The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-12-20
ANOTHER BRITISH DEFEAT.
ENGLAND MUST SEND MORE MEN.
Gen. Methucn Checked in His Ad.
vance and Thrown Back-A Dis
tiDguished Onicer Killed.

l Gen. Methucn Checked in His Al
5 vance and Thrown Back-A Di
tinguished Omcer Killed.
, Each important battle seems to brin
. q worse reverse for the L.itish, an
the London newspapers sorrowfull
admit that Lord hethuen'e check q
Magersfontein Is the most seriou
event the war has yet produced. Th
Morning Post says: I'VE have hat
our day of humiliation appointed TO
us. Lot US accept it humbly and sober
ly and DO the better and stronger fo
the Lesson 1t has taught us. This las
reverse will make US fresh butt o
Europe. There never was more ap
occasion to prove to Europe what We
are worth"
The position Lord Methuen assaulted
is thus described by e correepoude ent
Mag gersfOntein range terminates
ON the east with an abrupt saddle rock
some 150 feet high. Boer entrench
ments run around tho whole front
| The position Is eome two miles long,
due east and west. The western euds
OF the trenches follow tho contour OF
the kopies and afford retreat"
| 1t 10 estimated that Lord Metbuen'e
| forces amounted to l 900 men and per-
hnps more. No reliable estimate OF
his loeses has yet been received.
All tho papers comment upon the
| extreme gravity of the situation and
upon the momentous decision Lord
hethaen has now to make-whetber 10
| remain at Moddar river or to retire on
Orange river. The Times says: "At
leaet 80, 600 additional mon must be sent
| out. The entire available reserve must
be called up and the militia and volun-
teers turned to account. Efforts must
be made to increase tho local colonial
1orces, and further offers of trooDs
from Canada and other colonies must
be sought aud accepted"
Tho Standard, which comments upon
the seemingly astonishing numbers
OF Beers" Is driven to the conjecture
that substantial portion of the Bocr
commanders has been recruited from
the Cape Dutch.
An eyes are now turning hopefully
to Gen. Butler, who taking into ac-
count the troops with Gen, White at
Iadysmith, has altogether 80, 900 men.
The Standard says: sat this moment
there must te few men in her majeety's
dominiOns having great q eight of care
upon them as Geu. Buller carries on his
shoulders"
The special correspondent of The
Daily Mail at Modder river, describ-
Ing the hghting says:
The BOer trenches extended far
beyond tho kopje into ths open plain.
Those on the plain wore hidden by
screens of leaves. Those near the
kopje were guarded by double line OF
barbed wire. Evidently they feared
our storming and bayonet attack.
4" We teked the kopjs and trenches
with an intense, we'll directed fire, OF
various guns, including naval Sun
and Howitzer battery, both using
lyddite. l believe they suffered severe
damage. The Boer prisoners report
that one lyddite shell fell among forty
men, only five of whom escaped un-
hurt. Other shells burst In the enemy's
lager, causing It's complete destruc-
tion.
"The Boers are in still larger force
than We found them at Modder river,
outnunbering us by almost 3 10 |. The
Iransvhalers are apparently domlnat-
ing in their military councils, although
in minority"
The British casualtios Included the
Marquis OF Winchester, major OF the
Second battalion Coldstream Guards,
who was killed, and Col Domnhan of
the Gordon HiEhlandsrs, who Mas
mortally wounded.
When tho Highlanders met the nur.
derous point-blank Ere OF tho Booro
about zoo were mown down. The Black
Watch regiment on refor ming was able
to mustor only l6o men. The Doors lost
heavily In the trenches and also In the
wire entanglements when they came
into the open in an attempt to make
flank attack on the British.
The terrific British artillery fire pro-
yoked no response except from the
P,NAr Via -
afternoon when the Gordon Highland
ers formed to renew the attack on the
entrenohed kcpje. Thoy 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 heavy
shrapnel fire as the British advanced,
and 1t was found physically impossible
to take the Boer trenches. The British
got within 200 yards, but could not get
nearer. 1t was here than Col. Down
han fell.
This morning (Tuesday) both sides
occupied the poSitions they held before
the battle. The greatest bravery was
displayed by both oficors aad .nsR.
Codrington and Capt. Sterllng, both OF
the Pirst battalion Of tho C0ldstrsam
Guards.
A detachment OF Boers, posted among
some thick bushes to ths east maintain.
ed most destructive are on cur right.
With tho remarkable talent for taking
cover which the Boor always displays
they were generally speaking tnvinci-
bio, and, although she enomy's artille-
ry WAS practically silencod, his rife nre
wac so perBistont and concentrated, as
we'll as usually we'll aimsd, that 1t was
absolutely impossible for sho British
infantry TO take the positioa by assault.
AT the frsS advance OF the Highland
ers tho Boer shooting was some wi h.t
high, probably owing TO the darkness.
Otherwise the British losses would
have been still heaviel.
LONDON, Dec. 14.--The British have
met with disastrous dofeat In. South At
rica. The Beers have overwhelmed
the queens army in Cape Colony, and
two generals, Gatacre and Methuen,
have tasted tho bitterness of Boor vic.
tory. Their armies have been forced
backward, and the long boasted ad.
vance OF the British through the Or.
ange Free State and tho Transvaal, by
way OF Kimberley, has boon checked.
While In the end 1t is confidently OK.
pecsed the British will march through
the enemy's country, the fact IN now
that thoy have boen yshiDned and % hin.