Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-03-14
BRITISH GENERAL CAPTURED IN
A FIGHT WITH THE Beers
UNDER DELAREY,

Hundred MISsiny-Four Guns anc
All British Baggage in the Hands 0,
the Boers-Some of the Prisoners
Released but Methuen Is Retained
London, March 11.-General Ne
theun and four guns have been cap
tured by the Beers under General
Delarey. General Methuen was wound
ed in the knee.
In the engagement British officers
and 80 men we're killed, British Off
GERS and y men were wounded and ]
British officer and 200 men are miss
ing.
The fight in which General Methuen
was captured occurred before dawn
March 7, between Winburg and Lich
tenburg, Orange River Colony. The
British force numbered 1900 men. The
Beers captured all the British bag
gage. General Methuen is retained as
prisoner.
The text of Lord Kitchener's dis
patch, dated March s, announcing the
capture of General Methuen, is as fol
lows:
81 greatly regret to have to send you
bad news of Methuen. He was NOV
ing with 900 mounted men, under Ma
jor Paris, and 800 infantry, 4 guns and
a pompom, from Wynburg to Lichten
burg, and was to meet Grenfell, with
1900 mounted men, at Rovirainesfon
fni, ri \, OF TO o1yaS
by Delarey's force, between Twe-Bosch
and Palmieteknill. The Beers charged
on three sides.
Five hundred and fifty men have
come in at Maribogs and Kraaipan
They were pursued by the Beers -four
miles from the scene of the action
They report that Methuen and Paris
with the guns, baggage, etc., were cap
tured by the Beers. Methuen, wher
last seen, was prisoner. I have nc
details of the casualties, and suggest
delaying publication till I can senC
| definite news. I think this sudden. re
vival OF activity on the part Of De
iarcy is to draw off the troops pressing
DeWet.'
Details of the Battle.
In a second dispatch dated Sunday
March 8, Lord Kitchener says:
paris has come in at Kraaipan
with the remainder Of the men. He re
ports that the column was moving il
two parties. One, with the OK wagons
left Twe-Bosch at a. m. The other
| with the mule wagons, started an
hour later, Just before dawn the Beers
attacked. Before reinforcements couli
reach them the rear guard broke. II
| the meantime a large number O:
! Beers galloped up on both TANKS
| These, at first, were checked by the
! flank parties, but the panic and STAN
pede of the mules had begun and al
| the mule wagons, with a terrible mix
| ture OF mounted men, rushed past the
| OK wagons. All efforts to check then
| were unavciEng.
| major Paris collected 40 men an(
occupied a position a mile in front O.
| the OK wagons, which were then halt
| ed. After a gallant but useless de
Tense the enemy rushed into the o,
wagons and Methuen was wounded il
the thigh. Paris, being surrounded
surrendered at 10 a. m. Methuen il
still in the Boer camp"
Then follows the numbers of the cas-
ualties, as already cabled. The lzille<
include Lieutenants G.. R. Venning ami
T. P. W. Nesham of the Royal artil
lery, who were both killed while serv
ing their guns with case shot.
AS Lord Kitchener announced tina
Major Paris had surrendered and ais.
telegraphed that he had reached Kraa
ipan with the remainder of the men
it may be inferred that the Beers sub
sequently released the major and hi
companions.
Lord Kitchener's dispatch announc
! ing the disaster to General Methuen'
forces was read in both the house 0
lords and the house Of commons b.
Lord Roberts. the commander-in-chie e!
and Mr.. BrodriclI, the war secretary
respectively. They both paid tribute
to General Methuen, the former ey
pressing his appreciation of Methuen'
success through the war, declaring
that his task Of forcing the Boer posi-
ton at Magersfontein was an almos
impossible one.