THE BOER WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 21 September 1901, Page 3

THE BOER WAR.

:[PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT,]

Particulars of the British Reverse.

Revere Loss to the 17th Lancers.

London, Sept 20. Lord Kitchener reports on Tuesday •evening that three companies of Mounted Infantry and three guns, under Major Gough, while reconnoitring south of Utrecht in conjunction with the Johannesburg Mounted Bides under Colonel Stewart, sighted 300 Boers retiring from Scheepers* Nek, towards Blood Biver Poort.

Gough started for the ridge overlooking the Poort, asking Stewart, who was marching an hour behind him, to co-ope-rate.

The Boer movement was evidently a trap.

When Gough was within reach of bis •objective, the Boers suddenly in considerable strength, under cover of the poort, attacked the front and right dank. After severe fighting, the British were overpowered, losing their guns, though rthe sights and breach-blocks were first .destroyed. Two officers and 14 men were killed and 4 officers and 20 men wounded.

Gough and another officer escaped during the night.

TheDeJager’s Drift Report states that the Boers numbered over 1000, under Louis Botba.

Stewart was unable to co-operate and Gough fell back on De Jager’s. His patrols were not in touch with the enemy.

Reinforcements have been sent by General Lyttelton. Received this day at 9 41 a m. In t connection with the disaster at Tarbastod. French reports that a commandant in the south, in order to break a cordon hemming him in, rushed a squadron of the 17th Lancers at Elands River Poort, west of Tarkastod, killing 8 officers, 20 men, and wounding Major 'Victor Sandeman, and 80 men of the squadron, who fought most gallantly inflicting.heavy loss upon the Boers, who were dad in khaki and were at first mistaken for British. Besides the killed and wounded five officers, including Gongh and another who escaped, were amongst the captured. The number of captured is not stated. Prominent Boer sympathisers are now ■compelleed to ride in trains in disturbed .districts in the Transvaal.

Twenty-eight Boers surrendered at JCrugersdorp, and nine others and three armed natives showing fight were captured. Kitchener has forwarded to Commandant Frinsloo affidavits showing three occasions where individhal burghers deliberately murdered wounded troops and unarmed surrenders.

In anticipation of a raid on Natal the Carabineers and Umroti Mounted Rifles have been summoned. The Durban volunteers have entrained northwards*

Lyttelton’s Regulars are estimated at 1000,

Field Cornets mutilated Kitchener’s proclamation to prevent their men surrending. Rinderpest has appeared in the Government herd in the neighborhood of Pretoria.