They Were Distinguished By Their
Fine Physique, And By The Lassoes, Cowboy Stirrups, And Large Spurs
Of The North-Western Plains.
It was in the first week of July that Clery joined hands with the
Heidelberg garrison, while Coke with
The 10th Brigade cleared the
right flank of the railway by an expedition as far as Amersfoort.
On July 6th the Natal communications were restored, and on the 7th
Buller was able to come through to Pretoria and confer with the
Commander-in-Chief. A Boer force with heavy guns still hung about
the line, and several small skirmishes were fought between
Vlakfontein and Greylingstad in order to drive it away. By the
middle of July the immediate vicinity of the railway was clear save
for some small marauding parties who endeavoured to tamper with the
rails and the bridges. Up to the end of the month the whole of the
Natal army remained strung along the line of communications from
Heidelberg to Standerton, waiting for the collection of forage and
transport to enable them to march north against Botha's position.
On August 8th Buller's troops advanced to the north-east from
Paardekop, pushing a weak Boer force with five guns in front of
them. At the cost of twenty-five wounded, principally of the 60th
Rifles, the enemy was cleared off, and the town of Amersfoort was
occupied. On the 13th, moving on the same line, and meeting with
very slight opposition, Buller took possession of Ermelo. His
advance was having a good effect upon the district, for on the 12th
the Standerton commando, which numbered 182 men, surrendered to
Clery. On the 15th, still skirmishing, Buller's men were at
Twyfelaar, and had taken possession of Carolina. Here and there a
distant horseman riding over the olive-coloured hills showed how
closely and incessantly he was watched; but, save for a little
sniping upon his flanks, there was no fighting. He was coming now
within touch of French's cavalry, operating from Middelburg, and on
the 14th heliographic communication was established with Gordon's
Brigade.
Buller's column had come nearer to its friends, but it was also
nearer to the main body of Boers who were waiting in that very
rugged piece of country which lies between Belfast in the west and
Machadodorp in the east. From this rocky stronghold they had thrown
out mobile bodies to harass the British advance from the south, and
every day brought Buller into closer touch with these advance
guards of the enemy. On August 21st he had moved eight miles nearer
to Belfast, French operating upon his left flank. Here he found the
Boers in considerable numbers, but he pushed them northward with
his cavalry, mounted infantry, and artillery, losing between thirty
and forty killed and wounded, the greater part from the ranks of
the 18th Hussars and the Gordon Highlanders. This march brought him
within fifteen miles of Belfast, which lay due north of him. At the
same time Pole-Carew with the central column of Lord Roberts's
force had advanced along the railway line, and on August 24th he
occupied Belfast with little resistance. He found, however, that
the enemy were holding the formidable ridges which lie between that
place and Dalmanutha, and that they showed every sign of giving
battle, presenting a firm front to Buller on the south as well as
to Roberts's army on the west.
On the 23rd some successes attended their efforts to check the
advance from the south. During the day Buller had advanced
steadily, though under incessant fire. The evening found him only
six miles to the south of Dalmanutha, the centre of the Boer
position. By some misfortune, however, after dark two companies of
the Liverpool Regiment found themselves isolated from their
comrades and exposed to a very heavy fire. They had pushed forward
too far, and were very near to being surrounded and destroyed.
There were fifty-six casualties in their ranks, and thirty-two,
including their wounded captain, were taken. The total losses in
the day were 121.
On August 25th it was evident that important events were at hand,
for on that date Lord Roberts arrived at Belfast and held a
conference with Buller, French, and Pole-Carew. The general
communicated his plans to his three lieutenants, and on the 26th
and following days the fruits of the interview were seen in a
succession of rapid manoeuvres which drove the Boers out of this,
the strongest position which they had held since they left the
banks of the Tugela.
The advance of Lord Roberts was made, as his wont is, with two
widespread wings, and a central body to connect them. Such a
movement leaves the enemy in doubt as to which flank will really be
attacked, while if he denudes his centre in order to strengthen
both flanks there is the chance of a frontal advance which might
cut him in two. French with two cavalry brigades formed the left
advance, Pole-Carew the centre, and Buller the right, the whole
operations extending over thirty miles of infamous country. It is
probable that Lord Roberts had reckoned that the Boer right was
likely to be their strongest position, since if it were turned it
would cut off their retreat upon Lydenburg, so his own main attack
was directed upon their left. This was carried out by General
Buller on August 26th and 27th.
On the first day the movement upon Buller's part consisted in a
very deliberate reconnaissance of and closing in upon the enemy's
position, his troops bivouacking upon the ground which they had
won. On the second, finding that all further progress was barred by
the strong ridge of Bergendal, he prepared his attack carefully
with artillery and then let loose his infantry upon it. It was a
gallant feat of arms upon either side. The Boer position was held
by a detachment of the Johannesburg Police, who may have been
bullies in peace, but were certainly heroes in war.
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