South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
place without a somewhat exciting scene, which was described in the
letter before quoted. "The Llandrost, or Chief Magistrate, refused to
take off his hat while 'God Save the Queen' was being played, so one of
the doctors in Harrismith gently knocked it off. The Llandrost's son then
hit the doctor in the mouth, whereupon the doctor, being a Scotsman,
promptly stretched him out. We then interfered, and MacDonald made them
shake hands all round."
[Illustration: HARRISMITH. (Photo by Mr. Kemp.)]
To insure the safety of General MacDonald's advance, a simultaneous move,
as we know, had been taken from the Ladysmith direction. The 13th Hussars
received sudden orders to start minus baggage or tents and meet the 5th
Lancers at the foot of the Drakensberg and secure Van Reenen's Pass. They
reached their destination in the drear dead of midnight. Shivering in
every limb, and rolled only in the fur rugs from their saddles, the small
band awaited the daylight; then a few men being left to guard the Pass
they pressed on hot-foot to Harrismith, which was reached at 5 P.M., just
twenty-four hours after leaving Ladysmith--a distance of fifty-four
miles. Thanksgiving services were held on the 5th at both church and
town-hall in honour of the arrival of the British troops, and the general
joy in spite of the cold (Harrismith, about 5000 feet above the sea
level, was in a state of mid-winter) was inspiriting to the least
patriotic heart.
In other places the surrendering of Boers continued, as many as 130
having come into Bethlehem during the 8th and 9th of August. On the 15th,
General Hunter in his northward march encountered the enemy south of
Heilbron, where the Boers with six guns were strongly posted at Spitz
Kop. (This must not be confounded with the kop of the same name captured
by General Buller.) After some ferocious fighting the position was
turned, but not before three men of the Highland Light Infantry were
killed, and thirty-three were wounded. The wounded officers were:
Lieutenant-Colonel Kelham, Highland Light Infantry; Second Lieutenant L.
H. Gibson, Highland Light Infantry (since dead).
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