CONTENTS——Vol. IV.
| PAGE | |
| CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE | [vii] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| The Vote of Censure | [1] |
| Kimberley | [14] |
| General French’s Ride, February 12 to 15 | [30] |
| Strategy versus Tactics | [37] |
| The Herding of Cronje, February 16 to 18 | [49] |
| The Battle of Paardeberg, February 18 | [54] |
| Trapped | [62] |
| The Surrender of Cronje | [71] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| Mafeking, December and January | [80] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| At Poplar Grove | [95] |
| The Fight at Driefontein, March 10 | [101] |
| At Bloemfontein, March 13 | [108] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Mafeking, February | [112] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| At Chieveley Again | [121] |
| Ladysmith, February 1 to 26 | [129] |
| The Battle of Pieters, February 20 to 27 | [134] |
| Expectation | [151] |
| The Relief of Ladysmith, February 28 | [153] |
| The Formal Entry, March 3 | [156] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| Changes in Cape Colony, February and March | [163] |
| At Bethulie, March 12 | [171] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| Bloemfontein Under British Rule | [174] |
| The Battle of Karree | [192] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| Mafeking in March | [194] |
| Colonel Plumer’s Operations | [204] |
| LIST OF STAFF | [213] |
| APPENDIX | [215] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS——Vol. IV.
| Map illustrating the Movements for the Relief ofKimberley and the Capture of Bloemfontein | [At Front] |
| 1. COLOURED PLATES | |
| PAGE | |
| The Queen Listening to a Dispatch from the Front | [Frontispiece] |
| The Imperial Yeomanry | [12] |
| The Royal Lancasters | [16] |
| West Yorkshire and Yorkshire Regiments | [88] |
| The Inniskilling Dragoons | [104] |
| South African Light Horse, Brabant’s Horse, andDuke of Edinburgh’s Volunteer Rifles | [120] |
| Strathcona’s Horse | [184] |
| The Cape Town Highlanders | [200] |
| 2. FULL-PAGE PLATES | |
| The Dash for Kimberley—The 10th Hussars CrossingKlip Drift | [32] |
| The Last Stand made by the Boers before Kimberley | [36] |
| Capture of a Boer Convoy by General French’s Troops | [40] |
| The Battle of Paardeberg | [56] |
| Cronje’s Stronghold | [64] |
| Cronje Surrenders to Lord Roberts | [72] |
| Cronje’s Force on their March South | [80] |
| Shell from the Naval Brigade Dispersing Boers | [96] |
| The Formal Surrender of Bloemfontein | [108] |
| Sleepless Mafeking | [112] |
| The Relief of Ladysmith—The Last Rush at Hlangwane Hill | [128] |
| In Beleaguered Ladysmith—Watching for Buller fromObservation Hill | [152] |
| Hindoo Refugees from the Transvaal in Camp at Cape Town | [168] |
| Conveying Wounded to Wynberg Hospital Camp | [172] |
| The British Occupation of Bloemfontein—An Evening Concertin Market Square by the Pipers of the Highland Brigade | [176] |
| Colonel Plumer’s Gallant Attempt to Relieve Mafekingfrom the North | [208] |
| 3. FULL-PAGE PORTRAITS | |
| The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G. | [8] |
| Lieut.-General Thomas Kelly-Kenny, C.B. | [24] |
| General Cronje | [48] |
| Major-General A. Fitzroy Hart, C.B. | [136] |
| Major-General H. J. T. Hildyard, C.B. | [144] |
| Brigadier-General the Earl of Dundonald, C.B. | [156] |
| Lieut.-General Hon. N. G. Lyttelton, C.B. | [160] |
| Mr. M. T. Steyn, Late President Orange Free State | [192] |
| 4. MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS IN THE TEXT | |
| Shell Picked up in Kimberley Streets | [15] |
| “Long Cecil” made at De Beers Mines | [21] |
| Placard Erected by Mr. Rhodes | [27] |
| Typical Underground Dwelling at Kimberley | [36] |
| 10th Hussars with Nordenfeldt Gun | [46] |
| Plan of Paardeberg | [57] |
| Guns Captured at Paardeberg | [68] |
| Boer Trenches at Paardeberg | [78] |
| Market Square, Mafeking | [85] |
| Gun Made in Mafeking | [87] |
| Directing an Army from a Military Balloon | [102] |
| Facsimile of “The Mafeking Mail” | [114] |
| Scene of Fighting at Monte Cristo | [125] |
| Balloon Map—Battle of Pieters and Relief of Ladysmith | [135] |
| Signal Apparatus of H.M.S. “Forte” | [146] |
| King’s Post, Ladysmith | [151] |
| Map of Operations on Orange River | [165] |
| Signal Station at Bloemfontein | [182] |
| Native Church, Mafeking | [199] |
| Map showing Advance to Mafeking | [205] |
| Lobatsi Railway Station | [212] |
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE——Vol. IV.
FEBRUARY 1900.
12-13.—General French, following up Hannay’s movement, crossed Riet River, and next day with a strong force marched twenty-five miles into the Free State, seized Klip Drift on the Modder River, occupied the hills to the north, and captured three of the enemy’s laagers, with supplies.
13-14.—6th (Kelly-Kenny’s) Division on north bank of the Riet River at Waterfall Drift.
14.—Lord Roberts advanced to Dekiel’s Drift.
15.—General French reached and relieved Kimberley, captured Boer laager and supplies, and forced the enemy to withdraw.
The Boers evacuated Majersfontein and Spyfontein, retreating to Koodoosrand Drift.
16.—General Kelly-Kenny, in pursuit of Cronje retiring east with 10,000 men on Bloemfontein, captured 78 waggons with stores, 2 waggons with Mauser rifles, and 8 waggons with shell belonging to Cronje’s column.
Capture of Cingolo Hill by Sir Redvers Buller’s force.
Lord Roberts occupied Jacobsdal.
Flight of Cronje’s force and occupation of Majersfontein by the Guards.
17.—Cronje’s force overtaken and surrounded at Paardeberg. General Brabant engaged the enemy near Dordrecht.
Successful reconnaissance by Colonel Henderson from Arundel.
18.—Severe fighting at Paardeberg, where Cronje was being gradually surrounded.
Capture of Monte Cristo. General Lyttelton’s Division, by a brilliant converging movement, drove the Boers across the river.
19.—Capture of Hlangwane by the Fusilier Brigade. The Boers evacuated the hill, and left a large camp behind them.
Bombardment of Cronje’s position began. Boer reinforcements driven back.
Cronje asked for armistice, but Lord Kitchener demanded his surrender; Cronje refused, and was then bombarded heavily.
Reoccupation of Dordrecht. General Brabant entered the town in the morning, the Boers taking to flight.
20.—General Hart occupied Colenso.
Lord Roberts defeated Boer reinforcements at Paardeberg.
21.—5th Division crossed the Tugela at Colenso.
23.—Advance on Ladysmith continued. The Boers’ position at Grobler’s Kloof attacked.
The cordon round Cronje began to close in.
Captain Hon. R. H. L. J. de Montmorency, V.C. (21st Hussars), killed while doing magnificent work with his Scouts near Stormberg.
26.—Finding the passage of the river near Colenso commanded by strong entrenchments, Sir Redvers Buller sent his guns and baggage back to the south side of the Tugela, and found a new crossing.
26-27.—Colesberg and Rensberg, having been evacuated by the Boers, were occupied by General Clements, while Jamestown was occupied by General Brabant.
27 (on anniversary of Majuba, 1881).—Cronje, with 44 commandants and other officers of all grades, and over 3500 men, surrendered unconditionally to Lord Roberts.
Sir Redvers Buller’s force captured the Boer position at Pieters. This action opened the road to Ladysmith. Boers retired north to Ladysmith.
28.—Relief of Ladysmith after 120 day’s investment.
MARCH 1900.
1.—Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener visited Kimberley and attended a meeting in the Town Hall.
2.—Cronje and his staff, having been moved to Simonstown under a guard of City Imperial Volunteers, were put on board H.M.S. Doris, and sent to St. Helena.
3.—General Buller formally entered Ladysmith.
Skirmish near Osfontein. General French came in contact with a Boer force, who tried to get away, but were held to their position by the British force.
4-5.—General Brabant advanced from Dordrecht against Labuschagne, and was completely successful.
5.—General Gatacre occupied Stormberg without opposition.
7.—Lord Roberts dispersed Boers near Poplar Grove.
General Gatacre reached Burghersdorp.
8.—General Clements occupied Norval’s Pont.
10.—The Boers dispersed near Driefontein, fifteen miles east of Poplar Grove.
11.—Presidents Kruger and Steyn received reply from the Prime Minister refusing to entertain their absurd overtures for peace.
12.—General French (with cavalry, R.H.A., and Mounted Infantry) arrived before Bloemfontein, and captured two hills which command the railway and town.
General French captured the railway near Bloemfontein.
General Gatacre approached Bethulie.
13.—Lord Roberts occupied Bloemfontein. His despatch ran:—“The British flag now flies over the Presidency vacated last evening by Mr. Steyn, late President of the Orange Free State. The inhabitants gave the troops a cordial welcome.”
14.—General Pretyman, C.B., appointed Military Governor of Bloemfontein.
15.—General Gatacre occupied Bethulie.
Boers attacked Colonel Plumer’s camp and were repulsed.
16.—Fighting at Fourteen Streams.
19.—Lord Kitchener occupied Prieska, and received the submission of rebels.
20.—Rouxville occupied by Major Cumming.
21.—Smithfield occupied by British troops.
23.—Party of English officers shot near Bloemfontein.
27.—General Clements occupied Fauresmith, and arrested the landrost.
Death of General Joubert.
29.—Action at Karree Siding. Boer position taken.
Wepener occupied by Brabant’s Horse under Colonel Dalgety.
30.—Colonel Broadwood with Cavalry Brigade and two batteries Royal Horse Artillery at Thabanchu retired on waterworks pressed by the enemy.
31.—Loss of convoy and six guns at Koorn Spruit.
Action at Ramathlabama for the relief of Mafeking, and Colonel Plumer’s small force repulsed by the Boers.
MAP ILLUSTRATING THE MOVEMENTS FOR THE RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY AND THE CAPTURE OF BLOEMFONTEIN
EDINBURGH AND LONDON T. C. & E. C. JACK.
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE TRANSVAAL WAR
CHAPTER I
THE TURNING OF THE TIDE
February 27, 1900.
“Storm, strong with all the bitter heart of hate,
Smote England, now nineteen dark years ago,
As when the tide’s full wrath in seaward flow
Smites and bears back the swimmer. Fraud and fate
Were leagued against her: fear was fain to prate
Of honour in dishonour, pride brought low,
And humbleness whence holiness must grow,
And greatness born of shame to be so great.
The winter day that withered hope and pride
Shines now triumphal on the turning tide
That sets once more our trust in freedom free,
That leaves a ruthless and a truthless foe
And all base hopes that hailed his cause laid low,
And England’s name a light on land and sea.”
—Algernon Charles Swinburne.