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
Infantry.
This hard day's work, the day of many heroes, set a brilliant seal on the
wonderful record of the 19th Brigade, which had been engaged in nearly
all the momentous actions in the Free State and Transvaal. Since its
formation on 12th of February it had marched 620 miles, often on half
rations and seldom on full. It had taken part in the capture of ten
towns, fought in ten general actions, and on twenty-seven other
occasions. Within a period of thirty days it had fought twenty-one times
and marched 327 miles. The casualties had been between four and five
hundred, the defeats nil!
The enemy continued active. Some of them, flitting about in the
neighbourhood of the line between Potchefstroom and Krugersdorp,
succeeded, on the 19th, in wrecking a train near Bank Station which was
carrying two officers and twenty-one sick men to the latter place. The
officers were Lieutenant Harris, Welsh Fusiliers, and Lieutenant
French-Brewster, Royal Fusiliers. Luckily no one was injured, for most of
the men were fairly convalescent.
Lord Methuen, who was clearing the country between Krugersdorp and
Rustenburg, occupied with little opposition the town of Heckpoort, which
lies on the road to Rustenburg, some fifteen miles north-west of
Krugersdorp. He then continued his march, and engaged the enemy's
rearguard near Zandfontein on the 20th, during which engagement one man
was killed and another wounded. Early on the 21st he was up and doing,
caught the enemy again at Olifant's Nek, and left him dilapidated and
retreating, thus, as he thought, saving Rustenburg from the overpowering
attentions which were at this time being lavished on General
Baden-Powell.
On the 22nd Colonels Airey and Lushington drove off 1000 Boers from a
strong position west of Pretoria, inflicting considerable loss and
sustaining some. Captain Robinson, Royal Marines, was killed, and five
men; nineteen men were wounded. Unluckily, as before said, the operations
in this region merely resembled the process of fanning off flies, which
were whisked from one corner to congregate in another.
About the same time the civilians who represented British authority had
some nasty experiences in Klerksdorp, where another commando threatened
them. The place was protected by some 120 armed men, and these, finding
themselves surrounded, had to take their choice between surrender or
stout defence. Many of the party belonged to the Kimberley Mounted Corps,
who at once made preparations to protect the town and hold it till their
last breath. But the gallant fellows received orders to surrender, and
had the humiliation of seeing the British flag torn to tatters and
trampled on by the burghers, who were only too glad to revenge themselves
for being thrust out of Klerksdorp some weeks before. The following were
taken prisoners: Lieutenant Blagden, Lieutenant Shepherd, Lieutenant
Purvis, Lieutenant W. A. White, all of the Kimberley Mounted Corps.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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