The Whole Straggling Action Fought Over A Front As Broad
As From London To Woking Cost The British At The Most A Couple Of
Hundred Casualties, And Carried Their Army Over The Most Formidable
Defensive Position Which They Were To Encounter.
The war in its
later phases certainly has the pleasing characteristic of being the
most bloodless, considering the number of men engaged and the
amount of powder burned, that has been known in history.
It was at
the expense of their boots and not of their lives that the infantry
won their way.
On May 11th Lord Roberts's army advanced twenty miles to Geneva
Siding, and every preparation was made for a battle next day, as it
was thought certain that the Boers would defend their new capital,
Kroonstad. It proved, however, that even here they would not make a
stand, and on May 12th, at one o'clock, Lord Roberts rode into the
town. Steyn, Botha, and De Wet escaped, and it was announced that
the village of Lindley had become the new seat of government. The
British had now accomplished half their journey to Pretoria, and it
was obvious that on the south side of the Vaal no serious
resistance awaited them. Burghers were freely surrendering
themselves with their arms, and returning to their farms. In the
south-east Rundle and Brabant were slowly advancing, while the
Boers who faced them fell back towards Lindley. On the west, Hunter
had crossed the Vaal at Windsorton, and Barton's Fusilier Brigade
had fought a sharp action at Rooidam, while Mahon's Mafeking relief
column had slipped past their flank, escaping the observation of
the British public, but certainly not that of the Boers.
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