The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-05-24
Account of Feyerish Activity at Pre-
tOria.
KRUGER WORKING DAY AND NIGHT.
The Relief Column Repo hed to Have
Been Defeated With Great Loss
Butler Moving.

London, BY CaDle.-Ihe brltiSn re-
lief column fought the Beers at Kra-
apan, SO miles south Of Mafeking, on
Tuesday. according to telegram re-
ceiyed Wednesday night at Lorenzo
Marques, from Molopo, 10C miles north
of Mafeking This intelligence is ac-
cepted here with some reserve because
it is difficult to understand how the
news could have been so quickly put
on the wire from place 1872 miles
from the scene of the engagement. A
correspondent of The Morning Post.
presumably John Stewart, is reported
captured by the Boers at Kraapan.
The British public is keenly expectant
of the announcement that Mafeking
has been relieved. Douglas Story, The
Daily Mail correspondent at Pretoria,
wires:
The Boer government is holding
back some big news. Feverish activity
prevails here. President Kruger is
working day and night. The lates:
Boer official bulletin is that the relief
columns has been defeated with great
loss. Lord Roberts continues passive
at Kroonstad. His cavalry are stretch
ing like o semi-circular screen many
miles in length, with overlapping
flanks."
The railway will probably be COM
pleted soon. General French's cavalry
had one lively fight after crossing the
Zand river. A mixed squadron, COM
posed OF the Scots Greys, the In2iskill-
ings, Carbineers and Australian Horse.
took a kopje and dismounted. The
Beers suddenly fired from a concealed
position, Killing many horses and
stampeding the rest The Beers then
advanced in overwhelming numbers
and drove the squadron, capturing
some. The Beers robbed the dead and
looted the saddle. Finally brigade
Of cavalry drove them off.
Farther north the Hussars charged
the Beers, killing and wounding many
stragglers with sabres and pistols.
Lord Roberts infantry marched 122
miles in seven days. General French
marched 80 miles in one day. The
Beers, when retiring, dragged 80 guns
through KroonStad.
General Butler Is moving toward
New Castle. He appears to be using
$4,000 men against 5000 or 5000. His
operations will almost certainly result
in his forcing his way into the Trans
yaal, possibly in time to cooperate
with Lord Roberts advance, although
General Butler is now 2j2 miles from
johannesburg, or % days march.
A Dane, who was captured by the
South African Horse. says there are
500 Frenchmen with the Beers who
are opposing General Butler, together
with many Germans and other for
aigners. General Rumble is sweeping
through the northeast Of the Free
State. The Beers are dissolving be-
fore him and some are surrendering.
Their main force is assembled be-
tween Ficksburg and Winburg, bit 1t
Is without close organization.
The occupation of Glencoe was
merely a logical sequel Of General Bull
ler's advance and the Beers retiring
movement. AS usual the Boers are re-
ported to be flying precipitately, but,
also as usual, the accounts add that
their transport and guns were re-
moved in safety which, in itself, is a
contradiction Of any statement that
the Beers were panic stricken. The
prolongation of the Mafeking siege
only intensifies Great B:itain's anxiety
to hear Of it's relief.
About LOO more troops have ar
rived at Beira, Portuguese East
Africa