THE INVASION OF NATAL.
After taking leave of my friend Cronje at Johannesburg Station, my
first duty was to visit my various field cornets. About four o'clock
that afternoon I found my commando was as nearly ready as could be
expected. When I say ready, I mean ready on paper only, as later
experience showed. My three field cornets were required to equip 900
mounted men with waggons and provisions, and of course they had _carte
blanche_ to commandeer. Only fully enfranchised burghers of the South
African Republic were liable to be commandeered, and in Johannesburg
town there was an extraordinary conglomeration of cosmopolitans
amenable to this gentle process of enlistment.
It would take up too much time to adequately describe the excitement
of Johannesburg on this memorable day. Thousands of Uitlanders were
flying from their homes, contenting themselves, in their hurry to get
away, to stand in Kaffir or coal trucks and to expose themselves
cheerfully to the fierce sun, and other elements. The streets were
palpitating with burghers ready to proceed to the frontier that night,
and with refugees speeding to the stations. Everybody was in a state
of intense feeling. One was half-hearted, another cheerful, and a
third thirsting for blood, while many of my men were under the
influence of alcohol.
When it was known that I had arrived in the town my room in the North
Western Hotel was besieged. I was approached by all sorts of people
pleading exemption from commando duty. One Boer said he knew that his
solemn duty was to fight for his country and his freedom, but he would
rather decline. Another declared that he could not desert his family;
while yet another came forward with a story that of his four horses,
three had been commandeered, and that these horses were his only means
of subsistence. A fourth complained that his waggons and mules had
been clandestinely (although officially) removed. Many malingerers
suddenly discovered acute symptoms of heart disease and brought
easily-obtained doctor's certificates, assuring me that tragic
consequences would attend their exposure in the field. Ladies came to
me pleading exemption for their husbands, sisters for brothers,
mothers for sons, all offering plausible reasons why their loved ones
should be exempted from commando duty. It was very difficult to deal
with all these clamorous visitors. I was much in the position of King
Solomon, though lacking his wisdom. But I would venture to say that
his ancient majesty himself would have been perplexed had he been in
my place. It is necessary that the reader should know that the main
part of the population was composed of all nationalities and lacked
every element of Boer discipline.
On the evening of the 29th of September, I left with the Johannesburg
commando in two trains. Two-thirds of my men had no personal
acquaintance with me, and at the departure there was some difficulty
because of this. One burgher came into my private compartment
uninvited. He evidently forgot his proper place, and when I suggested
to him that the compartment was private and reserved for officers, he
told me to go to the devil, and I was compelled to remove him somewhat
precipitately from the carriage. This same man was afterwards one of
my most trustworthy scouts.
The following afternoon we reached Standerton, where I received
telegraphic instructions from General Joubert to join my commando to
that of Captain Schiel, who was in charge of the German Corps, and to
place myself under the supreme command of Jan Kock, a member of the
Executive Council, who had been appointed a general by the Government.
We soon discovered that quite one-third of the horses we had taken
with us were untrained for the serious business of fighting, and also
that many of the new burghers of foreign nationality had not the
slightest idea how to ride. Our first parade, or "Wapenschouwing"
gave food for much hilarity. Here one saw horses waltzing and jumping,
while over there a rider was biting the sand, and towards evening the
doctors had several patients. It may be stated that although not
perfectly equipped in the matter of ambulances, we had three
physicians with us, Doctors Visser, Marais, and Shaw. Our spiritual
welfare was being looked after by the Reverends Nel and Martins, but
not for long, as both these gentlemen quickly found that commando life
was unpleasant and left us spiritually to ourselves, even as the
European Powers left us politically. But I venture to state that no
member of my commando really felt acutely the loss of the theological
gentlemen who primarily accompanied us.
[Illustration: The Capture of the Train at Elandslaagte.]
On the following day General Kock and a large staff arrived at the
laager, and, together with the German Corps, we trekked to Paardekop
and Klip River, in the Orange Free State, where we were to occupy
Botha's Pass. My convoy comprised about a hundred carts, mostly drawn
by mules, and it was amusing to see the variety of provisions my
worthy field-cornets had gathered together. There were three full
waggons of lime-juice and other unnecessary articles which I caused to
be unloaded at the first halting-place to make room for more
serviceable provisions. It should be mentioned that of my three
field-cornets only one, the late Piet Joubert of Jeppestown, actually
accompanied my commando. The others sent substitutes, perhaps because
they did not like to expose themselves to the change of air. We rested
some days at the Klip River, in the Orange Free State, and from thence
I was sent with a small escort of burghers by our General to
Harrismith to meet a number of Free State officers. After travelling
two days I came upon Chief Free State Commandant Prinsloo, who
afterwards deserted, and other officers. The object of my mission was
to organise communications with these officers. On the 11th of
October, having returned to my commando, we received a report that our
Government had despatched the Ultimatum to England, and that the time
specified for the reply to that document had elapsed. Hostilities had
begun.
We received orders to invade Natal, and crossed the frontier that very
evening. I, with a patrol of 50 men, had not crossed the frontier very
far when one of my scouts rode up with the report that a large British
force was in sight on the other side of the River Ingogo. I said to
myself at the time: "If this be true the British have rushed up fairly
quickly, and the fat will be in the fire very soon."
We then broke into scattered formation and carefully proceeded into
Natal. After much reconnoitring and concealment, however, we soon
discovered that the "large English force" was only a herd of cattle
belonging to friendly Boers, and that the camp consisted of two tents
occupied by some Englishmen and Kaffirs who were mending a defective
bridge. We also came across a cart drawn by four bullocks belonging to
a Natal farmer, and I believe this was the first plunder we captured
in Natal. The Englishman, who said he knew nothing about any war,
received a pass to proceed with his servants to the English lines,
and he left with the admonition to in future read the newspapers and
learn when war was imminent. Next day our entire commando was well
into Natal. The continuous rain and cold of the Drakenbergen rendered
our first experience of veldt life, if not unbearable, very
discouraging. We numbered a fairly large commando, as Commandant J.
Lombard, commanding the Hollander corps, had also joined us. Close by
Newcastle we encountered a large number of commandos, and a general
council of war was held under the presidency of Commandant General
Joubert. It was here decided that Generals Lukas Meyer and Dijl
Erasmus should take Dundee, which an English garrison held, while our
commandos under General Kock were instructed to occupy the Biggarburg
Pass. Preceded by scouts we wound our way in that direction, leaving
all our unnecessary baggage in the shape of provisions and ammunition
waggons at Newcastle.
One of my acting field-cornets and the field-cornets of the German
commando, prompted by goodness knows what, pressed forward south,
actually reaching the railway station at Elandslaagte. A goods train
was just steaming into the station, and it was captured by these
foolhardy young Moltkes. I was much dissatisfied with this action, and
sent a messenger ordering them to retire after having destroyed the
railway. On the same night I received instructions from General Kock
to proceed with two hundred men and a cannon to Elandslaagte, and I
also learned that Captain Schiel and his German Corps had left in the
same direction.
Imagine, we had gone further than had actually been decided at the
council of war, and we pressed forward still further without any
attempt being made to keep in touch with the other commandos on our
left and right. Seeing the inexpediency of this move, I went to the
General in command and expressed my objections to it. But General Kock
was firmly decided on the point, and said, "Go along, my boy." We
reached Elandslaagte at midnight; it was raining very heavily. After
scrambling for positions in the darkness, although I had already
sufficiently seen that the lie of the land suggested no strategic
operations, we retired to rest. Two days later occurred the fateful
battle.