NORTHERN FRONTIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2394, 18 January 1900, Page 29

NORTHERN FRONTIER.

CAPETOWN, January 9.

1 The Transvaal Boers fired upon their Free State brethren who surrendered when General French occupied Arundel. The Boers are being reinforced in the neighbourhood of Colesberg. I - January 10. The New Zealand contingent forming part of General French's force on the Cape frontier, when approaching Colesberg, offered to capture the enemy's big gun. I General French, while he admired the p x luck !*of the New Zealanders which prompted the making of the offer, declared the operation too risky, and therefore declined to give his consent. i The town of Dordrecht, some distance north-east of Sterkstroom, which was recently re-occupied by the Boers after having previously been evacuated, is now garrisoned by 1000 Cape Dutch rebels, who have thrown in their lot with the Boers. Major-general French, with a detachment of the Household Cavalry, operated on Sunday last on the enemy's east flank. The Boers did not attack, but withdrew, in order to protect their lines of communication with Norval's Pont. In the recent night attack made by Major-general French upon the Boer position near Colesberg, and in which the Bners successfully played the questionable , trick of sounding the bugle call to "retire," Colonel Watson, three officers, and twenty-

three men of the Suffolk Regiment were killed and twenty -two wounded, while 113 are missing. [Colonel Arthur John "Watson, P.S.C., Suffolk Regiment, v.'ho was killed near Coleaberg, was born June 4, 1853; sub-lieutenant 12th Foot, August 9, 1573; lieut. Suffolk regiment, February 12, 1880; major, October 21, 1886; brigade major, Bechuanaland, Feb. 17, 1885, to October 26, 1885 ; employed with Egyptian Aimy, February 12, 18S6, to September 7, 1886; Garrison instructor and D.A.A.G-. for instruction (Bengal and Punjab), July 20, 1889, to February 20, 1896. War services: Bechuanaland expedition, 188i-85, as brigade major, . honourably mentioned ; Hazari expedition, 1888, as brigade major, menioned in despatches, medal with clasp..] January li. Further details have been received relative to the night attack made by Majorgeneral French upon the Boer position near Colesberg, in which 70 [the numbers given ye&terday Were 113 missing] of the Suffolk Regiment were captured. These show that the attacking force marched to the hill in close column, but the Boers had been already warned by some means of their advance, and therefore reserved their fire until the British were within 30 yards of their position. Then they opened a terrible fire. Colonel Watson, the adjutant, and two captains fell at the first volley. Then somebody — it is not known by whom the order was given — shouted out " Retire." The rear company at once turned and ran down the hill. Of 11 officers who accompanied the attacking force only one escaped. The others were either killed, wounded, or . captured. I The Boers helped to bury the British . dead, and sang a Psalm over their graves. I Major-general French is making a reconnaissance. | A strong force from General Gatacre's headquarters at Sterkstroom retook a , quantity of flour at the Molteno mills , which had been^ seized by the Boers, and ! also removed a portion of the milling raaj chinery. I Major-general Gatacre found that the i Boers occupied a strongly fortified position at Stormberg, their lines extending for 1 two miles. January 12. Further details which have been received in connection with the Stormberg disaster show that the guide, after leading the British into a trap, pointed out the Boers' position and said : " There is your enemy," and quickly turning his horse galloped off. I General Gatacre at once realised that , he had been fooled, and, drawing his rej volver, shot him twice, at the same time crying : " You have done me ; you go first !" Then the reaction set in, and the general broke down and cried like a child, exclaiming, " My poor boys ! my poor boys ! " January 14. Lieutenant-general French is now strongly encamped on the enemy's eastern flank. The invaders endeavoured to oust the British from their position, but the attempt was vigorously resisted, and proved unsuccessful. January 15. The New Zealanders frustrated the Boers in seizing a position which threatened to break the lines of communication with Rendsbiirg. A few New Zealanders received slight wounds. The British soldiers admire the Australians' quickness in mastering the lie of the country and their capacity for individual fighting. LONDON, January 15. Field Marshal Lord Roberts telegraphed on Saturday that General French had failed to outflank the Boers east of Colesberg. The situation was otherwise unchanged. *