In The Meantime The Colonial Division Of That Fine Old African
Fighter, General Brabant, Had Begun To Play Its Part In The
Campaign.
Among the many judicious arrangements which Lord Roberts
made immediately after his arrival at the Cape was the assembling
Of the greater part of the scattered colonial bands into one
division, and placing over it a General of their own, a man who had
defended the cause of the Empire both in the legislative assembly
and the field. To this force was entrusted the defence of the
country lying to the east of Gatacre's position, and on February
15th they advanced from Penhoek upon Dordrecht. Their Imperial
troops consisted of the Royal Scots and a section of the 79th
R.F.A., the Colonial of Brabant's Horse, the Kaffrarian Mounted
Rifles, the Cape Mounted Rifles and Cape Police, with Queenstown
and East London Volunteers. The force moved upon Dordrecht, and on
February 18th occupied the town after a spirited action, in which
Brabant's Horse played a distinguished part. On March 4th the
division advanced once more with the object of attacking the Boer
position at Labuschagne's Nek, some miles to the north.
Aided by the accurate fire of the 79th R.F.A., the colonials
succeeded, after a long day of desultory fighting, in driving the
enemy from his position. Leaving a garrison in Dordrecht Brabant
followed up his victory and pushed forward with two thousand men
and eight guns (six of them light 7-pounders) to occupy Jamestown,
which was done without resistance.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 413 of 842
Words from 110428 to 110684
of 225456
