Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-11
He Was Attacked at Orange Camp
by Smith-Dorren.
MAI. CREW MEETS REVERSE
Comes in Contact with a superior
Force aud Is Obliged 10 Retire,
Leaving IA Pom-Pom.

~NN'N ANiNNiANllNAt Nll' IN
chief In South Africa;
Pretoria, Feb, 9,--The columns work
Ing eastward occupied Ermeo Febru-
airy 9th. 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-
daw. and very large quantity Of stock
are being driven east.
"a peace delegate under sentence OF
death and other Boer prisoners were
taken by the Beers. All Of the reports
show that the Beers are exceedingly
bitter. Fifty Beers surrendered.
Louis Boths, with 1000 men, attacked
Gen. Smith-Dorrien at Orange Camp at
a. m, February 9th, He was repused
after severe fighting Gen. Spruit was
Killed; Gen. Bandemeyer was severely
wounded and two comets were killed
twenty OF the Boer dead were left in
our hands and many severely wounded
our casualties We're twenty-four killed
and fifty-three wounded.
our movement to the east Is report
ed to have thoroughly upset all the en-
emy's calculations and created panic
in the district.
christian Dewet appears 10 be cross
ing the line south of Jaegersfontein
road TO the west this morning, having
failed TO affect crossing by the riffs
east of Bethulie.
occupied by Col. De Lse, who entered
EDhfnIafxs eth Tho -
A dispatch from East London. Cape
Colony. dated February 9Th says; De
tails have been received here OF severe
lighting at Tabaksberg mountain, forty
miles east Of the railway and about
midway between Small Deel and
Bloemfontein. Maj. Crewe, with a COM
posite column, travelling southwest,
sighted the mountain on the morning Of
January 3lst. He heard heavy firing.
and knowing that Col. Pitchers column
was on the other side of the mountain.
he concluded that this officer was in
action, Consequently he hurried for
ward only TO meet the Beers streaming
down and evidently retiring from Col.
Pitchers lyddite Shells
Immediately Mai. Crewe brought
three l5-pounders and POM pom TO
bear on the Beers. who however, were
found to be so numerous that 1t was
impossible to head them of orders
were given to return to camp about
two miles from the mountain, The coll
umn rested until four In the afternoon,
when the march was resumed south
west.
Maj. Crewe was Just touching the
southern point of the mountain, when
a terrific fire opened from large force
OF Beers In ambuscade and the noun
tain. The fight soon became general.
the Beers attacking the British on both
TANKS and the rear The British pom
pom Jammed and became useless Maj.
Crewe grasped the situation and, by Il |
brilliant move. got the convoy into a
safe position.
Between and o'clock In the even
ing the Beers charged the position and |
turned both TANKS. The British ammu-'
milton became exhausted and Maj. |
Crew was obliged to retire and aban-
don the pom-pom after the advance
party had endeavored TO save II and had
sustained a severe loss.
Rearguard action was fought by
Maj Crewe into the camp where the
wagons had been laagered, lntrench-
ments were thrown up during the night,
when morning came. Mai. Crewe
started to Join Gen. Knox. twelve miles
to the southwest The Beers immedi-
ately reattacked him. compelling him
10 fight second rearguard action for
a few miles. Gen. Dewet personally
the Beers and they were
estimated at $780, Mai Crewe's force
vas only 700. Eventually the British
officer Joined Gen. Knox and returned
o Bloemfontein. Lord Kitchener has
highly complimented Maj. Crewe on the
The Capetown correspondent Of the
Times, giving a general outline Of the
British offensive operations says: The
British force directed against Christian
)ewets force included seven columns,
lnder Knox, Hamilton, Maxwell.
White, Pitcher and Crewe They hoped
O force Dewet upon the British corps
on Orange river The
'oers, under cover Of detached COM
nando. swung westward and captured
'pom-pom" from Maj. Crewe. and by
rossing the railway between Spring
ontetn and Edenburg, evaded the
british concentration.
'Dewet Is now probably in the Phil
opolis district, and this probably ac-
cunts for the northwesterly movement
the Beers In Cape Colony.
The latest proclamation issued by
ewet and Steyn closes thus Il shall
ow enter Cape Colony to give the
irmers there a taste Of what we have
lrselves suffered through this war"
REVIEWED BY MINER.
Capet0wn, Feb. l0.-Yesterday Sir
fired Miner reviewed 1000 men OF the
Nv volunteer force and made a spirit
address to the officers. He expressed
Is qualification at the loyal response
lie colony had made 10 the call. en-
lasized the great value Of mounted
en-, and complimented the officers and
! concerned upon the excellent work
ready done In stemming the Boer in
lsion"
MORE TROOPS NEEDED. |
New York. Feb, ll.-A dispatch TO the
'ibune from London says.
The dispatch which was issued yes -
rday by the war office goes long way
prove that the big Reinforcement OF z
600 mounted men now under orders h
r the Cape Is really essential 10 the d
lhllment OF Kitcheners task. An en- y
cement, In which the attacking force
mbers 1000 Beers and which results N