Three small actions,
two of which were disastrous to our arms, and one successful
defence marked the period of the pause at Bloemfontein.
To the north of the town, some twelve miles distant lies the
ubiquitous Modder River, which is crossed by a railway bridge at a
place named Glen. The saving of the bridge was of considerable
importance, and might by the universal testimony of the farmers of
that district have been effected any time within the first few days
of our occupation. We appear, however, to have imperfectly
appreciated how great was the demoralisation of the Boers. In a
week or so they took heart, returned, and blew up the bridge.
Roving parties of the enemy, composed mainly of the redoubtable
Johannesburg police, reappeared even to the south of the river.
Young Lygon was killed, and Colonels Crabbe and Codrington with
Captain Trotter, all of the Guards, were severely wounded by such a
body, whom they gallantly but injudiciously attempted to arrest
when armed only with revolvers.
These wandering patrols who kept the country unsettled, and
harassed the farmers who had taken advantage of Lord Roberts's
proclamation, were found to have their centre at a point some six
miles to the north of Glen, named Karee. At Karee a formidable line
of hills cut the British advance, and these had been occupied by a
strong body of the enemy with guns.
