The First Of These Was The Fight In Which Colonel Doran's Column
Extricated Itself With Severe Loss From A Most Perilous Plight.
The
whole force under Doran consisted of 350 men with two guns, and
this handful was divided by an expedition which he, with 150 men,
undertook in order to search a distant farm.
The remaining two
hundred men, under Captain Saunders, were left upon February 5th
with the guns and the convoy at a place called Middlepost, which
lies about fifty miles south-west of Calvinia. These men were of
the 11th, 23rd, and 24th Imperial Yeomanry, with a troop of Cape
Police. The Boer Intelligence was excellent, as might be expected
in a country which is dotted with farms. The weakened force at
Middlepost was instantly attacked by Smuts's commando. Saunders
evacuated the camp and abandoned the convoy, which was the only
thing he could do, but he concentrated all his efforts upon
preserving his guns. The night was illuminated by the blazing
wagons, and made hideous by the whoops of the drunken rebels who
caroused among the captured stores. With the first light of dawn
the small British force was fiercely assailed on all sides, but
held its own in a manner which would have done credit to any
troops. The much criticised Yeomen fought like veterans. A
considerable position had to be covered, and only a handful of men
were available at the most important points. One ridge, from which
the guns would be enfiladed, was committed to the charge of
Lieutenants Tabor and Chichester with eleven men of the 11th
Imperial Yeomanry, their instructions being 'to hold it to the
death.' The order was obeyed with the utmost heroism.
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