The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-05
Beers Again Are Operating in
Cape Colony.
Kritsinger Takes British Gar
risOn After 4 Fight.
RELEASED PRISONERS
After Helping Himself to What
Supplies He Wanted.
French is Again Called Out to
Take Command.

London, June 5.-The war Office pub
fishes the following dispatch from Lord
Kitchener dated Pretoria, June 4:
jamestown, Cape Colony. surrender
ed to Kritsinger's command on the
morning of June 2. after four hours
fighting. The town guard and local vol
unteers were overpOwered before our
pursuing columns could come up.
Our casualties were three killed, two
wounded The Boer loss is said TO have
been greater.
4-The stores were looted, but the garri-
son was released.
Have placed General French in
charge Of the operations in Cape Col
ony."
Details received regarding the affair
at Valfolktein show that it was one of
the most desperate engagements of the
war. General Dixon's column was ira
versing the districts and establishing
posts when it was attacked by 2,10O
Beers under Commandant Kemp The
Beers were so close that fifty British fell
The yeomanry held the position, pro-
tectlng the guns until they were nearly
decimared and then finding it impossible
TO save the guns, the artillery men shot
the gun horses to prevent the Beers
moving the guns. The column quickly
recovered from the shock OF the uneX-
pected attack. The Derbyshires charged
perate fight drove of the Beers and re-
covered the guns. The Derbyshires and
yeomanry both lost very heavily
Il Is asserted that while the Beers had
temporary possession of the guns they
shot two artillerymen in cold blood for
refusing to work them against their own
comrades.
The appointment of General French,
who has been recruiting his health in
Cape Town, to command the operations
in Cape Colony, indicates that Lord
Kitchener attaches considerable import
anee 10 the invasion
The recrudescence of such fighting
brings further demands for the sending
out Of reinforcements.
The surrender Of jamestown is regard
ed as a d1Sagreeable incident, because 1t
has provided Commander Kritsinger
with a fresh supply Of the sinews Of
war
Cape Town. June 5.-The garrison Of
jamestown. Cape Colony, which sur
rendered to Kritsinger's command Sun
day, June 2, mum bered sixty men in all
The British killed twelve and wounded
fifteen Beers before they We're over
powered by numbers.
BRITISH RECOVER CAPTURED
STORES.
Aliwal, North Cape Colony, Tuesday
June 4--Col- Whites column came in
contact with Kritzinger's command
northeast Of Jamestown June g drove
the Beers back, captured fifty horses
and munitions and recovered the stores
AI1AE4 LDAA jamestown.
NOT SURPRISED.
New York. June 5--A dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
Military men were not surprised when
the official story Of the battle of Vlak-
tontein came out yesterday. They had
suspected from the heavy British losses
that the Boer attack was a surprise, but
had not guessed that the rear guard of
Dixon's force had been rushed and that
two guns had been temporarily captured
before the main body could be rallied
for their recovery. This engagement oc-
CURED further west than was at first re-
ported and communications with Pretoria
We're interrupted. Delarey fought with
desperate energy and was repulsed after
he had secured important advantages.
Clearly the war has not Yet reached
the police stage The Beers proved once
more that they could plan a battle with
skill. and while they were driven off they
made an effective demonstration of fight
ing force. which would seem to put an
end to all rumors OF peace negotiations.
Ihis Is the Interpretation which Mr..
krugerS group of advisers in Holland
place upon it An irrepressible conflict
goes on. with a revival of courage on the
Boer side