The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-24
BOERS ARE LIVELY
SHARP FIGHTING REPORTED IN
BOTH COLONIES.
HEAVY BRITISH LOSSES
FIVE ENGAGEMENTS IN QUICK
SUCCESSION.

Beers Under De Wet Charged Brave
Iy at Langberg, but Were Driven
Off-Boers Rushed a KOpje at Taf-
eIkop but Were Driven on by
Col. Damnnt with Heavy Loss to
British--BOers Gained Top of Kop-
je and AnnihiIated Troop of Da-
mant's Horse.
London, Dec. 23.-Lord Kitchener, in
e. dispatch from johannesburg, dated
Saturday, Dec. q, sends report of sharp
fighting in the Orange River and
Transvaal colonies. The engagements
occurred Dec. IS, Dec. 10 and Dec. 20
at points widely apart. The casualties,
so far as known, aggregate about $50,
equally divided; but heavy British
losses, the totals of which have not
yet been reported, have occurred in the
Transvaal. In this last mentioned
fighting 200 mounted infantry, in the
neighborhood of Beginderyn were di-
vided into parties and were searching
farms when they were attacked by 300
Beers and forty armed natives under
Commandant Britz. The Beers charged
determinedly in overwhelming num-
bers. Beyond the fact that the British
casualties were severe, no details have
been received.
Lord Kitchener also reports that dur
ing Gen. DeWet's attack on the British
force commanded by Gems. Dartnell
and Campbell, at Langberg, Dec. Is,
the Beers charged bravely and fought
desperately for several hours DeWet
was driven off with the loss of twenty
men. There were twelve casualties on
the side of the British.
On Dec. 20, M. Botha, with 500 Beers,
surprised Col Damants advance guard
at Tafelkop, Orange River Colony. The
Beers rushed a kopje commanding the
main body and the guns, but Damant
rallied his men and drove the Beers
from the kopje. The British casual
ties were heavy Damant was danger
ously wounded, two officers and twenty
men were killed and three officers and
seventeen men were wounded. The
Beers left six dead on the field and dis
persed. The British pursued the
enemy and captured a number of pr1s-
oners, including Commandant Keyter.
Later, the Beers, under a flag of
truce. asked permission to remove
their dead They admitted having
burled tWenty-Seven men.
A Fine Race for KOpje.
In the fight at Tafelkop, the Beers,
dressed as British yeomen, engaged in
a splendid race with the British in the
attempt to be first in gaining the crest
of the kopje. The Beers gained the
summit first and opened a heavy fire
on the single troop of Damant's Horse
which took part in the race for the
kopje. These troopers took advantage
of all little cover available, immediate
ly below the Beers, and fought until
all but four of them were killed or
wounded. BY that time reinforcements
of Damant's Horse came up and
charged and captured the kopje.
In the eastern part of the Transvaal
colony, Col. Mackenzie attached Com
mandant Smit's force of Beers, at Lake
Banagher, Dec. 20, killing six and Cap
turing sixteen of them. Commandant
Smit escaped.
A force of Beers, during the night Of
Dec. 19, attacked the British post at
Elan-Spruit, but they were driven off,
leaving eight men killed. including
Commandant Kriezee. Field Cornet
Mahon, who was wounded, and three
other wounded men, were also left on
the field. Other wounded Beers were
carried off In blankets. The British
casualties were seven men killed and
six officers and eighteen men wounded.