Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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F-HE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims': a., be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THIS TIC L'S SOUTHRON, Established June. I3C6 SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 10,1900. New Series-Vol. XIX. No. 24 Cjtf iSta?tjniuut aili) Son?ljrcii Published Every Wednesday, IM*. G-. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TKRM8 : $1.50 per annum-io advance. ?DTIBTISIXIIT: Ooo Square first insertion.$1 00 Brer j subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wil be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged for as ad versements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. Gen French Success. Retreat of Boers About Coles burg Officially Confirmed. London, Jan 2 -The success of Geo French column is at length confirmed vtifcially, the war office this afternoon issuing a dispatch from Cape To wo, Monday, Jao 1, as follows : .'French reports at 2 p. m today from Coieskop, by heliograph, as follows : '-Leaving at Reosbarg, holding toe enemy in front, half of the First Suffoikys and a section of the Royal Horse Artillery, I started tbeDoe at 5 in the afternoon, Deo ol, taking with me five fquadroos of cavalry, bali of the Second Burks and SO moaoted infantry, infantry carried IQ wagons, and 10 guns. .e 'I baited for four boars at Maidcrs farm, and at 3 30 this morning occupied the kopje overlooking and westward of Coiesbnrg The enemy's outposts w^re taken completely by surprise. At daylight we shelled the laager and enfiladed the right of the enemy's position. The artillery fire io reply was very bot from a 15 pocoder using royal laboratory ammunition, and other guns We silenced the goes OD the enemy's right flank, demonstrating with cavalry and guns to the north of Coiesbnrg towards the junction, where A strong laager of the enemy was hold? ing a hill and a position southeast of Coiesbarg, as far as the junction Oar position cats the line of retreat via the road and bridge Some thousands cf Boers, with two gaos, are reported to be retiring towards Ncrvaltpont All Remington's scoots proceeded towards Achterlaod yesterday morning Slight casualties; about three killed and few wound ea ; details later A COOPERATING MOVE. Modder River, Jan 2.-Yesterday's cavalry expedition under Gen Babing? ton, commanding the Ninth and Twelfth Laocer3, proves to have been in cooperation with a similar movement from Belmont. This, directed by Geo Wood, consisted of a fljing columo and a force under L;eut Coi Pilcher from Balmoot This force moved into thc territory between the Orange and Riet rivers At. Sunnyside, northwest of Douglas, it encountered a considerable commaodo, believed to be wholly oom posed of disloyal British subjects Gen Babiogtoo's force proceeded in the same direction, but oo the oortb side of Riet river. The result of this reconnaissance bas/OOt yet beeu re? ported TUGELA RIVER BECOMES FORDABLE London, Jan 3 -The Daily Tele graph has received the foiiowiog, dated Jas 2, from Frere Camp : The weather is fine. Tbe Togela River is cow fordable Gen Boiler's army is in fine form, ready and confi? dent for the work before it." BOERS SAY THEY BEAT BRITISH Pretoria, Jan. 1 -Laet night (Sun day) the British in great force attacked Commandant Scnoeman's commando in the Coieosburg district and tried to storm the position. They repeated th? attack this rroroiog, but were forced to retreat, the Boers boldiog the posttion The ioss of toe Br'.risb is not known, but it is reported to h*ve been be*vy The Boers ocosider it a great enmpli ment to the Transvaal that L ?rd Rob ert* should have beeo ee?eced *o the supreme command of th;5 British f irer-s. Geo French Unable to Take Advantage of Position. London, Jae 4, 4 30 a. m -There is a complete absence of anything new from the seat of war Thr* report of the Boer attack upon Molteco is not yet confirmed. Ap parently Gen French holds nothing within five miles of Coiesbnrg June tion Hie request for reinforcements dispels any present hope that he will be able to seize one of the crossings of Hie Orange river it is probable that when L rd Roberts arrive* Ge? French will be ordered to quit his; present un-up ported position and to conc?ntrale his ct;mmar:J ?t De Aar o: Orange river The Daiiy Ti-legr*pi, says : "Gen French seems to be in the I position of a man having a tiger cat j in a trap and unable to kill it for j want of a 6tick " i A dispatch from Dover Farm an j nouncee that Lieot Col Pilcher has returned safely from Douglas Since Commandant General Jou bert's return to the front the cannon ade of Ladysmith by the Boers has been mach livelier Between Dec 18 and 29 four shells kiiled one officer and 13 men and wounded 13 officers and ll men Tbe war office acknowledges the inferiority of the regalar artillery by authorizing the equipment of the new battery attached to the London volunteer corps with Vickers and Maxims, some of which the Boers use, and by ordering 100 of these 12J pounder quick firer? built irnme diately. The officers and men of the new battery will be supplied from the Honorable Artillery company. Eight additional militia regiments have been called out Seven of these ! will serve in Ireland, replacing the regulars sent to South Africa From a coarse which has many facilities of gaiuing inside news from South Africa, a representative of the Associated Press learns that Col Pilcher'8 occupation of Douglas is j regarded as merely the first step of j Gen Methuen's carefully matured ! plans to outflank the Boers According to this authority, it is probable Col Pilcher, io conjunction with Gen Babington's force from the Modder river, will proceed to rbe rear j of these iotreochments which now prevent Gen Methuen from proceeding to Kimberley Coi Pilcher bas only about 40 miles traves before he achieves this end, and if this understanding is correct zo attack by Geo Methuen and a deiermiocd effort to relieve Ktruber ley may be expected any day A special dispatch from Rensberg, dated Tuesday, Jan 2, says a supply train, without a locomotive, was pet io motion withio tbe British lines near Colesberg, aod proceeded 60 near the Boer position that it was impossible to recover it, and the British guns there fore destroyed the trucks It is sus peoted tint this was the ao: of a traitor The total British casualties about Colesberg, in two days, were six men ! killed aod 20 wonoded. The supply train, says another di? ! patch from Rensberg, rao iotoa brokeo culvert andgwas wrecked The Boers began lootiog it and another Rensberg train wa3 dispatohed to the spot io an attempt to recover the provisions The Boers opened fire on the troops and natives accompanying ?t, forciog the second train to retreat after several of the na'dves bad been killed. WILL NOT TAKE DELAGOA BAY Loodoc, Jan 3 -A representative of tbe Associated Pres3 has been in? formed on good authority that Great Britain will cot take Delagoa bay The British government, it is added, does not ccnteti-piate any such s?:-p. in spite of tbe clamor of the press and pub ?ic op:oioo upon the advisability cr so doing. WILL ACCOMPANY BOER ARMY. Washington, Jan. 3.-Capt. Czr\ Reichmann, of the Seventeenth infantry, and assistant adjutant general of vol? unteers, has been detailed by the eecrc tary of war to accompany the Boer army for the purpose o? observing and reportiog upon military operations in the war in Sooth Africa. BOERS ACTIVE AROUND KIM? BERLY. Kimberley, Dec. 26 -Tba Boers last night evinced considerable intere.-t in the Premier mice, using th.-ir search lights. Th?9 morning they actively shelled the fort The Royal Artillery replied Oar shells were well placed, and dropped amid the smoke of thc "enemy's <_'uos. List night's storm ignited some of our military mines, but there were no casualties. Cecil Rhodes has supplied the Boer prisoners with oew clothing BRISK ACTION IN PROGRESS AT MOLTENO. Sterkstrooo, Caps Colony, Jan. 3. Moro'og.-Thc Boers attacked Moiteuo this aborning. A brisk action is now in progress BULLER CONTINUES HIS SUR PRISES L.odon. Jan 3 -G :n. Boiler con? tinues his night bombardments and patrol purpri-e? Tbe Tug, la is awaiti forriaMe, end the stretcher bearers have 'vgain been requisitioned at Durban and P?etermarir?znurg There is a d?-p<->-.? .i-?., io believe that tbe British ??ii not yog be delayed Ir is r??D'>rii-'i at Durban that th ?ap?ured steamer Bu.?desra:h had : 'Osrd five btg guns, six t w.s of eb ci is . d lb" ; rr.: ccu artillerymen FIGHTING AT COLE 'BEUG ii ?odon, J-io 3 -A sn rid . .. XT * m r r sn jNaauwport, oVcd s.ue?aay, J SD. . says the British oommatd Norval^ Poor bridge wirb two guns aod a'so command the Coleeberg bridge a"d (nat ?he B.prs have no way to retreat, except by way o Normberg The dispatch adds that big develop? ments are exoected. Naauwpoort, Cape Colony, Jan 2 Tbere was brisk fightiog today in the hills around Coiesberg. The Boera stubbornly resisted the British at every point, but gradually retreated. Tbe British bolds the extreme position to the south and east, over lo king the town The bills around Coiesberg are numerous, not io ranges, but in groups, making it very difficult to hunt the Boers ont Sixteen wounded have arrived at Arundel. Boers Still Fortifying the Hills, Now Have 40 Miles of Entrenchments. London, Jan 5, 5 a m.-This morning's news throws no further light upon the war eituation Lord Methuen's cavalry scouting has developed the fact that the Boers' entrenchments extend some 40 mile?, far overlapping; the British position and making flank attacks exceedingly difficult Military analy sis affirm that the Boer trenches con fronting Gen Buller stretch away some 17 miles and that work upon them is pushed unremittingly It now appears that it is John Churchill, second son of Lady Ran doph Churchill, aud not Winston Spencer Churchill, who has been given command of the squadron of the South African Light Horse A report comes from Berlin that Great Britain's reply to Germany's representations on the subject of the Bondesrath is regarded ae unsatiefac tory and procrastinating. Further details of the fighting be? tween Gen Gatacre and the Boers at Oyphergat yesterday shows that 3,000 Boers, with artillery, attacked a British outpost between Cyphergat and Molteno Gen Gatacre, with mounted troops and field artillery, moved out in front of Sterkstrooro and found the Boers strongly posted at Coperberg, whence they were quickly dislodged, the Boers fleeing in the direction of Stromberg Toe Boera used the British guns captured Dec 10 and shot well, but the British kept uDder cover and there were no casualties on their side The war office has received a report from Cape Town dated Wednesday, Jan 3, reporting the situatioa in Gen Gatacre's district it saye : "Dordrecht is now evacuated by Montmorency who occupies Birds siding of the Indwe line '.Molteno is being attacked today by the enemy, who more or less surround the police station, but who. j according to reports, are being j forced back Reinforcements of mounted infantry and field 'artillery ' have been sent by Gen Gatacre The result is not known "A company of mounted infantry under Aldersen has reconnoitered to Prieska and exchanged shots with the rebel forces on the noth bank VNo movement of Gens Methuen ancrFrench is reported " The British foreign office knows nothing about the report that the Berne arbitrators have made their award in the Delagoa bay railroad question, and, so far as the foreign officials are able to ascertain, it has not yet been made BOERS REPORT ON SI T?ATION. Boer Camp, Colenso, Tuesday, Jan 2 -The British naval guns at Chieveiey camp continue tbeir inef fective long range fire night and day. in order to divert Boer attentiou from the movement of the troops Fedral scouts yesterday penetrated into the British camp When return? ing the British pickets discovered them and wounded one Boer Gen Lucas Meyer resumes com? mand of the division here. Gen Jouber? ?ienies that he has ever protested against the the use of iyddite Ile avers that dp/to the present he has not lost a single man by lyddite ? _ j KAFFIRS DEFEATED BY DUTCH. j Pretoria, Jen 4 -Since starting ! the mint here has coined 140,000 ! sovereigns The machinery ia now j in fall swing VaTisensberg reports from Derde j poort that the Kaffir stations have j been destroyed and that the inhabi j ta:t?s are flying Chief Lynch, with 3,000 Kaffirs, attacked the Boer laager6, but the natives were dispensed PILCHERS RAIDING EXPEDI? TION Belmont, Cape Colony, Wc !nt:s day, .>.::) '.> - Col Pilcher, it is . i!i :ijiijy aimonnced being or.h <>?: :i raiding ?xnediilo;>, rnd for military reasons beirre; unable t ? occnp.v O >uglass permanently h?s evacuated the town, bringing til' u!? t:.:N loyalists Hi; has now returned safe ly t'? close proximity tu Belmont LOST RATION'S AND RUM Rensberg Jan 4 -Tbe casualties to Gen French's forces up to the after noon of Jan 3 were five men killed i and 24 wounded. Coleskop ia now the principal j scene of the fighting. The destruction I of the wrecked train included 22,000 rations and a supply of rum GATACRE AT CYPHERGAT. Sterkstroom, Jan 4 -Gen Gat acre, today met the invading force at Cy phergat near the British advance camp at Brushmanshoek. The Boers retired hurriedly shortly after the British artillery opened fire The enemy occupied Molteno and Cypher gat today, but the latter place is now reoccupied by us. BOER HORSES STAMPEDED Frere Camp, Jan 4-A vigorous sheiling of the Boer trenches on the plain this morning forced the burghers to shift their position after their horses had stampeded. 16 MORE REGIMENTS OF MILI? TIA. London Jan 4 -An army order has been issued directing the embodi ment of 16 additional battalions of militia Story of British Attack on Impregnable Boer Port Near Mafeking. Locdoo, Jao 6. 4.45 a m.-:The Times publishes the following dispatch from Mafeking, dated Dec 26 : .'At dawn today Coi B-ideo Powell organized an unsuccessful attack upon a strong position of the enemy at Gametree, two miles from Mafeking, from which th? Boers have been main tainiog a desultory but annoying shell and rifta fire for several weeks. The railway has recently been reconstructed between the town and Gametree, where the Boers bad destroyed it, the final repairs being made io preparatioo for (he sortie "During the night the armored train, with Maxim aod Hotobkiss goo?, under Capt Williams and troops, took op positions for ataack from two sides. Capt Lord Charles Bentinck and a squadron were in reserve upon the left, while the extreme left wiog was occupied by artillery under Major Panzera and a galloping Maxim of tbe Cape police, tbe whole being under Col Hore "Emplacements were throwo up duriog the night, the orders being to attack at dawn and the artillery fire to desist upon prolonged tooting from the armored train At daybreak toe gaos opeoed fire and rapidly drew the reply of the eoemy, our shells bursting within effective range. Capt Vernon gave the signal to cease firing and to advance, bis squadron leading efl "As our men engaged the position with their ri?e fite, ic was soon found that the strength cf the fort was greater than we bad supposed The enemy concentrated such an exceeding? ly hot fire that the advance of Capt Vernon was almost impossible, but with remarkable heroism aod gallantry Capta Sanford and Vernen, Lieut Patton and Scout Cooke, who guided the squadrons, and a few men actually . eacbed the taodbags of thc fort with? in three hundred yards of the area of tbe fort. "But nothing iiviog could exist there siooe the ground was swept by Mauser and Martini bullets Toe men who charged through this zone of fire suf? fered terribly, and in following their officers to capture the fort, twenty men lust their lives Capt Sandford was the first to fall and Capt Vernon, al? ready twice wounded, aod Lieut. Paroo were killed at the foot of tho fort. These two officers, climbing a ditch which surrounded the fort, thrust their revolvers through the enemy's loop holes only to be shot themselves the oext moment "Gametree is surrounded with scrubs which contained many sharpshooters, and their accuracy of fire still further confused the meo who had followed Capt Vernon and who saw bim and '.ie brother officers killed B^icg wim? ont commanders they were driver, o? atone point, but they endeavored ro scale the fort ar. chi rs They found ;h? position of tho Boers, however, a? movr impregnable .'When we retired under cover of r.he rumored train so macy men bcd beoo wounded that a suspension of hostil; tics occurred u:';:er the auspices cf tho Red Cross. Thc veldt around the Boer position w??i a', once dotted with flag" of mercy, and ir wa-; seen that car v. undid were scattered within bu; a short r.-itiiu-; of thc fort. We had al ::;o-1 completely surrounded :t; and bad tt net been so extraordinarily <: . i protected we should bs va bee o io possession. * l wen: wi !; an ambulance to (.? ?ti'" tree The rori itself.!.- circular; with a wide inter:.-: and a narrow frontage, between s.x .-ii:.: sev; n feet high, pierce cd with triple tier-* of loopholes, and surrounded by a ditch.!> ! ANOTHER ACCOUNT London, Jan 5 -The war office j has received, through Gen Forestier Walker, at Cape town, the following dispatch from Col Baden-Powell, dated Mafeking, Dec 26 : "We attacked one of the enemy's works this morning, endeavoring to pueh back the cordon northward Our force consited of three guns, two squadrons of the Protectorate regi ment, one of the Bechuanaland rifles, an armored train, etc. The enemy bad strengthened tbeir works daring the night and doubled the garrison since yesterday's reconnaissance * Nevertheless, onr attack was car ried ont and pressed home with the greatest possible gallantry and stead? iness under a very hot fire. But all efforts to gain the interior by escalade failed, the fort being prastically im pregnable "Our attack only withdrew after six of our officers and a large number of men had been hit. Nothing could have exceeded the courage and dash displayed "The general situation remains na changed, and the health and spirits of the garrison sre very satisfactory 1 I regret io report the following casualties : "Killed-Copt R F Vernon : Capt H C Sanford, Lieut H C Paton, 18 non commissioned officers and troop e/s "Wounded-Capt Charles Fitz Clarence, 23 non-commissioned offi? cers and troopers "Prisoners-Three troopers " Gen Forestier Waiker points out that while the dispatch gives all the names, fails to snow that six officers were hit FIGHTING AT COLESBERG Recsberg, Cape Colony, Jan 5 - Evening -Coiesberg bas uot . yet been occupied. The Boers unex pectedly attacked the British left at daybreak this morning, but were repulsed They occupied h?ls to the north of the town, but were evento ally driven out of their positions, after an hour's shelling by our guns. They still hold, however, the hills immediately surrounding the towD, preventing the British from advanc ing along the railway The British loss in today's engage ment was light, while the Boers are reported to have lost 100, including 20 prisoners who were taken by the : mounted infantry about midday j The Boer attackers numbered a I thousand men The Inniskilling j Dragoons cut their way through the Boers who were forced to retreat by j a heavy artillery and musketry fire RECONNOITERING FROM FRERE CAMP. London, Jan 6.-A dispatch to the daily telegraph from Frere Camp, da?ed Friday, Jan 5, S3ys : "There has been firing today at Ladysmith and at Colenso A strong cava'ry reconnaissance under Lord Dundouaid, proceeded westward this morning toward Springfield, where firing is proceeding 1 There is a revivai of the report that the Boers are short cf provisions Gen Boiler's army is eager for the ad vance " MAJ HARVEY KILLED London, Jan 5 -A special dis? patch from Rensborg says Maj Harvey, of the Tenth Hussars, was killed and Ma] Alexander wounded while the Hussars were pursuing retreating Boers after the attack on the British left Jan 4th near Coies? berg Lieut Gibson of the Innis kiilins, was among the wounded. TEN THOUSAND PAID. Superintendent Griffith of tbs Srate Deoitentury yesterday completed tbe financial Dortion of bis annual report Duricii the day hs paid $10.000 into the tate treasury and be announces that be has oe band in cash and cotton nn<nid and biiis collectable the sum of $5.450 28 He a!.*o ?-t:ites that pien^y cf corn, etc., bas been c:ade thi'ycar to supply the S:a'.e farms for anctbe-r y?ar. T?>e ?u<noary of the insiitu .ion's financial .i'?.foajeT>r is a? follows : Balacee on ii :nd D.-r. ?!, 1S93, S 4 804 4 I Tota! receipts for ?899, *J3:5l3 2i $63,322 67 Total esceoditurea fer I8?9, 18, 36 CO Cash or, band J*a-. 1. 10G0. S 9.88o 6T Cash receivfd ?aca J.-.n. I, '.SOO, 2 963 61 4j b*i?3 ccttoo unso! i. at $30, 1,350 00 \-? ou ni due asd coll c:?bl3, 1,250 00 $15^430 23 Amount paid SJ te treasurer. ?O.OCO 00 8:i!. or: };>ircci *ncl collectable. Gravity of the Situation Admitted in Washington. Surgeon General Wyman Consulted. Washington, Jan 3 -The war de? partment ia taking steps to prevent the introduction of the plague in the Philippine islands, and Secretary Root thia morning called into consul? tation Surgeon General Wyman of the Marine Hospital service to discuss tbe establishment of a quaran? tine system for the islands It was decided that the war department should adopt towards the Philippines a policy like that it pursued towards Coba in the matter of the protection of health, namely, confide the main? tenance of the quarantine system to the Marine Hospital service Surgeon General Wyman has no confirmation of the report that three suspicious cases of bubonic plague have been discovered within the walled city of Manila, but no atttempt is made to conceal the gravi? ty of the situation should the report prove true Still it is said, a few sporadic cases need not neces? sarily result in an epidemic in the 'elands. Surgeon General Wy? man says the disease no longer creates the dread it once did, because it has been demonstrated that it can be handled by modern scientific ? work It bas been stamped cut of Alexandria, Egypt; Kobe, Japan, j and Vienna, Austria. The methods of fighting it are the same used ?gainst smallpox-isolation, disinfec? tion and sanitation The greatest danger is due to its possible introduc? tion into new localities throngs ambulant, or walking cases, which defy the surveillance of the authori? ties One feature of the disease which is gratifying to the authorities io view of the possible outbreak of an epidemic in the Philippines is the fact that its history shows that it does not attack Europeans as readily as natives THREE REPORTED CASES. Manila, Jan 3. 5 50 p. m -The health officers have found a Bativo with ali the symptoms of babool? plague m a house io tbe walled city, where two suspicious deaths have occur* red. The patient has been isolated and every precaution bas been taken to I prevent a spread of the disease. PLEAG?E BREAKS OUT IN RIO JANERIO. Rio Janeiro. Jan 3.-The bubonic plague h?s broken out io the city and I neighborhood of San Paolo WONT TOUCH AT HONOLULU. San Francie?, Jao 3-Ua'il ali danger of a spread of tbs plague now prevalent in Honolulu is past, trans? ports leaving this port fer tLe Philip pices will not stop lhere, taking suffi? cient coal with them from here to last the entire trip. Wood Righting Wrongs. Habana, Jan 3.-Today Gen Wood issued ao important order giving freedom to forty men io tbe province of Santa Clara. Some of theo had been detained without trial aod others were suffering excessive puoishment. AU had been released tee months before by ao order issued by Gen Bite?1, but they were immediately rearrested by orders from divisioo headquarters, on tbe ground tba; a depar-mer.r com? mander did not have thc power to pardoo. After looking carefully into tho cases Geo Wood decided that the judgment of Geo Bates regarding their release was wise, and consequently today's order setting them at liberty wes pro? mulgated The Negro Pension Swindle. Macon, Ga. Jan 3 -Some Macon negroes aro taking sfeps to sse if the operations of tho Na?iopai Es-Siave Morita! Rslief Bounty and Pec?ton Association of the United Skates of America cannot be stopped by law A certificate c.' membership ht\s b?en turnen ov;r io a court effijiai here It was issued from Nashville ac i i;; <:?ued D D McNairy, president S N. N.: Sraiti?, secretary, and ? II. Dic?rersou manager Tue face of ibu certificate shows that the helder ha* paid 25 cents to aid the movement and agrees to pay 10 con's a month The association bas many member* in thi< section. F-HE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims': a., be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THIS TIC L'S SOUTHRON, Established June. I3C6 SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 10,1900. New Series-Vol. XIX. No. 24