South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 4 (of 8): From Lord Roberts' Entry into the Free State to the Battle of KarreeCreswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 4 (of 8): From Lord Roberts' Entry into the Free State to the Battle of Karree
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
FIFTH DIVISION.--(Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Warren).--10th
(Coke's) Brigade--2nd Dorset; 2nd Middlesex; 2nd Somerset Light
Infantry. 11th (Wynne's) Brigade--2nd Royal Lancaster; 2nd
Lancashire Fusiliers; 1st South Lancashire; 1st York and
Lancaster; Squadron 13th Hussars; 19th, 20th, and 28th Field
Batteries. Corps Troops--1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers; Imperial
Light Infantry; Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry; 61st Field
Battery (Howitzers); 78th Field Battery; Natal Battery,
9-pounders; twelve Naval 12-pounder quick-firers; 4th Mountain
Battery; two 4.7 Naval guns, 1st Cavalry Brigade
(Burn-Murdoch)--1st Royal Dragoons; 14th Hussars; Gough's
Composite Regiment. 2nd Cavalry Brigade (Dundonald)--Natal
Carabineers (squadron); South African Light Horse (four
squadrons); Imperial Light Horse (squadron); Natal Police
(squadron).
General Lyttelton succeeded General Clery (disabled by blood-poisoning)
in command of the Second Division, while Colonel Norcott (Rifle Brigade)
temporarily took command of the Fourth Brigade.
On the 14th the army moved to occupy the new position on Hussar Hill. As
we know, the irregular cavalry, the South African Horse, had secured the
position, and some disappointed Boers who had thought to be beforehand
with them had disappeared with much haste and not a little chagrin.
After a short time Generals Wynne Coke, and Barton with their respective
brigades joined Sir Charles Warren's division, and bivouacked on the new
ground. There was some trouble about water, as Hussar Hill was arid and
the nearest river was some miles away. However, necessity is the mother
of invention, and necessity brought to light a system of water-waggons
by which a small but appreciable amount of water was carried to the
troops. While this was going on above, General Lyttelton was moving to
the east of Chieveley round the eastern spur of Hussar Hill.
Here during the afternoon a number of Boers hiding among the boulders
and dense scrub made themselves obstreperous; but their fire was
overcome by our artillery, and before long they were dislodged.
Little happened for two days save some artillery duelling, then an
appreciable advance was made. A wooded hill called Cingolo, part of the
range east of Hlangwane, was the next to be seized by an adroit flanking
movement of the infantry. They gained and kept the top of the hill with
but few casualties owing to the dense cover.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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