But
The Farmers Are Numerous And Aggressive, And The Column, Which Was
900 Strong, Could Clear All Resistance From Its
Front, but found it
impossible to brush off the snipers upon its flanks and rear.
Shortly after their start the
Column was deprived of the services
of its gallant leader, Colonel Little, who was shot while riding
with his advance scouts. Colonel Dalgety took over the command.
Numerous desultory attacks culminated in a fierce skirmish at
Quaggafontein on August 31st, in which the column had sixty
casualties. The event might have been serious, as De la Rey's main
force appears to have been concentrated upon the British
detachment, the brunt of the action falling upon the Kaffrarian
Rifles. By a rapid movement the column was able to extricate itself
and win its way safely to Krugersdorp, but it narrowly escaped out
of the wolf's jaws, and as it emerged into the open country De la
Rey's guns were seen galloping for the pass which they had just
come through. This force was sent south to Kroonstad to refit.
Lord Methuen's army, after its long marches and arduous work,
arrived at Mafeking on August 28th for the purpose of refitting.
Since his departure from Boshof on May 14th his men had been
marching with hardly a rest, and he had during that time fought
fourteen engagements. He was off upon the war-path once more, with
fresh horses and renewed energy, on September 8th, and on the 9th,
with the co-operation of General Douglas, he scattered a Boer force
at Malopo, capturing thirty prisoners and a great quantity of
stores. On the 14th he ran down a convoy and regained one of the
Colenso guns and much ammunition. On the 20th he again made large
captures. If in the early phases of the war the Boers had given
Paul Methuen some evil hours, he was certainly getting his own back
again. At the same time Clements was despatched from Pretoria with
a small mobile force for the purpose of clearing the Rustenburg and
Krugersdorp districts, which had always been storm centres. These
two forces, of Methuen and of Clements, moved through the country,
sweeping the scattered Boer bands before them, and hunting them
down until they dispersed. At Kekepoort and at Hekspoort Clements
fought successful skirmishes, losing at the latter action
Lieutenant Stanley of the Yeomanry, the Somersetshire cricketer,
who showed, as so many have done, how close is the connection
between the good sportsman and the good soldier. On the 12th
Douglas took thirty-nine prisoners near Lichtenburg. On the 18th
Rundle captured a gun at Bronkhorstfontein. Hart at Potchefstroom,
Hildyard in the Utrecht district, Macdonald in the Orange River
Colony, everywhere the British Generals were busily stamping out
the remaining embers of what had been so terrible a conflagration.
Much trouble but no great damage was inflicted upon the British
during this last stage of the war by the incessant attacks upon the
lines of railway by roving bands of Boers.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 302 of 435
Words from 156237 to 156739
of 225456
