Gilpin observer., 1902-03-13
GENERAL LORD MErHrrv.


which was broken by loud Irish cheers.
Instantly there we're cries of shame"
SHAME" from the government bench
es. Then the Irish members seemed
to think better of their outbreak and
suddenly subsidized. The subsequent
eulogistic references to General Me
thuen were received with cheers. In
brief, Lord Kitchener announced that
when General Methuen was captured.
wounded, with four guns, three British
officers and IS men were killed and
five officers and ~ men We're wound
~. In addition, one officer and 200
|men were reported missing.
The fight in which General Methuen
was captured occurred before dawn
March between Winburg and Lich-
! tenburg. Orange River Colony. The
\ British force numbered 1900 men.
.Delarey. who has proved himself
the most able OF all the Boer generals.
has within fortnight gained second
decisive victory. His first victory was
the capture of Vondonops camp. when
the British casualties in killed. wound
ed and made prisoners totaled 632,
and he has now added to his laurels
by the capture. for the first time
throughout the campaign. of a prom
ipent British general and by inflict-
. ing what is generally admitted to be
one of the worst reverses the British
have suffered throughout the whole
war. 1t is supposed that Lord Me-
thuen was marching with the intention
to avenge the capture of the Vondonop
convoy. The newspaper correspond
ents in South Africa have not been
allowed to describe the affair. The
only additional details available are
contained in further dispatch from
Lord Kitchener, which Mr.. Brodrick,
the secretary of war, read just as par
1iament adjourned. This dispatch
shows that the utmost confusion was
caused by native boys with led horses.
mo galloped through the mule convoy
fas the latter was endeavoring. by Lord
Methuen's direction, to close on the
OK convoy. The disorder among the
mules communicated itself to the
mounted troops and the Beers, dressed
in khaki. frustrated all the attempts
vi the British officers to rally their
forces. Great confusion ensued among
this portion OF the mounted troops.
they and the mule wagons galloplng
three miles beyond the OK wagons,
where they were cut Off.
Sections OF the Fourth and Thirty.
eighth batteries of artillery fought
with great gallantry and 300 men COM
posed of the Northumberland Fusiliers
ana the Lancashires showed great
courage in protecting the wagons and
in refusing to surrender until resist
ance was useless. The force under
General Delarey was almost entirely
dressed in British uniforms. This
made it impossible for the infantry
to distinguish between their own men
and the enemy when the mounted
troops were driven In on them. The
enemy numbered 1900 men. They
had one 15-pounder and pompom.
Delarcy, Celliers, Kemp. verraso,
Tromp and other commandants were
present. General Methuen was seen
by an agent of the intelligence depart
ment. He was being well cared for in
his own wagon.
In n private telegram received here
Lord Kitchener says: 81 find Methuen
has fractured thigh. but is reported
u be doing we'll" In another mes
LAge Lord Kitchener says the wounded
: will be brought in to the railroad to.
day and says: Il hope the reinforce
ments now arriving will rectlfy the
situation In this area without dis
turblng operations elsewhere" It Is re-
ported that Lord Kitchener's incom.
plete accounts have not told the worst
but among the newspapers and the
public there is n tendency to accept
Mr.. Brodrick's advice to suspend judy