It Was Feared That The Captured Guns Would Soon Be Used To
Break The Blockhouse Line, But Nothing Of The Kind Was Attempted,
And Within A Few Weeks They Were Both Recovered By British Columns.
In order to make a consecutive and intelligible narrative, I will
continue with an account of the operations in this south-eastern
portion of the Transvaal from the action of Brakenlaagte down to
the end of the year 1901.
These were placed in the early part of
November, under the supreme command of General Bruce Hamilton, and
that energetic commander set in motion a number of small columns,
which effected numerous captures. He was much helped in his work by
the new lines of blockhouses, one of which extended from Standerton
to Ermelo, while another connected Brugspruit with Greylingstad.
The huge country was thus cut into manageable districts, and the
fruits were soon seen by the large returns of prisoners which came
from this part of the seat of war.
Upon December 3rd Bruce Hamilton, who had the valuable assistance
of Wools-Sampson to direct his intelligence, struck swiftly out
from Ermelo and fell upon a Boer laager in the early morning,
capturing ninety-six prisoners. On the 10th he overwhelmed the
Bethel commando by a similar march, killing seven and capturing
131. Williams and Wing commanded separate columns in this
operation, and their energy may be judged from the fact that they
covered fifty-one miles during the twenty-four hours. On the 12th
Hamilton's columns were on the war-path once more, and another
commando was wiped out.
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