River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-12-07
DETAILS OF THE FIGHT.
A Correspondents Account of the
Battle nj Modder River-Cor-
rected List of casualties.

London, Dec. ga correspondent
with Gen. Lord Methuen'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 stubbornness on both
sides. There was one continuous roar. like
the explosion of countless frecraekers.
There was no fiinching on either side, and
not a moments pause. For five hours the
British batteries poured tons of ~shrapnels
and shells into the Boer positions. Lord
Methuen had % guns. and each fired an av-
erage of 200 rounds. The Beers had an al
most equal number of guns. which, II is
reported, were mostly served by French
and German artiilerists,
1t is believed that the Beers had occu-
pied the position seven weeks before and
had spent the interval in terrifying and
rendering it, as they considered, impreg-
nable. They did not seem 10 fear to spend
their ammunition and their guns were well
and smartly handled.
lowing TO the benz In the river on the
right, the Beers had an opportunity Of
cross-firing on the British attack. A Boer
hotchkiss was directed with marvellous ac-
curacy against British maxim. killing the
sergeant In charge, wounding an officer
and disabling the gun This occurred quite
at the beginning of the engagement. When
ever the Boer fire was silenced in one d.
rection it was Immediately reopened in an
other. Owing to the terrific fire nobody on
the plain was out of range. Stretcher bear
ers found 1t impossible to go forward in
the few cases they were called upon to at
tend, and the wounded We're compelled, II
possible. to crawl out of the lines.
mo quarter seems to have been given on
either side. The British assert that, amid
the bullets. the ambulance wagons dis
played their flags promiseuously to no ad-
80 . Oz 1%Iagn -ara VanaaFadtU HrfXAn
back and compelled to take refuge out of
sight. 1t is alleged that the Beers used
dumdums and made special targets of the
horses on the plain In the hope OF hitting
the riders. While the Argyll highlanders
were pushing across the river they were
fired upon from a house and several fell.
Thereupon the highlanders stormed the
house, and, although the Beers hoisted a
white flag, no attention was paid TO 1t, and
all the Beers were shot.
1T is reported that Gen. Cronje, with his
contingent, retreated toward L%angeberg
at four o'clock in the afternoon. Others
followed in the direction of Jacobsdal, and
the main body of the Beers retired with the
guns about eight in the evening.
"On the following morning at daybreak
the British fired a few shells into the viii
lage. Getting no response, a patrol of cav
airy crossed the river and found the enc
my's camp deserted. Dead Beers and many
who were dying were to be seen every
where in the intrenchments, as well as
numerous new graves. Several buildings
were in smoking ruins
Some of the Boer prisoners say that
Gen. Cronje was in supreme command. He
had to whip his men to prevent them from
deserving, and despite this many threw
down their rifles and fled"
London, Dec. The corrected list
of casualties, noncommissioned officers
and men, shows 70 killed, 372 wounded
and seven missing.
Cape Town, Thursday, Nov. 30.-The
Cape Times has the following dispatch
from Mafeking: Gen. Cronje, with 100
wagons and a large body of Beers, has
left his lager, practically raising the
siege, although desultory firing can be
heard"