OPERATIONS IN THE FREE STATE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 100, 5 June 1900, Page 3

OPERATIONS IN THE FREE STATE.

THE LINDLEY ENGAGEMENT. OCCUPATION OF HEILBRON. Received 4, 9.5 a.m. London, June 3. The casualties sustained by Lieut,General Bundle's division at Lindley were chiefly owing to the accidental firing of the veldt, thus exposing the troops. During the engagement Sir John De Villiers, Chief Justice of Cape Colony, was seriously wounded, Lieut.-General Golville, after a trying march, in whieh the troops behaved in a most soldierly manner, reached Heilbron. The march from Yentersburg was oppoeed by the Boers the whole of the way.

_ During the advance the British lost eight men killed and four officers and thirty-two men woundedi The naval guns rendered valuable distance in driving the eneiiiy from their strongholds; It is stated that the object of Lieut,General Handle's retreat to fight at Lindley was to draw the Boers ofl the town and thereby relieve the threatened Yeomanry, who, as a result, were enabled to retire safely. The enemy numbered four thousand, their front extending six miles. il a j f-G® n ®ral Clements functioned with LieuK-General Rundlea Senekal. Generals RucdleaLd Brabant's forces surround miles of country occupied by Iho Boers, who are within five m.les of Ficksburg. ' The only loophole for th' rsaapeof the enemy is by way of Basutoland, vheie the chief Jonathan and thousands of Basutos are assembled to resist any incursion into their territory.

A STUBBORN FIGHT, A SCENE OF APPALLING GRANDEUR. GALLANT GRENADIER GUARDS. A HAIL OF BULLETS. Received 4, 11.50 p.m. London, June 3. General Rundle, oh the 29th, attacked a stroDg position six miles from Senekal, which he shelled. Failing to silence the Boer guns, an attempt was made to outflank the movement, which was greatly hampered by immense grass fires.

The Grenadier Guards showed splendid steadiness through the flames and billows of smoke, once changing their position in the face of a hail of bullets in order to escape burning.

The battle is described as a scene of appalling grandeur. The Boers were requested to use the British ambulance. They admitted fifty killed and many wounded. A BRAVE OFFICER. (Received 4, 11.30 p.m.) London, June 4. j During General Rundle's battle, near | Seneka Lieut. Quilter rescued many wounded from the burning grass, although the Boers fired explosive bullets at him. FREE STATERS ANXIOUS TO SUBMIT. PROSPECTS OF ST. HELENA FRIGHTEN THEM. (Received 5,1.45 a.m.) London, June 4. A field-cornet belonging to a commando under De Yilliers, ex-Free State Attorney, told General Rundle that the Free Staters would be glad to submit if they were not sent to St. Helena.