This Part Of
The Country Had Been Several Times Traversed, But Had Never Been
Subdued By British Columns.
The Boers, like their own veld grass,
need but a few sparks to be left behind to ensure a conflagration
breaking out again.
It was into this inflammable country that
Babington moved in March with Klerksdorp for his base. On March
21st he had reached Haartebeestefontein, the scene not long before
of a successful action by Methuen. Here he was joined by
Shekleton's Mounted Infantry, and his whole force consisted of
these, with the 1st Imperial Light Horse, the 6th Imperial Bushmen,
the New Zealanders, a squadron of the 14th Hussars, a wing each of
the Somerset Light Infantry and of the Welsh Fusiliers, with
Carter's guns and four pom-poms. With this mobile and formidable
little force Babington pushed on in search of Smuts and De la Rey,
who were known to be in the immediate neighbourhood.
As a matter of fact the Boers were not only there, but were nearer
and in greater force than had been anticipated. On the 22nd three
squadrons of the Imperial Light Horse under Major Briggs rode into
1500 of them, and it was only by virtue of their steadiness and
gallantry that they succeeded in withdrawing themselves and their
pom-pom without a disaster. With Boers in their front and Boers on
either flank they fought an admirable rearguard action. So hot was
the fire that A squadron alone had twenty-two casualties. They
faced it out, however, until their gun had reached a place of
safety, when they made an orderly retirement towards Babington's
camp, having inflicted as heavy a loss as they had sustained.
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