The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-04-11
BoERs CAPTURE CONVOY OF THE
NINTH DIVISION
Baggage and Six Guns FAN Into Enc
mics Hands. French Sent to Assist
the Division.

BUSHMAN KOP, Saturday, March 81.
The British force commanded by Col
onel BroadwOod, consisting of the
Tenth Hussars, Household Cavalry, two
horse artillery batteries and force of
mounted infantry, under Colonel Pilch-
er, which had been garrisoning Thaba
Nchu, was obliged, in consequence Of
the near approach of a large force OF
Boers to leave last night
Colonel Broadwood marched to the
Bfoemfontein Water Works, south of
the Modder, where he encamped at 4
o'clock this morning. At early dawn
the camp was shelled by the enemy
sent off a convoy with the batteries,
while the rest of the force remained to
act as a rear guard. The convoy ar
rived at a deep spruit, where the Beers
were concealed, and the entire body
walked into ambush and was captur-
ed, together with six guns.
The loss of life was not great, since
most of the British had walked into the
trap before shot was fired.
General Colville's division, which left
Bloemfontein early this morning, ar
rived here at noon, and he is now she'll
ing the Beers.
LONDON April 2.-Lord Roberts re-
porting to the War Office from Bloem-
fontein, under date of April 1, says
Division with Martyrs mounted infan-
try will march at daylight to support
him, and that If he considers 1t neces-
| sary, he should retire from the water
works. He moved there during the
night and bivouacked. At dawn today
he was shelled by the enemy, who at
tackled on three sides. He Immediately
dispatched two horse artillery batteries
| and his baggage toward BloemfonteIn
covering some of them with his cavalry.
| "Some two miles from the water
works the road crosses a deep nullah
or spruft, in which during the night a
| force of Beers had concealed them
selves. They were so hidden that our
leading scouts passed over the drift
without discovering them, and it was
not until the wagons and guns were
entering the drift that the Beers show
ed themselves and opened fire. Many OF
the drivers of the artillery horses were
| Immediately shot down at short range
and several of the guns were captured
The remainder galloped away, covered
by Roberts Horse, which suffered heav-
lily.
meanwhile Lieutenant Chestermas-
tres of Rimington's scouts found 9
passage across the spruit unoccupied
by the enemy, by which the remainder
of Broadwood's force crossed. They
reformed with great steadiness, not
withstandinE all that had previously
occurred.
"BroadwOod's report, which has just
reached me and which contains no de.
tails, stated that he had lost seven guns
and all his baggage. He estimates al
his casualties at about $780, including
200 missing.
"On hearing this morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed, I Immediately
ordered General French with two re.
naming cavalry brigades to follow il
support of the Ninth division The lat
ter after a magnificent march, arrived
on the scene of action shortly after
2 p. m.
The strength of the enemy is esti
mated at from 5000 to 10000 with guns
the number of which is not yet report
ed"
LONDON, April 4.-General Colvill
and General French have given up tn
movement against the Beers east o
Bloemfontein, and have Joined the mail
army. 1t doubtless seemed to Lor,
Roberts a vain attempt to send 1900
Of his best troops into the wilderness
with a field transport in a direction a
right angles with his chosen line of ad
vance. The Beers have probably moVe'
elsewhere, and if to the southwest. Gen
eral Colville could as easily strike then
from Bloemfontein as by followint
them up across the plains.
These differences still leave the situa
ton bewildering for the time being. tn
enormously superior British forces ap
pear inactive in every part of the wa
field, waiting yet, probably, for the &C
emulation of material for a swift ad
vance on the Transvaal frontier.