Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-03-21
METHUEN is CAUGHT.
FAMOUS BRITISH GENERAL CAP.
TURED az 6oERs.
Wounded and Made Prisoner In Fight
with Delarey Near winburg-Three
English Officers and SO Men Killed
Burghers Get Guns and Baggage.

Great Britain has suffered a terrible
reverse in South Africa. Gen. Methuen,
one OF E%ngland's famous soldiers, and o
force Of LOO men under his command,
met defeat at the hands of the Boer gen.
eral, Delarey. Methuen himself was
wounded and taken prisoner and -four
guns were 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 te
Parliament.
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 Boers
attacked shortly after dawn. the mulei
stampeded and all the mules and wag.
ons. with a terrible mixture of mounted
men. rushed past the OK wagons. Efforti
to check them were u%navailing. 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 al
10 O'Clock in the morning. Three officers
and thirty-eisht men were killed and five
officers and scventy-two men wounded
Two hundred men were missing.
After rending the had news Secretary
Brodricl added Il word of apology sol
the defeated British general. "Mcthuen,n
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 eulogized 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
Mafeking. Methuen's starting point.
Wynburg. is in the Orange Free State,
and his destination. Lichtenburg, is in
the Transvaal. not many miles from
Mafeking. Methuen had nearly complet.
ed his march of more 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 tao.
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 wait.
ing for him. The battle Of Magersfon.
tein followed and resulted in a virtual de.
feat for the British, for their advance
was checked. The British loss in this
battle was one OF the heaviest of the war.
Gen. W%auchope was among the killed.
Earl Roberts relieved Mcthuen. His de.
feat of Cronjc and the surrender of the
Boer leader made Roberts, famous march
to Bloemfontcin and Pretoria possible.
Gen. McthueM returned to England, but
after a rest he returned to tho field and
has since commanded u small division un.
der Lord Kitchener.
Commandant Delarey. next to De Wet,
Is one of the best of the Boer fighters.
Delarey issued a proclamation last fall.
following close on the heels of one issued
by LSrd Kitchener. in which the latter
called on all Beers to surrender by Sept.
10. Delarey's pronunciamcnto was brief.
He called on the Beers to disregard
Kitchener's threats and fight to the eSd.