DISPIRITED AND DEMORALISED.
Our first intention was to proceed to Vereeniging, there to join
General Botha's forces. At Klip River Station, that preceding
Vereeniging, I was ordered, however, to leave my carts behind and
proceed with my men to Vaalbank, as the enemy were advancing with
forced marches, and had compelled all the other commandos to fall back
on Vereeniging.
On our way we met groups of retreating burghers, each of whom gave us
a different version of the position. Some said that the enemy had
already swept past Vereeniging, others that they could not now be
stopped until they reached Johannesburg. Further on, we had the good
fortune to encounter General Botha and his staff. The General ordered
me to take up a position at the Gatsrand, near the Nek at
Pharaohsfontein, as the British, having split their forces up into two
parts, would send one portion to cross the Vaal River at Lindeque's
Drift, whilst the other detachments would follow the railway past
Vereeniging. Generals Lemmer and Grobler were already posted at the
Gatsrand to obstruct the enemy's progress.
I asked General Botha how we stood. He sighed, and answered: "If only
the burghers would fight we could stop them easily enough; but I
cannot get a single burgher to start fighting. I hope their running
mood will soon change into a fighting mood. You keep your spirits up,
and let us do our duty."
"All right, General," I answered, and we shook hands heartily.
We rode on through the evening and at midnight halted at a farm to
give our horses rest and fodder. The owner of the farm was absent on
duty, and his family had been left behind. On our approach the
women-folk, mistaking us for Englishmen, were terrified out of their
wits. Remembering the atrocities and horrors committed in Natal on the
advance of the Imperial troops, they awaited the coming of the
English with the greatest terror. On the approach of the enemy many
women and children forsook their homes and wandered about in caves and
woods for days, exposed to every privation and inclemency of the
weather, and to the attacks of wandering bands of plundering kaffirs.
Mrs. van der Merwe, whom we met here, was exceedingly kind to us, and
gave us plenty of fodder for our horses. We purchased some sheep, and
slaughtered them and enjoyed a good meal before sunrise; and each one
of us bore away a good-sized piece of mutton as provisions for the
future.
Our scouts, whom we had despatched over night, informed us that
Generals Lemmer and Grobler had taken up their stand to the right of
Pharaohsfontein in the Gatsrand, and that the English were approaching
in enormous force.
By nine in the morning we had taken up our positions, and at noon the
enemy came in sight. Our commando had been considerably reduced, as
many burghers, finding themselves near their homes, had applied for
twenty-four hours' leave, which had been granted in order to allow
them to arrange matters before the advance of the English on their
farms made it impossible. A few also had deserted for the time being,
unable to resist the temptation of visiting their families in the
neighbourhood.
Some old burghers approached us and hailed us with the usual "Morning,
boys! Which commando do you belong to?"
"Viljoen's."
"We would like to see your Commandant," they answered.
Presenting myself, I asked: "Who are you, and where do you come from,
and where are you going to?"
They answered: "We are scouts of General Lemmer and we came to see who
is holding this position."
"But surely General Lemmer knows that I am here?"
[Illustration: A Surprise.--Coyell Meeting the Imperial Light Horse.]
"Very probably," they replied, "but we wanted to know for ourselves;
we thought we might find some of our friends amongst you. You come
from Natal, don't you?"
"Yes," I answered sadly. "We have come to reinforce the others, but I
fear we can be of little use. It seems to me that it will be here as
it was in Natal; all running and no fighting."
"Alas!" they said, "the Free Staters will not remain in one position,
and we must admit the Transvaalers are also very disheartened.
However, if the British once cross our frontiers you will find that
the burghers will fight to the bitter end."
Consoled by this pretty promise we made up our minds to do our best,
but our outposts presently brought word that the British were bearing
to the right and nearing General Grobler's position, and had passed
round that of General Lemmer. Whilst they attacked General Grobler's
we attacked their flank, but we could not do much damage, as we were
without guns. Soon after the enemy directed a heavy artillery fire on
us, to which we, being on flat ground, found ourselves dangerously
exposed.
Towards evening the enemy were in possession of General Grobler's
position, and were passing over the Gatsrand, leaving us behind. I
ordered my commando to fall back on Klipriversberg, while I rode away
with some adjutants to attempt to put myself in communication with the
other commandos.
The night was dark and cloudy, which rendered it somewhat difficult
for us to move about in safety. We occasionally fell into ditches and
trenches, and had much trouble with barbed wire. However, we finally
fell in with General Lemmer's rearguard, who informed us that the
enemy, after having overcome the feeble resistance of General Grobler,
had proceeded north, and all the burghers were retreating in haste
before them.
We rode on past the enemy to find General Grobler and what his plans
were. We rode quite close to the English camp, as we knew that they
seldom posted sentries far from their tents. On this occasion,
however, they had placed a guard in an old "klipkraal," for them a
prodigious distance from their camp, and a "Tommy" hailed us from the
darkness.--
"Halt, who goes there?"
I replied "Friend," whereupon the guileless soldier answered:
"Pass, friend, all's well."
I had my doubts, however. He might be a Boer outpost anxious to
ascertain if we were Englishmen. Afraid to ride into ambush of my own
men, I called out in Dutch:
"Whose men are you?"
The Tommy lost his temper at being kept awake so long and retorted
testily, "I can't understand your beastly Dutch; come here and be
recognized." But we did not wait for identification, and I rode off
shouting back "Thanks, my compliments to General French, and tell him
that his outposts are asleep."
This was too much for the "Tommy" and his friends, who answered with a
volley of rifle fire, which was taken up by the whole line of British
outposts. No harm was done, however, and we soon rode out of range. I
gave up looking for General Grobler, and on the following morning
rejoined my men at Klipriversberg.
It was by no means easy to find out the exact position of affairs.
Our scouts reported that the enemy's left wing, having broken through
General Grobler's position, were now marching along Van Wijk's Rust. I
could, however, obtain no definite information regarding the right
wing, nor could I discover the General under whose orders I was to
place myself. General Lemmer, moreover, was suffering from an acute
disease of the kidneys, which had compelled him to hand over his
command to Commandant Gravett, who had proved himself an excellent
officer.
General Grobler had lost the majority of his men, or what was more
likely the case, they had lost him. He declared that he was unaware of
General Botha's or Mr. Kruger's plans, and that it was absurd to keep
running away, but he clearly did not feel equal to any more fighting,
although he had not the moral courage to openly say so. From this
point this gentleman did no further service to his country, and was
shortly afterwards dismissed. The reader will now gather an idea of
the enormous change which had come over our troops. Six months before
they had been cheerful and gay, confident of the ultimate success of
their cause; now they were downhearted and in the lowest of spirits. I
must admit that in this our officers were no exception.
Those were dark days for us. Now began the real fighting, and this
under the most difficult and distressing circumstances; and I think
that if our leaders could have had a glimpse of the difficulties and
hardships that were before us, they would not have had the courage to
proceed any further in the struggle.
Early next morning (the 29th May, 1900) we reached Klipspruit, and
found there several other commandos placed in extended order all the
way up to Doornkop.
Amongst them was that of General De la Rey, who had come from the
Western frontier of our Republic, and that of General Snyman, whom I
regard as the real defender and reliever of Mafeking, for he was
afraid to attack a garrison of 1,000 men with twice that number of
burghers.
Before having had time to properly fortify our position we were
attacked on the right flank by General French's cavalry, while the
left flank had to resist a strong opposing force of cavalry. Both
attacks were successfully repulsed, as well as a third in the centre
of our fighting line.
The British now marched on Doornkop, their real object of attack being
our extreme right wing, but they made a feint on our left. Our line of
defence was very extended and weakened by the removal of a body of men
who had been sent to Natal Spruit to stop the other body of the enemy
from forcing its way along the railway line and cutting off our
retreat to Pretoria.
The battle lasted till sunset, and was especially fierce on our right,
where the Krugersdorpers stood. Early in the evening our right wing
had to yield to an overwhelming force, and during the night all the
commandos had to fall back. My commando, which should have consisted
of about 450 men, only numbered 65 during this engagement; our losses
were two men killed. I was also slightly wounded in the thigh by a
piece of shell, but I had no time to attend such matters, as we had
to retire in haste, and the wound soon healed.
The next day our forces were again in full retreat to Pretoria, where
I understood we were to make a desperate stand. About seven o'clock we
passed through Fordsburg, a suburb of Johannesburg.
We had been warned not to enter Johannesburg, as Dr. Krause, who had
taken from me the command of the town, had already surrendered it to
Lord Roberts, who might shell it if he found commandos were there. Our
larger commissariat had proceeded to Pretoria, but we wanted several
articles of food, and strange to say the commissariat official at
Johannesburg would not give us anything for fear of incurring Lord
Roberts' displeasure!
I was very angry; the enemy were not actually in possession of the
town, and I therefore should have been consulted in the matter; but
these irresponsible officials even refused to grant us the necessaries
of life!
At this time there was a strong movement on foot to blow up the
principal mines about Johannesburg, and an irresponsible young person
named Antonie Kock had placed himself at the head of a confederacy
with this object in view. But thanks to the explicit orders of General
L. Botha, which were faithfully carried out by Dr. Krause, Kock's plan
was fortunately frustrated, and I fully agree with Botha that it would
have been most impolitic to have allowed this destruction. I often
wished afterwards, however, that the British military authorities had
shown as much consideration for our property.
We had to have food in any case, and as the official hesitated to
supply us we helped ourselves from the Government Stores, and
proceeded to the capital. The roads to Pretoria were crowded with men,
guns, and vehicles of every description, and despondency and despair
were plainly visible on every human face.