St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-01-24
WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.

London, Jan. 23.-Two days of almost
continuous fighting by portion OF Bull
ler's troops has apparently altered the
situation but very little.
The Beers seem to be Offering des-
perate resistance, and the best General
Butler can say in his latest dispatch is
that "he thinks he is making substantial
progress"
He reports nearly 300 wounded as the
result of Saturdays fighting by General
Clerys forces near Ventor's Spruit. He
has as yet sent no list of killed.
General Butler cables to the war
office:
"Spearman's camp, Jan. 81, p. m.-
General Warren has been engaged all
day, chiefly on his left, which he has
swung forward about a couple of miles.
The ground is very difficult, and as the
fighting is all the time up hill it is diff
cult to say exactly how much we have
gained, but think we are making sub
stantial progress"
The justifiable severity Of the censor
ship at the present moment prevents
the special correspondents from fur
nishing supplement to General Buffers
latest Dispatch. The success Of the
movement depends almost entirely upon
how far he proves able to out maneuver
the Beers, whose available forces are
doubtless larger than his own. The
chief difficulty lies in the ability of the
Beers to transport men, stores and am
munition quickly and to entrench new
positions. Secrecy regarding General
Buffers progress, therefore, is essential,
and the public here is quite content to
wait patiently.
From the information which the CEN
sor has allowed to pass, 1t is as yet
impossible to form a correct notion of
the British tactics. One thing, how
ever, is quite clear. The British COM
manders have profited by experience
and are now avoiding infantry charges,
giving preference to the more judicious
use of artillery. The general idea is thar
General Butler, with some 5000 men and
Is field guns, is holding the northern
bank of the Tugela at Potgieter's Drift,
while General Warren, with about 49,
900 men, 30 guns and large force of
cavalry, is working around the right
flank of the Beers, eight or 10 miles
away.
One account of Saturdays fighting
SAYS that the British had few killed.
Little reliance can be placed upon these
reports, and, although the main po-
sition of the Beers has not yet been at
tackled, and nothing is known as to its
strength, Saturdays and Sundays fight
ing, which can hardly be described as
more than outpost affairs, evidently en-
tailed serious losses.
The Beers are following their old-time
tactics-making a show of resistance
and then retreating in good order to pre-
pared positions-and as they are work.
ing from the interior of their lines, they
may be able to bring strong forces to
defend the main position.
Nothing is heard regarding the coun-
ter attack by General White from Lady
smith, and General Buffers 81 think we
are making substantial progress re-
mains the last word.
This shows that there is still some very
hard work in front of the British forces.
The news from the other points Is of
slight interest. General Kelly-Kenny's
division has been sent by General Cat
acre to form an advance base at Ros-
mead Junction
A third supplementary list of the
British casualties in the attack on Lady
smith on Jan. was published by the
war office yesterday. 1t shows % non
commissioned officers and men killed
and five dangerously wounded. This
brings the total of casualties in that en-
gagement to ass.
"Spearman's Camp, Jan. %, p. NJ
The following casualties are reported in
General Harris brigade as a result of
yesterdays fighting: Killed, Captain
Ryall Yorkshire regiment, and five men;
r,Onp5ad Cooop5 Tio1toOapt Andrews