Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-12-07
THE MODDER RIVER BATTLE
Was the Severest Engagement
the British Have Had.
BATTLE WAGED NEARLY a HOURS
The Beers Numbered at Least
Ten Thousand.
They Were Well supplied With Artillery;
Their Fire Was Horribly Accurate. and
Simply Moved Down the British Guards
Night Put mn End to the Bloodshed.

l They Were Well supplied Win Artillery;
Their Fire Was Horribly Accurate, and
| Simply Moved Down the British Guards
| Night Put nn End to the Bloodshed.
4 London, Eng, Dec. 2.-The War
Office has received the following dis
patch from Gen. Forester Walker:
"Cape Town, Dec. 1.-Gen. Gataore
reports no change in the situation.
Gen. French has made reconnaissance
from Naauwpoort to Rosmead. The
troops returned to-day. Gen. Methuen's
flesh wound is slight. He is remaining
at Modder River, for the reconstruction
of the bridge. / am reinforcing him
with Highlanders and cavalry corps.
The Horse Artillery, the Canadian
regiment, the Australian contingents
and three battalli6ns of infantry have
moved up to the Deaar-Belmont line.
As surmised, the British dead and
wounded at the hard fought battle of
Modder River number hundreds. Up
to 9 O'Clock this afternoon, only the
bare total 43S, of which number 73 were
killed, had been given out. So, IL is
impossible to deduct from 1.-THE butch
er's bill' such information regarding
the nature Of the fight as will furnish
details of the loss as the different units
generally indicate.
By Gen. Forester Walkers dispatch,
it is proved that all reports of Gen.
Methuen' IS advance after the battle of
Modder River were premature, though,
with the railroad working, he should
not be long in constructing temporary
bl idee. His enforced delay, doubtless,
will be of considerable service, in giving
his hard-pushed column needful rest,
and in allowing the arrival of reinforce-
ments, of which he must be sorely in
need after three such fights, placing
hors du combat upwards OF LOCO men
J out of less than 1000. Gen. Forestier-
t Walkers announcement that the Can
adian marksmen and other reinforce
t ments have been pushed forward to the
; neighborhood of the Orange River, to
! protact Gen. Methuen's line of com
munication, has relieved much anxiety
! here, as it was,expected the Beers would
attempt to attack the vulnerable points
Of the line of communication.
London. Eng, Dec. 1.-The Daily
s Chronicle publishes the following dis
patch, dated November 29th, from its
b corr espondent at Modder River camp:
: 1.-The severest engagement our
+ column has yet had, and probably the
@ seyerest of the whole campaign, was
IOuSHb ytSbtTuay oh tnO pnhho Vi th''
i Modder River. The battle was waged
e fiercely for nearly IA hours.
r stThe enemy occupied strongly en-
j. trenched positions, their front extend,
IS ing five miles along the bank OF the
g stream. They were we'll supplied with
o artillery, and fought desperately.
II Sour force consisted OF the Second
y Battalion of the Gold Stream Guards,
n The First Battalion Of tho Scots GUARDS,
d the Third Battalion of the Grenadier
Il Guards, the First Battalion of the
2 Northumberland Fusiliers, the Second
IS Battalion of the Yorkshire Light ln
r, fantry The Kings Own, q part OF the
( First Battalion of the Loyal North
II T.ancers, the Mounted Infantry, thrce
N batteries OF field artillery and the First
- battalion of the Argyll and Southerland
l. nighlanders princess Louise. J The
last named reinforced us fiom Gen.
O. Wauhope's brigade, and arrived just 10
nf time for tho fight.
1.-THE battle started at daybl eak, onI
guns shelling tho Boer's left. The
enemy replied with artillery, Hotchkiss
'e and Maxims, and the artillery due
lasted some hours. Then there was Q
I'd brief lull in the enemy's operations, O.
m which the general Immediately tool
It AUVAnThnb. NJuT IulHnlTy hofhuSbt
e. across the plain toward the river in twt
ii brigades. The guards. on the right
r. weic met by an awful hail of bullets
in from the enemy's sharpshooters, rostet
is close to the river, on the opposite bank
y, They had no cover whatever. and wert
or simply moved down. 1t seemed i'm
s. possib!e to live through the terrible lire
IN but tho brave fellows did not retrea
n an inch. The Boer fire was horribly
IS. accurate, and they must have numbered
le at least 10000.
as ''The Scots Guards advanced 60
I'd yards before they were fired on. TheI
lg hey had to lie down. to escape tr
p deadly fusiade, which lasted withou
RS intermission throughout the day.
y, "Tha Highlanders made several at
tennis to force passage Of the river
hut they were exposed to such muir
derous fire that they had to retire, ATTIC
9. they had suffered terribly. Sutse
ne auently, party OF the guards got over
" w and held their own for hours agains
~ a vastly superior force.
u "The general opinion of the staff wa
TX that there had never been such sus
" tanned fire in the annals Of the Britis
- army as that which our troops hadst
face yesterday. Our men fell in dozen
while trying to rush the bridge.
among the many ueruic uoeue, VI
Of the most conspicuous was that Q
nd Lieut. Col, Codrington Of the Col
'd- Stream Guards, Capt. Sellpein Of th
Queensland contingent and doze
lie members of the Cold Strear
ler Guards, who jumped into the rive
and swan nearly to the other sid
III. in the face of steady fire, but VII
in we're forced to retire and, joining hands
swan back. two Of their number bein
ev nearly drowned in the retreat.
liz ia "The British guns kept up heav
80 fire all day, and fearful havoc Wa
~ wrought en- the Boer positions, tn
ne ne enemy being forced to fly from the
"e entertainments. Night put an end
,oj the terrible bloodshed. The infants
'a. ,es brigade was dreadfully cut up.
i"' 1.-THE Beers retreated at night, tai
nv. ing their guns with them. and we ai
M now occupying their positions. Ih
~ ~ epemy's loss was tremendous
sGfcfDE OF COL. BEERETON.
i