Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1900 — LADYSMITH IS FREE [ARTICLE]

LADYSMITH IS FREE

General Buller Lifts the Long Siege. ENDS HARD CAMPAIGN Official Announcement of Victory Made by London War Office. Victory Conies After Months of Fight-ing-Brief Account of the Siege and Efforts at Relief—Gen. White Penned in Ladysmith Oct. 30 After Disaster to British Arms—Reward of British General’s Valor and Perseverance. It is officially announced in London that Ladysmith has been relieved. The war office has received the following dispatch from Gen, Buller: “Lyttleton’s headquarters. —Gen. Dundonald, with the Natal Carbineers and a composite regiment, has entered Ladysmith.” The events which led up to the siege of Ladysmith began with the pouring of Boer forces into Natal by way of Laing’s Nek and of Free State forces through Van Heenan’s pass immediately after the war began on Oct. 12. The attack on Glencoe Oct. 20 resulted in a reverse for the British, their commander, Gen. Symons, being mortally wounded. The British found their .position untenable, and under the leadership of Gen. Yule they retreated toward Ladysmith, the force of 4,000 men being in imminent danger of destruction by the Boers. To guard the retreat a force of British from Ladysmith under Gen. French fought the battle of Elandslaagte on Oct. 21, which reulted in a victory for the British, the Boers being routed and their commander. Gen. Kock, being mortally wounded. Gen. Yule arrived safely at Ladysmith on Oct. 2(5, after a severe march. In the meantime the Boers continued to gather in Natal and by Oct. 30 were strongly posted on three sides of the city. Gen. Sir George Stewart White, who commanded the forces at Ladysmith on that day, moved out all his force in an effort to break through the Boer lines and rout them, but the left wing of his command, composed of the First battalion of the Royal Irish fusiliers, the First battalion of the Gloucestershire regiment and the Tenth mountain battery, was surrounded by the Boers at Nicholson’s Nek and compelled to surrender. The other British troops were driven back by the Boers, and from that time Ladysmith was under siege. By Nov. 1 the city was well invested. The day before a naval brigade had arrived from Durban with some powerful guns, taken from the warships. These guns proved invaluable in the long siege which followed, as they were the only weapons in Ladysmith which could compare in power with the magnificent artillery used by the Boers in shelling the city. On Nov. 2 the communications were cut south of Ladysmith.

On Nov. 4 the British evacuated Colenso, which guarded the bridge crossing the Tugela river. The Boers crossed the Tugela and raided through Natal to the outskirts of the British camp at Estcourt and beyond, threatening even to attack the capital of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. The British forces began to arrive from England, and under command first of Gen. Cleary and later of Gen. Buller organized at Frere and Chieveley station for the advance to the relief of Ladysmith. After collecting an army of about 12,000 men Gen. Buller on Dec. 15 advanced to attack the Boers at Colenso under Gen. Schalkburger and along the Tugela river in an attempt to force the crossing of that stream. A severe battle followed, in which the British showed bad leadership and were defeated at every point with heavy loss of men and the capture of eleven cannon. Gen. Buller began his great movement toward the relief of Ladysmith Jan. 13. Gen. Warren,, with 11,000 nien, made a detour toward'Weenen, but it was three days later before the British troops began to get across the Tugela. Lyttleton’s brigade, a battery of field artillery and a howitzer battery crossed in the center, while Gen. Warren's command to the left crossed on pontoons. Lyttleton continued the advance under a heavy artillery fire from the Boers. At the same time Gen. Warren’s division met with strong resistance. There was hard fighting for nearly a week, and on Jan. 24 Gen. Warren captured Spion kop. Jan. 25 the Boers recaptured Spion kop, and immediately afterward Warren’s troops moved back across the Tugela. The Boers captured 1,308 prisoners. At this point in the campaign many of the English officers advised abandoning the relief of Ladysmith. On Jan. 30 Gen. Buller sent out another recounoissance, and on Feb. 2 the British recrossed the .Tugela river and attacked the Boers two days The Boers secured an advantageous position .aid checked the advance of the British for the time. More fighting followed. T&e Boers for the first time took the offensive against Gen. Buller. The two forces engaged in light skirmishes, Gen. Buller trying to keep the Boers so busy that .none could be spared to assist Gen. Cronje, who had taken charge of the federal troops at Modder river. On Feb. 15 Gen. Buller began an advance to Ladysmith, and began to fight his way toward the besieged city. Position after position was captured by the British, and two days later the Boers began moving their large guns from the hills surrounding the city, evidently fearful lest they could not hold back the British when the rush began to Ladysmith.