The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08

braltar.
After the relief of Ladysmith Butler
drove the Beers across Biggersberg range
back into the Transvaal territory, his op-
erations being a part of Lord Roberts
campaign.
While B.ller was fighting and retreat
ing on the Tugeia Lord Methuen was be-
ing roughly handled on the Modder river
IN his efforts to raise the siege of Kim
berry. With $500 men, made UP of the
choicest troops IN the British army, rs
! began his advance on November 21 On
tho night of November 22-23 he defeated
| the Beers at Belmont, losing 2sS men. On
November p he whipped his enemy at
Gras Pan, losing 1874 men. On Novembe-
3 he fought the battle OF the Afodder,
losing ass men. but driving the Beers back
TO Magersfontein, where on the night of
December 10 he sent the famous Highland
| brigade to attack the Boer entertainments.
The result was the battle of Magersfon-
TEN. in which General Wauchope and
| slxty-eight of his Highlanders were killed.
79e wounded and los taken prisoners.
This serious defeat checked Methuen' s
advance and he was practically besieged
IN his camp until early in February.
when Lord Roberts invasion Of the Or
ange Free State compelled Cronje TO
withdraw his army
The campaign in northern Cape Colony
conducted by Generals French and Cat
acre had been progressing while Butler
ard Methuen were being successfully re-
sisted by the Beers
On December 10 Gatacre, with $500 men,
attacked the Boer position at Stormberg.
delivering a night assault, in which he
lost 722 men and two guns. Gatacre was
unable 10 continue aggressive movements
on a large scale, and was from that time
o.. compelled to confine his efforts to
holding the Beers in check. His cam
pa;gn, like Methuens and Buffers, was
ended by Lord Roberts invasion Of the
Orange Free State
Up to the beginning of February. 1900.
the British campaigns in south Africa
had resulted in disaster. It was Lord
Roberts who turned the tide. He had
been ordered to the front after Buffers
defeat at Colenso, and with him went
four divisions of regulars, 5000 yeomanry,
5000 volunteers, 1900 Australians and
Canadians. British strength in south Az
RIGA was raised to $50. 900 men, and Lord
Roberts began a campaign on February
General French. with cavalry d.
vision, crossed the frontier into the Or
ange Free State, made a detour and got
past Cronje's army at Afagersfontein
Cronje was compelled to withdraw, and
with his entire army retreated to the
eastward, leaving the way open to Kim
berry, which town was relieved on Feb
ruary 10.
Cronje, with his army, fell back hur-
riedly toward Bloemfontein, but was so
closely pursued by Lord Kitchener that
he was compelled to entrench himself at
Paareburg on February Is For ten
days Lord Kitchener assaulted the Beer
position. losing heavily. but in the end
Cronje was compelled to surrender with
1900 men on February 81 Kitchener lost
1874 men IN ten days fighting Cronje and
his men were a few weeks later trans
ported to st. Helena, where they have
remained as prisoners ever since.
Lord Roberts with his army hurried on,
defeating the Beers at Poplar Grove on
March Z. and a Driefontein on the 10TH
On March Il Lord Roberts and his army
entered BlOemfontein. the capital of the
Orange Free State. President Steyn and
the government officials had made hur-
ried departure two days before, remov-
ing the archives to Lindley, in the
northern part of the state.
Lord Roberts resumed his advance to-
ward Pretoria on May 3, the Beers under
General Delarey retiring TO the northeast.
After a series of engagements Lord Rob-
erts crossed the vaal river on May p
Tnh
entered on May 81, and Pretoria, the capt.
tai of the Transvaal Republic, on June
!, President Kruger and the Boer officials
taking flight on a special train that had
been kept in readiness for such an emer-
gency.
Incident to the capture of Pretoria
came the relief of Mafeking. The Beers,
under pressure Of a British mounted
force sent for the relief of the town by
Lord Roberts. withdrew on May IS The
siege of Mafeking was one of the most
notable features of the war 1t began
with the outbreak of hostilities on Octo-
Der y. 1893. and the town was not free
until May IS, 1900 When the siege began
there were 5000 persons in the town. Of
whom less than 1000 were whites.
The total casualties on the British
side during the siege of Mafeking were as
follows:
Combatants White officers. killed. |
Is wounded. / missing White non-com- !
nissioned officers and men. 81 killed. I03 |
% missing; 16 died Of disease; |
) wounded accidentally; colored combat |
ants. % killed. IS wounded.
Non-combatants. whites. killed, 5 |
wounded. 50 died of disease; natives. 81 /
killed, III wounded: Baralongs. 2s4 killed. /
20 wounded: total casualties OF all kinds. /
"a Among the white combatants - Off
,ers were killed, wounded or captured out /
IF total OF Il. and 100 men out Of a total (
IF s75.
The capture Of Pretoria and the fight /
IF the Boer government led the British /
public to believe that the war was prac- /
Ideally ended. Ii was felt certain that /
Kruger. without a capital, without an /
army. would sue for peace. The British +
7ublic was soon undeceived. President (
Kruger. with special car as his seat Of +
government. stationed himself first at
.ysa terval Bowen. on the railway east Of +
Pretoria. Here he issued a proclamation +
declaring that the Beers would never lay
Town their arms until the British had +
their complete independence.
De Wet at this stage in the war devel-
ped that capacity for leadership which
las since made his slame famous among
he world 5 generals He first attracted
,articular British attention by capturing
0 veomanry and e wagons at Lindley
N May 81. -Four days later ne captured
So Highlanders and - wagons near He'll
IRON. on June he cut Lord Roberts
tearing up twenty miles
e railway and capturing the Fourth
attalion of the Derbyshires ard 10 men
= III Railrar Pioneer Cons.