Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-01-02
DETAILS OF
THE DISASTER
Six British Officers and Fifty Men
Killed by the Beers.
THE ATTACK MAS A SURPRISE
Lieutenant Watney Killed While Leading
Charge-BOer Troops Numbered
About Twelve Hundred.

London, Dec. 2S.-The war office TINS
afternoon issued list of the British casu-
alities at Zeefontein, December "A, when
Colonel Firman's camp, consisting OF three
companies of yeomanry and two guns
was successfully rushed by a boer force
under the command of General Dewet'
The length of the list demonstrates the
entire success of Dewet's attack. Six orl-
GERS and fifty men we're killed, eight oth'
GERS we're wounded and four are missing
It is presumed that the missing officers
were taken along with the captured guns
The numbers of the non commissioned
officers and men wounded and missing
have not yet been received, but the ag'
.ore0ate promises to make the Zeefontein
affair memorial disaster to the British
Simultaneous with the above the war
Office gave out dispatch from LORD
Kitchener chronicilng minor success OF
the South African constabulary, who
raided Bothaville and captured thirty'six
Beers.
In a subsequent message Lord Kitche'
ner sends stirring account Of the hight
ing at Zeefontein, showing that the wound
ed and prisoners must number lSO. he
saws that in the absence of Colonel Fir
man, Major Williams, who was killed,
was in command. The column was en-
camped on the slope of kopje, the south
ern side of which was precipitous. Out
posts held the edge of the precipice. The
northern slope, on which the camp was
pitched, was gentle. The outposts were
well pushed oct and the position, naturally
strong, had been entrenched, 1t was
moonlight night. The Beers appear to
have climbed the precipice and, mastering
near the top at 2 6. M, suddenly attacked
the pieces on the summit. Before the nen
could clear theiN .ents the Beers swooped
through them, shooting the soldiers down
as they came out. Most of the British
officers were shot while trying to stem the
rush. Lieutenant Hardwich himself
opened fire with the pompOms and was
shot through the heart while firing. Lieu
tenant Watney was killed while leading a
charge. There was no panic and all en-
gagged did their best. But once the picket
was overwhelmed the superior force OF the
Beers had all the advantage. Including
the killed and wounded, about half the
column is now at Glands river bridge.
The remainder are prisoners. The ht'
teen FOUNDER, after two rounds, became
jammed. The men composing the de-
tachment stood 10y the gun and were shot
down around it.
Lieutenant Scarlett, who was wounded,
was overlooked by the Beers and left be-
hind. He saw two wagonloads of dead
and wounded Beers carried off. They were
mostly hit during the first attack on the
picket.
The Beers, who apparently numbered
about 1900, under General Dewet, be-
haved well, leaving men to look after the
wounded.
The Imperial Light Horse were fourteen
miles away. They heard of the fight al
4:3O, and arrived on the scene at $50
After breathing their horses they gallopeC
after the Beers who, however, succeeded
in reaching the broken country, where
the light horse were useless against sup
erior numbers.