The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-09
nAmILTON'S FORCE
FACING THE BOEkS
Both Sides Awaiting Arrival
Of Reinforcements.
DIsPosITToN OF BRITISH

lAaes So Arranged m To Bring Large
Force In Contact With tho Enemy.
Beers Hold Strong Positions To tho
Relief ~ Mafelking.
IoNpox. LAY 9.--The following dis.
patch has been sent ny Lord Roberts to
ths war ONCE from Bloerafontein:
Tho Beers made very persistent at
tncks around Thaba NChu Saturday
and Sunday. But the position which
the right (Rundle's) division holds is
very strong aud he had tho assistance of
0ordon's and Dickson's brigades, the
cavalry under French and Smith-Dor.
rien's infantry brigade aud a body Of
mounted infantry under Ian Hamilton.
Pole CArowb division has returned from
Dgwet's dorp."
Lord Roberts also cabled additional
o1sualeios sustained during the fshting
g April ~ around Thaba N'Chu, con-
dseing of Lieutenant Grady and two en-
hsted mon killed and ore officer and
threo enlisted men wounds,d.
Neither the commander -in-c chief nor
oAo correspondents' dispatches throw
eng hight upon the plans being made to
o1nt the Boers from Thaba N'Chu vi
clnity and how long before . definite
uove = nsado 70 assert British guprem-
40 u only mrmise. In the mean.
tine, tho Beers are remai ikably aggres-
I've. and especially In view Of the largo
toeces oppodAy them- Il special dis
pnech nom Thuba N'Chu says they
made daring attempt to cut OF Brit
N convoy which got into broken ground
heeween Thaba N'Chu and Dewet's
dosps opening fire from the adjacent
hills. In the nick Of time, General Bra
ba,ou, with strong force Of yeomanry,
returning frnm Wepener. arrived on the
pcepe and extricateo the convoy.
Tho Same dispatch describes the dispo-
dhon Of the forces ut Thaba N'Chu as
follows:
General Rundle Is covering the ad-
vanced camp, facing the Beers position
70 the east. where they are strongly en-
trenched.
General Tan Hamilton and General
Smith-Dorrien occupy strong positions
on the road to the north.
Another dispatch says a company un-
der General Hamilton located the Beers
20 tho north and an artillery duel oc-
CURED without result.
There was much artillery firing with.
out much casualties. IL Is hardly likely
that the forces viii face each other in
very large numbers until rcinforcements
+ srrive. - both sides seem to be waiting
for troops.
Stringent measures are being adopted
10 prevent the Boer guerrillas from Sc
curing supplies from other centers.
AZ the conclusion of General Sir
George Whites visit to Windsor today
Queen Victoria decorated the defender
OF IAdysmith with the cross and star of
the Victorian order.
Her majesty and the soldier had a
long conference. IL Is learned that the
queen was more angry than for years
over th publication Of the Spion kop
dispatched
A significant item Of Importance has
been received from Cape Town. It Is
asserted ON good authority that General
Hunter has been sent to Kimberley to
command Q strong column intended for
the relief OF Mafeking. IL will also in
clude Barton's brigade, which has lately
becu brought around from Natal. and q
strong contingent OF horses and gums.
a dispatoh from Mafeking. dated
Apeil 20, Ays:
Bosrs have been busy for several days
b,pwing mp the railway southward.
There was little firing during the past
Fewer II rife. bat Otherwise the health
a the sAzrison u good and al are we'll.
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