The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-02-15
Beers PUT UP A HARD FIGHT.
BRITISH LOST A PoMPoM.
Major crew. Engaged and Forced to
Retire-sbort OF Ammunition
Second Attack Was Made by Dewet
He Had About $500 Men.

East London, Cape Colony, Feb. IL
Details have been received here of Sc
we're fighting at Tabaksberg mountain,
40 miles east of the railway and about
midway between Small Deel and
Bloemfontein. Major Crewe, with a
composite column travelling southwest,
sighted the mountain on the morning
of January 81. He heard heavy firing,
and knowing that Colonel Pitcher s
column was on the other side of the
mountain, he concluded that this officer
was in action. Consequently he hur-
ried forward, only to meet the Beers
streaming down, and evidently retir-
ing from Colonel Pitchers lyddite
shells. Immediately Major Crewe
brought three 15-pounders and a POM
pom to bear on the Beers. who. how
ever, were found to be so numerous
that it was impossible to head them
Off Orders were given to return to
camp about two miles from the noun
tain. The column rested until o'clock
in the afternoon, when the march was
resumed southwest.
Major Crewe was just touching the
southern point of the mountain when
terrific rifle fire opened from a large
force of Beers in ambuscade on the
mountains. The fight soon became gen.
eral, the Beers attacking the British
on both TANKS and the rear. The Brit
ish pompom damned and became use
/ 1acc To Traxra orr fhn cfft1a-
ton and by brilliant move got the
convoy into safe position. Between
and o'clock in the evening the Beers
charged the position and turned both
TANKS. The British ammunition be-
came exhausted and Major Crewe was
obliged to retire and abandon the POM
pom after the advance party had en-
deavored to save it and had sustained
severe loss. Rear guard action was
fought by Major Crewe into the camp
where the wagons had been laagered.
Entertainments were thrown up during
the night.
When morning came Major Crewe
started to join General Knox, IL miles
to the southwest. The Beers immedi-
ately re-attacked him, compelling him
to fight a second rear guard action for
few miles. General Dewet person
ally commanded the Beers, and they
were estimated at $500.
Major Crewe's force was only 700
Eventually the British officer joined
General Knox and returned to Bloem-
fontein Lord Kitchener has highly
complimented Major Crewe on his
achievement.
Pretoria, Feb. 1.-THE columns
working eastward occupied Ermelo,
February 6, with slight opposition. A
large force of Beers, estimated at 1000,
under Louis Botha, retired eastward.
About 800 wagons with families passed
through Ermelo on the way to Amster-
day and very large quantity of stock
is being driven east.
A peace delegate, under sentence of
death, and other Boer prisoners, were
taken by the Beers. All the reports
show that the Beers are exceedingly
bitter. Fifty Beers surrendered.
Louis Botha, with 1000 men, attacked
General Smith Dorrien at Orange camp
at a. M, February 6. He was repulsed
after severe fighting.
General Spruit was killed, General
Randemeyer was severely wounded and
two comets we're killed. Twenty of
the Boer dead were left in our hands
and many severely wounded. Our cas-
ualties were "a killed and SO wounded.
Our movement to the east is reported
to have thoroughly upset all the en-
emy's calculations and created panic
in the district.
Christian Dewet appears to be cross
ing the line south of Jaegersfontein
road to the west this morning, having
failed to effect a crossing by the drifts
east of Bethulie.
In Cape Colony, Canovia has been
occupied by Colonel De Lisle. who en-
tered February 6, when the enemy re-
tired
Lord Raglan, under secretary Of state
for war, informed the correspondent OF
the Associated Press today that General
Evelyn Wood is not going to South
Africa and that no peace commission
is contemplated.
Another Alliance.
CT NJ NJ ~ nj Do,,,-o