Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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e tUutclmt I ti o uti) ron THC SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April. 1SS0. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone. 13 66 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881 SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 1.1899! New Series-Yoi. XIX. So. 14 f |e ?Saitbman at? ^outljroii Published E^sry "Wednesday, -BY N.^ G-, Osteenj SUMTER, S. G. TERMS : $1.50 per annum-io advance. ADTIBTISI??IST: Ono Square first insertion.$1 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wil be made at reduced rates. AU communications which subserve pr rate interests will be charged foras ad ver tiemcn ts. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. Gen. Yule Falls Back To Safer Quarters. Abandons Glencoe, Untena? ble by His Small Force? Locdoo, Oct. 25 -The following dispatch frota Gen Sir George Stewart White to the Marquis of Landsdowne, secretary of state for war, received last eveoiog at ll o'clock, was posted at the war office soon after midngiht : "Ladysmith, Oct. 24, 9 p. m * 'Information received yesterday showed that the Boers had established themselves io considerable numbers in an exceedingly strong position ? west of i the main road leading from Ladysmith ! to Dundee. I also had information that the Duodes force, formerly oommanded j by Gen. Symons, and sine? his wouod-1 ing,commanded by Gen. Yule, was fall? ing back on Ladysmith by way of the Heipmakkar road, Beita and the val? leys of the Wasohbaok and Sunday rivers and was expected to reach Sun? day river valley today. ? therefore moved out with a strong force to cover the movement of Yule's column. The e*e?y was discovered about seven miles out of Ladysmith io a position of great oatural strength west of the road. When be saw the preparations were beiog made against him be open ed fire with one gun with great a cc u ra D cy. 440uY artillery soon got into posi? tion ana the gan was silenced Our troops were ordered to occupy a strong ridge parallel to the enemy's position, but nearer to the road. **I confined my efforts to occupying bim and hitting him hard enough to prevent bis taking aotion against Yule's column. Numbers or the enemy fled to the west and the 'firing had practically ceased at 2 o'clock.-*' The war office dispatch seems to realise the worst fears. Geo Yule has abandoned not oqly Dandee, but Gieo coe also, and so far as present news .?ouid indicate, be bas neither joined Gen. White nor reached Ladysmith Gen. White's "successful action," sn ncunced in parliament by Mr Wynd? ham, sectr.e to resolve itself into a mere engaging of the attention of the Free State troops while Geo. Yule is slip ping southward. It is evident that the official dispatch? es that both commandant Gen. Jou bert's column on the north and the Orange Free State troops on thc west now occupy strong positions, and that nothing hinders the Boers from fol lowing, up Gen. Yule's retirement and getting around Ladysmith from tba southeast. Until reinforcements arrive it seems that Gen. White is obliged to concentrate on Ladysmith. It is believed that the government have other dispatches that have not. yet been published. The secretary o' State for war left Mr Cheat's residence immediately at the end of the banquet to Gen. Harrison, and proceeded tc the war cfSce, where, even after midnight, there wes considerable activity, many visitors calling to itqaire for informa? tion, arnon? them a sister of Geo Sir Archibald Hunter. London, Oct. 25 -The Capetown correspondent of The Daily Mail tele? graphing at 9 45 p. m yesterday, 6ays : Gen. Yule bas performed a brilliant strategical movement. By a swift march to the south, leaving Glencoe empty, he has effected a junction of bis forces with those of Sir George Stew art White slightly to the north of Ladysmith. The two are now in a position to effer battle ? believe the first attack will be made on the large Free State forces, which entered Natal by way of Tintwa Pass, and which has since been b&rrassimg Ladysmith. The military authorities deoided that by joining their foroes the two generals would better be able to cope with one large force at a time than by having two small detachments to oppose simul? taneously two big Boer forctp. 'Accordingly, after defeating the Free State troops they will offer battle to Commandant Gen. Jonb?rt. Only 40 miles now separare the two Boer forces. Hence the need for t-wift and telling action. '"The two sections of tho Boer army together oat number the entire British force bv 3 to 1. Hard fighting is cer? tain at an early date. Oar men arecon fideot and there is much enthusiasm * The fighting today outside Lady? smith was a mere brush The losses co either side were insignificant. It was mereiy ac artillery dael, io wbich the Boers como of; decidedly the worse.*7 WOLSELEY'S VIEWS. London, Oct. 24 -Tbe parliamen? tary secretary of the war office, George Wyndham, in the house of commons today announced that Field Marshal Lord Wolseley, the com? mander in chief of the forces, sums the situation in Natal today aa fol? lows : "Gen Yule has fallen back to effect a junction with Sir George Stewart White He camped yester? day evening about 16 miles sooth of Dundee, without seeing anything of the enemy during the march, and it has been reported that 'all's well on the Waschbank river ' "Gen. White fought a successful actiou with an Orange Fr e State force today, on the road between Ladysmith and Newcastle, and should join hands with Gen Yule this after? noon. "Gen. Yule reports that his wounded are doing weli "The Boer wounded on our hands are treated just as our own, and I have every reason to believe the Boers will treat any of our wounded in their bands in a similarly humane cQ-p^er " ... Wyndham added : "I may re ! mind the house that the Transvaal is j a party to the Geneva convention ''Lord Wolseley further says : 'I have also received from Gen Walk? er, at Cape Town, the followiug : The last message from Kimberley. Oct 22, 2 p. m , reports all well. 1 " Battle Near LadysinitLi Was a Serious Flgbt. I Gen. Joubert Believed to be Press? ing on Ladysmith London, Oct 26 -With uncon scions humor, a Cape Town corres? pondent telegraphed yesterday: "The censorship, which is always a deli? cate matter, is working smoothly and without a hitch " This exactly hits off the state of affairs today An ominous veil is still drawn over the movements of Gen Sir George Stewart White and Gen. Yale Beyond belated Lady? smith dispatches concerning the Elandslaagte fight which are still filtering in, the British public is left in complete darkness and to conjee ture over "cooked" war office dis patches. The officials of the war office last evening said that very few dispatches have arrived and that nothing further was to be expected until morning. Since it is practically certain that Gen. Yuie bas now effected a june tion with Gen White-although this was not brought about Tuesday night, as announced by the Daily Mail, but some time Wednesday aud as both are BOW in a position of safety, conjecture concerns itself chiefly with the manner of Gen Yole'e retreat. That it was hasty is evident. Was it orderly ? Was any considerable camp equipment aban doned '! Was there any fighting on the way ? Such questions and others like them the public are anxiously asking Since the receipt of Gen White's curious first description of the Ladysmith fight, in which the British lost 100 men, little reliance j can be placed on the official dis ' patches While the concealment of the facts regarding Gen Yule's re treat can be amply justified on the ground of keeping the intelligence trom the Boers, the biding of the news respecting the Hussars and Fusiliers, who were apparently cap lured in the battle of Glencoe, is severely criticised, no intimation hav? ing been given that the officers were missing. The heavy losses of the British troops io lacing only some 8,000 Boers are commented upon as show iug what rifle fire means today in the hands of even undisciplined men who can shoot fairly straight and stand their ground Gen Sir Redvers Bullier is expect ed to arrive early next week and the indications are that some troops have already arrived at the front and been in the fighting, whose arrival bas not yet been announced. There is every possibility, therefore, that reenforcement are movings up. Th B is calculated to hasten Commandment Gen Joubert's attack on Ladysmith, and news of a big battle is daily ex peeled About half a complete army corps ! is now afloat, and a lull has occured in dispatching the remainder of Gen. j Butler's forces owiog to some diffi cuity in obtaining transports Although news has arrived that? Gen. Sir William Penn Symons is j doing well, 'hore is no indication o? j b;s whereabouts. It is presumed ' that he is a Dundee in the hands of the Boers. The commander-in chiei, Field Marshal Lord Wolseley, has apparent iv been convicted cf ' doctoring'7 ofheial reports from the front, and there is a strenuous demand on all sides for a revision to the earlier practice, when the reports of Gen. Sir George Stewart White, the Brit? ish commander in Nata!, were given ont textually as soon as received. The commander-in-chief s summary read in the house of commons yes terd""* spoke of Gen. White having fo" successful action, whereas G< White's own account puts an entirely different complexion on the situation and reduces the movement to its proper proportions and shows that further exciting intelligence may be expected frvr > the same quarter at any moment. It is quite evident that the war in Natal bas only commenced, and that tba Boers are by no means discour^ aged at losing the first two battles, and many experts are satisfied Gen. Joobert is even now close to the heels of the British and that a deci? sive action may be fought today or tomorrow. Later estimates of the Boer losses at Elandslaagte give 300 killed Their coolness, bravery and good aim can be judged from the fact that out of the 17 or 18 officers with the half battalion of Gordon Highlanders, four were killed and 13 wounded, while the casualties among the rank and file were 27 per cent, during less than three hours fighting A dispatch from Capetown today says that Gen White has engaged the Orange Free State Boera who were advancing on Ladysmith, about seven miles northward and that it was believed the advance had been repelled Thi*3 is probably another version of yesterday's fighting al? ready known. Gen. White this morning officially notified the war office that the bullet had been extracted from Gen. Sym? ons' wound and that he was doing well Other dispatches from Capetown say that advices from Mafeking con? firm the statement that 50 Boers were killed by the explosion of two trucks of dynamite purposely eent out by Coi Baden Powell to draw the Boer fire Nine Officers and the Men of the Hussars Who Were Cut Off. London, Oct. 26 -The dispatches from the front are so diversified and contradictory that it is difficult to outline the situation with any degree of precision. Three or four main facts, however, stand out prominent? ly Gen. Symons' fight was not anything like the decisive victory at first alleged, and Gen Yule would probably have been annihilated or met with the same fate as the cap tured Hussars if he had not retreated Gen ?Vhite's "artillery duel'7 at Rietfontein was a very severe en ! gagement, in which the rifle did great execution, and where success was only achieved at a distressing cost. The bombardment of Mafek ing has commenced, with unknown result, and the Boers have got their Hussar prisoners safely to Pretoria Altogether, the campaign is being pushed by the Boers so strenuously and on such strategical lines that the situation of the British must in all probability give them cause for deep anxiety for 6ome time to come. It is difficult to see how the con? centrated force at Ladysmith will be able to take the aggressive iramedi ately. Apart from the fatigue, regi? ments like the Gondon Highlanders and Royal Rifles have been practical? ly without officers since the fights, and 135 additional officers have been ordered to leave England as speedily as possible A batch of delayed dispatches ar? rived here this morning via Lorenzo Marquez They are as follows : Pretoria, Oct 21-Friday's fight at Dundee started at 5 in the morning and lasted until 2 in the afternoon. The burghers, under Gen Lucas Meyer, took up a strong position, but were compelled to retire to their iaager after capturing a Maxim. The fighting was resumed at 10 this morning in the neighborhood of Glencoe and Dundee. Several Boer forces were engaged. The firing was distinctly heard at Dannhauser. Pretoria. Oct 21.-President Steyn of the Orange Free State has issued a proclamation to the Basuto nation explaining the reasons for the war and also stating that Boer forces have been placed near the Basutoland border He makes known that the republic is at peace with the Basutos and wishes to continue so. adding that no injury will be done to Basuto3 remaining quiet and not assisting the British Pretoria. Oct 22 -The British oiisoners captured Friday near Dun? dee were entrained at Dannhiiuser. They filled 10 trucks. The officers traveled first class, and a seperate van was provided for two wounded officers An enormous crowd as? sembled at the station here to witness their arrival, but there was no de raonstration When they alighted the prisoners were received with funeral Bileoce upou the part of the crowd. The greatest order and de? corum prevailed while they were traversing the streets The wound? ed were taken to a hospital, while the other officers and men were marched to the race course, eecorted by mounted burghers, and were en? camped on the spot where Jameson's trpopers were confined. The officers (Lieut. Grimshaw, Lieut. Majendie and Lieut. Shore of the Dublin Fusiliers) looked in good health. They are quartered in a building apart from the men. On giving their parole they will be allowed the free? dom of the whole enclosure. The men appear indifferent and spent most of their time smoking They sleep on the grand stand. Details of the fighting at Reitfontein are coming in slowly. A special dis? patch from Ladysmith, dated Oct. 24, filed after the fight, says : "On dis? covery that the Boers were massed to the westward of the main road to Dun? dee an attempt was made by a train to recover the body of Col. Scott-Cbis holme, killed at Eiaodslaagte. Tbe train was fired upon and obliged to retire and Gen. White moved out to attack the Boers, believed to be Free Staters who should have joioed the Transvaalers at Elandslaagte. Gen. White commanded pereonally. The Fifth Laocers were plaoed on either Sank. They first came in touch with the Boers below Modderspruit, where 1,500 burghers occupied a strong ridge wbenoe they opened fire at 1,200 yards, hitting several of the British. Io the meanwhile, the Erdsars and Natal Carbineers advanced unscattered through an opening iu the ridge under the fire of a Boer gun, while the Im? perial Light Horse took part of the crest of the ridge, the Boers retiring. At about 9. however, a Boer gun stationed on the crest of Matawanaskop opened fire wish great accuraoy on the British force, whioh in the meanwhile had oome up : but the shells failed to explode and the British artillery silenced the oppesition. The whole British foroe theo advanced and the action became general. A large body of Boers occupied strong positiors at Matawanaskop and tba precipitous ridges surrounding it. The British guns shelled the position and the in? fantry advanced under cover of the fire. Tbe Gloucester and Devons crossed a fearful fire zone beneath Tuitaoyooi Hill, whenoe the Boers poured a withering fire with such effect that 30 of the attackers dropped within a distanoe of 200 yards. See? ing the peril of the Devons and Glou? cester. Gen. White dispatched the Carbineers and Liverpools to take the eoemy in the rear. Enemy's Loss Not Known London. Oct. 26 -The war office today received the following telegram from Gen White : Ladysmith, Oct. 25-Brig. Gen. Tule's force has left Dandee with the view of concentration at Ladysmith To avoid the risk of life whioh a long march would have entailed, the wound? ed were left at Dundee under medical supervision. Yesterday Sir George White, haviog ascertained by a previous reconnais? sance that the Free State forces bad moved eastward from Beater's station and were attempting to gaio the road from Ladysmith to tho north, moved out io the direction of Elandslaagte with the Fifth Lancers, Nioeteeoth Hussars, Imperial Light Horse, Natal mounted volunteers, two field batteries, one mountain battery and a brigade of infantry The enemy posted a battery two miles south of Modderspruit and open? ed with infantry fire at long range oo the British advance gaard, consisting of the Nineteenth Hussars. This was followed by art?lery fire directed with considerable aooaracy against the Brit? ish guns. An action lasting six hours ensued at Rietfootein farm. The enemy were driven from the bills com manding the roads. Sir George White't: object being accomplished, the column returded to I adysmith. The eoemy is believed to have suffered. "Several Boors own officially that they lost over one hundred kiiled at p]'andslaagte. Three hundred prison? ers wounded and otherwise, are in the hands of the British, inludicg several of high position. "io the action of Elandslaagte, Oot 21, the Johannesburg force, with a detachment of the German corps was completely broken up. "Al! was well at Mafeking up to Oct. 21 "All was well at Kimberley up to Oct, 23 Thc defenders are in good spirits." YULE REACHES LADYSMITH London, 0;t 20 -The war office has rpceiv:-d the following dispatch from Gen. White : "Ladysmith, Oct 20. 12 40 p. c. - Gen. Yule's column his just march od in here after a very hard march during a night of exceptionally heavy rain. The moo, though dooo up, are io good spirits and eely want a rest. The enemy did not molest them " The serv'ces rendered by the Coloni? al Guards deserves special mention. Part of the bridge over Sunday river was destroyed to prevent the possibil? ity of the eoeoy transporting guns. GEN. SYMONS IS DEAD. London, Oct. 26-Tbe death of Geo. Sir William Penn-Symons, tbe British commander at Glencoe, wbo was : shot in the stomach ic tbe battle with the Boers there Oct. 20, was officially j announced in the boase of commons to- ; day. Tbe parliamentary secretary of war office, Mr Wyndham, io anoouooing the death of Gen. Symons, said : "Tbe news was considerately sent to Gen. White by Gen. Joubert, which confirms tbe impression that Gen. Yale had to leave his wounded at Dandee " Unimportant Skirmish Near Kimberley Last Tuesday. Cape Town, Oct. 27.-Evening Official report from Kimberley dated Tuesday state that Col. Scott-Turner, with 270 men proceeded northward to Macfarlaoe's farm, where they unsad? dled their horses. At 9 o'clock a party of Boera was seen on the right fls.nk aod was quickly scattered, Col. Scott Turner opening fire on them aod several of the enemy being seen to fall. The enemy moved to a sand heap and opened fire on the British, who return? ed the fire. Col. Scott-Tarner attempted to pre? vent the Boers from advancing against Col. Murray, bat was met with a heavy fire from a dam wall 600 feet to the left. At ll o'clock Col. Murray ordered 150 men of the Lancashire regiment to proceed to the north. An armored train is already support? ed Col. Soitt Turner. At midday Col. Murray Btarted also, with two field guns and two Maxims and 70 mounted men. One of the two British guns opened suddenly upon the Boers who were in an unfavorable position. Tbe Boers artillery fire was brisk. Another armored train was held in readiness. At 2 o'clock the second train was sent forward with additional ammunition I The Lanoashires behaved spendidly and Col Scott-Tarner highly commend ed them. Commandant R?tha and many Boers were killed. The British loee was three killed and 21 wounded. The engagement was a brilliant success for the British forces. Capetown, Oct. 27-A telegram from Balowayo, Rhodesia, dated Mon? day, says : "A Boer force is threaten? ing Chief Khama and Chief Linohwe, who are loyal to Great Britain. Their j country lies at the extreme northwest of the Transvaal acd includes Becaana land. It seems a gross mistake for the B?ors to provoke war among the na? tives. Tbe probable explanation is that the Boer force intends to destroy the railway to Bulawayo, which roos through Khama's country, and tbos prevent any attempt of Col Plamer's Rhodesian force to go to tbe relief of Mafeking. Already there have been stories of a Rhodesian armored train engaging the Boers some distance north of Mafeking." London, Oct. 27 -The colonial office bas made public tbe following telegram received from Governor Hutchinson, dated Pietermaritsburg, Oct. 26 : "The following telegram has been received from Greytown, from D. Greig, a resident of Dundee, formerly in tbe telegranh service : " 4I left Dundee this morning. Gen. Symons died on Monday at 5 p ro. and was buried tbe following morning, close to the English church by thc Rev. W. Daily. There was a firing party aod a few medical effiser* and a few civilians attended the funeral. There were no Boors Col. Eckett, Majors Boultbce. Hammersley and Nagent and also Cram, Johnstone and Rvao are improving. The Boers occupied Dun? dee Monday afternoon.' " Loureozo Marques, Oct. 27.-Tbe following dispatch bas been received here from Pretoria, filed yesterday: "Tbe government has issued a procla? mation declaring that oo rents or inter? ests on bonds cm be claimed daring the continuance of martial ?aw, cor within a certain fixed period after the j repeal of the same. "The Boers at Vryburg have Fecnred a qaaotity of ammunition. Command* ant Schooman has seized Krokodiie poort aod destroyed tbe railway bridge there. President Kmger is in excellent health." Capetown, Oct 27.-Sir Aifred Milner, governor of Cape Colony, and W. P. Schreiner, the premier, have issued a proclamation declaring null and void the proclamation of the Orange Free State asserting that a portion of Cape Colony is now Free State territory. Sir Alfred Milners proclamation warns all British subjects in the colony of their duty and obligations to the queen. Durban, Natal, Oct. 27 -An inter? esting incident in connection with the Elandslaagte fight is reported here. When the fire of the British guns became too hot, eight Boers ran forward out of cover and, stand? ing their ground, cooly opened fire at the Imperial Light Horse, with the evident purpose of drawing the latter's fire, while their comrades retired Seven of the brave eight were killed. London, Oct. 27-According to the latest account of the first battle at Glencoe, the Boer artillery amount* ed to 7,000 men and about noon another army, almost as large, under commandant Gen. Joubert, advanced to within 6,000 yards of Glencoe camp and then retired The Boer losses were very heavy, fully 300. London, Oct. 27.-A dispatch from Utrecht, Transvaal republic, says : ' The fighting at Glencoe lasted nine hours The burghers say that they never witnessed such a fight. Gen. Lucas Meyers7 force of 6,000 with 86 guns was several times repulsed. London, Oct. 27.-A special from Pietermaritzburg dated Oct. 24 says : "Nine hundred and eighty-four Boer prisoners arrived here this morning, They include Capts. Dewitt, Hamer, Fighlus, Dorey, Van Legger and ?Dottner." London, Oct. 27.-The Magistrate at Yryburg is responsible for a report made to Premier Schriener, at Cape Town, that 513 Boers were killed at Mafeking. Fighting io Philippines. Manila, Oat. 23, 5 50 p. m.-The insurgents around Calamba and An? geles have bothered the Americans lately with their repeated attacks, which like most of the Filipino attacks, consist of shooting a lot of ammunition into their opponeots at ioog rarge. Maj Cheatham's battalion of the Thir? ty-seventh infantry, three companies of tbe Twenty-first infantry, a battery of the Fifth artillery and a Gatling gun sallied out this morning from Calamba, drove the Filipinos from their treoches and pursued them for three miles, in? flicting heavy lose on them. One American was killed aod three weie wounded io the Twenty first. Lieut. Fergus, with 20 scouts of the Thirty-sixth regiment, reconnoitering near Labac, encountered a party of mounted Filipininos. He killed 6ix of them and captured eight, with ten rifles. Four mea from tbe gunboat Mari velos were lured ashore 18 miles from Iloilo by a flag of truce and che insur? gents killed one of them, wounded one and captured a third. The gunboat; was UQable to fire for fear of wouoding the Americans. The Secood battalioo cf the Nine? teenth regiment, Maj. Rsefe command? ing,, embarked for Ilctlo today to ren? force the troops there Test Case as to School Fees. Florence. Oct 2o.-M. W F. Clay? ton, of this bar, who made the issue with thc board of trustees of tbe graded school regardiog the ?2 supplementary fee tor ail pupils except those who are unable to pay the fee, prays the circuit court for a writ of mandamus requiring the school board to cease from exacting any fees as a condition for attending tbe city graded schools. The petition was sent up to Judge Klugb at Manniog and he issued an order requiring the school board and tL.~ supertoteodent to show cause why they 6bouid not cease to change the said fee. The rule is returnable ac Kisgstree. Williamsburg County, on Tuesdy, October 31, and IB tbere are many other graded schools in the State oharging a supplementary fee the same as the Florence Graded School, the mat* ter is of general interest. Copies of the petition and the order were today served upon the school board and the superintendent. ABSOLUTELY ?HJRE BAKING POWDER Makes the food more delicious and wholesome