So much for the movements into the Free State of Clements, of
Gatacre, and of Brabant. It only remains to trace the not very
eventful history of the Natal campaign after the relief of
Ladysmith.
General Buller made no attempt to harass the retreat of the Boers,
although in two days no fewer than two thousand wagons were counted
upon the roads to Newcastle and Dundee. The guns had been removed
by train, the railway being afterwards destroyed. Across the north
of Natal lies the chain of the Biggarsberg mountains, and to this
the Transvaal Boers had retired, while the Freestaters had hurried
through the passes of the Drakensberg in time to make the fruitless
opposition to Roberts's march upon their capital. No accurate
information had come in as to the strength of the Transvaalers, the
estimates ranging from five to ten thousand, but it was known that
their position was formidable and their guns mounted in such a way
as to command the Dundee and Newcastle roads.
General Lyttelton's Division had camped as far out as Elandslaagte
with Burn Murdoch's cavalry, while Dundonald's brigade covered the
space between Burn Murdoch's western outposts and the Drakensberg
passes. Few Boers were seen, hut it was known that the passes were
held in some strength. Meanwhile the line was being restored in the
rear, and on March 9th the gallant White was enabled to take train
for Durban, though it was not until ten days later that the Colenso
bridge was restored. The Ladysmith garrison had been sent down to
Colenso to recruit their health. There they were formed into a new
division, the 4th, the brigades being given to Howard and Knox, and
the command to Lyttelton, who had returned his former division, the
second, to Clery. The 5th and 6th brigades were also formed into
one division, the 10th, which was placed under the capable command
of Hunter, who had confirmed in the south the reputation which he
had won in the north of Africa. In the first week of April Hunter's
Division was sent down to Durban and transferred to the western
side, where they were moved up to Kimberley, whence they advanced
northwards. The man on the horse has had in this war an immense
advantage over the man on foot, but there have been times when the
man on the ship has restored the balance. Captain Mahan might find
some fresh texts in the transference of Hunter's Division, or in
the subsequent expedition to Beira.
On April 10th the Boers descended from their mountains and woke up
our sleepy army corps by a brisk artillery fire. Our own guns
silenced it, and the troops instantly relapsed into their slumber.
There was no movement for a fortnight afterwards upon either side,
save that of Sir Charles Warren, who left the army in order to take
up the governorship of British Bechuanaland, a district which was
still in a disturbed state, and in which his presence had a
peculiar significance, since he had rescued portions of it from
Boer domination in the early days of the Transvaal Republic.
Hildyard took over the command of the 5th Division. In this state
of inertia the Natal force remained until Lord Roberts, after a six
weeks' halt in Bloemfontein, necessitated by the insecurity of his
railway communication and his want of every sort of military
supply, more especially horses for his cavalry and boots for his
infantry, was at last able on May 2nd to start upon his famous
march to Pretoria. Before accompanying him, however, upon this
victorious progress, it is necessary to devote a chapter to the
series of incidents and operations which had taken place to the
east and south-east of Bloemfontein during this period of
compulsory inactivity.
One incident must be recorded in this place, though it was
political rather than military. This was the interchange of notes
concerning peace between Paul Kruger and Lord Salisbury. There is
an old English jingle about 'the fault of the Dutch, giving too
little and asking too much,' but surely there was never a more
singular example of it than this. The united Presidents prepare for
war for years, spring an insulting ultimatum upon us, invade our
unfortunate Colonies, solemnly annex all the portions invaded, and
then, when at last driven back, propose a peace which shall secure
for them the whole point originally at issue. It is difficult to
believe that the proposals could have been seriously meant, but
more probable that the plan may have been to strengthen the hands
of the Peace deputation who were being sent to endeavour to secure
European intervention. Could they point to a proposal from the
Transvaal and a refusal from England, it might, if not too
curiously examined, excite the sympathy of those who follow
emotions rather than facts.
The documents were as follow: -
'The Presidents of the Orange Free State and of the South African
Republic to the Marquess of Salisbury. Bloemfontein March 5th,
1900.
'The blood and the tears of the thousands who have suffered by this
war, and the prospect of all the moral and economic ruin with which
South Africa is now threatened, make it necessary for both
belligerents to ask themselves dispassionately and as in the sight
of the Triune God for what they are fighting and whether the aim of
each justifies all this appalling misery and devastation.
'With this object, and in view of the assertions of various British
statesmen to the effect that this war was begun and is carried on
with the set purpose of undermining Her Majesty's authority in
South Africa, and of setting up an administration over all South
Africa independent of Her Majesty's Government, we consider it our
duty to solemnly declare that this war was undertaken solely as a
defensive measure to safeguard the threatened independence of the
South African Republic, and is only continued in order to secure
and safeguard the incontestable independence of both Republics as
sovereign international States, and to obtain the assurance that
those of Her Majesty's subjects who have taken part with us in this
war shall suffer no harm whatsoever in person or property.
