Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-03-06
A Correspondent Thus Describes
the Scenes OF Death and Suf-
ferIne at LadysmIth.
THE NATAL FREE FROM BOERs
Small Eneaeements Have Oc-
CURED In Which British Are
Generally Successful.
GATAcRE ENTERS sTORMBERG

London, March 6-The Beers in
northern Cape Colony are in full re-
treat to the Orange Free State, The
possession of Stormberg puts General
Gatacre in railroad communication
with General Clements, at Colesberg,
for though the Beers partially wreck
ed the railroad, it is understood 1t can
be quickly repaired. and thus the en-
trance of additional British troops
into the Free State win be greatly
facilitated. The position gained byl
General Brabant, at Dordrecht, is re
ported to be exceedingly strong. Ac-
cording to the "Times" correspondent,
the Boer numbers, alone, enabled
them to retreat from Dordrecht, prac-
tically unhindered. He also reports
that the Beers deliberately fired at
close range on stretcher party. Cen
eral Whites garrison has begun to
arrive at Mooi river camp and will go
further south. They are emaciated
and exhausted and it is said the road
to Colenso presents scenes that ex--
ceed in horror those depicted in Dan
te's Inferno" Dead men and ami
mails are lying mutilated and purified
in the trenches formerly occupied by
the Beers, and fill the air with a sick
ening stencil. In cases where hur-
ried burial has been attempted the
rains have washed the earth away.
A dispatch from Osfontein says that
according to Boer prisoners, an i'm
portant British success win cause
President Steyn to flee to Pretoria.
Sterkstroom, March 5--General
Gatacre entered Stormberg unopposed
today. The Beers destroyed the rail-
way approach but the station is intact
Osfontein, March S-The Boer po-
sition has been fairly located about
four miles to the British 'front.' ex-
tending for about eight miles. The
Beers right consists of a high long.
mountain on the north side of the
river, which General French shelled
this morning. Apparently the space
between the mountain and the river
has been intrenched. South of the
river the Boer lines cover more
ground. A few days ago their left rest
ed ON high kopjes standing in the mid
die of the plain. They have extended
| two miles further south, while six
small kopjes stand in the plain be-
tween the centre and left. and the
centre and river, forming ridge be
hind which the Beers move unseen.
The weakness of the whole position,
however. is that it can easily be turn
ed in either direction.
Ladysmith, March 3-Three regi--
ments of cavalry, reconnoitering
northward today, saw body of Beers
behind Pepworth Hill. Two long
trains, ready to leave, promptly moved
before the troops reached them. The
Beers blew up a culvert behind them
as they went. The British pressed
a large body of Beers in the vicinity
of Pepworth. Beers opened heavy
rifle fire. British field guns replied.
The British did not press the attack
and the Boer fire ceased on the Brit
ish retiring.
Dordrecht, March General Bra
bant engaged the Beers today with
advantage. There was some smart
hshting this morning, British losing
five or six men and capturing a Boer
fort. thus vastly improving their po-
sition. Beers fought tenaciously, con
testing every inch of ground, but ulti-
mately retreated, suddenly, carrying
on the guns, and wagons. A mounted
force pursued them, but the result
is not yet known. British casualties,
during the two days, were twelve
or thirteen killed and thirty wounded
Boer losses are unknown; through
out severe fatigue the Colonials have
behaved splendidly.
London, March 6-The war Office re