THE BOER ULTIMATUM--THE BRIGADE AT THE FRONT--BUTCHERY OF PRISONERS BY
ENGLISH LANCERS.
"The Government of the South African Republic feels itself compelled
to refer the Government of Her Majesty, the Queen of Great Britain
and Ireland, once more to the Convention of London, 1884, concluded
between this Republic and the United Kingdom, and which in its XIVth
Article secures certain rights to the whole population of the Republic;
namely, that 'All persons, other than natives, conforming themselves
to the laws of the South African Republic, (a) will have full liberty,
with their families, to enter, travel, or reside in any part of the
South African Republic; (b) they will be entitled to hire or possess
houses, manufactories, warehouses, shops and premises; (c) they may
carry on their commerce either in person or by any agents whom they
may think fit to employ; (d) they will not be subject, in respect of
their persons or property, or in respect of their commerce or industry,
to any taxes, whether general or local, other than those which are or
may be imposed upon citizens of the said Republic.' This Government
wishes further to observe, that the above are only rights which
Her Majesty's Government have reserved in the above Convention with
regard to the Uitlander population of this Republic, and that the
violation only of those rights could give that Government a right
to diplomatic representations or intervention while, moreover, the
regulation of all such questions affecting the position or the rights
of the Uitlander population under the above-mentioned Convention, is
handed over to the Government and the representatives of the people of
the South African Republic. Amongst the questions, the regulation of
which falls exclusively within the competence of the Government and
the Volksraad, are included those of the franchise and representation
of the people of this Republic, and, although thus the exclusive right
of this Government, and of the Volksraad, for the regulation of that
franchise and representation is indisputable, yet this Government
has found occasion to discuss, in a friendly fashion, the franchise
and the representation of the people, with Her Majesty's Government,
without, however, recognizing any right thereto on the part of Her
Majesty's Government. This Government has also, by the formulation
of the now existing Franchise Law, and the Resolution with regard to
representation, constantly held these friendly discussions before its
eyes. On the part of Her Majesty's Government, however, the friendly
nature of these discussions has assumed a more threatening tone, and
the minds of the people in this Republic and in the whole of South
Africa have been excited, and a condition of extreme tension has been
created, while Her Majesty's Government could no longer agree to
the legislation respecting franchise and the Resolution respecting
representation in this Republic, and finally, by your note of the
twenty-fifth of September, 1899, broke off all friendly correspondence
on the subject, and intimated that they must now proceed to formulate
their own proposals for a final settlement, and this Government can
only see in the above intimation from Her Majesty's Government, a new
violation of the Convention of London, 1884, which does not reserve
to Her Majesty's Government the right to a unilateral settlement of a
question which is exclusively a domestic one for this Government, and
has already been regulated by it.
"On account of the strained situation and the consequent serious loss
in, and interruption of, trade in general, which the correspondence
respecting the franchise and representation in this Republic carried in
its train, Her Majesty's Government have recently pressed for an early
settlement, and finally pressed, by your intervention, for an answer
within forty-eight hours (subsequently somewhat modified), to your note
of the twelfth of September, replied to by the note of this Government
of the fifteenth of September, and your note of the twenty-fifth of
September, 1899, and thereafter further friendly negotiations broke
off, and this Government received the intimation that the proposal for
a final settlement would shortly be made, but although this promise was
once more repeated, no proposal has up to now reached this Government.
Even while friendly correspondence was still going on, an increase of
troops on a large scale was introduced by Her Majesty's Government and
stationed in the neighborhood of the borders of this Republic. Having
regard to occurrences in the history of this Republic, which it is
unnecessary here to recall to mind, this Government felt obliged to
regard this military force in the neighborhood of its borders as a
threat against the independence of the South African Republic, since
it was aware of no circumstances which could justify the presence of
such a military force in South Africa, and in the neighborhood of its
borders. In answer to an enquiry with respect thereto, addressed to
His Excellency the High Commissioner, this Government received, to its
great astonishment, in reply, a veiled insinuation that from the side
of the Republic (van Republikeinsche zyde) an attack was being made on
Her Majesty's Colonies, and at the same time a mysterious reference
to possibilities; whereby it was strengthened in its suspicion
that the independence of this Republic was being threatened. As a
defensive measure, it was therefore obliged to send a portion of the
burghers of this Republic, in order to offer the requisite resistance
to similar possibilities. Her Majesty's unlawful intervention in the
internal affairs of this Republic, in conflict with the Convention of
London, 1884, caused by the extraordinary strengthening of troops in
the neighborhood of the borders of this Republic, has thus caused an
intolerable condition of things to arise, whereto this Government feels
itself obliged, in the interest not only of this Republic but also of
South Africa, to make an end as soon as possible, and feels itself
called upon, and obliged to press earnestly and with emphasis for an
immediate termination of this state of things, and to request Her
Majesty's Government to give it the assurance.
(_a_) That all points of mutual difference shall be regulated by the
friendly course of arbitration, or by whatever amicable way may be
agreed upon by this Government with Her Majesty's Government.
(_b_) That the troops on the borders of this Republic shall be
instantly withdrawn.
(_c_) That all reinforcements of troops which have arrived in South
Africa since the first of June, 1899, shall be removed from South
Africa, within a reasonable time, to be agreed upon with this
Government, and with a mutual assurance and guarantee on the part
of this Government, that no attack upon or hostilities against any
portion of the possessions of the British Government shall be made
by the Republic, during further negotiations within a period of time
to be subsequently agreed upon between the Governments, and this
Government will, on compliance therewith, be prepared to withdraw the
armed burghers of this Republic from the borders.
(_d_) That Her Majesty's troops which are now on the high seas shall
not be landed in any part of South Africa.
"This Government must press for an immediate and affirmative answer
to these four questions, and earnestly requests Her Majesty's
Government to return such an answer before or upon Wednesday the
eleventh of October, 1899, not later than 5 p.m., and it desires
further to add, that in the event of unexpectedly no satisfactory
answer being received by it within that interval (it) will with great
regret be compelled to regard the action of Her Majesty's Government
as a formal declaration of war, and will not hold itself responsible
for the consequences thereof, and that in the event of any further
movement of troops taking place within the above mentioned time
in the nearer direction of our borders, this Government will be
compelled to regard that also as a formal declaration of war."
The reply was as follows:
"H.M.'s Agency, Pretoria,
"October 11th, 1899.
"Sir,--I am instructed by the High Commissioner to state to you
that Her Majesty's Government have received with great regret the
peremptory demands of the Government of the South African Republic,
conveyed to me in your note on the 9th inst., and I am to inform
you in reply that the conditions demanded by the Government of the
South African Republic are such as Her Majesty's Government deem it
impossible to discuss.
"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your obedient servant,
"W. Conyngham Green, C.B."
[Illustration: MRS. JOUBERT
Widow of Commandant General Piet Joubert]
Those assembled on the Natal border, October 11th, will never forget
that day, not only because it was the first day of the war which was
to be recorded as one of the greatest in the annals of history, but
because it was so bitterly cold and stormy. A strong wind was blowing,
heavy and murderous looking clouds were rolling and tumbling about our
heads. Snow was falling on the mountains, and while the heavens and
the earth were thus warring with each other, the Boers filed across
Laing's Nek, to defend their homes and country against aggressive and
greedy England. Among the Boers there are no discipline, no drilling,
no inspections, no roll calls, every man feeling himself a general with
full authority to do as he pleases. So they began the war, so they
prosecuted the war, and so they finished the war. The severe cold and
apparent confusion and disorder among the Boers, as they cantered off
like so many Apache Indians toward Laing's Nek, did not seem to make
the slightest impression on the boys of the Irish Brigade. They had
something else to think about, and they were doing a lot of thinking.
Of all the horses for them, there were not over twenty broken to the
saddle, and among the boys themselves, there were not over a half a
dozen who had ever tried to ride a horse. Now, one can easily see why
the Irish boys were doing so much thinking. They did not wish to be
left behind, yet each one felt that there was a great uncertainty as to
how friendly the relations between himself and the horse might be.
The time came when the order was given to saddle up. Every one, with
the enthusiasm of a true soldier hastened to make good the order.
After a good two hours' struggle, every horse was ready for his rider.
The men were told to mount, each in his own way, and to make every
effort to hold the saddle after once he found it. As they were told
to lay aside their rifles until they had become on friendly terms
with their horses, they were not hampered with any impediment except
their inexperience. Having mounted, I scarcely know what happened
during the next five minutes, but I saw men in camp, on the veldt, in
fact, all about me, picking themselves up, shaking the sand off them,
and chasing here and there and everywhere a lot of horses from which
they had just separated. Having caught their horses they were told to
try again and keep trying again, until they and their horses became
thoroughly acquainted with each other. For hours I sat and witnessed
and enjoyed the best show I had ever seen or ever expect to see. But
the men were Irish, and were not to be defeated as long as there was
life in them. I kept no account of how many times each mounted his
horse, and immediately thereafter turned a somersault, but, when, at
the conclusion of the performance, each rode up and said he was ready
for his rifle, I felt proud of them, for they showed the real Irish
pluck and grit that are destined some day to free Ireland. Within one
week from that day I could call each one of those Irish boys a truly
good cavalryman. They learned to ride much sooner than they learned to
know their horses.
A few of them, to be sure, would tie a piece of ribbon in the mane or
tail, and would always hunt for their ribbons instead of their horses.
This gave rise, months after, to some trouble in which Father Van
Hecke, the Brigade Chaplain, was implicated. Father Van Hecke always
tied a green rag into his horse's mane so that he could find him
quickly. He rode a bay pony, and a good pony he was, that Father Van
Hecke thoroughly appreciated.
One day one of the mischievous boys thought he would play a trick on
the good Father. He went out, caught the Father's pony, removed the
green rag and tied it into the mane of a sorrel pony, not half so good
as the Father's. When the order was given to saddle-up, out went the
Father, and the boys and Boers, each for his own horse. Father Van
Hecke found the green rag, caught the sorrel pony and started to camp
with him. At this moment up came the Boer who owned the pony, claimed
him and accused the Father of trying to steal his horse. Father Van
Hecke informed the Boer that he thought he had ridden that horse long
enough to know him, and that the green rag was his mark. The Boer used
rather strong language, but the Father would not surrender his pony to
any one. Finally I was sent for to settle the matter.
About twenty feet from the two equally certain owners of that sorrel
pony, stood the Father's pony. I pointed him out to the Father and
told him I thought that some of the boys had played a trick on him by
removing the green rag from his pony and transferring it to the Boer's.
The Father smiled and gave the Boer his horse, but I think to-day that
that Boer is convinced that Father Van Hecke was trying to steal his
horse. Father Van Hecke is a noble, good man with a warm, sympathetic
heart, and as such he will always be remembered by the boys of the
Irish Brigade.
Already the last of the Boers had disappeared over Laing's Nek, when
the boys reported that they were ready for their rifles, so each
secured his piece, and off we started without further delay. All were
worrying for fear the Boers would have a fight with the English before
we arrived. After travelling about twenty minutes we began to feel the
biting cold and I was asked to give them a gallop.
I told them the idea was a good one, but I had grave fears about the
consequences. "Oh, that's all right. We are all right, Colonel, we have
shown these horses what we can do." I started off on a slow gallop, and
within two minutes at least one-third of the boys were deposited on the
veldt, and it took the other two-thirds about half an hour to round
up the loose horses and put matters into marching order again. After
that I had no further delay, but I never repeated the gallop until near
Dundee, where every man sat his horse in true cavalryman style. Late
that night we overtook the Boers at Newcastle, the boys being very
tired and stiff, but none complained, for they had, so far, not missed
the first fight.
What an enthusiastic and patriotic body of men those Irish boys were!
They seemed to feel that if they could give England one good blow,
their happiness would be an assured fact. The very fact that the
Irish, where ever you find them, so utterly despise the English, and
so earnestly long to blow the whole English race into eternity, is in
itself sufficient proof that the English rule in Ireland is cruel and
brutal.
All had now passed over Laing's Nek and down the mountains into the
valley. Here it was warm, but as disagreeable as ever, in fact more
so, for it was rain, rain, rain, day and night, and the thick clouds
of mist were actually rolling along the ground. At times we could not
see twenty paces ahead of us, so it was necessary to move cautiously,
because we knew that the English were falling back toward Dundee just
ahead of us. Thoroughly soaked to the very skin, all plowed through the
mud, felt their way through the mist and clouds, passed Danhausser,
and camped about seven miles from Dundee. On the following day, the
clouds were motionless, but resting heavily on the adjacent mountains
and foothills, while the valleys were quite clear. It was apparent to
all now, that a battle must take place, and that, too, in a very short
time. Just as all horses were saddled and the artillery inspanned, and
ready to move out, about two miles to our left and front we discovered
a column of English emerging from a cloud on the foothills across the
valley. Every Boer that happened to see them put spurs to his horse,
and after them he went. Of course a lot of the Irish boys followed
suit in great haste. The English whirled about and took refuge in a
great stone cattle kraal. In five minutes the rifles began to speak on
both sides--in another five minutes a French cannon was sent out, and
fired a couple of shells, and five minutes later the white flag was
waving above the heads of the English, and all was quiet again. Colonel
Moller with his 196 well trained Eighteenth Hussars, had surrendered
to forty untrained farmers. We now learned that Lucas Meyer, who had
taken a road much to the east of us, had attacked Dundee, and been
forced back because General Daniel Erasmus, who was to co-operate with
him, had failed to show up. Colonel Moller had been sent out to follow
up the Boers, and according to his own statement had lost himself, and
hadn't the slightest idea where he was, although Dundee was only six
miles away. Of the 196 Irishmen captured, eighty-five begged to join
the Irish Brigade and fight with the Boers. I wanted to take them on
the spot, but the Boer officers did not consider it right, because,
they said, if any of them were afterwards captured, the English would
surely shoot them. When first captured, all were half scared to death
and the first thing they wished to know was whether the Boers would
shoot them or not. When told that they would be sent to Pretoria, where
they would probably spend most of their time in playing cricket and
football, they were, one and all, positively delighted that they had
surrendered. They said that their officers had told them in Natal, that
the Boers were savages, worse than the Zulus, and that so sure as any
of them were captured, just so sure they would be killed.
While the men scarcely believed all their officers had told them, yet
they were uncertain, because they had never seen a Boer and didn't know
just what kind of a ruffian he was. The men of the Eighteenth Hussars
had now learned what a liar and a hypocrite the English officer is.
These are harsh words, but it requires just such words to bring out the
naked truth about the English officer. There were very few officers who
were not branded as liars by their men, after it was learned how the
savage Boer treated the Eighteenth Hussars.
Within the next few months we had captured several thousand prisoners,
and they all told the same story and it was just as related above.
That is enough about the English officer at this stage of the war, but
I assure him that I will give him plenty of attention before this
narrative is finished. To continue, we now heard that the English were
moving out of Dundee to take possession of the hills lying between us
and the town. The Irish Brigade were ordered to move at a gallop and
reach the hills first, and we succeeded. The English were to be seen
at different places in the little circular valley in which Dundee is
situated. This valley is about six miles in diameter and surrounded by
hills and mountains. Several deep ravines run through it, and in them a
whole army could easily be concealed. Dundee was near the hills on the
east side, and Glencoe near the hills on the west side of the valley.
Had the English troops taken possession of the hills and mountains
around Dundee, I do not believe we could have taken the place. General
Penn-Symons had about 6,000 men there and eighteen cannon, and for
defence his position was most excellent. Fortunately for the Boers, he
did not take advantage of his position, and the result was that 1,000
Boers were chasing the Lancers armed with cold British steel, about
that little valley nearly a whole day. The English seemed afraid to
move eastward of Dundee, yet there were no Boers there, as Lucas Meyer
had fallen back some fifteen miles. The Boers in bands of 100 or 200
placed themselves about the north and west sides of the valley, and
here it was that the Lancers, in bands of 400 strong, would try to find
an outlet. At every point the Boers would meet them with a few shots,
and off went the cold British steel in search of another outlet. The
mountains were rugged and steep on the southeast side, and there was
but one pass through to the valley, and that leads to Ladysmith. At
times it would rain, and then again the heavy clouds would roll over
the valley and totally obscure the whole scene of action.
The whole day, however, was to the Boer something like a day of sports,
for they had enjoyed themselves chasing the Lancers about the valley
as so many springboks. When night came, it was terribly dark, and now
it was that Colonel Yule and his 6,000 men, armed with cold British
steel, took advantage of the only outlet to the south and made their
escape to Ladysmith, some thirty miles away. During the battle with
Lucas Meyer, General Penn-Symons was killed, and Colonel Yule succeeded
him. For this masterly escape of Colonel Yule and 6,000 men from about
1,000 Boers at Dundee, the English proclaimed to the world their great
victory, and promoted Yule to the rank of Major-General. In any other
army he would have been put aside in disgrace. I am not sure whether
he received a Victoria Cross or not, but if he didn't he certainly
deserved one. On the following day Dundee surrendered, with about 250
officers and wounded men, and almost an equal number of prisoners.
Enough food and ammunition fell into our hands to provide our command
for many months. The English, as usual, after one of their great
victories, had forgotten to bury the dead who had fallen at Talana Hill
two days before, in the fight with Lucas Meyer; they had dug a shallow
pit and thrown in some of them.
But when we arrived, their hands and feet and stomachs were protruding
above its surface and presented a most revolting scene. Thirty-nine
dead bodies were left unburied, and the savage Boer gave them decent
interment. It was near this very spot that, two days beforehand, the
English, on getting possession of Dr. Van Der Merwe and his ambulance,
tied ropes about his neck, and the necks of his Red Cross assistants,
and then, having fastened the ropes to their wagons, dragged them off
as prisoners of war.
Mr. Englishman can't deny this, but he may lie about it. Something else
fell into our hands here, something that has caused Mr. Chamberlain to
tell many a falsehood to the world. We captured thousands of dum-dum
bullets and split bullets, and gave plenty of them to the different
foreign consuls. I had the pleasure of supplying the whole Irish
Brigade with these dum-dum bullets and split bullets, and the English
Lee-Metford rifles captured at Dundee. The Boers thought it a pity
to waste them also, so they too supplied themselves. We gave the
English back their own medicine in big doses at Ladysmith, and many and
numerous graves in and about that town mark the results.
The prisoners captured at Kraaipan were all carrying dum-dum bullets,
and all the cartridges fired at Rietfontein near Elandslaagte were
dum-dum bullets; and, Mr. Englishman, we would never have known what
dum-dum bullets were, had you not brought them to South Africa and
given them to us. Bring some more, next time. If asked why we didn't
capture Colonel Yule and his 6,000 men, as well as all they possessed,
I answer that we had no generals--we had only Lucas Meyer and Daniel
Erasmus, and the fighting brains of the two together, would not suffice
to make an efficient corporal; much as we deplored their determination
not to fight, yet we found a little satisfaction in the fact that
we saw that awfully, awful death-dealing "cold British steel" in an
awfully, awful, terrible tremble. How is that, Mr. Englishman?
We now passed on towards Ladysmith where we hoped to have a shake
not only with Colonel Yule, but also with General Sir George White,
Generals French, Hunter and other terrors of the English army. Lucas
Meyer fought General Penn-Symons on October 20th, and on October 21st
was fought the Battle of Elandslaagte. That good, unfortunate old
soldier, General J.H.M. Koch, was in command of a mixed commando of
Boers, Germans and Hollanders, numbering something like 600 or 700
men, all told. He should have closed up the only pass through which
Colonel Yule could escape, but he didn't. He was persuaded by his under
officers to go towards Ladysmith, and at Elandslaagte, fifteen miles
from Ladysmith, his men unfortunately captured a supply train on its
way to Dundee. On that train was plenty of whiskey and wines, and all
the men thought it best to dispose of such beverages by drinking them;
the result was that many were not in very good fighting trim. General
French was sent out with his thousands of trained soldiers, bristling
with cold, British steel, to meet General Koch and his little band of
600. They met, and a bloody battle was fought, in which the Boers were
defeated, General Koch mortally wounded, and many other distinguished
men lost their lives, among them being that brave and patriotic
Hollander and States Prosecutor, Dr. Hermanus Coster. General Koch had
no position at all, for it was open to cavalry movements on all sides,
and offered no protection in any sense of the word. He should have
retreated at once, but he didn't, so it simply remains for me to tell
what happened.
We lost forty-five men killed, about 100 wounded, and something like
190 taken prisoners. Not over 300 escaped, so it proved a bad day's
work for us, and allowed the British to boast of the prowess of cold
British steel throughout the civilized world. The British officer, and
the soldier, too, are both justified in their boasting, for they used
their cold British steel as it had, I hope, never been used before.
They went about the battle field driving their lances through the
bodies of both the dead and wounded, that each might carry his bloody
lance back into Ladysmith, display it, and boast to the men, women and
children of the town, of the bravery of him who carried it. I will here
insert a letter or two, to convict the boasters in their own words.
These letters have often been published before, but they cannot be
published too often, for the people of the world should know all about
cold British steel, and how it is invariably used. Many an unarmed
negro has fallen victim to cold British steel, so it is well for all to
read the following letters, and, having read them, apply to the British
army for lessons in chivalry, and on the best methods of carrying on
civilized warfare in the twentieth century.
"After the enemy were driven out, one of our squadrons pursued,
and got right in among them in the twilight, and most excellent
pig-sticking ensued, for about ten minutes, the bag being about
sixty. One of our men stuck his lance through two, killing them both
at once. Had it not been getting dark we should have killed more."
The above is a published extract from a British officer's letter and
speaks for itself.
The Lancers wrote many letters, boasting of their savagery and many
acts of murder, as the following published extracts will show.
"We charged them, and they went on their knees begging of us to shoot
them, rather than stab them with our lances, but in vain. The time
had come for us to do our work and we did it."
Another Lancer boasts as follows:--
"I got hold of one Boer,"--he had taken an enemy prisoner,--"he did
not know what I intended doing, so I made motions to him to run for
his life. So he went, and I galloped after him with the sergeant's
sword, and cut his head right off his body."
Another Lancer writes:--
"We just gave them a good dig as they lay. Next day most of the
lances were bloody."
Now read this extract from a happy Lancer, and I will pass the rest:--
"Many of our soldiers are quite rich with the loot that has fallen
to them. The infantry regiments profited to the largest extent. One
Tommy secured a pocket-book containing 270 pounds in Transvaal money.
Our boys are parading about now with gold watches, chains, and other
trinkets."
He might have added with truth, that he and his comrades cut off many
fingers in order to remove the rings, and that they are to-day wearing
those rings on their fingers as souvenirs of their savage and bloody
deeds.
May the day be not far distant when a humane and God-fearing people
can erect a monument on that bloody battle field to perpetuate, from
generation to generation, the memory of those loathsome deeds of pelf
and murder committed by self-convicted British officers and soldiers on
the plains of Elandslaagte!
We now mentally resolved to deal with every British soldier caught
with a lance in his hand as the interest of humanity might demand,
and marched on towards Ladysmith, the last resting place of many of
Elandslaagte's cowardly murderers, and the grave of cold British steel.
We came in sight of Ladysmith on October 27th.
We halted to discuss and make plans. It was very necessary, too, for
there was a much larger force in Ladysmith than we had, and the chances
were that we would get a good thrashing. I was asked if I would go to
the Tugela River and blow up the railway bridge, which was fifteen
miles south of Ladysmith, that no guns and re-enforcements might come
from Maritzburg. I said I would if they would provide me with a guide.
The guide having been presented, I called upon my men for volunteers,
and explained to them that it was a dangerous piece of work, but that I
thought we were equal to it. Fifteen promptly responded, and that was
all I wanted. The entire Boer force then moved on, and the fifteen men
and myself remained where we were.
As we had no dynamite, I sent little Mike Halley and two other men
back to a coal mine, about six miles distant, for about 100 pounds of
it. A coolie was in charge of the mine, and he swore that there was no
dynamite there. Mike made him get a candle and show him into the mine,
that he might see for himself. On reaching a dark shaft, the candle
was lighted, and at once there was an explosion. McCormick was badly
burned about the face, Dick McDonough's hands suffered, and Mike looked
as if his head had been submerged in a pot of boiling water. However,
they did not give up their search, and at last found some dynamite,
fuse and detonators. Just as they returned, General Joubert came upon
us from another direction, and asked me what I was doing, and why I had
not gone on with the main force. I told him what I had been requested
to do, and that the boys had just arrived with the dynamite. He said
he could not think of allowing us to do it, that it was too dangerous,
that all of us would be killed, etc. I told him that in war people
had to take chances, and that I thought we could do the work and come
out all right. But he would not allow us to go, and directed that we
should go with him to the main force near Ladysmith. He afterwards
acknowledged that he had made a mistake, for had the bridge been blown
up, neither marines nor naval guns could have reached Ladysmith. It was
this force and these guns that enabled the English to stand the siege
and save Ladysmith from being captured.
This town is situated in a little valley on the banks of Klip River,
and is almost completely surrounded by mountains, high and precipitous.
Modderspruit runs from the east through a narrow valley between
Lombard's Kop and Pepworth Hill, and empties into Klip River near
the town. The distance from the tops of the mountains and from the
crest of Pepworth Hill was, on an average, about 6,000 yards. General
Sir George White, with his 13,000 trained soldiers and fifty cannon,
held and occupied all the mountains, but ignored Pepworth Hill, lying
to the north-east at a distance of about 6,000 yards from the town.
Nickolson's Nek on the north did not command the town, so that, too,
was not occupied by the British. Some low hills to the north-west
were also unoccupied, so it was plain what we had to do in the first
instance.
The Free Staters came in through Van Reenen's Pass and occupied the low
hills to the north-west and a part of Nickolson's Nek. The Transvaalers
were on the hills on the north, Pepworth Hill, and along the ridge
near Modderspruit, and in an easterly direction from the town.
Ladysmith with its surrounding mountains is certainly a most excellent
position both for offensive and defensive operations; and had a good
commander been in Sir George White's place, he could have easily
defeated and routed the Boers on their first appearing.
It was White's stupidity and inability that locked him up in Ladysmith,
and kept him there, just as it was someone's great love of humanity
that prevented us from taking the town on October 30th. The Irish
Brigade and Ermelo Commando were placed in the centre, on Pepworth
Hill, as a guard to Long Tom, two French field guns and two pom-pom
maxims. Christian De Wet with some Free Staters, and Erasmus with
some Transvaalers, together with the Johannesburg police, were in and
about Nickolson's Nek on the right, Lucas Meyer and Schalk Burger, and
Captain Pretorius with his cannons on our left, occupied a long ridge
and some small hills near the eastern part of Lombard's Kop. The total
Boer forces did not exceed 8,000 men with ten cannon.
[Illustration: A PART OF THE IRISH BRIGADE AT LADYSMITH.]
Saturday, the 28th, passed without a shot being fired. Sunday came,
and some of the Irish boys grew restless and complained that they were
hungry. I am sure they were, too, for I know I was. We had precious
little to eat for about two weeks, for it had been raining steadily
for that time and we had been constantly on the move. Three of the boys
urged so earnestly their request to go to a farm house near the town
for a pig, that I finally gave them permission. When within about 500
yards of the house they discovered and shot a fat, half-grown pig. Much
to their surprise, within the wall around the house were some English
soldiers, who at once opened fire upon them. Hot times then ensued, but
in the end the boys came out all right and brought the pig to camp.
These were the first shots exchanged between the English and our men at
Ladysmith.
The Irish camp was about 300 yards in the rear of the guns, and our
guards were posted in front of them and on the crest of the hill.
About two o'clock on Monday morning one came down, woke me and told
me that a balloon was moving along the valley not far from the hill,
and he evidently felt excited about it, for he asked me if I didn't
think "they were after dropping dynamite on us." When I told him that
the object of the men in the balloon was to find out our strength and
position, he felt perfectly satisfied and returned to his post.
During the night, Tom Haney was on guard and Mick Ryan was to relieve
him. When the hour arrived, Mick picked up his rifle and went to take
his post. On approaching, Tom said "Halt! Who comes there?" "It is
Mick," was the reply, and he approached. Tom said, "See here, Mick, you
must not answer 'Mick' when you are challenged, but 'friend.'" Mick's
reply was, "Now, Tom, how can I answer, 'friend,' when I haven't a
friend in the world?"
From the balloon incident I knew there would be trouble in the early
morning. At the first sign of dawn I got up and went to the hill crest.
I had not sat there long before it became light enough for me to use
my glasses. Within about two minutes, I discovered twenty-four cannon
about 2,500 yards distant, and pointed right toward Pepworth Hill.
Near them was a long line of Lancers and some cavalry. Beyond them and
nearer to Lombard's Kop, I saw a lot more cavalry. To our right and
front, I saw ten companies of infantry marching towards us. They were
halted and concealed behind some rocks, at about 1,500 yards from us. I
had seen enough to be convinced that there was going to be a fight, and
that no time was to be lost. I sent one of the guards to tell the boys
to come quickly, for there was going to be a hot fight. He found them
making coffee and preparing pig for breakfast. They forgot their coffee
and pig and every thing else, except their rifles and ammunition, and
came running up that hill like a band of wild Apaches. As fast as they
arrived they would call out, "Where are the English?" After all had
taken a good look at the cannon and cavalry in front of them, I simply
told them to remember that they were Irishmen, and then put them in a
position on the right of the guns. Commandant Trichardt had discovered
the English batteries at the same time that I did, and after the Ermelo
Commando had taken its position at the left of the guns, he prepared
for immediate action. It was just 5.45 a.m. Sunday when a long column
of curling blue smoke rising from Long Tom told us that a six-inch
shell was on its way, to extend to the English an early welcome.
Within ten seconds the British batteries responded with twenty-four
fifteen pound shells, and the Battle of Modderspruit was begun. The
shells continued to come so thick and fast that by seven o'clock,
Pepworth Hill was so enveloped with smoke that it was with difficulty
at times to see the enemy.
Shells were bursting over our heads, on the ground, among us, and great
chunks of iron were whizzing about from stone to stone. At times the
uproar was so great that we could scarcely hear each other speak, yet
the Irish boys, who had not the least protection, never once showed any
inclination to waver. They were there to protect their guns, and to
fight the English, and though they could be killed, they were not to be
driven away. It was about this time, seven o'clock, that the Ermelo
Commando could not stand it any longer, and nearly all of them fell
back about one mile, and there awaited further developments.
Afterwards this same commando proved to be one of the best, bravest,
and most reckless in the field.
It was about this time, too, that six of those artillery boys were
killed and several wounded. This so weakened the artillery force at
Long Tom that he could not be supplied with shells, and so had to stop
fighting. Shells continued to rain upon us, and the English undoubtedly
thought that Long Tom was disabled, as he had ceased to respond.
As no Boers could be found who would carry ammunition to Long Tom
during such a shell storm, Commandant Grobler came to me about seven
o'clock and asked for four volunteers from the Irish Brigade, to serve
Long Tom, and I called upon the boys. In an instant every one clamored
to go, and I sent seven instead of four, as being necessary. In another
three minutes Long Tom roared again and it was plainly to be seen by
the commotion it raised in the valley, that the English were utterly
amazed. Of the seven men who volunteered and served Long Tom, two
were shot. Now Long Tom and the two French field guns made it so very
uncomfortable for the English that the number of shells that had been
raining upon us for the past hour and a half was reduced at least
fifty per cent.
[Illustration: MAJOR J.L. PRETORIUS The acknowledged greatest
artillerist of the world by those who know him and his deeds.]
Between seven and eight o'clock the commandos under Lucas Meyer and
Schalk Burger came into contact with French's cavalry on the extreme
English right. We could plainly see warm rifle firing, and soon it grew
to be terribly hot, and then we knew that the English would be so hard
pushed that they would have to abandon any hope of breaking through our
centre and capturing Long Tom and the French field guns. After a time
that brave, keen-eyed artillerist and dashing officer, Captain J.L.
Pretorius appeared on the scene with his pom-pom maxims, and so deadly
was his fire that French's cavalry had to fall back.
Major Wolmorans brought his French guns into play on the English right
also, and this forced some of the English guns to drop Pepworth Hill,
and try their luck with Wolmorans. Wolmorans was too much for them, and
we could see that the whole English line was beginning to tremble, yet
the battle continued to rage and the bullets and shells were flying to
and fro so thick and fast that it would seem impossible for any one to
come out alive.
It was about this time, eight o'clock, that a shell caught me, smashed
both the bones of my arm near the elbow, cut the tendon, nerve and
artery and completely paralysed my whole arm. I went to my horse,
about 300 yards away, and was fortunate to find him alive, because most
of them near him had been killed. A young Boer boy helped me to mount
and I managed to reach a hospital tent about a mile away, but it was
a close call, for I had grown very weak from loss of so much blood.
As I passed my camp, I could not help smiling, for it was completely
destroyed, and I knew that when the Irish boys saw it again, there
would be plenty of Irish wit in the air.
Finally about two p.m. the Boer fire became so warm and deadly that
the Lancers with their cold British steel, and the whole British army,
bolted, and a pell-mell retreat followed, in which everyone seemed
bent on getting into Ladysmith as quickly as possible, regardless of
consequences. Such was their anxiety to escape, that they crowded
together like a flock of sheep, and it may be taken as a fact that
Captain Pretorius did not fail to try his pom-pom guns on such a
magnificent target.
The Lancers threw away their cold British steel, helmets, guns,
ammunition, and everything of weight that might impede fast running;
and so ended the Battle of Modderspruit.
On our right at Nickolson's Nek, something happened that we on Pepworth
Hill knew nothing about, till the battle was over, although the Nek
was in plain view. During the previous night, General White sent two
regiments under Colonel Carleton to take possession of Nickolson's
Nek and the adjoining big hill. Before they reached the Nek, some Boer
guards saw them and fired upon them. Colonel Carleton, who was in
command, had with him a lot of pack mules carrying several mountain
guns. It seems these mules did not like fighting, so they deserted
with their cannon and joined the Boers. However, Colonel Carleton got
the Nek and the big hill much to his regret. The wily Christian De
Wet (afterwards General De Wet) happened to be near at hand. In the
early morning some Pretoria town boys, Johannesburg police, and a few
Free Staters discovered the unwise Colonel and his men on the Nek and
hill. Having placed themselves in a sluit about 1,000 yards away, they
gave the Colonel a warm rifle salute. Carleton and his men of course
responded. Cunning De Wet took about 200 Free Staters, slipped around
the hill, crept up it and fired into Colonel Carleton's rear. No man
likes to be shot in the rear, so Colonel Carleton hoisted his white
flag, and with about 900 of his men went to Pretoria to see Oom Paul.
Of course General White thinks that if the mules with the cannon had
not stampeded, Colonel Carleton would have been all right and would
have given the Boers particular--well, I will put it mildly and say
fits.
Now a word about those mountain guns. The Boers would take a good look
at them, give a sarcastic smile and walk away. Those guns are about as
much use in war as so many popguns would be, and it is a question with
me whether I would rather fire one of them or stand 100 feet in front
of it, and let some one fire at me. They might prove useful in scaring
unarmed niggers, who had never heard a loud noise. The Boers are not
niggers, notwithstanding the fact that the whole British press labored
hard during the year preceding the war to make the world believe they
were niggers, and savage ones, too. The Boer has heard too many lions
roar to be frightened to death by a popgun; but an incompetent British
general must have some kind of an excuse to explain away his blunders,
so General White attributes his defeat to the unfaithfulness of a mule,
and receives the congratulations of his Queen. At the conclusion of
the battle Commandant General Piet Joubert called up the Irish boys,
thanked them, congratulated them, and told them that the brave stand
they had made and their serving of Long Tom had prevented a grave
disaster and enabled the Boers to gain a great victory over the enemy.
Young Tommie Oates, who carried the green flag, and young Cox, another
brave boy, were both shot dead, and buried on Pepworth Hill, facing the
enemies' position. Hugh Carbury was shot through the head, the bullet
striking the very centre of his forehead. How he lived for even an
instant no one could understand. Dr. Max Mehliss and Dr. Lilpop took
him, operated upon him and within three days he was walking about the
temporary hospital. Finally orders were received for all the wounded,
eighty-five in number, to be sent to Pretoria. I would not go, because
I knew that I must stay near the Irish Brigade. Hugh Carbury went to
Pretoria and so far recovered that he was walking around the town.
In about three months he had a stroke of paralysis and died, and the
Irish Brigade lost one of its best and bravest boys. Andy Higgins,
Olsen, Kepner, Tinen, Barnes and Gaynor were also wounded, but all
recovered. Many others had holes shot through their clothing but
escaped uninjured. For months after this battle, the Irish boys and the
Boers amused themselves playing a game known as "mumble peg" with the
cold British steel that the Lancers on their hurried retreat thought
unnecessary to carry with them into Ladysmith. The Lancers were now
armed with rifles and converted into mounted infantry, and I don't
think that a lance was ever after seen on any battle field during the
rest of the war. When we captured the Eighteenth Hussars, we asked them
for their flag and we were informed that they didn't carry any. Now
Christian De Wet had captured two regiments, the Dublin Fusiliers and
the Gloucesters, and when asked for their flags they answered that all
regiments had received orders to leave all colors and flags behind,
locked up in the vaults at Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town. Of
course every regiment was provided with the necessary white flag, and
everyone found that flag a most useful and life-saving piece of cloth.
Not a battalion and not a regiment carried either its own colors or
its country's flag into the battle field, throughout the whole war.
This alone should be sufficient proof of the cowardice and degeneracy
of the British army, and at the same time explain the pig-sticking
at Elandslaagte and the use of the dum-dum and split bullets by the
soldiers.
There can be neither pride nor honor among either officers or soldiers
of any army when they hide away their country's flag for safe keeping,
on the eve of battle. I have an idea that every regiment considered
the carrying of its colors and flag into battle from a business point
of view, for if their flag were not carried into battle it would not
be necessary to make requisition for a new supply after the battle.
However, I will guarantee that any one visiting the various regimental
headquarters throughout England, will find in every one of them a
tattered and torn flag bearing the names of many great battles in South
Africa in which it floated; and in which its brave defenders performed
wonderful deeds and added another glorious victory to the British army
in the face of overwhelming odds.
Every one asks "why didn't the Boers follow up this pell-mell retreat
of the English into Ladysmith?" The fact is that the Boer is too
pious, too religious and, therefore, too humane to battle with such an
unscrupulous people as the English. Commandant General Piet Joubert was
a grand man, grown old and mellow in the service of his country, a most
religious and humane man, who looked upon the English as a Christian
people, and he felt that it would be unchristian-like to follow up and
shoot down his retreating enemy.
When the English were well out of range, and the commandos returned to
their laagers, they held their services, and then began to make their
coffee and prepare their food, as if nothing had happened. Every pot,
kettle, blanket and tent, etc., in the Irish camp was simply riddled by
shells, so that they had to be supplied with a completely new outfit.
This resulted because our camp was about 300 yards in the rear of the
guns, and the English guns were so located that every shell that passed
over our heads must fall in or near it. Judging by appearances one
could easily be made believe that about all the shells fired by the
British landed in the camp, for it was certainly a total wreck.
Now that the battle was over, the dead and wounded must be cared for,
and our ambulances were very busy the whole afternoon, because they had
to pick up a dead or wounded man here and there along a line six miles
in extent.
General White sent out his white flags requesting truce after truce,
for one or two days or more, that he might be permitted to care
properly for his dead or wounded. His ambulance men certainly were
busy; at the same time his men were very busy in another way. All were
occupied day and night in building forts, digging holes and throwing
up earth works of various kinds. General Joubert, being very humane,
granted White all the time he wished, to take care of his dead, but, of
course, never once suspected that advantage would be taken of the truce
to prepare defenses. The humanity of the Boer in time of war is his
greatest weakness, while the unscrupulousness of the Englishman is his
greatest strength in time of peace or war.
As a result of the English retreat, the Boers took possession of all
the hills and mountains around Ladysmith, with the exception of one,
and that one was of the greatest importance of them all. It was the
Platrand, lying just south of Ladysmith. As the Boers did not occupy
Platrand, the English after a time took possession of it. Had the Boers
seized this Platrand, as well as the other positions, General White
could not have held Ladysmith three days. About one-half the Boer
forces were used to invest Ladysmith, the other half went to the Tugela
River, and took position along the hills in front of Colenso, a little
town about fifteen miles south of Ladysmith. Within a week from the
investment of Ladysmith, we had our maximum force in Natal, numbering
nearly 12,500 men. They were distributed about Ladysmith, along Tugela
River and at Helpmakaar, about fifty miles eastward of Ladysmith. The
Irish Brigade took its position in the Modderspruit valley, about one
mile to the east of Pepworth, and about 1000 yards from the hospital,
where I could see it plainly. The Platrand and Ladysmith were in plain
view, and about once a week the Irish brigade and camp was shelled. No
damage was ever done, however. Although not yet recovered, I returned
to duty on December 12, for I was needed. The Long Tom and howitzer
on Pepworth Hill, were our especial care, and fifty of the boys slept
with the guns every night during that long siege of four months. The
hill is low and of very easy ascent on all sides, yet not once did
the English ever try to interfere with the guns by any night attack.
Commandant General Joubert's headquarters were to our left and rear
about one mile, as we faced Ladysmith, and every white flag bearer from
General White had to pass us to reach General Joubert. We would stop
the bearer, forward the report, and have a chat with the gentleman from
the city. They were always anxious to know just where the Irish camp
was, and were always told just where it was, and had it pointed out to
them besides; yet the English never once attacked that camp except with
cannon, either day or night during the siege. The English seemed to
want us badly, but never could make up their minds to come and get us,
although we offered them every inducement. In my opinion, it was a good
thing for us that they didn't come, for we had no defences and were
very few in number; still they would have had to pay a heavy price for
anything they might get in that camp, for the Irish boys were fighters,
and not to be frightened at the appearance of a large force of English.
One Long Tom was placed on Lombard's Kop, another at Bulwana Kop, and
still another on the low hills west of the town. Early in December, a
strong force came out, ascended Lombard's Kop, blew up the Long Tom and
a howitzer, and returned to town very jubilant, and they had reason to
be, too, for it was a plucky piece of work.
[Illustration: Col. Blake, his two sons, Aldrich and Ledyard, in
America, and Lieut. Wynand Malan who was so undeservedly held partially
responsible for the destruction of Long Tom on Lombard's Kop.]
There were twelve artillery boys with these guns, and no more. They
managed to kill one, and wound four or five Tommies before they left
their guns. Long Tom was sent to Pretoria, and in about two weeks,
began to tell the English that he was well and hearty once more. Major
Erasmus and Lieutenant Wynand Malan were highly censured by the Boer
Government for neglect of duty, etc., in allowing these guns to be
blown up, but they were truly innocent. They had tried by letter and
every other way to get General Daniel Erasmus and Schalk Burger to give
them a guard for the night, but no guard was ever given. If any one or
two should be censured or shot, that one or two was General Erasmus
and Schalk Burger. Lieutenant Malan proved himself to be a patriotic,
efficient and brave soldier to the very end of the war. About ten days
later the English made another night excursion to a high hill near
Nickolson's Nek, and succeeded in blowing up a howitzer. They were
about 700 strong, and to defend the howitzer, there were about 150
Pretoria town boys, and no better boys or soldiers ever shouldered
the rifle. They were fighters, and met the English in a hand-to-hand
combat. After the howitzer was blown up, a contest took place between
the mauser and cold British steel. The mauser won easily, cold British
steel was buried, and we have never heard from it from that day to
this. The Boer's loss in the contest was three killed and four wounded.
The British officially reported fifty-four killed and wounded, but I
don't know how much truth there is in this report, because no faith
can be put in any British report. The British officer always gives his
report as so many killed and wounded and so many missing. The missing
seldom show up, but this gives them the opportunity of fooling the
British public, and creates an impression among the people that they
have gained a victory and not suffered a defeat. Of course people are
always convinced that the missing will turn up either during the day or
the night.