The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-04-12
WAR NEWS

Last Friday the news of most interest
was that Gen Plumer's force sent to re-
lieve Mafeking had been repulsed and
that at the.same time sortie by the
beleaguered garrison CT the place had
been beaten back by the Beers. Several
British officers We're taken prisoners
No details came from Roberts's army at
Bloemfontein, but it was thought to be
in some difficulty. The Beers were be-
coming much more active Whereabouts,
having considerable force of cavalry
in the field and threatening Roberts s
line of railway communication.
On Saturday the reports stated that
five Irish companies of Lord Roberts,
army had been captured near Redders-
burg. They were surprised by a strong
er force of Beers and surrounded. AS a
partial foil to this Gen. Methuen tele-
graphed from Boshof near Kimberly,
that he had surrounded Gen. Villebois
de Mareuil and body of Beers, none of
whom escaped. Villebois and seven
Beers were killed in the engagement,
the others captured. Villebois was a
Frenchman, soldier of fortune, and
the chief-of staff in the republican ar
mics He was the best-instructed sol
die IN continental methods of warfare
that the burghers had. There was no
further news from Roberts, and he made
no movement so far as any one knew.
On Sunday a dispatch dated Wednes-
day was received which reported an en-
egagment at Reddersburg between Gen.
Gatacre's force and Boer detachment.
The censor evidently cut out all the de-
tails of the fight The Beers were re-
ported to be in force at Wepener threat
ing Brabants division. The army at
Bloemfontein was depending for water
on what could be drawn from the wells
of the town, the Beers still being in pos
session of the water works.
Mondays news was very meager the
press-censor cutting out everything of
Importance. What leaked through,
however, indicated that the recent Brit
ish reverses had resulted in the partial
uprising of the Free State. Beers were
very active throughout that country.
and apparently becoming more numer-
Gus and enterprising every day. A news
paper correspondent at Bloemfontein re-
ported everything quiet there, and Eng
lish reinforcements constantly arriving.
Many of the prisoners captured by the
British turned out to be Frenchmen,
who had come to South Africa to help
the Beers.
Tuesday brought no tidings of any
movement by Roberts. The Beers were
reported to be in force throughout the
Free State, harassing British outposts
and detachments and raiding the farm
ers who had laid down their arms. The
English garrison at Wepener was said
to be surrounded, but well-intrenched
and supplied with ammunition and ra.
tons. Railway and telegraph commun-
ication with Bloemfontein was uninter
rupted. Roberts was reported to be
still very short of horses, and to need
heavier uniforms fol- his men for the
approaching cold weather.
On Wednesday the dispatches contain
ed an account of another. serious disaster
to the British. Gen. Dewet in an en-
gagement at Meerkatsfontein defeated
the English, killing and wounding 500
and capturing 900 of them. The Boer
loss was placed at killed and wound
ed. There were reports of other minor
battles in the Orange Free State, but
details were not given. Lord Methuens
force was advancing from Boshof to
Hoopstad and was in dangerous situa-
ton, being liable to be cut off by the
Beers at Brandfort