Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1900 — ADVANCE OF BULLER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ADVANCE OF BULLER.

BOERS HAVE STUBBORNLY CONTESTED THE GROUND. British Lose Heavily in a Sixty-Honrs* Battle with the Strongly Intrenched Burghera-Anxiety in England Has Been at an Extreihe Tension. Keen anxiety prerailed throughout England on Wednesday for news of Gen. Warren’s night attack qn Spion kop, which Gen. Buller 'n a dispatch late Tuesday night said was meditated. AU night long the war office in London was brilliantly lit np nnd many officials were on hand awaiting news of the daring step that Buller had ordered? Early morning brought groups of people to the war office, and as the day advanced they came in crowds. Not a line, however, came from Buller. Noon went by and still nothing came, aud anxiety on all sides increased. Gen. Buller's dispatch announcing that Warren was to make a night attack with the bayonet, one of the most hazardous moves of modern warfare, was taken to indicate that his flanking movement which Warren undertook, had signally failed. Buller apparently' had been forced to return to the tactics which have thus far proved unsuccessful—that is a frontal attack on a fortified enemy. The only change was that the attack was to be made at night. Methuen tried this at Magersfontein, but the Boers were awake and it resulted in fearful losses in the Highland brigade, which had been sent to do the work. Remembering this, it can easily be seen with what feur and anxiety the English people awaited the result of Buller’s movements. According to official dispatches received from the Boer laager near Colenso 30.000 British made a simultaneous atta<fe Saturday on several positions on the Tugela river, with the object of forcing the relief of Ladysmith. A terrific battle ensued. and fighting continued for sixty hours. A frightful bombardment by forty British cannon opened the engage-

ment. Then came grand infantry attacks by the force under Gens. Buller and Warren, who were three times repulsed. with great losses. The Boers admit that the casualties resulting from the bombardment were heavy and the terrible effects of the lyddite are several times mentioned. Commandant' Viljoen and two burgh,ers being knocked senseless by the effects of one shell. Gen. Botha receives the credit of having checked Warren’s advance, and President Steyn is said to have been under fire in the foremost ranks of the Free Staters. Gen. White’s headquarters at Ladysmith, according to the statement telegraphed from the Boer camp, were demolished by shell fire. Most of the way to- La'dysinith is up hill, and every kopje and ridge on the extended line of attack has been occupied by the burghers. Driven from one position. they have fallen back on another already fortified with breastworks and trenches. The campaign has hitherto been chiefly a contest of spade and .pick against bayonet, with the odds in favor of the former. Since Gen. Buller ordered a simultaneous advance of his entire forces the various divisions have been moving along a front of twenty-six miles. To the extreme left, Lord Dtindonald's cavalry has been working its way slowly round Spion kop with the evident intention of turning tbe Boers* position. The ground occupied by the burghers has lent itself naturally to defense, and this advantage has been greatly increased by numerous trenches and covered ways, with formidable stretches of barbed wire in front. The British had no other way of taking these works but by frontal attack. The first sign of discord among the English people as to the carrying on of the war was announced Wednesday. John Bryn-Roberts, leader of the Welsh liberals in the House of Commons, gave notice that he would speak in Parliament in favor of a cessation of hostilities in South Africa at the first session of Parliament. A dispatch*from Pretoria announces heavy fighting at Colesberg on Sunday, but brings no details. A severe artillery duel, it is reported, was fought on the Modder river on Monday. No figures of the losses on either side are given. CoL Plumer, who continues his advance to the relief of Mafeking from the north, has had no recent adventures-worth noting. The British have formed a new camp at Potfontein, twenty miles east of Rensburg. It is held by the First cavalry brigade, which has an outpost five miles to the north. This gives the British a front of thirty miles in extent from Potfontein east to Medersfarm west.

GENERAL BULLER.