Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-13
Beers SCORE
GREAT VICTORY
KILL AND CAPTURE MANY
BRITISH SOLDIERS.
LORD METHUEN A CAPTIVE
Three British Officers and Thirty-eight
Men kiIied-200 Are Reported
Missing-News Comes Like
Thunderbolt to London-Anxiously
Awaiting Details.

uOuuC6u yesterday tudI deuSi dI LII
Methuen and four guns had been cap
tured by the beers, commanded ny
General De Larey. The news came
like thunderblot to London. Extra
editions of the evening papers, giving
an account of the disaster were caglI
ly bought up and readers hurried
through the streets with anxious faces
and bitter remarks were passed on the
subject of the government declaration
that the war in south Africa was over
The news came too late to affect the
business of the stock exchange, but
excited curb dealings quickly followed
during which south Africans slumped
heavily.
The news was received in
the house of commons amid great ex-
element. The reading of Gen Kit
chener's telegram by War Secretary
Broderick was listened to in deep
silence which was broken by loud
Irish cheers. Instantly theIe were
SC ernment benches. Then the irish
members seemed to think better ~
their outbreak and suddenly subsidized
Subsequent eulOgistic references to
General Methuen were received with
cheers. In brief, Gen. Kitchener an
nounced that Lord Methuen was cap
tured and wounded, with four guns
and three British officers and 3S men
were killed and five officers and =
men wounded. In addition one officer
and 200 men were reported missing
Lord Roberts, cOmmander-in-chiei.
who announced the British disaster in
the house of lords. said that Lord
Methuen for over two years had
carried on his work with zeal. intel
ligence and great perseverance, add
ing that he general was beloved of
his men and that no work was too
dangerous or difficult for them or
Methuen. The cOmmander-in-chie
was sure that the house was deeply
grieved at what had occurred. He
would ask their lordshipS to concur
with him in his sympathy for the gal
liant officer in his present unfortunate
position and defer adverse critici., m
till they had had definite information
as to who was directly responsible.
From DeLarey'S conduct throughout
the war they could all be assured that
Methuen would be taken great care of.
Lord Spencer 0iberaD, former presi-
dent of the council, said that he thor
oughly believed in General Methuen's
zeal. He did not want to offer a hint
of criticicm at the present time.
Salisbury also expressed deep sym
pathy with Methuen under the present
unfortunate circumstances. He said
it was not time to discuss his action
He had always acted with the greatest
, gallantry and the premier, therefore
thought they should defer criticism
@ examination of the very sad intel
ligence until details arrived His
lordship was convinced that Methuen
had done his best in connection with
this most melancholy affair
The feeling Of depression in the
Hobbies of the commons over the new
disaster was very marked. Several
| members of the house expressed the
opinion that it will necessitate the
sending of fresh troops to the front
| while the belief was widely expressed
that the beers will not fail to take ad
| vantage of Methuen's prominence to
| hold him as hostage for the safety
! of Commandant Kritzinger and other
| boer leaders now in the hands of the
British.
Methuen commanded the column
| sent to relieve Kimberly in the latter
part of '99 and while on that service
| fought the beers at Belmont, Gras
| Pan, Modder river and Maggersfon
tein. At the battle of Gras Pan the
beers were under the command Of
! tor now. After these engagements
Roberts was sent to south Africa
where he took personal command OF
the British advance on Kimberly anC
| relieved Kimberly on February Is
1900 After Methuen's defeat a
Magersfontein it was reported tina
he had shown signs of breaking dow1
almost Immediately after he tool
command of his division and Welseley
who was commander-in-chief of thu
British forces, is said to have suggest
ed to the war Office, after the battle o
Belmont, that Methuen should be re
lieved, but his advice was not needed
| Methuen sent number of remarkable
messages to the war office one o
which contained just three words
| Darkness after dawn His handlins
of the troops aroused the most violen
criticism which was only stilled b.
the relief of Kimberly. when the cues
ton of his health and ability seemed
to be dropped. Since that time Meth
uen has rendered efficient service
several notable successes over tn
beers standing to his credit.
The text of Lord Kitcheners dis
patch announcing the capture of Gen
Methuen is as follows:
Pretoria, March 81 greatly re
greet to have to send you bad news o
Methuen. He was moving with go
mounted men under Major Paris an,
800 infantry and four guns and
pOmpOm, from Wynburg to Lichten
burg, where he was to meet Grenfell
with 1900 mounted men at Row
rainesfontein today
Yesterday morning early he wa
attacked by De Larey's force, between
Two-Bosch and Palmietekull. Boer
charged on three Sides
Five hundred and fifty men hav
come in at Maribogs and Kraaipan
They reported Methuen and Paris
with guns, baggage. etc. captured b.