THE WESTERN FRONTIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2398, 15 February 1900, Page 24

THE WESTERN FRONTIER.

CAPETOWN, February 8. General Hector Macdonald, at Kocdoosberg, is encrenclied on both .■•ides of the Riet River — strongly on the left, the bank entrenchments commanding the drift. The Boers, who were in a strong force, fell back at the British approach. General Hector Macdonald is building a fort with the object of preventing the enemy to the north of his position from going south. A party of 120 Boers tried to rush one of the British posts at Koodoosberg, but they were repulsed. There is a general desire from all to assure Australasia that her representatives are doing good work in the fore-front. The Capetown residents .are supplying the colonials at the front with fruit and other acceptable comforts. February 9. General Macdonald safeguards the operations of troops from Belmont in the direction of Douglas, by which it is hoped to intercept and capture the Boers north of the Riet River. The southern slopes of the Koodoosberg, where General Macdonald is entrenched, are so steep that he is unable to mount guns on the summit, though he holds the summit on two sides, the Boers holding the lower slopes, to the north. [ General Macdonald has issued orders to his men to reserve their fire till the Boers close, and seek cover yi hen fighting. General Macdonald was engaged all Wednesday repelling the attacks of the enemy. His casualties numbered 50. General Methuen has ordered General Macdonald to retire from the Modeler River. A later message states that General Macdonald's Highland Brigade encountered a strong force west of Koodoosberg. Heavy fighting ensued, and the Boers pbandoned their trenches during the night. General Macdonald would have been able to have surrounded the enemy if the strong cavalry' and artillery reinforcements despatched from the Modder River under Colonel Babington had arrived. Their absence has not, so far, been satisfactorily explained. General Methuen then ordered the retirejnent of General Macdonald's force. Lord Roberts explains with reference to •General Macdonald's retirement fr>m Koodoosberg that he fulfilled his mission of dispersing the Boers, who had expected to traverse the Riet River Drift and cut General Methuen's line of communications. General Macdonald also covered ' Colonel Broadwood's column and all arms operating in the vicinity of Sunnyside. The reinforcements, under Colonel Babington, sent to assist General Macdonald arrived during Wednesday afternoon on the right bank of the Riet River, and, threatening North Koodoosberg, the Boers thereupon withdrew. February 11. Lord Roberts has arrived at the Modder River. General French, with cavalry, has also reached the same place ; while other reinforcements are arriving. February 12. j Prior to General Macdonald's withdrawal J the Boers deserted all their camps on the ! northern slopes of Koodoosberg. j The British casualties were seven woun- ! ded. Lord Roberts was enthusiastically received at the Modder River. LONDON, February 7. The Standard states that General Hector Macdonald's brigade, with a field battery and the 9th Lancers, with scarcely any opposition, occupied a number of kopjes and a dam northwest of Spytfontein, a position commanding the roads to Kimberley, Hopetown, and Douglas, and prevented the junction of two large Boer commandos. February 9. Letters from Colonel Baden-Powell state that he has taken 40 Fenians prisoners, including James Quinlan, late stationmaster at Mafeking. The men were arrested -on a charge of carrying on a treasonable correspondence with the enemy. Mr Wyndham, replying to a question 'asked in the House of Commons by MiTimothy Healy, said that he had not been informed whether the traitor Quinlan had been allowed to write a vindication of his innocence before being shot. ! February 12., A six-inch gun has been bombarding ' Kimberley since the 7th inst. I The assailants are increasing, and the trenches have been moved closer to the town. The garrison are eating horse flesh.