The Guthrie Daily Leader

London, Nov. Tonight dispatches from the front have rent the veil of gloom enveloping Ladysmith showing the British garrison not merely holding on the dogged defense, but mounting a series of brilliant sorties. Accounts from different sources agree that the laconic official description of Thursday's engagement in an effective shelling of the Boer laager was unduly modest. It appears that General Sir George White sent a strong force of cavalry and infantry to attack the Boers at Rietfontein farm, about ten miles to the northwest, near Elandslaagte, and apparently achieved a surprise, the Boers being caught on the open veldt and cut to pieces and their company captured. Encouraged by this success General White decided to make another even more important engagement on the following, which was again justified by success.

Ladysmith has been isolated and a Boer force has intercepted the railroad. This force on Friday had advanced on Estcourt, and, as shown by the dispatches from Estcourt, had compelled a hurried abandonment of Colenso and a retirement of the British to Estcourt. General White had ascertained that the Boers were attacking Colenso, but he was not aware of the British retirement. He most determined therefore to attack the Boers in the rear, thus hoping to achieve the double object of drawing off attack on a weak garrison of Colenso and, possibly, of reopening communication southward. The Boers had advanced southward until they had occupied the hills north of Tugela river and dominating Colenso, on the other side of the stream. The hills slope to a plain that reaches to the bank of the Tugela. General White's division caught the Boers in the rear and after the hill had been shelled, the British infantry stormed the position. Meanwhile the British cavalry swept around the hills and as the retreating enemy descended into the plain with British bayonets behind them, they were charged by the cavalry and seemed to have perished almost to a man. The British then returned to Ladysmith without having come in touch with the Colenso garrison which had retired to Estcourt.

In order virtually decided to send another division of 10,000 men to South Africa as speedily as possible. For this purpose second and third army corps will be mobilized. The second will consist of 40,000 men of whom 10,000 will go to Africa, the rest being concentrated at Aldershot in readiness for emergencies. The third corps, a nominal one, will number 29,000 men who will be used for garrison duties at home. Thus the entire British army will virtually be mobilized, which will be an unprecedented occurrence.