The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-14
Kitchener Carries Out An Exten-
sivea Movement.
Beers FOUGHT D DESPERATELY
Time and Again They Charge British Loas
Line OF Fire aud Steel, 0nly to be
Repulsed-some Few, Including
De Witt. Got Through.
.lRy Associatcl Press.l

LONDON, Feb. 1s.-The detailed &C
counts, which have just reached here, OF
Lord Kitchener's combined movement 20
blockhouse lines, show that the conflict
vas ver..- picturesque and the most eS-
citing incident Of the whole campaign
Although apparently surrounded by an
in:penetrable ring OF fire and steel, the
Boers dauntless bravery and dashlng
charges ultimately resulted in the ma
jcrity of them escaping from the nlssiies
of Lord Ilitcheners close-drawr net
The British comm ander's scheme was
the most extensive ever carried out DUR
ing the present war. It consisted OIL q
continuous line over fifty miles IN length;
Lord Kitchener, who personally dlrecteo
the operations, was in close touch, udS
and night, with every detail OF the now
ments. The Beers, though hard pressed
shrank from attempting to cross the ran
road which was patrolled througnoutEtie
Eight by arrnored trains, equipped Win
powerful searchlights. The train search
lights were supplemented by stationary
searclllights, BY the side of the railroad
were the dark forms of men lying III
trenches, or standing doing sentry duty.
The gloom OF the :moonless night was re-
licved by the sweep Of the searCnllshls.
Il ~
The battle at Hebron ragged from nine
o'clock. Friday night until two 0 CLOCK
Saturday morning Throughout the five
hours fearful ring of fire from rifles,
cannon and pom-poms swept along the
British lines, in holding Dewets Beers,
who made repeated attempts TO Dreah
out of the circle of troops. From various
positions, behind rocks and dohgas, the
Beers kept UP q vigorous 1uslade, hop
ing to find a weak spot in the line.
Simultaneously others charged, but again
and again were the Beers repulsed, leaV-
ing dead and wounded prisoners in the
hands Of the British.
On Thursday night five hundred Beers,
headed by VanCollers, rushed a force OF
the Imperial Light Horse, yelling storm
zBurghers!' About one hundred Beers got
through, but the rema inder, encountering
a tremendous fire, were turned back.
FIRING NEVER CEASED.
Friday nights conflict ebbed and swelled
over an area of forty otifty miles. in
which the long-hunted, harassed and
desperate men endeavored to find out
lets, but without success. The firing new
er ceased. In the northern section the
Beers made a desperate effort to break
through. Collecting a number of cattle,
the Beers drove them down on the Brit
ish lines. Bending low in their saddles
the Beers rode among the cattle. max
ing it impossible to distinguish them IN
the darkness. The British picket opened
a terrible fire, and the Beers were every
where met with a relentless hail OF bull
lets. a long line of flame ran UP and
down the firing line, nearly t!irty miles
in length, as the armored trains flashed
their searchlights over miles Of country
This lasted for some twenty Elinutcs
when gradually the rattle died down I'M
til only the crack of single shots We're
heard. Then all was quiet again The
Poers' attempt to break the Dr:::sn Gu
Gle had failed A few of them sllcca e;tad
III crossing the line, and among them Wds
General DeWet.