Convinced Of The Failure
Of The Peace Policy, And Morally Strengthened By Having Tried It,
Lord Kitchener Set Himself To
Finish the war by a series of
vigorous operations which should sweep the country from end to end.
For this
Purpose mounted troops were essential, and an appeal from
him for reinforcements was most nobly answered. Five thousand
horsemen were despatched from the colonies, and twenty thousand
cavalry, mounted infantry, and Yeomanry were sent from home. Ten
thousand mounted men had already been raised in Great Britain,
South Africa, and Canada for the Constabulary force which was being
organised by Baden-Powell. Altogether the reinforcements of
horsemen amounted to more than thirty-five thousand men, all of
whom had arrived in South Africa before the end of April. With the
remains of his old regiments Lord Kitchener had under him at this
final period of the war between fifty and sixty thousand
cavalry - such a force as no British General in his happiest dream
had ever thought of commanding, and no British war minister in his
darkest nightmare had ever imagined himself called upon to supply.
Long before his reinforcements had come to hand, while his Yeomanry
was still gathering in long queues upon the London pavement to wait
their turn at the recruiting office, Lord Kitchener had dealt the
enemy several shrewd blows which materially weakened their
resources in men and material. The chief of these was the great
drive down the Eastern Transvaal undertaken by seven columns under
the command of French.
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Words from 182824 to 183077
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