The Irish standard., 1902-03-08
THE ANGLo-soER COMBAT.

Following the example Of Lord Rob
erts, who announced the capture of
Cronje on the anniversary of the battle
of Majuba Hill, Lord Kitchener Sc
lected the same memorable day to tell
the English people that he had
'bagged" lot of Beers, aggregating
1000 men killed Or captured, 1000
horses and $4,000 head of CATTLE" This
glad news cheered the dropping spirits
of the English jingoes, and it was read
for political effect by the war secre-
tary in parliament. They had hardly
had time to get over their rejoicing
when Kitchener sent another dispatch
of different tenor. In his usual style,
he regretted to report that the naughty
Beers had attacked a convoy Of empty
wagons, captured two guns, and killed,
wounded and made prisoners 632 Tom
mics.
That sad news had a very depressing
effect on Chamberlain and his gang.
Though this disaster had occurred be-
fore the victory on Majuba day, Kitch-
ener kept it back until he obtained
definite Details" AS at Nicholson's
Mex, the mules stampeded, and the
Beers won the day. OF course, the
Beers were in great force or they could
not have whipped the British. Listen
to the Anglo-Irish butcher:
"Lieut. Col. Anderson, who COM
manded the British force and who has
returned to Kraaipan, Cape Colony,
with nine officers and 245 men, reports
that when his advance guard was
within ten miles of T<lerksdorp, during
the morning Of Feb. 25, the Beers
opened heavy rifle fire on the troops
from the scrub. The burghers were
driven off and the convoy resumed it's
march, when a more determined at
tack was made on the conveys left
flank, the Beers getting within hun
dred yards and stampeding the mules
The attacking forces were again driv-
en- off. At about $50 in the morning,
the rear guard was attacked by
strong force of Beers, and simultane-
ously another body of Beers boldly
charged the center Of the convoy and
stampeded the mules in all directions,
throwing the escort into confusion,
during which the Beers charged and
recharged, riding down the separated
British units. The fighting lasted for
two hours, during which the two Brit
ish guns and pompom almost ex-
hausted their ammunition. A detach-
ment of 200 mounted infantry from
Klerksdorp attempted to reinforce the
British, but were held in check by the
Beers. Lieut.. Col Anderson adds that
the strength of the Beers was estimat-
ed at from 1900 to 1,7OO."
Commandments Delarey, Kemps, Col
Tiers, Lemmer, Wolmarans and Pot
gieter are said to have. headed the
Beers, and well did they perform their
work. They had defeated the British
two days before the anniversary Of
Majuba Hill, but it took eight days
for Kitchener to tell what happened.
1t was only short time before this
that the British were caught in a trap.
DeWet and his "fugitives," as his
brave followers are called, had got out
between the blockhouses and gone on
their way rejoicing. A British force
of $50 followed them up. Coming to
q farmhouse, they surrounded it. Soon
solitary Boer emerged from the
building and scampered over the veldt
toward distant kopje. The $50
mounted soldiers of King Edward
started in pursuit. Immediately"
says correspondent, "a heavy fire
was opened from three sides on the
patrol, who found themselves in a
trap" OF course, they fought nobly,
but two officers and twelve men were
killed, forty-eight wounded and the
rest were presumably taken prisoners.
In describing the skirmish, Lord
Kitchener says that the survivors ''fell
back under cover of the blockhouses."
Yes, but he forgot to add that the
Beers had stripped them of their &C.
coutrements and let them so.
Two days previously another disas-
ter befell the British on the Waterfall
River. The Beers, as usual, were in
overwhelming force. By the way,
where are the 25O,OOO British soldiers?
Though the Beers were "driven back
with loss," the British suffered Sc
verely. The captured Tommies were
$50, the wounded and killed, 60. And
SO the war goes merrily on.
At present writing, the Beers seem
to have the best of it. The news
through British sources is very unreli-
able. Fresh soldiers are being shipped
from England as soon as they know
how to ride and shoot. The British at
the front are more successful in cap