Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-02

was annexed. under the title of the Orange
| River Colony. May - saw heavy en-
| gagement in the neighborhood of Johannes
| burg, and on the 30th President Kruger fed
| from Pretoria. On the last day of May Jo-
| hannesburg was surrender to Lord Roberts
| by DR.. Krause.
Fall of Pretoria
Lord Roberts advancing from johannes
burg on June successfully engaged the
Boer main force at Six Miles Spruit, near
Pretoria. The enemy fell hack defeated.
| and Lord Roberts and the main body OF his
| army entered Pretoria on the morning of
June 3, and the British flag was hoisied
over the government offices. On the 18th
Lord Roberts fought two days engage
ment with Bothas force at Diamond HILL
outside Pretoria From thence until July
| there was plenty OF fighting in the Trans
vaal and Orange River Colony. On the 10th
of that month large Boer force threaten
ed Pretoria. but 1t was beaten off. and on
| the 18th plot was discovered to retake the
Johannesburg forts.
About this time De Wet broke south and
became active In the Orange River Col
ony. On July 30. Prinsloo. with over 300
men. surrendered to General Hunter. Lieu
tenant Hans Cordua was shot on August
for completely in the plot to ktdnap Lord
Roberts, and on the Goth there was severe
fighting round Belfast. and Butler cap
tured Bergendal. On September 10 Butler.
driving the Beers before him, arrived at
Lourenco Marques Two days later Lord
Roberts issued his proclamation to the
burghers, pointing out that the late Pres
ident Kruger had resigned. that the war
could have but one issue. and that he would
DO all in his power to end the guerrilla
struggle. The Beers replied by a counter
proclamation, issued from Komati Poort
granting Kruger six months leave of abb
sence to visit Europe to foster the Boer
cause there. and authorizing Schaik Burger
to act as president On September 10 Lord
Roberts announced that there was nothing
left of the Boer army but few marauding
bands Following this he issued proc
lamation promising that burghers surrend-
ering voluntarily would not be sent out of
South Africa.
On September "a I<omati Poort was occu-
pied as the result of a combined movement.
A large quantity of supplies was captured,
and 5000 of the enemy driven into Portu
suese territory, where they surrendered.
On October Lord Roberts reported that
the number of prisoners captured and sur
rendering daily was increasing. and amount
ed at that date to nearly 10000. Sir Red
veys Butler relinquished the command OF
the Natal field force on October H. and
was thanked by Lord Roberts for his serv-
ices. Mr.. Kruger sailed for Europe on the
10Th in the Dutch warship Cumberland.
Kitchener Takes Command.
The failure of peace negotiations with
Botha was reported on the Goth, and on the
-olI lIdHSNidi WIS pTbcldllueu part VI
the British empire. On November 30 Mr.
Kruger arrived at Marseilies. and met with
a good reception, and on November % Lord
Roberts handed over the command to Lord
Kitchener and left for England. De Wet,
whom several British columns had been
hunting for some weeks previously, on De-
ce1nber ii succeeded In breaking through
the British Gordon at Thaba N'Chu. The
previous day Clements was attacked at
Nootgedacht and was forced to retire with
considerable loss. On the 31st Knox was
successful in capturing horses, ammunition
and supplies belonging to De Vets force
Taking advantage of fog, the Beers, on
January I, 1891, made simultaneous attacks
on the British posts at Belfast, Nooitge-
dacht, Wildfontein and elsewhere; on the
18th martial law was proclaimed in Cape
| Colony, excepting seapors. The war office
authorities. on February Z, announced that
reinforcements of 10000 mounted men were
| to be raised for service in South Africa. On
| the 10Th De Wet, having crossed the
| Orange. was defeated by Col. Plumer north
| of De Aar. On February % 1t was rumored
| that Botha was about to surrender.
Subsequently Mr.. Balfour stated in the
| house that negotiations were taking place
between Kitchener and Botha, but on the
| 10Th it was announced in both houses that
| Botha had refused the peace terms offered.
| On the 24th Darlington defeated Delarey,
capturing several guns and prisoners. On
! April IL SHUTS laager, northwest of
| Klerksdorp. was captured, and considerable
| loss inflicted on the enemy. Lord itchener
| reported further captures of prisoners and
ammunition by Blood, Plumer and Gen.
| Kitchener on the 10th.
Many Small Engagements.
From thence until the end of May Lord
Kitchener sent news of frequent British
successes, with large numbers of prisoners.
On May % Delarey attacked Dixon's force
| at Vlakfontein. The Beers were repulsed
after severe fighting. Several OF the Eng
lish wounded We're shot by the enemy. Dur
ing the month of May 2,640 Beers were re-
ported by Lord Kitchener to have been
killed, wounded or captured.
The month of June witnessed several en-
gagements between British columns and
| bands of the enemy. in which the latter
| suffered much loss. On July 4. in the
house of commons, Mr.. Brodrick read
copy of a proclamation which had been
signed by Messrs. Burger and Steyn. in
which 1t was stated that Mr.. Kruger had
still great hopes of satisfactory ending of
the war The burghers were counseled to
continue the struggle and take measures
for the maintenance of their independence.
According to the official returns up to the
end of June, 20,41S officers and men had
been lost to the army during the war.
These figures included 3OS3 permanently
disabled and 61S prisoners.
General Broadwood surprised the town of
ReitZ on July IL and captured several eX-
ecutive officers of the Boer government.
Mr.. Steyn escaped in his shirt sleeves.
Further British successes were reported by
Lord Kitchener at the end of July and dur
ing the early part of August. In dispatches
published on August 20 Lord Kitchener
then estimated the Boer force in the field at
1850.
The Punishment Proclamation.
The chiefs proclamation
calling upon the burghers to surrender be-
fore September To- under pain of perma
nent Punishment from South Africa, was
published early in August. About the ODD
Delarey issued counter proclamation,
calling upon the Beers to disregard that
issued. by Lord Kitchener, and declaring
that the struggle would be continued Dur
ing the first fortnight of September there
was considerable desultory fighting. in
which a number of Boer prisoners were
captured. On the 18th the enemy suddenly
assumed the offensive. Major Cough was
drawn into a trap by Botha at Scheeper's
Mex, south of Utrecht. The British had
$50 men taken prisoners, besides number
of officers and men killed and wounded.
SHUTS at Modderfontein, In Cape Colony
attacked party of the 18th Lancers, and
on the 10Th two guns of U Battery, r. H.
A., with a mounted infantry escort were
captured at Vlakfontein. By way of re-
Dly Colonel Williams capt,lred tho uybola ,f