The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08
Of TIE B)ER WAR
Patriotism of the Beers Never
Questioned.
THEIR TACTICS IN BATTLE
Interesting History of Their
Struggle for Liberty.
THEIR TACTICS IN BATTLE


Iish government by President Kruger on
October 9, 1883.
The patriotism and courage of the Beers
had never ben questioned, but the heroic
audacity Of their ultimatum to one of the
foremost powers Of the globe took the
world by surprise and won for the burgh-
ers the enthusiastic sympathy of perhaps
every people in both hemispheres.
England herself was unprepared for the
ulumatum. True 1900 soldiers from IN
ola were on their way to south Africa
and a force of 1900 men had been assem-
bled in northern Natal under General
George Stuart White a force of perhaps
$500 men, consisting mostly of colonials.
had been stationed at Kimberly to pro-
tect the diamond mines. and less than a
thousand had gathered at Mafeking to
defend the railway leading northward
into Rhodesia
The British frontiers in south Africa
were as yet undefended, although it had
been practically a foregone conclusion for
months that the prolonged negotiation
over the demands of the uitlanders could
only end in hoshlities.
The ultimatum expired on October II,
and on that day the Boer forces invaded
British territory, one force crossing the
line into Bechuanaland. north of Kimber-
~, and a still larger one invading north
ern Natal through Laings Mex
The Beers lost no time in beginning hos
Titles. on October Z they fred the first
gun of the war, attacking an armored
train at Kraal Pan, north of Kimberly,
and shedding the first blod of the conflict.
The same day Kimberly and Mafeking
were beseiged and railroad and telegraph
&c communication cut off.
. IN northern Natal hostilities opened on
October Is with the battle of Dundee, in
which General Sxmons with 8, 400 men was
attacked by a force of 1000 Beers, The
Beers were repulsed, but their progress
not checked. in the battle the British
had 474 men killed. wounded or captured,
General Symons being among the slain.
The Beers columns advanced, however,
SO numerously that the entire British
force in northern Natal narrowly escaped
disaster. Several heavy engagements fol-
lowed each other within few days, the
several British columns seeking to effect
q junction at Ladysmith for mutual pro
lection.
The battle Of Elanslaagte was fought on
October %. the British losing 25S men, but
gaining a temporary advantage.
On October a the battle of Reitfontein
gave the British another slight advantage.
enabling all the forces in northern Natal
to concentrate at Ladysmth.
The fighting for the possession Of Lady |
smith practically continued from October |
p until November l. and included the en-
gagements at Nicholson Mex and at Far |
quhars Farm, in which the British lost |
!. 2S4 men.
The seige of Ladysmith began on No i
vember :. the town being invested by /
20 Gee to 10000 Beers under General Jou- |
bert with Louis Botha second in COM
mand.
From this point the war diverged into |
four distinct campaigns:
/. General Buffers efforts TO raise the !
siege OF Ladysmith.
?. Lord Methuen's attpmpt to relieve |
the besieged garrison at Kimberly.
3. The Boer siege of Mafeking.
4 General Gatacre's campaign to clear /
the invaders from northern Cape Colony. !
on November >. 1899, when these four |
practically began. the military /
in south Africa was like this:
General George s. White, with 10000 /
smith by Generals Joubert and Botha /
with a largely superior force.
The Beers had invaded Cape Colony and 1
held Colcsburg and the surrounding dis
tricts in force.
General Cronje. with perhaps 1000 men, |
had surrounded Kimberly and Afafeking. /
holding the country as far south as tbs
AIoader river.
England was thus confronted with four
distinct campaigns at the outset of the
war. whereas all plans had been made for
a single movement.
An army corps Of 5o,ea men had been
to south Africa under COM
mand of Sir Redvers Butler His plan Of
was fully worked out before he
left England. With his 500oo men he pro-
posed to invade the enemy's country from
the south march directly porth through
the Orange Free State into the Transvaa4.
and lay siege to Pretoria. Ii was a simple
pam but Bulcr had not reckoned with
his enemy.
General Buffers campaign for the relief
o. Ladysmith was one OF the most disas-
tous tn British history. His first action
was az Willow Grange on November 2S
where ne checked the southern progress
Of the Boer invasion, losing eighty-seven
men. Then after three weeks prepara-
tion for the advance he attempted To
or $ the Togela river at Colenso on De-
cember Is. and was repulsed OF l5.oa0
British troops engaged LIS were killed.
wounded and captured. and eleven OF the
guns carried of by the Beers.
The check at Colenso compelled Butler
l. wait Tor endorsements from England
and il was not until January that he
again advanced. on that date his army
crossed the Tugela at Potgeiters Drift in
an effort TO turn the Boer position. At
ter prolonged fighting the effort failed, the
British disaster eliminating with the de-
fest AZ Spion Kop on January =. 1900
Butler returned TO his position south Of
the TuSala, having lost l.sS2 men
On February 8 Butler again crossed the
Tugeia at Naal Krantz. bat after three
days lighting was compelled 10 retire.
having lost s74 men.
Butler began his fourth and finally sue
'essful effort 70 relieve Ladysmith on
February ~. and after seven days SIGHT
ng. with ISIS men killed, wounded or cap
tured. his troops entered the hes.eged
town.
The T-adysmith garrison was found 20
b. in dire straits Ter want Of food AID
supplies were hurried into the town. The
defense Of .Jhe place cost Sir George stu
art White . officers and 225 mon killed.
while officers and 80 men died Of dis
Ease When the relief force arrived there
we're q wounded officers and SO wounded
len in the hospitals
Sir George Stuart White was relieved
p service in south Africa after the relief
81 Ladysmith. his health having been ,
nadlF shatIere1 hr The : rliiinns rlafllr.a Of