These six companies
completely surprised the enemy, and caused them to hurriedly
evacuate the position. Their night march was performed under great
difficulties, the men crawling on hands and knees along a rocky
path with a drop of 400 feet upon one side. But their exertions
were greatly rewarded. Upon the success of their turning movement
depended the fall of Slabbert's Nek. Retief's Nek was untenable if
we held Slabbert's Nek, and if both were in our hands the retreat
of Prinsloo was cut off.
At every opening of the hills the British guns were thundering, and
the heads of British columns were appearing on every height. The
Highland Brigade had fairly established themselves over the Boer
position, though not without hard fighting, in which a hundred men
of the Highland Light Infantry had been killed and wounded. The
Seaforths and the Sussex had also gripped the positions in front of
them, and taken some punishment in doing so. The outworks of the
great mountain fortress were all taken, and on July 26th the
British columns were converging on Fouriesburg, while Naauwpoort on
the line of retreat was held by Macdonald. It was only a matter of
time now with the Boers.
On the 28th Clements was still advancing, and contracting still
further the space which was occupied by our stubborn foe. He found
himself faced by the stiff position of Slaapkrantz, and a hot
little action was needed before the Boers could be dislodged. The
fighting fell upon Brabant's Horse, the Royal Irish, and the
Wiltshires. Three companies of the latter seized a farm upon the
enemy's left, but lost ten men in doing so, while their gallant
colonel, Carter, was severely wounded in two places. The
Wiltshires, who were excellently handled by Captain Bolton, held on
to the farm and were reinforced there by a handful of the Scots
Guards. In the night the position was abandoned by the Boers, and
the advance swept onwards. On all sides the pressure was becoming
unendurable. The burghers in the valley below could see all day the
twinkle of British heliographs from every hill, while at night the
constant flash of signals told of the sleepless vigilance which
hemmed them in. Upon July 29th, Prinsloo sent in a request for an
armistice, which was refused. Later in the day he despatched a
messenger with the white flag to Hunter, with an announcement of
his unconditional surrender.
On July 30th the motley army which had held the British off so long
emerged from among the mountains. But it soon became evident that
in speaking for all Prinsloo had gone beyond his powers. Discipline
was low and individualism high in the Boer army. Every man might
repudiate the decision of his commandant, as every man might
repudiate the white flag of his comrade.
