It Is Probable That The Deliberation With
Which The Operations Were Conducted Was Due To Rundle's
Instructions To Wait Until The Other Forces Were In Position.
His
subsequent movements showed that he was not a General who feared to
strike.
On Sunday night (April 22nd) Pole-Carew sallied out from
Bloemfontein on a line which would take him round the right flank
of the Boers who were facing Rundle. The Boers had, however,
occupied a strong position at Leeuw Kop, which barred his path, so
that the Dewetsdorp Boers were covering the Wepener Boers, and
being in turn covered by the Boers of Leeuw Kop. Before anything
could be done, they must be swept out of the way. Pole-Carew is one
of those finds which help to compensate us for the war. Handsome,
dashing, debonnaire, he approaches a field of battle as a
light-hearted schoolboy approaches a football field. On this
occasion he acted with energy and discretion. His cavalry
threatened the flanks of the enemy, and Stephenson's brigade
carried the position in front at a small cost. On the same evening
General French arrived and took over the force, which consisted now
of Stephenson's and the Guards brigades (making up the 11th
division), with two brigades of cavalry and one corps of mounted
infantry. The next day, the 23rd, the advance was resumed, the
cavalry bearing the brunt of the fighting. That gallant corps,
Roberts's Horse, whose behaviour at Sanna's Post had been
admirable, again distinguished itself, losing among others its
Colonel, Brazier Creagh.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 454 of 842
Words from 121441 to 121697
of 225456
