“The police and the Military Governor received information that, on the 14th July, the anniversary of the taking of Bastille, an attempt would be made to overpower garrison and murder British officers.
“A race meeting was to take place on that day, and it was assumed that a large proportion of officers would attend it unarmed.
“Bolder spirits among plotters were to go to the races armed, and murder officers, while an ostensibly French national gathering was to be the rallying point for the low class who were to murder all the police, and then take possession of the Government Offices, &c.
“A Boer commander at Zwart Kop, to the north of the town, was in direct communication with the plotters.
“By the 13th July the police were in possession of sufficient evidence to justify numerous arrests, which were accordingly carried out during the night of 13th to 14th.
“At noon, 14th July, the Consuls of Germany, France, Sweden, and America, of which nations some subjects had been arrested, met the Commissioner of Police and discussed the question.
“Each Consul concerned was furnished with a statement of the facts of the case.
“The interview passed off most satisfactorily, and the Consuls expressed entire concurrence with action taken, and promised to render every assistance.
“Between four hundred and five hundred arrests were made, but of these seventy-five were subsequently released on being vouched for by their respective Consuls.”
The rest were deported, and none too soon, as will be seen.
On the 16th a new brigade, consisting of the Border Regiment, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and the Berkshires, under Colonel Cunningham, together with Colonel Hickman’s force of 1800 Mounted Infantry, various details, an Elswick battery, and a Canadian battery attached to Colonel Cunningham’s force, the whole under General Ian Hamilton, was despatched to clear out the Boers from a chain of hills on the north and north-west, in which they were congregating. But their discretion prompted them, on receiving information of the movement, to evacuate their position, and General Hamilton moved unchallenged to Watervall, and from thence, on the 17th, to Hamanskraal. Thus far the sweeping back of the northern portion of the Boer crescent was satisfactorily accomplished, and the Boers were forced towards their original position in the east, where Lord Roberts eventually intended to drive them before him.
The fact was the Dutchmen, having found the right flank well guarded on the 16th, had made a ferocious lunge at the left of General Pole-Carew’s position, and simultaneously all along the left. A tremendous day’s fighting followed, during which the posts held by the Royal Irish Fusiliers, under Major Munn, the New Zealanders under Captain Vaughan, the Canadians under Colonel Alderson, were defended with amazing valour and persistence. So many officers distinguished themselves that it was almost impossible to record their names. Colonel Clowes, who temporarily commanded the 1st Cavalry Brigade on the extreme right of the line, was commended by the Chief for his handling of his men. The gallantry of Captain Barnes (R. A.), Major Hill, Lieutenants Knight and Hughes, Royal Irish Fusiliers, was especially remarkable, the Irish officers having defended their post against an onslaught at so close quarters that it was possible to hear the raucous shouts of the enemy inviting the Fusiliers to surrender! Heroic qualities were also displayed by two young Canadian officers, Lieutenants Borden and Birch, 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, who were killed while leading their men in a counter-attack on the enemy’s flank at a critical juncture of the attack on the position. The loss of young Borden was especially deplored. A soldier to the marrow, he had been twice mentioned in despatches “for gallant and intrepid conduct.” He was the only son of the Canadian Minister of Militia, and was popular as he was plucky. Among the wounded were Lieutenant C. Battye, Shropshire Light Infantry; Civil Surgeon J. C. Willes, who was detained by the Boers; Lieutenant J. Findlay, New Zealand Mounted Rifles; Captain Bourn and Lieutenant J. Cameron, New Zealand Contingent (third), were missing. Of the rank and file five men were killed (one Shropshire Light Infantry, and four Royal Irish Fusiliers), twenty-six wounded and twenty-one missing.
General Ian Hamilton and Colonel Mahon from Hamanskraal continued to march eastward over country that was full of ruggedness, presenting obstacles at every turn. The enemy, however, offered no opposition. Their destination was Eerstefabrieken Station, where they joined hands with General Pole-Carew’s Division.
Map Illustrating the Eastward Move from Eerstefabrieken to Middelburg.
Lord Roberts now decided to advance, with a view to pushing back the enemy, taking possession of the line to the Portuguese frontier, and occupying the towns fringing thereon, thus diminishing the Boer resources, breaking up their commandos, and reducing them rather to guerilla bands than organised armies. The move was fraught with difficulties, for every step gained implied so much loss to the bulk of the main army, every point of the railway demanded its special guard—the result being that, large as was Lord Roberts’s force in theory, in action it was daily thinning to an almost attenuated degree. It was impossible to remain stationary, however. In the advance the same principles were adopted as in the march from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, only now, while General Pole-Carew continued to proceed along the railway, Generals French and Hutton were to co-operate on his right, and General Ian Hamilton to form the left wing, and menace such Boers as hoped to retreat to the north.
ALGOA BAY AND PORT ELIZABETH, FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE
Photo by Wilson, Aberdeen