The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-14
BODY OF TWELVE HUNDRED TROOPS
ROUTED BY B0tRS.
GENERAL METHUEN CAPTURED
Beers Make q Night Attack on Two
Wagon Trains-The Mules SIAM
peded-The Troops Panic Stricken.
w~ounded-He and
Colonel Paris Captured, Along
With all the baggage and -Four
Guns-British Troops Pursued for
-Four Miles.

London. March 10.-S % p. m.-Gener-
nj hethuen and four guns have been
captured by General de la Rey.
General Methuen was wounded in The
thigh Three British officers and IS
men were killed. Five British officers
and ~ men were wounded. One Brit
Ish officer and 200 men are missing.
The fight in which Genera Methuen
was captured occurred before dawn
March 7th. between Winburg and Lich-
tenburg. Orange River colony. The
British force numbered 1000 men. The
Beers captured all the British baggage.
General Methuen is retained as a
prisoner.
The text of Lord Kitchener's dispatch
announcing the capture of General Me-
thuen is as follows.
Pretoria, March 8.
Il greatly regret to have to send you
a news Of Methuen. He was moving
with 900 mounted men, under Major
Paris, and 800 infantry. four guns and
y pOmpom, from Wynburg ~ Lichten-
burg, and was to meet Grenfell. with
LOO mounted men, at RoviraInes today.
Yesterday morning early he vas at
tackled by de Ia. Rey's force between
Tive Bosch and PalmietekniIl. The
Beers charged on three sides.
Five hundred and fifty men have
come in at Maribogs and Kraaipan.
They were pursued by the boers four
miles from the scene of the action.
They report that MethueI and Paris.
with the guns. baggage, etc were cap
tured by the Beers. Methuen, when
last seen, was a prisoner. / nave no de-
tails Of the casualties. and suggest de-
laying publication till I can send left
mite news. 1 think this sudden revival
Of activity on the part of de la Rey is
10 draw off the troops Dassing de Wet"
In a second dispatch, dated Sunday
March 9th, Lord Kitchene says:
paris has come in at Kraaipan, with
the remainder OF the men. He reports
that the column was moving in two
parties. One with the left
Tive Bosch at 3 o'clock a. m. The
other. with the mule wagons. started
an hour later. Just before dawn the
Beers attacked. Before achievements
sOuld reach them. the rear guard broke
In h meantime, a large number OF
Beers galloped up on both TANKS.
These, at first, were checked by the
nank parties. but the panic and STAN
pede OF the mules a begun and all the
mule wagons. with a terrible mixture
OF mounted men, rusned past he OK
wagons. All efforts to check them were
~unayaillng. Major Paris collected forty
men and occupied n position u mile in
front OF the nx-waEUns. which We're
then halted. After a gallant but use
less defense. the enemy rusned into the
ox-wagons. and Methuen was wounded
in the thigh. Paris, being surrounded,
surrendered at 10 o'clock u. m. Me
thuen is still in the Boer camp"
Then follows the numbers of the cas-
~aaIties. as already cabled The killed
sDnlUIn Il fnrrfnnn nfc ~ NnnninO md
T. =. w. Nesham. OF the Roya Artil-
lery. who were both killed while serving
their guns with case shot
London. March lot was announced
today that General Lord Methuen and
four guns had been captured by the
Beers commanded by General de IN
Rey. The extra editions of the eve
ming papers giving an account OF the
disaster were eagerly bought up and
their readers hurried through the
streets with anxious faces. and hitter
remarks were passed on the subject OF
the governments declaration hat the
var in South Africa was over
The news came too late to affect
business on the stock exchange. but
excited curb dealings quickly followed
the closing, in which South Africa
dumped heavily
The news was received in the house
II commons amid great excitement
The reading of Lord Kitchener's tele-
gram by the war secretary, Mr.. Brod-
rick, was listened to in deep silence
which was broker by loud Irish cheers.
Instantly there were cries of shame.
shame!" from the government benches.
Then the Irish members seemed to
think better Of their outbreak and
suddenly subsidized. The subsequent
e~ulogistic references to General Me-
tnuen were received with cheers.