Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-12
A STEADY DRIVE.
Roberts Reports Driving Beers
From Point to Point.
Infantry 8 Miles North Of Zaud River
and Cavalry Still Further.
Beers Bitterly Contested Passage Of zand
Their Loss Said to Be Heavy.


from Red Spruit, under date of Nay 10,
evening, as follows:
We have had a successful day and
have driven the enemy from point to
point. French. with Porter's and
Dickson's brigades of cavalry and
Itutton's mounted infantry, crossed
the Zand river at Vermenten's kraal
and then worked round in a northeast
erly direction to Maatschaphy, being
opposed continuously by the enemy.
POle-Carew's division and Gordon 5
cavalry brigade, augmented by ~
battery of the Royal Horse Artillery
and by Henry's and Ross mounted in
fantry, crossed the river by drift
near the railway bridge. My quarters
accompanied this force.
with the infantry portion we are s
miles north Of the river. The cavalry
and mounted infantry are at Nenters-
burg road station and fuckers divis-
i'm is at Deelfonteinnoid. Ian Hamil-
tons force ana Broadwood's cavalry
brigade We're making for the cross
roads near Ventersburg when / last
heard from them. HamiltOn's column
met with stubborn resistance, and
Smith-Dorians brigade was engaged
for some hours in protecting the rear
and flank of his force.
The drifts are extremely difficult
and much baggage has still to come
up. We shall. however. march. at day
break. and push on as far as possible
in a KrOJnstad direction.
The only casualties reported at pres
On I, Iai L Nd 10 falrt
wounded, five. No return yet from the
cavalry nor Hamilton's forces
The Daily Express, in its second edi-
ton, today, published a dispatch dated
Riet Spruit. May 10. morning. describ-
ing the crossing Of the Zand River by
the British. 1t says:
The rear guard of the Beers, with
their guns. resisted the advance. The
mounted infantry. two batteries and
pompoms cleared the way and the 3rd
cavalry Brigade acted as a screen be
fore the main column. General French
was on the left and Gen. Hamilton on
the right The Beers had destroyed all
the bridges during their retreat.
1T is impossible to ascertain the
Bocr losses. but they are tn 1ught to
be heavy. Those Of the British. con-
sidering the important advance made,
are considered light"
a special dispatch from Riet Spruit
dated May 10. describing more fully
yesterdays successful operation, says;
General Hamilton's scouts had, or
two previous days. ascertained the
Boer position and strength. On
Wednesday night. the Cheshire Regi-
ment crossed the river. entrcnched
themselves and prepared to hold the
passage for the regiments following
them.
AT daybreak on Thursday. the main
body crossed at two or three points.
The mounted infantry We're then in
action driving off the advance Beers
preparatory to general advance
movement. The Boer right first gave
way. but Tucker and Hamilton had a
tougher task on the left. The Beers
had six guns and served them well,
working with great determination: but
the British worked up closer and closer,
their guns meantime firing necessarily.
The East Lancashire and Sussex
Regiment. by IL o'clock. had worked
Well to the front. The order was given
and like 4 flash the two regiments
sprang forward simultaneously and in
a few moments had secured two com
handing ridges.
The advanced line was now within
200 yards of the Beers main trench,
and the latter We're already losing
heart from the demonstration on their
flank, but they kept up a rapid, though
wild fire.
ordered and away went the Lancashire
and the Sussex Regiments again; but
the Beers could not stand and they
fairly bolted: and the rout of the Beers
along the whole line was then COM
plete."