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
The routed Boers soon betook themselves to the railway line in the region
of Brandfort. As it was evident some mischief was brewing, General
Kelly-Kenny communicated with General MacDonald, who brought the Highland
Brigade from Winburg, whither he had gone to co-operate with General
Hunter's scheme for enclosing the raiders. On the 13th the gallant Scot,
assisted by Lovat's dashing Scouts, caught the enemy, drove them across
the Vet River, and pursued them north of the Winburg-Smaaldeel Railway,
the scattered rabble fleeing before the braw men of the north in such
haste and panic that their track was marked with the trail of their
effects. A magnificent "bag" was the Highland Brigade's reward: 7
prisoners, 31 waggons, 270 trek-oxen, 6 cases of dynamite, gun and rifle
ammunition, groceries, blankets, clothing, besides useful odds and ends
of all kinds. The British casualties were nil.
On the 14th and 15th two notable lieutenants, in different parts of the
Orange Colony, decided to maintain the high traditions of the British
Army. The first, Lieutenant Power, 8th Company Derbyshire Yeomanry, and
his patrol, was attacked some six miles out of Bethlehem. Field-Cornet
Froeman, in command of the Boers, sent a letter calling on the young
officer to surrender, and threatening, if he refused, to attack him in a
quarter of an hour, adding that he would guarantee no quarter, no lives
would be spared. The note was promptly returned by the bearer with two
words scrawled on the back, "No surrender." Fortunately in the nick of
time reinforcements appeared, and Froeman vanished. In the second case,
at Bulfontein in the west, the garrison, consisting of sixteen Police and
Yeomanry under Lieutenant Slater, Imperial Yeomanry, was attacked by a
hundred Boers. Undaunted by the superior number of the foe, the doughty
sixteen held out until the following day, when relief arrived. The
warlike proceedings at this date were degenerating into acts of
brigandage, raids, and marauding excursions, and these continued through
October and on.
THE WESTERN TRANSVAAL
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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