Such Was The Man, Alert, Resourceful, And Determined, To Whom
Was Entrusted The Holding Back Of The Colesberg Boers.
Although the main advance of the invaders was along the lines of
the two railways, they ventured, as they
Realised how weak the
forces were which opposed them, to break off both to the east and
west, occupying Dordrecht on one side and Steynsberg on the other.
Nothing of importance accrued from the possession of these points,
and our attention may be concentrated upon the main line of action.
French's original force was a mere handful of men, scraped together
from anywhere. Naauwpoort was his base, and thence he made a
reconnaissance by rail on November 23rd towards Arundel, the next
hamlet along the line, taking with him a company of the Black
Watch, forty mounted infantry, and a troop of the New South Wales
Lancers. Nothing resulted from the expedition save that the two
forces came into touch with each other, a touch which was sustained
for months under many vicissitudes, until the invaders were driven
back once more over Norval's Pont. Finding that Arundel was weakly
held, French advanced up to it, and established his camp there
towards the end of December, within six miles of the Boer lines at
Rensburg, to the south of Colesberg. His mission - with his present
forces - was to prevent the further advance of the enemy into the
Colony, but he was not strong enough yet to make a serious attempt
to drive them out.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 268 of 842
Words from 71859 to 72109
of 225456
