SOUTH AFRICA AND THE
TRANSVAAL WAR
| Maj. F. S. Maude | Maj. Hon. A. H. Hamilton | Lord Methuen | Col. Mackinnon, C.I.V. | Capt. C. F. Vandeleur |
GENERAL AND STAFF
Photo by Gregory & Co., London
South Africa
and the
Transvaal War
BY
LOUIS CRESWICKE
AUTHOR OF “ROXANE,” ETC.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS
IN SIX VOLUMES
VOL. V.—FROM THE DISASTER AT KOORN SPRUIT TO LORD ROBERTS’S ENTRY INTO PRETORIA
EDINBURGH: T. C. & E. C. JACK
MANCHESTER: KENNETH MACLENNAN, 75 PICCADILLY
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press
CONTENTS—Vol. V.
| PAGE | |
| CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE | [vii] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| The Disaster at Koorn Spruit | [1] |
| The Reddersburg Mishap | [16] |
| Escape of Prisoners from Pretoria | [21] |
| Preparations for Action | [32] |
| The Battle of Boshop, April 5 | [38] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| Mafeking, April | [46] |
| Affairs in Rhodesia | [53] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The Siege of Wepener | [54] |
| Operations for Relief | [68] |
| The Tentacles at Work | [82] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| The Great Advance— | |
| From Bloemfontein, Brandfort, and the Vet to Welgelegen, May 9 | [87] |
| From Thabanchu to Winburg and Welgelegen (General Ian Hamilton), May 9 | [95] |
| Towards the Zand River to Kroonstad, May 12 | [101] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| Mafeking, May | [108] |
| With Colonel Mahon’s Force | [117] |
| On the Western Frontier | [132] |
| The Relief | [134] |
| How the News was Received by the British Empire | [140] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| From Kroonstad to Johannesburg | [144] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| General Rundle’s March to Senekal | [154] |
| The Highland Brigade | [156] |
| Lord Methuen’s March from Boshop to Kroonstad, May 29 | [159] |
| The Battle of Biddulph’s Berg, May 28, 29 | [161] |
| Fighting on the Western Border, May 30 | [169] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| General Buller’s Advance to Newcastle | [171] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| The Interregnum at Pretoria | [179] |
| From Johannesburg to Pretoria | [184] |
| APPENDIX | |
| Rearrangement of Staff | [193] |
| Deaths in Action and from Disease | [195] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Vol. V.
| PAGE | |
| Map showing the Lines of Advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria | [At Front] |
| 1. COLOURED PLATES | |
| General and Staff | [Frontispiece] |
| Sergeant—18th Hussars | [48] |
| Mounted Infantry | [56] |
| Scout—6th Dragoon Guards | [68] |
| The Royal Marines | [76] |
| Northumberland Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry | [80] |
| West Surrey and East Surrey | [96] |
| Officers of the Seaforth Highlanders | [160] |
| 2. FULL-PAGE PLATES | |
| The Disaster at Koornspruit | [8] |
| The Reddersburg Mishap | [16] |
| British Prisoners on their way to Pretoria | [24] |
| Lord Roberts’s Column Crossing the Sand River Drift | [100] |
| The Surrender of Kroonstadt | [104] |
| Mafeking: “The Wolf that Never Sleeps” | [108] |
| The Last Attack on Mafeking | [136] |
| Lord Roberts and his Army Crossing the Vaal River | [140] |
| Royal Horse Artillery Crossing the Vaal | [144] |
| General Ian Hamilton thanking the Gordons for their Attackat the Battle of Doornkop | [148] |
| The City of London Imperial Volunteers Supporting GeneralHamilton’s Left Flank in the Action at Doornkop | [152] |
| Hauling down the Transvaal Flag at Johannesburg | [156] |
| The Grenadier Guards at the Battle of Biddulph’s Berg | [168] |
| Pursuing the Boers after the Fight on Helpmakaar Heights | [176] |
| Scene in Pretoria Square, June 5 | [184] |
| The Entry of Lord Roberts and Staff into Pretoria | [192] |
| 3. FULL-PAGE PORTRAITS | |
| Lieut.-General Sir Archibald Hunter, K.C.B. | [32] |
| Colonel Lord Chesham | [40] |
| Lieut.-General Sir H. M. Leslie-Rundle, K.C.B. | [64] |
| Major-General Pole-Carew | [72] |
| Major-General Ian Hamilton | [88] |
| Lieut.-General Sir Frederick Carrington, K.C.M.G. | [112] |
| Lieut.-Colonel Bryan T. Mahon, D.S.O. | [120] |
| Lieut.-Colonel Plumer | [128] |
| 4. MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS IN THE TEXT | |
| Plan—Koorn Spruit Disaster | [5] |
| Map—District S. and E. of Bloemfontein | [15] |
| The Model School, Pretoria | [22] |
| New Camp for British Prisoners at Pretoria | [29] |
| Field Gun—Elswick Battery | [39] |
| The Native Village of Mafeking | [47] |
| Mafeking Postage Stamps | [52] |
| The Defence of Wepener | [58] |
| Wepener | [66] |
| Operations at Dewetsdorp | [76] |
| Map of Movements S. and E. of Bloemfontein | [82] |
| Kent Cottage, St. Helena | [86] |
| Lord Roberts and Staff Watching the Boers’ Retreat from Zand River | [103] |
| Kroonstadt | [107] |
| General Baden-Powell and Officers at Mafeking | [114] |
| Map and Itinerary, Colonel Mahon’s March | [118] |
| Map of Route from N. for Relief of Mafeking | [127] |
| Mafeking Railway Station | [139] |
| Deviation Bridge at Vereeniging | [153] |
| Highlanders at the End of a Forced March | [160] |
| Map of Portion of Natal | [175] |
| Map—Johannesburg to Pretoria, &c. | [186] |
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE—Vol. V.
MARCH 1900.
31.—Loss of British convoy and seven guns at Koorn Spruit.
APRIL 1900.
4.—Capture of British troops by the Boers near Reddersburg.
5.—General Villebois killed near Boshop, and party of Boer mercenaries captured by Lord Methuen.
General Clements received the submission of 4000 rebels.
British occupation of Reddersburg.
7.—Skirmish near Warrenton.
9.—Colonial Division attacked at Wepener.
11.—General Chermside promoted to command Third Division, vice General Gatacre, ordered home.
20.—Boer positions attacked at Dewetsdorp.
23.—General Carrington arrived at Beira.
25.—Wepener siege raised.
General Chermside occupied Dewetsdorp.
Bloemfontein Waterworks recaptured.
26.—Sir C. Warren appointed Governor of Griqualand West.
27.—Thabanchu occupied.
28.—Fighting near Thabanchu Mountain.
MAY 1900.
1.—General Hamilton captured Houtnek.
5.—British occupation of Brandfort.
Lord Roberts’s further advance to the Vet River.
6.—The Vet River passed and Smaldeel occupied.
7.—General Hunter occupied Fourteen Streams.
8.—Ladybrand deserted by the Boers.
9.—Capture of Welgelegen.
Mafeking Relief Force reached Vryburg.
10.—Battle of Zand River.
Occupation of Ventersburg.
12.—Lord Roberts occupied Kroonstad without resistance.
Commandant Eloff attacked Mafeking, and was captured by Col. Baden-Powell.
13.—General Buller advanced towards the Biggarsberg.
14.—Occupation of Dundee.
15.—Occupation of Glencoe.
Mafeking Relief Force defeated the Boers at Kraaipan.
16.—Christiana occupied.
17.—General Ian Hamilton occupied Lindley.
Colonel Mahon, at the head of the relief force, entered Mafeking.
Lord Methuen entered Hoopstad.
18.—Occupation of Newcastle.
20.—Colonel Bethune’s Mounted Infantry ambushed near Vryheid.
22.—General Ian Hamilton occupied Heilbron after a series of engagements. The main army, under Lord Roberts, pitched its tents at Honing Spruit, and General French crossed the Rhenoster to the north-west of the latter place.
23.—Rhenoster position turned.
24.—British Army entered the Transvaal, crossing the Vaal near Parys, unopposed.
27.—The passage of the Vaal was completed by the British Army.
28.—Orange Free State formally annexed under the title of Orange River Colony.
The Battle of Biddulph’s Berg.
29.—Battle of Doornkop: Boers defeated.
Lord Roberts arrived at Germiston.
Kruger fled his capital at midnight amid the lamentations of the populace.
30.—Occupation of Utrecht by General Hildyard.
Sir Charles Warren defeated the enemy near Douglas.
31.—Battalion of Irish Yeomanry captured at Lindley.
The British flag hoisted at Johannesburg.
JUNE 1900.
5.—The British flag hoisted in Pretoria.
MAP SHOWING THE LINES OF ADVANCE FROM BLOEMFONTEIN TO PRETORIA.
(The Rand District and the Movements around Pretoria are shown on Map at p. [186].)
EDINBURGH AND LONDON: T. C. AND E. C. JACK.
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE TRANSVAAL WAR
CHAPTER I
THE IMMORTAL HANDFUL[1]
MAFEKING, 18TH MAY 1900
Shout for the desperate host,
Handful of Britain’s race,
Holding the lonely post
Under God’s grace;
Guarding our England’s fame
Over the open grave,
Shielding the Flag from shame—
Shout for the brave!
Ringed by a ruthless foe
Dared they the night attack,
Answered him blow for blow,
Hurling him back;
Cheering, the charge was pressed,
More than they held they hold,
Won bayonet at the breast—
Shout for the bold!
Long, long the days and nights;
Bitter the tales that came,
What of the distant fights?
Rumours of shame?
Scorning the doubts that swell,
Nursing the hope anew,
They did their duty well—
Shout for the true!
Shout for the glory won,
Empire of East and West!
Shout for each valiant son
Nursed at thy breast!
Fear could not find them out,
Death stalked there iron-shod,
Help found them Victors—shout
Praises to God!