New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-02
vek II has been long and wesrisome defen-

Mex. II has been long and weerisome defen-
sve campaign memorable mainly for the series
Of gallant sorties planned by General Hunter
and for the valorous repulse of the enemy on
January g. when the fighting OF the most
desperate character. The garrison has suffered
more heavily from disease than from the en-
emy's shell fire and bullets. Its strength was
estimated at over nine Thousand men when the
siege opened, but the force has been reduced
by serious fighting and by the ravages of ty-
phoid fever. General Butler, when he entered
the town yesterday. found that Whites soldiers
had been reduced in rations TO half pound Of
meal daily, and had been living their horses
and mules. They seem to have been in des-
perate straits. Their reserves of ammunition
were not described. but were probably exhaust
ed. They were not rescued a day too soon, and
were unfit for operations in the field. Their last
bolt was shot when they beat back the Boer
storming parties from Caesars Camp early in
January.
END OF A FAMOUS SIEGE.
The siege of Ladysmith came to end unex-
pectedly to the garrison All day Wednesday
General White expecting Boer attack. and
there was false alarm with heavy musketry
firing not long before Dundonald's cavalrymen
rode Up. Three shells had been fired from Bull
wana on the previous day. and escape from the
town was blocked by Boer riflemen at every
point The continuous artillery and rife firing
to the south was assurance that General
Buffers army fighting day after day, and
during the last few days OF the siege the Dutch
forces Were moving northward in small
bands The enemy retreated, however as soon
Buffers decisive victory was won at Peters.
The guns were hastily removed from Bulwana
and Grobler's Kloof. and on the following day
the whole district between Coenso and Lady
smith clear and the rear guards We're dis
appearing toward Laings Mex.
Press dispatches in this mornings papers con-
tain descriptions Of General Buffers final battle
for the relief Of Ladysmith, and there cannot be
more striking evidence of the gallantry and grit
OF the British soldiers The forced march OF
three battalions, the ascent of a precipitous
river wall and the sudden attack upon the en-
emys position made up as brilliant feat of
arms as has been recorded during the campaign
II was followed by spirited charge all along
the line by battalons which had been constantly
under fire for ten days. Lord Lansdowne found
1T difficult to decide yesterday whether Whites
garrison Buffers army was entitled to the
higher praise for their work during the cam
paign British soldiers have never appeared to
better advantage
There was no news from Paardeberg at mid
night except belated accounts of the circum-
stances of the surrender and descriptions Of the
Boer iaager. which was found to be in a most
unsanitary condition. The srnallness Of the
Dutch losses under the concentrated shell fire is
explained by the extensive borrowings which
were made in the river bank The Beers for
once did not do all the digging, for the accounts
of the final operations before the surrender show
that the British battalions advanced their DO
sftions every night and constructed trenches
where they were protected in their gradual APP
proach to the enemy's position