The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-14
BATTLE OF MAGER RSFONTEIN
REVERSE FOR BRITISH
BOERS HELDTO THEIR TRENCHES
COULD NOT BE DIsLODGED, AND
GEN. METHUEN ORDERED HIS
FORCES TO RETREAT
MOVED DOWN BY HUNDREDS
After the Artillery Fire of The Beers
Had Been SiIenced the Riffemen
Continued Deadly FusilIade
From COver-Neither Side Seemed
Anxious for an Immediate Renew
nj of HOstiIities.


From COver-Neither side Seemed
Anxious for an Immediate Renew
nj of HOstiIities.
LONDON, Dec. 10. - Gen. Forester
Walker, telegraphing from Cape Town at
$50 today, sends following dispatch from
Lord Methuen, dated Modder river, Tues
day, Dec u, 1870 p. M:
LAS the Beers occupied their trenches
strongly this morning I retired in per-
feet order here where I am in security.
I have gathered from some of the pris-
oners and from our men with ambulances,
who talked with the Beers, that the enc
my's losses We're terrible, some COM
panies being completely wiped out. The
Beers have been most kind to my wound
ed"
The British casualties include the Mar
quis of Winchester major of the second
battalion, Coldstream guards, who was
killed, and Col Downham, of the First
battalion, Gordon Highlanders, who was
mortally wounded
When the Highlanders met the mur-
derous point blank fire Of the Beers about
200 were moved down. The Black Watch
regiment on reforming, was able to mus
ter only 100 men. The Beers lost heavily
in the trenches, and also in the wire en-
tanglements when they came into the
open in an attempt to make a flank at
tack on the British.
The terrific British artillery fire pro-
voked no response except from the Beers
rifles until nearly 4 clock in the after
noon. When the Gordon Highlanders
formed to renew the attack on the en-
trenched kopje they advanced with the
utmost gallantry TO attack the Beers,
close to the place where lay their dead
and wounded comrades of the Highland
brigade.
The enemy opened with a heavy shrap-
mel fire as the British advanced, and it
was found physically impossible to take
the BOer trenches. The British got with
in 300 yards, but could get no nearer.
Col. DOwnham fell.
The Beers had free recourse to barbed
wire entanglements which offered great
obstacles, even after the damage in
ticted by the British artillery
GREAT BRAVERY DISPLAYED.
This morning (Tuesday) both sides oc-
cupied the positions they held before the
battle
The greatest bravery was displayed by
both officers and men. The wounded In
clude Lieut. Col. A. E. Corington and
Capt StIVing, both Of the First battalion
OF the Coldstream guards.
detachment of Beers posted among
some thick bushes to the east main
tanned a most destructive fire on our
right, With the remarkable talent for
taxing cover, which the Boer always dis
plays, they were, generally speaking,
virtually invisible, and although the enc
N.Y. artillery was practically silenced.
concentrated, as we'll as usually We'll
aimed, that it was impossible for the
british infantry to take the positions by
assault
AT the first advance Of the Highlanders
the Boer shooting, probably owing to the
darkness was somewhat high Other
wise our loss would have been still
greater.
BOER VERSION OF IT.
A special dispatch from Pretoria by
way of Lourenzo Marques says:
While the battle of Magersfontein was
proceeding the Free State artillery en-
gagged an armored train along the rail-
way line towards Belmont.
'Forty-one prisoners belonging to the
FIRST battalion of the Gordon Highland
ers have just traversed Jacobsdal.
In the last attack on Surprise Hill
three leading Pretoria townsmen were
killed and several others wounded. caus-
Ing great sorrow here.
FOUGHT AN INVISIBLE FOE.
Julian Ralph, describing the battle at
Magersfontein in a special dispatch 70
the Daily Mail, says:
The Beers We're entrenched at Ma.
gersfontein, four miles north of Modde1
River. The Highlanders, advancing
across the Veldt, were suddenly sub.
jected to murderous fire from the
trench, about 200 yards in front The
greater part Of the fearful loss of the
day was thus suffered in a single min
ute Surprised and startled, the British
faltered, but rallied and maintained thei1
position This was on the right On
the left brigade advanced across the
Veldt and moved on the trenches and
fought an Invisible foe for fifteen hours
AT IL in the morning the Gordon High.
landers were sent forward The Boere
allowed them to pass one line of trenches
and then enfiladed them. We raked the
Boer trenches with artillery throughout
the day. The fighting only ceased with
nightfall.'
GEN. WAUCHEPE KILLED
The war Office has received tho follow
Ing dispatch from Gen. Forester Walker
Cape Town, Tuesday, Dee 12.-Methu
en- wires that Gen. Wauchepe was killer
in action yesterday"
Gen. Wauchepe, Of the Black watch
commanded the Highland brigade witt
Gen Methuen's column. He served ir
Achanti, Egypt and the Soudan. He wa.
frequently mentioned in dispatches, anC
twice contested Midlothian, once aeains
Mr.. Gladstone. He was a great fayorite
in the army.
GEN. BULLER'S ADVANCE.
Gen. Buffers advance in the direction
of Colenso seems to have actually com
menced. The military attaches have lef
Cape Town to join Gen. Butler via Dur
ban Gen. White reports, under date OF
Tuesday, Dec. II, that there are thirty
two cases of enteric fever at Ladysmith h
GATACRE'S MOVEMENTS.
The war Office today received the fol
lowing message from Gen. Forester
Walker:
Cape Town, Tuesday Dec. 12-No fur
ther details from Methuen. From Orang,
river it is reported that 320 wounded. in
Guiding twenty-seven officers, have ar
rived there from the Modder river.
"Gatacre is moving from Bushman's
Hoek to Sterkstrom today. The magis
trate at Sterkstron1 wires that the stu
alton there has slightly improved. Man,
of the missing have turned up. Frenci
reports that detachment of cavalry