The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-14
bad FOR THE BRITISH
Signal Defeat Of Lord Msthuen's
Forces at Magersfontein.
GEN. wAuoHopEAMoNe THE DEAD
Famous as Colonel of the Black
Watch and Gladstone's Political
believed to he at Least A5O,

Watch and GIadstone's Political
Opponent--Gen. Methuen's Losses
Believed to be at Least A5O.
London, Dec. 14.--Each important
battle seems to bring worse reverse
for the British, and the papers this
morning surrowfully admit that Lord
Methuen's check at Magersfontein Is
the most serious event the war has yet
produced. The position Lord Methuen
assaulted is thus described by corre-
+ spondent:
Magersfontein range terminates on
the east with an abrupt saddle rock,
some $50 feet high. Boer entrench-
ments run around the whole. front.
The position is some two miles long.
due east and west. The western ends
Of the trenches follow the center Of the
kopjes and afford retreat.
1t Is estimated here that Lord
Methuen's forces amounted to 11,000
men and perhaps TO more. No reliable
estimate of his losses has yet been re-
ceived. They are believed to have
been at least $50. ~
Julian Ralph. describing the battle
at Magersfontein In special dis
patch to The Daily Mail, says:
The Beers were entrenched at Ma
gersfontein, four miles north OF Mod
der river. At dawn Monday the High
landers. advancing across the vefdt,
were suddenly subjected to murder
Gus fire from the trenches about 200
yards in front. The greater part OF
the fearful loss Of the day was thus
suffered in single minute.
Startled and overwhelmed, the bril-
gade retired quickly, but soon rallied
and retained their position. This was
on the left.
On the right the Guards brigade ad-
vanced across the veldt against other
trenches and fought an invisible foe
for Is hours.
At IL in the morning the Gordon
Highlanders were sent forward. The
Beers allowed them to pass one line
Of trenches, and then enflladed them.
We raked the Boer trenches with az
tillery throughout the day. The fight
ing only ceased with nightfall
The British casualties included the
Marquis of Winchester, major of the
Second battalion, Coldstream Guards.
who was killed, and Colonel Downham.
Of the First battalion, Gordon High
landers, who was mortally wounded.
When the Highlanders met the
murderous blank fire of the Beers they
were about mown down. The Black
Watch regiment, on reforming, was
able to muster only $50 men. The
Beers lost heavily in the trenches and
also In the wire arrangements when
kAt no t1tO he In nr nj
tempt to make flank attack on the
British.
The terrific British artillery fire
provoked no response except from the
Boer rifles until nearly 4 O'Clock in the
afternoon, when the Gordon High
landers formed to renew the attack on
the entrenched kopje. They 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
shrapneI fire as tue British advanced,
and 1t was found physically impossible
to take the Boer trenches. The Brit
ish got within 200 yards, but could
no. get nearer. 1t was here that Colo
mel Downham fell.
The Beers had had free recourse to
barbed wire entanglements, which Of
fered great obstacles even after the
damage inflicted by the British artil-
lery fire.
Tuesday morning both sides occu-
pied the positions they held before the
battle. The greatest bravery was dis
played by both officers and men. The
wounded include Lieutenant Colonel
A. e. Coirington and Captain Sterling,
both of the First, .atfalion Of the Cold
stream Guards.
The war office has also received the
following dispatch from General For
estier-Walker, Mted Cape Town, Tues
day: "Methuen wires that General
Wauchope was killed in action yester-
day." General Andrew Wilbert WAUGH
ope, C. B., G. M. G., v. c., was one Of
the bravest and most experienced Of
fcers in the British army. He became
famous 20 years ago as the colonel of
the celebrated BLACK Watch" A pc
culiar distinction was his Tory con-
didacy for parliament for Midlothian
against the late William Evart Glad
stone.
All the papers comment upon the
extreme gravity OF the situation, and
upon the momentous decision Lord
Methuen now has to take-whether to
remain at Modder River or to retire
on Orange River. The Times says:
cat least 10000 additional men must
be sent out. The entire available re-
serve must be called up, and the
militia and volunteers turned to ac-
count"