LIFE WITH GENERAL GATACRE
On the 18th of December, General Gatacre withdrew from Putter's Kraal,
his original advance post, to Sterkstroom. At this time, in the central
sphere, Generals French and Gatacre, while guarding the lines of
communication, were merely waiting the turn of events. Owing to a series
of successful skirmishes, in which a patrol under Captain de
Montmorency, V.C., was engaged, the Boers thought discretion the better
part of valour, and cleared out of Dordrecht, with the result that on
the 24th of December Colonel Dalgety, of the Cape Mounted Rifles, with
his force occupied the town. At Bushman's Hoek were four companies of
the Royal Scots, two 12-pounders, three Maxim guns, about 800 Kaffrarian
Rifles, and about thirty Engineers. Owing to scarcity of water General
Gatacre's force had to be divided, the rest remaining at Sterkstroom.
There water had to be conveyed by rail, whence, with some difficulty, it
was hauled to Bushman's Hoek in water-tanks by mules. The railway in
these parts, a species of South African switchback on two narrow rails,
rambled up hill and down dale with engaging ingenuity. Though water was
dependent on the trains, fresh foods were sometimes obtainable. At
neighbouring farms it was possible to purchase butter-milk, grain, and
bread, but to "go a marketing" it was necessary to start in full
marching order, for there was no knowing when the Boers might block the
road, or what nefarious tricks might be taking place. It was quite
impossible to be even with the Dutchmen's ruses. For instance, one who
knew their ways said that if a Boer horse went lame or knocked up,
twenty chances to one a "loyal" would place a mount at his disposal,
give him bed, "tucker," forage, &c., while he would also watch the
horizon for the approach of the military, and should they come the Boer
would be a man of peace, without uniform, arms, or anything else to
incriminate him. Therefore, as may be imagined, life was never too
easy-going. The day began at 3.15 A.M., but night itself, short as it
was, was scarcely restful. The troops slept with their straps on, 150
rounds of ammunition apiece by their side, in hourly expectation of
attack. Niceties of the toilet were unknown, and gallant fellows with
black faces and whiskers whose acquaintance with water was only weekly,
were the rule. Some even presented the appearance of opera-house
brigands, having locks so redundant and long, that jocose Tommies
suggested writing home to their sweethearts for the loan of hairpins.
In other respects the daily routine was not unpleasant. Bullocks and
sheep were killed regularly and found their way into the camp-kettle;
bread was still served out, and supplemented with biscuits. For
recreation there was football; and to enliven the spirits there were
four cheery pipers, who at night-time made the welkin ring, and caused
their compatriots to start up and indulge in reels and Highland flings,
and almost to forget that they were in the land of the enemy.
On the 29th, a pouring day, Captain de Montmorency started with his
scouts and thirty Cape Mounted Rifles in hope of catching the enemy. But
the Boers, under cover of the mist, took themselves off in the direction
of the Barkly East district.
On the 30th of December a hundred of Flannigan's Squadron of Brabant's
Horse had a smart brush with an equal number of Dutchmen, who, however,
were promptly reinforced. Thereupon the squadron retired, but
unfortunately Lieutenant Milford Turner and twenty-seven men were left
behind in a donga which none would leave, determining to remain there
and protect Lieutenant Warren of Brabant's Horse, who was wounded. To
their assistance went Captain Goldsworthy the next day, accompanied by
Captain de Montmorency's scouts, 110 men, and four guns. These arrived
on the scene so early as to surprise the Boers, who, after having been
kept at bay by the small force of Colonials, had continued to snipe at
them from a distance throughout the night. A sharp fight now ensued,
and, after some clever manoeuvring on both sides, the enemy retired
with the loss of eight killed, while the party in the donga was
relieved, and returned in safety to Dordrecht. The rescue was highly
exciting, as the Boers were finally sent helter-skelter just as our men,
worn out with a night's anxiety in the nullah, had almost given up hope
of release. As it was, they were restored to their friends in camp amid
a storm of cheers.
Early on the 3rd of January a force was sent out from the advanced camp
at Bushman's Hoek to meet a hostile horde that occupied Molteno. The
Boers had mounted a big gun on a kopje in front of Bushman's Hoek, and
from thence commenced to fire at about eight o'clock. Around the
neighbourhood the Boers were seen to be swarming; therefore the force,
composed of Kaffrarian Rifles, Mounted Infantry of the Berkshire
Regiment, and the Cape Mounted Police, at once engaged them.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. F. GATACRE, K.C.B.
Photo by Elliott & Fry, London.]
Two hours later General Gatacre and Staff started from headquarters with
half a battalion of the Royal Scots and the 78th Battery of Artillery.
The Boers from their point of vantage were firing from the hill on
which was placed their big gun, and they continued to fire on the
Infantry as they advanced over an undulating plain to right of
Cypherghat, whence the population had fled panic-stricken at the outset
of the fight. Fortunately the hostile shells burst without doing damage,
and the troops continued to advance.
The Artillery made a detour to the right, secured a commanding position
on a kopje, and from thence began a ten minutes' cannonade which had the
effect of silencing the Boers. They withdrew their gun and retreated,
the bulk of their force now advancing, now retiring, to cover the
movement.
At this juncture the Mounted Infantry, which had worked its way round
with a view to outflanking the enemy's position, came on the scene only
to learn of the withdrawal. This was carried on without check owing to
our lack of cavalry. While General Gatacre's force were thus engaged,
the enemy was making a determined attack on 140 men of the Cape Police
and 60 men of the Kaffrarian Rifles at Molteno. They were splendidly
repulsed, though the Police had an unpleasant experience. Five shells
dropped into their camp, but all miraculously escaped injury. The Boers
now retired as mysteriously as they had come, and none knew the exact
reason for their arrival. It was suspected that it was a "slim" trick to
draw General Gatacre into another trap.
A strong force left Sterkstroom before dawn on the morning of the 8th of
January for the dual purpose of reconnoitring in the direction of
Stormberg and taking possession of the meal and flour from Molteno
Mills. The force comprised the Derbyshire Regiment, the 77th and 79th
Field Batteries, 400 mounted men of the Cape Police and Berkshire
Regiment, the Kaffrarian Rifles, and the Frontier Rifles. The expedition
was eminently successful. The operation of removing the food-stuffs and
detaching the vital parts of the machinery of the mills was carried on
under the protection of the Derbyshire Regiment and the 77th Battery.
That of reconnoitring was undertaken by the force under Colonel
Jefferies, R.A., and it was discovered that the Boers, who were supposed
to have evacuated Stormberg, were within a two-mile range. A survey of
the Boer position was made by the Engineers, and the troops returned to
camp well satisfied with the result of their labours.
No larger martial moves could be attempted, for General Gatacre lived in
a chronic state of suspended activity for lack of reinforcements. The
Dutchmen had now fallen back from Stormberg, leaving only a small
garrison there, and established themselves near Burghersdorp. The Boer
strength in this district was estimated at about 4500, a force made up
for the most part of Free Staters and Cape rebels. On the 18th of
January General Gatacre moved some three hundred of all ranks from
Bushman's Hoek to Loperberg, and the 74th Field Battery, with one
company of Mounted Infantry, from Sterkstroom to Bushman's Hoek. The
Boers continued a system of annoyance and petty progress by destroying
railway bridges in the neighbourhood of Steynsburg and Kromhoogte, about
eleven miles from Sterkstroom, and damaging portions of the line near
Stormberg.
Though General Gatacre's Division was merely the shadow of the division
it should have been, and his strength, such as it was, materially
thinned by reverse, he had at his elbow one man who was a host in
himself. This man was Captain de Montmorency. He kept the Boers who were
holding Stormberg in a simmering state of excitement and suspense. He
and his active party of scouts were perpetually reconnoitring and
skirmishing and emerging from very tight corners, getting back to camp
by what in vulgar phrase is called "the skin of their teeth." One of
these narrow escapes was experienced on the 16th January, when Captain
de Montmorency and his men went out from Molteno to gain information
regarding the whereabouts of the enemy. A smart combat was the result of
their efforts, and when they were almost surrounded Major Heylen with
sixty Police came to the rescue, and the whole force, after some
animated firing, returned safely to Molteno, plus horses, mares, foals,
and oxen, which had been captured from the enemy.
At this time a curious correspondence took place between the Boer
Commandant, General Olivier, and General Gatacre. It was a species of
Dutch _tu quoque_--the Boer leader thinking to charge the British one
with the same tricks as those in which his countrymen had been detected.
General Olivier solemnly declared that a store of ammunition had been
found in an abandoned British waggon--a waggon marked with red crosses
and purporting to be an ambulance waggon. General Gatacre emphatically
denied the "slim" impeachment. He forwarded affidavits sworn by Major
Lilly, R.A.M.C., who was the last man with the waggon before it had to
be abandoned, who stated that if such ammunition had been found it had
been subsequently deposited there. General Gatacre further informed the
Commandant that the practice of taking wives and children in or near
camp and allowing them to run the risks common to belligerents was
contrary to the rules of civilised warfare, and desired to point out the
responsibility he incurred in so doing. He further remonstrated that a
servant who had been on the field of battle to assist Father Ryan in the
succour of the wounded had been detained in the Boer camp after
assurances of his release had been made. To these remarks and complaints
the General received no reply.
Fortunately, our wounded who were not captured were doing well. The
ladies at Sterkstroom were particularly devoted, and visited and cheered
the sick daily, and carried them little luxuries which were mightily
appreciated. Though there were not many losses, sick and disabled were
constantly being carried into the hospital as the result of
reconnoitring and scouting expeditions, which were ceaseless, and had to
continue ceaseless, owing to the inability of the force to take powerful
action.
[Illustration: MOVEMENTS OF GATACRE AND FRENCH.]
On the 20th of January Lieutenant Nickerson, R.A.M.C., who had
accompanied the wounded after the misfortune at Stormberg, arrived in
camp. Father Ryan's servant, on whose account General Gatacre, as
already mentioned, addressed Commandant Olivier, also returned. They
brought interesting news. More guns had been brought on the scene, and
these were served by German gunners. Septuagenarians and striplings were
drafted into the commandoes, while at Burghersdorp the Town Guard was
composed of lads of about thirteen years of age. This showed that the
stream of reinforcements was beginning to run dry. Many youngsters were
said to have been sent from their college at Bloemfontein straight to
the front.
Commandant Olivier now took the opportunity to announce that he meant to
retain as prisoners all correspondents who might be captured. The
correspondents were flattered, and began to calculate whether
"Experiences in Pretoria" would make good "copy," but finally decided
for the liberty of the press.
A little innocent diversion was provided by the Boers during the night
of the 20th. The British were awakened by furious fire, which was
continued for some time. Great consternation prevailed, till it was
afterwards discovered that a scare in the Boer lines had taken place,
and the sound of some stampeding cattle had been mistaken for the
advance of the British! The Boers had at once flown to arms, fired right
and left in the midnight darkness, and as a natural consequence shot
some of their own cattle!
After this, there was silence, like the ominous lull which comes before
a storm. Little puffs and pants of hostility took place around
Sterkstroom and Penhoek, while at Colesberg the Boers were on guard,
with the fear of some impending ill. Important developments were
dreaded. It was known that swarms of troops were moving from the Cape,
and that the positions which had hitherto been held by the Federals in
consequence of the weakness of British forces in all quarters, would
soon be tenable no longer. And the waverers began to shake in their
shoes. They began suddenly to adopt a helpful attitude towards the
forces. The fact was, Lord Roberts had issued a proclamation encouraging
Free Staters and Transvaalers to desert by the promise that they should
be well treated. To the Colonial rebels he had diplomatically tendered
the advice to surrender before being caught in _flagrante delicto_.
WITH GENERAL FRENCH
While all eyes were turned in the direction of the Natal force for the
relief of Ladysmith, General French was making things lively for the
Boers. It may be remembered that he left Ladysmith immediately before
Sir George White's garrison was hemmed in, and betook himself to the
central sphere of war. On the 23rd of November, with a reconnoitring
force consisting of a company of the Black Watch, some mounted infantry,
police, and the New South Wales Lancers, he went by train towards
Arundel, and was fired on by Boers who were sneaking in the hills. Three
of the party were wounded, but the rest drove the enemy off. The rails
had been lifted just in front of the scene of the fight. From this time
activities of the same kind took place daily, the General devoting his
energies to reconnoitring east and west of his position, keeping the
enemy from massing at any given point, and forcing them to remain on the
_qui vive_ in perpetual expectation of attack.
Scouting at this time was carried on to the extent of a fine art. Never
a day was devoid of excitement. "We start out before dawn, and get
back--well, when we can!" This was the pithy description of a youngster
who enjoyed some thrilling moments. The following sketch of the
experiences of a New Zealander show how one and all willingly risked
their lives in the service of their country:--
"I was under fire for the first time on my birthday (Dec. 7), when a
section of us (four men) were sent out as a mark for any Boers to shoot
at. We rode to the foot of a kopje and left one of us in charge of the
four horses. Another chap and I climbed to the top. Puff! bang went
three shells from their Long Tom and a perfect fusillade of bullets. It
is marvellous how we escaped. We were to report as soon as we were fired
at, so I volunteered as galloper to go back to our lines to report. I
did a quick time over that two miles of veldt, bullets missing me all
the time. I reported, and was told to go back and withdraw the men,
which I did. Afterwards we took eight men, and under cover kept up a
steady fire for five hours. I was horribly tired, as I had been in the
saddle eighteen hours the previous day. My mate was fresh--we were
planted behind stones in pairs--and while he kept up the firing I
slumbered, strange as it may seem. There are thousands of troops in the
camp. General French, in command of this particular division, has
complimented us on many occasions on our coolness under fire and our
horsemanship. He said we could gallop across country where English
cavalry could only walk. He told us after a skirmish we had with the
enemy that he couldn't express in words his admiration of us, that we
were the best scouts he had ever employed, and that we always brought in
something, either prisoners, horses, sheep, cattle, or valuable
information--which latter is entirely true. During the slack time our
chaps are busy breaking in remounts for the English cavalry. Horses die
like flies here, and Cape ponies are substituted."
Numerous and ingenious tricks were practised on the Boers, many of them
doubtless owing their origin to the active and fertile brains of General
French and Colonel Baden-Powell, the author of the "Manual on Scouting."
One of these was to take in the enemy's scouts by tethering ostriches to
bushes on the hills. The presence of the birds naturally gave to the
place an air of desolation, and satisfied the enemy that the ground was
unoccupied. In Colonel Baden-Powell's opinion fine scouting is a true
bit of hero-work, and his description of the "sport" in his own words
serves to show of what stuff our Colonial scouts were made. He says: "It
is comparatively easy for a man in the heat and excitement of battle,
where every one is striving to be first, to dash out before the rest and
do some gallant deed; but it is another thing for a man to take his life
in his hand to carry out some extra dangerous bit of scouting on his own
account, where there is no one by to applaud, and it might be just as
easy for him to go back; that is a true bit of hero's work, and yet it
is what a scout does continually as 'all in the day's work.' The British
scout has, too, to be good beyond all nationalities in every branch of
his art, because he is called upon not only to act against civilised
enemies in civilised countries like France and Germany, but he has also
to take on the crafty Afghan in his mountains, or the fierce Zulu in the
open South African towns, the Burmese in his forests, the Soudanese on
the Egyptian desert, all requiring different methods of working, but
their efficiency depending in every case on the same factor--the pluck
and ability of the scout himself. To be successful as a scout you must
have plenty of what Americans call 'jump' and 'push,' 'jump' being
alertness, wideawakeness, and readiness to seize your opportunity,
'push' being a never-say-die feeling. When in doubt as to whether to go
on or to go back, think of that and of the Zulu saying, 'If we go
forward we die, if we go backward we die; better go forward and die.'
Scouting is like a game of football. You are selected as a forward
player. Play the game; play that your side may win. Don't think of your
own glorification or your own risks--your side are backing you up.
Football is a good game, but better than it, better than any other game,
is that of man-hunting." Of this game, our troops, particularly in the
disaffected regions of Cape Colony, were beginning to have their fill.
On the 8th of December Colonel Porter, with the 5th Dragoon Guards and
Mounted Infantry, arrived at Arundel from Naauwpoort, for the purpose of
making a reconnaissance and locating the enemy and discovering his
strength. The force detrained some four miles outside the town and
advanced across the plain, the Dragoons to left and right, the Mounted
Infantry, consisting of New Zealanders and Australians, in the centre
slightly in the rear. The Boers in the surrounding kopjes, seeing their
danger, took themselves off with great rapidity to another ridge three
miles to the north. This position was located before nightfall. At
daybreak four companies of Mounted Infantry were posted on a hill two
miles north of Arundel, while a troop of Dragoons reconnoitred the town
and found it evacuated by the enemy. The advance was then resumed. At 8
A.M. the troops reached Maaiboschlaagte, and spied the enemy on the
hills near Rensburg's Farm. The Boers were busy dragging a huge gun up
the hill. Having no artillery, the flanking movement on the left was
discontinued, but the Dragoons on the right, who were three miles in
advance of the remainder of the force, crossed the plain and outflanked
the enemy. The crackling of muskets followed, and soon after the booming
of two guns. The New South Wales Lancers now reinforced the first line,
and though for many hours their "baptism of fire" was prolonged, they
suffered the only loss of the day--the loss of a horse. The operations
were successful, and the strength of the enemy was found to number about
2000. The occupation of this region by our troops was considered of
great strategical importance, as it formed a convenient advance base for
further operations. The town is situated some twelve miles from
Colesberg, and is in a fashion a natural fortress. It consists of rugged
hills surrounding flats, and is provided with refreshing water springs.
On the 12th of December a patrol under Lieutenant Collins was fiercely
fired upon; a sergeant of the Carabineers was killed and a private was
reported missing. This happened as they were turning away from a farm at
Jasfontein belonging to Field-Cornet Geldenhuis, with whom they had had
an interview. The proprietor received his just deserts, for later on two
squadrons of Carabineers with two guns and a company of Mounted Infantry
were sent out to shell the farm, which duty was accomplished with zest
and thoroughness. General French's report of the affair is too
interesting to be omitted. He said:--
"I wish particularly to bring to notice the excellent conduct
and bearing of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, commanded by
Major A. W. Robin, on one of these occasions.
"On 18th December I took them out with a battery of Horse
Artillery to reconnoitre round the enemy's left flank, and
determined to dislodge him from a farm called Jasfontein lying
on his left rear. The guns shelled the farm, and the New
Zealand Mounted Rifles then gained possession of it. But the
enemy very suddenly brought up strong reinforcements and
pressed on us with his Artillery. Our Artillery had been left
some way behind to avoid this latter fire, and I had to send
back some distance for its support, during which time we were
exposed to a heavy musketry fire from the surrounding hills.
The conduct of the New Zealanders was admirable in thus
maintaining a difficult position till the Artillery caused the
enemy to retire."
Early on the morning of the 13th patrols were again fired upon, this
time from Platberg, a kopje on the fringe of Colesberg Commonage. About
4 A.M., in the dusk of early dawn, the Dutchmen, some 1800 strong, were
found to be leaving their position and advancing in the direction of
Naauwpoort. Thereupon Colonel Porter, with Carabineers, Inniskillings,
10th Hussars, and four guns of the R.H.A., moved eastwards. What Mr.
Gilbert describes as "a short sharp shock" followed, and the enemy's
guns, after firing three shots, were silenced. Our cavalry headed the
enemy off, and soon after 2 P.M. the bulk of his forces retired to their
former position. Vaalkop was held by one squadron of cavalry and two
guns for the rest of the day. Some Boers remained at Talboschlaagte,
and some later on occupied Kuilfontein Farm, but were driven out by
British shells with loss of forty killed and wounded. Our own losses
during two days' sharp work amounted to one man killed. Captain Moseley
(Inniskillings) was slightly wounded, and four men also received
injuries.
On the same date Colonel Miles reported from Orange River an unlucky
incident. Part of the Mounted Infantry under Captain Bradshaw and the
Guides under Lieutenant Macfarlane patrolled in the direction of Kamak
and Zoutpansdrift, ten miles east of Orange River, for the purpose of
reconnoitring and reporting the strength of the enemy. The Boers were
said to be holding the drift, and near there, somewhat suddenly, a
strong party of them appeared. The Mounted Infantry attacked, and a
brisk engagement followed, with the result that the enemy decamped to
Geemansberg. Unfortunately, for this smart piece of work Captain
Bradshaw paid with his life; Lieutenant Greyson (Buffs) was wounded,
three men were killed, and seven wounded. Captain Bradshaw was an
energetic and valuable officer, and his loss was deeply deplored.
To return to General French. Hard days of work in a broiling sun with
little to show for it were the lot of those around Naauwpoort at this
time. On the morning of the 15th two guns of the Horse Artillery, going
eastward across the veldt from Vaalkop, shelled a Boer waggon which had
been espied winding along the road. It was presumably from Colesberg,
and laden with supplies for the artillery of the enemy. Several shells
were at once launched, but they failed to strike it. The artillery then
tried a new position, and were "sniped" at by odd sharpshooters from the
hills. Finally a "Long Tom" was brought by the Boers to bear on the
situation, and then the artillery, pursued by shells, returned to
Vaalkop.
Boer aggression continued. On the 16th the enemy took up a position on a
hill near Kannaksolam and sniped at the British patrols when they went
to water their horses. The Dutchmen were splendidly concealed, so
splendidly that it was impossible for the patrols to return the fire.
The New Zealanders were also fired upon, and though five scouts lay for
hours on the hill watching the Boers' hiding-place, not one of the foe
showed his nose out of cover. At last, in the afternoon, Captain
Jackson, with eight Carabineers on patrol, caught sight of the enemy
peeping from his lair, and suddenly found himself in the midst of a
volley. Captain Jackson was shot in the spine and instantly killed, the
other members of the party and the riderless horse fleeing amid a storm
of bullets. On the morning of the 18th the remains of the gallant
officer were buried at Naauwpoort with military honours. The enemy's
position was shelled at daybreak by ten guns.
[Illustration: A RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE WITH GENERAL FRENCH'S CAVALRY
NEAR COLESBERG.
Drawing by R. Caton Woodville.]
On the same day General French made a successful reconnaissance with
a battery of Horse Artillery and the New Zealand Rifles. The New
Zealanders had some exciting experiences. Major Lee and his men went
forth to draw the fire of the Boers, and unfortunately, instead of
drawing the shell of the enemy they drew the shot, and found themselves
all at once in a very warm corner indeed. They were rapidly hemmed in on
three sides, and stood a very good chance of being cut off. But pluck
carried the day, and though all their accoutrements, saddles, and
water-bottles showed visible signs of the hurricane of destruction
through which they had ridden, they arrived in camp safe and sound, much
to the satisfaction of the General, who issued an order complimenting
them on the success of their reconnaissance.
Major Lee, who was in command of the New Zealanders at Arundel, was
reported to be a splendid fellow--not the typical dashing officer by any
means, but what was described as a regular paterfamilias of somewhat
aldermanic proportions. He was hale, hearty, and beaming, and withal a
man of coolness and courage. The qualities possessed by this officer
were said to be shared by most of his men, who, though of the rough and
ready stamp, were true chips of the old British block.
Mr. Gifford Hall was most enthusiastic about Colonials all and sundry,
and, knowing their excellence and Great Britain's needs, delivered
himself of words of wisdom which are worthy of repetition:--
"Ex-frontier cavalryman myself, with further experience as
cowboy in both the United States and North-west Canada, and
also as stockrider in Australia, I have never for a moment
doubted that in the raising of an irregular Anglo-Boer force
lay the solution of England's problem, 'How to successfully
cope with the enemy.' Sans standard of physique, sans much
orthodox training, sans everything but virility, inherent
horsemanship, inherent wild-land craft, mounted on his own
pony--bronco of Canada or brumbie of Australia--the Canadian
ranche hand, the Australian stockrider, shearer, station
rouseabout, or the 'cull' of all lands Anglicised might easily
become the quintessence of a useful and operative force against
a semi-guerilla enemy. A pair of cord breeches, a couple of
shirts, his big hat, and a cartridge-filled belt, Winchester
carbine, a pony of the sort that can be run to a white sweat,
and staggering, tremble, and then be kicked out to nuzzle for
grass or die--that's what your man wants. The pants and shirts
will be better than he has worn for years; the gun he has 'shot
straight' with ever since he first handled his 'daddy's'
muzzle-loader; and the 'hoss,' why each is of the other, horse
and man, each apart, a thing inept. Orthodoxy against the Boers
in military operations doesn't wash.
Aldershot-cum-Sandhurst-cum-Soudan-cum-Further-India and
War-Office tactics fall flat. The Boer is here, there, and
everywhere, not to be followed by 'crushing forces'--only to be
checked and turned and tracked and harried and hustled by a
brother Boer. There is scarce a Canadian ranche hand but owns a
pony of bronco breed, scarce an Australian station hand of any
decent calibre but owns or can procure a tough and serviceable
semi-'brumbie' mount. And will these men volunteer? Yes, plenty
of them, and those that won't can't. Surely Empire saved or
gained is worth their worth to the Motherland they fight for.
Let her hire them. Transportation and time? The Boer war is not
over yet, and England's pocket is deep. To-day she fights for
her life, for her honour, and win she must. Arm them and saddle
them, men of the wild-lands and prairies. Work them van, flank,
and rear. This folly of 'standard' physique and 'training'--to
the winds with it. The theory of weight and height for
effective fighting is exploded. Heart, eye, and seat, and
wild-land inherent tact make up for it. Five-feet-six can ride
and shoot and fight or die as well as six-feet-two. We
wild-landers have proven it over and over again. Even when the
war is over, and our regulars and reserves must return, make
these men into protective police for a while, officered not by
orthodoxy but by knowledge and experience. They will 'learn the
country.' They will evolve scouts from amongst them who shall
make no mistakes. They will give to England what she needs in
times like these--to come again or not. Your yeomanry won't do
the trick; nor your oat-fed kharki-clad higher Colonials
either. 'Tis your Anglo-Boer, cowboy, stockrider, shearer,
rouseabout, cull, given his way and a cause--yes, he and his
scrub-fed mongrel mount and 'gun.'"
These expressions of opinion almost amounted to a prophecy, for very
shortly the Canadian ranche hands, the Australian stockriders, the hardy
New Zealanders, and the "higher" Colonials--as Mr. Hall styled
them--taught us lessons which we were swift enough to follow.
At Christmas the troops fared well, and contributions of a homely and
delectable kind were supplied to make the season pleasurable. The
inhabitants of Naauwpoort showed their appreciation of Mr. Thomas Atkins
in many tangible ways, notably by providing him with appetising
refreshments as he arrived by rail. Of course, there was a run on the
telegraph office. Christmas greetings went pouring out and came pouring
in, while the mail-bags swelled with a plethora of seasonable
blandishments. At Arundel Colonel Fisher and the officers of the 10th
Hussars endeavoured to forward Christmas greetings to the Colonel of the
Regiment, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, but for some
unexplained reason the felicitation was not allowed to go beyond the
vigilant eye of the censor.
The great attraction of Christmas, and its accompaniment the New Year,
was the expectation of a gift from Queen Victoria, which was specially
prepared according to the order of the Sovereign herself. It was to take
the form of a tin of chocolate, and was to be presented to every soldier
on service in South Africa. The box was specially designed, and adorned
with the regal monogram. This unique gift, in order to make it the more
valuable as a trophy or a family relic, was manufactured only of the
exact number required for presentation to each individual serving at the
front.
Naauwpoort enlivened itself with sports, and though the weather was
almost tropical, the activity served to compensate for the absence of
the mirth of Merrie England. At this time the Boers were approaching
nearer the British camp. There was a three days' truce, it is true, but
their positions were only six miles from our troops, and they were
warned that a nearer approach would mean prompt action by the guns.
The daily routine went on somewhat monotonously--the grooming, watering,
and exercising of horses; drilling, exercising the mules of ambulance
and transport waggons; unloading the food supplies, cooking
them--occupations which afforded work in plenty, but the real business
of warfare was suspended. Some of the officers made an effort to get up
hunting parties, and succeeded in bagging a few springbuck, but their
expeditions were fraught with even more risk to themselves than to their
quarry. For instance, in one case, while two gallant Nimrods were in the
act of stalking a splendid springbuck, their chargers made off. They
suddenly found themselves almost surrounded by Boers, and an animated
chase followed. Luckily the carcass of the springbuck, which was left
behind, was too great a prize to be parted with, and the enemy captured
it in preference to the huntsmen!
At this time there was great consternation in camp, as two cavalry
officers were taken prisoners. It subsequently transpired that the
officers, Lieutenant Till (Carabineers) and Lieutenant Hedger (attached
to the 10th Hussars), were captured through an unfortunate accident.
They mistook the Boers for New Zealanders, and therefore were unprepared
to offer resistance. On discovering their error they made a desperate
attempt to escape, but were overpowered.
The Colonials afterwards discarded their picturesque hats and took to
helmets. Owing to the resemblance of their headgear to that of the
Boers, some British pickets had mistaken them for the enemy and fired on
them.
On the 29th the enemy fell back on Colesberg, and there with his small
force General French proceeded to tackle him. "So near and yet so far"
must have been repeated many times by both Generals French and Gatacre
when each failed to accomplish some clever moves for want of the
necessary reinforcements. In the ordinary course of things, from
Naauwpoort to Sterkstroom was an easy three-hours journey by rail, but
now, with the barrier of the Boers at Stormberg--the junction between
the East London and Port Elizabeth systems--it was necessary to travel,
if by rail, _via_ Port Elizabeth, thus making a three-days instead of a
three-hours trip. And railway travelling was by no means a safe and
enjoyable exercise. True, the lines of communication were protected by
some eleven hundred Volunteers, but as martial law had not been
proclaimed south of Naauwpoort, and disloyalty was here the rule and not
the exception, it was quite on the cards that at any moment culverts
would be found blown up and rails twisted.