Four Months Besieged: The Story of LadysmithPearse, Henry H. S.
History
Four Months Besieged: The Story of Ladysmith
Pearse, Henry H. S.
Ladysmith (South Africa) -- History -- Siege, 1899-1900
_February 23._--For several days past the naval 12-pounder on Caesar's
Camp has shelled Boers at work on the dam below Intombi Camp, causing
much consternation. One result of this is that Bulwaan tries to keep
down the 12-pounder's fire and leaves the town in comparative quiet.
This afternoon there was another surprise for the Boers. "Lady Anne,"
one of the big twin sisters of the naval armament to which we owe so
much, had not fired for just a month until she astonished the gunners on
Bulwaan by planting a shell in their works to-day. They ran in all
directions, not knowing where to hide, and at the second shot bolted
back across the hill. Their tents have disappeared from Bulwaan now.
To-day a Boer, or rather a German fighting for the Boers, was caught by
our patrols. He had a rifle, a bandolier, pockets full of cartridges,
and a red-cross badge, concealed, but ready for use when fighting might
be inconvenient.
_February 26._--Yesterday numbers of Boers were seen retiring from
Pieter's Station across the ridges towards Bester's Valley, but no sign
of a general retreat yet beyond the report of scouts, who say that
several guns have been seen going back at a gallop behind Bulwaan,
followed by nearly two hundred waggons. Last night we heard rifle-firing
on the ridges south of Caesar's Camp and Waggon Hill. It sounded so near
that for a time we thought our own outposts were engaged with the enemy.
Kaffirs say this was a Boer attack on Pieter's Station, but their story
is not confirmed. General Buller heliographs that he is still going
strong, but the country is difficult and progress slow. Lord Roberts,
according to another helio-signal, has Cronje surrounded. Two attempts
to relieve him have been frustrated. All this puts new life into the
garrison here. A newspaper telegram was also heliographed announcing
that Cronje had surrendered with 6000 men, after losing 1700 killed and
wounded. This is probably a bit of journalistic enterprise in
anticipation of events.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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