With the Flag to Pretoria: A History of the Boer War of 1899-1900. Volume 1

by Herbert Wrigley Wilson

H. M. Paget.] [After a photo by R. Thiele.
CROSSING THE MODDER BY THE DAM.

The photograph represents some of Lord Methuen's men crossing the river after the battle. On the left is the dam by which the Yorkshires crossed under a heavy fire and obtained a temporary footing on the north bank of the river.

The first attempt to cross was made by the Yorkshiremen, a few of whom pushed into the stream above the dam. They were led by Lord Methuen in person. But the fire was too hot for anything to live under it, and the detachment was driven back with heavy loss, Lord Methuen himself receiving a painful flesh wound which compelled him to hand over the command. Next, a company of the Highlanders forded or swam the river and reached the further bank, where, on the following day, five of the bravest were found dead in the enemy's trenches. The others were driven back. Once more General Pole-Carew led the brave Yorkshiremen forward, this time to the dam that crossed the river. Here, under a heavy fire, the men one by one made their way along a rickety iron bar in the water just over the sluices, clinging to the uprights in which slid the sluice gates. One by one, in spite of the fire, they gained the other side, where gradually 400 men formed up—a band of heroes—and began to push forward along the north bank to take the enemy in the flank. General Pole-Carew sent for reinforcements. Colonel Northcott, of the staff, was directed by Lord Methuen to bring them up, but, before he could reach General Pole-Carew, fell mortally wounded by a shell splinter in the neck.

[Nov. 28, 1899.

Retreat of the Boers.

Unfortunately, the success of this flanking movement was not generally known, and the Yorkshiremen were taken for Boers, so that our troops and batteries, as well as the enemy's, fired upon them. This compelled them to fall back, but their mere appearance on the north bank had finally upset the equanimity of the Free Staters. These had no confidence in themselves or in their leaders; many of them were for the first time under fire, and the fearful sights of the battlefield shook their equilibrium. Most terrible of all was a tall red-bearded Boer who had been wounded fearfully by a shell, and walked to and fro, his whole face one mass of blood, his eyes torn out, calling frantically to his comrades. At 2 p.m. a large number of the enemy were seen to ride off towards Jacobsdal; at 4·0 there was something resembling a general stampede. The fugitives retired along the deep river bed, and thus their flight escaped the notice of the British column, else the attack might have been pushed, when there is every reason to think a great victory would have been obtained and the enemy's artillery captured. But the most advanced companies of the Guards' Brigade had no ammunition left and none could be sent them; moreover, as it was impossible for a mounted man to show himself within 1,500 yards from the Boer trenches, no orders could be given. It was, therefore, decided to move three battalions of the Guards under cover of night across the river to the left and to storm the position, and till nightfall to rest content with what had been won.

As evening drew on and the sun sank, the long duel ceased, after eight hours of continual firing, with only two short intervals of abatement. At this point, unknown to the British, the remainder of the enemy precipitately retreated, leaving behind them their guns and many of their wounded. Late in the night they mustered up courage to return and remove all that they had left. The British, for their part, bivouacked on the field, the men sleeping where they had fought. The night was bitterly cold after the sweltering heat of the day, and this, in the absence of their great-coats, caused the men great suffering.

When morning came, eight shots from the naval 12-pounders gave the signal for a forward move. The scouts and patrols, however, on cautiously advancing towards the Boer lines, found them abandoned. The British army then pushed rapidly across and seized the position vacated by the enemy—victors in one of the strangest battles of modern times.