The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-31
THE WAR In AFRICA
The Greatest Defeat England
Has Suffered Since York,
town.

London. Jan % Gen Butler; S
dispatch to the war Office states that
Spion kop was abandoned on account
of lack of water, inability to brig
artillery there aud the heavy BoeT
FIRE. Gen Butler gives no list OF
casualties. His whole force with
drew south of Tugela river, with the
evident intention of reaching Lady
smith by another route
Following is the tex. of Gen Bul
ler's dispatch. dated Spearman's
camp. Saturday. Jan q, 6 l0p m
'.On Jan 20 Warren drove back the
enemy and obtained possession of the
southern crests of the hill and table
land extending from the line of Acton
Homes TO Hongersport to the
western Ladysmith hills From then
to jan Is he remained in close con
tract with the enemy. The enemy
held strong position on a range OF
small kopjes stretching from north
west TO southeast, across the plateau
from Acton Homes, through Spion
kop, to the left bank Of the Tugela.
s.The actual position held was per
fectly tenable, but did not lend itself
20 an advance. ae the southern slopes
were SO steep that Warren could not
oet an effective artillery position, and
water supply was q difficulty
aOn Jan % assented to his attack
ing Spion kop, large hill. (indeed, a
mountaio). which was evidently the
key Of the position, but was far more
accessible from the north than from
the south
"On the night of Jan % he attacked
Spion kop but found it very dificul.
to hold, as it's perinmeter was too
large. and water. which he had been
led to believe existed in this extraor-
dinary dry season. was found very
"The crests were held ali that day
against severe attacks and a heavy
shell FIRE Our mer fought with
great gallantry would especially
mention the conduct of the Second
Cameronsian and the Third Kings
Rifles, who supported the attack on
the mountain from the steepest side.
and in each case fought their way to
the TOP aud the Second Lancashire
Fosiliers aud Second Middlesex.
who magnificently maintained the
best traditions of the British army
throughout the trying day of Jan "a ,
and Thornycroft's mounted infantry
who fought throughout the day equal
dy well alongside of them
"Gen Woodgate. who was in com.
mand at the summit having been
wounded the officer who succeeded
him decided on the night of Jan "a
to abandon the position, and did 80
before dawn, Jan 25
81 reached Warren's camp at 5
N. on Jan 25 and decided that a
second attack upon Spion kop was
useless and that the enemy's right
was too strong to allow me to force
it. Accordingly, l decided to with
raw the force to the south of the
dugela. At 6 m we commenced
Withdrawing the train, apd by 8 a
m Jan 81 Saturday.. Warren's force
was concentrated south of the Tugels
without the loss of man or pound
of stores
"The fact that the force could
withdraw from actual touch--ln some
cases the lines were less than a
thousand yards apart-with the enc
my in the mauuer it did is. think
sufficient evidence of the morale of
the troops, and that we were permit
ted to withdraw our cumbrous OK
and mule transport across the river
IS yards broad. with 20 foot banks
and very swift current-unmolested
is. think. proof that the enemy has
been taught to respect our soldiers
fighting powers
During, the morning and the earlier
part of the afternoon placard, bear
ing the words, "No news" hung on
the iron railing in front of the war
Office, and the shiveripg sentrles who
stood gnard on Pail Mall in the rain
and elect had tbe district all to them
selves About p m however, the
piacard was taken in, and on the
bulletin boards inside. Gen Buller's
long dispatch was displayed.
The Sunday papers issued extras,
but only the fain.est interest was
manifest on the streets At the ser
vice clubs the situation. as revealed
by Gen Butler. was considered very
unpleasant His excuses or explana
iions were characterized as very
weak. The absence of water, which