GENERAL RUNDLE'S MARCH TO SENEKAL
While Lord Roberts was moving from Bloemfontein, co-operative action was
being taken elsewhere. On the 2nd of May the Boers evacuated Thabanchu
and trekked towards the north, and on the following day General French,
leaving General Rundle in command, started to join Lord Roberts's main
scheme. Soon after General Brabant joined General Rundle's force.
On the 4th, General Rundle moved forward from Thabanchu, attacked the
enemy, captured their positions, and headed them eastward. There was
little hard fighting, the General's movements being mostly carried out
with so much celerity, and strategical and tactical skill, that the
enemy, seeing British forces apparently in strength everywhere, judged
it advisable to move from post to post rather than run the risk of being
mopped up.
On Friday, the 11th of May, Colonel Grenfell, with the 2nd Battalion of
Brabant's Horse, attacked the Boers at Ropin's Kop, but was overpowered
by the enemy and forced to retire, with several wounded. On the
following day, Saturday, he, however, drove the Boers out of their
position, and captured Newberry Mills at Leeuw River, thus depriving the
Dutchmen of an immense store of flour and grain which it had been their
ambition to seize. This smart piece of work was accomplished almost
without casualties. While these operations had been going forward, some
500 of the Yeomanry had occupied the northern slopes of Thaba Patacka, a
position whence they hoped to attack the Boers who might be slinking off
in the direction of Basutoland. General Boyes, on the west, was equally
active, to the dismay of the Boers, who, owing to General Rundle's
clever strategy, imagined the British held a front of over twenty miles.
On the 13th of May General Rundle advanced to Brand's Drift, twenty
miles to the north-east, taking prisoners and accepting the surrender of
many Free-staters, who were perished with cold and exposure, and
sickened by defeat. Meanwhile, General Brabant, performing like
operations, was slowly moving northwards. On the night of the 15th,
Ladybrand was occupied by a force of the Glamorganshire Yeomanry, and
thus the two Generals maintained possession, by magnificent strategic
moves, of the whole southern corner, which is practically the granary
of the Free State, gradually scaring away the enemy from the country
through which they passed. On the 24th, a simultaneous movement was
made, Brabant's Colonials marching to occupy Ficksburg, while General
Rundle with General Campbell's Brigade, followed by that of General
Boyes, proceeded towards Senekal.
During the march an unfortunate incident took place. On reaching
Mequaling's Nek, a rumour reached General Rundle that the Boers were in
retreat from Senekal, consequently on the next day, the 25th, Major
Dalbiac and Major Ashton, R.M.A. (Intelligence Officer to the Division),
were ordered to investigate the nature of the water supply, and to find
a camping ground in the neighbourhood of the town. Major Dalbiac and a
company, mainly composed of Middlesex Yeomanry, accompanied Major Ashton
as escort, and the party left at dawn and proceeded to Senekal. Here
they encountered apparently peaceful inhabitants, and were entirely
ignorant of the fact that the Boers had merely vacated the place for the
purpose of hiding themselves in a hilly coign of vantage, which
practically commanded the streets of the town. Major Ashton proceeded
with the inquiries he was deputed to make, and received from a citizen
the keys of the official buildings, which had been left by the
Landdrost, who with the postmaster and other responsible persons had
decamped. Then came the surrendering of arms, and while this was going
on, suddenly, without warning, a heavy fusillade was launched at the
Yeomanry who formed a group round Major Ashton. For a moment chaos
reigned; then all sprung to action. The Boers, delighted at their
surprise, blazed away fast and furious, while the two Majors, gathering
together their little band, made hurried arrangements. Major Ashton,
with some ten men, enclosed himself and promptly commenced firing on the
incoming enemy, while Major Dalbiac with a score of the Yeomanry,
dashingly galloped off in hope of taking the enemy in rear. But the
Boers were many and the unfortunate Yeomanry quite outnumbered. No
sooner had they wheeled round the hill, than rifles poured a withering
fire on them. Six horses dropped even as the men dismounted, and the
ground, open and quite devoid of cover, was strewn in one moment with
the slain and the suffering. Major Dalbiac almost instantaneously
dropped dead. He was shot through the neck, and four men shared his
fate. Lieutenant Hegan Kennard, wounded in the face, was in a desperate
plight, while nearly all who remained were injured. Some half-a-dozen
men had been sent back with the horses on the first outbreak of the
attack, and these only of the valorous band escaped. Meanwhile news of
the ambuscade had been carried to General Rundle, who instantly ordered
off the Wilts Yeomanry, 2nd Grenadiers, and 2nd East Yorks, with
artillery, to the succour of the unfortunate party. These arrived in
time to save Major Ashton. He had fortunately occupied the side of the
town towards which the British approached, and the Boers, at the first
sound of the guns which had been directed against the kopje where they
had ensconced themselves, made off with all possible speed. By the time
General Rundle had neared the town, it had resumed its pristine state of
innocence, and the inhabitants were preparing effective demonstrations
of loyalty. In the evening the remains of the unfortunate dead at the
foot of the hill were recovered, and it was found that Major Dalbiac's
body had been rifled by his dastardly opponents of every article of
value, and even the ribbons of his medals were missing. On the 26th,
General Rundle with the 8th Division entered the town and formally took
possession of it.
The remains of Major Dalbiac and the four men of the Middlesex Yeomanry
who were killed in the unfortunate affair were buried with military
honours, the General and Staff attending the funeral. A patrol of the
Hants Yeomanry, while out scouting, got in touch with the enemy, and
escaped by what is called the skin of their teeth. Many had very narrow
escapes, and one man was killed. Sergeant-Major Foulkes, whose horse was
shot under him, was saved through the gallantry of Private Andrews, who
returned and bore off his dismounted comrade, while Captain Seely and
others behaved in like manner to ensure the safety of those left without
mounts.
GENERAL COLVILE AND THE HIGHLAND BRIGADE
Of the Highland Brigade since the tragedy of Majersfontein and the smart
fight at Koodoesberg little has been said. Their brilliant march and
action before Paardeberg, in which General MacDonald was wounded, served
to demonstrate the stuff of which they were made and to restore their
self-confidence and zest for battle. Lord Roberts's gracious speech,
delivered at the camp, recalling his pleasant association with the
Brigade in India, where "they had helped to make him," and saying that
as he had never campaigned without Highlanders, he "would not like to be
without them now," had done much to heal the sore which still rankled in
many breasts.
[Illustration: HAULING DOWN THE TRANSVAAL FLAG AT JOHANNESBURG
Photo by Lionel James]
On the 1st of May the 9th Division marched from Waterval, picked up the
Seaforths at the waterworks, and also the Highland Light Infantry from
Bloemfontein. The Division, of which the Highland Brigade, the
Seaforths, Black Watch, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and
Highland Light Infantry formed the infantry battalions, with the 5th
Battery Royal Field Artillery, two naval guns (4.7 calibre), and a
company of Engineers, was under the command of Major-General Sir H.
Colvile. The Highland Brigade was commanded by General MacDonald. The
Eastern Province Horse, a smart and sportsmanlike set of mounted men,
numbering about a hundred, also accompanied the force, and did valuable
service in scouting. Later on the force was joined by Lovat's Scouts,
but not till the advance was well under way. On the 4th the Brigade
bivouacked at Susanna Fountain after an animated tussle with the enemy,
who were finally routed by the gallantry of the Black Watch.
The Division reached Winburg, as we know, on the 6th, and remained in
possession till the 17th. Then, the Black Watch and the Argyll and
Sutherland Highlanders advanced, leaving behind them the Highland Light
Infantry and Seaforths in the town. On the following day the Zand River
was crossed. Ventersburg was entered without opposition, the way having
been previously swept by Lord Roberts's force which had arrived there on
the 10th. Here there was a brief halt--a much needed one--as the troops
had marched thirty-four miles in 18½ hours. On the 23rd they
proceeded towards Lindley, and were joined _en route_ by the remainder
of the divisional and brigade troops. On the 24th the troops reached a
point east of Bloemspruit, where they bivouacked, and the next day
brought them into the teeth of the enemy, who were hiding in a ridge at
Maquanstadt. From this point the Dutchmen were driven by the Seaforths,
who from thence proceeded to a peaked kopje which commanded the water
supply, a position which was at once vigorously contested by the Boers.
After a hard fight, in which one officer and three men were wounded, the
Seaforths succeeded in occupying the position. Here they were joined by
the Black Watch and the 5th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery, the
rest of the troops remaining behind at Hopefield till the 26th.
At Bloemberg, a horseshoe-shaped ridge near Koorspruit (an affluent of
the Valsche), the Boers were found strongly posted, and no sooner had
the Black Watch appeared than they were greeted by a crackling
cross-fire that sent them quickly to cover. Here they held the enemy
while a wide turning movement was made to the right. The inner side of
the horseshoe position was attacked by the Seaforths, while the outer
was assailed by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders under Major
Urmston, who deftly approached the stony eminence which concealed some
sixty of the enemy, and charged with such force and impetuosity that
presently the entire position was vacated, and the whole body of Boers,
some 1000 in number, were seen racing over the boulders with more than
their usual agility. The Bloemberg Ridge gained, it was promptly
occupied by Black Watch and Seaforths.
By midday the passage of the hill was accomplished, and by 4 P.M. the
troops had reached Lindley. The expedition had cost them two killed and
eleven wounded. The Highland Brigade crossed the Valsche River and
bivouacked north of the drift on the Heilbron Road. Still more
north--about two miles--went two companies of Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders to ensconce themselves on a kopje which commanded the road
towards Heilbron.
On the afternoon of the 27th the advance was continued. The Highlanders
crossed the Rhenoster River at Mildraai, and on the following day, 28th,
moved still further forward till stopped by the presence of the enemy,
who barred the line of march on the north of Roodeport. The Highland
Light Infantry--the advanced guard--were deployed and sent to seize some
kraals about 1200 yards from the enemy's position, which sprayed itself
over about six miles of country. One company was detached to hold a hill
on the right front, supported by the Black Watch, while the Seaforths
attempted a turning movement to the left and the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders guarded the rear and both rear flanks from a point of
vantage on Spitzkop. The artillery blazed copiously for an hour, while
the Boers also made animated resistance, but after good sixty minutes of
assault the enemy gave way, and the Seaforths succeeded in getting round
the right flank, while the Highland Light Infantry and Black Watch
gained the centre of the now deserted ridge. But the Boers had only
scuttled to other ridges whence they could let loose Pandemonium with
increased vigour. Thus the Highlanders came in for murderous attention
in front, rear, and flank. Presently to their rescue went the invaluable
naval guns, snorting vengeance, and determining to show that, though the
Field Artillery became outranged and impotent, there was laudable
lyddite to save the situation. On this, and with startling velocity, the
Federals removed themselves, and they were stimulated in their departure
by long-range volleys from the Highland Light Infantry. While the
Dutchmen were speeding into the unknown, the Highlanders triumphant were
advancing to a position north of Marksfontein. Having crossed the drift
they bivouacked on the other side, while the ox transport moved up to
the shelter of their wing. The day's work was not without its pathetic
side, for thirty men and three officers were wounded, while two gallant
Highlanders were among the slain. The wounded officers were: Seaforth
Highlanders--Lieut.-Col. Hughes-Hallet, Lieut. Ratclyffe, and Lieut.
Doig.
At this time the Duke of Cambridge's Yeomanry were to have met Sir H.
Colvile, but owing to their failing by an hour or so to join him on his
march up from Lindley they were surrounded, and on the 31st were
captured by the enemy. The tale of the disaster is told elsewhere. On
the 29th, the Division began to move gradually on in caterpillar
fashion, drawing up a back segment to propel the forward one, inch by
inch, or mile by mile. Mr. Blundell's description in the _Morning Post_
of the advance shows how risky and ingenuous a proceeding the movements
of baggage in face of the enemy may be. "The route lay over a series of
ridges and spruits and along a parallel line of hill on which the Boer
forces had taken up their position. The baggage, &c., was first
concentrated and taken over the spruit, with the Seaforths as right rear
flank guard and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as rear guard. As
the baggage and transport advanced the Highland Light Infantry advanced,
and the battalions guarding flank and rear retired from their position
and followed the baggage across the drift, while small bodies of the
enemy hovered round the retiring rear at a respectful distance and
unable to do any serious damage."
Finally at 7 P.M. on the 29th, exactly to time ordered by the chief, the
General and his tired warriors marched into Heilbron, having covered
within eight days a distance of 126 miles, fighting "a swarm of hornets"
at intervals the whole way, and losing in the advance fifty-four wounded
and nine killed--a loss in comparison with the work done by no means
heavy. Mr. Blundell's description of the class of work and its reward so
happily hits off the nature of the movement, that the temptation to
quote him is irresistible. "To appreciate the humours of the military
situation in these regions, one would have to turn to the experiences of
one's schoolboy days with wasps' nests, when, after the capture of the
main position, the survivors take to guerilla warfare in the grass,
crawling up your trousers and dropping on your neck from unexpected
quarters, and inflicting damage to your temper and prestige out of all
proportion to the losses incurred or the advantage gained."
FROM BOSHOP TO KROONSTAD
Christiana, as we know, was occupied on the 16th of May by one of
General Hunter's brigades, while Lord Methuen moved his Division from
Boshop to Hoopstad, thus bringing his troops into the zone of the great
operations, and pursuing his march eastwards along the south bank of the
Vaal. (Hunter's Brigade afterwards removed to cover the repair of the
line along the Bechuanaland Railway towards Vryburg, and there for the
present we must leave them.)
[Illustration: HIGHLAND BRIGADE AT THE END OF A LONG FORCED MARCH.
(Photo by a British Officer.)]
From Boshop Methuen's force moved on in zigzag fashion, their
destination being Kroonstad. From Hoopstad to Bothaville they passed
over good roads, through picturesque country, followed for miles by the
graceful bends of the Vaal River--a ribbon of silver fringed with
willows. The weather was now growing more and more chilly, and after
sundown frost began to nip and biting winds to whistle through the
bones. Nights were spent in trying to gain warmth, and when dawn came
the sun was welcomed with thanksgiving. The infantry in these raw
mornings had the advantage of the cavalry, as they could work themselves
into a glow, but there were other occasions in which the mounted men had
their revenge, and could forge on ahead and secure, before the arrival
of the lagging pedestrians, all manner of tempting edibles--chickens,
ducks, sucking pigs, and the like, which happened to be at the farms.
These luxuries were greedily coveted, for, coming along from Boshop some
220 miles, diet had been limited to biscuits--hard, dry, and
irresponsive--and any variety in the monotonous fare was received with
unqualified rejoicing. Near Bothaville, as dawn broke, a curious episode
took place. In the distance was spied a tent--a species of farmyard
in the centre of the open veldt. Chickens and cattle and a trek waggon
fringed the strange mushroom-shaped domain. It being necessary to
discover the nature of the occupant of this shanty, one of the military
party approached and hallooed. No answer. He roared louder. Then from
the inner recess of the tent a burly voice bellowed--"You can't
commandeer me; I'm an Englishman. The first Dutchman that pokes his head
around here will look like a sieve when I've done with him." To this
warlike challenge the British soldier meekly replied--described himself
and his business--whereupon a change rapid as amusing came over the
scene. Out from the tent, "like a cork from a bottle," burst the inmate,
glad past speech, excited past effervescence--wife, children, came
rushing forth from their hiding-places, rapture writ in smiling letters
over every feature. The British were come--at last--at last! The valiant
couple were taken in charge, removed to Bothaville and protected, and
their long days of loyal suspense and tribulation were at an end. Then
on went the goodly multitude, through streets whose houses fluttered
with white, taking with them as they went their Boer prisoners, who,
sitting in their own carts, alternately shivered and snarled. At
Kroonstad--reached on the 27th of May--they pitched their camps, not in
the town itself but discreetly removed from the awful reminiscences of
dead horse and beast left by Boer and British armies in their last
tussle, and here they thought to take a brief rest before marching away
from rail and civilisation. But man proposed and the exigencies of the
situation disposed, and by the 1st of June we find Lord Methuen's troops
hastening off to the assistance of the 13th Battalion of Imperial
Yeomanry at Lindley. To understand the urgent necessity for this detour
we must return to Senekal.
[Illustration: OFFICERS OF THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS
Photo by Gregory & Co., London]
THE BATTLE OF BIDDULPH'S BERG (28TH AND 29TH OF MAY)
So soon as General Rundle entered Senekal--on the 26th of May--he
proceeded to make inquiries as to the whereabouts of General Colvile,
whom he believed to be at Lindley, some forty miles north-east of him.
It so happened that General Colvile had just vacated that place and
continued his march in the direction of Heilbron. No sooner was his back
turned than the Boers pounced on Lindley, and not only pounced, but
contrived to make themselves instantly aggressive. As ill luck would
have it, the Duke of Cambridge's Yeomanry under Colonel Spragge, who had
been sent from Kroonstad to join General Colvile's force, were caught by
the enemy a few miles short of their destination.
They were in the awkward position of having missed General Colvile and
lost a _pied-à-terre_ at Lindley.
In this dilemma a message was sent to General Rundle informing him of
the desperate quandary.
The General, instantly reviewing the critical state of affairs, devised
a strategical plan which, he thought, would serve--far off as he was--to
extricate the entangled forces who were demanding his assistance. He was
aware that a posse of Boers was within some six miles of him, circling
around towards Bethlehem in the east, and he conceived the scheme of
attacking these with such force and determination as to press them hard
and force them in their turn to appeal for help from the hordes that
were infesting Lindley to the annoyance and dismay of the not yet united
British forces who had prayed his aid. This device was masterly in the
extreme, as it, so to speak, forced the masses of the enemy to come
south in all haste, and thus saved risks of failure which might have
resulted from a long movement of infantry over a distance of about forty
miles. So, leaving General Boyes with three battalions in occupation of
Senekal, General Rundle, with a force consisting of 2nd Grenadier
Guards, 2nd Scots Guards, 2nd East Yorkshire, under General Campbell,
the 2nd West Kent Regiment, the 2nd and 79th Batteries Royal Field
Artillery, and the 4th and 7th Battalions of Imperial Yeomanry--marched
off towards the east over some miles of open country over which the tall
grass, bleached now by many days of scorching sun, waved thickly round
their knees. In the distance were three ominous hills--such hills as the
Dutchmen delight in--fronted by a lower eminence which was occupied by
the enemy. These espied the coming of the British, and promptly betook
themselves to their main position on two of the hills, Biddulph's Berg
and Tafel Berg. From these points of vantage they greeted the Kent and
Derbyshire Yeomanry, who had advanced to reconnoitre, with a storm of
bullets which at once laid low many a brave fellow. Still the Derbyshire
Yeomanry pursued their way, worked round the hill and dismounted and
proceeded to seek cover, where they were forced to remain till dark set
in, unable to stir lest the volleys of the enemy should find them out.
On the western side the Kent Yeomanry were hotly attacked, and many were
wounded. Meanwhile, from the foremost hill, whence the Boers had spied
out the coming of Rundle's force, the British now in possession,
commenced to fire upon the heights of the Biddulph's Berg; the artillery
too dropped shells in the direction of the enemy; and the sun went down
on the hostile forces, fighting vigorously so long as a ray of daylight
served to illumine the deadly operations. Then they bivouacked where
they were. At dawn the battle was resumed, and an effort was made to
turn the enemy's right flank. The Grenadiers under Colonel Lloyd moved
off to the west, supported by the Scots Guards, West Kent, and Imperial
Yeomanry, marching over miles of hard dried grass till within range of
the Boers' lair. But as usual the foe was invisible. It was imagined
that he had vacated the position in the night; but to be on the safe
side a cascade of shrapnel was poured over the steeps. Even this brusque
process of search was unavailing. Not a sign of life was visible, though
wounded Dutchmen must have lain in their hiding-places with stoical
calm. And now commenced the dangerous, the awe-striking feature of the
day. The grass, dried to chip, suddenly burst into a blaze. The
carelessness of some one had set it alight, and presently the gallant
Grenadiers found themselves fanned with the heat of an oven and forced
to move from their position. They were now ordered to face the Boer
hiding-place and attack it, while the 79th Battery behind them prepared
again to scour the hill. Then, following their usual tactics, the Boer
guns burst forth with loud and startling uproar, surprising the troops,
who had almost accepted the idea that the enemy had fled. There was no
doubt that he was "all there," with two guns and a "pom-pom," and meant
to make himself objectionable. Just as the Boer shell was dispersing the
amazed Yeomanry (who but a few moments before had been preparing the
pipe of peace in full security of the Dutchmen's supposed evacuation),
the grass again broke into flame, growing and leaping by bounds, so that
the best efforts to stay its progress were unavailing. Still, the
artillery duel, once commenced, continued briskly, briskly as the veldt
fire below, that, sweeping round the wounded as they fell, made a new
and awful panorama in the sufficiently horrific scene of war. The
British gunners worked their hardest to silence the Boer gun, and as
they proceeded, the great furnace of roaring, crackling grass gathered
and grew, and the volumes of smoke soon rendered the Boer position
invisible. During this time not a sound of musketry had been heard, only
the Boer gun had given tongue vociferously enough to tax all the
energies of the British gunners to silence it. Then came the order for
the Grenadiers to advance, and this, in spite of smoke and the violent
efforts of the Boer artillery, they did in right soldierly fashion,
making for the direction of the offensive weapon with splendid coolness
and precision. But no sooner had they neared to within some hundred
yards of the piece than they suddenly found themselves pelted at by the
hitherto inactive rifles of the foe. Thick and fast buzzed the bullets
of the Dutchmen, loud roared the guns as the shells burst and bellowed.
One man after another dropped--was killed, maimed, mutilated--and there,
invisible, lay as he fell, a prey in his helplessness to the devouring
flames that were now leaping and crackling with an almost majestical
vehemence, rushing far and wide, like some vast, ravening, raging demon,
with a thousand fiery tongues panting forth volumes of blue-white breath
over the whole universe. And within this fearful area the perpetual
rattle and roll of musketry continued their fell work, while the
wounded, red with their gore, and redder with the scorching of the
flames, crept, and crawled and reeled to places of safety, or, woeful
truth, writhed where they fell, victims to the most horrible torture
that fiendish imagination has yet devised. Amid the stentorian rampage
none could hear their cries for aid, none could see their struggles for
release. Only now and then, when some succeeded in emerging from the
fiery chaos, could the appalled few who were beyond the vivid halo of
destruction realise the mighty horror that lay on the skirts of
Biddulph's Hill. But the battle raged on. The Yeomanry, under Colonel
Blair, were off in hot haste to attack and rout some Boers who were
endeavouring to make a flank attack, while the artillery, despite the
scene of carnage, battered the hills whence the Boers, safely hidden,
were pouring a horrible fusillade upon the persevering, dauntless
Grenadiers. These remained for hours returning the fire of the enemy, in
a position of unparalleled peril, until the order came to retire. This
movement was executed with splendid precision, but many were left upon
the field, and in the succouring of them deeds of heroism followed each
other with such rapidity that several glorious acts passed unwitnessed
and unsung. Lieutenant Quilter, with twenty men, volunteered to rescue
the helpless, and rushed into the flaming furnace without arms, and
under the relentless fire of the enemy. One after another of the
wretched sufferers were hauled off to safety by these gallant
deliverers, who, in full consciousness of the grim fate that must have
been theirs should they themselves have dropped, pursued their work with
almost amazing heroism. Colonel Lloyd received many injuries, and was
also much scorched, but continued to command his gallant Grenadiers till
further wounds made him helpless. He might again have been wounded where
he lay, but for the assistance of a young drummer (Harries), into whose
hand a bullet passed while he was tending his commanding officer.
While the battle was proceeding, General Rundle received a communication
from Lord Roberts ordering him to go to the assistance of General
Brabant, who also was in difficulties. It became necessary, therefore,
to effect the retirement. The manoeuvre had, however, produced the
desired effect, for the Boers had been somewhat hard hit, and had given
up their aggressive operations, leaving the neighbourhood of Lindley
open to our force. On Wednesday the 30th General Rundle was informed
that De Villiers, the Boer Commandant, was seriously wounded, and that
fifty Dutchmen had been killed, and many injured, whereupon a doctor and
champagne were sent to the late enemy; this in spite of the fact that
very early in the proceedings of Monday the Boers had commenced the
battle with their customary treacherous tricks. From an adjacent
homestead they had flown a white flag, taking care that directly the
scouts went forward to accept their surrender they should be pelted
liberally as a reward for their confidence. As a result, one of the
British party was wounded mortally, and another severely. Fortunately,
the next day (Tuesday) the ruffians received their deserts, for the
farmhouse was liberally pounded by the 2nd Battery of Artillery. Nor was
this the sole barbaric act of the day. A West Kent Yeoman, while
scouting, had passed a Dutch farmhouse, and was invited in to coffee,
being assured by the Dutchwoman, who desired to play the hostess, that
no Boers had been near the place for days. Happily the wary yeoman
refused, for he had no sooner turned to ride off than he was pelted with
bullets from a party of Boers who had immediately rushed from the
homestead to fire at him. His marvellous escape was merely due to the
nature of the ground round the farm, which afforded him cover.
Still General Rundle's sense of humanity overcame the instinct of
reprisal; for after the battle he offered shelter to the Boer wounded,
even promising to tend them without considering them prisoners of war.
In the engagement at Biddulph's Berg thirty of the British were killed
and 150 wounded. Among the wounded officers were:--Grenadier
Guards--Col. F. Lloyd, D.S.O., Capt. G. L. Bonham, Capt. C. E. Corkran,
Lieut. E. Seymour, Lieut. A. Murray. Scots Guards--Major F. W. Romilly
D.S.O. Royal Welsh Fusiliers--Captain R. S. Webber, A.D.C. to General
Rundle.
On Thursday, May 31st, the troops proceeded to Ficksburg to the
assistance of General Brabant, who had engaged the enemy near the Basuto
Border on the Tuesday, and was still fighting.
In spite of General Rundle's desperate fight, the 13th Battalion (Irish)
Imperial Yeomanry, on whose account the battle was undertaken, had a
most disastrous encounter with an overwhelming number of Boers near
Lindley on the 31st of May. This battalion, as we know, was attacked on
the way from Kroonstad to Lindley, and temporarily helped by the
operations near Senekal. Subsequently the party came upon a superior
force of Boers, and was forced to surrender.
The _Cape Times_ gave its version of the affair:--
"The story was told by Corporal Marks, who, with Trooper Brian,
alone escaped capture. The force in question consisted of about
500 men, under the command of Colonel Spragge, and was
comprised of the Duke of Cambridge's Own and the Irish and
Belfast Yeomanry. The Duke's were 125 strong. With this force
was a convoy of waggons, while the scouts, of whom our
informant, Corporal Marks, was in command, numbered five.
"The little battalion left Kroonstad on May 25, under hurried
orders to reinforce General Colvile at Lindley without delay.
On their way they captured and disarmed a troop of sixteen
Boers whom they found in possession of a quantity of
ammunition. Taking their prisoners with them, they hurried on
at full speed, arriving at Lindley on Sunday, May 27, about
noon. As they entered the town a number of horsemen were seen
galloping out at the other end in the direction of Heilbron.
Much to their disappointment our men found that General Colvile
had left at daylight that day, after some severe fighting, for
Heilbron....
"On Wednesday night, after the gallant little band had been
fighting against enormous odds for three days, Colonel Spragge
decided to send one scout (C. Smith), in company of a Kaffir
guide, in search of General Rundle, who was supposed to be in
the neighbourhood of Senekal, with an urgent message for help.
Corporal Marks and Trooper Brian were instructed to leave at
the same time with a similar message for General Colvile. A
close Boer line had been drawn round the position of the
devoted garrison, and it was necessary to pierce the cordon to
reach Heilbron. The scouts left unarmed, and after a terrible
night of it, Marks and Brian got through the enemy's lines. The
night was bitterly cold, and the Boers had lighted camp fires,
which proved serviceable guides to the two men. They passed so
close to the pickets that they could hear them talking and
laughing perfectly distinctly. Taking a circuitous route, they
kept the Heilbron road some distance on their right, and by
rapid marching reached Colvile's camp at seven o'clock on
Thursday morning. The message was delivered to the General,
whose reply was that he could do nothing. Unhappily, Smith and
the Kaffir were captured by Boers, and Smith was shot on the
spot.
* * * * *
"The following is a copy of the despatch given to Corporal
Marks for delivery to Colonel Spragge:--
"'Your message received 7 A.M. I am eighteen miles from Lindley
and twenty-two from Heilbron, which latter place I hope to
reach to-morrow. The enemy are between me and you, and I cannot
send back supplies. If you cannot join me by road to Heilbron
you must retire on Kroonstad, living on the country, and if
necessary, abandoning your waggons.--(Signed) H. E. COLVILE,
Lieutenant-General.'
"General Colvile appears to have believed that the little force
could make a dash for it and cut their way through to
Kroonstad. In any case, he did not see his way to go to the
help of the men who had been marching to reinforce himself.
Knowing that this message could be of no possible service to
Colonel Spragge, and realising the urgency of the case,
Corporal Marks decided to take the responsibility of not
wasting time by returning to deliver this message, and he and
Brian made for Kroonstad as hard as their horses would gallop.
About eight miles north-east of the town they learned that Lord
Methuen was in the neighbourhood, and they reached his camp
about half-past four that afternoon (Thursday). Lord Methuen
immediately made preparations to relieve the plucky little
force in such hard straits at Lindley, and started the same
afternoon. He reached Lindley without opposition the same
night. But it was too late."
Another account said:--"The battalion, consisting of the Duke
of Cambridge's Own and three companies of Irish Yeomanry--under
500 in all--reached Kroonstad on Friday morning, May 22, after
a long forced march. A few hours after their arrival they
received an urgent message from General Colvile requiring them
to join him without delay at Lindley, and they started at 8
P.M. that same evening with one day's rations, reaching
Lindley, fifty miles distant, on the Sunday morning. When the
advanced guard reached the town they found it apparently
deserted, the only signs of British occupation being empty beef
and biscuit tins; and were informed that General Colvile had
left at daybreak. Almost immediately they were fired at from
behind walls and houses, and finding the place untenable
retreated about a mile outside the town, where Colonel Spragge
took up a good position on some kopjes, with a stream of water
and good shelter for the horses and waggons. This place they
defended, fighting by day and fortifying by night, till
Thursday, at 2 P.M., on slender rations, though surrounded by
greatly superior numbers. On Thursday morning the Boers were
largely reinforced, and also brought up cannon--three Krupps
and a 'pom-pom,'--when the shell-fire telling dreadfully at
short range, Colonel Spragge felt it would be madness to hold
out longer, and surrendered after losing more than
seventy-eight in killed and wounded out of his small
force--when all was over some of the unwounded were so
exhausted that they could hardly march into Lindley, where
their gallant enemies as well as the non-combatants gave them
the highest credit for the stand they had made in an almost
hopeless position. Next day Lord Methuen arrived after a
splendid forced march, and the wounded were set free."
In regard to the loss of the Duke of Cambridge's Yeomanry, there was a
good deal of criticism, and accounts dealing with the _raison d'être_ of
the disaster vary. Mr. Winston Churchill, in support of Sir H. Colvile,
declared that it was sent out with the absurdly inadequate escort by the
fiat of a higher authority, with the full knowledge that Heilbron was
surrounded by a force of Boers estimated at from 4000 to 5000 men. It
was also despatched without warning, being sent, or at any rate received
at Heilbron, so that it was impossible to operate from the latter place
to assist its passage, especially as it was actually captured almost
immediately after leaving Kroonstad, and fourteen miles from Heilbron.
"In the case of the Yeomanry, the message giving notice of the change of
place, where it was to join the 9th Division from Ventersburg to
Lindley, was by error addressed to the 9th Brigade, and this was not
received by Sir H. Colvile till the 21st of June. The first intimation
of their position was given by a messenger to General Colvile's camp
when twenty miles out of Lindley from the Yeomanry, then five miles on
the other side on the Kroonstad road. The messenger asked for
reinforcement and supplies, but did not represent the situation as very
serious, as, in fact, at that time it was not. But at this juncture
General Colvile was surrounded by a large force of Boers on his flank
and rear, and short of supplies himself, and on a time march under
orders to reach Heilbron on the 29th. He therefore advised Colonel
Spragge to retire on the Kroonstad road, and authorised him, if
necessary, to abandon his baggage, &c."
Lord Methuen, who at the time was on the march to Kroonstad, was ordered
off, as we already know, to the rescue. Within half-an-hour he had
started, and by 10 A.M. on the 2nd of June he had accomplished
forty-four miles in twenty-five hours. But his expedition was of no
avail, for Spragge's Irishmen had been taken prisoners. Nevertheless
having arrived, Lord Methuen proceeded to attack the Boers with vigour,
and after five hours' continuous fighting, put some 3000 of them to
flight.
The official list of prisoners of war showed 22 officers and 863
non-commissioned officers and men.
Among the officers were the following:--
13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry--Lieutenant-Colonel Spragge,
Lieutenant-Colonel Holland, Captain Robinson, Captain Humby,
Lieutenant Mitchell, Lieutenant Stannus, Lieutenant the Earl of
Leitrim, Lieutenant Rutledge, Lieutenant Montgomery, Lieutenant
Lane, Lieutenant Du Pré, Lieutenant Donnelly, Sergeant Wright,
Sergeant Woodhouse. Captain Keith had been killed in the affair
of the 29th, when Captain Sir J. Power was dangerously wounded,
and Captain the Earl of Longford, Lieutenants Stuart, Robin,
and Benson, were wounded together with Lieutenant Bertram of
the Eastern Province Horse (since dead).
The following officers were also wounded on June 1 and 2:--
3rd Battalion Imperial Yeomanry--Captain L. R. Rolleston,
Captain M. S. Dawsany, Lieutenant L. E. Starkey.
Soon after this time the 9th Division was split up, owing to the
necessity of detaching small forces. Generals Smith-Dorrien and
Bruce-Hamilton joined their forces with that of General Ian Hamilton,
while General MacDonald with the Highland Brigade acted as an
independent force, and General Sir H. Colvile returned to England.[8]
[Illustration: THEIR ORDEAL OF FIRE: THE GRENADIER GUARDS AT THE BATTLE
OF BIDDULPH'S BERG
Drawing by R. Caton Woodville]
FIGHTING ON THE WESTERN BORDER
Meanwhile Sir Charles Warren's troops, moving from Faberspruit, some
twelve miles from Douglas, had a nasty experience. The force consisted
of some four hundred Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers, one and a half
companies of the 8th Regiment of Imperial Yeomanry, some of Paget's
Horse, twenty-five of Warren's Scouts, and some guns of the Royal
Canadian Artillery. During the night, a particularly dark one, the
Boers slunk up in two parties to the gardens of farmhouses near which
the yeomanry on the one hand, and Sir C. Warren's and the Duke of
Edinburgh Volunteers on the other, were quartered. In the dusk before
dawn, these suddenly blazed out on the British, who, like lightning, got
under arms. But in the shock and uproar of the first alarm the English
horses that had been kraaled burst through the kraal walls and
stampeded, thus making the scene of turmoil more intense. With the first
streak of daylight the whole British force poured shot and shell into
the gardens where the Boers had hidden themselves, and for a good hour
the troops were at work driving the invaders from the neighbourhood of
the camps. The Boers lost heavily, and a portion of the Yeomanry
suffered correspondingly while pressing forward to the support of the
pickets. Many of Paget's Horse were wounded, notably Lieutenant
Lethbridge, whose injury was dangerous, and of the Duke of Edinburgh
Volunteers three were killed and four wounded. Their gallant
Colonel--Colonel Spence--was shot dead while in act of giving orders.
Major Kelly, A.D.C. to Sir Charles Warren, was wounded; Lieutenant
Patton, A.D.C., was shot in the knee, and Lieutenant Huntingdon was
slightly injured. Many Boers were wounded and thirteen were killed, but
others contrived to gallop off scot free, as owing to the stampeding of
the horses it was impossible to follow them up. The total British
casualties were eighteen killed and about thirty wounded. The result of
the engagement had a decidedly beneficial effect upon the rebels, who
were at that time hesitating on which side of the fence to locate
themselves.
Colonel Adye had also surprised the enemy and gained a victory at Kheis
on the 27th--a victory which had the effect of defeating the plans of
the rebels who had assembled within some twenty miles of that place in
hope to effect a junction with others of their kind. The action was a
smart one, and many hundred head of stock and prisoners were captured,
but it was also costly, as Major J. A. Orr-Ewing, 5th Co. Imperial
Yeomanry, was killed; Captain L. H. Jones, 32 Co. Imperial Yeomanry;
Surg.-Capt. Dun, 5th Co.; Lieut. Venables, Nesbitt's Horse, were
wounded; and two gallant young officers, Captain Tindall, 1st Welsh
Regiment, and Lieutenant Matthews, 2nd Gloucester Regiment, both
succumbed to the severe injuries they had received.
Sir Charles Warren, after his engagement, marched without opposition
from Faberspruit to Campbell, which was reached on the 5th of June.
FOOTNOTES:
[8] While dealing with the matter it is due to General Colvile to repeat
the statement made by himself at the end of the year to a representative
of Reuter's Agency:--
"I am accused of being chiefly responsible for the surrender of the
Yeomanry at Lindley. In my opinion the primary cause of this surrender
was the insufficient information given by the headquarters staff to
Colonel Spragge and myself. Had I been informed of Lord Roberts's
intentions and of the intended movements of Colonel Spragge, who was in
command of the Yeomanry, and had Colonel Spragge been made acquainted
with the orders I received from Lord Roberts, this disaster would never
have happened. The following details will make it clear that the loss of
the Yeomanry was primarily due to bad staff work. On May 20 I received a
telegram from the chief of the staff ordering me to concentrate my
troops, consisting of the Highland Brigade, the Eastern Province Horse,
a field battery, and two naval guns, at Ventersburg on May 23, to leave
that town on the 24th and to march to Heilbron, _via_ Lindley, arriving
at Lindley on May 26, and at Heilbron on the 29th. I was informed that I
should be joined at Ventersburg by the 13th Imperial Yeomanry and
Lovat's Scouts.
"On arrival at Ventersburg, finding that neither the Yeomanry nor the
Scouts were there, I informed the chief of the staff by telegraph, but
received no answer from him at the time, though his reply was handed to
me more than a month later, among a bundle of undelivered telegrams.
This telegram was worded as follows: 'May 24. Yeomanry are so late they
cannot catch you at Ventersburg. You must march without them. They will
join you later _via_ Kroonstad.' As I did not receive the telegram till
the march was over it did not affect my action, but had I received it at
the time its wording would have led me to suppose that the Yeomanry
would join me at Heilbron, as was actually the case with Lovat's Scouts.
At this time Lord Roberts's army was disposed roughly as follows:
General Hunter's Division on the Kimberley-Mafeking Railway, Lord
Methuen on the Vaal River, headquarters and General Pole-Carew's
Division on the Bloemfontein-Johannesburg Railway, General Ian
Hamilton's column at Heilbron, and General Rundle and Brabant to the
south-east of me. It was, therefore, extended across the Free State, and
I assumed that Lord Roberts intended to advance in this formation,
sweeping all before him till he got within striking distance of the
Vaal, thus forcing the enemy to extend, and that he would then select
one point for forcing the passage of the river. I also supposed that
Heilbron, which is the head of a short line of railway, would be the
supply depot for the columns to the east, as Winburg had been.
"My very definite orders, and the fact that I was not to move till the
last possible moment, which necessitated my averaging seventeen miles a
day, strengthened the assumption that I was taking part in a combined
movement, in which great exactitude in conforming to the time table is,
of course, of the utmost importance. In a telegram which Lord Roberts
had sent to General Hamilton a short time before on a similar occasion
he had impressed on him the importance of columns arriving
simultaneously. As I had been officially informed that General Hamilton
was in occupation of Heilbron, I assumed that my orders to be there on
the 29th indicated that that was the day on which he would be required
to take part in the general advance, and that any delay on my part would
either retard the advance and upset the Commander-in-Chief's
calculations, or that by leaving Heilbron unoccupied I should hand over
an important supply depot to the enemy. I have thus explained why in no
circumstances should I have felt myself justified in disobeying Lord
Roberts's orders, which I simply carried out from first to last. I now
proceed to recite the circumstances in which I became acquainted with
Colonel Spragge's difficulties, and the action I took.
"I left Ventersburg on May 24 as ordered, and on the 26th, after a fight
outside Lindley, entered it, finding that the place had been vacated by
us, a fact of which no notification had been given me, though I had been
informed of our occupation of it. Marching at daylight on the following
morning we crossed the Rhenoster River just before sunset, having been
engaged the greater part of the day, and on the morning of the 28th I
received the following message: 'Colonel Spragge to General Colvile.
Found no one in Lindley but Boers. Have five hundred men, but only one
day's food. Have stopped three miles back on Kroonstad road. I want help
to get out without great loss.--B. Spragge, Lieutenant-Colonel, May 27,
1900.' I asked the orderly who Colonel Spragge was, and on hearing from
him that he was the officer commanding the Yeomanry I learned for the
first time that these troops were following me. The statement, which I
have seen several times repeated in the papers, that I had urged the
Yeomanry to hurry after me, is absolutely untrue. I have reason to
believe that this baseless newspaper report has obtained credence in
some high official quarters. I have already expressed my views of the
necessity of being at Heilbron at the time ordered, and as it is a
recognised rule of war that the lesser must be sacrificed to the greater
interest, I should in any circumstances have considered it my duty to
push on even had I been sure that such action would have entailed the
loss of the Yeomanry. But in this case I had two additional reasons for
doing so. First, that, as Colonel Spragge had succeeded in retiring
three miles on the Kroonstad road I was convinced that he would have no
difficulty in making good his retreat, though possibly with loss, as the
colonel himself had said; secondly, that I had then only two days' more
food for my force, and had I fought my way back I should not only have
reduced the Highland Brigade to the verge of starvation, but should
certainly have had insufficient supplies to take me back to Heilbron."