AngloBoerWar.com A BRITISH SHELL AND A BOER GUN
CHAPTER V.
EARLY MOVEMENTS IN CAPE COLONY— THE NORTHERN BORDER.
HEN the war broke out Cape Colony “ The Fighting Fifth,” landed at Cape was practically defenceless ; and had Town—a welcome reinforcement. Nor Wthe Boers made a raid in strong force andwas there any artillery in the colony, with promptitude, they might almost have except a few defensive guns of obsolete reached Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. type. It is also to be borne in mind If not quite. that Cape Colony was a Dutch colony For the only force to oppose them con —that is, the people of Dutch descent, sisted of some scattered parties of Cape sometimes called Cape Boers, considerably Mounted Police, a few trusty Colonial outnumbered the population of British levies, and a few British regulars. The blood. And many held a strong suspicion total force, scattered over the whole colony, that a large number of these were dis did not number more than 3,500 men, affected. exclusive of the Kimberley garrison. At Whether or no there had been, as some the last moment, on October n th , a pretended, a gigantic Boer conspiracy for battalion of Northumberland Fusiliers, a rising of the Dutch right from the HISTORY OF THE BOER WAR. Limpopo to Cape Town, cannot now be was to send a message to the British in accurately told. But this is certain: that the town, ordering them to prepare hot the Cape Dutch were very bitter against coffee in the morning. To which the us, so bitter that it is surprising more of Britishers replied that they would provide them did not rise than actually was the for breakfast plenty of cold lead. But all case. There is every reason to believe the Boers did was occasionally to gallop that had the Orange Free Staters, leaving up on their side and fire a few shots at Natal to the Transvaalers, crossed the midnight. Orange River in a body, seized the rail A good many Cape Dutch farmers forded ways, and marched for Port Elizabeth or the stream and joined the enemy. More the capital of the colony, they would have waited until the invading army should gathered recruits at every mile. appear. Colesberg, a place about thirty- What they actually did was this : they five miles from Naauwpoort, on the line to did nothing for a fortnight—nothing, that Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange is, except gather men on their own side of Free State, was a particularly disloyal the Orange and Caledon Rivers and go town ; and the British inhabitants were in into laager there! It might have been daily fear of invasion and revolt. The otherwise had the stalwarts from beyond Free Staters, or, rather, small armed parties the Vaal controlled this part of the cam of them, made almost daily raids into the paign. Luckily for us, they did not. And district and looted the farms of the loyalists. so time was gained, during which reinforce The first fighting took place on the 15th ments came oversea. The FreeAngloBoerWar.com Staters of October, when a party of Cape Mounted assembled at two points—Donkerspoort Police, some twenty in number, met a and Bethulie, these forming their main raiding squadron of Boers at Riverton, a camps ; and from here they menaced place near Barkly West. Shots were inter the north of the colony and the lines to changed, and the Dutchmen had the best Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East of the little affair. They cut off the police— London ; but their transport apparentlv or, rather, they tried to—and the colonists was not in working order—in striking had to ride hard for their libeity. Two contrast to the Transvaal army — and were captured—one being a wounded man. movements were slow, so that when Naauwpoort, further down the railway the invasion did come it could be met ; line, between De Aar and Rosmead Junc and the invaders were not allowed to tion, boasted a few men of the Berkshire penetrate far. (See Map, p. 26.) Regiment ; and these did their best to If you look at the map you will see, just make the place defensible. You will under within British territory, on the Orange stand, of course, that it was most important, River, a place called Aliwal North. This from the British point of view, that the is an important railway centre ; and from railway line to the sea should be kept it a railway runs to East London, the open, so long as the enemy did not get port between Durban and Cape Town. A possession and use it for a raid. So the bridge crosses the Orange River at this Berk shires, much to the relief of the loyal point—Frere Bridge, a splendid structure. part of the population, constructed five Hard by, at Bethulie, the Boers massed ledoubts, in entrenched positions. some 1,200 men. The first thing they did Colesberg was quite indefensible by the INVASION OF CAPE COLONY. 5 l little handful of men who held it for the solemnly annexed the whole district, and, Queen. They were merely a number of the country having now become Boer Town Guards, and they had no guns and territory, proceeded to compel the colonials no military skill. Still, they did not to come in and swell his ranks. As for the evacuate the town for about a fortnight, local Dutchmen, most of them were willing and then, finding themselves menaced by a and anxious to assist the invaders, whilst o. strong force of 1,800 Free Staters, assisted the few non-Dutch who had remained, by many of the farmers in the district, they most of them hurried off to'Naauwpoort. gave up the town and retired on Naauw- Those who did not go wished they had, poort. This was on November 2nd. for they led a most unbearable life. At De Aar, another important railway Very soon the Boers from Bethulie had junction, whence lines branch off to Port overrun Barkly East, Ladygrey, Aliwal Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Kimberley, the North, and Jamestown, and were also Boers had another force ; not in the town, advancing on Stormberg, captured arms but a little way up the line. The 7'imes and ammunition, “ annexed ” the districts, correspondent relates an amusing incident hoisted the flags of the Free State and the here. It appears that at one end of a South African Republic, and were dili bridge were two Boer sentries ; but their gently recruiting their ranks from amongst commander left them there for three days the rebel Cape Dutch. No doubt, a man without relief. They did not much mind only ten yards off, with a pistol, seems this ; but what they did object to was more formidable than another armed with the fact that he forgot to sendAngloBoerWar.com them a rifle but 1,000 yards away. And I dare any provisions. For three days our sen say these Northern Cape Boers, seeing the tries fed them, until at last they got tired Free Staters armed and in possession and of the neglect of their commander, and the British authorities powerless to stay the pair of them vanished. the invasion at the moment, forgot to take On October 24th a small party of marines into account the vast resources of the and some naval men with guns put in an people whom they defied. But a day of appearance from Simons Bay, and these reckoning was to come, and the Dutchmen patrolled the disaffected districts for a were to pay dearly for their folly. time. A week later an advanced party of Let us not be unjust. There were many Free Staters from Donkerspoort advanced Cape Dutchmen who retained their allegi on Colesberg. They crossed the river at ance to the Queen and refused to join in Norval’s Pont on the 1st of November, the revolt or to assist the enemy. Had it crossed and then destroyed Colesberg Bridge not been so, it is difficult to say what on the 8th, and occupied the town itself might have happened. This much is cer on the 15th. tain—we should have had to reconquer our On the 14th of November the invasion South African possessions, there would began in earnest at Aliwal North. The have been a bitter race-war, the carnage mounted police had abandoned the place, must have been dreadful, and South Africa and the Boer contingent of 450 men, would have taken half a century to recover armed with Mausers and a Krupp gun, itself. rode over the bridge. More came the The loyalty of these loyalists was the next day. The field cornet in command more gratifying, seeing that it was put to AngloBoerWar.com
CROSSING A DRIFT. (PJk^.0: H . F. G**s, Ftnuinci.) THE BASUTOS. 53 a severe test. Blood is thicker than water, world for the British Government to let as the immortal Sir Walter says; and loose this black torrent. Nor are the when we talk of 44 disloyal Dutchmen,” let Basutos to be despised. Indeed, they would us remember that the foe we were fighting probably make some of the finest irregular was a foe of the nearest in blood to the old light cavalry in the world. settlers of the Cape. The loyalty of these, The week after the war broke out, some all through the war, was of the passive of the Free Staters tried to come to an kind. It consisted merely of not actively understanding with the tribesmen. But assisting the invaders rather than in help the Basuto warriors only sharpened their ing the soldiers of the Queen ; but at such spears and looked longingly across the a time even passive allegiance was worth Caledon. Now was the time to pay off something. And a few of the leading Cape old scores. Now was the time for loot and Dutchmen there were who reminded their plunder. And, besides, would it not be countrymen that at the hands of the doing a service to their White Mother ? British Government they received favours, Would it not be an act meritorious in her under their rule they enjoyed privileges such eyes for them to ford the river and let as no other country granted to its colonies loose their spearmen—men burning with a and dependencies. Having some wisdom hatred stored up for half a century ! of a worldly kind, also, they saw what a The British Resident, Sir Godfrey desperate game the two republics were Lagden, had hard work to keep the chiefs playing, and in what disaster it must in in hand. This was a white man’s war, he evitably end. told them. The great White Queen knew Besides the commandoes spoken AngloBoerWar.comof above, well the love and loyalty and bravery of there was a considerable body of Free her sons, the Basuto warriors. Some day, Staters on the Caledon River. The Caledon perhaps, she would allow them to show it is a stream on the south-east of the Free in their own way. But this time they State, and it divides that country from must sit down and watch her white sons certain British territory known as Basuto fight the battle. True, the enemy seemed land. There the Basutos, a brave and to be having the best of it just now ; but warlike race of blacks, dwell under the warriors were hastening from England ; supervision, rather than the government, and these would soon put a stop to Boei of the British. They are immediately boastfulness. And so, with much tact and ruled by their own chiefs, but a British watchfulness, the Resident contrived to official lives amongst them—he is known send his difficult people back to their as the Resident—and he advises the chiefs ploughs. Only he had to give them and exercises a controlling influence over permission to fight if they were attacked. them. Zulus also proffered the assistance of Like all the other native races of South their assegais ; and this, again, was de Africa, the Basutos hated the Boers, and clined. There can be no doubt that the in early days had fought them again and Government acted wisely— nay, did the again. And when this war broke out, a only right thing—when they refused the hundred thousand Basuto warriors offered aid of these dusky allies. The war was to march against their ancient foe. It bad enough in any case. Guns that killed would have been the easiest matter in the at three miles, and dynamite trains, and V.-3 .
- a-a -C- XCTCI.I n :>.e:r all, .r.c -::: : -.-Tubiicans.
Tien n: i more -n j-j” ::i ; :iic places ~resent,
_cr 'e r. ?re:■ ra at Christ- i hr ;ver .jec there ar all ? ; feuber: bcf-rc Buller _= : true that r.roo Boers -:r wav to Pert Elizabeth? : : the -amour that Male king -a ■ News. rumours. more n s no time to be sleepy. >r ar icisure if you wished. ■ :i the buggie with the :c : What a diamond ! rice :f a paving stone, ’’car's Smith, the man AngloBoerWar.com :: rhe Rand in *85. mine one dav when es in his kitchen ~:::>r vere over-running ecurying town after :: strict. Colesberg < 'tv: was in danger. A x • -:ght down to Dor- ■ red. Naainvpoort .. *e British force there \ Aar. Everywhere ^ cere gathering re- tiags and - i annexation. Here v. -v *cd. There a rail cv m\ as isolated. Mafe- . \ cu' time. For Britain rettery and battalion, regi- :. cn. across the ocean. AngloBoerWar.com MOUNTED INFANTRY SCOUTING.