The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-04-05


Household cavalry, two horse batter
les and a force Of mounted infantry
under Col. Pitcher which had been
garrisoning Thaba Nchu, was obliged,
| in consequence of the near approach
of large force Of Beers, to leave
| Friday night. Col. Broadwood marched
marched to the BloemfOntein water
| works. south of the Modder, where he
| encamped at Saturday morning AT
| early dawn the camp was shelled Dy
| the enemy from near point. Col.
| Broadwood sent off convoy with the
| batteries. while the rest OF the force
remained to act as rear guard. Inc
| convoy arrived at deep spruit, where
/ the Beers were concealed and the en-
| tire body walked into ambush and
were captured, together with SIX guns.
| The less Of life was not great since
| most of the British had walked into
| the trap before shot Was fired. Gen
| Colyilles division. which left Bloem-
fonteIn early Saturday morning, ar
rived here Mt noon Sunday and he Is
now Smelling the Beers.
Retrcafed in Haste.
| London. April 3.--Gen. Buffers anX-
ious inquiry whether British officers
| viii ever learn the value Of scouting
| comes back with enforced emphasis TO
| the British public to-day on receipt OF
| tldings that a convey with guns has
walked deliberately into Boef am
bush within about twenty miles OF
| Bloemfontein.
Lord Roberts own report OF the AZ
fair. If yet received by the war ONCE.
has not been published, and no ac-
count Of the affair IL available, 10 the
public except the dispatch from BUSH
man KGp. Nothing can be said, there
fore. regarding t!ie exact extent OF the
British misfortune. Evidently Col.
BrDadweGd thought II necessarily 10 re-
treat IN haste from Thaha NGhu, as
he marched ail through Friday night,
apparently followed by q con&ldaTable
force Of the enemy, The convoy ana
guns had to pass through deep
apruIt which the Beers had occupied.
Six or ten guns. comprising two bat
tories. al! the wagons, and, II II feared,
many men. fell into the hands Of the
BGcra. whose daring, d!aplayed 80 near
Bloemfontein, shows tint they ars
rapidly recovering iiean after the re-
cent feveraca. The hope IN Expressed
fere that Gen. Cdlyille viii recover
the convoy and guns, but this II lihfaH
III likely IN ftieh u difficult country,
aud 1t " probable that tbs next news
VIII he that
After stir Fight
Con, CGIyIlle has exiricatcd Cox
Eroadwood from Ills diiiienltt position,
bat failed 10 retrieve the disaster.
al a,.1t
the renewal df tho old mistakes Of ufi-
derrGt ne The Beers ffid the hheenee
Of proper prfeantlon, No doubt The af-
fair will revive H0ef hopes ana inspire
confidence among the enemy ut criti-
cal moment, Great things are expect
ed by the Beers Of the new command
eFin-chief. Gen. Botha, who has made
his reputation wholly during the pres"
ent campaign, Foreign officers Gerv-
ing with the Beers have expressed
surprise at his clever tactics,
The proof Of continuing BGer gctiv-
tty In the Free State will compel
greater crfnmapecti0n on the part Of
the British. md will probably deIay the
march 6f Lord Roberts n0rihWard.
Detailed accounts Of the fight ~ karee
Siding estimate the B0er forces vari-
DuBIf lrnfH StbJV I'D bp" HlbAs IE"
bapt'e horse occupied WGpener last
Thursday tln0ppGscd. Lord Methuen
has issued the following notification ut
Kimberley:
81 have received instructions that IL
any Disturbances occur west ff the
yaal river my force Is 10 return and
punish the rebels Immediately"
British May Cross PoTtHgueae Ter
London. April 3. 49, The Lisbon cor
respondent Of the Daily Mail says:
The Portuguese government has
wired orders to BeIra that British
trnops and ammunition be allowed to
pays through freely to Rhodesia Tho
minister OF foreign affairs, Veigo Beiro,
has announced in the chamber Of dep
urics that the government Is in yos~
session of railway bonds with which
to pay TIE award of the Delagoa Bay
railway arbitration tribunal. ~ b
Steyn 10 Stir Them Up -E
Meseru. April 3.-President Steyn Is
reported to have gone to Ladybrand to
stir up the burghers there to renewed
resistance. The Beers have removed
from the immediate vicinity of Platte
berg and taken up n commanding po-
sition adjacent. The Dutch who sur
rendered their arms ut Ladybranl are
now suffering seizures CT tha- live
stock.
Roberts Graceful Act
Bloemfontein, April 3.-Lori Roberts
has sent the following dispatch to
President Kruger:
Have Just heard of the death IL
Gen. Joubert. and desire to offer my
sincere condolences upon the sad event.
Would ask YOU TO convey to Gen. Jou-
bert's family an expression OF my
most respectful sympathy with their
sad bereavement, and to assure them
also from me that all ranks of her
maiesty's forces share my feelings Of
deep regret at the sudden and unffme-
ly end of so distinguished n general.
who devoted his life to the service of
his country and whose personal GAL
1antry was only surpassed by his hui
name conduct and chivalrous bearing
under all circumstances"
Botha Joubert's Choice.
Pretoria, April 3.-President Krurar
said in public that the last expressed
desire of the late Gen. Joubert was
that he should be Surcpnde6 oS oo,,, -