Clements' camp was at Nooitgedacht, between Hekpoort and Olifant's Nek,
where he had been for three days. Nooitgedacht is at the base of the
Magaliesberg range of hills (the name means "Ne'er Forgotten"). We had
camped there about a couple of months back. It lies near a large kloof.
A little to the west of Clements were Colonel Legge's mounted troops,
composed of Kitchener's and Roberts' Horse, "P" Battery R.H.A., and two
companies of M.I., the whole force numbering, at the most, 1,400 men.
Knowing that Delarey was in the vicinity with a strong force, the
general had helio'ed for reinforcements, which, unfortunately, were not
forthcoming, so apparently he was sitting tight, with doubled pickets,
on the Magaliesberg and kopjes in the valley. Then came the eventful
Thursday (the 13th). During the night Beyers' Commando made a wonderful
trek from the north to reinforce and co-operate with Clements' old foe,
Delarey, and just before dawn the enemy, who had crept up unseen or
heard in the dark, rushed Legge's pickets on the west of the camp,
shooting the sentries and many of the men as they lay asleep in their
blankets, soon afterwards getting into the gallant Colonel's camp. Poor
Legge, who ran out in the direction of the pickets as soon as he heard
the firing, was one of the first killed. Then Clements' pickets on the
Magaliesberg, which were composed of four-and-a-half companies of
Northumberland Fusiliers, suddenly became aware of the close proximity
of the enemy, who were in great force, about 3,000, and had, undetected,
crept up the gradual sloping northern side of the range. The
Northumberlands soon exhausted their ammunition, volunteers of the
Yorkshire Light Infantry tried to take them a fresh supply, but were
allowed to toil up the steep hillside with their heavy loads, only to be
dropped, when near their goal, by their exultant foes. Probably never
before have the Boers fought with such boldness, standing up and firing
regardless of exposing themselves. Meanwhile, the Yeomanry, who had been
standing to their horses in the camp, received the order to reinforce
the Northumberlands on the Magaliesberg above them, and, with the Fifes
leading and Devons following, commenced to ascend the precipitous
hillside. Alas, the Boers were in possession of the summit, the
Fusiliers having surrendered, and the Yeomanry got it hot. Of the Fifes,
Lieutenant Campbell, who had only joined them a fortnight ago at
Krugersdorp, was the first to fall, struck by an explosive bullet in the
head. Out of less than fifty, fourteen were killed, and almost all the
survivors wounded more or less seriously. At last, without a ray of
hope, they were compelled to surrender, too. Many a good comrade's fate
is known to me, so far, by that direly comprehensive word, _missing_. I
have heard that the Boers threw many of the wounded over the precipitous
southern side of the Magaliesberg, but do not believe it. Then they
turned their full attention to the camp below; every officer of the
staff was hit, the brigade-major was killed, having many wounds.
Clements himself went unscathed; wherever there was a hot corner the
general was to be seen coolly giving orders and apparently unconcerned
amid a hail of bullets. "I'll be d----d if they shall have the cow-gun,"
he remarked, and, by gad, they didn't. With drag ropes it was moved down
the hill for some distance, and then an attempt was made to inspan the
oxen. As fast as one was inspanned it was shot, and quickly another and
another would share its fate. At last, by sheer desperate perseverance,
some sort of a team was inspanned and the gun moved forward, leaving
dead and wounded men and considerably over half of the ox-team behind,
but with the aid of the field artillery, who shelled the kopjes, was at
length got on to a comparatively safe road. Of a truth, were I another
Virgil and a scribe of verse, not unheroic prose, I might well have
started this little account with
"I sing of arms and of heroes."
The getting away of the transport was a desperate affair; the niggers
scooted, and amid the roar of the field guns, pom-poms, maxims and
rifles, which between the hills was terrific, the mules stampeded.
Officers, conductors and troopers rode after the runaways, and, under
threats of shooting if they didn't, compelled the niggers to return with
the mules. Chief amongst the Yeomanry who distinguished themselves that
day, was Sergeant Pullar, who rode after the retiring convoy, called
for, and returned with volunteers to the camp and helped with the guns
and ammunition, and in various other ways. At last the Boers swarmed
into the camp and our guns, turning on it, shelled it, containing as it
did, friend and foe alike, a regrettable but absolutely necessary
measure. Then our force retiring down the valley to Rietfontein fought a
fierce rearguard action, the Dorset Yeomanry under Sir Elliot Lees and
the remnants of the Fifes and Devons forming the rear screen, supported
by Kitchener's and Roberts' Horse, mostly dismounted, and the guns.
During this retirement, which I have heard wrongly ascribed to the M.I.,
Sir Elliot and his orderly, Ingram, of the Dorsets, on one occasion
finding that two dismounted Yeomen had been left behind on a recently
abandoned kopje, gallantly rode back and bore them away on their horses
into comparative safety.[7] The artillery were grand, as ever, and in
spite of killed and wounded gunners and great losses in the teams, saved
their guns and used them to effect. At six o'clock on Friday morning the
rearguard entered camp at Rietfontein. Our casualties--killed, wounded
and missing, are 640, while it is stated and believed that the enemy's
losses were even more severe. It seems a strange coincidence that
exactly this time a year ago at home in dear old England we were going
through the black Stormberg and Colenso week, and Christmastide was
coming to many a sorrowing home.
[Footnote 7: For his share in this gallant deed, Ingram was
promoted by the C.-in-C. to Corporal. Several of the Devons
and Fifes were subsequently mentioned in despatches. Sergeant
Pullar was persuaded to accept a commission, as also were
Sergeant-Majors Gordon and Cave. All three being excellent
soldiers and popular with the men. A Yeoman told me lately,
"It was simply splendid the cool way in which Colonel Browne
and Sir Elliot Lees superintended the waggons being moved
from camp."]
Since writing the above, I have heard vague tales that a good many of
the missing have turned up at Rustenburg, being either men who got
through or released prisoners. This I rather anticipated and hope to be
true. About the Yeomanry I have not heard any reassuring news yet; one
thing is certain--they had many casualties and fought desperately.