The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-27
He Tells the Tale
OF His Late
Defeat.
he WAS CARELESS
ON THE MARCH
The Infantry. When Boer Charge.
Came. Got Completely Out
Of Hand.
oNDoN. March 1s.-The War ono

n ONDON. March 16.-The War Office
has received the following COM
IL munlcation from Lord Kitchener
at Pretoria:
Lord Methuen has sent me a staff
officer with a dictated dispatch from
which II appears that certain particu-
lars previously given are inaccurate.
The rear screen OF mounted troops was
rushed and overwhelmed at dawn.
There was a gap OF a mile between the
OK and the mule conveys. The mounted
supports to the rear of the screen,
which General Methuen Immediately
re-enforced by all the available mount
ed troops and a section of the Thirty
eighth battery. maintained themselves
for an hour. during which the conveys
were closing up without disorder.
I'm the meanwhile 200 infantry were
being disposed by Lord Methuen to re-
sist the Boer attack. which was ont
fanking the left OF the rear guard. The
Beers pressed the attack hard. and the
mounted troops were attempting to fall
back. when 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 Lieutenant
Nesham was hit. Lieutenant Nesham
was called on to surrender. and upon
refusing to do so, was killed.
Lord Methuen. with 200 of the North
cumberland Fusileers and two guns of
the Fourth Battery. then found him
self isolated. but held on for three hours.
During this period the remaining in
fantry, namely. one hundred % the
Lancashires. with some forty mounted
men, mostly Cape police. who had oc-
cupied the kraa1 near the wagons. also
continued to hold out against the re-
peated attacks of the Beers.
by this time Lord Methuen was
wounded and the casualties were ex-
ceedingly heavy among the men, The
ammunition was mostly expended. and
the surrender was made at about $3.50
o'clock In the morning. The party in
the kraai still held out and did not give
in until two guns and a pompom were
brought to bear upon them at about
10 o'clock. making their position un-
tenable.
1T Is confirmed that most OF the
Beers wore our khaki uniforms. Many
also wore our badges. Even at close
quarters they could not be distinguish
ed from our men.
1T is clear the infantry fought well
and the artillery kept up the traditions
OF their regiment In addition TO the
forty members of the Cape police al
ready mentioned. a few parties of i'm
perial yeomanry and Cape police con-
tinued to hold their ground after the
panic had swept the bulk of the mount
ed troops or the field"
Lord Kitchener's teIegraphic dispatch
showing that the fighting lasted much
longer than was supposed confirms the
belief that the disaster to General Meth
Gen's forces was due to leaving too
large a gap between the front convoy
and the rear, and to placing an insult
fcient screen behind the rear guard.
which brought about a panic among
the troops as a result of the Beers on
sIaugnt
Much resentment is felt here that the
Beers wore British uniforms and
badges, but satisfaction is expressed
at the latest accounts of the affair as
indicating that the British troops be-
haved better than was supposed from
the earlier report.
From either dispatches it appears