The Hundred-Mile Ends Of The Drag Net Were
Already Contracted To A Third Of That Distance, And The Game Was
Still Known To Be Within It.
On the 5th Ermelo was occupied, and
the fresh deep ruts upon the veld told the British horsemen of the
huge Boer convoy that was ahead of them.
For days enormous herds,
endless flocks, and lines of wagons which stretched from horizon to
horizon had been trekking eastward. Cavalry and mounted infantry
were all hot upon the scent.
Botha, however, was a leader of spirit, not to be hustled with
impunity. Having several thousand burghers with him, it was evident
that if he threw himself suddenly upon any part of the British line
he might hope for a time to make an equal fight, and possibly to
overwhelm it. Were Smith-Dorrien out of the way there would be a
clear road of escape for his whole convoy to the north, while a
defeat of any of the other columns would not help him much. It was
on Smith-Dorrien, therefore, that he threw himself with great
impetuosity. That General's force was, however, formidable,
consisting of the Suffolks, West Yorks and Camerons, 5th Lancers,
2nd Imperial Light Horse, and 3rd Mounted Infantry, with eight
field guns and three heavy pieces. Such a force could hardly be
defeated in the open, but no one can foresee the effect of a night
surprise well pushed home, and such was the attack delivered by
Botha at 3 A.M. upon February 6th, when his opponent was encamped
at Bothwell Farm.
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