Alec Ball.]
Jan. 19-20, 1900.] Capture of Three Tree Hill.
Capture of Three Tree Hill and Bastion Hill.
[Jan. 20, 1900.
During the night of the 19-20th a forward move was made. General Woodgate pushed out from the British camp and seized Three Tree Hill—a bastion jutting out from the north-western flank of Spion Kop. The Boers offered no resistance. The hill was the centre of a vast amphitheatre, crowned on all sides by Boer entrenchments; and though far below the crests which towered above it, it was the best artillery position that could be found, and here three of the British field batteries were planted. When day broke, the battle opened with the usual bombardment on the part of the field guns, the naval guns from Spearman's Hill and the howitzers from Potgieter's shelling the Boer position on Spion Kop from the other side. All day "the hills crashed with guns and rattled with musketry. At a little distance you might have supposed," writes Mr. Atkins, "that the resonant noises came from some haunted mountain, for the hills looked sleepy, and peaceful, and deserted, and there seemed to be no reason for all these strange sounds—the bark of field guns, the crackle of musketry, the rapping of Vickers-Maxims, and the tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat of Maxims." All day the thin straggling lines of British infantry pushed slowly forward—almost invisible upon the slopes of the hills—but in spite of splendid efforts the progress was painfully slow. The advance was made at first by small scattered parties of men, quickly following each other and using all the cover that could be found, hurrying from kopje to kopje. Then in heavier masses the main body of the infantry followed. General Hildyard's Brigade was on the left, General Hart's in the centre, and General Woodgate's on the right. On the extreme left were the cavalry and mounted infantry, who accomplished the one great feat of the day—the capture of Bastion Hill.
[From a sketch on the spot by F. A. Stewart.
Bastion Hill, like Three Tree Hill, ran out at right angles from the main range of Spion Kop. By Lord Dundonald's order the South African Light Horse under Major Childe were sent to examine it, and if they did not find it strongly held, to seize it. They extended, approached under a heavy fire from the Boers at over 7,000 yards—a range at which British field artillery is useless—and climbed in open order its steep, almost precipitous sides. A private named Tobin led them all. Alert and agile, he bounded up the slopes, and reached the summit ten minutes before the rest of his comrades. All watched him, expecting every instant to see him fall, but he found only a picket of Boers, who fled at his appearance. Turning round, he waved his helmet on his rifle, and the Light Horse rushed up and occupied the hill. There was something ominous in the ease with which it had been taken, and the Boer reason for leaving it unfortified was soon manifest.
[Photo by Caney.