The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-02-22
THE BOER RETREAT.
Said to Be Rapidly vacating Brit
ish Territory.

AeaNlng all the positions held by them
on British territory and are concentrat-
ing for the defense of their own. Sir
Redyers Butler thinks they are about
TO raise tine siege of Ladysmith, and
this is the important news of the day.
Force Greatly Diminished.
Gen. Clements reports that the
force confronting him has been great
~ diminished. Ten thousand men are
estimated to have gone from the
Colesberg district alone. The Beers
are also retracing their steps from
Zululand. Thus they are relaxing
their hold on al sides in order to as
Eemble to oppose Lord Roberts He is
pressing on steadily towards Bloom
fontein. This is shown by his incon-
sequential telegram from Paardeberg,
so or 60 miles away. Doubtless he is
miles behind the column that is pur-
suing the Beers and the next impor-
tant news may be the occupation OF
Bloemfontein.
The Pursuit OF cronje.
Nothing has been heard from the
chase of Cronje for two days. Al
though the last words Of the war Of
fee Tuesday night were that there
was no news for publication, there IS
a strong disposition TO believe that
favorable information has been re-
ceived. but is being withheld until
the operations eliminate In some
thing more conclusive. There is an
equally strong disposition to think
that Gen. Cronje has got away.
Hmmpered by Lack of Transports
Owing to the lack of transports the
British are not likely to invade Boer
territory, except where Lord Roberts
IS operating. Gen. Butler VIII have 70 |
stop at the Drakensberg mountains.
Probably a part of his 10000 men VIII |
ultimately join the legions OF Lord
Roberts.
If. as Gen. Butler AYERS, the Beers are |
retreating from him. then the news on
every side is favorable to the British. |
Nevertheless troops continue to go up
The war Office thinks that the call to
veterans to rejoin the eolors, together
with the bounty, viii bring 5000 men |
to the home defense. The urgency |
with which home defense is pressed ex- |
cites some wonder.
With the casualties Just reported. |
the British losses in killed, wounded \
and captured now aggregate u,102-
Business Conducted Under Ground.
London, Feb. 21.-A dispatch TO the
Daily Mail from Mafeking, dated FRI
day, February 9. says: All business |
here is being conducted under ground. |
The resident commissioner has stump /
tuous apartments in a subterTanesn
~bomb proof The Cape police have
a large hall. with piano. The Asfe-
king hotel dining-room seats 40. All
these have been Ding out and are inn
perTious TO shells.
British Take COlensO-
London, Feb. 21.-The following dis
patch has been received at the war
cfFce from Gen Butler:
Blows Farm. FEB. s.-Ths fusLeer
brigade yesterday took HEzngwzna hin.
the right OF the snemy's position and con-
KuzrGAng CcIsnso. the rest OF the force adj
vzrcfng towards the TugeIz- This r-ornfng
the enemy has wirhdrzwn al the troops
E0rth 0f the TugsEz and had practically
evacuated Colsnso- To-day Gen Hare oe-
CUPID ColsEso after very slight resist
&EAA-E " = WEAK rear [4&EG. ana Eg41
the HE q the TUg=lz On the south SIDE
from CoIsEso 70 Eagles Nest Ire enemy
seem 70 Be II fun rstrszt ard apparently
ere Only hoIGfzg the position they occupy
across the CoLscso-Ladyzz1frh railway,
where IT Il close 20 ths angle Of the TugeLz,
with weak rear guard Hunts advance
guard = crossing AZ Coselso-
Our easuaItiss yesterday ard to-day
Rave. / hope, been few
CronIe's Retreat
London, Feb. IA correspondent
o. the Daily Chronicle, teIegraPhing
Sunday, thus describes Gen. Croaie's
retreat with the Beers at Magersfon-
tein, on learning Of Gen French'z
success.
''On THURSDAY at midnight hszGsd by
Ger EroEie, go Beers with their heavy
gus and OK wagons, evacuated the Mag
erzfortedn lines. At dawn on Friday The
retreatfng Boer army was seen from the
British naval gun station On Kip Drift
kopJe trekking eastward across the Brit
Lsh front, at z distance OF 500 yzrcs- Our
guns opened On them and a force Of Eo11r-
ed Infantry crossing the river made q
dashtng charge in the attempt 70 cut on
the head OF the easny's column Bet -
half an hour their whole force had gained
shelter under q line sS kopi=@-
Meanwhile two of our batteries had
come Up and the Oxfords. Bluffs. West Bid
figs and GIoEcsstsrs. Our Infantry crossed
the drift and for three hours were en-
gagged with the enemy while our batteries
zhslled his position The mounted infan-
try kept hard At work
Unable to Withstand our CALLING fire,
the enemy retired. Gispurfng every inch
OF the way, ard took ID a second position
or the kopj=s to the eastward II was
magnificent spectacle to see the Boer army
thus AT bay. Their rear guard. z.9G6 strong
fought Us, whtie the main body trzkkec
further east ard then brought their gus
into action, while the rear guard retired
s'The action Izsted through the day. Our
fought spIerdidEy, but the enemy
held his ground Under the continued BON
bzrdment. Later on the Boer commander
on a bold stroke. Leaving z5eE
OF hls men under cover. he withdrew the
rest from ks main position ard HEADED
for Kip KrzaI drift, SAX miles 70 the east.
This movement was soon discovered !
Our mounted infantry came back across
the drift and marched along the south
hank TO endsavor TO head OF the enemy.
when they reached the reighboFhood o.
Kip Krazl drift, nighc had fallen ana
half the Beers were already across 20 the
south side Our roOgEte.1 infantry har-
assed their movements
s.MeanwhiIe. the Boer rear guard, hav
ing covered the crossing Of the main body
retired slowly and successfully passed the
drift The rear guard fought desperately
and as * fell hack to the river IL was har-
assed Or the flank and rear BY the British
.sH&ying thus passed the Mo1dsr under
royer OF darkness, the Beers trekke6 |
throughout the night In the direction q
Gen. Keuy-KeEny, vita
he Sixth division. pursued them AZ day
.5ght. Gen. Macdonald, with the High
a nderS following him MacDoEa6 reached
Kip Kraal drift BY forced marches Sun
day. Gen Kelly-Kerry. moving from
Kip KraaI drift, was endesv0ri1g 70 out
tank the enemy and 70 cut them OF from
BIoemk0ntEln. 50 a. 20 drive them back |
INTO Gen MzcDonakd's hands When
left the frOrt Gen. Kelly-Kenny had rot