Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-04
{By Telegraph to vlrglnlan-Pllot.,

London. May 4 (4:l5 a. m.)-Genral
Broadwood's cavalry brigade has
reached Isabelfontein, 90 miles north Of
Thaba N'Chu. Genral Ian Hamilton Is
bivouackihg at Jacobrust Is miles north
of Thaba N'Chu. Genral fuckers divi-
sion is moving eastward from Karee
Siding. The divisions of French and
Genral Rumble are in and near Thaba-
N'Chu. Thus Lord Roberts has $4,000
men operating clear of the railway
along a front of forty miles.
He is advancing slowly with some
successes. but nothing decisive. Yet.
at all points of concentration. The
Beers appear in force sufficient TO COM
pei the British to proceed with caution.
Their wide front in a rugged country
makes turning movements off hand diff
ficult.
The Beers. Mt Winston Churchill
says, have enormous herds of cattle
and flocks of sheep gathered in the
southeast. These they are driving
Observers at headquarters in Bloem-
fontein seem to think that the Beers
are preparing to evacuate Bradfort and
Ladybrand. The Beers still holding
Thaba N'Chu district arc estimated at
1000 They have among their guns 4
40-pounder. One correspondent. wiring
from Bloemfontein Wednesday ut 1855
D. M. said the British hoped to cut off
the whole commando
The correspondents at Kimberley
have been forbidden to communicate
for several days. the deduction being
that a movement Is under way there.
The Beers in Natal are restless. Two
,. ,I.-r1I Il H. IIr
nesday and tried TO engage the British
outposts.
WRITTEN ON THE FIELD.
London. May 4.-The Bloemfontein
correspondent OF the Standard, tele-
graphing May 2. says:
II have just ridden hither from
Thaba N'Chu. along the line of our ad-
vance east of Bloemfontein. The dis
tance is fully forty miles, and yet al
most every point of concentration is
contested by the enemy.
General Rumble, with the Eighth d.
vision, is posted on our right flank
with orders to guard a strong and bold
ly outlined frontal position in coun-
try of a decidedly difficult nature.
There the Beers have posted a num-
Der of guns of superior weight and
range to our own. However. they show
no disposition to do more than keep in
touch with us and to harrasS our ad-
vance.
Further to the west General Ham
ilton. with his division of mounted in
fantry, Is pressing northward. encoun-
tcring only a desultory fire. The High
land Brigade. from Val Krantz. has
been engaged while General Tucker,
commanding the Seventh Division, has
moved eastward from Karee Siding
and has returned south, followed by the
Beers.
Nevertheless the cavalry. owing to
the greater numbers of the enemy, have
movement that was intended to encircle
the Beers on the march to Brandfort,
and the enemy are now prepared to
offer q stubborn opposition on an en-
trenched hill to the southeast OF
Xroonstad.
"They will probably abandon that
position as soon as their stores have
been moved north of Vaal river.
General fuckers attempt to adj
vance on Brandfort showed the enemy
TO be in considerable strength. The
Colonial Cavalry were engaged and
they lost twenty horses while under
fire from Pompoms. The Beers were.
however. driven from their positions"
The Daily News has the following
from Thaba N'Chu, dated Wednesday,:
I'm yesterdays thanking movement
Captain Towse and fifty Gordon High
landers were surrounded by $50 Beers
who demanded their surrender Cap
tain Towse ordered his men to fix bayo-
nets and charge. With wild cheer
the Gordons rushed at the enemy and
swept them away with great slaughter
Captain Towse was blinded In both eyes
by the enemy's fire and throughout be-
haved heroically.
LORD ROBERTS REPORT.
London. May 3.-The War ONCE has
received the following report from Lord
Roberts under date Of Bloemfontein
May 9:
General Hamilton met with consd-
cradle success and drove the enemy out
of the strong position they had taken
up ar Houtnek, with comparatively
small loss to u.s. The Beers dispersed
in several directions, mainly to the
east and north, leaving twenty-slx pris-
oners In our hands, including one COM
mandant and sixteen other wounded
men. General Hamilton is now in camp
at Jacobs Rust. AS the men needed
rest after lighting seven out of the last
ten days. / ordered them to halt for the
day. General Broadwood's brigade of
cavalry arrived upon the scene in time
to afford valuable assistance by threat
enlng the enemy's rear.
During the afternoon General Inn
Hamilton was Joined by Gen. Bruce
Hamilton's brigade Of infantry.
THE enemy admit having twelve
killed and forty wounded yesterday.
Amongst the former was Lieutenant
Gunther. a German officer belonging to
the Tifty-fifth Regiment. and amongst
the latter was Maximofr, the Russian
commander of the foreign Legion
Twenty-one out OF fifty-two of the
the members of that Legion. Two
Frenchmen We're among the killed.
General Hamilton speaks in high