CHAPTER VIII
GUERILLA WARFARE 125
AFTERWORD 137
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF NOTABLE PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN 152
RECIPIENTS OF THE VICTORIA CROSS 191
LEXICON OF TERMS AND PLACES CONNECTED WITH THE CAMPAIGN 197
DEATHS IN ACTION AND FROM DISEASE 208
LIST OF CASUALTIES 211
INDEX 213
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS--VOL. VI.
MAP ILLUSTRATING GENERAL BULLER'S CAMPAIGN IN NATAL, MAY-JUNE 1900 _At Front_
1. _COLOURED PLATES_
PAGE
MUSTER OF THE CAPE TOWN GUARD _Frontispiece_
THE GRENADIER GUARDS 8
THE HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY 56
THE VICTORIA MOUNTED RIFLES 72
THE ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS 120
THE 2ND NORTHAMPTON REGIMENT 140
MARKET SQUARE, JOHANNESBURG 148
COMMANDER AND ABLE-SEAMAN, R.N. 192
2. _FULL-PAGE PLATES_
AUSTRALIAN BUSHMEN ON THE MARCH 24
A HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD: MAJUBA 32
PRINSLOO'S COMMANDO RETREATING TO THE BRANDWATER BASIN 44
PRINSLOO'S LAST STAND IN THE VALLEY OF THE LITTLE CALEDON 48
THE SURRENDER OF PRINSLOO'S FORCE 52
ALGOA BAY AND PORT ELIZABETH 64
BOERS TAKING THE OATH OF NEUTRALITY 88
PRISONERS' CAMP AT NOOITGEDACHT 96
THE NIGHT CHARGE OF THE 19TH HUSSARS NEAR LYDENBURG 104
THE DÉBÂCLE: ON THE TRACK OF A FLEEING COMMANDO 112
SIMON'S TOWN, CAPE COLONY 124
BURNING THE FARM OF A TREACHEROUS BURGHER 128
THE HARBOUR, EAST LONDON 132
THE INSPECTION OF COLONIAL SOLDIERS AT WINDSOR 136
RETURN OF THE CITY IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS 144
DURBAN, NATAL 200
3. _FULL-PAGE PORTRAITS_
THE EARL OF AIRLIE 16
MAJOR-GENERAL CLEMENTS, D.S.O. 40
DE WET 80
MAJOR-GENERAL BARTON 152
H.R.H. PRINCE CHRISTIAN 160
SIR FRANCIS CLERY, K.C.B. 168
MAJOR-GENERAL SMITH-DORRIEN, D.S.O. 176
LIEUT.-GENERAL TUCKER, C.B. 184
4. _MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS IN THE TEXT_
MAP OF SEAT OF WAR 5
PLANS--BATTLE OF DIAMOND HILL 14, 16
LINES TORN UP BY DE WET 22
BATTLE OF ALMOND'S NEK (MAJUBA) 28
REPAIRING LAING'S NEK TUNNEL 31
RAILWAY MAP--E. AND S.E. OF PRETORIA 33
" " W. AND S.W. OF PRETORIA 41
" " E. ORANGE RIVER COLONY AND NATAL 45
POSITION OF TROOPS ROUND THE BRANDWATER BASIN BEFORE THE SURRENDER OF PRINSLOO 50
NITRAL'S NEK 58
MAP ILLUSTRATING THE EASTWARD MOVE FROM EERSTEFABRIEKEN TO MIDDELBURG 64
MAP--THE BATTLEFIELDS OF PRETORIA 73
COMMANDO'S NEK, MAGALIESBERG 79
A CAPITAL ON WHEELS 94
MAP--LYDENBURG CAMPAIGN 104
BARBERTON 107
HARRISMITH 113
MAJOR-GENERAL BRABAZON 155
BRIGADIER-GENERAL BROADWOOD 155
LIEUT.-COLONEL DALGETY 161
HON. SIR W. HELY-HUTCHINSON 169
MAJOR-GENERAL HUTTON, C.B. 171
COLONEL KEKEWICH 172
LIEUTENANT ROBERTS, V.C. 182
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THORNEYCROFT 186
CAPTAIN TOWSE, V.C. 186
SURG.-GENERAL W. D. WILSON 189
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE--VOL. VI.
JUNE 1900.
5.--The British flag hoisted in Pretoria.
7.--The 4th Battalion Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) captured by the enemy at Roodeval.
9.--Klerksdorp surrendered to General Hunter.
11.--Lord Methuen gained a complete victory over De Wet.
12.--Almond's Nek having been forced the previous day, the Boers evacuated Laing's Nek and Majuba at nightfall, and General Buller encamped four miles north of Volksrust.
The battle of Diamond Hill. Lord Roberts defeated Botha 15 miles east of Pretoria. The Boers retreated in the night farther east.
13.--The Boers continued their aggressions on the Senekal-Ficksburg line. The Senekal-Winburg telegraph line was damaged. General Lyttelton occupied Wakkerstroom.
14.--Rustenburg occupied by General Baden-Powell.
Botha's rearguard surprised and "thoroughly routed" by General Ian Hamilton's Mounted Infantry.
Position on Zand River attacked by 800 Boers with three guns. Enemy driven off by General Knox.
15.--Column left Pretoria to meet General Baden-Powell and repair telegraph between Pretoria and Rustenburg.
18.--General Baden-Powell arrived at Pretoria.
General Hunter occupied Krugersdorp.
19.--Lord Methuen defeated De Wet at Heilbron.
20.--Extinction of rebellion in Cape Colony. Surrender of De Villiers.
22.--Lord Dundonald occupied Standerton.
24.--General Clements defeated the Boers at Winburg.
General Ian Hamilton occupied Heidelburg.
26.--Boer attack repulsed near Senekal, and enemy's laager burned.
27.--Attack on British at Roodeval Spruit. Boers beaten off.
JULY 1900.
1.--Generals Hunter and MacDonald joined hands at Frankfort.
4.--General Buller's forces and those of the Commander-in-Chief joined at Vlakfontein.
Entire railway from Natal to Johannesburg in hands of the British.
General Paget drove the enemy from strong positions towards Bethlehem.
7.--General Buller arrived at Pretoria.
Bethlehem captured by Generals Clements and Paget. De Wet put to flight.
11.--Squadron of Scots Greys, five companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment, with two guns of the O Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, captured at Nitral's Nek. General Smith-Dorrien successfully engaged the Boers near Krugersdorp.
16.--Determined attacks by Boers on left flank of British posts in the Pretoria district. Enemy driven off with loss.
19.--General Little engaged De Wet near Lindley, and broke up his forces.
21.--Advance begun from Pretoria east, along Delagoa Bay Railway.
A supply train, with 100 Welsh Fusiliers, captured near Honing Spruit.
23.--The Black Watch capture a hill at Retief's Nek. The Highland Light Infantry were compelled to retire from a steep hill above the Nek.
25.--Lord Roberts's force reached Balmoral on the way to Middelburg. French's Cavalry and Hutton's Mounted Infantry put Boers to flight six miles south of Balmoral.
Boers flee in disorder before Lord Roberts's advance. General French crosses Oliphant's River.
26.--Philip de Wet, younger brother of Christian de Wet, surrendered at Kroonstad.
General Hunter occupied Fouriesburg.
General MacDonald, after fighting a rearguard action, blocked Naauwpoort Nek.
27.--Occupation of Middelburg by advance guard of Lord Roberts without opposition.
30.--Surrender of Generals Prinsloo, A. J. Villiers, and Crowther, and 4000 Boers to General Hunter.
AUGUST 1900.
4.--Surrender of Harrismith to General MacDonald.
10.--Discovery of the plot at Pretoria to kidnap Lord Roberts and the British officers.
Pursuit of De Wet continued.
12.--De Wet escaped.
16.--Eland's River garrison relieved.
24.--Lord Roberts left for the front in the Eastern Transvaal to operate against General Botha.
25.--Lieutenant Hans Cordua shot in Pretoria for his participation in the plot against Lord Roberts.
26.--Great battle near Dalmanutha.
Capture of Commandant Olivier and his two sons at Winburg.
27.--Important positions captured near Dalmanutha.
28.--General Buller's troops occupied Machadodorp.
Bergendal occupied.
29.--Kruger fled to Nelspruit.
The Boers evacuated Helvetia, which was occupied by General Buller.
30.--British occupation of Waterval Boven.
Release of about 2000 British prisoners at Nooitgedacht.
SEPTEMBER 1900.
1.--Lord Roberts annexed to the British Empire the South African Republic, which henceforth will be known as the Transvaal Colony.
4.--General Buller and Botha engaged at Lydenburg.
Siege of Ladybrand raised.
6.--British occupied Lydenburg. Botha retreated.
8.--Spitz Kop captured.
11.--Kruger, having fled from the Transvaal, arrived in Portuguese territory, and proceeded to Lorenzo Marques.
13.--Lord Roberts issued a proclamation calling upon the Boers to surrender.
General French occupied Barberton.
16.--British occupied Nelspruit.
20.--British occupation of Kaap Muiden.
24.--Arrival of the British at the Portuguese frontier. Evacuation of all the Boer positions near the frontier.
25.--Lord Roberts telegraphed to the Lord Mayor of London that the City Imperial Volunteers might be expected home "before November 5th."
Surrender of Boers to the Portuguese.
OCTOBER 1900.
3.--Return of General Buller to Lydenburg after having marched through the whole of the hilly country to the north as far as Pilgrim's Rest, and having occupied the principal Boer positions.
9.--Continuous series of engagements in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, and defeat of De Wet, who was driven north, across the Vaal, at Venterstroom.
10.--General Buller prepared to return home.
11.--Anniversary of Kruger's insolent ultimatum.
19.--Mr. Kruger left Lorenzo Marques for Europe, and made his exit from the political stage.
24.--General Buller left Cape Town for England.
Koffyfontein besieged.
25.--The Transvaal formally annexed.
NOVEMBER 1900
3.--Koffyfontein relieved.
6.--Engagement with De Wet near Bothaville.
16.--Conspirators against Lord Roberts arrested.
18.--Lord Roberts met with an accident at Johannesburg.
23.--Garrison at Dewetsdorp surrendered to De Wet.
27.--General Charles Knox in touch with De Wet at Beyersberg.
29.--Lord Kitchener took over the command in South Africa.
DECEMBER 1900.
5.--De Wet crossed the Caledon with a view to entering Cape Colony.
11.--Lord Roberts left Cape Town for England.
De Wet, after being turned northward by General Knox, moved towards Reddersburg.
13.--Reverse to General Clements near the Magaliesberg.
Brabant's Horse mishap near Zastron.
19.--Boers under Delarey routed.
Boer raid into Cape Colony.
21.--War Office arranged for reinforcements.
22.--Boer movement in Cape Colony checked.
26.--General Charles Knox engaged with De Wet near Leeuw Kop.
28.--De Wet, frustrated in his attempt to break through to the south, withdrew to Senekal.
Cape raiders driven northward.
29.--British garrison at Helvetia captured.
30.--Preparations made for the frustration of a more ambitious Boer raid into Cape Colony.
JANUARY 1901
1.--"Call to arms" at Capetown. Enthusiastic response.
7.--Boers attacked Belfast, Wonderfontein, Nooitgedacht, Widfontein, and Pan, and after sharp fighting were dispersed.
10.--Machadodorp attacked by night. Post gallantly defended.
12.--Boers driven eastward from Witwatersberg by General French.
Activities in Cape Colony to frustrate Hertzog's advance.
22.--Death of Queen Victoria. Lamentation throughout the world.
23.--Colonels De Lisle, Scobell, and Collenbrander drove the enemy out of Calvinia and Van Rhynsdorp, and pursued him north to Carnarvon.
28.--General French marched eastward, clearing the valley of the Wilge River.
FEBRUARY 1901.
6.--General French, after encountering little resistance, entered Ermelo. General Smith-Dorrien repulsed 2000 of the enemy. His losses were 23 killed and 52 wounded.
9.--Eastern movement continued in deluges of rain, but invasion of Natal by Botha eventually frustrated.
10.--De Wet, after many contests with the British forces in Orange River Colony, succeeded in crossing the river at Sand Drift.
14.--Animated chases after De Wet.
23.--De Wet succeeded in recrossing the river after losing 200 prisoners, all his guns, ammunition, and waggons.
27.--Lengthy negotiations for the promotion of peace took place between Lord Kitchener and Commandant Botha, which negotiations eventually fell to the ground.
OFFICIAL TABLE OF CASUALTIES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The following is a table of casualties in the Field Force, South Africa, reported during the month of December 1900, and total casualties reported since the beginning of the war, up to and including the month:--
[Transcribers' Note: In order to fit the table within the standard Project Gutenberg constraints, column headings have been keyed as follows:
D: Died of Wounds in South Africa (included in wounded). M: Missing and Prisoners. T: Total Killed, Wounded, Missing and Prisoners. O: Officers. N: N.C.O.'s and Men.]
+---------------------------+--------+-----------+-------+---------+-----------+ | | Killed.| Wounded. | D | M | T | | Casualties in Action. +---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+ | | O | N | O | N |O | N | O | N | O | N | +---------------------------+---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+ |Nooitgedacht, December 13 | 9| 57| 11| 183|..| 12|[A]|18[A]| 20 | 258| |Other casualties | 4| 141| 41| 382| 4| 71| 2| 101 | 47| 624| | +---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+ |Total casualties | | | | | | | | | | | | reported during the month| 13| 198| 52| 565| 4| 83| 2| 119 | 67| 882| | +---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+ |Total casualties reported | | | | | | | | | | | | up to and including the| | | | | | | | | | | | month-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Belmont, | | | | | | | | | | | | November 23, 1899 | 3| 50| 25| 220| 1| 21|...| ...| 28| 270| | Colenso, | | | | | | | | | | | | December 15, 1899 | 7| 134| 43| 719| 2| 20| 21| 206| 71| 1039| | Driefontein, | | | | | | | | | | | | March 10, 1900 | 5| 58| 29| 342| 1| 18|...| 2| 24| 402| | Dundee, October 20, 1899 | 8| 43| 21| 84| 3| ...| 25| 305| 44| 432| | Elandslaagte, | | | | | | | | | | | | October 21, 1899 | 5| 50| 30| 169|..| 6|...| 4| 35| 223| | Enslin (Graspan), | | | | | | | | | | | | November 25, 1899 | 3| 14| 6| 162| 1| 4|...| 9| 9| 185| | Farquhar's Farm and | | | | | | | | | | | | Nicholson's Nek, | | | | | | | | | | | | October 30, 1899 | 6| 56| 9| 244|..| 10| 43| 927| 58| 1227| | Johannesburg and | | | | | | | | | | | | Pretoria, capture of | 3| 20| 34| 132| 1| 8| 5| 38| 42| 190| | Karee, near Brandfort, | | | | | | | | | | | | March 29, 1900 | 1| 20| 9| 152| 1| 11|...| ...| 10| 172| | Ladysmith, Relief of, | | | | | | | | | | | | February 19 to 27, 1900| 22| 241| 91| 1530| 3| 80| 1| 11| 114| 1782| | Magersfontein, | | | | | | | | | | | | December 11, 1899 | 23| 167| 45| 645| 3| 35|...| 91| 68| 903| | Monte Christo | | | | | | | | | | | | (Colenso), &c., | | | | | | | | | | | | February 15 to 18, 1900| 1| 13| 8| 180|..| 3|...| 4| 9| 197| | Modder River, | | | | | | | | | | | | November 28, 1899 | 4| 66| 20| 393|..| 32|...| 2| 24| 461| | Paardeberg, | | | | | | | | | | | | February 16 to 27, 1900| 18| 245| 74| 1137| 6| 69| 6| 58| 98| 1440| | Potgeiter's Drift, | | | | | | | | | | | | February 5 to 7, 1900 | 2| 23| 18| 326|..| 8|...| 5| 20| 354| | Pretoria, east of, | | | | | | | | | | | | June 11 and 12, 1900 | 8| 6| 16| 128| 1| 4| 1| 3| 25| 137| | Reddersburg, | | | | | | | | | | | | April 3 and 4, 1900 | 2| 10| 2| 33| 1| 1| 8| 397| 12| 440| | Rietfontein, | | | | | | | | | | | | October 24, 1899 | 1| 11| 6| 98|..| 4|...| 2| 7| 111| | Sanna's Post, | | | | | | | | | | | | March 31, 1900 | 3| 15| 16| 122| 2| 7| 18| 408| 37| 545| | Senekal, May 29, 1900 |...| 38| 7| 127| 1| 5|...| 12| 7| 177| | Spion Kop, &c., | | | | | | | | | | | | January 17 to 24, 1900 | 30| 276| 53| 1061| 6| 52| 4| 314| 87| 1651| | Stormberg, | | | | | | | | | | | | December 10, 1899 |...| 31| 7| 51|..| 1| 13| 620| 20| 702| | Uitval's Nek, | | | | | | | | | | | | July 11, 1900 | 3| 16| 3| 53|..| 3| 4| 186| 10| 255| | Willow Grange, | | | | | | | | | | | | November 23, 1899 |...| 11| 1| 66|..| 2| 1| 8| 2| 85| | At Ladysmith, during | | | | | | | | | | | | Investment-- | | | | | | | | | | | | Battle of January 6, | | | | | | | | | | | | 1900 | 14| 164| 33| 287| 4| 25|...| 2| 47| 453| | Other casualties | 6| 60| 36| 280| 3| 29|...| 12| 42| 352| | At Kimberley during | | | | | | | | | | | | Investment | 2| 36| 15| 124|..| 4| 1| 3| 18| 163| | At Mafeking during | | | | | | | | | | | | Investment | 5| 64| 10| 152|..| 9| 1| 41| 16| 257| | Other casualties |139|1278| 562| 5434|57| 564|152| 4372| 853|11,084| | +---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+ | Total casualties in | | | | | | | | | | | | action reported up to |324|3216|1209|14,451|97|1035|304| 8042|1837|25,709| | December 31 | | | | | | |[B]| [B] | | | +---------------------------+---+----+----+------+--+----+---+-----+----+------+
FOOTNOTES:
[A] In this action 15 officers and 560 men were reported missing. The great majority of these were captured, but were released on December 16.
[B] Of these, 293 officers and 7052 men have been released or have escaped, and 4 officers and 92 men have died in captivity.
+------------------------------------------+---------+----------+ | Other Casualties. |Officers.| N.C.O.'s | | | | and Men | +------------------------------------------+---------+----------+ |Reported during the month-- | | | | Died of disease in South Africa | 11 | 445 | | Accidental deaths in South Africa | 1 | 24 | | Invalids sent home | 87 | 1437 | | +---------+----------+ |Total up to and including the month-- | | | | Died of disease in South Africa | 174 | 7011 | | Accidental deaths in South Africa | 5 | 200 | | Invalids sent home-- | | | | Wounded | } | { 5662 | | Sick | } 1638 | {30243 | | Not specified which | } | { 1081 | +------------------------------------------+---------+----------+ |Total reduction of the Field Force, South | | | | Africa, due to casualties. | | | | | | | |Reported during the month-- | | | | Killed in action | 13 | 198 | | Died of wounds in South Africa | 4 | 83 | | Died of disease in South Africa | 11 | 445 | | Accidental deaths in South Africa | 1 | 24 | | Missing and prisoners | 2 | 119 | | Sent home as invalids | 87 | 1437 | | +---------+----------+ | Total | 118 | 2306 | | +---------+----------+ |Totals reported up to and including the | | | | month-- | | | | Killed in action | 324 | 3216 | | Died of wounds | 97 | 1035 | | Prisoners who have died in captivity | 4 | 92 | | Died of disease | 174 | 7011 | | Accidental deaths | 5 | 200 | | +---------+----------+ | Total deaths in South Africa | 604 | 11,554 | | Missing and prisoners (excluding those | | | | who have been recovered or have | | | | died in captivity) | 7 | 898[C]| | Sent home as invalids | 1638 | 36,986[C]| | +---------+----------+ | Total, South African Field Force | 2249 49,438 | | | \ / | | | 51,687[D] | +------------------------------------------+---------+----------+ |Total reduction of the Military Forces | | | | through war in South Africa-- | | | | Deaths in South Africa | 604 | 11,554 | | Missing and prisoners | 7 | 898[D]| | Invalids sent home who have died | 4 | 243 | | Invalids sent home who have left the | | | | Service as unfit | ... | 1570 | | +---------+----------+ | | 615 14,265 | | | \ / | | | 14,380[E] | +------------------------------------------+--------------------+
FOOTNOTES:
[C] Of these, 243 have died, 1570 have been discharged from the Service as unfit, and 654 are in hospital.
[D] This total includes a number of men reported "missing" who subsequently rejoined, but whose return has not yet been notified.
[E] The difference between these two numbers is due to the fact that the great majority of the men invalided home have recovered and rejoined for duty. (See note B.)
SOUTH AFRICA AND THE TRANSVAAL WAR