Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-03-18
METHUEN is CAUGHT.
FAMOUS BRITISH GENERAL CAP
TURED BY BOERS.
Wounded and Made Prisoner in Fight
with DeIarey Near Winburg- Three
English Officers and IS Men Killed.
Bnrghers Get Guns and Baggage.

Great Britain has suffered. a terrible
reverse in South Africa. GSa. Methuen,
one OF Eagland's famous soldiers and a
force of 1.10o men under his command.
met defeat az the hands of the Boer gem
eral, Delarey. Methuen himself was
wounded and taken prisoner and four
guns We're captured from the British The
news of the defeat was announced in the
House of Commons Monday by Secretary
Of War Brodrick. 1t was one of the
most sensational statements ever made 20
Parliament.
Secretary PT9drick read a dispatch
from Gen. Kitchener announcing the re-
verse. The troops under Paris were
moving in two columns. those with the
OK wagons moving an hour ahead of
those with the mules. When the Beers
attacked shortly after dawn. the mules
stampeded and all the mules and wag-
ons, with a terrible mixture of mounted
men. rushed past the OK wagons. Efforts
TO check them were unavailing. Paris
collected 400 men, but after a gallant but
useless defense. the enemy rushed them
Methuen was wounded in the thigh and
Paris, being surrounded. surrendered at
10 o'clock in the morning. Three officers
and thirty-eight men were killed and FIVE
officers and seventytwo men wounded.
Two hundred men were missing.
After reading the bad news Secretary
Brodrick added word OF apology for
the defeated British general "Methuen,
he said, has been conducting operations
for two years in a difficult country. His
failure to relieve Kimberley did not re-
fleet to his discredit" In the House OF
Lords Lord Raglan. Under Secretary Of
War, dramatically read the telegram
with the details of the dispatch Lord
Roberts. commander-in-chief of the army.
and who had many important successes
while in command in South Africa. made
a speech and euogized Methuen's sue
cess throughout the war
The scene of the battle between Meth
uen and Delarey is in the southwestern
part of the Transvaal in the vicinity of
Matching Methuens starting point
Wynburg. is in the Orange Free State.
and his destination, Lchtenburg, is in
the Transyaal. not many miles from
Mafeking. Methuen had nearly complet
ed his march of E.ore than 100 miles
when the Beers stopped him.
General Methuen's Career.
Lord Paul Methuen has long been
credited with being one OF the best tac-
ticians in the army. Early in the South
African war he was given command of
the division of the British army which
started to the relief of Kimberley and
Mafeking. He met with fair success until
he struck the Modder river, where the
famous Boer general, Cronje. was ~ait-
ing for him. The battle Of Magersfon-
tein followed and resulted in virtual le-
feat for the British. for their advance
was checked The British loss in this
battle was one of the heaviest of the war.
Gen Wauchope was among the killed.
Earl Roberts relieved Methuen. His de-
feat of Cronje and the surrender of the
Boer leader made Roberts famous march
to Bloemfontein and Pretoria possible.
Gen. Methuen returned to England. but
after a rest he returned to the field and
has since commanded a small division un-
der Lord Kitchener
Commandment Delarey, next to De Wet
is one of the best of the Boer fighters.
Delarey issued proclamation last fail.
following close on the heels of one issued
by Lord Kitchener, in which the latter
called on all Beers to surrender by Sept.
Il. Delarey's pronunciamento was brief.
He called on the Beers to disregard
Kitchener's threats and fight to the end.