BATTLE OF BERGENDAL (MACHADODORP).
Let us pass on to the 21st of August, 1900. Buller's army had by this
time effected a junction with that of Lord Roberts' between
Wonderfontein and Komati River. The commandos under Generals Piet
Viljoen and Joachim Fourie had now joined us, and taken up a position
on our left, from Rooikraal to Komati Bridge. The enemy's numbers were
estimated at 60,000, with about 130 guns, including twelve 4.7 naval
guns, in addition to the necessary Maxims.
We had about 4,000 men at the most with six Maxims and about thirteen
guns of various sizes. Our extreme left was first attacked by the
enemy while they took possession of Belfast and Monument Hill, a
little eastward, thereby threatening the whole of our fighting lines.
My commandos were stationed to the right and left of the railway and
partly round Monument Hill. Fighting had been going on at intervals
all day long, between my burghers and the enemy's outposts. The
fighting on our left wing lasted till late in the afternoon, when the
enemy was repulsed with heavy losses; while a company of infantry
which had pushed on too far during the fighting, through some
misunderstanding or something of that sort, were cut off and captured
by the Bethel burghers.
The attack was renewed the next morning, several positions being
assailed in turn, while an uninterrupted gunfire was kept up. General
Duller was commanding the enemy's right flank and General French was
in charge of the left. We were able to resist all attacks and the
battle went on for six days without a decisive result. The enemy had
tried to break through nearly every weak point in our fighting line
and found out that the key to all our positions existed in a prominent
"randje" to the right of the railway. This point was being defended by
our brave Johannesburg police, while on the right were the
Krugersdorpers and Johannesburgers and to the left the burghers from
Germiston. Thus we had another "Spion Kop" fight for six long days.
The Boers held their ground with determination, and many charges were
repulsed by the burghers with great bravery. But the English were not
to be discouraged by the loss of many valiant soldiers and any failure
to dislodge the Boers from the "klip-kopjes." They were admirably
resolute; but then they were backed up by a superior force of soldiers
and artillery.
On the morning of the 27th of August the enemy were obviously bent on
concentrating their main force on this "randje." There were naval guns
shelling it from different directions, while batteries of field-pieces
pounded away incessantly. The "randje" was enveloped by a cloud of
smoke and dust. The British Infantry charged under cover of the guns,
but the Police and burghers made a brave resistance. The booming of
cannon went on without intermission, and the storming was repeated by
regiment upon regiment. Our gallant Lieutenant Pohlman was killed in
this action, and Commandant Philip Oosthuizen was wounded while
fighting manfully against overwhelming odds at the head of his
burghers. An hour before sunset the position fell into the hands of
the enemy. Our loss was heavy--two officers, 18 men killed or wounded,
and 20 missing.
Thus ended one of the fiercest fights of the war. With the exception
of the battle of Vaalkrantz (on the Tugela) our commandos had been
exposed to the heaviest and most persistent bombardment they had yet
experienced. It was by directing an uninterrupted rifle fire from all
sides on the lost "randje" that we kept the enemy employed and
prevented them from pushing on any farther that evening.
At last came the final order for all to retire via Machadodorp.