The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-16
METHOEN'S RECALL
TO BE RELIEVED OF COMMAND AND
PLACED ON RETIRED LIST.
BROKEN DOWN IN MIND AND BODY
Many Evidences Of This I'm His Dis
patches to the War Ofice-This Con-
dition the Cause of Defeat at Magers-
fontein-His QuarreIs with Omcers
for Opposing the Attack-The Fatal
Charge of the Black watch and Sac
rifice of His Life by It's Commander.

for Opposing the Attack-The Fatal
Charge of the Black watch and sac
rifce of His Life by It's Commander.
Chicago, January ia special cable
to The Chicago Tribune from London
says:
Lieutenant General Lord Methuen
commanding the column advancing to
the relief OF Kimberley. is TO be reIiev-
ed OF his command within two weeks.
Later, he he will be sent to Cape Town
and eventually 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. AL
ways a man of rather frail physique
although a clever boxer and an all
gan to show signs of breaking down al
most immediately after he took COM
mand of his division.
Three day after the battle of Bel
mont, Genera WolseNey suggested to
the war office that Metheun be relieved.
His advice was not needed. The wis
dom of Ink aged, but keen, m
! III lin oIltLSu dIIIly Is "
realized to the fullest extent by the
war office who scoffed at his suggestion.
Friends of Lord Metheun insist he
Is only in broken health; that the
strain of campaigns mas Shatter-
ed his naturally nervous system.
HIS MIND UNBALANCED.
Those who know THE circumstances
and the situation on Modder river
equally we'll and who are willing to
y -. q Ll.-%- n n
mine 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 government with some of the most
remarkable message ever received from
a general in action. One received a
few days ago is a fair sample of the.
rest. 1t contained just three words:
Darkness after dawn"
1t is stated by those acquainted with
the inner workings and campaign
adopted by the war office, that Lord
Kitchener, the hero of Omduran, who
with Lord Roberts arrived at Cape
Town today, will proceed Immediately
to Modder river. He may not take ac-
tive field command of the troops, but
will put the column in working order
again N then assign some one else,
probably General Colville, to take Me-
| thuen'S place.
Lord Methuen, in addition to his
other eccentricities, has quarreled
with a number of officers under him.
THREE of them, Colonel Arthur Paget,
Colonel Cough and Captain Campbell,
he ordered home. They arrived in Lon
don today. Colonel Cough, who COM
manded the cavalry detachment in the
Magersfontein battle, is seeking a vfn-
dication by court-martial When
4 GOurCrh offnronfRd tn-6ic015..a f11a Tl9 N
of the MageTSfontein attack Methuen
ordered him under arrest. The London
press is considerably suppressing the
true state of affairs so far as Methuen's
ailment is concerned, blu the papers
do not hesitate to print the hard facts
about the battle of Margersfontein,
which are just reaching London
through the mails, all of which go to
show, in the language of an officer that
1.-The attack was that of a madman."
FATAL CHARGE OF THE BLACK
WATCH.
The death of Lord Wauchope, com
mander of THE Black Watch, was one
of the MANI sad results of that engage.
ment. Lord Wauchope, it is now wei
!, known, realized the futility of the as.
sault ais planned by Methuen. He ar
gued strongly and expostulated bitterly
against it. Methuen, however, persist
| ed n the two quaTreled over the mat
> ter the night before the battle which
4 proved so disastrous to THE British
: forces. A emb of the Black Watcl
in a letter just received, gives the de
{ tails of the charge which led Wauchop
to his death. He quotes the general;
. dying wordsworth showing now full,
he realized the situation even in tn
Z hour of his death The letter reads:
, 1T was n of the darkest nights w
{ eve saw. The rain fell in torrents an
l we went or and forward, falling
i stumbling and slipping over rocks an,
ant-hills.
: TT was Impossible to see where w
, were going. After we had been take
: by surprise our right half battalio
> charged, but the men We're movie
e down like grain before a a Gen
:: eral Wauchope was shot at the begin
q ming OF the charge. When he saw tn
: mistake that had happened he shouted
Rally roun me, Black Watch. It's nc
my fault Then he fell, literally rid
died with bullets"
Letters from men serving in the Mod
, der river column tell of the democrat
ization of the troops since the com
manders in c~apacitation- A Highlan
q brigade man says:
There is not the slightest doubt thu
Methuen has lost the confidence
every man in the Highland brigade.
a am not going too far in saying thu
they are afraid to trust their lives wit
Or him"
q "Wachuope, no doubt, went out
find DEATH writes Sergeant Gre,
20 when such a disastrous fire opene,
He had previously shouted to Ii
- Argyle Highlanders: Don't blame n
for this I received my orders and ha
NJ to obey Them With proper handlin
we could have cleared the Beers >ol
= in two hours. AS 1T was wv were tai
: en- into a -butchershop and left there
Dozens OF other letters are printe
all of the same tone.
London, Jaunary 1.-THE officials
the wal Office here denied the repo
published in the United States TIL
General Methuen has been recalled.
n TO INCREASE PRICE OF COAL.
Philadelphia, January 18th Pre-
fomOrroU will saw On Anril 1St the