GENERAL BULLER IN JULY AND AUGUST--CLEARING THE COUNTRY FROM VOLKSRUST TO
BELFAST[12]
Before narrating the events which concluded the month of August, it is
necessary to return to General Buller and follow his sweeping operations
on the Natal frontier, which operations allowed him to penetrate further
into the Transvaal and eventually to scour the country from the Natal
railway line to that of the Delagoa Bay railway. By glancing at the map
it is possible to draw a straight line from Volksrust and Amersfoort
_viâ_ Ermelo to Wonderfontein near Belfast, and having drawn it to
understand the object of the movements which occupied the end of July and
the beginning of August. Before that straight line (which represents Sir
Redvers Buller's march to join hands with Lord Roberts's force) could be
followed, it was imperative to secure the whole railway line from
Volksrust to Johannesburg, and that being guarded behind him it was
possible for the General to march straight across country, brushing back,
as he went, the Boers who gradually were being heaped like a wave to
north-east of him, and further on, astride the Delagoa Bay line.
First, then, to watch the securing of the Natal and Johannesburg line.
General Clery occupied Greylingstad (midway between Standerton and
Heidelberg) on the 2nd of July, and though there was some sniping and
several men were wounded, very little serious opposition was offered.
Meanwhile General Talbot Coke with the 10th Brigade was reconnoitring the
ground towards Amersfoort, situated between Volksrust and Ermelo, where
the enemy in some force made himself known, killing two and wounding six
men. After having retaliated with his guns the General retired. On the
3rd General Hart, who, as we know, had joined General Hunter after
General Ian Hamilton's accident, received the surrender of many
respectable Boers in Heidelberg, and the Soldiers' Home was opened, the
inhabitants assisting in the initial outlay to the tune of £40. On the
4th Generals Clery and Hart joined hands at Vlakfontein, thus securing
the line. Progress was slow and sure. Trains were now able to run from
Natal to Greylingstad, though beyond that place there were still damaged
culverts and ruined rails. But these were immediately taken in hand and
the line to Heidelberg restored, thereby rendering the railway
communication between Natal, Johannesburg, and Pretoria complete.
[Illustration: BOERS TAKING THE OATH OF NEUTRALITY AT GREYLINGSTAD
Drawing by H. M. Paget, from a Sketch by Lieut. E. B. Knox, R.A.M.C.]
Thus ended the first stage of the new campaign. But the Boers were by no
means inactive, and Botha kept a hungry eye on the improving
communications. A convoy on its way to Vlakfontein was vigorously shelled
by the Dutchmen from a formidable position among the hills. Their nearest
shell fell within twenty yards of the waggons. The bombardment continued
for an uncomfortable period, until the Boer duet became a quartette by
the prompt action of a section of the Chestnut Battery under Lieutenant
Eden, whose two guns in the open finally outvoiced those of the Boers on
the hills. One brave gunner was killed and one wounded, six horses were
disabled, and an ammunition waggon overturned, but the valuable convoy
was saved. To check the activity of the Boers, General Clery on the 12th
moved east from Greylingstad to a point on the road between Standerton
and Heidelberg, while Lord Dundonald and his invaluable South African
Light Horse routed the Boers and captured a camp belonging to them in the
region of Vlaklaagte Station. Thorneycroft's Horse and Strathcona's
gallant corps were also playing a rival game of indefatigability with the
Boers.
On the 21st Major English (Royal Dublin Fusiliers), who was commanding a
post at Railhead, thirteen miles east of Heidelberg, was attacked at
daybreak by Botha, who was evidently anxious to imitate the tactics of
Delarey at Nitral's Nek. The position was garrisoned by two companies of
the Dublin Fusiliers, 110 Royal Engineers, and ten Yeomanry. Fortunately
Major English had skilfully fortified his post and prepared himself for
such surprises. He instantly telegraphed for assistance to Heidelberg,
whereupon General Hart started to his succour with two guns, a "pom-pom,"
and 140 Marshall's Horse and Yeomanry. The Boers meanwhile had begun to
pound the garrison with three guns and a pom-pom, and they having
entirely surrounded it, the position at noon was scarcely enviable. But
owing to the first-class fighting quality of the Irishmen, and the
military prescience of their commander, the Boers were worsted. Major
English himself was slightly wounded by a shell.
General Clery's troops arrived at Grootspruit on the 23rd, and finding no
trace of the enemy afterwards returned to Greylingstad. General Hildyard
meanwhile operated in the neighbourhood of Volksrust hunting the foe from
the rail and clearing the surrounding region.
On the night of the 26th the post guarding the railway station at
Vlaklaagte was twice attacked, but without success. General Clery on the
following day reached Sugarbush Spruit, ten miles east of Heidelberg,
near where the Boers were so valorously repulsed on the 21st. At the end
of the month he had completed the disposition of his forces along the
railway as far as Heidelberg, where General Cooper now replaced General
Hart.
FROM AMERSFOORT TO VAN WYKS VLEI
August brought a renewal of activities. Major Gough, with four companies
of Mounted Infantry, two pom-poms, and four field-pieces, accomplished a
clever piece of work after the smartest Boer pattern. Moving from
Standerton by night, he came before dawn on a Boer laager, opened a heavy
shell fire by way of reveillé, broke up the camp, sent some 300 Dutchmen
scampering into space, captured 150 of Delange's cattle, burnt his house,
and returned to camp, having effectually cleared the air on the right
flank! And all this without a single casualty.
Through the defeat of Prinsloo in the Orange Colony, Sir Redvers Buller
was now freed from the task of dividing the southern from the northern
Boer forces, and was able to plan a move from Paardekop which should cut
due north over the open veldt towards the Delagoa Bay railway, and enable
him to assist the movement already begun by Lord Roberts, but at that
time somewhat checked in consequence of lack of horses and supplies.
On the 7th the General began the cross-country march in the direction of
Ermelo, squeezing back his adversaries towards Machadodorp as he went.
Before him he drove from one frowning and well-entrenched kopje to
another, some 2000 Dutchmen under Christian Botha, with six pieces of
cannon and four pom-poms, reaching and occupying Amersfoort on the same
night. As usual, General Dundonald's brilliant warrior, Gough, had been
to the fore, both he and Steward having scoured and scouted in advance
with such dash and enterprise that the Infantry--1st King's Royal Rifles,
Liverpools, Gordons, and their gallant Volunteer Company--were enabled to
push their way, climbing hill after hill to find it deserted, and
covering eighteen miles in the course of the day. The advance was made on
a front as wide as twenty miles, on account of the extent of hidden
country to be scoured. During the day's actions, Captain L. B. Cumberland
and Second Lieutenant F. L. Pardoe, 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps, were
wounded.
Sir Redvers Buller continued his march northward, and reached Rietspruit,
eight miles north of Amersfoort, crossing the Vaal at Beginderlyn. The
force marched into Ermelo on the 11th, having met with little opposition,
and on the following day Dr. Everett, who was in charge of the ambulance,
handed over the keys of the public offices. One bag of mails was secured.
On the safes, according to Reuter's correspondent, a Boer official had
chalked, "No blooming oof"--a truthful and terse statement which was,
however, characteristic of the blossoming Briton.
On went the troops--the cavalry to Carolina--meeting with no opposition,
owing to the fact that in the interval some 182 burghers of the
Standerton commando had surrendered to General Clery, while others were
evidently oscillating between discretion and valour. General Buller
himself halted at Twyfelaar till the 21st, in order to replenish his
supplies and establish communication with Pretoria. His scouts came in
touch with those of General French, who was operating round
Wonderfontein.
Meanwhile, on the 14th of August, General Clery had continued his
activities. Captain Reynolds and twenty-two non-commissioned officers and
men of the 5th Dragoon Guards completely surprised the Boers near Dornkop
and caused them considerable loss, though Captain Reynolds was himself
wounded in the spirited encounter. The Boers were still gathered some ten
miles beyond Carolina, peeping in there occasionally with caution, but
soon making off in fear of a surprise. Between Carolina and Machadodorp
where the Boer leaders, Botha, Meyer, Schalk-Burger, Fourie, and
Smuts--the last wounded seriously--were said to be, there were many
laagers, all of which were carefully located by Strathcona's Scouts.
On the 21st General Buller moved to Van Wyks Vlei, fifteen miles due
south of Belfast. Near here a British detached party encountering the
enemy, who seemed to be in force, had a very rough time. The Gordons were
forced to return to camp under cover of dusk, while the Lancers, who were
acting as scouts, remained for some hours dodging the heavy fusilades of
the enemy, who had contrived to spring up on three sides of them.
Lieutenant Field (18th Hussars) and Captain Ellershaw (Royal Artillery)
were wounded, seven of the Gordon Highlanders were slain and twenty men
were wounded, while five were missing.
An exciting episode also took place on the 22nd at Newcastle, where were
stationed the 13th Hussars. A portion of this regiment came into
collision with some of the enemy, and during the encounter Major W. C.
Smithson and Second Lieutenant C. E. Jenkins were wounded. One man was
killed and another wounded. Young Jenkins was taken prisoner under
somewhat heroic circumstances. While he was lying helpless, a trooper
came to his aid and insisted on giving up his own horse in order that the
young officer might escape. "It won't matter if they collar me," argued
the brave fellow. But Mr. Jenkins sturdily refused to accept the
sacrifice, and thus fell into the hands of the Boers.
The enemy made a desperate effort on the 23rd to prevent General Buller
from reaching Belfast. They endeavoured to lay a trap for the cavalry,
opening on them at fairly short range with a long-range 15-pounder and
pom-poms. A section of the 21st Battery, under Lieutenant Rainsford,
promptly set to work to silence them, and the ruse failed. But at night,
when the turmoil of the day was thought to be over, through an accident,
two companies of the Liverpools, who had advanced into a hollow out of
sight of the main body, were surrounded and suffered severely. The
casualties, morning and evening, made a long total. South African Light
Horse: wounded, Captain A. Savory (since dead) and two men. Royal
Artillery: killed, one man; wounded, Lieutenant F. Rainsford-Hannay and
two men. Army Veterinary Department: wounded, Lieutenant J. Steele. 1st
Liverpool Regiment: killed, ten men; wounded, Captain Plomer, who was
taken prisoner, and forty-five men; missing, thirty-two. Leicester
Regiment: killed, one man; wounded, six; missing, one. 1st Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers: wounded, one man.
On the following day some more fighting took place, prior to the
General's arrival at Belfast, Lieutenant Tarbet, 1st Yorkshire Mounted
Infantry, and thirteen men being wounded.
On the 25th, General Buller reached his destination, and met Lord Roberts
in order to discuss at a council of war the operations which made the
closing act of the drama.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] See Map, p. 33.