LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GRENFELL'S OPERATIONS--TRANSVAAL, N.
While Colonel Grenfell was occupying Pietersburg at the extreme limit
of the northern line, news came in that small hordes of Boers were
moving in the Zoutpansberg district. It was decided to head off this
northern trek, consequently Colonel Grenfell with 600 of Kitchener's
Fighting Scouts, 12th Battalion Mounted Infantry, two guns and four
companies of the 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, made an expedition
into the bush veldt to the north of him. His destination was a small
township called Louis Trichard, some hundred miles off. Here Colonel
Colenbrander, commanding the advance force (Kitchener's Fighting
Scouts), arrived on the 9th of May. From this time, after disarming
the Boers in the town and clearing the surrounding country, Colonel
Grenfell was engaged in the pursuit of marauders who were pushing east
towards the Portuguese frontier. Yzerberg was reached on the 17th. On
the 19th the dashing Scouts, who had continued their way successfully,
skirmishing with and dispersing Boers, performed a feat more smart
even than was their wont. Colonel Colenbrander, hearing that a laager
was comfortably ensconced at Klip Spruit, planned a midnight excursion
to the locality, and surprised Field-Cornet Venter and seventy-two
burghers who imagined they were sleeping the sleep of the just. Before
they could awake from their delusion their persons, waggons, rifles,
and ammunition were at the mercy of the adventurous British scouts.
This same party on the 21st seized on a smaller laager and swelled
their number of captured vehicles.
On the 23rd, at the request of Commandant Van Rensburg and
Field-Cornet Du Preeze, Colonel Grenfell met them, accepted their
surrender, and that of some 1500 of their followers, and in a short
time marched them back to Pietersburg. With them came seventy waggons
and quantities of forage and ammunition and stock. This was a highly
satisfactory and pacific termination to the operations in this
quarter, and Colonel Colenbrander was now able to turn his attention
to roving gangs which were hiding in the direction of Buffels. Several
of these groups were encountered, and in various skirmishes seven
Boers were disposed of and a Maxim gun captured. Major Knott, with a
detachment of the Scouts, pursued and fell upon a commando under
Barend Viljoen, made seventy-nine prisoners, and secured 13,000 rounds
of ammunition. Thus the work of pacification in northern districts was
progressing favourably, and the Boers in the vicinity were learning
that resistance was useless. The grand total results of the
Zoutpansberg excursion included 9 Boers killed, 150 prisoners, many
hundred voluntary surrenders, 550 rifles, 200,000 rounds of
ammunition, a Maxim gun, which had belonged to the Jameson raiders,
175 waggons, and much stock.
While these activities had been going forward, General Beyers, who had
watched Colonel Grenfell's departure for Louis Trichard, decided that
"while the cat was away the mice could play." He accordingly collected
his playful burghers for purposes of mischief around the Pietersburg
line. To frustrate him, Colonel Wilson, commanding the 2nd Kitchener's
Scouts, with two guns and two companies of the 2nd Battalion Gordon
Highlanders, concentrated at Naboom Spruit, while from Pretoria Major
M'Micking, with 400 Mounted Infantry and two guns, was moved to
Nylstroom. The combined operations began on the 19th of May over
terrible country, which in some places was without roads and in others
was seamed with ruts, obstacles, and bush. The Boers, however, were
overtaken some twenty miles north-west of Nylstroom by Colonel Wilson,
who succeeded in capturing Field-Cornet Oosthuisen and 79 burghers,
100 rifles, 33,500 rounds of ammunition, 66 waggons, a quantity of
dynamite, and a vast amount of cattle.
[Illustration: COLONEL COLENBRANDER]
Certain remnants of the Dutch gangs continued to hang about, but these
were promptly pursued to westward, and caught on the 21st. While Major
M'Micking's force demonstrated in front of the Boer position, that of
Colonel Wilson made an ingenious détour and caught the enemy napping.
The Dutchmen, however, made a stubborn effort at combat; but finally,
when Kitchener's Scouts pressed home the attack, they broke and fled,
leaving 18 prisoners, 48 rifles, 9000 rounds of ammunition, and 44
waggons as trophies of the fight. So much for the month of May. June
began auspiciously, for a detachment of the Scouts, moving from Warm
Baths towards Rooiberg, caught and sharply handled some 500 Boers
under Nys and Pretorius, and pressed them into the arms of Colonel
Wilson, who on the following day polished them off. There was a good
deal of resistance and some warm fighting creditable to both parties,
but in the end 40 prisoners were captured, 70 rifles, 48 waggons, 8000
cattle, and ammunition in plenty. Thus the enemy was gradually
becoming bereft of transport and supplies, their capacity for conflict
becoming weaker day by day. Still Colonel Wilson and Major M'Micking
relaxed not an iota of their activity and vigilance, and spent the
remainder of June in scouring here and hunting there, and protecting
the Pietersburg line from any forces which might congregate in the
west. Meanwhile arrangements were made to collect an additional force
(Colonel Grenfell's) at Potgieter's Rust, so that a combined attack on
General Beyers' commando in the Zand River Valley might be begun. On
the 21st of June these arrangements were complete. Colonel Grenfell
marched south-west from Potgieter's Rust, menacing the enemy's rear,
while Major M'Micking proceeded direct from Nylstroom. But owing to
the terribly complicated nature of the country which had to be
traversed by Colonel Grenfell's force, Beyers' bandits were able
hurriedly to scuttle to cover in the north-west.
Colonel Grenfell, making Zandriverspoort into his advanced base, then
proceeded to sweep the surrounding country with his troops. These,
after numerous skirmishes and surprises, made a magnificent march of
forty miles, "rushed" a Boer laager at Hopewell (at dawn on the 1st of
July), and secured nearly 100 prisoners, besides 2000 cattle, 2000
rounds of ammunition, and 100 horses!
SITUATION AND SKIRMISHES IN CAPE COLONY
The exciting series of chases between rushing Boer gangs, followed or
headed by small British columns, continued with undiminished
animation. The Boer leaders still in the field (if field it can be
called, while burrow would be the more appropriate term) were
Scheepers, Malan, Fouché, Kruitzinger, Lotter, Myburg, Smits, Van
Reenan, Lategan (a Colesberg rebel), Maritz, and Conroy. Each of these
was engaged in independent freebooting excursions--the total number of
their followers being now about 1200. They were unharassed by a fixed
base of operations, and lived from hand to mouth on such prizes as
they could secure, or such hospitality as they could receive from
sympathetic "loyalists."
Early in May Colonel Henniker attacked Scheepers, and drove him north
from Daggaboers Nek with considerable loss. The remnant, however,
broke back and hid in kloofs and ravines in the difficult region
around the Koetzeesberg. From their burrows they were eventually
dislodged, only to collect again on the 25th of May in the Camdeboo
Mountains, situated to west of Graf Reinet. Though their number was
materially thinned in course of their hair-breadth escapes from
Henniker's pursuing Victorians, they were soon refreshed with new
blood, some seventy raiders (Commandantless, owing to the death of
Swanepool) having flocked to Scheeper's banner. These now secreted
themselves, offering very little fight, and remaining cabined in their
warrens, choosing a policy of mischief rather than one of open
aggression.
Meanwhile Colonel Scobell was tackling Malan and his followers, who
had remained to impede traffic west of Cradock. These made themselves
perpetually offensive, and, on the 2nd of May, coming on Lieutenant
Matthews and twelve men of the Diamond Fields Horse, they attacked,
and after having shot down their horses, captured nearly all the
party. Colonel Scobell came quickly to their rescue, and eventually
effected their release. So ingeniously had this officer applied
himself to the raider's tactics that he now succeeded in giving the
wily ones a surprise. On the night of the 19th he marched in the
direction of their laager, and before dawn captured it, killing four
marauders, and capturing the horses of forty--while those who escaped
did so on shanks' pony, or rode barebacked. Malan himself fled to the
west and amused himself for the rest of the month in evading the
chasing columns of Major Mullins and Captain Lund. By the 25th of June
he had gathered to himself a sufficient commando to make it possible
to attack Richmond, but he met with stout resistance, and the next
day, on the approach of Captain Lund's column, was glad to make
himself scarce. On the 27th Major Mullins, with some of Brabant's
Horse, caught Malan's commando between Cradock and Maraisburg, and
succeeded in wounding one of the leaders (Lieutenant Cloete) who was
carried into hospital at Cradock.
Colonel Haig at this time was busily engaged in directing operations
against Kruitzinger, Lotter, and Fouché, whose forces were now swelled
by some 500 Dutchmen who had been collected by Kruitzinger during a
hurried rush into the Orange Colony. They occupied the neighbourhood
north of Steynsburg, and so as to enmesh them, if possible, Colonel
Haig arranged a converging movement of Cape Mounted Rifles, and the
columns under Colonels Munro, Gorringe, Crabbe, Scobell, and Murray.
But the raiders were too wily to show fight. They slowly dribbled away
in the surrounding country, most of them making towards Maraisburg.
But they were promptly headed off by the British troops, and took
refuge in the Bamboes Mountains, where--as a trooper expressed
it--they "lay doggo," hoping to live by looting and to wear out the
vigilance of their pursuers.
In June, Kruitzinger, Lotter, Myburg, and Fouché succeeded in dashing
across the Molteno railway, and moving eastward from Cyphergat. Van
Reenan broke north-west into the Steynsburg district. The main body
was followed by the British troops, but they were not in time to save
the strongly entrenched village of Jamestown, which was captured on
the 2nd of June. This _contretemps_ to ourselves was of splendid value
to the enemy, for, in addition to much-needed horses to the tune of
150, and ammunition in quantities, they secured food and clothing at a
time when they were internally and externally bare, owing to the
effective sweeping operations which had denuded the country.
To pit against the Boer score came a signal success on the part of
Captain Lukin, who, with the brilliant Cape Mounted Rifles, had been
indefatigable in the work of pursuit, surprise, and skirmish, that
filled day and night during Colonel Scobell's operations.
On the evening of the 5th, Colonel Scobell's force (9th Lancers and
C.M.R. with three guns) moved out from Roodenek for the purpose of
hunting out a laager which was known to be somewhere in the vicinity.
With numbed fingers and quaking frames--the thermometer stood below
freezing-point--these gallant troopers marched and clambered. Over
rugged roads and precipitous paths they went for miles and miles--on
foot mainly, in order to keep themselves warm--hunting and exploring
around the north-west of Barkly East, and ascending at last a mountain
so high that it seemed impossible to get the guns up. Then, near the
summit came the split and spurt of rifles, and the advance party knew
that the object was attained, the lair of the marauders was
discovered. The shots came from the picket, who, having made their
protest, fled. Now came the search for the laager itself, but whether
it was in the valley some 400 feet below, or whether close at hand, it
was impossible to say. A squadron of Cape Mounted Rifles, under
Captain Lukin, wheeled to the right, one under Captain Purcell moved
to the left. In the light of the moon, brilliant, but casting deep
shadows, it was impossible to detect any movement. But the shuffle of
hoofs could be heard in the valley. On went the C.M.R., Captain Lukin
ahead of them, when suddenly this officer found himself in the thick
of a volley. The enemy, alarmed by the picket, had upsaddled and were
alert. But the heroes of Wepener were "all there," as the saying is. A
shout from their commanding officer was enough, and with a rush as of
the wind, the C.M.R. (Captain Goldsworthy's squadron) had galloped on
the foe. The Boers were off. Blankets, baggage, rifles, clothing (much
of the spoil captured from Jamestown), horses, ammunition, all were
left. Three wounded rebels fell into our hands, and fourteen other
Dutchmen. The enemy, from a distant hill, again endeavoured to show
fight, but their fire was eventually silenced by a few shells, and
the Boers in full retreat were pursued as far as was feasible by the
Lancers.
A few days later, in the neighbourhood of Ladygrey, this smart column
came in for further triumphs. A detachment of the C.M.R., which had
been persistently sniped at by the enemy during their moonlight march,
showed that two could play at the game of annoyance. They charged the
hiding-place of the miscreants, and surprised them by the shouts of
"Hands up!" before they were aware of their proximity. The result was
that the dashing Colonials returned to camp, after a quarter of an
hour's gallop, plus twenty prisoners and 13,000 rounds of ammunition.
On the 9th of June, French, the magnificent, the indefatigable, came
once more to the scene of his first triumphs in the days before the
great _coup_ made by the relief of Kimberley. He took but a few weeks'
holiday after his wholesale dispersal of Botha's hordes on the Swaziland
border, and was again to the fore. Now, as Lieutenant-General Sir John
French, K.C.B., he directed the operations of all the mobile columns
extended over the face of Cape Colony. Widened movements were
necessitated owing to the scattered state of the commandos which were
now here, there, and everywhere picking up rebels, and needing each to
be separately hunted by a detached column.
On the 17th, Kruitzinger and Lotter were caught in the first instance
by Colonel Munro, with Lovat's Scouts and Bethune's Mounted Infantry,
and later by Crabbe, some twenty-five miles south-east of Maraisburg.
Four Boers fell, twelve were wounded, twenty-five horses were left on
the field, and fifty captured alive. Other captures included eight
prisoners and a quantity of ammunition and saddles. It was reported
that Kruitzinger's mongrel force at the time consisted of 276 whites,
10 armed natives, and 18 armed Hottentots, many of whom rode
barebacked colts in the last stage of emaciation. Four days later
sixty of the Midland Mounted Rifles, a Colonial corps which had done
good work in the district, were surrounded by Kruitzinger's band and
captured, after the loss of two officers and nine men killed, and ten
men wounded.
[Illustration: GENERAL BRUCE HAMILTON.
Photo Russell & Sons, London.]
Colonel Munro spent the remainder of June harassing raiders under
Myburg, north of Jamestown, and others under Erasmus, east of Rayner
Station. Colonel Scobell still chased Kruitzinger, and strove to drive
him into the arms of Colonel Crabbe, who was engaged in hunting Van
Reenan among the Bamboes Mountains. Colonels Crewe, Doran, and Wyndham
combined in operations against Scheepers and Hugo, who were still
dodging among the Camdeboo Mountains, while Captain Lund flew after
errant gangs which had endeavoured to take Richmond and been repulsed
by the gallantry of the North Stafford Militia, under Captain
Hawkshaw, and by the Town Guard. More troops were also engaged in
blocking the passes of the Drakensberg, through which Fouché had gone
east towards Maclear in the fond hope of gathering recruits and fresh
horses, and returning reinforced; but Colonel Dalgety, with Cape
Mounted Rifles and East Griqualand Rifles, frustrated him. In the
Calvinia district two gangs under Maritz and Conroy had made
themselves troublesome for some weeks, but eventually Conroy, after
being too warmly handled, particularly in an engagement which lasted
five hours, when Captain Ramsbotham and Lieutenant Beresford of the
Border Scouts tackled him near Kenhardt, fled north across the
Orange.