The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-02-07
Beers TO MEET BUTLER.
Troops Leave Ladysmith to Co.
operate with Gen. Joubert.
COLLISION IMMINENT.
Beers Reported TO Have Lest 1000
Men Ira the Engagements at
SpearMan's Camp.

speech to the Beers at Lady Grey, said
that his men were almost surrounded at
Stormberg and unless recruits were forth
coming he would be compelled to aban-
don the position. 1t is admitted that in
the recent fight at Ladysmith the Beers
lest 100 killed and 600 wounded.
Many colonists who fought at Storm
berg have gone back to their farms and
have refused to return to active service,
though threatened with death. Among
those are some conspicuous burgherS VINO
originally invited the Free Staters to in
wade Cape Colony.
Field Comets Killed.
London, Feb. "a dispatch from
Ladysmith, undated, via Spearman's
Camp, February ,, says: Native desert
killed in last weeks fighting: Lombard
of Waterbury, Grobelair of Bremersdorp,
Opperman of Pretoria Daniel Erasmus
of Magaliersberg, and one Free State
cOrnet.
The British artillery broke seven Boer
guns. The Boer casualties were approx
mately 1000, though this information is
not confirmed officially.
BuIier Moving Forward.
London, Feb 3.-2:30 p. m.-Thc war.
office is silent as regards Gen. Butler,
but there is every reason to believe he is
continuing his movement upon Lady
smith. Those who are In a position to
know, confirm his reported recrossing OF
the Tugela river and believe he was en-
gagged yesterday. The message from
Ladysmith saying the Boer forces were
leaving again and that the besieging
force was considerably diminished, tends
to confirm this.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts has mott
fed the war office that forty Highlanders
who were previously reported killed at
MagersfOntein are prisoners at Pretoria
Boer Cities OF No I'm portance.
Spencer Wilkinson, who Gevotes his ar
ticle in the Morning Post to the princi
pies upon which war should be conducted
as applicable to South Africa, says: The
Beers have no great cities. Pretoria and
Bloemfontein are not centers of national
life, like Paris and London. To occupy
them, therefore, would have little effect
unless after the defeat of the Boer army
The Beer power is the body of citizens
constituting the army. 1t is, therefore,
our first duty TO crush the biggest army,
namely, that in the vicinity of Lady
smith. Though there have been appar-
entity troops enough in South Africa,
Gen. Butler has never had sufficient num-
Der for this purpose. Accordingly the
outlines of the war reveal no bold and
clear conception Until the strategical
can be no decided turn in the tide
BesieUcrs to Intercept Butler.
Helograms flashed from Ladysnith
three days ago say that the BOer in
VeStment lines then were thinning and
that the besiegers were moving in force
toward the Tugela, indicating that col
lision was expected there. This inrelli-
gence bears out other signs that Gen.
Butler is planning a fresh attack. The
war office continues to reveal nothing Of
what has happened in Natal Without
exception the military critics regard with
dismay the prospect of Il renewal of the
assaults unless Gen. Butler has been
heavily reinforced, and there is nothing
to indicate that this is the case.
Waiting for Results.
New York Feb. 3.-Very little news
of the situation in South Africa has been
given out in London during the past
tWcnty-four hours Much work is in
progress on the southern frontier of the
Free State. but the details are being
held back until results can be reported
That IS the impression being made by
such dispatches as are allowed to come
through from Sterskstrom and French's.
camp near Colesberg. The report that
the Boer losses ut Spionkop on Wednes-
day last exceeded 1000 dead although I'M,
confirmed, has created favorable i'm
preston and very few are disposed to
diSCrcdit it.
The Morning Leader believes that Gen.
Butler has begun a movement toward
Ladysmith. The article says: Gen.
Butler probably engaged soon after noon
yesterday Iriday) if all his artillery and
munitions had come up. In any case. his
orders We're definite for an advance at rba
latest this morning. There is no reason
to suppose that the direction is that of
INN n ol RI
Honger's poort, close to Bethany. al
though some cavalry and horse artillery
may go by that way. so as to operate or
or. perhaps, beyond the Acton Homes
road.
Butler to Strike Hard.
I'VE are inclined to believe Gen. Bu,ler
means to pound out Of existence any
Beers or any works lying on the river
near the junction of Little Tugela. If he
succeeds III establishing himself there on
the northern bank, he will virtually have
turned the Boer positions at OnerbrooL
and Grobeler's klOot. overlooking Colen
SO. This would mean the splitting of the
Boer forces on the south of Ladysmith
Probably Gen White would be able to
help in the effort by occupying with ener-
gy the containing bodies of the enemy.
There is no actual news to support tho
statement of the Lealer, but seeyral of
the London morning papers profess to be-
lieve that Gen Butler is pushing toward
Ladysmith.
Warren's troops, Oh Wednesday. were
still resting south OF the Tugela. while
Gen Lyttletons brigade held it's position
on the north bank. Gen. .oubert has
gone TO the Boer camp on the Upper TIL
gela, an apparent indication that he ex-
poets another attack on his right
Invasion of Free State.
Gen. Tucker. who came from India TO
command the Seventh division, has gone
up to Modder river. This seems TO indi-
cate that the troops of that division
which are arriving at the Cape will as
well as those of the Sixth division under
Kelly-Kenny, be used along the border or
the Free State and take part in the pros
pective invasion.
The reported activity of Col. Plumer's
force near Crocodile pools, more than ten
days old, is a good sign that strong eff
fort will be made by him to push through
to Mafeking
The first batch of wounded men belong
ing to the naval contingent serving in
South Africa has arrived in England.
They are mostly skilled gunners. They
say that the Beers Maxim Nordenfeldt
one-pound quick-fring guns have most
1pmOraliZinp effect on the Rr;t;cb rrboc,