H istory of the Boer W ar

1 8 9 9 - 1 9 0 2

REVISED AX DENLARGED EDITION

AngloBoerWar.com

ILL USTRA TED

VOL I

CASSELL a n d COMPANY, L im it e d

LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK & MELBOURNE. MCMIII AngloBoerWar.com

Til K COMMAND! K IN-CHIEF IN I HE FIELD: LORD ROHERTS WRITING DEM'VTCHKS IN IMS WAGGON TENT AT PAARDEUERG (/>> permission of the Proprietors of the "Graphic") CONTENTS OF VOL. I

CHAPTER page I. T he F irst F ight—T alana IIill 1 II. The Causes of the War ...... 15 III. The Burghers Make Ready—Their First Moves 25 IV. The Battle of Elandslaagte ...... 32 V. Early Movements in —The Northern Border 49 VI; The W estern Border :—Mafeking——Kurumax— Kim- BERLEY ...... 59 VII. T he Arming of B ritain . . . . 73 VIII. N atal—After the B attle of E landslaagte .... 9i IX. T he R etreat from D un dee ...... 101 X. How White Saved the Dundee Column—The Reconnaissance of Rietfonticin ...... 112 XI. How White Sallied Out—and Something of 4.7 121 XII. P epworth ...... AngloBoerWar.com i 37 XIII. N icholson’s N ek ...... 144 XIV. N orthern Cape Colony— A S kirmish at B elmont 156 XV. T he ...... 166 XVI. F rom N icholson’s N ek to the A rrival of R einforcements— R econnaissances and S kirmishes ...... 18 r XVII. T he —T he B ombardment—T he F irst A ttack . 2 0 r XVIII. Some S kirmishes and a N ight A ttack ..... 215 XIX. W ith Methuen—T he F irst S teps towards K imberley 223 XX. O n the R oad to K im berley—T he B attle of B elmont 234 XXI. W ith Methuen—E nslix ...... 243 XXII. Modder R iver ...... 249 XXIII. Stormberg ...... 265 XXIV. W ith Methuen—Mageksfontetn ...... 275 XXV. B efore Colenso ...... 293 XXVI. Colenso ...... 300 XXVII. T he E mpire’s R eserved ...... 325 XXVIII. The Siege of Ladysmith (continued) ...... 336 XXIX. T he I mperial Y eomanry ...... 350 XXX. The Siege of Ladysmith (

CHAPTRK PAGE XXXVI. Buller Moves Again ...... 45i XXXVII. Warren’s Movement on the Left Flank—Capture of Spion Kop 465 XXXVIII. On Spion K o p ...... 495 XXXIX. T h e R e t r e a t ...... 507 XL. Takes Command—And a Word on Strategy 517 XLI. Cape Colony—Gatacre’s Minor Movements .... 528 XLII. With French—Fighting and Manoeuvring ..... 543 XLIII. The (continued ...... 553 XLIV. Kimberley R elief Force—Macdonald Moves .... 563 XLV. The New Plan of Campaign—French’s March to Kimberley . 567 XLVI. The March on Kimberley (continued) ...... 574 XLVII. A Convoy Lost and a Town Won ...... 583 XLVIII. The Relief of Kimberley ...... 5*8 XLIX. The Flight and the Pursuit of Cronje ..... 595 L. Operations in the North of Cate Colony— A Chapter about C o lo n ia ls ...... 608 LI. Towards Ladysmith once More—The Capture of Vaal Krantz 622 LII. Vaal Krantz and Back Again ...... 63S LIII. The ...... 643 LIV. The Week in the Laager ...... 657 LV. A Successful Night Attack—The Surrender of Cronje . 669 LVI. The —TheAngloBoerWar.com Prologue .... 676 LVII. The Relief of Ladysmith—The First Act .... 684 LVIII. The R elief of Ladysmith—The Second Act .... 692 LIX. The R elief of Ladysmith—The Third Act .... 702 LX. The Siege of Mafeking (continued; ...... 712 LXI. The R elief of Ladysmith—Finale ...... 721 LXII. In Ladysmith—The End of the Siege ..... 73f> LXITI. Cronje's Last March ...... 74‘> LXIV. The Siege of Mafeking (continued) ...... 75* LXV. The Queen and Her People ...... 768 LXVI. The March on —Poplar Grove .... 7/8 LXVII. Negotiations—The Battle of Driefontein .... 787 LXVIII. To Bloemfontein ...... 797 LXIX. The Other End of the Line—Clements’ and Gatacre’s Opera­ tio n s ...... 808 LXX. Bloemfontein—Supplies—And a Folly ..... 821 LXXI. Koorn Spruit : A D is a s te r ...... 833 LXXII. The Death of Joubert—Action at Karee Siding 855 LXXIII. A Lost Reputation—Reddersburg ...... 867 LXXIV. Subduing the Land—The South-West 877 LXXV. T h e S o u th -E a st C o r n e r ...... 8S2 LXXVI. The Siege of Wepener ...... 895 LXXVII. To the Relief of Wepener ...... 916 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE PAGE The Commander-in-Chicf in the Field Hoisting Horses on Board a Transport 78 Fronds. Troops’ Quarters on Board the Brae- Sir William Penn Symons . . i mar Castle .... 79 The Storming of Talana Hill . . 3 The Duke of Connaught Hoisting the Sketch Map of North-West Natal . 5 Queen’s Flag on the Maine . 81 Hussar Scout ..... 8 General Buller in the Bay of Biscay 84 “ General Symons Reels in His Saddle The Queen’s West Surrey Regiment Mortally Wounded” . .1 0 Entraining at Cosham . . 89 Bloemfontein . . . . 15 Departure of the New Zealand Con­ A Boer Father and Son Ready for the tingent ..... 90 Front . . . . .17 Escorting Wounded Boer Prisoners into The Rout at Majuba Hill . . 18 Ladysmith . . . * 9 3 Dr. Jameson and His Staff . . 21 Map of Ladysmith and Country Round 95 Map of South African Railway System 25 A War Balloon “ on the March ” . 97 General Map of . AngloBoerWar.com . 26 Bringing the Wounded from Elands- A Candidate for the . 30 iaagte to Ladysmith . . 99 Resting on the General Yule . . . .102 Way to Elandslaagte . . 32 “ The Soldiers Wade Through the General French . . . -33 Waschbank River” . . . 106 “ A Dropped on the Limber of The Famous 4.7 Gun at Home : the Gun”. . . . -35 Loading . . . . .109 Trumpeter John James Shurlock . 37 The Camp of the Devons at Ladysmith 113 Native Despatch-Carrier Caught by Rictfontein : Helping a Wounded the . . 41 Comrade . . . . .114 Commandant Kock and Commandant Rictfontein: in Action . 117 Schiel ..... 44 Departure of the Tantallon Castle for The Impel ial Light Horse in a Skirmish 46 South Africa . . . .120 and Table Bay . . 48 A 4.7 Gun on Temporary Platform . 121 A British Shell and a Boer Gun . 49 General Sir George White . .123 Crossing a Drift . . . . 5 2 and War Balloon Out­ Mounted Infantry . . 55 side Ladysmith . . .126 Boers Moving a “Long Tom'-L . 58 Twelve-pounder Naval Gun and Colonel Baden-Powell 59 Gunners . . . . .129 In the Trenches at Mafeking . . 62 Commissioner Street, . 131 Kuruman : part of the Camp . . 63 A Naval Gun Passing Through Lady­ View in Kuruman . . . . 6 4 smith . . . . -132 Scouts ...... 65 Sir George White’s Headquarters at The Right Hon. . . 67 Ladysmith . . . 135 Men of the Naval Brigade Moving a A Volunteer Camp in Natal . .136 Gun ..... 69A Brush w'ith the Enemy . 137 Old Comrades . . . . 7 2 The Leicesters Under Shell Fire . 142 The New South Wales Lancers Leaving Ladysmith . . . . . 143 London ..... 7cThe 10th Mountain Battery . . 1 4 7 VI

PAGE PAGE The Last Cartridge ISO Sir .... 293 Heliographing .... 156 The Country round Colenso 2 9 6 A Hot Corner .... 159 Buller Standing on the Mound by the Major Scott Turner l6l Guns ..... 301 Dawn after the Battle 164 Plan of the Battle of Colenso . 302 Bloemfontein ..... 165 The Heroes of the Guns 305 Filling a Balloon .... 167 “ A Few Accomplish the Impossible " 308 “ Shells 1 !’—a Common Sight at Mafe- Bird’s-eye View of the Battle of k'nB ...... 169 Colenso ..... 313 South African Police on a Night March 172 !< Men Drop by the Way, but on The Art of Trench Construction 175 Rushes the Line ” 317 The Night Attack . 177 The Death of Lieutenant Roberts t2I A Kaffir Chief .... l8l Private of the C.I.V. 325 Boer Picket Near Ladysmith . 185 Conferring the Freedom of the City on The Last Train from Ladysmith 189 the C.I.V...... 328 Mr. 193 The Farewell Service at St. Paul s . 333 “ The Dublins . . . Responded as Best ‘ • The Lancers Were Fond of Drawing They Could ” 197 the Enemy’s Fire ” . 337 Bringing Up the Guns 201 A Naval Gun and Sandbag Emplace­ Ladysmith : General View of the ment at Ladysmith . 340 Camp ..... 204 “ Went Up the Hill like Cats ” 345 Ammunition Running Short. “ Fix Stock Farm near Ladysmith . 349 Bayonets ! ’ • . 2 0 0 The Prince of Wales Inspecting the War Balloon Ready to Go Up 21 2 Imperial Yeomanry . 35i “ Then Came a Stiff Job for the “ Good-bye ” ...... 353 Artillery ” .... 216 A Private of the Imperial Yeomanry 3 5 5 The Interior of an Armoured Train . 221 “ The Sappers Lay Violent Hands on General Lord Methuen, C.B. . AngloBoerWar.com2^3 the ” 361 Jamestown, St. Helena . 22 5 Returning from the Sortie 364 The Reconnaissance towards Belmont 227 Outspanncd on the Veldt 366 Map of Ix>rd Methuen's Advance be­ Cavalry Stall Headquarters, Modder tween De Aar and Kimberley 230 River ..... 3r*> The Sailor's Toy .... 233 The Naval Brigade Carry a Broken The Attack on the Kopje 235 Gun up a Kopje 372 Lieut.-General Korestier Walker 238 Colonel Dick Cunyngham 37 5 The Chaplain’s Heroism . 241 Map of the Attack of Jan. 6th 3/8 The Maxim of the West Yorkshires “ Who Goes There ? ” 3«3 in Action .... 244 A Hero of the Imperial Light Horse . 385 The Faithful Terrier 247 “ Answered Rifle from Top to Map Showing Positions of Brigades at Bottom of Caesar's Camp ’ ■ 389 .... 249 A White Flag Incident . 392 A Marvellous Escape 254 Ambulance Struck by a Shell . 397 General Pole-Carew 257 “ The Devons dash after their lieloved The Dash Across the Modder River 261 Commander ” . . . . 401 Boer Foot-bridge Over the Tugela . 264 Forgotten !..... 4°4 “Old Backacher” . . . . 2 6 5 Rebel Colonists Attacked by French’s Map of Railways in Northern Cape Cavalry ..... 409 Colony and South Orange Free The Remnant of H Company, Sut- State ..... 268 folks ..... 413 The Retreat to Molteno . 273 A Foot Parade at 417 The Highlanders Surprised in Close A Battle in a Thunderstorm : Bullcr’s Order ..... 279 Demonstration .... 421 Death of a Stretcher-Bearer at Magers- Buller's Camp, and Out}x>sts at the fontein ..... 282 Tugela ..... 4-M “ Short Shrift They Gave to the Men The Man of Kimberley 4-V They Found There ” . 287 Map of Kimberley and Bcaconsdicld 429 “ They Laid in His Grave Andrew The Guii at Mines, Kim­ Wauchope 11 289 berley ...... 433 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. vii

PAGE PAGE A Narrow Escape for the Queen . 436 The Town Guard Sniping in the Proclamation by Colonel Kekewich . 439 Trenches ..... 561 Loot for the Colonials . . . 442General Macdonald Watching the Dawn in the Trenches . . . 447 Battle of Koodoosberg . . 565 A Highlander with a Heliograph . 449 Major-General Babington . .568 Sketch Plan of Spion Kop and Sur­ Map of General French’s Dash for rounding Country . . . 451 Kimberley . • • *573 “ Soon there was a Regular Block ” 454 Commandeered : French’s Troops after • ‘ The British Covering Party Opened a Foraging Expedition . .575 Fire ” ...... 457 General Kelly-Kenny . . -577 No. 4 Mountain Battery in Action on “ The Men with the Long Knives were Schwartz Kop .... 462 Amongst Us ” . . . . 580 A Zulu Kraal .... 464 The C.I.V. at . . . $85 Entrenching Schwartz Kop . . 465 Major Rimington of the ‘Tigers’ on His “ The Main Body is Within 300 Favourite Pony . . .588 Yards ” . . . . 468French’s Cavalry Going Past a Kopje 593 A Common Transport Accident . 473 Commandant Albrecht . . . 595 Hart’s Brigade Storming the Kopjes 478 A Dust Storm in Camp . . . 598 “ Colonel ” Blake of the Transvaal On the Heels of Cronje . . .601 Irish Brigade . . . .481 “ The Hussars Send more Volleys after The Dublins Rushing the Trenches at Them ” ..... 605 Spion Kop .... 484 Hard Pressed ..... 609 An Accident to a Water Cart on the A Turn with the Gloves at Sterkstroom 612 Way up Spion Kop . . .488 Storming the Laager at Dordrecht . 617 The Devons Watching the Fight for An Ammunition Mule’s Load . . 620 Spion Kop from their Camp . 494 “ They Simply Worked On ” . . 625 “ I Command Here," he said, “ and I “ Dashed over the next Knoll . . . and Will Have No Surrender ! ” AngloBoerWar.com . .497 Captured It’’ . . . . 628 Up Went the 60th with Bayonets Sketch Map of Vaal Krantz and Fixed . . . . .501 Neighbouring Positions . .631 “ White and His Staff Were Viewing Hauling Ammunition up Zwart Kop . 633 the Battle A tar Off ” . . 504 The K. R. R. Advancing through the After the Retreat : Boers Robbing Mealies ..... 636 the Dead . . . .510 The S. A. L. H. Surprised near Doom Carrying Away the Wounded from Kloof ..... 639 Spion Kop . . . -513 Major-General Hildyard . . .641 In the Trenches . . . .516 Map of Paardeberg . . . 644 Diagram Showing Position of Troops in The Canadians Crossing the Drift . 649 South Africa, January 31st, 1900 518 Tnc Corn walls on the River Bank . 653 “ Every Grenadier of them was out A Typical Cattle Farm . . .656 and Shouting”. . . ^23 Wounded at Paardeberg Waiting for “ B obs” ...... 326 the Doctor . . . . 657 “ The Machine ” . . . 527 Cronje’s last Position . . .661 How de Montmorency Won his V.C. 529 On the Road Between Paardeberg and Map Showing Operations of Gatacre Jacobsdal .... 664 and French . . . -532 Cronje Surrenders to Lord Roberts . 669 Coolly and Steadily the Scouts Aim De Aar Junction . . . .672 and Fire . . . . -535 Lieut.-Colonel Otter . . . 673 Mounted Infantry in Action . . 540 Colenso Railway Bridge Destroyed by View of Coleskop and Its Ammunition the Boers . . . -679 Hoist ..... 545 Lieut.-Colonel Thorneycroft and His “ The Rest Turned and Galloped for Adjutant . . . . 6S2 Their lives ” . . . . 549 A Six-span Ox-Waggon Loaded with French’s and Gatacrc’s Operations in C h a f f ...... 685 Cape Colony . . . . 550 Scottish Fusiliers Going through the The De Beers Washing-machine . $55 Brushwood on Monte Cristo . 689 “ ,” the Home-Made Kim­ Six-Inch Siege Guns Mounted on berley Gun . . . . 558 Railway Carriages . . .692 HISTORY OF THE BOER WAR.

PAGE PAGE “ They Plied the Steel ” . . . 695 {i First of all, a Little, Broad-shouldered Boer Wounded Left Behind on Green Old Man ” . . . . 805 H ill...... 699 Major-General Clements . . . 809 The Naval Guns Attacking Grobler’s Bethulie Railway Bridge Destroyed by Kloof ..... 703 the Boers . . . . -813 Scouts Questioning Natives . . 705 Hit ! ...... 819 Diagram Showing the Disposition of A Novel Sentry Box . . . 820 the Brigades .... 707 A Main “ Road ” near Bloemfontein 825 The Last Charge at Railway Hill . 709 Dclagoa Bay . . . . .828 Lord Lovat’s Scouts . , .711 Q Battery at Koorn Spruit . . 833 Mrs. Davies, the Lady Sharpshooter . 713 “ Hornby Swivels Them Round ’’ . 835 Drawing Water, Mafeking . . 716 Diagram of the Positions at Koorn Shooting a Native Spy, Mafeking . 720 Spruit ..... 838 “ Standing up, They Lined the Panoramic View' of the Disaster at Trenches ” 723 Koorn Spruit . . . .843 “ Wounded Men Lay there in Agony ” 727 Mounted Infantry Halting on the A Shell Bursting among Boers . 730 Road ..... 846 The Natal Carbineers Enter Lady­ Boers Firing Down on the Convoy . 849 smith ...... 735 The Presidency, Bloemfontein . . 852 The Five Remaining Officers of the General Joubert . . . .857 Inniskillings . . . . 737 C.I.V. on the March . . . 860 The Hospital Camp, Ladysmith, after The Colonials Caught in a Hailstorm 863 a Storm ..... 738 His First and Last Shot at the The War Correspondents’ Shelter at Boers . . . . .865 Ladysmith . . . .7 41 Norvals Pont Destroyed by the Boers 869 A Starving Horse at Ladysmith . 744 Diagram Showing Position of Red- Keeping down the Enemy’s Fire . 747 dersberg and Mostert’s Kop . 871 Looting the Laager after PaardebergAngloBoerWar.com 750 A Hospital Oi>en-Air Smoker . .875 The Last March of the Four Thousand 752 Diagram of Clements’s Movements The Champagne Lunch Given to Cronjc around Fauresmith . . . 877 before His Departure . .756 Free State Burghers Coming in to The Old Police Fort, Mafeking . . 759 Deliver Arms .... 880 The Ruins of an Office, Mafeking . 761 The Dangers of Mercy . . . 883 A Sniping Shot at the Big Gun . 763 “ He Was Blindfolded and Taken to Loading the Old Naval Gun . . 765 Major Maxwell "■ 886 Queen Victoria in Phoenix Park . 769 “ Artillery to the Front” . . 8S9 Ladysmith Day .... 773 A Typical Bivouac . . . 892 The Naval Brigade Passing the Man­ The Ncwr Zealand Contingent . . 895 sion House . . . - 77^ M. Samuel Leon, the Celebrated Plan of the Battle of Poplar Grove . 779 Gunner of Long Tom . . 897 A Wounded Comrade . . .782 “ The Dutchmen Had Laboured also” 900 Lord Roberts at Lunch on the Battle­ At a River Drift . . . .905 field ...... 785 The Field Hospital at Work . .908 The Essex Regiment Storming the “ Scores of Boers Passed Within Arm’s Dricfontoin Trenches. . .789 Length” . . . . . 913 The Scots Greys Charging up a Kopje An Outpost Entrenched . .916 at Driefontein .... 794 The Yeomanry out for a Cross-Country Bloemfontein : Distant View' . . 799 Scamper . . . . .919 Market Square, Bloemfontein . .801 Trooper Roberts Wins His V.C. . 924