Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-11-06
Il British Defeat

8
C G. Benson. has met with a serious r
a verse In the southeastern part OF Il
al Transvaal, in the area of Commando
! General Botha's operations. Colo u
TT Benson and eight other officers we
4 killed aud thirteen officers were would
ed, besides ffty-ei bit non. commits
d stoned officers and men killed and on
= hun 1red and fifty-six wounded.
o. At an early hour this morning, tn,
war Office issued two dispatches from
q General Kitchener, dated Pretoria,
: November l, tie 6rst of which states
ga severe attack was made on the
9 rear guard OF Benson's column, about
twenty mics northeast of Bethel, near
Brakerlagte, during thick mist. TIE
strength Of the enemy is reported to
have been 1000. They rushed two
guns with the rear guard, but il is I'M
certain whether hey were able to re =
move them. fear our casualties were
heavy. Benson was wounded.
"Kltchennr"
The second dispa tch contains a re-
port name by Col onel Barter, who was
sent from the constabulaty line on
Thursday 10 relieve Colonel Benson,
When the disas or was first reported.
He reached tue column early Friday
morning WI thout meeting with oppo-
siton. He TO und Colonel Benson had
died ofhis wounds, and tn It Cieutenant
Colope Fumes. one ma or, three
captains and three lieu enants had
been killed and three captains and ten
lleutenants wounded. The other
casualties were as stated above.
Colene Barter says that the fighting
with che rear guard was at very cl |
quarters, and was maintained with |
great determination by both sides.
The Beers suffered severely, but no
reliable estimate of their looses has
yet been received. The Bosrs retired
to the east.
General Kitchener adds:
81 assume the two guns were recov-
cred, end that the enemy has with
Drawn. but there are no further de-
tails deeply regret the loss of Col
{ mel Ben on and the officers and men.
in Colonel Benson the service los, q
% 81 gallant and capable commander,
who invariably lei his column with
marked success and judgment. II
GenerI Ktchenes's dispatches were
issued so late that majority of the
papers had gone to press before they 8
were received. Only two papers print
hem, and in these. the serious an
contratts in ugls style {
with The enthusiastic descr ptions of ,
he home com ing Ct the Duke and n
Ducess Of Cornv ALL among whic it is S
'astily impressed.
Even the "Tlmes," which is the
atest paper to flo to press does not il
ontain the dispatches. 1t COT tains al 8
Mountaineering to General Kitcheners
ay dispatch, which begins somewhat a
opportune y with the words: lE
"The la est report OF General Kitch- G
ner proves that some of oar columns N
re displayed praise worthy activ- q
y" :,
The "Telegr sph" is even more I'm M
'rtunats' 1t prints a telegraph from 81
S johannesburg pendent say v
g: O,
"The +, un ding up Of the dispersed CT
oers in the southeastern 1ral syaal I.
lows improved results" VI
AS there is nothing further tba IN
eneral Kitchener's dspatchca
.inabie, it is impossible to IL
neither beyond the killing and y
g OF 239 of their enemies the e
ained any considerable advantage. wi
Col. Benson had been for some time tb
'erating in the viciLity of Bethel, AL
nlch is nothoast of S:anderton. He "a
rrrlse Boer lager October % or
ar Trichardstontein, taking thirty ex
ven prisoners. Turee daps later, &C. til,
riding to Lord Kitchener's report at LII
Q time, ritter long night march, the
NINA does under Grobelaar and
"heayily attacked Bensons
ar guard and fanks at wi varkfon- pa,
In, but were caisly driven away" of
Whe her. this was the attack which for
suited so dissstrously or whether tie Ia
oeis who had been repnlsed took ad- t hot
ntage Of the mist to renew the at by
ok is still unexplained. Lord Kitch- for
er does not give the the dfte of the DIRE
'thel engagement. .z
An earlier Dispatch from Lord Kit I
ener, dated Pretoria, aeceised today
p. Col Kekewich, during a night
rprise of Van Aibert's laas er, dorth-
st of Ruslenburg (about sixty miles 4
st OF Pretaria), captured sevacty.
rhf RnprS