But
The Preparations Which Were Made Proved To Be Quite Inadequate.
One
of the two smaller kopjes was carried, and the garrison fled to the
other.
This also was compelled to surrender, and finally the main
kopje also hoisted the white flag. No blame can rest upon the men,
for their presence there at all is a sufficient proof of their
public spirit and their gallantry. But the lessons of the war seem
to have been imperfectly learned, especially that very certain
lesson that shell fire in a close formation is insupportable, while
in an open formation with a little cover it can never compel
surrender. The casualty lists (80 killed and wounded out of a force
of 470) show that the Yeomanry took considerable punishment before
surrendering, but do not permit us to call the defence desperate or
heroic. It is only fair to add that Colonel Spragge was acquitted
of all blame by a court of inquiry, which agreed, however, that the
surrender was premature, and attributed it to the unauthorised
hoisting of a white flag upon one of the detached kopjes. With
regard to the subsequent controversy as to whether General Colvile
might have returned to the relief of the Yeomanry, it is impossible
to see how that General could have acted in any other way than he
did.
Some explanation is needed of Lord Methuen's appearance upon the
central scene of warfare, his division having, when last described,
been at Boshof, not far from Kimberley, where early in April he
fought the successful action which led to the death of Villebois.
Thence he proceeded along the Vaal and then south to Kroonstad,
arriving there on May 28th.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 529 of 842
Words from 141438 to 141718
of 225456
