The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-05

ed the Beers and Occup!S tOESSDeTS-
MS general continued 10 keep the Beers
on the move and pressed them closely
Saturday and Sunday, giving them nc
time to make prolonged stand and when
day broke he was within striking dis
lance of the enemy. Las night all the
cavalry, artillery and infantry, the lat
Ter riding in wagons to increase the
general mobility, started pOn d night
march with the object of turning the
|. Beers right. The flank operations
q successful. The infantry and field
batteries Immediately made a feint at
tack upon the BOer front, and whle
this was preceding the cavalry and light
artillery got completely around the
enemy's right flank as arranged. The
programme worked without hitch. The
Beers were utterly surprised, and, find
ing their retreat threatened, fled in dis
order to h eastward, leaving Coles
berg in General French's hands.
London. January 1.-THE Daily Mail
has the following dispatch, dated jan
uaTy LIST from Renesburg:
Yesterday afternoon a big force of
cavalry and infantry with ten guns,
under the personal command of Cen
srai French, moving by detour, occu-
pied some hills three miles from Coles
berg, where the Beers We're in strength
confident in the natural aid Altered
them by the hills around.
The enemy'S position extended six
miles around the entire village. At
day beak, our artillery opened the
battle. The Beers were taken by sur
prise. but replied vigorously An artn-
leTy duel was maintained for two hours.
Then a BOer Hotchkiss collapsed and
was ~ndo We captured it. A
Boer big gun was silenced, burt this and
the other guns were Withdrawn
to the nOrthward, whittier we are har-
asSins the Boer retreat by a damaging
shell fire.
"Colesberg is in our hands and the
few remaining loyalists are jubilant.
We have captured many wagons and a
considerable quantity of stores.
Our losses were quite slight, but
the Beers must lave suffered heavily.
They nay stop at Achtertang or cross
the river altogether at Noryalsport.
where the bridge is still intact"
THE BRITISH PUBLIC TAKES
HEART.
The success of General French in
driving h Beers from COlesberg has
shot a welcome ray of light through
the gloom of the campaign in South
Africa Everywhere it is commented
upon as an example of sound tactics
and as an Illustration of what may be
done the right methods are en-
plOyed with the Beers. The govern
ment is urged to take the lesson to
heart and to see that no stone lis left
unturned in the endeavor to get the
largest possible forces of cavalry and
mounted infantry to the front.
Now that General Frenc has the
Beers on the run, the hope is expressed
that he will give them no rest, but wifi
harass them until they rave found their
way across the Orange river. which is
twelve miles distant. The Old wager
route to the Free State traverseS Coles
berg and crosses the river by a fine
bridge, 1.540 feet long. 1t is believed
that the Beers retreated toward Nor
VaIS POnt further east, and the queS-
ton is whether General French will
be able to secure these two bridges be-
fore the Beers detroy them
One important effect of the success
Of General French is tina it will prob
ably have determined influence upon
Dutch ~disaffection. There is some dis
position here to eXaggerate he import
ance of small skirmishes and engage
nents- 1t should be borne in mind that
General French has only 1000 men
and 50 far as the important points OF
campaign are concerned, the situation
is virtually unchanged
Al hONOcN I1fSE liz DUETS dPpCdl W
be modifying somewhat their line of
defense. Genera Buffers scouts ave
discovered a Boer camp, established in
the vicinity OF Springfield, southwest
Of Colenso, by a Free State commando.
A similar movement has been made at
Aodder river. A large force Of Beers,
It - reported. has formed a new laager
at Kameeihoek.
HeifograpA reports from Ladysmith
Aow that all was well on December
sist. The b~ornbardment was being
saatiaed, but its intensity had relaxed.
CAPTURED GUNS TURNED
AGAINST THE BRITISH.
The Standards correspondent at
Frere Camp, t~elegraphing on January
Let, says:
Sir Charles Warren'S division is now
nearly complete. It's headquarters will
be at EScOurt. 1t is rumored here that
the guns which were captured from
General Butler at Colenso nave been
npounbed in the hills commanding the
drift over the Tugela river at Spring
field The Beers, it appears, captured
62e rounds of sharpnel when they took
the guns.
BUDLERiS DIFFICULTIES.
General Buffers difficulties have
been immeasurably increased by the
enforced ella since the last engage
nert. He now has before him a series
of walled and fortified hills, running
sixteen miles along the fine of the Tu-
Seia- These are swarming with the en-
envy, posted in positions of great
strength and bristling with guns; while
the river in front is in full flood. The
coming battle will certainly be the stiff
est, and probably the most momentous,
Sf the entire campaign"
SUCCESSFUL SORTIE AND RESCUE
London, January Captain Mont
morency's Sortie near Dortreicht, with
a patrol of 100 men of the Twenty-first
fances and his retreat, December S0th,
were followed up the mex day by a
successful British engagement and the
. rescue of a small party, supposed to
be men Captain Montmorency left be-
hind HIM
Under Captain Goldsworthy, a force
OF ITO men with four guns, accompa-
MED by Captain M~onmorency's scouts.