The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-20
THE WILMINGTON MESSENGER, TUESDAY. FEBRUAR,

off by a heavy fire, the InniskiIlings
charging brilliantly and infiicting great
loss upon the burghers.
A Boer dispatch from LourenZo
Marques, dated Thursday. February
18th, says the initial attack on Coles
berg February 18th, resulted in a fed
eral loss of nine men killed, fourteen
wounded and five prisoners. The Brit
ish, it is added, were driven out of
their ca mp and one of their Maxims
was CAPTURED.
RUMOR OF FRENCH IN A TRAP.
The news of General French's entry
into Kimberley was received on the
stock exchange here with rousing
cheers. No boom in stocks was Great
ed, but a satisfactory undertone pre-
vailed. Debeers rose rs. but ubse-
quently fell Ia on a Paris rumor that
General French had merely fallen mo
a Zoe trap.
According to a dispatch from Chiev-
elery, dated Wednesday, February
14th, it has been aScertained that the
British artillery during the last weeks
fighting rendered two large Boer guns
and one Nordenfeldt ineffective.
A Sterkstroom dispatch of Wednes-
day, February 18th, says hat Colonel
Eager, who was rounded and captur-
ed at Stormberg, died February 18th.
The Beers turned his body yer to the
British at Molteno.
FRENCH DIMES AT KIMBERLEY
CLUB.
London, February 1.-THE Standard
publishes the following dispatch from
wedraai. dated Thursday, at midnight:
Official news has been received here
that General French arrived at KIM
berley today and dined at the club
this evening"
M~afeking, February 1.-THE Beers
nave rebuilt the two forts demolished
by the British.
ACCOUNT OF THE RENSBURG
FIGHT.
London, February 1.-THE Daily
Telegraph has the following dispatch
from Naataupoort, dated February 18th
and delayed in transmission:
Very severe fighting occurred or
both our TANKS near Rensburg. The
enemy greatly outnumbered our troops,
being about 1000 in number. They at
tackled the Worcestershire regiment on
their hill and with desperate determi-
nation charged home, only to expert
ence a heavy Maxim and rifle fire from
our men. The death roll Of the as
sailantS must have been considerable
Colonel Conyngham was shot
through the heart at the outset of the
engagement. The enemy chose the
time of the moons setting for the on
slaught. Out of five colonial officers,
only one returned to camp.
A strategic and Commemorative move
back to Arunde has been decided
upon. Dur gun from Coleskop have
been safely reached, one Maxim being
destroyed to prevent its falling into
the hand of the enemy. Nine wounded
officers and thirty-five men were
brought into the Naaupoort field hos
initial Onr death roll at nrpSent is not
known.
TWO COMPANIES MISSING.
A correspondent of The Daily Mail
at Naaupoort, telegraphing Wednesday
and describing the evacuation of Rens-
burg, says: 1.-TWO companies of the
Wiltshire regiment, in withdrawing
from Kloof camp, lost their way and
are missing. Their whereabouts, how
ever, is pretty well KNOWN, and they
will probably be relieved tonight
ROBERTS PREPARING TO MCVE.
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent
of The Daily Mail under date of Feb
ruary 18th. says: There are indica-
tions of a decisive movement at Colen-
so. l hear that the Beers rely on their
entertainments and barbed wire en-
t~anglements along the principal roads
to check Lord Roberts programme in
the Free State. The roads to Lady
smith is Studded with these formidable
barriers.
"A British scouting column blew up
the contents of a magazine at Nkand-
kla, Zululand, to prevent it's falling
into the hands of the Beers. The mag
azine contained a large supply of dy-
Mantle and ammunition.
THE BRITISH RETIRED.
London, February IA dispatch
from LourenZo Marques, February
18th, says: Heavy fighting has occurr-
ed at Ramaah (Ramdam) in the Free
State, not far from Hopetown, Cape
Colony. The Beers say the British fin
ally retired.