The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-03
EARLY AFRICAN WAR NEWS
SEVEN G. UNS md $50 MEN LOST BY
COL. BROADW0OD.

the GUNS Have Been hecuptureu anc
That n Hard Battle IL Going On-Hu-
initiation of the Defeat Keenly Felt in
England.
London, April 2, 1880 p. m.-The war
office reports that Colonel Broadwood
lost seven guns and all his baggage in
the ambush laid for him by the Beers
on Saturday. The casualties numbered
$50 The war office has received the fol-
lowing despatch from Lord Roberts,
dated at Bloemfontein, April l, giving
the particulars:
IT received news late yesterday after
noon from Colonel BroadWood, who was
at Thaba N chu, thirty-eight miles east
of here. that information had reached
him that the enemy was approaching in
two forces from the north and the east.
He stated that if the report proved true,
he would retire towards the WaterWorks,
seventeen miles nearer Bloemfontein,
where we have had a detachment of
mounted infantry for the protection of
the works
"Broadwood was told in reply that the
Ninth division, with Martyrs mounted
infantry would march at daylight to-
day to support him, and that if he con-
sidered it necessary he should retire
from the waterworks. He moved there
during the night, and bivouacked. AT
dawn to-day he was shelled by the en-
envy, who attacked on three Sides He
Immediately despatched two horse artil-
lery batteries, and his baggage towards
ri of fhnn1
with his cavalry.
''Some two miles from the waterWorks
the road crosses a deep mullah, or
spruit, in which, during the night, a
force of Beers had concealed them
selves. So we'll We're they hidden that
our leading scouts passed over the drift
without discovering them, and 1T was
not until the wagons and guns were
entering the drift that the Beers showed
themselves and opened fire Many of
the drivers of the artillery horses were
Immediately shot down at short range,
and several of the guns We're captured.
Yhe remainder galloped away, covered
by Roberts Horse, which suffered heav-
lily. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Chester
masters of Rimington's Scouts found a
passage across the spruit unoccupied by
the enemy, by which the remainder of
Broadwood's force crossed. They re-
formed with great steadiness, notwith-
standing all that had previously oc-
Cured.
"Broadwoods 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
all his casualties at about $50. includ-
ing 200 missing.
"On hearing this morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed I Immediately
ordered General French with two re-
manning cavalry brigades to follow in
support of the Ninth division The lat
ter, after a magnificent march, arrived
on the scene Of action soon after p.
m. Broadwood's force consisted of the
Royal Household cavalry, the Tenth
Hussars, and q and 'U' batteries Of the
Royal Horse Artillery, and Pitchers
Battalion of Mounted Infantry.
1.-THE strength of the enemy is esti-
mated at from 5000 to 10000, with guns
the number of which is not yet report
ed
A despatch from Bloemfontein, dated
to-day, says:
1.-THE loss Of the guns was attended
by incidents of splendid heroism. The
leading battery was so near the Beers
ambuscaded in the river-bed that the
latter said: Tt is useless your attempt
ing to advance. Throw down your
arms The sergeant Of the battery
fearing that the other battery would
misunderstood the hlndrance, rushed
through the convoy and warned his
comrades, enabling the rearmost bat
terry to save part of the guns, which
came into action later. A Life Guards
man and a gunner got gun out under
a tremendous fire, and four others were
saved by the men dragging them off
after their horses had been shot,
There are rumors of the recapture by
the British OF the seven guns taken
from Colonel Broadwoods force, based
on despatch to the Chronicle from
Bloemfontein. The same despatch says
that the water supply of Bloemfontein
has been cut off. While the report of
recapture may be correct, it falls to
compensate London for the severe shock
experienced from humiliating defeat
sustained within few miles from the
headquarters of the British army of oc-
cupation. The public is painfully sur
prised to learn, after all that has come
and gone, that British officers of high
position can still neglect precautions
which the veriest tyro might be ex-
pected to observe, and bunder into
traps which the exercise of the elemen-
tary military rules would reveal There
is no attempt here to minimize the dis
creditableness of the whole affair, so
far as the British are concerned, or de-
tract from the deXterity of the Beers,
who were, apparently, commanded by
General De Wet. Their tactics were
well conceived and boldly carried out,
and unless the achievements sent by
Lord Roberts have turned the tide and
recaptured the prisoners. couple of
hundred men from two crack corps of
the Household Cavalry and the Tenth
Hussars are now on their way to swell
the growing numbers of British prison.
era at Pretoria.
President Kruger is said to have
promised to reoccupy Bloemfontein this
week, and the stubborn burghers seem
to be closing around the place in such
force as promises to be troublesome,
especially when it is realized that the
activity of a strong force in the vicinity
of Paardeberg has already intercepted
1irapt communication bptJvCr1 Lord