The Pioneer Corps, realising their dangerous position, endeavoured hastily to improvise a barricade with a number of railway trucks, and also requisitioned a large quantity of biscuit and meat tins for the purpose. The orders of Captain Gale were speedily carried out, and soon his little force, numbering 160, were completely sheltered behind the barricade. The Boers, after waiting the specified ten minutes, and perceiving the efforts of the British to offer resistance, immediately opened fire, pouring volley after volley on the force. Captain Gale and two pioneers fell from the rifle fire, while shrapnel shells bursting near killed three men. The enemy then directed their heavy artillery on the barricades and station buildings, the latter being practically destroyed. The Boers were now only fourteen hundred yards away, and well hidden. An endeavour was made to have the wounded conveyed to safety behind a large tank, but a shell from the Boer guns exploded among the horses and the animals stampeded.
Firing from heavy guns was afterwards heard coming from the opposite direction to the Boers. Hopes were high among the gallant force that relief was at last arriving from Kroonstad. The pioneers, however, soon became too painfully aware that the firing came from another body of the enemy, who had surrounded the 4th Derbyshire Regiment the same morning. Although the firing continued, an outlying patrol attempted to reach the pioneers. The whole of the Boer guns were now worked with increased energy, and soon the want of ammunition compelled the British force to surrender. The report then went on to say that Commandant De Wet, mounted on an English charger, advanced and asked the number of British killed. Looking at the dead body of Captain Gale, the Boer commandant remarked sympathetically, “Poor man. Very sad. Bury him at once.” He also courteously allowed the body to be wrapped in a Union Jack. De Wet is a tall, heavily built man, with a brown beard. He wore a tweed suit and an overcoat, and carried a rifle and bandolier. Attached to his gold chain was a medal, on which was a representation of Kruger’s head. De Wet was very polite to his captives, and kindly expressed his sorrow at having to destroy two thousand bags of mails. Unless he did so, he added, the young Boers would open the letters.
The bags were afterwards ripped open, and the Boers looted the baggage. One burgher found a number of bank notes as part of his spoil, while others obtained tobacco, cigars, and various medical comforts. Lieutenant Thurston, Cape Pioneer Railway Regiment, and Lieutenant Staffkett, Cape Pioneer Railway Regiment, were made prisoners. Some of the prisoners were called together and made to take off parts of their dress, which the Boers then donned. The British wounded were well attended to, and were subsequently removed to the Yeomanry Hospital at Kroonstad.
As a consequence of these attacks De Wet obtained possession of the line, which became so twisted and uptorn as to resemble unfinished Jacob’s ladders to heaven, while Pretoria found itself minus its longed-for home letters, and standing hourly in fear of running short of food. Still affairs were going on as though nothing had happened. The Town Council temporarily continued its duties. An English Burgomaster was chosen, and a new Court of Justice was established. Colonel Maxse became the head of the police, and many Colonials who volunteered for civil employment were given posts of importance. Owing to the many acts of duplicity practised by the Boers who had surrendered, more stringent regulations regarding oath-breakers were promulgated. The publication of malicious and false reports was forbidden, and a sharp look-out was kept over the movements of the spies with which the capital was still swarming.
One hundred and forty-eight officers, and 3039 men were released, and these were rearmed from the 2000 stands of arms which were given up in Pretoria on and after the British occupation. The list of the officers who had been suffering imprisonment at the hands of the Boers is a long one, and dates almost from the outset of the war:—
18th Hussars—Lieutenant-Colonel B. D. Moller, Major H. A. F. Greville, and Captain and Adjutant W. P. M. Pollock. Army Veterinary Department—Veterinary Lieutenant F. H. Shore. 1st King’s Royal Rifles—Lieutenant B. J. Majendie and Lieutenant F. M. Crum. 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers—Captain M. P. E. Lonsdale, Lieutenant C. Garvice, Lieutenant C. T. W. Grimshaw, and Second Lieutenant T. H. C. Frankland. 10th Mountain Battery Royal Garrison Artillery—Major G. E. Bryant, Lieutenant G. D. Wheeler, Lieutenant G. R. Nugent, Lieutenant W. H. Moore, and Second Lieutenant G. T. W. Webb (attached). 1st Gloucester Regiment—Major S. Humphery, Major W. R. P. Wallace, Captain S. Duncan, Captain Connor, Lieutenant A. Bryant, Lieutenant F. C. Nisbet, Lieutenant R. M. M. Davy, Lieutenant F. A. Brent, Lieutenant C. S. Knox, Lieutenant W. A. M. Temple, Lieutenant A. H. Radice, Lieutenant J. Ingram, Lieutenant P. H. Short, Lieutenant R. L. Beasley, Second Lieutenant W. S. Mackenzie, Second Lieutenant H. H. Smith, Lieutenant and Adjutant W. L. B. Hill, Lieutenant and Quartermaster R. J. Gray. 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers—Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. C. Carleton, Major F. H. Munn, Captain A. R. Burrowes, Lieutenant A. E. S. Heard, Lieutenant C. E. Southey, Lieutenant W. G. B. Phibbs, Lieutenant H. B. Holmes, Lieutenant A. H. C. MacGregor, Lieutenant A. L. J. M. Kelly, Second Lieutenant R. J. Kentish, Second Lieutenant C. E. Kinahan, and Second Lieutenant R. W. R. Jeudwine. Rhodesian Horse—Lieutenant A. E. Harenick. Natal Carabineers—Lieutenant A. J. Gallwey. 2nd West Yorks Regiment—Major H. de T. C. Hobbs. 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers—Major W. E. Sturges, Captain E. W. Fletcher, Captain F. B. Morley, Second Lieutenant G. R. Wake, and Second Lieutenant L. B. Coulson. 2nd Dorsetshire Regiment—Lieutenant F. W. Radcliffe. 2nd Royal Irish Rifles—Captain A. V. Weir, Lieutenant E. J. Christie, Second Lieutenant L. G. B. Rodney, Second Lieutenant P. G. W. Maynard, Captain V. J. Kelly, Captain W. J. M’Whinnie, Captain A. C. D. Spencer, Lieutenant E. H. Saunders, Second Lieutenant T. L. B. Soutry, and Second Lieutenant J. C. Bowen-Colthurst. 1st Suffolk Regiment—Lieutenant S. J. B. Barnardiston, Captain W. G. Thompson, Captain C. A. H. Brett, and Second Lieutenant F. W. Wood-Martin. 2nd Devonshire Regiment—Lieutenant-Colonel G. M. Bullock, Major J. M’N. Walter, and Lieutenant G. N. F. Smyth-Osbourne. 2nd Essex Regiment—Lieutenant W. F. Bonham. Royal Field Artillery—Lieutenant-Colonel H. V. Hunt. 66th Battery Royal Field Artillery—Major W. Y. Foster, and Lieutenant G. L. Butler (attached). 14th Battery Royal Field Artillery—Major A. C. Bailward, Lieutenant A. C. Birch, and Second Lieutenant C. F. Holford. Royal Scots Fusiliers—Captain D. H. A. Dick, Captain H. H. Northey, Lieutenant E. Christian, Lieutenant M. E. M’Conaghey, Lieutenant C. F. H. Rumbold, and Lieutenant G. C. Briggs. 1st Connaught Rangers—Captain G. H. Ford-Hutchinson, and Second Lieutenant E. V. Jones. Cape Mounted Police—Inspector E. W. Blyth, and Sub-Inspector W. A. Genllond. South African Light Horse—Captain H. Fitzherbert. 12th Lancers—Lieutenant N. M. H. Tristram. 2nd Coldstream Guards—Lieutenant H. Chandos-Pole-Gell. Reserve of Officers—Lieutenant C. M. Grenfell, late 10th Hussars. 6th Dragoon Guards—Lieutenant F. E. Till. Royal Horse Guards—Captain W. F. Ricardo. 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers—Captain W. F. Elmslie and Captain G. H. B. Freeth. Royal Lancaster Regiment—Major G. A. Carleton. King’s Royal Rifles—Major O. S. W. Nugent. 2nd Wiltshire Regiment—Major H. A. Stock. Royal Engineers Militia—Lieutenant J. H. Prior (attached Suffolk Regiment). 1st Oxfordshire Light Infantry—Major F. J. Evelegh. Kitchener’s Horse—Captain W. Vaughan, Captain A. S. Arnold, Lieutenant Burghuys, Lieutenant H. D. Duban, Lieutenant W. J. Horne, Lieutenant J. Sampson, Lieutenant L. A. Myburgh, and Lieutenant N. A. N. Black. 6th Dragoons—Lieutenant G. K. Ansell. 2nd Bedford Regiment—Lieutenant G. D. Jebb. 1st Royal Munster Fusiliers—Lieutenant D. Best (? Lieutenant T. A. D. Best. Inniskilling Fusiliers). 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers—Lieutenant-Colonel C. J. Blomfield. Victoria Rifles—Captain T. M. M’Inerney. Scouts—Lieutenant W. Hockley. British South Africa Police—Lieutenant H. Chapman. Royal Horse Artillery—Major J. C. Wray, Captain H. Rouse, Captain G. H. A. White, Lieutenant F. H. G. Stanton, and Lieutenant F. L. C. Livingstone-Learmonth. Northumberland Fusiliers—Lieutenant H. S. Toppin. Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry—Lieutenant H. T. Cantan. 2nd Royal West Kent—Lieutenant R. J. T. Hildyard. Army Service Corps—Lieutenant C. J. Croxford. Indian Staff Corps—Lieutenant R. J. Stewart (attached Army Service Corps). Roberts’s Horse—Veterinary Captain P. D. Bray, Lieutenant J. F. Hawkins, Lieutenant H. R. Horne, and Lieutenant T. J. Truter. King’s Royal Rifle Corps—Lieutenant G. H. Martin. Welsh Regiment—Lieutenant R. H. Metge. 1st Royal Dragoons—Second Lieutenant T. D. Pilkington. Royal Artillery, Staff—Captain H. T. Tennant. Durham Light Infantry—Second Lieutenant L. J. P. Butler. South African Light Horse—Captain J. C. Kirkwood. Cape Police—Captain A. Bates. Brabant’s Horse—Captain P. M. W. Little, and Lieutenant H. A. Steele. 9th Lancers—Lieutenant S. R. Theobald. Yorkshire Light Infantry—Captain G. G. Ottley. 1st Australian Horse—Lieutenant J. W. Wilkinson. 6th Dragoons—Lieutenant N. W. Haig. Prince Alfred’s Volunteer Guards—Lieutenant W. B. Everton. Lumsden’s Horse—Lieutenant C. E. Crane. Royal Engineers—Lieutenant M. T. Webber. 10th Hussars—Lieutenant Anderson Pelham, and Lieutenant Crichton. 2nd East Kent—Lieutenant W. G. F. Barnard. Eastern Province Horse—Lieutenant J. M. P. Bowker. 16th Lancers—Captain C. J. Eccles. Cameron Highlanders—Captain MacEwen. Intelligence Department—Captain L. G. Dennison. Police Magistrate—C. H. Hilliard. Newspaper Correspondents—Lord Rosslyn, Lord C. Manners, and M. H. Donohue.
The following officers, prisoners of war, were found in hospital:—
Lieutenant the Hon. D. R. H. Anderson-Pelham, and Lieutenant C. W. H. Crichton, 10th Hussars (convalescent after enteric fever); Lieutenant H. Chapman, British South Africa Police (contusion, convalescent); Lieutenant G. H. Martin, King’s Royal Rifle Corps (tonsillitis, cured); Lieutenant R. H. Metge, 1st Welsh Regiment (neuralgia, cured); Lieutenant G. C. Briggs, 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers (doing well); Major F. H. Munn, Royal Irish Fusiliers (neuralgia, cured); Major J. C. Wray, Royal Horse Artillery (convalescent); Lieutenant N. W. Haig, 6th Dragoons (enteric fever, seriously ill, but improving).
Nine hundred and ninety prisoners were removed, however, and, it was believed, were taken some forty miles from Komati Poort.
On the 8th a curious experience was related by some of the Canadian Mounted Infantry, who, happening to lose their way and pass, unchallenged, the Boer lines, found themselves at the little town of Hebron. The inhabitants imagining them to be the forerunners of a British force, promptly surrendered arms and ammunition. The Canadians, with a due sense of humour, engaged in the formalities with becoming gravity, commandeered an ox-waggon, loaded it with their booty and returned again through the Boer lines, plus eighty-eight rifles and a big store of ammunition!