[Photo by Bassano.
Edward Robert Prevost Woodgate, C.B., C.M.G., was a son of the Rector of Belbroughton, Worcestershire. Born 1845; entered the Army as ensign in the 4th (King's Own Royal Lancaster) regiment in 1865; served with the Abyssinian Expedition against King Theodore, 1868; in the Ashanti War of 1873-74; on the staff in the Zulu War of 1878-9, when he obtained the Brevet of Major; served as staff officer in the West Indies, 1880-5, and as regimental officer in India, 1885-89; promoted Lieut.-Col., 1893; C.B., 1856; and Colonel, 1897; appointed to command the Regimental District of the Kings Own at Lancaster, September, 1897; raised the West African Frontier Regiment in Sierra Leone, and suppressed the native rebellion, 1898-9; invalided home and made C.M.G., and given command of Leicestershire district. In December, 1899, he was appointed to the command of the Ninth Brigade in South Africa; he led the assault on Spion Kop, and was killed while defending the position gained upon that hill, January 24, 1900.
Ascent of Spion Kop.
[Jan. 23, 1900.
At this point began the real ascent of the mountain by an exceedingly steep and narrow path, which worked up the almost precipitous slopes. After a short halt, General Woodgate and Colonel Blomfield led the way, in front of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and the whole force in Indian file moved upwards with the utmost caution. The mountain side abounded in boulders and brushwood, offering the best of cover for the enemy; there were many points where the track, which was at best only a goat path, ran along narrow ledges with a sheer drop on the outside, and here a single determined enemy might have caused heavy loss and even defeated the assault. Along this difficult and tedious route crawled the infantry in light marching order, expecting each moment to hear among the rocks the crack of the Boer rifles. But no sound or cry of alarm came, and, shrouded in obscurity, the forlorn hope slowly neared the shoulder where was known to be one of the "mauvais pas" of the mountain. Hereabouts a large white spaniel suddenly emerged from the darkness, and discovery seemed certain. Yet the animal came quietly up, and allowed a soldier to catch it, when it was promptly led to the rear.
[Photo by Caney.
LIEUT-COL. (LOCAL BRIGADIER-GENERAL) THORNEYCROFT.