The Guards he had left under Methuen in front of
the lines of Magersfontein to contain the Boer force. With them he
had also left those regiments which had fought in the 9th Brigade
in all Methuen's actions. These, as will be remembered, were the
1st Northumberland Fusiliers, the 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry, the
2nd Northamptons, and one wing of the Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment. These stayed to hold Cronje in his position.
There remained three divisions of infantry, one of which, the
ninth, was made up on the spot. These were constituted in this way:
Sixth Division (Kelly-Kenny).
12th Brigade (Knox).
Oxford Light Infantry.
Gloucesters (2nd).
West Riding.
Buffs.
18th Brigade (Stephenson).
Essex.
Welsh.
Warwicks.
Yorks Seventh Division (Tucker).
14th Brigade (Chermside).
Scots Borderers.
Lincolns.
Hampshires.
Norfolks.
15th Brigade (Wavell).
North Staffords.
Cheshires.
S. Wales Borderers.
East Lancashires Ninth Division (Colvile).
Highland Brigade (Macdonald).
Black Watch.
Argyll and Sutherlands.
Seaforths.
Highland Light Infantry.
19th Brigade (Smith-Dorrien).
Gordons.
Canadians.
Shropshire Light Infantry.
Cornwall Light Infantry.
With these were two brigade divisions of artillery under General
Marshall, the first containing the 18th, 62nd, and 75th batteries
(Colonel Hall), the other the 76th, 81st, and 82nd (Colonel
McDonnell). Besides these there were a howitzer battery, a naval
contingent of four 4.7 guns and four 12-pounders under Captain
Bearcroft of the 'Philomel.' The force was soon increased by the
transfer of the Guards and the arrival of more artillery; but the
numbers which started on Monday, February 12th, amounted roughly to
twenty-five thousand foot and eight thousand horse with 98 guns - a
considerable army to handle in a foodless and almost waterless
country. Seven hundred wagons drawn by eleven thousand mules and
oxen, all collected by the genius for preparation and organisation
which characterises Lord Kitchener, groaned and creaked behind the
columns.
Both arms had concentrated at Ramdam, the cavalry going down by
road, and the infantry by rail as far as Belmont or Enslin. On
Monday, February 12th, the cavalry had started, and on Tuesday the
infantry were pressing hard after them. The first thing was to
secure a position upon Cronje's flank, and for that purpose the 6th
Division and the 9th (Kelly-Kenny's and Colvile's) pushed swiftly
on and arrived on Thursday, February 15th, at Klip Drift on the
Modder, which had only been left by the cavalry that same morning.
It was obviously impossible to leave Jacobsdal in the hands of the
enemy on our left flank, so the 7th Division (Tucker's) turned
aside to attack the town. Wavell's brigade carried the place after
a sharp skirmish, chiefly remarkable for the fact that the City
Imperial Volunteers found themselves under fire for the first time
and bore themselves with the gallantry of the old train-bands whose
descendants they are. Our loss was two killed and twenty wounded,
and we found ourselves for the first time firmly established in one
of the enemy's towns.
