A Handbook of the Boer War: With General Map of South Africa and 18 Sketch Maps and Plans
History
A Handbook of the Boer War: With General Map of South Africa and 18 Sketch Maps and Plans
South African War, 1899-1902
When Lyttelton became aware that the enemy had been expelled, he
proposed to avail himself of the success without delay, and push on to
the Nek and Monte Cristo, while Warren's Vth Division attacked Green
Hill; but Buller objected to an advance which could not be completed
before nightfall. Lyttelton bivouacked S.W. of the ridge and Dundonald
on the detached hill at its northern end. During the night, field guns
were brought up the slopes and with much difficulty emplaced in a
position from which shell fire could be directed on Monte Cristo.
If the movement of the day was not remarkable for speed and enterprise,
it was at least directed with skill and without excessive caution; and
Dundonald showed that his military spirit had not been chilled by
previous rebuffs, one of them administered almost on the spot where he
was now in activity.
At daylight on February 18, the movement was resumed, the immediate
objective being the capture of Monte Cristo and Green Hill. One brigade
was sent through the Nek on to the eastward slopes of Monte Cristo,
while the other attacked the hill from the south. With the help of the
ever-ready Dundonald the IInd Division established itself on the main
hill of the ridge early in the afternoon. The Fusilier Brigade of the
Vth Division was meanwhile acting in support; and advancing as soon as
Monte Cristo was seen to be occupied, easily took hold of Green Hill.
The enemy was now expelled from all the positions commanding the
proposed line of advance over the Nek, and was retreating westward
towards the positions near the right bank of the Tugela, but no attempt
was made to pursue him. The motto of Buller's Army was _festina lente_
and its track towards Ladysmith was in zigzag.
On the following day Hlangwhane was occupied by the British troops, and
before noon on February 20, all the Boers had withdrawn to the left bank
of the Tugela, and Buller was favourably placed for the advance by way
of the Klip River on Bulwana. A reconnaissance, however, caused him to
change his mind and to resume the movement at an acute angle by doubling
back towards Hlangwhane and crossing the river by a pontoon bridge west
of the hill.
His new plan was to capture a position between the Onderbroek and
Langewacht Spruits, which appeared from a distance to be one hill, but
which in reality was two, Wynne's Hill and Horseshoe Hill, which were
separated by a donga. On the morning of February 21 he signalled his
intentions to White, saying that he thought he had "only a rearguard
before him"[29] and that he hoped to be in Ladysmith next day.
After the capture of Monte Cristo and the Hlangwhane position, some of
the commandos seem to have trekked away towards the north, and even
Botha for a time appears to have lost heart and to have suggested to
Joubert that the siege of Ladysmith should be raised. The Boer leaders
had already, like King Arthur,
Heard the steps of Modred in the west,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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