Oakes Republican., 1902-03-14
LIKE THUNDtRBOLI TO LONDON
BOERS UNDER DELAREY ADMINS
TER A HARD BLOW TO
BRITISH.
BRITISH GENERAL IS WOUNDED
KILLED. SEVENTY
SEVEN WOUNDED AND MANY
MISSING.

London, March ~. 1t was an
nounced yesterday that Gen. Lord
MethIen and four guns had been cap
tured by the Beers commanded by
Gen. Delarey The news came like a
editions of the evening papers giving
an account of the disaster were eager
ly bought up and their readers hurried
through the streets with anxious faces
and bitter remarks We're passed on the
subject of the governments declara-
tion that the war in South Africa was
over. The news came too late to af
feet business on the stock exchange,
but excited curb dealings quickly fol-
loved the closing in which South Afri-
cans slumped heavily.
The news was received in the house
of commons amid great excitement.
The reading of Lord Kitcheners tele-
gram by the war secretary, Mr.. Brod-
rick, was listened to in deep silence,
which was broken by loud Irish cheers.
Instantly there We're cries of shame
SHAME" from the government
benches. Then the Irish members
seemed to think better of their out
break and suddenly subsided. The
subsequent eulogistic references to
Gen. Methuen We're received with
cheers.
In brief. Lord Kitchener announced
thas Gen. Methuen was capture,
wounded, with four guns, three British
officers and thirty EIGHT men We're
killed and five officers and seventy
two men were wounded. In addition
one officer and 200 men We're reported
missing.
I<itchener's Melancholy Recital.
The text of Lord Kitchener's dis
patch announcing the capture of Gen.
Methuen, is as follows:
Pretoria, March ST. greatly regret
to have to send you bad news of Me-
thuen. He was moving with 900
mounted men, under Maj. Paris, and
300 infantry, four guns and a pompom,
from Winburg to Lichtenburg, and
was to meet Grenfell with 1900 mount
ed men at Rovirainesfontein to-day.
Yesterday morning early he was at
tackled by Delarey's force between
Twe-Bosch and Palmieteknill. The
Beers charged on three sides.
Five hundred and fifty men have
come in at Maribogs and Kraaipan.
They were pursued by the Beers four
miles from the scene of the action.
They report that Methuen and Paris,
with the guns, baggage, ETC., were
captured by the Beers. Methuen,
when last seen, was a prisoner.
Beers Oh Both Flanl1s.
In a second dispatch dated Sunday,
March 9, Lord Kitchener says:
Paris has come in at Kraaipan with
the remainder of the men. He reports
| that the column was moving in two
parties. One, with the OK wagons, left
Twe-Bosch at a. m. The other, with
the mule wagons, started an hour
later, Just before dawn the Beers at
tackled. Before reinforcements could
reach them the rear guard broke. In
the meantime a large number of Beers
galloped up on both flanks. These at
first were checked by the flank
parties, but the panic and stampede
Of the mules had begun and all the
mule wagons with a terrible mixture
Of mounted men. rushed past the OK
wagons All efforts to check them
| We're unavailing.
Maj Paris, collected forty men and
occupied a position a mile in front Of
the OK wagons, which We're then halt
ed. After gallant but useless de-
fense, the enemy rushed into the OK
wagons and Methuen was wounded in
the thigh. Paris, Being surrounded,
surrendered at 10 a. m: Methuen is
still in the Boer camp.
AS Lord Kitchener announced that
Maj. Paris had surrendered and also
telegraphed that he reached, Kraai-
pan with the remainder of the men, it
may be inferred that the Beers subse-
quently released the major and his
companions.
PERISHED IN FIRE.