The sun., 1900-04-03

COLONEL BRoADwooD.
retire toward the watcrworks, IL miles
nearer Bloemfontein, where we have had
detachment of mounted infantry for
the protection of the works.
"Broadwood was told in reply that the
Ninth division, with Martyrs mounted
infantry, would march at daylight today
to support him. and that if he considered
it necessary he should retire from the
waterworlls lie moved there during the
night and bvouacked. AT dawn today
he was shelled by the enemy, who at
tackled on three sides. He Immediately
dispatched two horse artillery batteries
and his baggage toward Bloemfontein,
covering some of them with his cavalry.
Beers Well Hidden.
''Some two miles from the watcrworls
the road crosses deep nullah, or spruit,
in which during the night force of
Beers had concealed themselves. So
well were they hidden that our lending
scouts passed over the drift without dis
a. ,.IiHg them, and it was not until the
wagons and guns were entering tile drift
that the Beers showed themselves and
opened fire. Many of the drivers of the
artillery horses were Immediately shot
down at short range, and several Of the
guns were captured. The remainder gal,
lopcd away, covered by Roberts horse,
which suffered heavily. Meanwhile Lieu
tenant Chestcrmasters of Rimington's 5.
scouts found Il passage across the sprut
unoccupied by the enemy, by which the
remainder df Broadwood's force crossed.
They reformed with great steadincss,
notwithstanding all that had previously
occurred.
"Broadwood's report, which has just
reached me and which contains no de-
tails, stated that he had lost seven guns
and all his baggage. He estimates his
casualties at about $50, including 200
missing.
'.On hearing this morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed, | Immediately
ordered General French, with two re-
naming cavalry brigades, to follow in
support of the Ninth division. The lat
ter, after a magnificent march, arrived
on the scene of action soon after p. m.
Broadwood's force consisted of the
Royal Household cavalry, the Tenth
hussars and @ and U batteries of the
Royal Horse artillery and Pitchers bat
talon of mounted infantry.
s'The strength of the enemy is estimat-
ed at from 5000 to 10000, with guns,
the number of which is not yet reported"
A special dispatch from Bloemfonteiu
says:
"The loss of the guns was attended by
incidents of splendid heroism. The lead
ing battery was so near the Beers am
buscaded in the river bed that the latter
said: 1T is useless your attempting to
advance. Throw down your arms.
"The sergeant of the battery, fearing
the other battery would misunderstood
the hindrance, rushed through the con
voy and warned his comrades, enabling
the rearmost battery to save portion of
the guns, which came into action later.
Life guards men and a gunner got a
gun out under tremendous fire, and four
others were saved by the men dragging
them off after their horses had been
shot,
Rumors of Recapture.
There are rumors of the recapture by
the British of the seven guns taken from
Colonel Broadwood's force, based on n
dispatch to The Chronicle from Bloem-
fontein. The rumors, however, fail to
compensate London for the severe shock
experienced from q humiliating defeat
sustained within few miles from the
headquarters of the British army of oc-
The public is painfully surprised to
learn after all that has come and gone
that British officers of high position can
still neglect precautions which the yeriest
tyro might he expected to observe and
blunder into traps which the exercise Of
the elementary military rules would re-
veal.
There is no attempt here to minimize
the Observation-Disclosures of the whole affair
so far as the British are concerned or
detract from the deXterity of the Beers,
who were apparently commanded by
General De Wet. Their tactics were
well conceived and boldly carried out,
and unless the re-enforcements sent by
Lord Roberts have turned the tide and
recaptured the prisoners a couple of han
dred men from two crack corps of the
Household cavalry and the Tenth hussars
are now on their way to swell the growing
numbers of British prisoners at Pretoria
President Kruger is said to have prom
ised to reoccupy Bloemfontein this week.
and the stubborn burghers seem to be
closing around the place in such force as
! promises to be troublesomt, espec II,