[Photo by Hawke, Plymouth.
Corporal Nurse obtained his Cross for assisting his superior officers in the attempt to save the guns. Capt. Schofield was not awarded the decoration solely because he acted under orders.
Edward Read.]
[From the Painting by Therese Schwartze.
Piet Joubert, Commandant-General of the Boer forces, died at Pretoria on March 27, 1900. He was of Huguenot descent. Sir George White has spoken of him as "a soldier and a gentleman, a brave and honourable opponent," and Lord Roberts telegraphed his respectful sympathy to the family of the distinguished General, "whose personal gallantry was only surpassed by his humane conduct and chivalrous bearing under all circumstances." The captive British officers in Pretoria sent wreaths for his coffin.
Guns and men captured by the Boers.
[Dec. 15, 1899.
Even now it would have been possible, in the opinion of some, to withdraw the British infantry out of range of the Boer rifles and entrench a force in a position 1,000 yards or so away from the guns, when any attempt on the part of the enemy to cross the river could have been defeated. If the naval guns on the crest of the ridge above Colenso had kept their place and supported this force it would have been practically impossible for the Boers to get near the guns, and the weapons could have been withdrawn under cover of night. As it was the Staff forgot to give orders to the Devons and Scots Fusiliers in the donga to retire, and the men remained there till evening, when the Boers boldly crossed the stream, captured the ten guns, and surrounded the men in the donga, making treacherous use, it is said, of the white flag. The ten guns had not been in any way disabled, as the gunners had expected to be able to return and serve them. The breech-blocks had not been carried off, and it would appear that in spite of the complaints of shortness of ammunition a large quantity of British shrapnel and cartridges was taken by the enemy—probably in the ammunition waggons to the rear of the guns.