The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-14

Enemy Successfully Defends n strong Post
tiun Beyond the Modder Rivrr-British
Infantry Attack Follows a Heavy Ar.
tiiiery Fire, but Both Arc Ineffective
-Hirhinnders Moved Down nv the Borr
Fire-Attnck Brnveiy Renewed withous
success-Methurn Retires to His Formes
Position--Boer Losses Said to BE Large.
srseo, cab. bsspaes 10 Tar su,
LONDON. Dec. 14.-Gen. Methuen has mst
with reverse beyond the Modder River. He
shelled the Boer position ut Maaersfontein on
Sunday and early on Monday morning began
an infantry attack which IN led com pletciy. The
British force suffered severe losses. but held
the advanced ground until Tuesday morning
when Gen. Methuen retired to his former
position. The War Office has received the
following despatch from him:
MoDDER RIVER. Dec. IL. 1880 P, MAS the
Beers occupied the trenches strongly thIs morn.
ing. I retired In perfect order here. where
/ am In security I gather from prisoners
and from Beers speaking to am bulance men
that their Losses were terrible. some corps being
quite wiped out They have been most kind to
my wounded"
The following ia the War ONCE version OF
the battle. sent by Gen. Sir Frederick
Furestier- Walker from Cape Town.
"Mcthuen wires us follows under date Of
Dec. Il:
The artillery shelled n very strong position
held by the enemy on n long. high kopjc from
o'clock I'LL dusk on Sunday. The Highland
ers attacked at daybrsak on Monday the south
end OF the kopje The attack failed. The
Guards were ordered to protect the Highland.
ers' right and rear.
The cavalry and mounted infantry and .
howitzer artillery battery attacked the enemy
an fhA Ian xrtt Ia NhA a. -I-t.A
centre were supported by field artillery and
howitzsr artillery which shelied the position
from daybreak. At rs p II. I sent the Cor
dons 10 support the Highlanders.
go The troops held their own in front OF the
enemy's entrenchments until dark. the posi-.
ton extending. including the kopje. six miles
toward Modder River.
AT / O'Clock Tuesday I am holding the
position and entrenching myself I have 70
face at least $4,000 men. Our Losses were
Rrcat''
The Daily Ne,r. oorres popdent with Con.
Methuen cables: After Smelling tho Boers all
day Sunday with our howttzers and naval
guns. the whole force. with the exception OF
those left to guard the camp. moved forward
The attack was opened at 800 o'clock
Monday morning By the Highland Brigade
In front were the seaforths Argylls and the
BLACK Watch with the aordons ana the High
land Light Infantry in support. The men
marched In quarter column formation. The
Highlanders had reached to within two hun
dred yards OF the Bosr trenches whom deadly
IRE was opened on the front and the
right fank. Here about two hundred men
were mown down, and those leading were
forced to retire. The supports were then
brought up. but they also failed to carry
the kopje and the right flank was ,thUs
In serious jeopardy. The ssns. however.
dashed 10 the rescue and. protected by
their ire. our shattered force was able 70
retire. The 4.7-inch naval gun opened ON the
enemy at o A. N. When our right flank was
threatened two sduadrons Of the Twelfth
Lsncers were dismounted and skirmished
through the bushy country. clearing and hold.
ing II until the afternoon. Our terrific artillery
nre provoked no response except lfrom the
enemys rifles.
"All efforts to carry the position having failed,
the action at midday sank Into desultory
artillery FIRE. with the exception OF some
sharp skirmishlng on the right flank.
At 3:45 the Hehlanders formed up to renew
tho attack on the entrenched kopje.
but the Beers. who had made no use
OF their artillery during the whole
day. now opened on them with
heavy shrapnel nre. The brigade was imme-
diately forced to retire again. and the fight be-
tween the guns continued until dark.
The losses on both sides were very severe.
Many Beers were killed In the trenches aad
wire entan glsmsnts"
The foregoing paragraph is probably ex-
planned by the fact mentioned In another press
despatch that the Beers came upon open
Ground on the British front for the purpose Of
attacking tho British flank. but were stoppsd
BY the Guards and the artillery.
The Daily Mairs correspondent says that
tho m urdarOuA are the HiQhlandA nj C00
yards caused In . single minute the
larger part Of the fearful British loss.
He adds: startled and overwhelmed
the brigade retired quickly. but
rallied and retained their position: The
Guards. who crossed the open veldt against
the trenches on the right. fought an invisible
foe for fifteen hours.
According to another telegram the Boers had
trenches on the level veldt far beyond the
foothills. These were hidden By screens Of
leaves. Some trenches between these and the
bills were guarded with barbed wire, the
enemy evidently fearing q bayonet attack.
The Beers used only one gun until sunset
when few rounds were fred from four guns.
Prisoners say that one Of the lyddite shells
fell on forty men. and that only Ave escaped
unhurt Other shells burst In the lager COM
pletely destroying II. The Beers are said to
have outnumbered the British almost three to
one.
The War Offlce has not received any details
concerning Gen. Methuen's losses. II Is esti.
mated. however that the killed. wounded aud
missing number about four hundred and ffty.
A despatch from Cape Town states that II
wounded officers and 2t,6 wounded men have
arrived at Orange River from Modder River.
These casualties probably resulted from Nom
days battle at Modder River.
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