The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-03-20
CAPTURE OF METHUEN
Lord Kitchener Sends Further De-
tails of the Affair.

London, March 1.-THE war Office
has received the following commune
cation from Lord Kitchener at Pre-
toria:
Lord Methuen has sent me a staff off,
Ger with dictated dispatch, from which 1t
appears that certain particulars previous
ly given are inaccurate. The rear screen OF
mounted troops was rushed and over
whelmed at dawn. There was a gap of a
mile between the OK and the mule con-
voys. The mounted supports to the rear
of the screen, which Gen. 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 upon without disorder.
stood by Their Guns.
'In the meantime 200 infantry were being
disposed by Lord Methuen to resist the
Boer attack, which was outhanking the
left of the rear guard The Beers pressed
that attack hard, and the mounted troops,
attempting to fall back on the infantry, got
completely out of hand, carrying away
with them in the rout the bulk of the
mounted troops. Two guns of the Thirty
eighth battery were thus left unprotected,
but continued in action until every man,
with the exception OF Lieut.. Nesham, was
render, and upon refusing TO do SO was
killed.
Capture of Lord Methuen.
Lord Methuen, with 200 of the Northum-
berland fusileers and two guns of the
Fourth battery, then found himself $50
lated, but held on for three hours. during
this period the remaining infantry--name-
ly, 109 of the Lancashires, with some 20
mounted men, mostly Cape police who had
ha E-aa al
continued to hold out against the repeated
attacks of the Beers. BY this time Lord
Methuen was wounded and the casualties
were exceedingly heavy amongst his men.
Their ammunition was mostly expended,
and the surrender was made at about half
past nine in the morning. The party in the
kraal still held out and did not give in until
two guns and a pompon were brought to
bear upon them at about ten o'clock, max
ing their position untenable.
Infantry Fought Well.
sit Is confirmed that most of the Beers
wore our khaki uniforms Many also wore
our badges. Even at close quarters they
could not be distinguished from our own
men. 1t is clear the infantry fought well
and the artillery kept up the traditions of
the regiment. In addition to the 40 mem
bers of the Cape police already mentioned
a few parties of imperial yeomanry and
Cape police continued to hold their grou
after the panic had swept the bulk of the
mounted troops of the field"
Left Too Large a Gap.
Lord Kitchener has telegraphic
dispatch showing that the fighting
lasted longer than was supposed, con-
frming the belief that the disaster to
Gen. Methuen's forces was due to leav-
ing too large gap between the front
convoy and the rear and to placing an
insufficient screen behind the rear
guard, which brought about panic
among the troops as a result of,the
Boer onslaught. Much resentment is
felt here that the Beers wore British
uniforms and badges, but satisfaction
is expressed at the latest accounts of
the affair ais indicating that the British
troops behaved better than was sup
posed from the earlier reports.
Metbuen Well Treated.
From other dispatches it appears
that Gen. Methuen was shot while rid
ing to bring up the mounted troops
and that his horse was killed. After
the surrender Gen. Delarey rode up
and treated Gen. Methuen with the
greatest courtesy and consideration.
He ordered his return to Klerksdorp
under the care of his own bodyguard.