The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-01-17
Madman Command Camp.
Story of the Pitiful State of Lieu
tenant General Methuen.

tenant General Methuen.
Ordered the Magersfontein Attack
Against Advice of Many Officers
Quarrelled with LEADERSHIP be
Relieved as Soon as Possible.
Chicago, January ia special
cable to the Chicago Tribune from
London, says: Lieutenant General
Lord Mathuen, commanding the col
umn advancing to the relief of Kim
berley, is to be relieved of his com,
mand within two weeks. Later he
will be sent to Cape Town and event
ually ordered home. When he
reaches England he will be retired.
These facts have been confirmed
by an official of the war office. Lord
/ Methuen's case is a sad one. Always
a man of rather frail physique-al-
though clever boxer and an all round
sportsman-his constitution began to
show signs of breaking down almost
Immediately after he took command
Of his division.
Three days after the battle Of Bel
mont Gen. Wolseley suggested to the
war office that Methuen be relieved.
His advice was not needed. The
wisdom of the aged but keen CON-
mander-in-chief of the British army
! is now realized to the fullest extent
by the war Office who scoffed at bis
suggestion.
Friends Of Lord Methuen insists
that he is in broken health, that the
strain of many campaigns has shat
tered bis naturally nervous system.
Those who know the circumstances
and situation on Modder river equally
we'll and who are willing to state facts
plainly, says that Methuen's mind is
unbalanced.
Constant proof of this has been
coming to the notice Of the officials
of the war office for two weeks past.
The commander of the Modder river
forces has bombarded the govern
ment with some of the most remark
able messages ever received from a
General in action. One received a
few days ago, is fair sample OF
| the rest. It contained just three
words: Darkness after dawn"
1t is stated by those acquainted
with the inner workings and cam.
paign adopted by the war cffice, that
| Lord Kitchener, the hero of OuL
durman, who with Lord Roberts ar
rived at Cape Town today, will pro-
ceed Immediately to A1odder river.
He many not take active field COM
mand of the troops but will put the
column in working order again and
then assign some one else, probably
Gen. Colville, to take Methuen 5 place.
| Lord Methuen, in addition 10 his
other eccentricities, has qaarrelled
With a number of officers under him.
Three of them, CJl. Arthur Psget,
C,l. Cough and Capt. Campbell, he
| ordered home. They arrived in Lon
don today. Col. Cough, who COM
manded the cavalry detachment in
the Magersfontein battle, is seeking
vindication by court martial. When
Cough attempted to discuss the plan
of the Magersfontein attack Methuen
ordered him under arrest. The Lon
don press is considerably suppress
ing the true state of affairs so far as
Methuen's ailment is concerned. But
the papers do not hesitate to print
the hard facts about the battle Of
| Magersfontein, which are just reach,
ing London through the mails, all Of
! which go to show, in the language o1
; an officer that ''the attack was that Ct
madman."
| The death of Lord Wauchope
commander of the Black Watch, was
one of the many sad results of thai
engagement. Lord Wouchope it il
now we'll known, realized the futility
! of the assault as planned by Methuen
He argued strongly and ezpostulate>
bitterly against it. Methaep, how
ever, persisted, and the two quar-
relied over the matter the night be
fore the battle which proved SO dis
astrous to the British forces. 4
member of the Black Watch in {
letter just received, gives the details
! of the charge which led Wauchopt
4 to his death. He qnotes the Gere