French Had A Skirmish At Wilge River At The
End Of January, And Campbell Another South Of Middelburg, In Which
He Had Twenty Casualties.
On February 4th Smith-Dorrien was at Lake
Chrissie; French had passed through Bethel and the enemy was
retiring on Amsterdam.
The hundred-mile ends of the drag net were
already contracted to a third of that distance, and the game was
still known to be within it. On the 5th Ermelo was occupied, and
the fresh deep ruts upon the veld told the British horsemen of the
huge Boer convoy that was ahead of them. For days enormous herds,
endless flocks, and lines of wagons which stretched from horizon to
horizon had been trekking eastward. Cavalry and mounted infantry
were all hot upon the scent.
Botha, however, was a leader of spirit, not to be hustled with
impunity. Having several thousand burghers with him, it was evident
that if he threw himself suddenly upon any part of the British line
he might hope for a time to make an equal fight, and possibly to
overwhelm it. Were Smith-Dorrien out of the way there would be a
clear road of escape for his whole convoy to the north, while a
defeat of any of the other columns would not help him much. It was
on Smith-Dorrien, therefore, that he threw himself with great
impetuosity. That General's force was, however, formidable,
consisting of the Suffolks, West Yorks and Camerons, 5th Lancers,
2nd Imperial Light Horse, and 3rd Mounted Infantry, with eight
field guns and three heavy pieces. Such a force could hardly be
defeated in the open, but no one can foresee the effect of a night
surprise well pushed home, and such was the attack delivered by
Botha at 3 A.M. upon February 6th, when his opponent was encamped
at Bothwell Farm.
The night was favourable to the attempt, as it was dark and misty.
Fortunately, however, the British commander had fortified himself
and was ready for an assault. The Boer forlorn hope came on with a
gallant dash, driving a troop of loose horses in upon the outposts,
and charging forward into the camp. The West Yorkshires, however,
who bore the brunt of the attack, were veterans of the Tugela, who
were no more to be flurried at three in the morning than at three
in the afternoon. The attack was blown backwards, and twenty dead
Boers, with their brave leader Spruyt, were left within the British
lines. The main body of the Boers contented themselves with a heavy
fusillade out of the darkness, which was answered and crushed by
the return fire of the infantry. In the morning no trace, save
their dead, was to be seen of the enemy, but twenty killed and
fifty wounded in Smith-Dorrien's column showed how heavy had been
the fire which had swept through the sleeping camp. The Carolina
attack, which was to have co-operated with that of the
Heidelbergers, was never delivered, through difficulties of the
ground, and considerable recriminations ensued among the Boers in
consequence.
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