Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-01-25
ACROSS THE TUGELA.
BULLER'S ARMY ADVANCES TO-
WARD LADYSMiTH.
The General Issues an Address to His
Men Saying There Could be No Turn
ing Back--The First Skirmish Is Won
by the British.

Gen. Buffers successful effort to get
his army across the Tugela river evil
IDENTIFY was planned with care. The Brit
ish generals seem to have concealed the
exact nature of their movements from
their enemy, one brigade in the center
of the position crossing with the aid OF
artillery fire at Potgieter's ford, while
another, five miles to the left, crossed a
few hours later and secured good po-
sition on the enemy's flank.
Whether or not, says a correspondent,
the Beers have been anticipating such a
movement and practically preparing to
yield to Buffers advance remains to be
determined. 1t does not appear that they
made the show of resistance which they
had been expected ito make, or that they
were on the alert, as, presumably, they
would have been in case of a stubborn
purpose to resist to the utmost the cross
ing of the Tugela. While this advance
carries the British forces past one more
obstacle on the way to Ladysmith it also
enables the Beers to put themselves in
position much stronger strategically. So
long as they held the Tugela they were
forced to stretch out their line along the
river for many miles. Their force was
thus not only weakened, but exposed to
flank attacks. 1t seems likely that be-
fore giving up this position they had pre-
pared themselves to make q much more
effective resistance under more favOra-
BILE conditions. BY concentrating at a
point nearer Ladysmith they would have
not only the advantages of a choice of
positions in a familiar country, but of
having their enemy in place from which
it would be extremely difficult to make
an orderly retreat A watchful army
free to take its choice of positions for re-
sisting an invading force has signal ad-
vantage over an advancing army which,
whatever path it chooses, is bound down
to the necessity of reaching a definite
known objective-in this case Ladysmith.
The Beers, apparently are not likely to
be outfanked easily in this region. On
the other hand, should they succeed in
repulsing Butler, they could make his pO-
sition on their own side of stream which
is unfordable save at a few points ex-
tremely awkward,
Another correspondent says that Gen.
Butler himself has made his headquar-
ters in farm house belonging to Mar
tinius Pretorius, and located supposedly
in the neighborhood of Spearman's farm.
He issued an address to his men telling
them that they were going to relieve their
comrades at Ladysmth and that there
could be no turning back. 1t is not ex-
actly known the number of troops with
Butler, as about 5000 Of his men remain
unaccounted for. However, it is believ-
ed that his total force now amounts to
10000 men, with eight field batteries,
divided into three or four brigades.
Gen. Warren, with about 5000 men, is
reported to be well lodged five miles back
from the river at Sproenkop. He has
thrown a few shells at the Beers, but
has received no reply, the Beers being ap-
parently too busy intrenching and prepar-
ing 20 give Warren a warm time when
he attempts the advance in the direction
of Ladysmith.
Gen. Lyttleton's force of probably TO-
600 men and a majority of the guns is
at Potgieter's drift bombarding the enc
my. Lord Dundonald's cavalry is sup
posed to be on a reconnaissance for the
purpose of cutting the Boer lines of COM
munication, task of great difficulty, as
it requires an advance as far as Blaan-
bank.
The first skrmish between the British
and the Beers, preliminary to the impend-
ing struggle north of the Tugela, was re-
ported Friday. The action resulted in a
victory for the British.