The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-25
Gen. De Wet Defeated by British
Under PIumer.
His Advance Into Cape Colony
is Checked.
HIS MEN SCATTERED.
Capture of Gen. Delarey is Re-
ported From BOer Source.
Summaryof Losses on Both Sides
During Recent Operations.

Cape Town, Feb 25.-ColoneI Plumer en-
gagged General De Wet near DisselfOntein,
on the south bank OF the Orange river.
capturing gun and a pompom and tax
ing fifty prisoners. The Roers are being
pursued by Colonel Plumer-
1t Is reported that General De Wet es-
capped 10 the opposite bank in boat and
is now fleeing with a handful Of follow
ers
1t reported from a Boer source at
zerust that General Delary has been cap
tured
London. Feb. 25.-The Daily Telegraph
publishes the following from De Aar,
dated February "A:
Mr. steyn addressed the Beers yester-
day and told them they must all shift
for themselves. returning to Orange River
colony as best they could He and Cen
eral de Wet took 300 Of the best horses
with which to escape"
A correspondent of the Daily Mail. with
Hennikers column. writing Sunday.
says:
General De Wet was routed yesterday
BY Colonel Plumer, with whom were Col
onels IenniAer, Craddoclx, Jeffreys and
Cirabbu. This success was preceded by a
series Of desperate attempts on the part
Of Beers to escape from the water belt
OF the Orange and the Brak rivers.
General De Wet. after unsuccessfully
attempting to cross the Brak at Kip drift
and the Orange at Reads drift and Mark :
drift, moved along the bank of the Orange
with one gun and one ponipom and lager
ed opposite Kameel drift Al dawn Colo
mel Plumer left Welgevordon. p miles
west Of the Boer camp. and moved north
east
AT zuurgat he attacked tae enemy, tax
ing forty prisoners. The pursuit was con-
ttnued during the afternf on. the Beers
ing the leading troop sighted the enemy,
who had laagered beyond range. Colo
B0er artillery was supposed 20 be and
captured the whole of it, The enemy
fled, leaving their horses ready saddled
and their cooking pots full. According 10
the latest reports, only Auo. Beers recrosSed
10 the north side of the river The Orange
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Kitchener
s'1Iiddleburg. TransvaaI Feb S4.-French
reports from Pet Retief February % that
country east is that the Beers are re-
treating in scattered and disorganized
parties 70 the number Of some 5000 in
Amsterdam and Piet Rsitef have been
occupied ana troops are protecting the
Swat frontier. French Will push on. but
IS much hampered by the continuous
Summary Of total losses inflicted upon
the enemy Up TO February IS. Two hum
dred and ninety-two Beers known 20 have
been killed and wounded in action. IS
taken prisoners. 1873 surrendered. one IS
FOUNDER gun, 462 rifles l6l 900 rounds of
small ammunition. $500 horses 20 mules,
S.5SO trek oxen. $500 cattle. 155, 40 sheep,
and 100 wagons and carts captured.
Our casualties Five officers and forty
one men killed and four officers and JOS
men wounded. / regret to saw that Ma
1or Howard a very gallant officer of the
Canadian scouts, was killed February H.
Plumer reports that Colonel Owen cap
tured De Vets 15-pOunder and DOmriOln
February .. as well as 50 prisoners and a
quantity OF ammunition We had no casn-
aiJies. enemy in full retreat and dispcrs-
ing after being vigorously pursued
ony has evidently completely failed
IA RTAIDR CORRECTED.
New York Feb. PA dispatch from
the Tribune from London SAYS
Dispatches which were issued BY the
war Office last night must put an end
10 the rumOrs that De Wet and Botha
have already surrendered They how
ever show that both Boer commanders
havs been badly maUled and that the
invasion Of Cape Colony has been a de-
cided failure What may be the out
come of General Kitchener's successful
plan Of campaign it is difficult to fore
tell Yesterday a paper startled it's
readers by the announcement, on alleged
good authority. that Kitchener had in
dictated that B0tha had asked for a
meeting with a view Of arranging a
general surrender and that summonses
were issued for a cabinet council to con-
slider the matter. No special meeting of
the cabinet. has as a matter Of fact.
yet been held and in view of the re-
ported statements made by Mr.. Cham
beriain that the British terms are IN
conditional surrender. military men
don't think it likely that at the eleventh
hour the policy OF the government is
going to be changed in favor of grant
ing terms to conquered enemy.