The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 14 December 1899, Page 2

The Transvaal.

REVERSE TO THE BRITISH

Major-General Sir W. F. Gatacre, who is in command of the Third Division of the British Army in South Africa, and has since his affival been manoeuvring in Northern Cape Colony has had an engagement with the invading Free State and Transvaal commandoes, who, under Commandant Grobler, lately Seized several important positions to the southward of the Orange river.

General Gatacre has untill recently been at Naauwpoort on the Port Elizabeth line of railway, about fifty miles from Colesberg.

The movements of the enemy to the eastward, however, have been of such a character that a check to their operations were deemed necessary, and the British General consequently moved in that direction along the branch railway line to Molteno.

On Saturday night Sir William Gaticre left Molteno, with a force of 3000 men, including the Second Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (sth Foot, Lieutenant-Colonel R. L. A. Pennington) and the Second Royal Irish Rifles (86th Foot Lieut.-Colonel H. A. Eager), supported by 800 mounted infantry and the 74th and 77th Batteries of Artillery, with the object of surprising 2500 Boers at Stormberg Junction. When within two miles of the point at which the enemy were supposed to be laagered, the advancing forces encountered the burghers who opened a sudden fire from the front and on right flank.

Taken by surprise and staggered by the unexpected attack, the British regiments sought cover behind an adjacent kopje, but being still within range were shifted from there, the artillery being brought into action and covering the retreat. At this stage a body of reinforcements for the enemy was observed advancing on the right, and part of the Northumberland and Irish Rifles were sent to intercept them.

The attempt could not be carried out successfully as the troops were subjected to a heavy, galling fire from a number of machine guns, which had been trained on to the line of their march.

It appears from the reports that have been received that the strength of the enemy had been underestimated and in addition to this they occupied an impregnable position, which the attacking force was unable to assail. The British were at last compelled to retreat, and during their march away from the field they were continually harassed by the fire from two forty-pounders, which were brought to bear upon them by the enemy. General Gatacre has telegraphed his regret at the serious reverse, but states that he was mislead as to the enemy's position by his guides, and were brought face to face with the burghers on impracticable ground. So far as the casualties are concerned no complete information can yet be acquired, but there are no fewer than 306 officers and men are missing from the Northumberlands and .9 from the Irish Rifles. With reference to Sir William Gatacre's defeat it is known that two men were killed and nine officers and sixteen men wounded, while there are nine officers among the missing. The retreat of the British was followed tor three hours by the Boer artillery. After a fatiguing march, the troops reached their main position, but a gun had to be abandoned by the artillerymen on the road.

It is feared that the disaster will intensify the disloyalty that has been

•flaking its •c' apparent amongst the Cape Dutch. The New Zealand Mounted Infantry and some of the New South Wales Lancers, commanded by Captain Cox, made a reconnaissance from Naauwpoort and drew the enemy's fire. The dolonials returned the shots of the Boers killing five of their number.

When the New Zealcnders arrived at Arundel, near Colesberg, on Friday with a detachment of General Frenches cavalry brigade, an inspection of the neighbourhood revealed the enemy in considerable strength se\ten rtiiles to the northward towards Colesberg. A SMART ACHIEVEMENT. A brilliant piece of rdiclirtg Work has been done by a detachment of eighty-five members of the Bechuanaland Mounted Police, under Captain G. L.. Holdsworth df lhe Seventh Hiissdirs, one of the special service officers sent o,iit early In • the year to orgariisp. ttije. British frontier forces. Starting from Mochudi, a Bechuanaland station on the trunk railway, situated 124 miles north of Mafeking. on Notwane river, one of fhe. branches into which .the Linipofld divided, the trodp fdde dßross country to Sengpiria, a Transvaal township on the Marico, another of the Limpopo affluents. There they surprised a Boer laager, wounding 28 of its defedders, without harni to themselves, , and returned to Mochudi,, having, ridden a hundred niiles iri thirteen hdiitsi SORTIES FROM LADYSMITH. News is to hand of two successful sorties made by sections of the British forces now beleaguered in Ladysmith. dn Thdrsday last Art expedition under Major-General Sir Archibald Hunter made a surprise dash upon the Boer position at Lombard's Kop, a hill some miles to the north-east ot the towni frorri which a worrying fire has been directed lipon ttid garrison for some time past. General Hunter's force consisted of five hundred Natal volunteers and about one hundred of the Imperial Light Horse— the Gavalry corps raised by Messrs Sampson and I) avies among the Johannesburg refugees and the Natal settlers. The enemy were, completely taken off guard. A si. -in<Jh gun and a howitzer which they had mounted were destroyed and a Maxim gun was capturedi The loss on the British side was one man killed and another wounded. On the same night the Nineteenth Hussars made a raid on the Boer camp at Pepworth Hill* near Bester's, five mjles north-west of Ladysmith and burned the laagers (defended enclosures), after cutting the barbed wire protecting them. Further particulars of the sortie made by Sir Archibald Hunter upon Lombard's Kop show that when the troops were half way up the hill they encountered a hurried fusillade from the summit. The men, however, climbed on like lizards, cheering as they went. At the sight of the bayonets the enemy were seized with panic. The captured guns were wrecked with gun cotton. EFFECTS OF LYDDITE. During the great battle at Modder river on November 28th between Lord Methuen's army and Commandant Cronje's troops, the Naval Brigade shelled a kopje with lyddite shells. The position was crowded with Boers, who suffered great slaughter. The missiles did terrible damage, the ground being ploughed up for an acre in extent after each explosion. One shell completely destroyed an emplacement for a gun. THE PRELUDE TO A BIG BATTLE. Having been reinforced by fresh troops and repaired the bridge over the Modder river, Lieut.-General Lord Methuen, has commenced preliminary operations against the enemy's forces under Commandant Cronje. The Boers are entrenched in a semi-circular position on hilly ground across the railway line, their lines ex^ tending from Magersfontein on the east of Spyfontein on the west, being strongest on the eastern flank. On Saturday a battery of artillery opened on the enemy from a range of 7000, and unmasked a battery of twelve guns. The duel continued for about an hour, but at the end of that time the British, who had been making excellent practice silenced their opponents' fire. Since the arrival of President Steyn at Spyfontein it is reported that friction has arisen between Commandant Cronje and him. In consequence of disagreement many Free Staters are said to be deserting. THE NEW ZEALANDERS UNDER FIRE. When the New Zealand contingent, under Major Robin, and the New South Wales Lancers, commanded by Captain Cox, reached Arundel from Naauwpoort — whither they were despatched with a detachment of General French's cavalry — the enemy were in strong force to the northward. When the Dragoons on either flank and the colonials in the centre the brigade moved on to the town, which was eventually occupied. The troops were under fire for five hours but came through scathless.

The New South Wales Lancers reinforced the first line for two hours and only had one horse killed. During the action the New Zealanders prevented the Boers seizing a kopj e, killing three of the enemy. While scouting in the neighbourhood the Lancers captured a mob of horse belonging to the inving burghers. The Boers near Colesberg, to the north of Arundel— about 2000 in number — are breaking up the railway line.