The next morning the lads bade farewell to Mr Harvey and the three
hunters, and then rode on with the regiment. The day passed as quietly
as the preceding ones had done.
On the 20th the column was marching along a road commanded on both sides
by rising ground. The troops as usual were marching at ease; one
company was ahead of the line of waggons, two companies marched in
straggling order by the side of the long teams, and the fourth company
formed the rearguard.
Suddenly, without the slightest warning, a flash of fire burst from the
edge of the rise at either side. Numbers of the men fell, and a scene
of the wildest confusion ensued. Some of the young soldiers ran for
shelter underneath the waggons; others hastily loaded and fired in the
direction of their unseen foes.
The colonel and officers strove to steady the men, and to lead them up
the slope to attack the Boers; but so deadly was the fire of the latter,
and the men fell in such numbers, that the colonel soon saw that
resistance was hopeless. Many of the officers were killed or wounded by
the first fire, and in five minutes after the first shot was fired 120
men were killed or wounded; and as the rest could not be got together to
charge up the slope under the deadly fire of the Boers, the colonel, who
was himself wounded, surrendered with the survivors to the Boers. Two
or three mounted officers only succeeded in getting through.
When the fire opened, Dick and Tom at once threw themselves off their
horses, and, unslinging their rifles, opened fire. When they saw the
bewilderment and confusion, and how fast the men were dropping under the
fire of the Boers, Dick said to his friend,--
"It is all up, Tom; it is simply a massacre. We will wait for a minute
or two, and then mount and make a dash for it."
Their horses were both lying down beside them, for the lads had taught
them to do this at the word of command, as it enabled them often, when
out hunting, to conceal themselves in a slight depression from the sight
of an approaching herd of deer. Thus they, as well as their masters,
remained untouched by the storm of bullets. The Boers almost concealed
from view, steadily picked off the men.
"It is of no use, Tom; let us mount and make a bolt for it. They must
surrender in a few minutes, or not a man will be left alive."
They gave the word to their horses, and these leaped to their feet, and,
as was their habit in the chase, dashed off at full speed the instant
their masters were in the saddle. Bending low on the necks of their
horses, the lads rode at the top of their speed. Several bullets came
very close to them, but keeping closely side by side, to lessen the mark
they presented to the enemy, they dashed on untouched. Looking round,
when they had proceeded some little distance, they saw that four Boers
had mounted and were in hot pursuit. Their horses were good ones, in
capital condition, and had done easy work for the last few days. The
Boers also were well mounted, and for three or four miles the chase
continued, the Dutch from time to time firing; but the lads were a good
four hundred yards ahead, a distance beyond that at which the Boers are
accustomed to shoot, or which their guns will carry with any accuracy.
"We must stop this," Dick said, as they breasted an ascent. "If they
should happen to hit one of our horses, it would be all up with us.
Dismount, Tom, as soon as you are over the rise."
As soon as they were out of sight of their pursuers, they reined up
their horses and dismounted. They again made the animals lie down, and,
throwing themselves behind them, rested their rifles upon them.
The Boers, they had noticed, were not all together--two of them being
about fifty yards ahead of the others. At full speed the leading
pursuers dashed for the rise; as they came fairly in view, they were but
fifty yards distant. The lads and their horses were almost hidden in
the long grass, and the Boers did not for a moment notice them. When
they did, they instantly reined in their horses, but it was too late.
The lads had their rifles fixed upon them, the two shots rang out
together, both the Boers fell lifeless from the saddle, and the Dutch
horses dashed back along the track by which they had come.
The lads instantly reloaded; but they waited in vain for the coming of
the other pursuers; these on seeing the horses galloping towards them
after the shots had been fired had at once turned and rode off. After
waiting for a little time to be sure that they were not going to be
attacked, the friends mounted and rode on. They did not retrace their
steps to see what had become of the other pursuers, as it was possible
that these had imitated their own tactics, and were lying down by their
horses, waiting to get a shot at them, should they ride back. They now
continued their journey at an easy canter, and late in the evening
entered the little town of Standerton.
Standerton presented a scene of unusual excitement; teams of waggons
filled its streets, armed men moved about and talked excitedly, numbers
of cattle and horses under the charge of Kaffirs occupied every spare
place near the town--it was an exodus. The loyal Boers, who were at
that time in an absolute majority throughout the colony, were many of
them moving across the frontier, to escape the conflict which they saw
approaching.
The more enlightened among these people had been fully conscious of the
short-comings of their own government, prior to the annexation to
England.
Short as had been the period that had elapsed since that event, the
benefits which had accrued to the country had been immense. The value
of land had risen fourfold; English traders had opened establishments in
every village, and the Dutch obtained far higher prices than before for
their produce, with a corresponding reduction in that of the articles
which they had to purchase. Peaceable men were no longer harassed by
being summoned to take part in commandos or levies for expeditions
against the natives. The feeling of insecurity from the threatening
attitude of the Zulus and other warlike neighbours was at an end, as was
the danger of a general rising among the natives in the colony, who
outnumbered the Boers by ten to one.
Thus the wiser heads among the Boers bitterly regretted the movement
which had commenced for the renewed independence of the country. They
did not believe that it would be successful, because they could not
suppose that England, having, by the repeated assertions of its
representatives that the annexation was final and absolute, induced
thousands of Englishmen to purchase land, erect trading establishments,
and embark their capital in the country, could ever desert and ruin
them. They foresaw, moreover, that even should the rebellion be
successful it would throw the country back a century, the rising trade
would be nipped in the bud, the English colonists would leave the
country, the price of land would again fall to a nominal sum, the old
difficulties of raising taxes to carry on the government would recur,
and restless spirits would again be carrying out lawless raids upon the
natives, and involving them in difficulties and dangers.
Farther north the loyal portion of the Dutch remained quiet during the
trouble; but around Standerton, Utrecht, and other places near the
frontier large numbers of them crossed into Natal, with their wives and
families, their cattle and horses, and there remained until the end of
the war. The English settlers, almost to a man, abandoned their farms,
and either retired into Natal or assembled in the towns and formed
themselves with the traders there into corps for their defence. The
manner in which throughout the war these little bodies uniformly
succeeded in repulsing every attempt of the Boers to capture the towns
showed how easily the latter could have been defeated, had the British
government acted with energy when a sufficient force had been collected
on the frontier, instead of losing heart and surrendering at discretion.
It is not too much to say that, had the British government stood
altogether aloof, the colony of Natal, with the English settlers and
loyal Boers, could single-handed have put down the insurrection in the
Transvaal.
The news which the lads brought to Standerton of the unprovoked attack
upon, and massacre of, the 94th caused a wild feeling of excitement. A
crowd rapidly gathered round the lads, and so great was the anxiety to
hear what had taken place that Dick was obliged to mount on a waggon,
and to relate the whole circumstances to the crowd.
Englishmen living at home in the happy conviction that their own is the
greatest of nations can form little idea of the feelings of men in a
colony like the Cape, where our rule is but half-consolidated, and where
a Dutch population, equal in numbers, are sullenly hostile, or openly
insolent. The love of the old flag and the pride of nationality are
there very different feelings from the dull and languid sentiment at
home; and the news of this bloody massacre, at a time when hostilities
had not commenced on either side, and when no overt act of rebellion had
taken place, caused every eye to flash, and the blood to run hotly in
men's veins.
Those who had hitherto counselled that the English settlers should
remain neutral in the contest were now as eager as the rest in their
demands that the place should be defended. There was but one company of
British troops in the town; but within an hour of the story of the
massacre being known 150 men had put down their names to form a corps;
officers were chosen, and these at once waited upon the captain in
command of the troops, and placed themselves under his orders.
The next morning scores of men set to work throwing up a breastwork
round the place, cutting holes in the walls and houses for musketry, and
preparing to defend the little town to the last against any attack of
the Boers.
The moment that he had heard from the lads of the disaster to the 94th,
the officer in command despatched a horseman to carry the news at full
speed to Sir G. Pomeroy Colley, who was advancing towards Newcastle
with the troops from Natal.
The same night a messenger rode in, saying that the Boers had raised
their flag at Pretoria, had killed several English there, and were
preparing to attack the little British force encamped at a small
distance from the town; that at Potchefstroom they had also attacked the
troops; and that the insurrection was general.
The next morning the lads mounted and proceeded on their way, and
reached home late that evening, to the immense delight of their parents.
The news of the rising created a fever of excitement throughout Natal.
H.M.S. _Boadicea_ landed a rocket-battery and a naval brigade, who at
once marched up towards the front; and Sir G.P. Colley, who commanded
the forces, hurried every available man towards Newcastle, as the Boers
were advancing in force towards the frontier, and were preparing to
invade Natal.
Every day brought fresh news from the Transvaal. The little towns where
the British were centred, isolated and alone as they were in the midst
of a hostile country, in every case prepared to defend themselves to the
last; and at Potchefstroom, Wackerstroom, Standerton, Leydenberg, and
other places the Boers, attempting to carry the towns were vigorously
repulsed. The news that a large force of Boers was marching against
Newcastle caused great excitement in that portion of Natal; here large
numbers of Dutch were settled, and the colonists were consequently
divided into hostile camps. Large numbers of British colonists sent in
their names as ready to serve against the Boers; but the English
military authorities unfortunately declined to avail themselves of their
services, on the ground that they did not wish to involve the colonists
in a struggle which was purely an imperial one. For, were they to do
so, the Dutch throughout the colony and in the Orange Free State might
also join in the struggle, and the whole of South Africa be involved in
a civil war.
There was much in this view of the case; but had a strong corps of
colonists been attached to the force of General Colley, it is pretty
certain that it would have escaped the disaster which subsequently
befell it; for, being for the most part excellent shots and accustomed
to the chase, they would have met the Boers with their own tactics, and
thus, as the English settlers in the garrisons in the Transvaal showed
themselves far better fighters than their Dutch antagonists, so Natal,
where large numbers of young colonists had served against the Zulus,
Secoceni, Moirosi, and in other native troubles, could, if permitted,
have furnished a contingent which would have entirely altered the
complexion of the struggle.
Upon the very day after the return of their sons, Mr Humphreys and his
friend Jackson, furious at the two attacks which had been made by the
Boers upon the parties accompanied by their sons, rode into Newcastle
and inscribed their names in the list of those willing to serve against
the enemy. They also offered their waggons and cattle to the
authorities, to facilitate the advance of the British troops.
This offer was at once accepted, and it was arranged that on the 26th
the carts still on the farm should go down to Pieter-Maritzburg, and Mr
Humphreys wrote a letter to Mr Harvey, telling him that he was, upon
his arrival, after clearing the waggons of the goods that he had brought
down from the interior, to place them at once at the disposal of the
authorities for the transport of military stores to Newcastle. Bill
Harrison was to go down with the carts, and to be in charge of them and
the waggons on their upward march.
Christmas was held with great festivity, to celebrate the return of the
lads. Mr and Mrs Jackson and Tom, and four or five young settlers in
neighbouring farms were invited by Mr Humphreys to spend the day with
him. At his request they came early, and after the service of the
church had been read by him the day was spent in festivity. The young
men rode races on their horses, shot at marks for prizes of useful
articles, presented by Mr Humphreys, and at five o'clock sat down to a
Christmas dinner.
The holly, the mistletoe, and above all the roaring fire were absent,
but the great kitchen was decked with boughs. The roast beef,
plum-pudding, and mince-pies were equal to the best at home, and no
pains were spared to recall home customs on the occasion.
At one o'clock there had been an equally good dinner given to the
labourers and their families belonging to the farms of Mr Humphreys and
his guests, and in the evening all assembled in the great kitchen, and
to the tunes of a violin, played by one of the young colonists, a merry
dance was kept up for some hours. The next morning Harrison started
with the remaining waggon and several carts for Pieter-Maritzburg, and
the lads were supposed to resume regular work on the farms.