The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-05
ONE OF FIERCEST BATTLES IN ANNALS
OF BRITISH ARMY.
THE B0ER FORCES DRIVEN BACK
After Desperate Fighting With Artfl-
Iery and Infantry - Methuen Pro-
nounces 1t the Bloodiest Battle of
the Cenrury-Revised L.sI o. British
Losses I'm Recent Battles-Au Well at
Ladysmith-The anada Troops Ar
rive at Cape Town.

London, November 29.-The war Of
fee has received the following dis
| patch from General Butler:
Cape Town, Tuesday, November rs.
General Methuen reports: "Modder
River, Tuesday, November 2S.-Re-
connoitered (at 5 a. m-) enemy's posi-
| ton on River Modder and found them
| strongly entrenched and concealed. No
means of outflanking, the river being
full. Action commenced with artillery,
mounted infantry and cavalry, at $50
| guards on right, Ninth brigade on left,
attacked position in widely extended
formation at $50 o'clock, and support
ed by the artillery, found Itself in
front of the whole Boer force, 5000
strong, with two large guns, four
Krupps, etc. The Java brigade rem
dered great assistance from the rail-
way.
After desperate, hard fighting,
which lasted ten hours, Jul men, with
out water or food and in the burning
sun, made the enemy quit his position.
General Pole-Carew was successful
in getting a small parity across the
river, CALAMITY assisted by 800 apper
II speak in terms of high praise of
the conduct of all who were engaged in
one of the hardest and most trying
fights in the annals of the British
army. If I can mention one arm par
ticularly, it is two batteries of artil-
lery."
A special dispatch from Windsor says
that General Methuen's dispatch to
the queen after the battle of Modder
river says. The battle was the blood
lest of the century. The british she'll
ed the enemy out of the trenches and
then charged. The result was terri
BILE"
A revised list of the British casual
ties at Belmont shows: Officers killed
4; wounded %; non-commissioned Off
GERS n privates killed 46; wounded
225, Of which number h guards had
So killed and 159 wounded"
A revised list of casualties sustain
ed by General Hildyard's forces at the
battle of Beason Hill shows: Killed IS,
wounded ga, missing 1, prisoners 8.
Ladysrnith, November 27.-(By mes
senger to MOOT river.)-All here are
we'll and cheerful. The Beers are not
Smelling today and we have no fear
that they will attack the town. Our
position we have made very strong
with redoubts and breastworks and we
look forward confidently ITO the ulti-
mate result.
Pretoria, November 27.-General Du-
tort reports that the British made a
sortie from Kimberly early Saturday
morning and fired on the Beers with
artillery and infantry in the darkness.
The British SORTED where the Bloemhof
Boer force was stationed. On our (the
Boer) side there were 800 men. Gen
eral OutOrt, who was nine miles of,
fastened to the assistance Of the
Bloemhof contingent with 100 men.
Nine burghers were killed,
were wounded, and there were some
missing. The British left on the field
a private and a sergeant.
1t is reported that the British at
tempted ito leave Kimberley on the east
side to assist the troops from Belmont.
Commandant Lubbe was slightly
wounded.
The British have repaired the dam
age to the railroad.
The Free Staters engaged with the
British were overwhelmed by numbers,
and, after a brave stand in the after
noon, we were compelled to take up
another position on the other side of
the railroad. Delary says it is impos-
sible to give the number Of killed and
wounded Beers, bun the loss is not
great. The Beers had four guns to
h British twenlty-four. The general
says the Free Skaters are full of cour-
age.
( 1.-THE latter part of the foregoing dis
patch from 'the Free Skaters engaged
evidently refers to either the battle of
Belmont or the battle Of Enslin, or
ira Pam
Cape Town, November 29.-The Allan
line steamer Sandman, Captain john
stone, from Montreal October 28th and
Quebec October 30th, having on board
the Canadian contingent for South At
RIGA, 1000 strong. has arrived here.