The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-14
Storm, BurgherS!" is Their
Thrilling Cry.
THEN CONES THE THUtD:RoUs CHARGE
BENDING Low in the Saddle, Scattered
Among Fris shtened Cattle. the Beers
Dash Upon the Bcitish Line and
Many Break Through the Net In
Which Kitchener Hoped to Ensnare
Them.
(By the Associated Press

London. Feb. 13-The detailed ac-
counts which have just reached here of
Lord Kitchener's combined movement to
drive out the Beers from the enclosure
of blockhouse lines show that the con-
tiict was very picturesque and the most
exciting incident of the whole campaign.
Although apparently surrounded by an.
impenetrable ring of fire and steel, the
Beers dauntless bravery and dashings
charges ultimately resulted in the ma.
jority's escape from the meshes Of Lord
Kitchener's close drawn net
The British commanders scheme was
the most extensive ever carried out dur
ing the present war. II consisted Of q
continuous line over fifty miles In
length Lord Kitchener, who personally
directed the operations, was in close
touch day and night with every detail of
the movements. The Beers, though
hard pressed shrank from attempting to-
cross the railrecd. whicIsNas patrolled
throughout the nfsht by armored trains,
equipped with p@Ierful searchlights.
The train lights wore supplemented by
stationary searchlights, and the spec
tacular effect, as witnessed from the
trains, wa smost striking.
The battle at Heilbron ragged from
o'clock Friday might until O'Clock Sat
urday morning. Throughout the fve
hours a fearful ring of fire from rifles.
cannon and pom poms swept along the
British line in holding De Vets Beers,
who made repeated attempts TO break
out of the circle of troops. From vari-
Gus positions, behind rocks and xopjes.
the Beers kept up vigorous fusillade,
hoping 30 find weak spot in the line.
simultaneously others charged, but
again and again Were the Beers re-
pulsed leaving dead, wounded and prls-
oners in the hands of the British.
At the outset of the preparations the
Beers realized that the operations were
not merely an ordinary "drive" but a
movement threatening them with Total
annihilation and General De Wet assem-
bled his whole force and discussed the
situation with the commanders, with the
result that the Beers were split up into
three forces On Thursday night Ave
hundred Beers, headed by Van Collers,
ushed force OF the Imperial Light
Horse, yelling storm Burghers." About
100 Beers got through, but the remainder.
encountering a tremendous fire, were
turned back
Friday nights conflict ebbed and SWELL
ed over an area of 40 to so miles in which
the long hunted, harassed and desperate
men endeavored TO find outlets. The
Beers, at one spot got within thirty yards
of the British firing line, but the barbed
wire balked the burghers and forced them
TO retreat
The firing never ceased. Aided by the
electric searchlights, the British har-
rowed the surrounding teritoy with
shapnel shells and Maxim bullets. In
the northern section the Beers made a
desperate effort to break through. Col
lecting a number OF cattle. the Beers
drove them down on the British lines.
Bending low in their saddles, the Beers
rode among the cattle, making It Inn
possible to distinguish them the dark
ness. The British pickets opened ter
rible fire and the Beers were everywhere
met with a relentless hail of bullets.
long line of fame an up and down the
firing line. nearly thirty miles in length
as the armored trains flashed their
over miles OF country
This lasted for some twenty minutes.
when gradually the rattle died down un-
til only the crack OF single shots was
heard. Thea al was again quiet
The Beers attempt to break the line
had failed. A few broke through and
among them was Bernard De Wet,