Richmond Hill Public Library News Index

The Liberal, 30 Nov 1899, p. 3

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ANfiIEâ€"EERGREATVICWRY Lord Methuen’s Column Defeats 3,000 Boers at Belmont. ’A despatch from London saystâ€"The .War Office has issued the following dgspa'tch from Gen. Lord Methuen. which was received through Gen. Sir Frederick Forestier Walker at Cape Town:â€" Belmont, Nov. 23.â€""I attacked the enemy at daybreak this morning in a strong position on three ridges, which were carried in succession, the last at- tack being prepared by sharpnel. The infantry behaved splendidly, and re: ceived support from the naval briâ€" gade and artillery. The enemy fought with courage and skill. Had I attacked later I should have had far heavier losses. Our victory was com- plete. ,I have 40 prisoners. I am burying a good number of Boers, but the greater part of the killed and wounded were taken away by their comrades. I have a large number of horses and cows. I destroyed a large amount of ammunition. "The British loss was 3 officers and 65 men killed, 22 officers and 128 men wounded, and 18 men missing ." “Brig.-Gen. Fetherstonhaugh was severely wounded in the shoulder, and Lieut.-Col. Crabbe, of the Grenadier Guards, is reported wounded. "Our other casaulties are: " Grenadier Guards, Third Battalion Killed, Lieut. Fryer; wounded, Lieut. Blundell, dangerously. Second Bat- talionâ€"Wounded, Lieut. Leslie. Lieut. Vaughan, Lieut. Gordon-Rebow, and Lieut. Russell; reported wounded, Lieut. Lyon and Lieut. Cameron, Rank and file, killed, 26, wounded 36, miss- ing 13. "Coldstream Guardsâ€"First Battaâ€" lion, wounded, Lieut. Grant, Second Battalion, wounded, Lieut. the Hon. C. \Villoughby, and Lieut. Burton, the latter severely. Rank and file, killed. 8; wounded, 23; missing, 5. " Scots Guardsâ€"First Battalion, wounded, Major Hon. North Dalrym- [He-Hamilton, severely; Lieut. Bulke- lay and Lieut. Alexander. Rank and tile, killed, 9; wounded, 34. A despatch from London, says:â€"-Be- fore anxiety as to the situation in Na- tal had been relieved there comes news of a great battle at Belmont. This has happened sooner than we expect- ed. Only the official account is yet to hand, but so far as can be gathered the fighting appears to have been al- most a repetition of the battle of Elandslaagte. A despatch of the pre- vious day c:atimated that the Boers in that vicinity numbered 2,000, and that they had five guns, and judging from the absence of any statement to the contrary in the official despatch it is believed that the British were slightly superior in numbers to the enemy. __r___,_ 7.. 7,,i The Boers had chosen a position with their customary skill and were strong- ly entrenched. The British were oblig- ed to carry three ridges in succession. Apparently the Guards bore the brunt in carrying the last ridge by a bayonet charge after its defenders had been shaken with shrapnel. While Gen. Methuen can be con- gratulated upon abrilliant victory, it is again with acost ofaheavy loss of officers and men. " Northumberland Fusiliersâ€" First Battalion, killed, Capt. Eagar and Lieut. Brine; wounded, Major Rash- wood, and Lieut. Fasting, dangerously; Capt. Sapte and Lieut. Fishbourne, se- verely. Rank and file, killed, 12; wounded. 32. Imperial Losses Were Very Heavy and It Was An= other Costly Victory-=The Guards Carried the Last Ridge at the Point of the Bayonet. " NorthamII-rtoushire Regimentâ€" Sec» 0nd Battalion, wounded, Capt. Free- land and Lieut. Barton! seyerely. I " South Yorkshire "Regimen-£4150- Ogd_Battalion, rank and file, woundâ€" On November 9 the enemy advanced their lines 300 yards. Col. Badenâ€" Powell notified the town to prepare for a further fortnight's siege. but there is little ground for believing that it will be relieved in a fortnight. At least a mouth must elapse before it is rein- forced. Since the siege began a month ago thirty lives have been lost. The enemy are getting out, of hand. They refuse to dbey Gern. Cronje’s orders for a night attack. Every attack“ has been repulsed with heavier loss to the enemy than to the British; The Boers have received additional guns and amâ€" munition and the bombardment is in- creasing in vigor. - The London Times publishes the following despatc'n from i‘s corres- ponglgnt a‘ Belmont: " The engagement was a. comple'e rout, and the Guards’ attack one of the fines‘ achievements in the annals of their brigade. The defenders‘ fire was reserved until ‘he Guards were within 250 yards. The Guards did no‘ fire in reply, but usgd *he bayonet only. . "Lieut. Willoughby was ‘reacher- ously shot by a party which had rais- ed a white flag. Lieu". Blundell was shot by a. wounded Boer he was a*- bending. “VThe Boers used some dum-dum hul- BOERS’ POSITION STRQNG. FURTHER DETAILS. "Possibly, however, the vicltqry would have been even more declswe had we possessed more cavalry.” ! BOERS \VERE PLUCKY. I The London Daily News’ correspon- ident at Orange river says that the EBOers at Belmont fought with the gsubborn pluck they have shown else- :where. Their guns were splendidly served, their gunners standing by them with dogged determination,. ex- ‘posing themselves until the last mo- ment. ‘ When they Were driven from the first ridge by the Guards’ bayonets, {they withdrew to the second, which lthey contested with as much steady courage as if they had never been méved. “ Major Milton, of ‘he Yorkshire In- fantry, displayed special gallan‘ry. At the close of ‘he action when his men fell into "he ambush and they were as- caping, he gave his horse to a. ‘rooper whose mount had been sh0*, and walkâ€" edrraAAway‘liflmself under heavy fi_re. u "I estimate the Boer losses as equal to those of the British. I hear a rumour that the Boers are threatening to assassinate recalcitrants who, tiring of the war, are deserting." The London Daily Chronicle‘s corres- pondent with the forces at Belmont says that the moral effect of Gen. Methuen‘s victory has been immense, inasmuch as the enemy had boasted that they could hold their position against all the soldiers England could send against them. The correspondent adds :â€" "I conversed with several prisoners. All admit that their loss was consider- able. They pay warm tributes to our troops, who climbed the steep hopjes in face of a murderous fire as non- chalanfly as if they were on parade, notwithstanding the fact that their comrades were dropping in every di- rection, V f v “" Methuen,;f*er tie b'attle, ad- dressed the *l‘ogps, saying:_ “Comrades, I congratula‘e you on! the comple‘e success achieved by youthis morning. The ground over which; we had to fight presented exceptional‘ difficulties, and we had as an enemy one who is a past master in the tactics of mounted infantry. With troops such as you, a commander, can have no fear of the result. There is a sad side to all this, and you and I are think-1 ing as much of those who have died for the honour of their country and? of those who are suffering as we arei thihking of our victory: 1 "The Boer fire, though terrific and sustained, became wildly inaccurate. Our shell fire completely demoralized theenemy, The Ninth Lancers, pur- suing the retreating enemy, cut them up severely, and turned the retreat inâ€" to a rout." "My estimate of the Boer losses IS 500 killed and 150 wounded. Mr. Knight, correspondent of the London Morning Post, was wounded. The Boer prisoners are ignorant, dirty, and wretched. They say that half their commando, tired of the war, will re- [use futher service. ' "The whole brunt of the fearful fight was borne by the infantry, who Were obliged to climb 500 feet, straight into a terrific stream of missiles. The Ninth Lancers pursued the enemy with great vigour, but the Boers, well mounted, and familiar with\ the hills, melted before them. “Five thousand British left Estcourt Wednesday afternoon for a reconnaisâ€" sance. They surprised the Boers at 3 o’clock Thursday morning and occupi- ed the Boer position, bayonetting 80 of the enemy. At daybreak the Beers opened with quick-fires. The British artillery was unable to reach the Boers, and the British position, thereâ€" fore, became untenable, and was eva- was brought into action, and the was brouhgt into action, and the Boers fell back. Their object having been attained, the British returned to Esteourt.” 80 BOERS BAYONETTED. The Natal Advertiser confirms the report of fighting near Willow Grange. It gays:â€" THE, FIVE BATTLES. The following table shows the Brit- ish dead, wounded and missing in each of the five battles since the war opened:â€" They made a most determined stand on the third ridge. They clung- to their ground With admirable pluck, pouring a terrible fire into the British. Glencoe. . . Elandslaagte. Rietfontein. . Farquhar’s Farm. Belmont. . Glencoe» . . Ella ndslaagte. Rietfontein. F'arquhar’s Farm. Belmont. . an...) Glencoe'. . . Rietfontein. . Ib'arquhar’s Farm. Behnont. . . 500 BOERS WERE KILLED. Wounded. LIissing. Killed. 208 219 213 104 238 150 87’! The Boers direct the fire of their big guns at the hospital and Women’s laager at the monastery. One shell struck an inmate of the women’s laager on Nov. 4. The enemy unsuccessfully tried to blow up the town with dynamite. The explosive went off prematurely, kill- ing many Boars. A reconnaissance by Major Godling on Nov. 7 led to a hot and prolonged tusillade. One Englishman was woundegi, but the British lost heavily in horses and- cat- tle~ A despatch from Mafeking, says :â€" The investment of the town is very close. The garrison is constantâ€" ly harassed by the besiegers’ fire; The water supply was failing, and dysen- tery was occurring as long ago as No- vember 8.. Again on November 8 the enemy shelled the hospital, killing a patient. Col. Badenâ€"Powell sent a message for the fifth time, demanding immunity for the Red Cross, and threatening re- prisals. General Cronje deferred his answer. Butcher cattle showed no real change. Good stuff is wanted, but med- ium and inferior cattle is weak“ Loads of the best cattle sell at from 31â€"2 to 40, and 1-4 to 1â€"20, extra is paid for picked lots. CASUALTIES TO DATE. The total British casualties so far as at present known amount to 2,588. The killed numben 320, the wounded 999, and the; missing 1,269. Gen. Cronje answered Col. Badenâ€" Powell's remonstrance against firing on the Red Cross, saying he fired on the convent because it was occupied by the British. He made no reply regarding his firing on the hospital and the women’s laager. His explanâ€" ation was a lie. There is no military occupation of the convent, as he was told before hostilities. Toronto, Nov. 28.â€"We had only 85 or 36 carloads of stuff at the \Vestern cattle yards this morning, including 1,- 300 hogs, 600 cattle. 750 sheep and lambs. and a couple of dozen calves and milkers. The market shows little change since the beginning of the week. Prices to- day were a shade firmer for good cat~ tle, especially good butcher cattle, but the trade continues in a most unsatis- factory condition. Export cattle is quoted at from $4 to $4.50 per cwt., with an eighth more {or selections. Smokers continue weak at from 21-2 to 30, per 1b. Bulls and feeders are unchanged. Milkers sold slowly today at from $25 to $45, but $50 will be paid‘ for choice cattle. Three carloads of turkeys came in; the demand is heavy. On Nov. 10 heavy shelling was again resumed, the fire being mainly direct- ed at the women’s laager and hosâ€" pital. MARKETS [IF THE WORLD. Prices of Grain, Cattle, Cheese, 8m. in the Leading Marts. Sheep and lambs are easy. but nom- inally prices are unchanged. There is an active enquiry for some choice veal calves. On Nov. 12 seven Cape police arrived with despatches from the north a fort- night old. They had been pursued by the Boers for ten days. _ The town is provisioned for several months. There is nothing to fear if the water lasts. Flourâ€"Duh. Straight roller, in buy~ ers‘ bags, middle freights, in demand by exporters at $2.60, with $2.70 ask- ed. Same in wood, for local, account $3 Cornâ€"Unchanged. No. 2 American yellow, quoted unchanged at 420, To- ronto and mixed at 41 1-20. Canadian corn, on track here, 400 asked; No change occurred in hogs. Choice hogs, scaling from 160 to 200 lbs., are selling at $4 per OWL; and thin and fat hogs at $3.75 per cwt stores are not wanted. Choice hogs, per cwt. 380 400 Light hogs, pier cwt. . 000 375 Heavy hogs, per cwt. . 000 375 Toronto, Nov. 28.â€"â€"VVheaL -â€" Outside wheat markets were about the same to- day, and there was practically no change in conditions here. Millers continue to be the only buyers. Red and white Ontario sold to millers at 64 1-2 to 660., according to nearness to the mill. Goose wheat unchanged at 700, middle freights, and 690, north and west. There is a continued good demand for it. Manitobas quiet, No. 1 hard, g.i.t., 77c; and Toronto and west, at 76c. 'On Nov. 13 enemy Again shelled the hospital. Following is the range of current quotationsâ€" Shippers, per cwt. . Butcher. choice do. Butcher, med. to good. Butcher, inferior. . Stockers, per cwt.‘ . Sheep and Lambs. Ewes, per cwt. . . . 325 Lambs, per cwt. . . . 325 Bucks, per cwt. . . .' 225 Milkers and Calves Cows, each. ‘ . . 2500 Calves, each. .. . . 200 Millfeedâ€"Steady. Stocks light. Bran is quoted at $12 to $1250, and shorts at $14 tor$174.50 west: Peas-Steady. Car lots 'sold at 560. north and west, and 580 east. Barleyâ€"Quiet. Car lots of No. 2, middle freights, offer at 40c, and 39¢ is bid. Demand continues rather slow. FROM MAFEKING. Cattle Hogs. $400 $450 375 425 2 u 5 50 00 8 00 2 75 3 12 1â€"2 055 332 Fierce Encounter With Boers Ten Miles Near- er Kimberley. A despatch from London says:â€"The War Office has received the following despatch from Gen. Sir Frederick Foresâ€" tierâ€"‘Vatker, dated Capé Town, NOV. 26, 12.20 p.m.:â€"â€"- “ Gen. Lord Methuen reports thathe moved yesterday, Nov. 25, at 3.30‘ a.m., with the Ninth Brigade, the! mounted corps, and the Naval Bri-l gade, the Guards following with the} baggage. A force of 2,500 Boers. with} six guns, including two machine guns,‘ opposed him near Graspan. The action‘ commenced at 6 am. The batteriesi fired shrapnel very accurately until the heights seemed clear. Then the Naval Brigade and infantry as- saulted the position. The fighting was desperate until 10 a.m., when the heights were carried, the Boers re- treating on a line where the 9th Lan- cers had been placed to intercept them. The result is unknown at the time of telegraphing. The artillery took im- mediate advantage of the enemy’s re- tirement. Early in the action 500Boers made an attack on the rear guard bri- gade, naval. The latter met this, and also protected the flanks. The Naval Brigade acted with the greatest gal- lantry, and has suffered heavily. No particulars are yet known. The ene- my showed the greatest stubbornness. They must have suffered heavily. Twenty have been buried. Thirty-one killed and forty wounded are known of. More than fifty horses were found dead in one place. One battery fired 500 rounds. It was known that, in the absence of sufficient cavalry, he would be com- pelled to advance slowly, and he has a preference for night or early dawn attacks, which events seem to have justified, the Boers being decidedly A SECOND BATTLE WON. "Wingate’s force came up with the Khalifa’s force seven miles southeast of Godid, and attacked it. After a sharp fight we took his position, “Khalifa, who was surrounded by a bodyguard 0t lu'mlrs, was killed and all the principal Emirs were killed or captured except Osman Digna, who 'esâ€" oaped. . ‘ Osman lblglm Flml Early in the Fightle Escameâ€"Nlnhdl's Finn mum. A despatch from Cake sayszâ€"Lord Cromer, the Bfitish Minister here, has received the foiluxving despatch from General Kitchener '.-â€"- Ryeâ€"Quiet. at 510 west, and 520 east. Oatsâ€"Demand keeps up well. White oats, 261â€"40, north: and west; 26 3-4c. middle freights,; and 27 to 271-20, east. A BRILLIANT VICTORY WON BY ANGLO-EGYPTAIN FORCE. London, Monday, Nov. 27. 53.m.â€"N0 futher news respecting Lord Meâ€" t:huen’s advance has been received, and the absence of official details re- garding his losses creates the great- est suspense, especially since the pubâ€" lication of heavy sacrifices endured by the Naval Brigade. 0.510 al'éirin; huowever, is felt“ as to his position, despite the evidence .that the Boers intend to contest every foot of the way. KHALIFA DEAD AT LAST. "The force must halt one day at Graspian to rest and replenish their ammunition. The force worked splen- didly. and are prepared to overcome any difficulty. 'lhe Naval Brigade, Royal Marines, 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry, and lst North Lancashire Regiment especially distinguished themselves. "Regarding Thursday’s fight 81 Boers killed are accounted for, 64 wag- gons were burned, a large quantity of powder, 5,000 rounds of ammunition, and 750 shells were blown up. Alâ€" brecht commanded the Boer artillery, and Gen. Delarraye was in chief com- mand.” Minneapolis, Nov. 28.â€"Flourâ€"Quiet; unchanged. Branâ€"In bulk, $11 to $11.50. Wheatâ€"No. 1 Northern, Nov- ember, 64 580; December, 62 3-4 to 62 7-80, May 67 1â€"8 to 67 3-40 On track, No. 1 hard, 66 5-80; No. 1 Northern, 64 5-80, No. ZVNortheIfn, _62 71-80. Buifuio. Nov. 28,â€"Spring wheatâ€" Strongly heid; No. 1 Northern, old, spot, 75 1â€"20; new 730; No. 1 hard, c.i.f., 721-20; No. 2 Northern, c.i.f., 69 1â€"20. Winter wheatâ€"Easier; N0. 1 white, 710 bid; N0. 2 red, 720. Cornâ€"- Qulet; No. 2 yellow, 238 3-4c; N0. 3yel- low, 381â€"20; N0. 2 corn, 371-20; No. 3 corn 27c. Oatsâ€"Quiet; barley steady N0. 2 while 290, N0. 3 white, 28 1-20; No. 4 white, 280; No. 2 mixed, 270; No.3 mixed, 261-"0. Rye â€"Dull; No. 1,0n track, offered at 610‘, No. ‘2 (10., 601-20. Flourâ€"Steady; Buckwheatâ€"Dull. Car lots, east, 49 1â€"20, andiwestr, art 481-2c. _ Oatmealâ€"Rolled cats, in bags, track Toronto, $3.35, andJ in wood, $3.45 per bbl. Chicago. Nov. 28.â€"FJaxseedâ€"Closed ~North-We':t and South-VVest, cash, $1.34; December, $1.33 1â€"2 May, $1.33 1-1; Duluth, to arrxve, $1.20; cash, $1.32; November, $13.3, December, $1.29; May, 5,1132 1â€"2. SU SPENSE IN ENGI ';A ND. ! General Kitchener in a later de- spatch said :â€"“Wingate’s Arab scouts , located the Khalifa's position at Omde- E brikas. Our force marched from Gedil in the moonlight and frequently had to out its way through the bush. It arrived before dawn on rising ground overlooking the camp, which was hid- den in the trees. ’We heard their drums and horns before dawn, and iat 5.15 the Dervishes attacked. Our 3guns opened fire and soon the action ;became general. Half an hour later. ithe whole line advanced and swept I through the Dervish pOSition for over two miles, till the camp was reached. The mounted troops pursued and cap- ' tured most of the fugitives. . " The Khalifa with most of his men ‘ and the Emir‘s bodyguard made agai- .lant stand. Among the Emirs killed lwere the Khalifa‘s two brothers and lthe Mahdi’s son. Osman Digna left immediately after the firing began- and is probably concealed somewhere in the vicinity. I hope eventually to lget him. We took the entire Dervish camp. All the Dervishes not killed surrendered. I cannot speak too highx‘ 1y of the excellent behavior of the troops and their endurance during the long, tedious marches preceding the final action. From 4 o’clock in the I morning of Nov. 21 till 5 o‘clock in the morning of Nov. 24 they marched sixty l miles and fought two decisive actionsl The fact that in the Graspan ac! tion one British battery fired 50G rounds proves the desperate nature ofl the fight, and there is little doubt that the easualities were heavy. 7‘ It is now known that! in guns were captured in the Belmont engagemenf TO RELIEVE LADYSMITH. The London Daily Mail has a. dear patch from its correspondent at Est court, dated Sunday. It says:â€" "The Mooi river column is moving in. The Estcourt column will g‘ averqe to darkness for their operations. in. T] north.” This indicates that the Boer invest- ment of the Mooi river camp; contain- ing part of the British relieving force, has been lifted. and that the garrison of Estcourt. under General Hildyard, is alo free and about to proceed north toward; Coienso, en route to the rec lief of Ladysmith. News of severe fighting may shortly be expected. The correspondent of the Daily Tele- graph at Estcourt, telegraphing under: daggof Sunday, sgy52â€" ‘ ‘ "The Dervishes were utterly defeat. ed, their whole camp was taken and thousands surrendered. A large num- ber of women, children and cattle also fell into the hands of the Angloâ€"Egypv tian force.” Parry Sound Rallway Mule/£111 Heavily ll Damages by Ottawa Jury. A desplatch from Ottawa sayszâ€"In the case at the assizes of Richen against the Ottawa and Parry Sound Railway Company the jury awarded the plaintiff $3,100, finding that the flagman had been negligent. that thq proper warnings had not been given from the engine. and that the train was running at too high rate of speed at the time the accident occurred. Mr. Richer was driving across the company’s tracks when struck by a train. His two companions were kifl- ed and he was badly injured. “The Boers under Gen. Joubert are hastening to Colenso and Ladysmith in considerable numbers. They are sick from want 01 _)0d and exposure. Many are disposed to surrender. Fifty‘ indeed, came in to-day. The Mooi river column effected a junction at Fnere this morning with Gen. Hild- yard. who, with his troops, adVanced to Frere, Where he is bivouacking. ‘A considerable number of Boer: were seen from the M001 river Friday evening proceeding north-east. They‘ are believed to have been young Jouâ€" bert’s force going to Greytown. It is possible they were going round Est- court on account of the arrival of our re-en‘forcements there. “A native from Mooi river says hq met retreating Boers, who stated that they had beaten the English, who were returning to Estcourt. The native is pasitive that General Joubort was in command. He knows the general; having seen him in Johannesburg General Jou‘bert always travels in a trap, the tracks of which the native recognlzed.” “A despatch of Gen. Jowbert's which’ has been captured states that a com- mando of 400 men under Bwlmen left Ladysmith Friday with a gun and a Maxim quick-firer for Weenen and Greytown, where it is asked orders be sent as to whether Gen. Joubért ap- proves of the commando attacking the carbineers who have forts » south oi the Tugela. "The message continues :â€" “‘Piet Retief's force attacked the Carbineers yesterday from the north! TLey experienced difficulty because the river was full. They must driw away the oarbineers because they art always a source of danger, rendering it necessary that a. strong force should be kept back.‘ " A des-patch to the Daily News from Pietermaritzburg. dated Saturday. says:â€" Ra'im ay communica vion between Est; court and Mooi river has been restored by Lord Dundonald's force. ‘ “There is fear of the U-mvoti volun- teers at Tugelp Drifitdbeing cut oif. i‘IThe Soudaj: may now be declixjeid open.” BOERS HURRYING T0 COLENSO. i GOING AROUND ESTCOURT. $3,100 FOR HIS INJURIES. AT DAWN OF DAY.

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