Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-12-19
IS A CRUSHING BLOW.
Great Britain Staggers Under Recent
Defeats at the Hands of
the Beers.

shocked over luc Ou1l1OuS GpOIU Seuo
to the war office by Lord Kitchener. It
| contains news Of one of the most crush
| ing disasters to British arms since the
beginning of the campaign. Coming
as it does Oh the anniversary of the bat
| tie Of Colenso there are not few who
| express the fear that the hand of Prov
| iience will be against the English in this
| conflict. The incoherent and hysterical
dispatches of Lord Kitchener create
| the fear that the situation is much more
alarming than the official reports in
| fer. His statement that four companies
| of Northum berIand fusileers are miss
| ing is generally believed to mean that
| they have been captured by the Beers.
London, Dec. 17.-Lord Kitchener's
message to the war office is as fol-
| lows:
pretoria, Dec 14.-Clements brought in
| his force to Commando Mex, unopposed.
| The casualties were, I regret to say, heavy
| killed, five officers and nine Of other
| ranks; missing, IS officers and 555 of other
ranks. These latter were four companies
| of the Northumberland fusileers, who were
| stationed on the hill, and some yeomanry
| and other details sent up to support them.
| Names and nature of wounds are being
| "Broadwood's brigade took no part in the
engagement. The Beers suffered severely.
| Knox drove De Wet north to the Thaban-
chu-Ladybrand line, which was held by our
troops. De Vets force, about 5000 strong,
| made several attempts to get through dur
| ing the day, assisted by force Of Beers
| operating from the north These attacks
were driven back, though some of the Beers
| from the south were able to get through
| the line"
| Wiring later, December IA, Lord
| Kitchener reports that while passing
the lines in neighborhood of Thaban-
chu De Vets force lost considerably.
The South African light horse and
Thorney croft's mounted infantry cap
| tured q 15-pounder, taken at De Vets
dorp, pompon, several wagons with
ammunition, % prisoners and some
| horses and mules. A portion of the
| enemy has not been able to pass
| north.
Under date of December 10 Lord
Kitchener reports to the war office from
| Pretoria as follows:
| Clements mas come to see me. He says
| that four companies of the Northumber
| lands held out on the hill as long is their
| ammunition lasted. The Boer force at
lacking the hill was 1900 strong, while an
! other force of 1000 attacked Clements
| camp. By $40 a. m. the hill was carried.
| Requirements of one company of the
| Yorkshires failed to reach the top. Glenn
| ents retirement was carried out with regu-
| larity, but, as many native drivers bolted,
| a considerable amount of transportation
| was lost. All their ammunition not taken
| away was destroyed. He reports that all
| behaved we'll.
"Broadwood has gone to Rustenberg and
oR yUhj has hpo
| reinforced. A flag of truce, which has come
| into Commando Mex, from the Beers, says
| Jouberts was killed, and further re-
ports their losses as heavy
Gen. Kitchener's supplementary dis
| patch referring to the disaster at the
Magaliesberg confirms Fridays most
| pessimistic fears and demonstrates
that the catastrophe is among the
worst of the war. The matter was
brought up in the house of commons
Saturday, but the secretary for war,
Mr.. William ST. John Brodrick, had no
information to add, except that the
wounded numbered six officers and As
men.
The London military experts declare
with one voice that the extra ordinary
activity of the Beers just now is occa-
| stoned by a desire to make a strong
showing in the field in order to assist
President Kruger in his European ne
| gotiations. On the other hand, how
ever, there is a growing conviction
that many more soldiers will be needed
| in South Africa before the war can be
| brought to a close. That money and
men will be expended until Great Brit
ain has accomplished her purpose goes
without saying. but it is daily more ap-
parent how utterly weary the nation
is of the inglorious struggle.
Lord Kitchener, it is feared will find
that 100000 men are not enough to cope
with the difficulties besetting him. He
is said to have peremptorily> demanded
that the imperial government dispatch
Immediately every availabl mounted
man.
London, Dec. 17.-The following dis
patch has been received by the war
office from Lord Kitchener:
Pretoria. Dec. 16.--Five officers and 316
| men, Magaliesberg prisoners, have been re-
| leased
1.-THE Beers surrounded and captured 12o
| of Brabant's horse in defile in the Zastron
district.
"Col Bomfield, moving on Vryheid, de-
| feated the Beers with heavy loss, driving
them from Scheepers Mex and capturing
a quantity of arms. The Scheepers Mex
movement occurred December IS.
"The Beers who attacked Vryheid, De-
cember 10, lost 100 killed and wounded be-
fore they retired. The fighting lasted all
day, the enemy drawing off at 1880 p.
The British loss was six killed, 19 wound
ed and 80 missing. Our casualties include
two officers. who died of their wounds
Wiring from Pretoria yesterday
Sunday, Lord Kitchener, after an
nouncing that the released Magalies-
berg prisoners have arrived at Rus
tenberg, says that the Boer force di-
vided into two portions, one moving
south and the other west.
London, Dec. 1.-THE Society of
Friends of the United Kingdom are
about to memorabilia Lord Salisbury
protesting against the burning of
homes, causing great suffering to wom-
md oh Crnr 81 o1x