THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA,

Lake County Press, Issue 981, 26 September 1901, Page 5

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA,

General Kitchener reports that on Tuesday evening, 17th, three companies of mounted infantry with three guns under Major Gough were reconnoitring south of Utrecht iu conjunction with the Johannesburg (Mounted Rifles, under Colonel Stewart. They sighted 300 Boers retiring from Scheepers-nek towards Blood River Poort. Colonel Gough started for a ridge overlooking the poort, asking Colonel Stewart, who was marching an hour behind him, to co- iperat.e. The Boor movement was evidently a trap, but when Colonel Gougii was within reach of his objective the Boers, suddenly and in considerable strength, under cover of the poort, attacked his front and right li ink. After severe lighting the British were overpowered, losing the guns, though the sights and breach blocks were first destroyed. Two officers and 14 men were killed and 40 officers and 20 men wounded. Colonel Gough and another officer escaped during the night to Dejager’s Drift and report that the Bo; rs numbered over a thousand and were under Louis Botha. Colonel Stewart was unable to co-operate with CM. Gough and fell hack on Dejagors. His patrols were not in touch with the cneiuv. Reinforcements have been ■ sent by General Lyttelton.

11l connection with the disaster at Tarka-stad in Eastern Gape Colony, between Queenstown and Cradock, General French reports that Commandant Suths, in order to break through the cordon that was hemming him in, rushed a squadron of the 17th Lancers at Eland’s River Poort, west of I’arkastail, kiilimr 3 officers and ill men, and wounding Major Victor Sandcman and 30 nun. The squadron fought most gallantly, inflicting heavy loss. The Roars were clad in khaki, and were thus mistaken for British. Columns are closely pursuing the cordon breakers. Suths recently succeeded Kritzinger, who is in disfavor with General Ue Wet.

In the Utrecht affair, besides thr killed and wounded, live officers including Colonels Gough and Pother, who escaped, were amongst the captured. The number captured is not stated.

Lord Kitchener has forwarded Commandant Priusloo a (11 davits, showing that on three occasions individual burghers deliberately murdered wounded men and unarmed su rrenderers.

Jn anticipation of a raid on Natal the Carbineers and Umvoti Mounted Riiles, in addition to the Natal Mounted Hides and Field Artillery, have been summoned. The Curb an volunteers have entrained northwards. General Lyttelton’s regulars are estimated at 1000 men.

Boer field cornets mutilated Lord Kitchener’s proclamation to prevent their men surrendering.

Rinderpest has appeared in tl e Government herd in the neighborhood of Pretoria.

Prominent Boer sympathisers art no v compelled to ride on all trains in disturbed districts in the Transvaal.

Twenty-eight Boers surrendered at Krugersdorp, and nine others and three armed natives, showing light, were captured.

Seventeen Lancers wore kill*-d. including Lieut. Philip Leslie Russell, i f Victoria.

An official despatch stales that a superior force of Poors at \ hikfontein, 15 miles south of the waterworks, surrounded and captured two guns of A Battery and a company of mounted infantry escorting them.

The only details that General Kitchener has received of the \ lakfontem reverse are that a lieutenant was killed and that British columns arc pursuin'; the enemy. A strict investigation of the Utrecht and Vlakfouteiu ftflairs has been ordered.

General Plumcr’s New .Zealanders captured 20 of Kritzmger’s commando at Rouxville.

A proclamation has been issued enforcing the Fugitive Offenders Act in the Transvaal.