Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-02
FORCING Beers BA|C|k|
British Win . Stubborn Fight North
Of Houtney. Inficting Heavy
Loss.
Thsba N'Chu and the Road to
Bloemfontein secured-An
All.Day Battle

Roberts Superior Force Evidently
Making Slow Roadway Matek-
ing Holding Out Well.
Thaba N'Chu, May ss.Hamliton's d.
vision was engaged yesterday and to-
day in forcing a passage northward at
Houtney. The Boer front held the line
of the hills commanding the sides of
the neck. The Canadians and ,iordons
attacked the hill to the left, and the
5Shropshires and Marshall's horse, sup-,
ported by a battery, also made an at
tack on the enemy, who finally fled,
leaving many wounded. and the pass
age cleared. The Beers on the mount
ain are now Smelling the outlying camp.
necessitating its removal to a safer
place. The Beers have three guns on
the hill to the eastward of this place,
outside of the range of the British ar
tillery. The Boer shellingi is not doing
any damage. The enemy retain their
positions, and the British are not at
tempting to dislodge them.
Hamilton by reaching Houtney, after
a full days fighting, secured the Thaba
sN'Chu and the Blocmfontein road.
London, May 2.Thc situation in the
Frse State shows signs of change Lord
Roberts tuning movement has appar-
entity begun, unless the two movements
reported by him yesterday are feints,
which seems unlikely.
Gen. Maxwell's brigade. which was
Iencamped at the road bridge over the
Modder river north of Sannas Post. adj
Nanced on Monday to Kalkfontein, on.
the road to Winburg. 1t met With no re-
sis,ance, bur the mounted infantry
scouting in advance of the brigade was
sskirmishing for several hours.
Gen. Hanilton's mounted infantry d.
vision, with Smith orrien's brigade
supporting it, advanced on the same day
from Thaba N'chu. nearly due north TO
Houtney, where II met a strong Boer
force commanded by Gen. Botha.
There WAS skirnishing, but no en-
gagement, the British casualties not ex-
ceeding thirty. Reinforcements We're
sent forward during the day and night,
and Gen. Hamilton now has second in
fantry brigade and u large mounted
force.
These two columns are heading for
W'inburgs by conNerging roads from San
mas Post and Thaba N.chu. Gen Max
Well. If unopposed, Will be able TO cut
Loft Cen. Botha's line of communications
III d single days march. and hence it is
probable that the Beers will fall back
I'm front of Hamilton and Houtney.
Two columns will then be enabled TO
effect a junction about forty miles east
Iof karee Siding. and about the same
distance south Of Winburg. These col-
umns when reinforced from Thaba
ESiChu will naturally wheel thru Win
burg and turn the Boer position at
1 Brandfort. enabling the sixth division to
iadvance along the line of the railway.
\ Lord Roberts earlier account of the
Operations at Thaba N,Chu was III, a diff
lferent strain. He described the Beers a S
persistent in their attack. ard Gen.
! Rumble as holding strong defensive
position With ample support.
Press dispatches We're most confusing
with the single exception of the report
iof a Boer attack upon a convoy, which
was clearly described This convoy was
moving up from IoeNHets Dorp under a
mounted escort when the Beers fired
Ion II from tile hills, and altho Gen
French made flank attack the supply
/ train would probably have been cap.
4 tured il Brabazor, with the Imperial
\ ieomanry. had not come up from thu
4 south ard rescued it.
/ Otherwise these dispatches were un,
since the Beers were alter.
slinateiy described rs holding an impreg
Unable position with strong force ant
5lguns Of long range and as breaking up
q retiring northward
The accounts of Gen. French's caval
ry Reconnaissance and artillery practic
are now easily understood. Lord Rob
erts' forces we're pressing their marcl
lnorthward instead of assaulring tn
enemy on the high hills east Of Thab,
n N'Chu.
Lord Roberts clearly expects that TIL
advance toward Winburg will compe
y the Beers tn retreat from the Thab,
81 N'chu district. aud this will clear th
entire eastern flank with the exception
OF Landbrand, TO which Gen. Olivier
. commanders have retired with thei
Icattlesand herds.
Wepener has been evacuated by Ger
i'd l6iaDaEl, Ipl., lDaiSety ana Gen. Hart
who have gone nprthward. They ar
not yet reported on the direct road I
Ladybrand, and may be marchin
toward Thaba N,chu thru De Wet
Dorp with Gen. Chermside's division
but there is no decisive information re
specting their destination.
J Dispatches to the Pail Mall Gazett
bring the news from Mafeking down t
April 20 The Beers have removed thei
big gun. and have nearly suspende
the bombardment. but have blown u
& the railway south of the town, and ar
clearly expecting q march of relic
column from the south.
. The health Of the garrison remain
!, excellent. and 1t is prepared to hold OF
= until the queens birthday.
! The war Office processes ignorance {
i the movement Of relief column undo
Gen. Hunter, but the presenc of
q strong body OF reinforcements north {
: Kimberley from Natal is not denied.
!. The Beers remain active in ths
: quarter. They have made a fresh raj
J, from Fourteen Streams and have occr
!, pied Windsorton. thirty miles north
2 Kimberley.
. !, All Well at Mafeking.