The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-03
Beers SPIRIT UNBROKEN.
Review of the Events in South Africa During
Past Month

| dSe uioheh.
The plains and kopje fighting between
British and Beers still going on Keeps the
| English officer from gaining too much
flesh for want of exercise. and is calcrl-
lated TO cause Tommy Atkins to use to
| the utmost his natural privilege of growl-
ing. The Beers have been dashing around
| TO such bewildernent of the said officer >
and Tommies that although the British
Government last week determined to Scnu
Il fresh force to South Africa although
| there should be enough there 1t this timel,
one of the Parliamentary gentlemen i'll this
Commons the other day was mean enough
| to say that until Kitchener turned all his
| troops into mounted infaDtryinrn Their
| would be no end of it all. II IS not that
there are not enough troops. but not the
| right methods, for. the Beers in the pa.I
few weeks have administered some sting
| ing Bullets i'll the face of the kncw-it ali
| military leaders of the British, and got
away again. In England there is spring
ing up philosophic Indifference as to the
| apparent incapacity Of British officers i'll
Africa. The public is weary. for, b ii
remembered, it was expected to close the
war in six weeks at the most. The Gov
| eminent is, of course, determined to fight
it out. There is no public Christmas send
ing to the troops on the veldt this year
The present movements in South Africa
which, up to this time. have not resulted
4
gan on Dec. ,, when the whereabouts of
De Wet, who had not been definitely heard
| from for some days, was learned. After
half-day's march Gen. Knox, who is
good mover on the African chessboard
himself, learned that De Wet had doubled
back on the British right, "necessitating a
| complete change of plans. De Vets pur
pose was invasion of Cape Colony, but the
| British in this case were so close after
| him that he gave up the attempt and
made off, though pressed on three sides.
The British at Coonassie frustrated his
attempt to cross the Orange River, and
| De Wet doubled back. recrossed the Gale
don River and turned northwest toward
Reddersburg. Knox engaged in n running
fight with De Wet, but he got away. The
casualties on both sides were few.
The final escape of De Wet, who had
been day after day reported as hopelessly
surrounded, was one of the most dramatic
events of the struggle thus far. At the
time when the British fully expected De
Wet to surrender as Cronje had done, the
willy Dutch commander gave his oppon-
ents lesson as to the difference be-
tween handling cavalry and a train of
wagons conveyed by an infantry force.
De Wet sent a small force of 10 men to
make & vigorous attack upon q portion of
the British line three miles away from the
point at which he intended to make his
principal movement. He then arranged
his force with President Steyn in the
front, himself bringing up the rear, and
dashed through the British lines, without
material loss.
There was severe fighting at Nooitge-
dacht on Dec. IA, when Gen. Clements's
forces were attacked by Commandant De
lareys. Each had something over 1000
men at first, but the Beers were suddenly
reinforced by 5000, under Commandment
Boyers. Though the first attack had been
repulsed, the Beers now managed to get
on top of the Magaliesberg, held by four
companies of the Northumberland Fusi-
llers, and were thus able to command
Clements's camp. The Fusilers numbered
about $40. They held out CALAMITY until
their ammunition was gone, Clements's
small force sent to create a diversion at
another point on the hillside not getting
INTO action in time to save them. Clements
fetired and managed to save guns and
men. The Boer plans were spIendidly
lald, and had the main British column tar
RED much longer there would have been q
complete success for the Beers. After the
British retreat the Beers held prayer
meeting, and their hymn-singing could be
heard by the British. The Northumber- |
lands were paroled; the British loss was
81 killed and a wounded and missing.
Meanwhile, there were minor fights |
elsewhere, with varying results and small
losses. There was a simultaneous revival
of energy on the Beers part in different
quarters.
The pursuit of De Wet was abandoned
by Knox, it is said, owing to 1900 Beers
crossing the Orange River into Cape Col T!
ony. De Wet is believed to have imme- |
diately assumed the offensive in another
quarter. The Beers raided Cape Colony |
at two points 100 miles distant.
While the Beers have failed in part of
their invasion of Cape Colony, they have |
IN ntrnt
the latest is that Kitchener has called the !
ioyalist residents to arms to assist in re- |
pelling- invasion. A number of sharp |
skirmishes have taken place.