The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-04
8oers Charged Repeatedly Up to
the British Lines in an Effort
to 0verWheIm the Entire Force
Under Col. Benson
DETAILS OF THE BLOODY
ENGAGEMENT RECEIVED
Col. Benson Fell MortaIIy Woun-
ded Early in the Fight
Defense Stubbornly and Sue
CessfuIIy Made by the British
Beers Lost Over 300 Men

Pretoria, Nov. 3.-Further details
have been received regarding the at
tack by the Beers under Commandant
General Louis Botha last week upon
Col. Benson's column near Braknlaagte,
eastern Transvaal
1t appears that Gen. Botha, who had
been Joined by another big commando
aggregating 1000 men attacked Col.
Benson's rear guard Oct. 80 on the
march and captured two guns but was
unable 70 retain them. Col. Benson
fell mortally wounded early in the
fight
Mai. Wools- Sampson took command,
collected the convoy and took up a
position for defense about 500 yards
from entertainments prepared by the
Beers The captured guns were so
surrounded that they could not be APP
preached on either side.
The Beers made desperate efforts to
oVerWhelm the whole British force,
charging repeatedly right up to the
British lines and being driven back each
time with heavy loss.
The defence was stubbornly and sue
cessfully made through the whole OF
the following day and the succeeding
uIB III uiltll 0Ois Dol tSis wa 'Ae~.
ed all night from Bushmans Kop
brought relief in the morning of Nov
l. The Beers then retired. TER losses
are estimated as between 800 and 400
Col Benson did not long survive.
London, Nov 4-The special dis
patches from South Africa reveal prac-
tically nothing further about the disas-
ter to Col. Benson's column. 1t APP
off oh Nuac m a
in a binding rain storm. The heaviest
casualties occurred while Maj. Wools-
Sampson, who is a Johannesburg re-
former and an officer in one of the colo
NAL levies, was gathering the convoy
under the brow of the hill, a most diff
cult task.
1t is assumed in London that the
two 15-pounders remained in the pos
session Of the British, but the tele-
grams are not clear on this point
Edgar Wallace, a correspondent Of
the Daily Mail. writing from Pretoria
under date of Oct IL against protests
against official optimism, and declares
that the war will not be ended for
another year He urges the immediate
dispatch of large reinforcements Of
both men and horses. Even when all
that is possible has been done in this
direction" he says, ut will be neces-
sary TO wait gflmiy ana not 10 expect
any quick result"
4 riotous scene occurred yesterday
afternoon in Aarden, a suburb of Lon
don. A small gathering of the local
branch of the Democrats League at
tempted to hold a meeting to protest
against the war In South Africa. The
manifestations started in procession
for the place Of meeting. but before
they arrived there they were hooted,
buffetted and dispersed
A crowd, estimated at 10000, gath
cred to oppose them. There were many
ugly rushes, and the police were barely
able to protect the struggling pro-Boers
from the fury of the populace. After
considerable fighting. during which a
man was stabbed, the pro-Boers were
removed under police protection. The
victorious crowd then held a lingo
meeting and sang Rule Britannia"