The Weekly Tale Of
Prisoners And Captures, Though Small For Any One Column, Gave The
Aggregate Result Of A Considerable Victory.
In these scattered and
obscure actions there was much good work which can have no reward
save the knowledge of duty done.
Among many successful raids and
skirmishes may be mentioned two by Colonel Park from Lydenburg,
which resulted between them in the capture of nearly 100 of the
enemy, including Abel Erasmus of sinister reputation. Nor would any
summary of these events be complete without a reference to the very
gallant defence of Mahlabatini in Zululand, which was successfully
held by a handful of police and civilians against an irruption of
the Boers. With the advent of winter and of reinforcements the
British operations became very energetic in every part of the
country, and some account of them will now be added.
CHAPTER 34.
THE WINTER CAMPAIGN (APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, 1901).
The African winter extends roughly from April to September, and as
the grass during that period would be withered on the veld, the
mobility of the Boer commandos must be very much impaired. It was
recognised therefore that if the British would avoid another year
of war it could only be done by making good use of the months which
lay before them. For this reason Lord Kitchener had called for the
considerable reinforcements which have been already mentioned, but
on the other hand he was forced to lose many thousands of his
veteran Yeomanry, Australians, and Canadians, whose term of service
was at an end.
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