Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-22
FIGHTING ON JAN 20 AND q
British Make Substantial Progress in Their
Flank Movement.
Beers Successfully Forced Back From
Their Advanced Positions-Eugiish
Losses Were Heavy.

cables to the war office:
SPEARMANS CAMP, January 81 D. 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 uphill, it is difficult to say
exactly how much have gained. but 1
think we are making substantial progress.
The war office has received the following
from General Butler dated Spearman's
Camp. January p, $50 am:
In order to relieve the pressure on Cen
erai Warren and to ascertain the strength
of the enemy in the position in front of
Potg1eter's Drift, General Lyttleton made
reconnaissance in force yesterday. This
kept the enemy in their trenches in full
strength all day.
Our casualties-Third Battalion, Kings
Royal Rifles. two killed, twelve wounded:
two missing
Description of British Advance.
The Times has the following, dated Sun
day evening. from Spearman's Camp:
'All yesterday and today General War
rem has been attacking the Beers. Their
position is long ridge, four miles north
west of richards Drift, ascending from
the river. At dawn yesterday Saturday
the range
THE enemy's defenses were chiefly stone
sangars extending forward and right along
the spur, making the position semi-circu-
lar AT IL o'clock General Harris brigade
advanced on the left along a rocky, I'M
even spur, into the semi-circIe, under heavy
fire from three directions. Taking advan-
tage of all possible cover, the troops adj
Vanced to a point within 500 yards of the
enemy's right wing, but they did not ad-
vance beyond the edge of the cover. There
they remained until dark and bivouacked
In addition to Maxim Nordenfeldts the
enemy fired ShraDnpl at
Their fire was intermittent, and was al
ways temporarily slenced by our massed
batteries. AT night the enemy's right wing
evacuated its position
The war office has posted this dispatch
from General Butler, dated January 81 10
am: The following were wounded in the
action near Fentor's Spruit yesterday:
Heavy Casualties Among Officers.
''Oftlcers-Staff Colonel B. Hamilton and
Major c. McGregor; I'd Lancashire Fusi-
liers, Captain R. b. Blunt and Second Lieu
tenants NJ. G. Crofton and E. ]. NJ Bar
rett; list Border Rifles, Captain c. D.
Vaughn and Second Lieutenant Murier; LIST
York and Lanca shres, Second Lieutenant
A II. keirrey; I'd Dublin Fusiliers Captain
=. A. Hensley tsince dead and Major F.
English; I'd Gordons Second Lieutenant F.
D. Stewart and 2I9 on-commissioned Off
GERS and men,
The office has received the foIlouinp
from Lord Roberts, dated Cape Town jan
uary II: Gen. French reports a demon
stration with cavalry and two guns toward
Hebron on Friday, but that otherwise his
situation is unchanged"
a dispatch to the Daily News from Pot
sieters Drift, dated Friday, January 49,
says: THE spirits of the troops are greatly
raised by the conviction that Gen. Butler
now has a thorough grasp of the situation
AS the force has left the railway trans
port difficulties are being experienced The
rivers are often flooded. and what were a
wi. -t,.o
deep torrents.
THE scenes at the drifts cannot be easily
forgotten one sees perfect pasldemonium
of oX-wagons. Sometimes thirty oxen are
yoked to a single wagon. and the drivers
make a veritabe babel of noise shoutinr
in Dutch. English and Zulu They brandish
their long whips. and occasionally an upset
stops a whole train.
Nothing Seen of Traction Engines,
AT another point or time half a reci-
ment will drag a cart and its mules I'D the
river bank by main force. The traction en-
gires looked promising at first, but since
Chieveiey l have seen nothing of them"
The Durham correspondent of the Stand
ard says: 1T is reported that ten volunteer
stretcher-bearers on their arrival at the
front walked delibera tely across into the
Boer lines. The same thing happened at
the battle of Coenso. 1t is presumed that
they We're spies who had succeeded in on
rolllng themselves i'll the ambulance CORPS
1T Is asserted that the Beers desecrated
the convent church at Newcastle in an in
descrihable manner"
The justifiabie severity of the censorship
at the present moment prevents the special
correspondents from giving much additional
information to supplement Gen. Buffers
latest dispatch. The success of the move
ment 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 ammunition quickly, and to in
trench new positions. Secrecy regarding
Gen. Buffers progress, therefore, is essen
tial, and the public here is quite content
to wait patiently.