THE CAPTURE OF BRANDFORT.
. SHARP ARTILLERY DUEL.
BOERS EVACUATE THABANCHU HILLS.
GALLANT GORDONS.
HEROIC CHARGE BY FIFTEEN HIGHLANDERS.
SMITHFIELD CAPTURED BY GENERAL HART.
GENERAL HAMILTON'S OPERATIONS.
FIGHTS HIS WAY TO THE YET RIVER,
GOOD NEWS FROM MAFEKING.
ADVANCE OF THE BELIEF FORCES.
THE NEW ZEALANDERS HIGHLY PRAISED" By Telegraph.— Aesociaiion.-CopyrißUt.
London, May 4. Four thousand Boers reinforced Brandfort on the 22nd ult.
General Tucker's attack resolved itself largely into a sharp artillery duel, in which two of the Boer guns were dismantled.
Commandant De la Rey's force retreated in the direction of Winburg.
Captain Blake's Irish-American commando evacuated Brandfort on the 3rd ink, when Major-General Hutton's colonial brigade advanced.
The British casualties in the capture of Brandfort were small.
Lord Roberts has gone to the town.
The Boers evacuated the Thabanchu hills, trekking northward.
Major-General Broadwood has now advanced 38 miles north in the Thabanchu district.
The Boers fled east and north.
General Broadwood's column subsequently reached Babelfontein, 10 miles north of Hautnek.
The Gordon Highlanders are again to the fore.
Commandant De Wet on Tuesday surrounded Captain Towse and 15 Gordon Highlanders.
De Wet demanded the party's surrender, but Captain Towse called on his men to fix bayonets, and the 15 Gordon Highlanders, rushing on the enemy, swept through them with great slaughter.
Captain Towse was blinded in both eyes by the enemy's fire.
London, May 5.
A Boer doctor reports that Captain Towse's charge at tlie head of the 15 Gordons killed 50 of the enemy.
General Hart occupied Smithfield on Wednesday, capturing 25 Boers. One hundred and twenty-five fled.
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles were the first to enter Braudfort.
General Hutton has gone to the Vet River, and Generals Tucker and Pole-Carew follow to-day.
The foreign military attaches accompanied Commandant De la Rey.
London, May 6.
General lan Hamilton on Friday reached Welkom, on the Vet River, 15 miles south-west of Winburg.
He fought his way throughout the whole march.
He eulogises the bravery of General Broad wood's cavalry and mounted infantry.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11365, 7 May 1900, Page 5
Word Count
336THE CAPTURE OF BRANDFORT. New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11365, 7 May 1900, Page 5
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