'I am just about to embark. Please go and see Mrs. Wauchope when she gets back. She will act for me at all times in my spirit. I hope you understand about the send-off. I hate fuss. Give my love to all my numerous friends in the works. I hope "Klondyke" [one of the new workings] will prosper and flourish. I hope the war will soon be over. Symons is a terrible loss. He was one of our best. [General Symons fell at the battle of Glencoe in Natal, 20th October.] The British officer and soldier is showing to the world that they are not behind their fathers in the days of the Peninsula and Waterloo. I hope all may continue so to do, and then make it up with the Boers, who really must be reasonable. We have no grudge against them, beyond that we cannot allow a Dutchman to be worth three Scotsmen.—Ever yours, A. G. WAUCHOPE.'
To his head gardener, Mr. Alexander, also dated from Southampton on 23rd October, he writes:—'Dear Alexander, we are just off.... Please convey to all our men and women my thanks for their faithful service to me, and that I will hope to see them soon again.—Yours very truly, A. G. WAUCHOPE.'
That amid all the bustle of preparing to embark he should still have time for loving thoughts of Niddrie and 'the old folks at home,' and should at the last moment take the trouble to write such kindly words, speaks eloquently of the affection in his breast for all that he had left behind in Scotland.
Enthusiastic reception
The Aurania took out with her the 1st Battalion of Highland Light Infantry, and Wauchope was accompanied by Captain Rennie of the Black Watch, as his aide-de-camp. The Black Watch in another vessel reached Table Bay two or three days after the General's arrival, and were at once entrained for De-Aar by half-battalions, so that until he joined them a week or two afterwards, the General had had no opportunity of coming in touch with his old regiment since his appointment to the division. Major Duff, who was with the Black Watch at De-Aar, speaks of their meeting as a remarkable one. 'I went up,' he says, 'in command of the leading half-battalion, and when the men first saw the General, their reception of him was a most truly enthusiastic one. They cheered him over and over again, and it reminded one of their send-off to him at York, as they had not seen him since then.'
While the British Government were thus hurrying forward troops to the seat of war with all despatch, weeks of course elapsed before they could be in a position to meet the invaders.
The Boers in strong force, and evidently well prepared, had actively assumed the aggressive, and in consequence of the unexpected declaration of war by Presidents Kruger and Steyn, the northern part of Cape Colony bordering upon the Orange Free State was for a time practically defenceless. Taking advantage of this fact, the Boers had advanced boldly across the frontier, attacking many of our towns and villages, and formally annexing them to the Free State. The arrival of British troops at the Cape in November to some extent arrested this invasion, and as troops were poured into the Colony in quick succession, Generals French, Gatacre, and Methuen found themselves ultimately in a position to assume the offensive, their communications and supplies being kept up by the three lines of railway from Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East London respectively. The Highland Brigade, originally destined for Natal, was stopped at Cape Town and at once sent on to reinforce Lord Methuen in command of the western division. With his advanced base at De-Aar, at the junction of the Port Elizabeth and Cape Town railways, and striking north with what troops he had, Methuen engaged and defeated a party of Boers near Belmont on the 10th November. Nine days after, he had concentrated his troops on the Orange River, driving the enemy before him, and on the 23rd November he attacked and completely routed the enemy in the decisive battle of Belmont.
After several skirmishes the battle of Modder River was fought, in which the British encountered a Boer force of 11,000 men. It lasted the whole of Tuesday the 28th November, and was keenly contested; but in spite of the bravery and superior position of the enemy, they were compelled to withdraw, and Methuen formed his advanced camp on the north side of the river. After the Modder River fight he rested his force until the 10th December, waiting for the battalions of Wauchope's Highland Brigade, for the great naval gun, and the howitzer battery, and for the sorely needed cavalry. The valiant Ninth Brigade, composed of Yorkshire Light Infantry, 5th Northumberlands, Loyal North Lancashires, Northamptonshires, 9th Lancers, and Mounted Infantry, which had done such gallant work in the previous battles, was now to be scattered, and in some measure supplanted by the Argylls, Seaforths, Gordons, Black Watch, and Highland Light Infantry of the fresher brigade.
Having secured his position on the Modder River, Lord Methuen found the way to Kimberley still barred by the Boer army under General Cronje. The enemy were strongly intrenched among the rocks and precipices of the hilly region, some four miles from the river, between the railway on the west and the highroad to Kimberley on the east, and commanded the position with their artillery.
The Diamond City