On the 21st General Buller moved to Van Wyks Vlei, fifteen miles due south of Belfast. Near here a British detached party encountering the enemy, who seemed to be in force, had a very rough time. The Gordons were forced to return to camp under cover of dusk, while the Lancers, who were acting as scouts, remained for some hours dodging the heavy fusilades of the enemy, who had contrived to spring up on three sides of them. Lieutenant Field (18th Hussars) and Captain Ellershaw (Royal Artillery) were wounded, seven of the Gordon Highlanders were slain and twenty men were wounded, while five were missing.
An exciting episode also took place on the 22nd at Newcastle, where were stationed the 13th Hussars. A portion of this regiment came into collision with some of the enemy, and during the encounter Major W. C. Smithson and Second Lieutenant C. E. Jenkins were wounded. One man was killed and another wounded. Young Jenkins was taken prisoner under somewhat heroic circumstances. While he was lying helpless, a trooper came to his aid and insisted on giving up his own horse in order that the young officer might escape. “It won’t matter if they collar me,” argued the brave fellow. But Mr. Jenkins sturdily refused to accept the sacrifice, and thus fell into the hands of the Boers.
The enemy made a desperate effort on the 23rd to prevent General Buller from reaching Belfast. They endeavoured to lay a trap for the cavalry, opening on them at fairly short range with a long-range 15-pounder and pom-poms. A section of the 21st Battery, under Lieutenant Rainsford, promptly set to work to silence them, and the ruse failed. But at night, when the turmoil of the day was thought to be over, through an accident, two companies of the Liverpools, who had advanced into a hollow out of sight of the main body, were surrounded and suffered severely. The casualties, morning and evening, made a long total. South African Light Horse: wounded, Captain A. Savory (since dead) and two men. Royal Artillery: killed, one man; wounded, Lieutenant F. Rainsford-Hannay and two men. Army Veterinary Department: wounded, Lieutenant J. Steele. 1st Liverpool Regiment: killed, ten men; wounded, Captain Plomer, who was taken prisoner, and forty-five men; missing, thirty-two. Leicester Regiment: killed, one man; wounded, six; missing, one. 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: wounded, one man.
On the following day some more fighting took place, prior to the General’s arrival at Belfast, Lieutenant Tarbet, 1st Yorkshire Mounted Infantry, and thirteen men being wounded.
On the 25th, General Buller reached his destination, and met Lord Roberts in order to discuss at a council of war the operations which made the closing act of the drama.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] See Map, p. 33.