COMBINED MOVEMENT FOR THE CLEARANCE OF THE NORTHERN TRANSVAAL.--MARCH
AND APRIL
Lord Kitchener now engaged himself in preparing a new and immense
combined movement for the clearance of the country to the north of
Pretoria. The so-called seat of government of the Boers had been removed
from Pietersburg to Roos Senekal, and its presence there naturally
attracted all the Boers who, in consequence of General French's
clearance of the Swaziland border, had been forced into the difficult
country of the Tautesberg and Bothaberg. In planning a movement against
these bands from the line of Middelburg-Belfast-Lydenburg, precautions
had to be taken to prevent the escape of the enemy into the Zoutpansberg
and Waterberg districts. It therefore became necessary to hold
Pietersburg and the drifts over Olifant's River, and to chase the Boers
from their snug retreats in the vicinity.
Accordingly, General Plumer was moved from Orange River Colony and
directed to hold Pietersburg, and prepare to co-operate in the
combined movement just described.
At this time, 26th March, Pienaars River was the most advanced
garrison on the Pietersburg line. For this place General Plumer
started, there to be joined by the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders
and "C" Section Pom-Poms.
Beyond Pienaars River repairs to the line had to be effected, which
caused delay, then the troops advanced from Warmbad, Nylstroom, to
Piet Potgietersrust over a clear line. Here the enemy meant mischief,
for they had blown up one of the smaller railway bridges, but this was
soon repaired, and on the 8th of April the advanced troops reached
Pietersburg, the average distance covered being fifteen miles a day.
The town had been evacuated in the night. Here provisions, supplies,
and remounts had to be collected, in order that the attack, once
begun, might be carried on without a hitch, and that the Boers, chased
from one quarter, might not be sent trekking into Rhodesia, but be
enveloped and swept up _en masse_ as they had been at Paardeberg and
at Fouriesburg. The projected advance was full of difficulties and the
preliminaries were endless. It was impossible to begin till men,
horses, and supplies had been deposited at Pietersburg by rail from
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, or Delagoa Bay. It must be
remembered that the columns were preparing to march some 150 miles
across the veldt, where the greatest of all enemies, the tsetze fly,
harassed every inch of the road. In addition to this deadly foe to
horses, there were now the wintry nights, following grilling days, to
be encountered, and chilly shocks which bring enteric and other
diseases in their train.
At Pietersburg forty-six Boers voluntarily surrendered, and the
following captures were made:--one Krupp gun, thirty rifles, 1000
rounds 7-pounder ammunition, 210,000 small-arm ammunition, 8300 lbs.
gunpowder, 480 lbs. dynamite. Two truck-loads of ammunition had been
blown up by the Boers on their departure. The occupation of the place
now made the scheme for the opening of railway communication from the
Cape to Cairo (hitherto thought to be a visionary's dream) perfectly
feasible. The line from Warmbaths to Pietersburg was now placed in
charge of Colonel Hall, the posts being occupied by the
Northamptonshire and Wiltshire Regiments, together with the 12th
Battalion Mounted Infantry. This left General Plumer's mounted troops
free to hold the line of the Olifant's River. Having established an
adequate garrison at Pietersburg, General Plumer proceeded to post
Major Colvin's column to secure the drift at Bathfontein, while to
Colonel Jeffreys was assigned the task of occupying a lower drift at
Blaauwbloemje's Kloof. General Plumer himself was at Commissie Drift.
Schalk Burger at this time was said to have deposited himself at
Tolesburg, west of Middelburg, where he still endeavoured to carry on
the parody of government.
Colonel Jeffreys on the 18th, while operating with his mobile column
along the Olifant, came on a party of Boers east of Druehoek. He
captured eleven and seized their ammunition. Soon after, Lieutenant
Reid (Imperial Bushmen) with some twenty Australians, who had been
detached from General Plumer's post at Commissie Drift, performed a
valiant act. While in charge of his patrol he located a Boer laager
some fifteen miles east of the drift. Under cover of night he and his
handful of Colonials crept towards the camp, surrounded it, and at
dawn on the 24th boldly attacked it. The enemy, doubtless imagining
that young Reid's hardihood was backed by a large reserve at his
elbow, promptly surrendered, and the gallant British band had the
honour of recording a haul of forty-one prisoners, including the
commandant, Schroeder, and one excellent Maxim, together with horses,
mules, waggons, and ammunition. The Boers, on their side, scored
slightly elsewhere. On the day following this brilliant episode, while
Major Twyford, with a small escort, was moving from Machadodorp to
Lydenburg, there to join the Royal Scots, the enemy lay in ambush
near Badfontein, a valley on the Crocodile River. Their plans were
successful, for it was not difficult in this shelving and dipping
region to surprise a small party moving over a vast tract of difficult
country. The tussle that followed was a tough one, the men fighting
desperately and refusing to surrender. At last Major Twyford was
killed and his band overpowered.
[Illustration: DEFEAT OF A NIGHT ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE RAILWAY
Drawing by Allan Stewart]
The results of General Plumer's operations between the 14th and 28th
of April were ninety-one prisoners, twenty surrendered, one Maxim,
20,360 rounds ammunition, twenty-six waggons and carts, and forty-six
mules.
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR BINDON BLOOD'S OPERATIONS NORTH OF THE LINE
MIDDELBURG--BELFAST--LYDENBURG
On the day (14th April) that General Plumer, having garrisoned
Pietersburg, left there to seize the drifts on the Olifant River, and
thus close the avenues of escape leading towards the north-west, Sir
Bindon Blood disposed his force in the following manner. The columns
of Colonel Park and General Kitchener occupied Lydenburg, with those
of Colonel Douglas at Witklip (south of them). Colonel Pulteney was
stationed at Belfast, while at Middelburg were Colonel Benson and
General Beatson. The columns of Colonels Pulteney and Benson were
commanded by General Fetherstonhaugh.
These columns, admirably placed for the work in hand, now began to
move, so that the enemy in this difficult region might no longer plume
himself on being secure from attack.
Column One, under Colonel Park, moving round into the Waterval Valley,
joined hands with Column Two under General W. Kitchener near
Rietfontein. In this region Colonel Park remained, so as to check any
attempt on the part of the Boers to move north from Roosenekal, while
General Kitchener continued his advance across the Steelport River to
Fort Weber, which was reached on the 18th of April.
Column Three, under Colonel Douglas, moved to Dullstroom (_viâ_
Zwagershoek and Palmietfontein), which was reached on the 17th of
April. On the following day Colonel Pulteney, with Column Four,
arrived there from Belfast, but pushed on _viâ_ Witpoort to occupy
Roosenekal. On his approach Mr. Schalk Burger and his Government, in
hot haste, bolted to Leydsdorp, leaving papers of the South African
Republic and many banknotes behind. Some of the documents captured at
Roosenekal by the forces under Sir Bindon Blood consisted of (1) a
circular issued by the Boer Commandant-General as to the treatment of
burghers who have surrendered; (2) a letter of representatives of the
Central Peace Committee, Pretoria, urging surrender; and (3) a
certificate of the execution of M. de Kock, a member of that
committee. In the letter from the Central Peace Committee, one of the
signatories of which was M. de Kock, there occurred, after a reference
to the strong position of Lord Kitchener, the following words:--
"What is submitted to you is a well-meant offer from a powerful
man, who is sure of his case, and a person who is willing to do
everything to restore peace and prevent further bloodshed and
destruction of our dear country, and to remove the sufferings
of our wives and children; and when I submit this verbally to
you, you will be convinced that this is truly the act of a
strong man, who knows his own strength and might, and can thus
hold out the olive branch. Oh, I trust that you and your
fellow-burghers will accept it as such, and not do as we
Afrikanders generally do, when such representations are made to
us, to consider it a sign of weakness, because the Lord knows
that he (Lord Kitchener) is doing so from pure nobility of
soul, and the wish of the British people to prevent further
bloodshed."
The foregoing was evidently issued after M. de Kock had met Lord
Kitchener in Pretoria. Then followed a circular by Commandant C. R. de
Wet denouncing Lord Kitchener's terms, and a circular issued by
Commandant Botha giving his account of the negotiations. De Wet
stated:--
"Finally, I wish to observe that if I and our Government were
so foolish as to accept the proposals of Lord Kitchener, I am
convinced that the great majority of our people, if not all,
who are now fighting, would not agree, for to accept those
proposals means nothing less than the complete subjection of
the Afrikander people, and the subjection of a people is more
bitter to think of than the death of every single burgher."
To Roosenekal Colonel Benson, with Column Five, also directed his
steps, marching by Bankfontein and Klupspruit and Blinkwater, clearing
the surrounding country as he went. He and Colonel Pulteney having
come in touch with each other, they now scoured the valley around
Steelpoort, unearthing Boers and capturing burghers innumerable.
General Beatson, with Column Six, was engaged in a prodigious task.
Besides sweeping the country--Avontuur, Laatste Drift--through which
he marched, to Brakfontein, he was instructed to hold both Wagon and
Crocodile Drifts on the Olifant River, and to push out patrols to
connect with General Plumer's troops on the lower reaches of the
river.
Later, General W. Kitchener, from Fort Weber, moved south to
Paardeplaats, in the vicinity of which place he operated for some days
making captures of prisoners and stock, and then proceeding farther
south to clear the Bothaberg before going to Middelburg.
To Middelburg _viâ_ Blinkwater also went Colonel Pulteney from
Roosenekal, while Colonels Benson and Douglas (who for some time
co-operated at Dullstroom) marched to Belfast.
Thus the country was completely weeded of the enemy, and though some
few effected their escape through the rugged region east of the
Steelpoort Valley, 1081 Boers surrendered. Other captures included a
1-pounder quick-firing Krupp gun complete, with one hundred rounds of
ammunition, one pom-pom, 540 rifles, 204,450 rounds of ammunition, 247
horses, 611 waggons and carts. One Long Tom, one 4.7-inch gun
(captured at Helvetia), one 15-pounder gun, one 12-pounder Krupp gun,
two pom-poms, and two Maxims were blown up by the enemy to avoid
capture. Unfortunately a gallant Victorian, Lieutenant Beatty, lost
his life.
[Illustration: MAP ILLUSTRATING THE COMBINED MOVEMENT TO CLEAR THE
NORTHERN TRANSVAAL]
The combined operations thus satisfactorily concluded, General Plumer
concentrated his troops and marched by the line of Elands and Kameel
Rivers to Eerste Fabrieken. General Blood, still co-operating,
directed General Beatson to move his force from Wagon Drift along the
left bank of the Wilge River to Bronker's Spruit Station. Colonel
Allenby (who had returned from assisting General French's operations)
moved from Middelburg to Witbank, and thence, in conjunction with
General Beatson, began to clear the angle of the Wilge and Olifant
Rivers. The enemy was now dispersing in every direction. Only one
party driven westward by General Beatson was caught. This, in full
flight, was overtaken by a detachment from General Plumer's force.
Major Vialls and the 3rd Victorian Bushmen, after an exciting chase
over the rugged wilds, brought in twenty-seven prisoners, eighteen
rifles, thirty waggons, and 1000 head of cattle.
General Plumer reached his destination (Eerste Fabrieken) on the 4th
of May.
COLONEL GRENFELL AT PIETERSBURG
Concurrently with the activities of General Plumer and Sir Bindon
Blood, events of some importance took place near Pietersburg. No
sooner had General Plumer turned his back on the place than the Boers,
some fifteen miles to the north, began to collect. A reconnaissance
conducted by Mounted Infantry scented out a big commando, said to be
under the command of Van Rensburg, at Klipdam. Accordingly Colonel
Grenfell, with his column (Kitchener's Fighting Scouts), was sent by
rail to Pietersburg "to clear up the situation." The clearing up
process was highly effective. Moving by night (on the 26th of April),
the troops came on the laager at Klipdam a little before dawn, and
with the first streak of day delivered their attack. The fight was
short, sharp, and brilliant. Seven Boers were killed. Only one of our
men was wounded. Forty-one Dutchmen were captured, together with their
camp, twenty-six horses, ten mules, waggons multifarious, and 76,000
rounds of ammunition.
This dashing exploit was soon followed by another, less showy but
decidedly practical. Report having declared that the last Long Tom of
the enemy was ensconced somewhere twenty miles east of Pietersburg,
Colonel Grenfell directed his energies towards its capture. He marched
hot foot _viâ_ Doornhoek--which he reached on the 30th--to Berg
Plaats. But the enemy was on the _qui vive_. They determined that Long
Tom should show fight till his last gasp, and opened fire at over
10,000 yards range. Still Colonel Grenfell's men pushed on and on,
determined to capture their prize, while the horrible weapon snorted
derisively. At last, after firing sixteen rounds, and while
Kitchener's Fighting Scouts were steadily bearing down on them, the
Boers blew it up and scudded to the north-east to save their skins.
The great object, therefore, of the splendid rush was defeated, but
ten prisoners were secured, together with thirty-five rounds of
ammunition for the defunct Long Tom. Two of the British party were
wounded. While proceeding to search for further spoil, 100,000 rounds
of Martini-Henry ammunition were unearthed at a neighbouring farm and
destroyed. Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, under Colonels Colenbrander
and Wilson, were now ever on the move, and, working from Bergvlei as
a centre, were continually bringing in wandering Boers. A detachment
of the 12th Mounted Infantry under Major Thomson, too, did splendid
work, and succeeded, in the midst of a dense fog, in capturing
Commandant Marais and forty of his followers.
Beyers, who had fled from Pietersburg on the approach of the British,
was still at large, however, and in the Waterberg district was doing
his best to intercept such commandos as were on the way to surrender.
Munnik, a former landdrost of Pietersburg, and somewhat of a
firebrand, together with his son, an ex-state mining engineer, had
been captured during General Plumer's march, by Major Kirkwood and the
Wiltshire Regiment.
The total "bag" made by Colonel Grenfell, during his move from
Pietersburg till his return there on the 6th of May, was 129
prisoners, fifty voluntary surrenders, and 240,000 rounds of
ammunition, which were destroyed. Seven Boers were killed.
On 10th May Botha forwarded to Lord Kitchener another letter:--
"As I have already assured your Excellency, I am very desirous
of terminating this war and its sad consequences. It is,
however, necessary, in order to comply with the Grondwet of
this Republic and otherwise, that, before any steps are taken
in that direction, the condition of our country and our cause
be brought to the notice of his Honour State President Kruger
in Europe; and I therefore wish to send two persons to him in
order to acquaint him fully with that condition. As speed in
this matter is of great consequence to both contending parties,
and as such despatch without your Excellency's assistance would
take a considerable time, I should like to hear from your
Excellency whether your Excellency is prepared to assist me in
expediting this matter by allowing such person or persons to
journey there and back unhindered, if necessary by the traffic
medium within your Excellency's control."
On 16th May Lord Kitchener replied to the application as follows:--
"I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Honour's
letter of the 10th instant, and, in reply, beg to state that I
can only deal with you and your superior officers in the field
in regard to the cessation of hostilities, and that I do not
recognise the official status of any other persons in the late
Republics of the Orange River and Transvaal. If, however, your
Honour desires, with the object of bringing hostilities to a
close, to consult with any person in Europe I will forward any
telegram your Honour desires on the subject and let you have
the reply. Should, however, your Honour still desire to send
messengers, and will inform me of their names and status, I
will refer the matter to his Majesty's Government for
decision."