This small township, entirely destitute of regular defences, was invested October, 1899, by a force of 5,000 Boers, under General Cronje, and defended by a garrison of about 700 irregulars and armed townsmen, under Colonel Baden-Powell. Later in the siege Cronje withdrew a large part of his force, leaving about 2,000 under Snyman to prosecute the siege. Though the bombardment was continuous, only one resolute attempt was made to penetrate the defences; when on May 12, 1900, 300 Boers, under Sarel Eloff, succeeded in getting within the lines, but were surrounded and forced to surrender. On May 17, the place was relieved by a cavalry column under Colonel Mahon. The garrison lost 273, the Boers about 1,000, in the course of the siege. Magdeburg (Thirty Years’ War). This city, held by a small Swedish garrison, under Falkenberg, was besieged by the Imperialists, under Tilly, March, 1631. After a desultory bombardment, Tilly was forced by the approach of Gustavus Adolphus either to raise the siege or to attempt a storm. Choosing the latter course, an assault was delivered, under Pappenberg, and after two hours’ severe fighting, in the course of which Falkenberg fell, the garrison was overpowered. The victory was sullied by an infamous massacre of the unarmed inhabitants, thousands of whom perished at the hands of the Croats and Walloons. Magenta (Franco-Austrian War). Fought June 4, 1859, between the 2nd French Corps d’Armée, under Macmahon, and the main Austrian army, under Marshal Giulay, about 100,000 strong. Macmahon attacked the Austrian position, and, after hard fighting, drove them out of Magenta, and totally defeated them with a loss of about 6,000 killed and wounded. The French lost 4,400. Magersfontein (Second Boer War). Fought December 11, 1899, between 9,000 Boers, under General Cronje, and Lord Methuen’s division, with the addition of the Highland Brigade. Cronje’s position was exceedingly strong, and an attempt to turn it by a flank march undertaken at night led to a disaster to the Highland brigade, who came under a heavy fire before they were extended, and lost 57 officers and over 700 men, including their brigadier, General Wauchope. Eventually the attacking force was withdrawn, without having made any impression on the Boer position. The total British losses were 68 officers and 1,011 men. The Boers admitted a loss of 320, but it was probably considerably heavier. Magnesia (War with Antiochus the Great).