AFFAIRS IN AND AROUND PRETORIA—THE CAPTURE OF MIDDELBURG
Late in June, at the time of the armistice before-mentioned, there seemed to have been some hesitation on the part of Botha and Kruger whether they should unconditionally surrender, but they were incapable of decisive action while Steyn, who now had nothing to lose and everything to gain, kept the field. The position was best described by Mr. Spenser Wilkinson when he likened Kruger and Steyn to Hannibal and Hasdrubal: “the strongest proof that his cause was lost that could be given to Hannibal was Hasdrubal’s head sent into his camp.” Another important consideration influenced the President in his hesitation; he bargained, or wished to bargain, that he might remain in the country, a condition which of course could not be entertained.
Both Mrs. Kruger and Mrs. Botha exerted themselves to bring about the termination of the useless struggle. One went to her husband’s camp in hope to influence him, while the other wrote imploring her better half to come to terms. But their efforts were of no avail. According to some accounts, the President was in the hands of his generals, who, declaring he had played his cards and played them badly, arrogated to themselves the right to judge when hostilities should cease. He was, moreover, in bad odour even with his own burghers, and many of them were openly denouncing him for his conduct in feathering his own nest, and leaving his compatriots alone to face ruin and extricate themselves from the hurly-burly into which he had inveigled them. His foreign mercenaries, too, were furious. They had been calculating on magnificent rewards for their championship of the Boer cause, and now found it hard to digest the philosophic maxim, “Blessed are they who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed!”
On the 24th, 25th, and 26th of June, efforts were made to surround the enemy in the hills some fifteen miles to the east beyond Silverton. General French on the left, General Ian Hamilton on the right, and the Eleventh Division in the centre engaged in the enveloping movement; but, by the night of Tuesday the 26th, there was nothing to envelop—the Boers had vanished along the Delagoa Bay Railway. The operation caused a loss of about 150.
Stringent measures had now to be adopted to frustrate the wily efforts of the Boer generals to obtain news of the military movements of the British. The town was teeming with spies, who actively communicated to the foe the secret doings of the authorities, and diffused intelligence in relation to the intentions of the Boer forces, which was both alarming and paralysing to the inhabitants. It was reported that a combination existed between the Boer leader without the town and the burghers who had surrendered within it, to join forces and attack the place, and in consequence of these rumours extensive precautions were adopted, the number of guards around the capital were increased, and armoured trains patrolled the line daily. Nevertheless, in other ways the town was assuming a more business-like and settled aspect. Some of the Dutch women, knowing themselves safe in the hands of the British, continued to flaunt their national colours, while others flung insulting epithets at the officers, thus unintentionally and subtly complimenting them, as such demeanour demonstrated a firm conviction on the part of the ladies that those whom they insulted were too chivalrous to retaliate.
Revelations respecting the intrigues of the late Transvaal Government came gradually to hand, and documents found in Pretoria divulged some unpleasant secrets. First, that large bribes had been paid to sundry prominent foreigners who had visited the Transvaal during the war and promised intervention; second, that letters of dubious complexion had been sent by certain members of the British House of Commons to the Boers—letters which those who were apt to dub a spade a spade called traitorous, and others who talked of “implement of agriculture” styled unpatriotic!
The enemy, who had succeeded in capturing Lieutenant Rundle (6th Dragoon Guards) and some men of his patrol, continued to engage himself in mischief around the right flank, so much so that Lord Roberts decided that he must make a clean sweep towards the east of Bronker’s Spruit. It must be remembered that after the battle of Diamond Hill the Boers had moved off, only to widen, if to thin, their half-circle round the neighbourhood of Pretoria. Botha remained astride the Delagoa Railway line toward the east, threatening with his left, so far as he dared, the south-east of the town. Grobler gathered his force on the north, while beyond him, to north-west, went Delarey and his hovering hordes, bent on menacing the road to Rustenburg. It was impossible as yet to engage in very decisive operations owing to lack of remounts, but some action was necessary.
Accordingly, General Hutton’s Mounted Infantry was despatched to reinforce Colonel Mahon, who on the 6th of July was attacked at Rietfontein by some 3000 Boers with six guns and two Vickers-Maxims. Fighting fierce and sustained was continued for two days, when the desired object was achieved, and the Boers cleared from the immediate neighbourhood. The Imperial Light Horse, brilliant as ever, unhappily lost two officers—Captain Currie and Lieutenant Kirk—and thirteen men, their unusual loss being occasioned by the gallantry of B Squadron in pressing to the assistance of a wounded comrade in the teeth of a host of the enemy.
Poor young Kirk was a volunteer in the highest sense of the term. His career was typical of the careers of many of the gallant Colonials who rushed to the aid of their country. He had served in the Matabele War, and jumped to arms at the outbreak of the present campaign. He was conspicuous among the heroes of the heroic regiment during the siege of Ladysmith, and was wounded while binding up the injuries of a comrade. He received his commission, and afterwards took part in the famous relief of Mafeking, and later, was again wounded, and severely, while out on patrol with Colonel Baden-Powell. Nevertheless he managed to rejoin the Imperial Light Horse in the great advance viâ Lichtenburg and Potchefstroom to Johannesburg and Pretoria. Among others wounded was Captain and Adjutant Nelles, 1st Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles.
General Hutton on the following day was attacked by 5000 of the enemy near Rietfontein, but he succeeded in routing his assailants, capturing a French officer and inflicting considerable loss, the enemy leaving their injured upon the field. Lieutenant Young, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, was slightly wounded.
OFFICERS OF THE HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY.
Photo by Gregory & Co., London.
Meanwhile Sir Redvers Buller had arrived in Pretoria, looking remarkably well in spite of the tremendous strain of the work of the relief of Ladysmith and the more brilliant achievements that had secured the whole of Natal. Report came in from Ladysmith that some 800 prisoners—Yeomanry and Derbyshire Militia—without officers, had been put over the Natal border from Reitz, and were making their way towards Acton Homes. The plight of these unhappy fellows, without food, tattered, torn, and limping, with only a poor acquaintanceship with the country through which they plodded, was deplorable. Waggons and food were sent out by the O.C. of the Drakensberg Defence Force, and the wretched men were encountered and brought in. Having been marched about for over a month with De Wet, they were so footsore and exhausted that some could barely crawl. The Boers had treated them well, but they had too many mouths of their own to feed, and had been forced by the pressure of circumstance to turn them adrift.
Nitral’s Nek.
On the 11th Botha decided there should be fighting all along the line, and so cleverly were things managed that the British suffered considerably. At dawn the Boers under Delarey, having failed in getting round the right rear of the British, collected on the hills surrounding Nitral’s Nek with a view to attacking the left flank. Nitral’s Nek, a position some eighteen miles west of Pretoria, near where the road crosses the Crocodile River, was held in order to maintain telegraphic and road communication with Rustenburg. Garrisoning this place were one squadron of Scots Greys, two guns of O Battery Royal Horse Artillery, and five companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment. The Dutchmen were in great force, and admirably disposed, evidently by a preconcerted arrangement, and succeeded in directing a converging fire on the small garrison and on the various portions of it occupying the plain some distance off. As early as possible the news of the attack was sent to Pretoria, whereupon the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, under Colonel Godfrey, were despatched to the rescue. It took some hours to reach the scene of the fray, and by the time the reinforcements arrived the small garrison, who had been fighting all day, and had expended their ammunition, were overpowered. It appeared that about this time the Scots Greys had been ordered to proceed to Crocodile Bridge to relieve General Baden-Powell. They followed the same route they had taken when marching to relieve the prisoners at Watervall, a route with only one attraction—it passed through one of the most golden orange groves of the Transvaal, and jaded and depressed as they were, they felt thankful that their ways were cast among the refreshing fruit. A squadron was left at Tulikat’s or Nitral’s Nek, while the rest of the party, cold, worn, and famishing, reached camp at 10 P.M. on the 7th. On Sunday, the 8th, the force still further divided, one squadron, under Captain Maude, going to Commando Nek, while the remainder recrossed the river and took up a position on a kopje between the two neks guarded by the squadrons mentioned.
“To understand the position,” said one who was present, and whose description is so interesting and so pathetic that it must be quoted at length, “imagine a kopje in the hollow of your hand, the spaces between your thumb and forefinger, and between your little finger and third finger, Tulikat’s Nek and Commando Nek respectively. At your wrist, twenty miles eastward, lay Pretoria. On our front the hills were very steep and high, but on the far side they sloped and were covered with brushwood. It was through this brushwood that the Boers cunningly crept on Tuesday night to make their attack at dawn.
“This attack was a bit of first-class generalship. It was made at five different points against five separate forces, and at exactly the same hour, and, when the day was over, the Boers had by far the best of it. On Tuesday afternoon five companies of the Lincolns, under Colonel Roberts, arrived to relieve our squadron at the Nek, who were on the fatal morning to join the other squadrons and march to reinforce General Smith-Dorrien. About 5.30 on Wednesday morning I was awakened by the crackle of rifles. I thought they were just behind the kopje. I jumped up, and picking up my glass, I made for the top. I was soon joined by other officers, and, while we could see nothing, we listened with serious and solemn awe, owing to the continuous rattle of many Mausers. We knew what it meant to our comrades in the gully, and worst of all, we could not help them very much. About eight o’clock a galloper came from Major Scobell to bring over all the guns. This was done, and soon our shells were dropping on the ridges where we could see some Boers. We could not fire into the hollow for fear of killing our own men. The fire became fiercer and fiercer. We now knew the Boers had secured both sides of the valley, and that our poor comrades were at their mercy. Were it not for the many boulders, nooks, and crevices which were taken for cover, few should have come out alive. The situation was critical in the extreme. What was to be done? Colonel Alexander asked me if I would ride into Pretoria, see Lord Roberts, explain the situation, and urge out reinforcements. I went off at full gallop. After riding ten miles I noticed a gentleman on a bicycle. Something said to me, secure this bike. I gave my horse to the cyclist, told him to wait for me and I would return his bike, and then mounted and scorched to headquarters. I sketched and explained the whole situation to Lords Roberts and Kitchener, and by this time strong reinforcements were despatched. After a much needed and kindly provided lunch in Lord Roberts’s dining-room, I, with his despatch to our Colonel, cycled back, anxious to see what was what, and hoping that something had been done to help our comrades in their dire straits.
“There was scarcely a soldier left to guard Pretoria, so the order I carried was to run no risks and return to Pretoria as soon as possible. Oh, it was hard when I overtook them and found they could do nothing for these poor fellows who had held out against the tremendous odds throughout that fatal day, and who were now either dead, wounded, or in the hands of the enemy. We all retired, reaching our camp outside Pretoria about 1 A.M. Oh, the sadness and gloom at our mess that night! Few words were spoken. Some of us hoped against hope. We earnestly cherished the hope that Major Scobell would find some way out of this gorge of death. At 5.30 we were up and ready to march. About eight a war correspondent informed us that Major Scobell had escaped, two officers had been killed, and one wounded, and the squadron prisoners. This was a terrible blow to us all. We rejoiced at the escape of our popular and gallant Major, but we mourned deeply the loss of the others. There was brave Lieutenant Conolly, a dashing, ready-for-anything young soldier, a great favourite in our midst. He, poor fellow, had fallen, shot through the brain. His death was instantaneous. There was young Lieutenant Pilkington, one of the most gentle and sweet-tempered fellows I ever met. He had been five months a prisoner in Pretoria, and on being liberated got his desire gratified by being attached to us. We all loved him, and he, too, was among the dead, shot in several places while leading his men against the foe. He had five months before been taken prisoner because he refused to abandon a wounded comrade. Poor fellow! Black indeed was the brief page of this fine young soldier’s campaign. May his friends be comforted by the assurance that we all loved him, and that he died as a true and brave soldier at his terrible post. Captain Maxwell was seriously wounded. I rode by his side for a long bit on our march to that fatal death-trap, and had a very pleasant conversation together. He didn’t like the idea of being left in the Nek. He was, as we all were—for we were all so happy together—dejected at the regiment being divided. I’ll never forget how, with a clap on the back, he said, ‘Good night, Padre.’ Little I thought the next time I would see him would be prostrated by the Boer bullet. When we heard the news, I was anxious to get to the battle-field to lend what hand I could to the wounded and bury our dead.”
On the way the Samaritan, to his intense joy and relief, encountered Major Scobell, who had been captured by the Boers and had escaped by a marvel. From him he learnt the sad story of the battle, and the splendid resistance of the troops till ammunition had been exhausted. He then proceeded to visit Captain Maxwell, who was lying wounded in the hands of the Boers, and afterwards engaged in carrying in the wounded on stretchers, consoling the dying and tending the injured. Finally, after Herculean labours, such sick as remained alive were carried off to Pretoria. All, on this memorable day, behaved like heroes, but prominent among them was Sergeant Rawdon, who worked a Maxim which was supporting the D and F Companies of the Lincolns. While the others retired he stuck to his gun under a concentrated fire from the enemy. As ill-luck would have it his gun jammed, but the gallant fellow, undefeatable, dissected the weapon, recoupled the parts, and resumed firing till the Maxim, pocked with bullet marks, could be removed by volunteers of the D Company!
An officer serving with General French described the sad events of the day: “The Scots Greys were detached from their brigade, and one squadron was sent to accompany a column under Colonel Roberts of the Lincoln Regiment, which proceeded towards Commando Poort on the Crocodile River, north-west of Pretoria.
“The fate of this column was briefly as follows. It encamped in a pass with a poort on its front, consisting of high hills. The tops of these hills were not occupied by our outposts, and at daybreak it was found that the enemy had established himself there. The detachment of Greys and Lincolns, with two guns, found themselves under a heavy fire, which continued throughout the day. Our guns were unable to reply, as the Boers were on high ground close on their front. The guns were abandoned, and the fight was continued till evening, when our force surrendered. Major Scobell, the squadron leader, escaped after having been taken prisoner, and about fifty horses of the Greys were cut loose by the sergeant-major and found their way back to our lines.”
Simultaneously an attack was made by a commando under Grobler on the outposts at Deerdepoort, about 8000 yards north of Wonderboom Fort. The 7th Dragoon Guards were briskly engaged, and Colonel Lowe with great skill tackled the enemy, keeping the Dutchmen in check, and preventing them from making a turning movement towards the extreme left of General Pole-Carew’s position. Some seventeen losses were sustained, however, owing to the fact that the scouts mistook a party of Boers dressed in khaki for the 14th Hussars, and were fired on at a range of 100 yards. Few escaped, but these had managed to warn the regiment of the approach of the enemy.
General Hutton in the meantime was opposing the southern detachment of Boers near Lewpoort. He had four days’ fighting, and finding that he was being outflanked, asked for reinforcements. The 1st Cavalry Brigade left Kameeldrift on the 9th of July, the 8th Hussars taking the place of the Greys. On the 11th the Brigade carried Lewpoort Hill at the gallop—the position for which General Hutton had been fighting before. Only one man was lost in this operation. The Cavalry Brigade then went into camp at Olifantsfontein, on the right of General Hutton’s position at Reitvlei. (The whole force continued to draw its supplies from Springs Station, the terminus of a short mineral line from Johannesburg, where, at the end of June, the Boers had been routed by the Canadians who garrisoned the place.) The Dutchmen moved to some kopjes, and infested the high ground on the east of Bronkhers Spruit. The outposts of the two forces were continually in contact, and sniping was part of the daily programme.
The Cavalry remained at Olifantsfontein till after the 21st of July, while preparing for a general advance towards Middelburg.
The list of casualties on that fatal 11th was a long one:—
Near Deerdepoort: Killed:—7th Dragoon Guards—Second Lieutenant K. K. Mackellar. Wounded—Captain B. E. Church; Lieutenant H. A. Chomeley.
At Nitral’s Nek: Killed:—Royal Scots Greys—Lieutenant Conolly. Royal Dragoons—Second Lieutenant Pilkington. 2nd Lincoln—Lieutenant G. F. Prichard. Wounded:—Lincolnshire Regiment—Captain J. J. Howley, Lieutenant C. J. Rennie, Major E. Herapath.
Made Prisoners:—Lincolnshire Regiment—Colonel H. R. Roberts, wounded; Lieutenant C. G. Lyall, unwounded.
At Kaalboschfontein: Royal Scots Greys—Captain C. J. Mitchell, severely wounded.
Owing to the disaster at Nitral’s Nek, it now became evident that all the British movements within the capital were reported to the Boers—that, in fact, they had organised an elaborate intelligence department, some of their spies attending the markets as innocent farmers, while others figured in khaki in the guise of British officers. Steps were taken to identify soi-disant soldiers attempting to pass through the lines, and to clear out the natives who, either from fear or for pecuniary advantage, were assisting in the transmission of information. Things in Johannesburg were no better. It needed all the acumen of Colonel Mackenzie, Director of Military Intelligence, to cope with the duplicities of the rogues and vagabonds of all nationalities that spent their time in hatching conspiracies. Three hundred and eighty of these were put in prison, while their respective Consuls were communicated with and held responsible for their good behaviour. In the course of these proceedings the whole of a dramatic plot came to light, and the following despatch, concisely describing the nature of the conspiracy, was forwarded by Lord Roberts to the Secretary of State for War:—
“The police and the Military Governor received information that, on the 14th July, the anniversary of the taking of Bastille, an attempt would be made to overpower garrison and murder British officers.
“A race meeting was to take place on that day, and it was assumed that a large proportion of officers would attend it unarmed.
“Bolder spirits among plotters were to go to the races armed, and murder officers, while an ostensibly French national gathering was to be the rallying point for the low class who were to murder all the police, and then take possession of the Government Offices, &c.
“A Boer commander at Zwart Kop, to the north of the town, was in direct communication with the plotters.
“By the 13th July the police were in possession of sufficient evidence to justify numerous arrests, which were accordingly carried out during the night of 13th to 14th.
“At noon, 14th July, the Consuls of Germany, France, Sweden, and America, of which nations some subjects had been arrested, met the Commissioner of Police and discussed the question.
“Each Consul concerned was furnished with a statement of the facts of the case.
“The interview passed off most satisfactorily, and the Consuls expressed entire concurrence with action taken, and promised to render every assistance.
“Between four hundred and five hundred arrests were made, but of these seventy-five were subsequently released on being vouched for by their respective Consuls.”
The rest were deported, and none too soon, as will be seen.
On the 16th a new brigade, consisting of the Border Regiment, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and the Berkshires, under Colonel Cunningham, together with Colonel Hickman’s force of 1800 Mounted Infantry, various details, an Elswick battery, and a Canadian battery attached to Colonel Cunningham’s force, the whole under General Ian Hamilton, was despatched to clear out the Boers from a chain of hills on the north and north-west, in which they were congregating. But their discretion prompted them, on receiving information of the movement, to evacuate their position, and General Hamilton moved unchallenged to Watervall, and from thence, on the 17th, to Hamanskraal. Thus far the sweeping back of the northern portion of the Boer crescent was satisfactorily accomplished, and the Boers were forced towards their original position in the east, where Lord Roberts eventually intended to drive them before him.
The fact was the Dutchmen, having found the right flank well guarded on the 16th, had made a ferocious lunge at the left of General Pole-Carew’s position, and simultaneously all along the left. A tremendous day’s fighting followed, during which the posts held by the Royal Irish Fusiliers, under Major Munn, the New Zealanders under Captain Vaughan, the Canadians under Colonel Alderson, were defended with amazing valour and persistence. So many officers distinguished themselves that it was almost impossible to record their names. Colonel Clowes, who temporarily commanded the 1st Cavalry Brigade on the extreme right of the line, was commended by the Chief for his handling of his men. The gallantry of Captain Barnes (R. A.), Major Hill, Lieutenants Knight and Hughes, Royal Irish Fusiliers, was especially remarkable, the Irish officers having defended their post against an onslaught at so close quarters that it was possible to hear the raucous shouts of the enemy inviting the Fusiliers to surrender! Heroic qualities were also displayed by two young Canadian officers, Lieutenants Borden and Birch, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, who were killed while leading their men in a counter-attack on the enemy’s flank at a critical juncture of the attack on the position. The loss of young Borden was especially deplored. A soldier to the marrow, he had been twice mentioned in despatches “for gallant and intrepid conduct.” He was the only son of the Canadian Minister of Militia, and was popular as he was plucky. Among the wounded were Lieutenant C. Battye, Shropshire Light Infantry; Civil Surgeon J. C. Willes, who was detained by the Boers; Lieutenant J. Findlay, New Zealand Mounted Rifles; Captain Bourn and Lieutenant J. Cameron, New Zealand Contingent (third), were missing. Of the rank and file five men were killed (one Shropshire Light Infantry, and four Royal Irish Fusiliers), twenty-six wounded and twenty-one missing.
General Ian Hamilton and Colonel Mahon from Hamanskraal continued to march eastward over country that was full of ruggedness, presenting obstacles at every turn. The enemy, however, offered no opposition. Their destination was Eerstefabrieken Station, where they joined hands with General Pole-Carew’s Division.
Map Illustrating the Eastward Move from Eerstefabrieken to Middelburg.
Lord Roberts now decided to advance, with a view to pushing back the enemy, taking possession of the line to the Portuguese frontier, and occupying the towns fringing thereon, thus diminishing the Boer resources, breaking up their commandos, and reducing them rather to guerilla bands than organised armies. The move was fraught with difficulties, for every step gained implied so much loss to the bulk of the main army, every point of the railway demanded its special guard—the result being that, large as was Lord Roberts’s force in theory, in action it was daily thinning to an almost attenuated degree. It was impossible to remain stationary, however. In the advance the same principles were adopted as in the march from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, only now, while General Pole-Carew continued to proceed along the railway, Generals French and Hutton were to co-operate on his right, and General Ian Hamilton to form the left wing, and menace such Boers as hoped to retreat to the north.
ALGOA BAY AND PORT ELIZABETH, FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE
Photo by Wilson, Aberdeen
On the 23rd General Ian Hamilton took possession of Doornkraal (while General Stephenson’s Brigade occupied Elands River), and proceeded due north of Bronkhers Spruit, thus so completely threatening the enemy’s line of retreat that they were forced to abandon the strong position which they had hitherto been holding in face of General Pole-Carew’s Division. It was possible now to make an appreciable advance to the east. The right was protected by the 1st and 4th Brigades of Cavalry (French) and Hutton’s Mounted Infantry, the former crossing to east of Wilge River. There they came upon a huge body of the enemy, and succeeded in driving them still farther back, and in taking many prisoners. One officer, Lieutenant Ebsworth, 1st Australian Horse, was mortally wounded during the encounter. The Boers, seeing the trend of affairs, quickly scudded towards Lydenburg, whither Mr. Kruger was said to be travelling. A certain number of the burly gang remained ensconced in the bush veldt, where they hoped a few bridges might yet be destroyable, and unguarded gaps of the line would offer invitation for the exercise of mischievous ingenuity. Neither their position nor that of their hunters was to be envied, for the rainy season had set in with roar and rampage, the wind, blowing through the poorts that clave the ridges with which the landscape was studded, roared like a giant through a fog-horn. At night the freezing atmosphere nipped nose, toes, and eyelids, rain deluged, and converted the whole surroundings into a vast universe of slime, till the duties of the camp had to be executed in a series of ploughings and plungings which were exhausting to man and beast.
On the 24th the Boers engaged French’s Cavalry and Hutton’s Mounted Infantry about six miles south of Balmoral. Alderson’s Mounted Infantry attacked their right, while French made a wide turning movement to their left, which proved entirely discomfiting, for the enemy rapidly “broke and fled,” followed by both forces. One officer, Lieutenant Wilson of the Imperial Yeomanry, was wounded.
On the 25th Generals French and Hutton continued their pursuit of the Dutchmen, and the former, having crossed Olifant’s River, could view, from the east bank, the enemy about seven miles off retiring in disorder towards Middelburg. Violent efforts were made to be even with them, but morass and sludge and temperature were in favour of the Boers. Finally the pursuit had to be abandoned. Rain descended in torrents; the east wind blustered, and the Mounted Infantry spent an ever-memorable night of anguish on the west of the river where they bivouacked. One man died of exposure, while the mules and oxen, uttering sounds that added horror to the already horrific night, suffered so exceedingly that many were dead by the dawn.
Owing to the exertions of the right and left wings of the advance, the main army, without seeing a vestige of the Dutchmen, marched to Balmoral where Generals Pole-Carew and Ian Hamilton concentrated, while General French untiringly scoured more distant tracks towards the east.
By the 28th the Cavalry commander, having by his wide turning movement driven the Dutchmen from the Wilge River beyond Middelburg, occupied the latter place. He was now eighty miles east of Pretoria and within sixty of Machadodorp, whither the Boers were trekking. Reinforced by Hutton’s Mounted Infantry and two regiments of Infantry, General French held the line of the Klein Olifant’s River. General Pole-Carew with the Guards Brigade followed to Brug Spruit, twenty miles to west of Middelburg, but Lord Roberts himself returned to Pretoria. The closing month found the British firmly posted some ten miles west of Machadodorp, where they were temporarily checked by the enemy, while General Ian Hamilton’s column, “looking very fit and workmanlike,” were once more moved back to Pretoria.
PROTECTING THE KRUGERSDORP-POTCHEFSTROOM RAILROAD[8]
Lord Methuen continued his task of diligently patrolling the district from Heilbron to Kroonstad, and succeeded in capturing at Paardekraal, half-way between the two places, the commandant of De Wet’s Scouts, and also Andries Wessels, a person of some magnitude in relation to the Africander Bond.
Just before the tragic 11th of July, General Smith-Dorrien sent out orders that the 19th Brigade, consisting of the Shropshire Light Infantry, Gordon Highlanders, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and the Royal Canadians, were to proceed by train to Krugersdorp, and marching northwards were to co-operate with the Scots Greys, who were supposed to be marching, on the said 11th of July, to meet them. On this day, the Gordon Highlanders moved out in skirmishing order, protected on their flanks by the Scottish Yeomanry under Sir James Miller, and two guns under Lieutenant Turner, 78th Battery Royal Field Artillery. At Dolverkranz they came in for a heavy fire from the two long low hills where the enemy had posted themselves, to which a response was made by the British guns, which had galloped up between the kopjes. Promptly the Highlanders made for a kopje on the left which the Dutchmen naturally coveted, and these scurried from their main position and poured vengeance on the advance. Then, nearer approaching, they attacked the British guns and their gunners, and the tornado on both sides was waxing both warm and exhilarating when from the rear, to the dismay and horror of all, there opened a volcano—spouts of death within 200 yards, bowling over the horse of the brigade major, and trying to make matchwood of ambulance waggons and baggage guard. Very soon fifteen out of seventeen British gunners were hit, and at last Lieutenant Turner was seen serving his own gun till wounded in three places. In the midst of the rampage, horror followed horror. Just as the troops, thinking themselves surrounded, were preparing to rush and capture the ridges of the main position, which might shortly be remanned by the enemy, Lord Roberts sent a message reporting the discomfiture of the Scots Greys at Nitral’s Nek, and commanding the cancelling of operations! Here was a situation! Colonel MacBean hesitated. Was he to retire his Gordons and leave the guns in the enemy’s hands? Never! He called for volunteers to bring in the pieces, and his Scotsmen leapt to the word. All could not be accepted—too large a number must not be risked. Captains Gordon, Younger, and Allen, leading a band of ten men, pushed forward in a blizzard from the Mausers of the foe. Captain Younger, hit in three places, dropped, the others gloriously struggled on, but in vain, to rescue the prized weapons of war. Still undaunted, the Colonel asked permission to effect his object after dark, and biding his time, held his fire-beaten ground till, in the gloom of the evening, he could bring his team alongside of the guns and drag them off into a place of safety. This was eventually accomplished. Meanwhile Captain Younger—helpless, dying—had been borne out of the fray on the back of a glorious fellow, M’Kay by name, who was no new hand at deeds of valour, and had repeatedly faced death in order to tend the suffering. Among others who were wounded was Captain Higginson, 2nd Shropshire Light Infantry.
This hard day’s work, the day of many heroes, set a brilliant seal on the wonderful record of the 19th Brigade, which had been engaged in nearly all the momentous actions in the Free State and Transvaal. Since its formation on 12th of February it had marched 620 miles, often on half rations and seldom on full. It had taken part in the capture of ten towns, fought in ten general actions, and on twenty-seven other occasions. Within a period of thirty days it had fought twenty-one times and marched 327 miles. The casualties had been between four and five hundred, the defeats nil!
The enemy continued active. Some of them, flitting about in the neighbourhood of the line between Potchefstroom and Krugersdorp, succeeded, on the 19th, in wrecking a train near Bank Station which was carrying two officers and twenty-one sick men to the latter place. The officers were Lieutenant Harris, Welsh Fusiliers, and Lieutenant French-Brewster, Royal Fusiliers. Luckily no one was injured, for most of the men were fairly convalescent.
Lord Methuen, who was clearing the country between Krugersdorp and Rustenburg, occupied with little opposition the town of Heckpoort, which lies on the road to Rustenburg, some fifteen miles north-west of Krugersdorp. He then continued his march, and engaged the enemy’s rearguard near Zandfontein on the 20th, during which engagement one man was killed and another wounded. Early on the 21st he was up and doing, caught the enemy again at Olifant’s Nek, and left him dilapidated and retreating, thus, as he thought, saving Rustenburg from the overpowering attentions which were at this time being lavished on General Baden-Powell.
On the 22nd Colonels Airey and Lushington drove off 1000 Boers from a strong position west of Pretoria, inflicting considerable loss and sustaining some. Captain Robinson, Royal Marines, was killed, and five men; nineteen men were wounded. Unluckily, as before said, the operations in this region merely resembled the process of fanning off flies, which were whisked from one corner to congregate in another.
About the same time the civilians who represented British authority had some nasty experiences in Klerksdorp, where another commando threatened them. The place was protected by some 120 armed men, and these, finding themselves surrounded, had to take their choice between surrender or stout defence. Many of the party belonged to the Kimberley Mounted Corps, who at once made preparations to protect the town and hold it till their last breath. But the gallant fellows received orders to surrender, and had the humiliation of seeing the British flag torn to tatters and trampled on by the burghers, who were only too glad to revenge themselves for being thrust out of Klerksdorp some weeks before. The following were taken prisoners: Lieutenant Blagden, Lieutenant Shepherd, Lieutenant Purvis, Lieutenant W. A. White, all of the Kimberley Mounted Corps.
At Krugersdorp General Barton reconnoitered along the line to the station where the train was wrecked on the 19th, and replenished the supplies of Lord Methuen, who was moving on Potchefstroom, which place was reached at the end of the month. On the eighteen miles’ march from Frederickstad, though the troops were engaged with the enemy the greater part of the day, the casualties were few; but the Dutchmen, revenging themselves, took up some of the rails on the Krugersdorp-Potchefstroom Railway, and threw a supply train escorted by a detachment of the Shropshire Light Infantry off the line, killing thirteen persons, including the engine-driver, and causing injuries to thirty-nine more. This made a bad termination for July, particularly disappointing, as General Smith-Dorrien had told off special patrols to prevent trains from passing over damaged parts of the rail, and a reason for the accidents was not forthcoming.
The troops encamped near Frederickstad were set upon by Commandant Lieseberg and his hordes, who, having requested the commanding officer to surrender, had received the usual reply. The Dutchman was gallantly routed by Colonel M’Kinnon and his dashing C.I.V., assisted by the Suffolk and Bucks Yeomanry, before the arrival of Methuen’s force, which had been signalled for. In the course of the fray Captain A. V. Poynter, 10th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, was dangerously wounded.
This somewhat inexplicable forward and backward march on the part of Lord Methuen was due to the necessity of acting in co-operation with the movement of troops on the north-west of Pretoria, and thus saving any particular portion of the position from affording loopholes for the junction of Boer commandos.