Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-04
THE BATTLE
IS DESCRIBED
Methuen'S Men Charged the
Enemy at MOdder River.
UNDER WITHERING FIRE
The Greatest Gallantry Shown
by the British Troops in
Wading the River.
THE BoERs IN TRENCHES
Poured Down an Awful Hail Of Bullets
But There Was No Faltering- One
Of the Heroic Deeds That Was
Performed.

London, Dec. 4-The Daily Chronicle
publishes the following dispatch, dated
Wednesday morning, from its correspon-
dent at MOdder river camp:
Inc seVerest engagement our column
has yet had and probably the severest Of
the whole campaign was fought yester-
day on the banks Of the Modder river.
me battle Waged tiercely for nearly IA
hours. The. enemy occupied strongly
entrenched position, their front extending
ilve miles along the bank OF the stream.
They We're we'll supplied with Artillery
and fought desperately
Our force consisted Of the second bait
talon Of the Coldstream Guards. first
battalion Of the Scots Guards. third BAT
TALON Of the Gienadier Guards, first bat
talon Of the Northumberland Fusileers
second battalion Of the Yorkshire light
artillery tking's Own. part Of the first
battalion of the Royal Lancashire regi-
ment, Ninth Lancers, mounted infantry,
three batteries of field artillery and the
first battalions of the Argyle and Suther-
land Hishanders. The latter reinforced
us from General Weuchope's brigade and
arrived just in time for the fight
The battle started at daybreak, our
guns shelling the Beers left The enemy
replied with artillery, Hotchkiss and
MaNlms and the artillery duel lasted
some hours. Then there was IA brief lull
in the enemys operations of which we
Immediately took advantage. The infan
try advanced across the plain towards
the river in two brigades.
The Guards on the right We're me- by
an awful hail Of bullets from the e,,emy,s
sharpshooters posted close TO the river on
The opposite bank. Ours had no cnyer
Whatever and We're simply moved down.
IL seemed impossible to live through the
terrible fire, but the brave fellows did not
retreat an inch. The Boer fire was hor
rlbly accurate and they must have nnm-
bered at least 10000. The Scots Guards
advanced 600 yards before they were fired
upon. Then they had to lie down to es
cape the deadly fusilade which lasted
without intermission throughout the day.
The Highlanders made several attempts
to force passage of the river but they
We're exposed to such a murderous en-
1llading fire that they had to retire after
they had suffered terribly.
Subsequently a party OF the Guards GOT
over and held their own for hours against
vastly superior force The general
opinion of The staff is that there had
never been such a sustained fire in tho
annals of the British army as that oar
troops had TO face yesterday Our men
fell in dozens While trying TO rush the
bridge.
Among the many heroic deeds one Of
the most conspicuous was that of Lieu
tenant CodinSton of the Coldstreau
Guards, Captain Seliheyn of the Queens
land contingent, and Il dozen members of
the coldstrcam Guards. who Jumped into
the river and swan nearly to The other /
side in the face of steady fire, but were
forced to retire and joining hands, swan
back, two of their number being nearly
in the retreat
The British guns kept UP heavy fro
all day and fearful havoc was wrought
on the Beer positions, the enemy bein.
forced to iy from the entertainments
Night put an end to he terrible blood
shed. The infantry brigade as areadf,,,;y
cut up. The Beers retired at night. TAX
ing their guns with .hen.. and we are noa.
their positions. Tae enemy's
loss was tremendous.