Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-05-11
Overwhelming Force Of British
Force Position of Beers at
Riet SpruIt.
MORE FIGHTING IS EXPECTED
Roberts Is Now Within Twenty
Miles Of Kroonstsdt. ORANGE
Free State Capital.
SENATOR LODGE HINTS WAR

London, May 11.-Lord Roberts
teiegraphs from Riet Spruit, May 10th
Eevening: We have had a successful
day. and have driven the enemy from
point 10 point French, with Porter,s
and Dickinson's brigades of cavalry,
and Hutton's mounted infantry. eros.
llsed the Zand and vermenten's KraaI.
then worked around in northeasterly
direction to Maatscappoy being on
posed continuously by the enemy Pole
Carew's division and Gordon's cav
airy brigade, augmented by "J' hat
terry, Royal Horse artillery, and by
Henry and Ross mounted infantry
crossed the river by a drift near the
railway bridge. My quarters accom-,
panied this force. With the infantry
portion we are eight miles north Of
the river. The cavalry and mounted
infantry are at Ventersburg Road
station and fuckers division is af
Deelfonteinnord. Ian Hamilton's
forces and Broadwood's cavalry
brigade were making for the cross
roads near Venterburg, when last
heard from them. Hamilton's column
met with stubborn resistance. and
Smith-Doerien's brigade was engaged
for some hours in protecting the rear
and flank of his force. The only
casualties reported at present are:
killed-Rank and file, four; wounded
fve. No returns yet received from
the cavalry nor from Hamilton,s
forces. ~
London, May LA dispatch from
Riet Spruit, dated May 10th, describ.
in<, more fully yesterdays suecessful |
Operation. says: General Hamilton's |
ceEwstzzzUu EO0rp pvz1rIous ana
strength, and wednesday night the
Cheshire regiment crossed the river,
entrenched themselves and prepared |
to hold the passage for the regiments
following. Day break: Thursday, the
main body crossed at two or three
points Mounted infantry was then in |
action driving off the advance Beers
preparatory to general forward
movement. The Boer right first gave
way, but Tucker and Hamilton had
a TOUCHED task on the left The]
Beers had six guns, and served them
well, working with great determine
tion, but the British worked up closer
and closer, their guns meanwhile FIR
ing incessantly. The East Lancashire
and Sussex regiments by IL o'clock
worked we'll to the front. This or
der was given, and like fash the
! two regiments sprang forward stimuli
taneously and in few moments Sc
cured two of the commanding ridges.
! The advanced line was not within
! twelve hundred yards of Beers main
trench, and the latter were already
| losing heart from this demonstration
on their flank, but kept up rapid
| though Wild fire. At this moment the
final charge was ordered and away
went the Laneashires and Sussex
regiments again. The Beers bolted,
and the route of the Beers along the
| whole line was then completed
London, May 1l.-So quickly has
Lord Roberts advanced that his cav
airy lis only twenty-five miles from
Kroonstadt, while the main army is
i only eleven miles behind them
Hence. in about day, the British
will be within striking distance o
the Orange Free State headquarters
/ The presence OF 10000 Beers in th'
neighborhood of Thaba N'Chu is con
. frmed. They are holding a lin'