmcntS were sent up the hill and