The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-03-20
THE RECENT BOER VICTORY
BRITISH WERE SURROUNDED.

Dslarey's Men Routed the Rear Guard
aud . Desperate Rattle Took Place
Britiah Surrendered After Their Ann
muaition Was Exhausted.
London. March 1.-THE war office
has received the following communi
cation from Lord Kitchener at Pre-
toria concering the recent disaster
to British arms in South Africa. the
Beers under General Delarey admins
tering the defeat:
Lord Methuen has sent me Q star
officer with dictated report, from
which it appears that certain partic-
ulars previously given are inaccurate.
The rear zone of mounted troops was
rushed and overwhelmed at dawn.
There was a gap Of mile between
the OK and the mule conveys. The
mounted supports to the rear Of the
screen. with General Methuen. imme
diately reinforced by all the available
mounted troops and section Of the
Thirty-eighth battery. maintained
themselves for an hour, during which
the conveys were closing up without
disorder.
I'm the meantime 200 infantry were
being disposed by Lord Methuen to
resist the Boer attack. which was
outflanking the left Of the rear guard.
The Beers pressed that attack hard
and the mounted troops, attempting
to fall back upon the infantry. got
completely out of hand. Two guns
OF the Thirty-eighth battery were
thus left unprotected, but continued
in action until every man. with the
exception of Lieutenant Nesham. was
hit. Lieutenant Nesham was called
on to surrender. and upon refusing
to do SO was killed.
Lord Methuen, with 200 OF the
Northumberland fusileers and two
guns OF the Fourth battery, then
found himself isolated, but held on
for three hours. During this period
the remaining infantry, namely. 100
Of the Lancashires, with some 40
mounted men. mostly Cape police
who had occupied the kraal near the
wagons. also continued to hold out
against the repeated attacks of the
Beers.
! by this time Lord Methuen war
wounded and the casualties were ex
ceedingly heavy amongst his men
The ammunition was mostly expended
and the surrender was made at about
! half past In the morning.
The party in the kraal still hell
out and did not give in until two gum
: and a pompom were brought to bea
. upon them at about 10 o'clock. max
!, ing their position untenable.
r 1T is confirmed that most of tn
: Beers wore our khaki uniforms. Man!
also wore our badges. Even at clos
= quarters they could not be distin
! guished from our men.
: at is clear the infantry fought vel
: and the artillery kept up the trad
lions of their regiment. In addition
' to the 40 members Of the Cape polio
;. already mentioned, a few imperia
yeomanry and Cape police continues
to hold their ground after the PAM
= had swept the bulk OF the mounte
:, troops off the field"
: Lord Kitchener has Geographic dis
. patches showing that the fghtin
. lasted much longer than was SUI
o posed. which confirms the belief ths
. the disaster to General Methuen'
|, force was due to leaving too large
+ gap between the front convoy and tn
J. rear, and to placing an insufncier
Il screen behind the rear guard. whic
l. brought about q panic among tn
e troops as q result Of the BOer Of
slaught.
u Much resentment ia felt that tn
u Beers wore British uniforms aQ
IL badges. but there is satisfaction VII
y the later accounts of the affair tbs
y the British troops behaved belts
= than was supposed from the earle
n reports.
r. From the dispatch 1t is inferred thu
% General Methuen was shot while RI
z, ing to bring up the mounted troop
t. and that his horse was killed. Att
Df the surrender, General Delarey rod
n. UP and treated General Methuen wit
" the greatest courtesy and consider
ton. He ordered his return to Klerk
~ dorp under the care OF his ON
1T nephew and a medical ohicer.
re According to the Klerksdorp CO
:" respondent of the Daily Mail. ii
=; burghers were so angry at this tn
- a party Of them went out and brougl