Kindly go and instruct your troop-leaders. As soon as you are
extended, canter, and improve your pace when you get sufficiently
near. That knoll on the right and the rise on the left both command
the farm, and you will find that the enemy won't stand. Good Heavens!
man (_as the captain again began to demur_), there are only about
twenty of them; surely you are not afraid!"
The man did not mean going, neither did his squadron. They dallied
over extending, and it was quite a quarter of an hour before they
began to move forward. The brigade-major dashed to the head of the
right half-squadron and tried to infuse some little enthusiasm into
them. But no; it was the very worst squadron of the Mount Nelsons, and
when the brigade-major commenced to gallop he found that he was only
followed by four men. But this even, added to half a belt from the
pom-pom, was sufficient for the Boers: they ran to their horses, which
were grazing by the kraal, mounted, and galloped over the rise,
without firing a shot. As vultures swoop down upon carrion, so the
Mount Nelsons, as soon as it was seen that the rise was clear of the
enemy, swarmed down to the looting of the farm. The brigade-major's
face was a study when he and the Mount Nelsons' captain met in the
verandah. All that he said would not add to the artistic sense of this
narrative; but he closed his remarks with the following: "If I catch a
man of your regiment touching a single article in this farm I will
shoot him myself. Get your men back to their positions, sir. They
won't fight; I'll be d----d if they shall loot!"
In war situations develop rapidly, and the brigade-major had barely
dismissed his now sulking junior, when a silver glitter from above the
halting-place of the brigade brought the laconic message, "Return at
once without delay." Precisely at the same moment a messenger came
dashing down from the rise above the farm, and excitedly reported that
a long line of Cape carts was rapidly crossing the left front. The
brigade-major started the squadron back at a trot, and stayed behind
for a few moments to make an investigation of the new development. It
was quite true, six Cape carts and about thirty men were crossing his
front from right to left at a good pace. They were a long way off, and
even if he had not had peremptory orders to return, it would have
been hopeless to have attempted to pursue them with such material as
he had in hand.
_Brigade-Major_ (_snapping his glasses back into their case_). "You
may put it down, Mr Intelligence, in that voluminous diary of yours,
that our quarry has escaped. They have slipped us. Come along; we must
canter on and see what the brigadier has in pickle for us!"
But, as subsequent events were to prove, the brigade-major for once
was in error....
We found the brigadier impatiently awaiting us, with half the battery
hooked in, and the 20th Dragoons standing to their horses. He did not
wait for rest or explanation; but as soon as we cantered in with the
pom-pom, gave the order for the column to advance. The mule-convoy had
come in in our absence, and it had orders to follow us as best it
could.
_Brigadier._ "Look here, you fellows; I really am sanguine for the
first time since I have been engaged in this kind of 'follow your
leader.' Just about half an hour after you left, our friend the
turkey-expert of last night sent in a red-hot man with a message that
he had held up the main body of a Boer commando in a pass just west
of Fauresmith. He wasn't in position to stop the advance-guard, which
went through with about six Cape carts; but he had since captured the
Boer picket on the pass and had turned the main body--consisting of
about thirty Cape carts and 400 burghers--back, and when he wrote they
were halted in Fauresmith."
_Brigade-Major._ "We have seen that advance-guard. But is there no
other way by which the enemy can get to the Riet: by swinging round
between Fauresmith and Jagersfontein, for instance?"
_B._ "We can't hope that he will stay and wait for us in Fauresmith.
Of course there will be a way round; but he may delay, he may try and
force his way past the turkey-expert, and then we may be there first.
I sent Goven on with the 21st and two guns at once to strike a
bee-line for Kalabas bridge--to reck for nothing, only to get there.
But we have neither guides nor maps that can give one any idea of the
true lie of the country. I could only furnish him with the direction
and the ordinary inaccurate sheet-map."
_B.-M._ "And what do you intend doing yourself, sir?"
_B._ "We will just push on hell-for-leather for the position which the
turkey-expert is holding; and then if he is being attacked, and wind
and tide will allow it, we will just hurl ourselves into ole man De
Wet, smother him, or perish in the attempt."
The hills about Fauresmith differ little in formation from the general
character obtaining in South Africa. They divide the veldt into a
series of rough parallelograms. The brigadier had estimated that we
were distant from Fauresmith only about four or five miles, while the
inaccurate map showed that when the 21st Dragoon Guards had started,
they only had about eight miles to cover before they would reach the
Kalabas bridge over the Riet. Therefore the brigadier was satisfied
that if he was able to stop the bridge with the 21st and get touch
with De Wet's main body before dark, he could deal with it with the
force he had kept in hand. But it would be absolutely essential to
gain touch that night, and once having gained it, to push through to a
conclusion at once. The interior of the first parallelogram allowed
the force to advance with an extended front, and six miles of smart
trotting brought it to Brandewijnskuil, where the Fauresmith road
passes over a stream tributary to the Riet. To the east of this drift,
between it and Fauresmith, rise the glacis-like slopes of Groen
Kloof--well named, for the whole country here is green, and the
immediate neighbourhood of the drift is not unlike many rural spots to
be found in Surrey. Bushed as with a hedgerow, the road sinks into the
drift, to appear again on the far side, cutting its way between a
rough-edged turf upon which geese and goats are browsing. To the left
stands a whitewashed cottage, with a corral of stunted shrub and a
tree or two. Beside it, in a creeper-grown shed, are the appliances of
a blacksmith's craft--yes, just for the moment it might well be
Surrey. But we have no time to stay and admire or to soliloquise over
scenery. There is men's work ahead. A mounted messenger is dashing
down the track in front of us, as if hell and a thousand devils had
been loosed behind him. He hands a scrap of paper to the
brigade-major, and then throws himself from his horse, which stands
motionless with heaving sides and dripping flanks.
_Brigadier._ "Read it. Who is it from?"
_Brigade-Major._ "From the officer in command of the two squadrons of
Mount Nelsons. He says: 'Groen Kloof, 3.15 P.M.--Boers about 200
strong demonstrated against me, while the convoy made a circle round
out of range to north-east. I was unable to prevent this. Convoy is
going as fast as it can due north. You could cut it off. Am holding
this until you reinforce. No casualties; have six prisoners.'"
_Brigadier_ (_taking out his watch_). "It is now 3.40. Goven started
at 1.30; he ought to be at the bridge well in front of those coves. If
he is, we've got 'em. Here, Baker; take the rest of this crush
straight for the north-east corner of this sheet of the map. As soon
as you reach the corner, make a right angle, steer north-west, and you
ought to come out just on the tail of Brother and his Cape carts. Now,
off you go; report to Colonel Washington, but I shall expect you to
keep the show going. Gad! it's the chance of the campaign, if the
Riet is still in flood!"
_B.-M._ "Very good, sir. But where will you be?"
_B._ "I shall be here. This is where the transport will outspan
to-night. I shall keep the turkey-expert up on the top of Groen Kloof
all to-night, in case Brother tries to break back that way! But
wherever you find the enemy, go for him bald-headed: it is the only
chance!"
_B.-M._ "But if I find that he has crossed the river? If the other
column should not be in position?"
_B._ (_deliberately_) "If he has got across the Riet, come back at
once with your tail between your legs. Pursuit in those circumstances
would be useless. But use your own discretion if it comes to a near
thing. Tell Freddy that you've my instructions to fight; you and
Freddy ought to be able to convince Washington, and Twine, his second
in command, is fighting stuff. Good-bye, and good luck to you; spare
neither man nor beast. (_As the brigade-major rode off, the brigadier
turned to the Intelligence officer._) Now, Mr Intelligence, I want
you also to make yourself useful. I want you if possible to get to
Goven and acquaint him of the situation. It is of vital importance
that he should know how the force behind him is distributed. Even if
they are attacking him at the bridge, do your utmost to get to him:
the best of forces present flanks that are possible to single men.
Just tell him that Washington with half the force is bearing down upon
the bridge from the north-east; that Groen Kloof is held by our own
coves; that I am here with the baggage, and its escort of sick, blind,
halt, and lame; that if Washington gets into them, he is to leave just
enough men to make the bridge secure, and hurl his hoplites in to the
help of Washington. Now, ride cunning; you may have a difficult job. I
should keep well to the left. Good-bye, and good luck to you. Ride
cunning!"...
The Intelligence officer rode out on his lonely mission. Luckily he
had changed his horse after the affair at Liebenbergspan, and being
well mounted, he felt fairly confident. He first steered north-west,
hoping to strike off the _spoor_ of Goven's column. But when after
four miles he failed to find it, he opined that he was making a detour
which, if persevered in, would not bring him to his destination by
nightfall. He therefore changed his direction to due north, and put
spurs to his horse. He was working along the inner edge of a great
veldt-basin, and getting a little uncomfortable as to his direction;
and alarmed that he saw no traces of the column, he dismounted in a
kloof, and climbed to the top of the edge of the basin. Beneath him
lay a track, standing out white against the veldt. There was just a
short breadth of veldt, and then the country became very broken and
hilly. Within two hundred yards of the spot which he had chosen for
his reconnaissance stood a small farmhouse. But it was not the
farmhouse that attracted his attention; it was a pillar of dust which
showed to the north along the track. He took out his glasses. There
was no doubt about it,--it was a body of mounted men and some
transport going away from him. They were not more than a mile away;
and if it had not been for the dust, he could almost have counted the
force. "It is De Wet," he inwardly reflected; "he is going right into
Goven's arms; and for Boers to make all that dust, they must be
travelling fast." He turned his glasses down to the south; there he
could find no sign of living thing upon the track. He was just
debating in his mind what would be the right course to pursue, when he
heard a voice behind him, "Beg pardon, sir, but them is Boers; they
have just all gone past here!" He turned round to find a British
dragoon standing stiffly to attention behind him.
_Intelligence Officer._ "Who are you? and where the devil have you
come from?"
_Trooper._ "Please, sir, we belongs to a patrol that was sent out by
Captain Charles, and we got lost."
_I. O._ "Where are the others? where are your horses?"
_T._ "I have got the three horses down in the nullah there. The
corporal and the other man are down in that farm, sir; at least that
is where they went before the Boers came."
_I. O._ "In that farm? Why, the Boers will have got them; they must
have passed quite close to the farm!"
_T._ "They did that, sir; but I never seed them get them. I expect
that they was under the beds when the Boers passed."
_I. O._ "Did you see all the Boers pass?"
_T._ "Yes, sir; there was about a thousand, two waggons, and a lot of
carts. Some was riding horses, and others riding in the carts."
_I. O._ "Were they going fast?"
_T._ "Yes, sir; just as fast as they could, shouting and swearing and
calling to each other. They seemed dreadful pressed for time!"
_I. O._ "We had better see if those other fellows of yours are still
in the farm. Have you got your rifle loaded?"
The Intelligence officer and trooper walked down to the little
homestead, and as they approached the door out stepped the two most
scared and astonished dragoons that South Africa has ever seen. They
were escorted by a bevy of smiling girls. When they saw their comrade
safe and sound in the company of an officer, they became absolutely
nonplussed. But the Intelligence officer got the following history out
of the corporal:--
_Corporal._ "Well, sir, we were sent off as a patrol on the right
flank, and somehow among the kopjes we lost touch, and about an hour
ago we reached this place. I left the horses under cover with Smith,
and I took one man and went to reconnoitre the farm. We found this
nice old lady inside, who speaks English; and she told us that she
hadn't seen any English troops, but that a small party of Boers had
passed in the morning, who had stopped and had some coffee, but who
seemed to be in a hurry. The good lady asked us if we would have some
coffee. Well, sir, we were very thirsty and hungry-like, so we sat
down, and they gave us some coffee and cake and things; and just as we
were eating, the old lady rushed in and said the Boers were coming,
and hustled us into a small bedroom. Well, sir, we looked through the
window, spy-like, and there, sure enough, were about ten Boers on
horses galloping past the house. They were mostly quite young boys,
but there were some greybeards amongst them. They seemed in a great
hurry, for only one just stopped at the house, and he only stayed a
moment. Then more and more passed, riding along in no formation, and
all seeming in a hurry. Just one or two turned aside and had a word
with the people of the house, but none of them got off their horses.
Then an ambulance-waggon came by, and quite a string of Cape carts:
the last cart had four horses in it, driven by a nigger, and it
stopped quite five minutes at the farm. Two men, who kept on shouting
orders to the passing Boers, were sitting in the back of it----"
_Intelligence Officer._ "What were they like?"
_C._ "One was a stout man with a long black beard; the other had a
grey beard and puffy eyes. The people here now tell us that they were
Steyn and De Wet."
_I. O._ "Why the devil didn't you shoot them?"
_Trooper_ (_coming to his comrades aid_). "How was we to know, sir, as
how they were generals? they just looked two comfortable old civie
blokes. Besides, we had left our rifles standing in the next room!"
_I. O._ "How many Boers would you say went by?"
_C._ "I should say four or five hundred, sir; they was going by in
driblets for the best part of half an hour."
_I. O._ "Who are the people in this house? I can't understand their
attitude in screening you here. You have had the most remarkable
experience. What an opportunity!"
_C._ "The lady, sir, is an Irish lady, and she is a very good friend
to her countrymen!"
The Intelligence officer then cross-examined the owner of the farm,
and she corroborated all that the corporal had said. Both De Wet and
Steyn were in the four-horsed cart. They asked her if she had seen any
kharkis recently; about the state of the Riet River, and the distance
to Kalabas bridge; and before driving off impressed upon her the
necessity of putting any of the English off the scent who might be
following. As they drove away De Wet shouted back, "They are close
behind." This information raised the Intelligence officer to a high
standard of excitement, for he now felt sure that the brigade was
well in upon the right scent. Already he found himself listening for
the sound of Goven's guns. Collecting the three troopers who had been
nearer to the person of De Wet than other armed Britishers had for
some time, he turned back into the veldt basin and pushed forward
northwards. The sun was now nearly down, but that was nothing: buoyed
by a great excitement, the Intelligence officer was possessed of only
one idea, which was to be in at the death. But a bitter disappointment
was in store for him.
_Corporal_ (_pointing to the left rear_). "Please, sir, there is the
column."
The Intelligence officer could scarcely believe his eyes--the thought
was too appalling, too ghastly to be true. It was true, nevertheless.
Instead of arriving at the bridge, the column had lost direction, and,
without an adequate guide or map, had become entangled among the
hills. Lost, without forage or food, beast and man weary beyond
expression, while De Wet was crossing the Riet over Kalabas bridge,
the stop which should have been there was endeavouring to retrace its
steps back to camp. As the Intelligence officer realised the truth
great tears welled up to his eyes.
* * * * *
It was midnight before the mess servants could turn out a meal at
Brandewijnskuil for the staff. Two doleful candles but added to the
depression bred of the hour and the disappointment which was uppermost
in every mind. We had had our chance and failed. The brigadier alone
was philosophic: his natural gaiety would not allow of depression: his
manly spirit would not collapse against the ruling of the laws of
chance.
_Brigadier._ "Wake up, you coves, and come and have some dinner. We
have lost ole man De Wet; but that is no reason for you all to behave
as if we were in for a funeral. Thank Heaven that you are alive. You
would probably have all been scuppered if we had got up with the ole
man. He would have fought until he was blue in the face!"
_Brigade-Major._ "I've got the orders out, sir. Start at 3 A.M.!"
_Brigadier._ "That's all right, but we won't see any more of De Wet.
We were too hot on him to-day. All we shall find when we cross the
Riet at daybreak to-morrow will be _spoor_ leading in every direction.
They will dissolve to a certainty. But though we have failed, we have
had a run for our money, and finished a d----d good second. But no
maps and no guide are big things as penalties go, and, all considered,
I think that the 'crush' has run devilish well. What have your
prisoners got to say, Mr Intelligence?"
But Mr Intelligence, having drunk his soup, was sound asleep in his
blankets....
FOOTNOTES:
[40] Another curious episode in this strange campaign can be observed
here. We had been in nominal possession of the Southern Free State for
many months, during a considerable period of which the local
administration had been administered by British agents. Yet throughout
this period Boer landrosts were also appointed, and whenever a commando
strong enough to assert the Orange Free State authority was in the
vicinity, immediately took over their duties. Often, it is believed,
the same men acted for both belligerents. When Judge Hertzog made his
tour of the South-Western Free State immediately before entering upon
his invasion of the Colony, he reinstated the Boer administration in
all the southern townships.
[41] De Wet never moved without an advance-, flank-, and rear-guard,
removed from him to a distance of about six to eight miles. This screen
always gave him ample notice of any British troops in the vicinity,
thus enabling him to change his direction and suit his action with
calmness and deliberation. These screens were always composed of picked
men.
L'ENVOI.
With the crossing of the Riet the history of this De Wet hunt ceases,
for everything came to pass precisely as the brigadier had foreseen.
The brigade arrived at Kalabas bridge before daybreak, prepared, if a
tangible enemy was still in front, to take up the running again and
pursue the line to an end, no matter the cost.[42] But the soft ground
on the far side of the river gave evidence of thirty trails. The
commando had scattered to the winds, and as, with cunning foresight,
De Wet and his following had removed every living soul, Boer or
Kaffir, from the vicinity of the bridge, no evidence of his presence
remained. To pursue a fugitive in a solitary Cape cart with a brigade
would have been absurd, and so, when five miles on at Openbaar there
was no sign of the solitary tracks again converging, the chase was
abandoned, and the brigade halted to await the arrival of its mule and
ox convoy. That evening Plumer, who had detrained at Jagersfontein
road, crossed the Kalabas bridge and reported Haig to be in rear of
him at the Spitz Kopjes. It will be seen therefore that Plumer was
twenty-four hours too late,--through no fault of his, be it said, but
simply because he made the journey from Orange River station by train.
Plumer pushed on upon the conjectured De Wet trail, which he still
considered hot enough to follow. He lost it, as the brigadier had
foreseen, in the vicinity of Abraham's Kraal. The new cavalry brigade
moved more slowly into Bloemfontein by way of Petrusburg and the
historic field of Driefontein.
At Bloemfontein some changes took place in the staff and composition
of the brigade, and the writer of this narrative, to his infinite
regret, severed his connection with the brigade. He had been promoted
into a new battalion which was being raised at home, and after twenty
months his turn had come to say good-bye to the veldt. As the
brigadier bade him farewell in the Bloemfontein Club he clapped him
good-naturedly on the back, saying, "I believe that it is all a hoax
this story of yours about instructions to proceed home by the first
transport. I don't believe that you will ever get farther South than
that farm at Richmond Road!"
THE END.
FOOTNOTES:
[42] The orders issued this night to the brigade were very instructive,
and showed what a real soldier the brigadier was. If he considered that
the circumstances demanded an effort he was prepared to take any risk
and to make every sacrifice. The orders stated that if it became
necessary to pursue, the convoy would be sent back by the shortest
route to the railway, that the mounted men would have to live on the
country without supply, and such men whose horses gave in would have to
walk east against the course of the sun, which line, after 20 to 25
miles, would bring them to the railway, where they could stop the first
passing train.
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