The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-27
with fifty 1-pound NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Win HIly l-pOunn
guns.
London. February %. $50 a. m.-The
war office has issued the following
from Lord Roberts:
~"Paardeberg. February 22-Methuen
reports from Kimberley that supplies
Of food and forage are being pushed
on as fast as possible. There will be
enough coal to start the Debeers mines
in ten days. BY this means great
misery viii be a~lleviated.
CRONJE REFUSED AN ARMISTICE.
Cape Town. Thursday Morning. Feb
ruary 22.-In reply to General Cronje's
request for an armisticc Of twenty
four hours to allow him to bury his
dead. Lord Kitchener told the Boer
commander that he must fight TO a
finish or surrender Internationally.
hopeless The British have occupied
Barley West.
London, February 23.-The Daily
News has the following dispatch from
Modder river dated Wednesday. Feb
ruary 21st: THE Boer forces under
General Cronje are estimated at 5000
men. At II O'Clock he asked an ar
mistice for t~wenty-four hours which
was refused. Later he sent a messen-
ger to say that he would surrender.
The British general sent a reply.
telling him to come into camp. Cronje
\ refused, saying there had been a mis-
understanding and that he would fight
to the death.
The bombardment was then reopen
ed and our Lyddite shells set fire to
the Boer wagons. We continued she'll
ing the Boer laager through the night.
and in the morning We resumed with
Maxims and rifles. principally from
the north side.
"On Sunday there was much waste
Of life in attacking and the same re-
suit will be achieved without it. Dur
ing Monday night seven Beers made
an attempt to break through out lines,
but they were captured and their lead
ers were detained. Four were carry
ing letters. 1t is believed that there
was one other who got through.
Other prisoners say that General
Cronje marched from Magersfontein
mere without ~outspanning, a distance
of ~thirty-three miles. Had he sue
ceeded in escaping it would have been
one of the finest performances in the
annals of war.
The Canadians made a gallant
charge at the laager, but were driven
back with loss. General Macdonald
and General Knox are slightly
wounded"
H BOERS IN A DEATH TRAP.
Pa%ardeberg Drift. Tuesday 2O.-Gen-
eral Cronje's magnificent night march
from Magersfontein now appears like
ly to end in disaster. The main body
OF the Beers is enclosed in a terrible
death trap. The enemy are hiding in
the bed of the Modder river, COM
manded by the British artillery and
enclosed on the east and west by the
British infantry. Sunday witnessed a
gallant stand on the part of the retreat
ing foe. Tired, harassed, they still
maintained a bold front. 1t is some
what difficult to explain the Sunday
action in which all the British force
was engaged and in which General
Cronje, under difficult conditions,
managed to hold his own. On Satur-
day night the British mounted infan-
try came into touch with Cronje's rear
guard, driving them back upon the
main body. On Sunday morning the
action was renewed, but the Beers, who
had entrenched the river bed during
the night prevented a further advance
of the mounted infantry in this direc-
ton.
BRITISH UNABLE TO DISLODGE
THEM.
Meanwhile, the Highland brigade,
consisting of the Seaforths, the Black
Watch and the Argyles, advanced from
the south ban and the Essex, the
WEIGH and the Yorkshires formed a
long line on the left, which rested on
the river, the extreme right being the
Welch. The whole line was ordered to
envelope h Beers, who lined both
banks of the river.
The firing soon became heavy. The
Beers, holding a splendid position, Gov
cred the left of the Highland brigade,
which advanced partly up the river
bed and partly in the open, while the
rest of the brigade, with the other reg
iment, swung round the front of the
Highland brigade on the level, cover
less ground, exposed to a terrible fire
which obliged the men to lie upon the
ground as they did, for the remainder
Of the day. This began at 1880 o'clock
in the morning. Through the dreadful
heat and a terrible thunderstorm, our
men hung to the position, answering
the Boer fire and shooting steadily.
In the meantime, the rest Of the in
fantry completed the enveloping nov
ment, the WEIGH regiment having sue
ceeding in Selling the drift, thus clos
ing in the Beers, who had fought
throughout with splendid courage.
General Cronje's lager, full Of carts,
ammunition and stores, could be plain
ly seen neal the north bank.
General Smith, orrien collected a
large body of men. including the Ca
nadians, and crossed the river by
Paardeberg drift, advancing toward
the lager, which was being vigorously
shelled. This force made a gallant at
tempt to charge into the lager. but
Idleu. beloIe selLinS the uIlilS, the
Beers occupied a kopje on the south
bank, running down the river. There
fore their force is cut in two. The
Beers hold the kopjes and have one
Vickers-Maxim, and probably one or
two other guns
Toward evening the battery or the
s%outhside opened, cooperating with
the battery on the north side. A won
derful sight followed. The shells fell
with amazing precision along the riv-
er bed, opposite the lager, which was
shelled thoroughly, damaging every
thing it contained. The infantry also
maintained a terrible fire, which was
answered vigorously. The scene to-
ward nightfall was terribly pictures
que, with the blazing wagons, the roar
ing artillery and the cracking rifle
fire.
cIN-DT>-r CCIJnNNED DEc,--