The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-08
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTLE
OF MOODER RIVER
MOST DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT.
For Five Hours the British Pour a
Storm OF ShrapneI and Maxim Shot
Into n Enemy Returned With
Equal Nigor and DcterInination-The
Beers Finally Break and abandon
Their Position-No Quarter Given on
Either side.

London, December 5.-The CORE
spondent Of the Associated Press with
General Lord Meuhuen's column. tele-
graphing from Modder river last
Thursday says:
The Waterloo of the campaign has
been fought and won. The battle was
conducted with unprecedented stub
bornness On both sides. There was one
continuous roar like the explosion OF
countless fire crackers. There was no
finching ON either side, and not a mo-
ment's pause.
For fve hours the British batteries
poured tons of sharpness and shells
into h Boer positions. Lord Methuen
had twenty-five runs and each fired
an average of 200 rounds. The Beers
had an almost equal number of guns,
which, 1t is reported, we're mostly serv-
ed by French and German artillerfsts.
Owing TO the bend in the river on
the right, the Beers had an opportunity
OF cross firing on the British attack. A
Boer Hotchklss was directed with mar
velou accuracy against a British
Maxim, killing ure sergeant in charge.
Woundlng an officer n disabling the
gun. This occurred quite at the be-
ginning of the engagement. Whenever
the Boer fire was silenced in one direc-
ton it was immediately re-opened in
another.
owing to the terrific fire, no body
on the plain was out of range. Stretch
er bearers found 1T impossible to go
onward in the very few cases hey
were Called upon to attend, and the
wounded were compelled, if possible,
to crawl out of the lines.
mo quarter seems to have been on
either side. The British assert. amid
the bullets, the ambulance wagons dis
played their flags promiscuous.y TO no
advantage. These were repeatedly
driven back and We're compelled to AXE
refuge out of sight.
1T is exported that General Cronje,
with his contingent, retreated toward
Langeberg at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
Others followed in the direction OF
J~acobsdal, and the main body Of the
Beers retired with the guns about s
O'Clock in the evening.
On the following morning at day
break the British fired a few shells into
the village. Getting no response, a
patrol of cavalry crossed the river and
found the enemy's camp deserted. Dead
Beers and many who were dying were
w ~ SNSH v IN III AAS SAAAA
ments, as Well as numerous new graves.
Several buildings were in smoking
ruins
Some of the Boer prisoners say that
General Cronje was in supreme COM
mand. He had to whip his men to pre-
vent them from DESERVING, and, despite
this, nan threw down their rifles and
fled"
London, December 4.-The Evening
News says it learns that a cable dis
patch was received today from ar off1-
Ger of the guards which says: I'm
Kimberley" which it is added, may
mean that General Methuen's van
guard has entered Kimberley.
Cape Town, Thursday, November 80.
The Cape Times has he following
dispatch from Mafeking: General
Cronje with 100 wagons and a large
body of Beers has left his laager, prac-
tically raising the siege, although des-
ultory firing can be heard"