The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-15
4 GENERAL
ENGAGEMENT I
IMMINENT.
fovsn.nts and Disposition Of
Troops Indicate Preparation for
Coming Together in
DECISIVE ENGAGEMENT.
R.eonuaisanosD and Flank Move
meuts Point to Battle
Royal.

9ober,s enigmaticaI announcement
mo change in the situation" does
,othlng to allay public anxiety or to
ynIaIn the mystery surrounding Cen
raj RulIer's movements on the Tugela,
nd although there is a disposition to
,rard the dispatch as disposlng of
s,mrday.s adverse rumors, the week
has opened in state of suspense al
most equal to that OF last week. be-
rause IT is recognized that failure in
General Buffers present attempt would
ssl the fate Of Ladysmith.
presumably mo change in the stu
s,Ion" refers to previous dispatches
Eent to the war office, which have not
ret been revealed to the public. Ex-.
r.pt the announcement of the seizure Of
potrlcter's Drift and the advance Of
General Warren. there has been no
news from the Tugela for a week. A
raw Of hope Is in the fact that the same
silence prevails from the Boer side.
Thus 1t may, perhaps, be fairly infer
red that General Butler has not yet
met a serious check.
II the announcement of General War
rens movement be correct. It is evil
Ben, that General Buffers forces are
pread over very wide front-perhaps
twenty-five miIes-and in tbs event OF q
,udden fall of the river, his operations
might be full of danger. 1t Is believed
hat General Butler has no good survey
maps of the district. This will add to
bis difficulties.
Sir Charles Warren's advance prob
ably means an attempt to seize Hang
wanr hill, the main post Of the Beers
south Of the Tugela. Upon the success
or failure Of these operations depends
the whole future of the campaign. I'm
hi the result is known Lord Roberts
wIll be unable to decide how to dispose
Of the two divisions and the reinforce
ments now arriving.
The news from other points Is Of no
great Importance.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail, dated
January 70, from PIetermarttzburg,
says:
''slr Charles Warren marched with
4, 900 men eastward from Frere by way
Of weenen. His s'outs found no sign
Of the enemy at Grobler's KlOof and
Colenso was ascertained to be deserted.
There are rumors that the Beers
are preparing to leave Natal. discour-
aged by their failure to reduce Lady
smith. Ali the ColonIals and lrregulars
have been placed under General War
rens command"
A special dispatch from the Hoofd
Larger, at Ladysmith. dated January
?. via Lourenzo Marques, describing the
assault on January upon Ladysmith,
says:
The British made no attempt to
hold the first line of breastworks, but
made an exceedingly stubborn resist
Rnce at the next row. Every inch was
Btubbornly contested and conspicuous
bravery was displayed on both sides.
After 10 o'clock the British artillery
FIRE slackened and terrible Individual
contest ensued among the riflemen for
the possession of Plat Rand ridge.
At noon heavy thunder storm inter-
rupted the battle. lasting for two hours.
Although the burghers succeeded in
ultimately gaining possession of most
of the British positions on the western
side Of the Plat-Rand. they were final
Iy obliged to retire from most Of the
ground they occupied. The British were
mcst strongly entrenched, their re-
doubts being skilliully loopholed. and
the combat was so close that rifles were
frequently fred at arms length. 1t
was hRnd-to-hand encounter. The
men on both sides fought like demons,
end the horror and bewIlderment Of the
scene could scarcely be paralleled.
The operations were continued the
next day Sunday on a smaller SCALE.
but 1t Is reported that as n result Of
one Of the forlorn hopes one gun and
two ammunition wagons were captur-
ed"
BoER HEADQUARTERS AT CO.
LENso. Thursday, Jan. II. Via PRE-
ToRIA. Via LoURENso MARQUES,
Friday, Jan. l2.-Everythlng points to
great battle within the next few
days.
LadysmIth for the last two nights
has been firing rockets. The object is
not known here.
LADYsMITH. Friday, Jan. 70, tBy
HelIograph)--The besicgers have been
quiet for two days. but can be seen in
active movement on the distant hills.
The BOer heavy piece on Bulwana
Hin has not been fred for two days.
More Boer dead have been found at
the base Of Caesars camp. All is well
here.
LONDON, Jan. 15.-The war Office is.
sued at midnight, II dispatch from Field
Marshal Roberts, dated Cape Town,
Sunday, January "A. $3.50 p. M. saying:
There Is no change in the situation
to-day"
The war Office simultaneously Issued
tho following from Lord Roberts dated
Cape Town, January ~, $3.50 p. m.
"Hethuen's cavalry reconnaissance
returned on January II. Went twenty
I'VE milss into Free state. Country
clear OF enemy except patrols
An qulct at Modder river
French TeeonuoItered around the