The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-13
Most Picturesque Battle Of
South African War.
KITCHENER Is BAFFLED
Failure Of the Most Extensive Plan
of the War.
DE VETS MEN AT THEIR BEST
Armors.d Trains, Naval
Guns and Muskets sVexeth
Ear of Night.''

London, Feb. 1s.-The detailed accounts
of Lord Kitchener's combined movement
to drive out the Beers from the enclosure
of blockhouse lines show that the conflict
was very picturesque and the most excit-
ing incident of the whole campaign. AL
though apparently surrounded by an inn
penetrable ring of fire and steel, the
Beers dauntless bravery and dashing
charges ultimately resulted in the major
ity escaping 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. 1t consisted OF
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 gcross the railroad,
which was patrolled throughout the night
by armored trains, equipped with power
full searchlights.. The train lights were
supplemented by stationary search1ights
and the spectacular effect as witnessed
from the trains was most striking.
Five Hours of Fighting.
The battle at Hetlbron ragged from 9
O'Clock, Friday night until o'clock Sat
urday morning Throughout the five hours
a fearful ring of fire from rifles, cannon
and pompoms swept along the British
lines, holding in check General De Vets
Beers, who made repeated attempts to
break out Of the circle of troops. From
varied post ions, behind rocks and dongas,
the Beers kept up a#yigorous fusilade,
hoping to find a weak spot in the line.
simultaneously others charged, but again
and again were the Beers repulsed, leay-
ing dead, wounded and prisoners in the
hands of the British.
At the outset of the preparations the
| Beers realized that the operations were
/ not merely .an ORDINARY IS 8 rive, but q
movement threatening them with tota
/ humiliation, and General De Wet assem-
bled his whole force and discussed the sit.
| .uation with the commanders, with the re
! suit that the Beers were split up int
three forces.
On Thursday night 500 Beers headed b!
t Vancellers, rushed a force OF the Imperia
Light Horse, yelling "storm, burghers!
! Above 100 Beers got through, but the re
mainder, encountering tremendous ire
| were turned back. Friday nights con
| flict ebbed and swelled over an area o
forty to fifty miles, in which the long
hunted, harrassed and desperate men en-
! deayored to find outlets. The Beers a
one spot got within thirty yards of tn
! British firing line, but the barbed wir
baked them and forced them to retreat.
Burghers Use Cattle.
Aided by the electric searchlights, tn
| British narrowed the surrounding terri
| tory with shrapnel, shells and Maxim bull
lets. In the northern section the Boer
| made a desperate effort to break through
/ Collecting a number of cattle, the Boer
| drove them down on the British lines
Bending low in their saddles, they rod
among the cattle, making it impossible t
distinguish them in the darkness. TIL
British pickets opened terrible fire an
the Beers were everywhere met with
relentless hail of bullets.
A long line of flame ran up and dow
the firing line, nearly thirty miles j
length, as the armored trains flashed thei
searchights over miles of country. Th
reports of the quick-fring guns along tn
entrenched line and the booming of tn
field guns and pompoms sounded amid tn
sharp cracking of musketry, while Hell
bron fort contributed to the universal di
with the roar of it's naval guns.
This lasted some twenty minutes, whe
!, gradually the rattle died down until onl
thee crack of single shots was heard. The
all was again quiet.
:. The Beers attempt to break the Bri
ish circle had failed. A few of them SUI
ceeded in crossing the line and amor
: them was General De Wet.