Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-09
VET RlVER IS CROSSED.
Lord Roberts Pushing Onward to
Kroonstad.
BoERs ARE IN FULL RETREAT.

OaPSuAo VI "ihpu<B ny tho ASEAtAbh SOhe
firmed-General Ian Hamilton Now
Nearly Parallel with Lord Roberta
Force, but Twenty Miles TO Eastward-
Description of the Crossing of the Vet
River by the British.
London, May 1.-THE official an
nouncement is made that General Rob
erts has crossed the Vet river and is
encamped at Smaldeel Junction. The
Beers are in full retreat towards Zand
river and Kroonstad.
London, May lord Roberts re-
ports to the war Office, in dispatch
dated Smaldeel, May 6, afternoon, as
follows:
1--WE crossed the Vet river this morn
ing and are now encamped at Smaldeel
Junction. The enemy is in full retreat
towards Zand river and Kroonstad.
The turning movement was made by
the mounted infantry just before dark
yesterday.
Very Dashing Affair.
at was a very dashing affair. The
Canadians, New South Wales, New
Zealand rifles and Queensland mount
ed infantry We'd with each other in the
determination to close with the enemy.
Captain Anley of the Essex regiment,
commanding the Third infantry bat
talon, behaved in very gallant man
ner. The naval guns and the artillery
made excellent practice, particularly
two 5-inch guns used for the first time
with this force. We captured Max
i'm and twenty-five prisoners. Our
casualties are very few, only fifteen
wounded, one killed and three miss
ing"
-. Capture of Winburg.
The capture of Winburg by the Brit
ish is confirmed, and the main advance
to Pretoria continues with the ma
chine-like precision and rapidity which
has characterized all Lord Roberts
forward movements. BY the occupa-
ton Of Winburg, General Ian Hamil.
ton puts himself nearly parallel with
Lord Roberts and only twenty-nine
miles eastward, while he has the add.
tional advantage Of being connected
with his chief by means of the rail.
road that runs from Smaldeel, or Win.
burg road station. as it Is sometimes
called, to Winburg.
| Details of the Occupation.
A special dispatch from Smaldeel
(Winburg road staion), dated 9:45 p
M, Sunday, May 6, gives details of the
occupation of Winburg by the British
1t says: News has just come here
that General Hamilton is giving the
Beers no rest, and that they are fall
Ing back hurriedly. He entered Win
burg today after brisk fight, in which
the Beers fell back SO quickly that one
of their guns, in addition to Maxim
was abandoned"
Crossing of the Vet River.
The same dispatch, describing thu
crossing Of the Vet river by the Brit
ish, says:
"The Boer forces entrenched on the
opposite bank prepared to contest thu
crossing. Our guns We're brought int
play and terrific shell fire was di
rected on the Boer lines. At the sam,
time the Queenslanders, under heav,
fire, dashed across the river and, nd
yancing in the open, completely turned
the Boer right. 1t was dusk, but moth
ing could stop the gallant Australians
They pushed on again, seized a com
handing kopje and, by brilliant move
ments and continuous rifle fire drov,
off the enemy In the darkness.
Enemy in Full Rctrent
"The first CLEAN of dawn this morn
ing found the enemy In full flight, ant
our men after them, and by o'clocl
this morning we entered this impor
tant strategic point"
A dispatch from Boshof, dated Fri
day, May 4, says: General Methue1
made a reconnaissance from there til,
day previously to the neighborhood O.
Sjartkopples Fonteln, locating til,
Boer lager. After an unimportan
exchange Of fire the Beers removed
their laager. A fairly strong force O
Beers was seen moving northwards
General Methuen then returned t,
Boshof."
NAVAL HEROES OF LADYsMITH.
Honors for the Officers and Crew of TIL
Cruiser Powerful.
London, May THE annals of sery
ice demonstrations probably sho1