The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-01-29 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THE WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.  .Intelligence received from Cape Town, dated Jan. 4, says :—An account of the events at Potchefstroom related by Lance-corporal Bennie, which has been published here, differs materially from the former versions. This lance-corperal is one of tie fifteen men of the 2nd Battalion of the 21st Regiment, who, with some civilians, was released by the Boers, after an oath had been administered binding them not to again cross the Vaal or bear arms against the Republic. He states that everything remained quiet at Potchefstroom until about 8 a.m. on the 17th ult., when firing was heard in the direction of the military camp outside the town. Major Clarke asked the cause of the firing, and received signal—" Boers fired on mounted infantry, who returned fire." The town was then cleared, and armed bodies forbidden to enter it. Very shortly after a large body of armed Boers entered the Market Square, and the firing commenced, several Boers being seen to fall at the first volley. They appear to have taken up secure positions, from which a steady fire was kept up all day. Soon after firing commenced Captain Falls, of the 21st Regiment, was shot in the breast, and immediately fell dead. He was the moment before talking to Major Clarke. A volunteer, an old man named Wood, was also killed, and he and Captain Falls were buried in the rear of the Court House. Three men were wounded. No mention is made of any attempt to haul down the Beitish flag, or any account given of ti:c surrender. The Gape Argus publishes a tele6ram in, which it is stated that Captain Lambert, of the 21st Regiment, is in Pretoria, and was not at Potchefstroom at all. The prisoners of the 94th captured near Pretoria are said to be in Heidelberg, where the Boers' camp is pitched. A messenger who left Pi etoria on the 22nd reports that place to be fully prepared to meet any attack likely to be made. Standerton was safe.up to the evening of the 27th, a considerable number of volunteers having been raised for its defence. The Boers deny the charge of firing at their clergyman when he remonstrated with them, and many tales of outrages ptactised upon unottending tinvellers and women and children are not generally bedeved. in the encounter between the soldiers of the 94th and the Boers, Colonel Anstruther had one of his thighs broken by a ball. Later accounts to hand fail to prove any treachery on the part of the Boers, as was at first suggested. Ralph Egerton, one of the wagon conductors with the party, states that the Boers sent a message to the colonel, under a flag of truce, informing him that the Republic had been declared, and that he could not be permitted to proceed further. The colonel replied that he had received orders to go to Pretoria, and should carry out his instructions, whereupon the Boers immediately opened fire, arid before the troops could get the range most of the officers had been hit and many men kided. The colonel then seeing further resistance tuci sa sumndered. The adjutant was permitted to gA) in o I retoria for an ambulance wagon, and he e.a :ed the regimental colours about his waist. Egerton states that the whole affair did not last twenty minutes, that the Boers numbered about 300, led by J. Joabert, and that they held a"good position on rising ground trt:ui,g the trees surrounding Pinsloops homestead. in a telegtain from Pietermaritzburg, of Sunday's date, the special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says :—" Rains all over the country are impeding the advance of our forces towards the TransTaal. Commodore Richards has gone to the front. Communications are constantly passing between Sir George Colley and Jolbert." The Times correspondent telegraphed as follows from Durban on Sunday: "Sir H. Robinson has arrived at Cape Town and assumed office,. Sir G. C. Strahan leaves in the Urantully Castle. Horses and mules are being purchased for the Transvaal. The disaster to the 94th Regiment and Captain Elliott's murder have greatly alienated sympathy from the Boers. President Brand has issued a proclamation requiring the Free State burghers to strictly abstain from interfering in Transvaal afiairs. The troops and the Naval Brigade are at Newcastle. The editor of the Voiksstem, of Pretoria, has been sentenced to a month's imprisonment, and fined £25. He has appealed, and was allowed bail in £4,000. it is reported that Major Raaf and Commandant Collins were to be shot on the 20th inst."