South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 7 (of 8): The Guerilla War, from February 1901 to the Conclusion of HostilitiesCreswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 7 (of 8): The Guerilla War, from February 1901 to the Conclusion of Hostilities
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
To reinforce Colonel Rimington went Colonel Wilson (Kitchener's
Fighting Scouts) from Kroonstad to Heilbron on the 1st of October, and
scarcely were they under way before they were attacked by the enemy.
But the scouts, true to the name they bear, gave such good account of
themselves that the enemy scattered, but considerably thinned in their
numbers. The troops afterwards covered the line of blockhouses from
Heilbron to Frankfort.
MAJOR-GENERAL ELLIOT.--ORANGE RIVER COLONY, E.
On the 10th of September General Elliot started to again sweep and
glean in the Wittebergen district. Colonel Barker and Major Pine
Coffin operated from Winburg to west of the line of advance. General
Campbell remained on the Wittebergen slopes, and General Dartnell,
with the Imperial Light Horse (from Bethlehem), assisted in blocking
the Retief and Stabberts Nek passes. The movement itself commenced in
four columns, Lowe and De Lisle in the centre, with Broadwood and
Bethune to right and left respectively. In the course of the march
Colonel de Lisle brilliantly descried and ran down a convoy then
trekking towards Korannaberg, but not without infinite dash and
corresponding fatigue: 15 prisoners, 47 waggons, 22 carts, 250 horses,
and 2500 cattle were the prizes of the adventure. Colonel Bethune,
too, had his innings, for on the 12th he routed seventy of the bandits
from their lair near Wonderkop, and the next night, after an exciting
march to Rietolei, caught and again engaged the foe.
[Illustration: COLONEL BETHUNE AND HIS BRIGADE STAFF]
The combined movement continued to yield good results. The mountain
kloops disgorged large quantities of supplies and vehicles, and from
these regions General Campbell ferreted out seventeen Boers. The
hunters held their lives in their hands, for the game of hide-and-seek
had to be played with desperate men sniping from every coign of
vantage. In consequence of the development of events connected with
General Botha's enterprise in Natal, some of the troops of General
Elliot pushed north from Harrismith. General Dartnell with the 2nd
Imperial Light Horse had preceded them, and he, together with Colonel
Bethune and 600 men, moved on to Eshowe in Zululand. From Harrismith
towards the frontier, near Vrede, Colonel de Lisle and General
Broadwood marched at the end of the month, and their presence soon
warned the Boers, who had been contemplating encroachments into Natal,
to take themselves off. On the 5th of October an effort was made to
get in touch with them, but they were far too knowing to be entrapped.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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