Sometimes it happens that these letters are devoted1 to describing small incidents, and often personal experiences in a degree of detail which, if the rest of the campaign were equally narrated2, would expand the account to limits far beyond the industry of the writer or the patience of the reader. At others many important events must be crowded into a few pages. But though the proportions of the tale may vary, I shall not deserve criticism so long as the original object of conveying a lively impression of the war is strictly3 pursued; nor should the reader complain if, for his instruction or amusement, he is made one day to sit with the map of the Orange Free State spread before him, and move little flags to show the course of the operations, and on another day is invited to share the perils4 of a scout's patrol or try the chances of a cavalry5 skirmish. To-day there is much to tell, and we must remain almost beyond the sound of the cannon6 watching a distant panorama7.
The object of the operations was in any case to relieve Wepener, and to clear the right hand bottom corner of the Orange Free State of the Boers, and, if the enterprise prospered8 and the fates were kind, to cut off and capture some part of their forces. In all five columns were in motion. There were to be demonstrations9 along the east of the railway line, increasing in earnestness according as they were nearer the south, and the lowest columns were to actually push the matter through. Ian Hamilton, with 2,000 Mounted Infantry10, was ordered to demonstrate against the waterworks position. French, supported by Pole-Carew, was instructed to move on Leeukop. Rundle, in conjunction with Hart and Brabant from the southward, was to force his way to Dewetsdorp and to relieve Wepener. What befell his column on April 20 and 21 has already been described. The attack on the Boer position in front of Dewetsdorp had not been made on the 20th because Sir Herbert Chermside pointed11 out that the Infantry were fatigued12 with marching. The next morning the smooth hills were crowned with entrenchments, and it was thought better to wait for Campbell's Brigade, which would arrive at sundown.
The 22nd was to be the day of battle. Meanwhile Sir Leslie Rundle had telegraphed to Lord Roberts describing the horseshoe position of the enemy, and its strength, explaining that with the small mounted force at his disposal any attack which he might make would develop into something very like a frontal attack, and would be costly13. A strong memorandum14 had previously15 been circulated among divisional and brigade commanders condemning16, almost prohibiting, frontal attacks, and the General, not unnaturally17, wished to assure himself that the price of victory would not be grudged18. When this telegram reached Bloemfontein it was apparently19 misunderstood. 'Rundle is hung up,' they said. 'He can't get on'; and hence the reply which arrived in the dead of night, and prevented the attack of the 22nd. 'Wait till you get into touch with Pole-Carew,' or words to that effect. So the powerful force--almost equal in strength to that with which Sir George White had resisted the first fury of the Boers when, with 25,000 men under the Commandant-General himself, they burst into Natal20--was relegated21 to some days of pusillanimous22 waiting in front of a position held by scarcely 2,500 men.
After breakfast on the morning of the unfought battle I climbed to the top of the hill the cavalry had seized two days before, and which the soldiers had christened "Brab's kopje.' A fifteen hundred yards musketry duel23 was proceeding24, and it was dangerous to put one's head over the stone shelters even for a minute to look at the Boer entrenchments on the green slope opposite. But such was not my purpose. I scanned the northern horizon. Far away on a peak of the misty25 blue hills there flashed a diamond. It was Pole-Carew. Half an hour later another star began to twinkle further to the eastward26. French and his cavalry were riding steadily27 forward, 'fighting, too,' said the heliograph, 'but pushing them back.' The scale of the operations had grown indeed. No less than five infantry and three cavalry brigades, with more than seventy guns, were involved in the business of dislodging 2,500 Boers from their position in front of Dewetsdorp.
The 23rd passed quietly, except for an intermittent28 bombardment of our camp by the Dutch guns and a Vickers-Maxim and the usual patter of musketry along the outposts. The diamond points on the distant hills seemed nearer and more to the east than before, and in the afternoon Brabazon was sent to reconnoitre towards them. As the Yeomanry emerged from the shelter of the plateau the Boer Creusot gun espied29 them. Brabazon, with half a dozen officers or orderlies, was riding fifty yards in front of his brigade.
'See there,' said the Dutch gunners, 'there is the Hoofd Commandant himself; take good aim.' So they did, and from a range of 5,000 yards burst their shell within two yards of the General's horse. 'Wonderful,' said Brabazon; 'why can't our forsaken30 artillery31 shoot like that?' and he ordered the brigade to canter by troops across the dangerous ground. I watched the scene that followed from comparative safety, 600 yards nearer the Boer gun. Troop by troop the Yeomanry emerged from shelter. As each did so the men opened out to dispersed32 order and began to gallop33; and for every troop there was one shell. From where I stood the spectacle was most interesting. Between the shrieking34 of the shell overhead and its explosion among the galloping35 horsemen there was an appreciable36 interval37, in which one might easily have wagered38 whether it would hit or miss.
The Yeomanry were very steady, and for the most part ran the gauntlet at a nice, dignified39 canter, pulling into a walk as soon as the dangerous space was crossed. After all no one was hurt, except three men who broke their crowns through their horses falling on the rocky ground. Indeed, I think, speaking from some experience, that we can always treat these Creusot 9-pounders with contempt. They fling a small shell an immense distance with surprising accuracy, but unless they actually hit someone they hardly ever do any harm. An ordinary bullet is just as dangerous, though it does not make so much noise.
At Vaal Krantz, in Natal, Dundonald's Brigade and other troops lived quite comfortably for three days under the fire of a 98-pounder gun, which in all that time only killed one soldier of the Dublin Fusiliers, two natives, and a few beasts. The wholesale40 aspect of artillery fire is not obtained unless at least a dozen guns are firing percussion41 shell or unless shrapnel can be used. At present the Boers often cause us a great deal of trouble with single guns, which, though they do scarcely any material harm, disturb every one, so that camps are shifted and marching columns ordered to make long détours; whereas we ought to shrug42 our shoulders, as Ladysmith did, pay the small necessary toll43, and go our ways uninterruptedly. But I am being drawn44 into detail and discussion, which, if I am ever to catch up the swift march of events, must be rigorously excluded.
The 23rd passed quietly for times of war, and the Boer riflemen and artillerists fired busily till dusk without doing much harm. We wondered how much they knew of the 'increased scale' of the operations. Did they realise the enormous strength of the forces closing round them? Were they going to be caught as Cronje was caught? It was hardly likely. Yet they were certainly holding all their positions in force at nightfall, and meanwhile the spring of the trap was compressed and the moment for releasing it arrived.
The morning of the 24th was unbroken by a single shot. Rundle, now in touch with Pole-Carew, swung his division to the left, pivoting45 on Chermside, to whom he entrusted46 the defence of the plateau. Brabazon with his Mounted Brigade formed the extreme outer flank of this sweeping47 movement. His orders were to join French, who drove inward from the north, somewhere behind Dewetsdorp on the Modder River. So we started, and, with much caution and the pomp of war, turned the enemy's left, and in solemn silence bore down on the flank and rear of his position.
Meanwhile, Chermside on the plateau was struck by the entire cessation of fire from the Boer lines opposite to him. He sent scouts48 to reconnoitre. Single men crept up the hill, looked into the trenches49, and found--nothing. The Boers had retreated swiftly in the night. They enjoyed good information of all our movements and designs, had foreseen the impossibility of withstanding the great forces operating against them. They delayed us with the appearance of strength until the last minute. On the night of the 22nd they sent off their waggons50 towards Thabanchu. On the 23rd they made their effort against Wepener, and attacked the garrison51 heavily, and on the night of the 24th, having failed at Wepener, they performed a masterly retreat, the assailants of Wepener marching northwards via Ladybrand, the covering force at Dewetsdorp moving on Thabanchu.
And so it was that when, as directed, Brabazon circled round the enemy's left flank and struck the Modder River--here only a rocky ditch with occasional pools of mud--and when French, moving from Leeukop round and behind their right flank, met him, they found the Dutch already departed, and Dewetsdorp again under the union Jack52. The strong jaws53 of the rat-trap shut together with a snap. I saw them--black across the open plain--two great horns of cavalry and guns; but the rat had walked comfortably away some hours before. Chermside moving over the empty trenches occupied the town. Rundle, reaching it an hour later, owing to his turning movement, hurried on through it to the Modder, and laid Brabazon's dusty squadrons on the retreating enemy. Indeed, the latter officer was already at the trot54 towards Thabanchu when French himself arrived--a large and magnificent staff, 'pom-poms,' horse artillery, and two cavalry brigades--and assumed supreme55 command.
He immediately stopped the pursuit, sent Brabazon back to relieve Wepener--which place had by its plucky56 defence, like Jellalabad, relieved itself--and entered Dewetsdorp, where he remained until the next day.
Such is the story of Dewetsdorp, which cannot be contemplated57 with feelings of wild enthusiasm. The Wepener situation was cleared up, and the Boers were persuaded to retire from the right hand bottom corner of the Free State towards Ladybrand and Thabanchu at an exceedingly small price in blood. On the other hand, the enemy might boast that 2,500 Burghers with six guns had contained 13,000 troops with thirty guns for a week, while their brethren worked their wicked will on Wepener, and had only been dislodged by the setting in motion of more than 25,000 men and seventy guns.
The movements which followed the occupation of Dewetsdorp need not take long in the telling. French's occupation of the town instead of pursuing the enemy was not in accordance with the Commander-in-Chief's ideas, and the cavalry leader was forthwith ordered to follow the Boers at his best pace to Thabanchu. He started accordingly at daylight on the 25th, and Rundle with the Eighth Division followed at noon. Chermside remained at Dewetsdorp with part of the Third Division, and was entrusted with the re-establishment of order through the disturbed districts.
Brabazon marched on Wepener and collected the garrison. Their defence of seventeen days, under continual rifle and shell fire, in hastily dug trenches, which they were unable to leave even at night; exposed to several fierce attacks; in spite of heavy losses and with uncertain prospects58 of relief, will deserve careful attention when full accounts are published, and is a very honourable59 episode in the history of Brabant's Colonial Brigade, and particularly in the records of the Cape60 Mounted Rifles, who lost nearly a quarter of their strength.
Bringing the defenders61 with him, and having communicated with Hart and Brabant, Brabazon returned to Dewetsdorp, and was ordered to move thence to Thabanchu, which he did in an exceedingly convenient hour, as it turned out, for a certain convoy62 with an escort of Scots Guards and Yeomanry. Pole-Carew and the Eleventh Division returned to Bloemfontein to take part in the main advance.
The Boers made good their retreat. They took with them twenty-five prisoners of the Worcester Regiment63, who had blundered into their camp before Dewetsdorp, armed only with cooking pots, which they meant to carry to their regiment on 'Brab's kopje,' and great quantities of sheep and oxen. They halted in Ladybrand, and to the north and east of Thabanchu in a most pugnacious64 mood. Indeed, they had no reason to be discontented with the result of their southern incursion.
They had captured seven guns and nearly 1,000 prisoners. They had arrested and carried off a good many farmers who had laid down their arms and made their peace with the British Government. They had harried65 all who received the troops kindly66, had collected large quantities of supplies which they had sent north, and, lastly, had delayed the main advance by more than five weeks.
Owing to the great disproportion of the forces the fighting had not been of a severe nature, and the losses were small. In the skirmishes before Dewetsdorp about forty men were killed and wounded, mostly in Brabazon's Brigade. In the action at Leeukop and the subsequent fighting which attended French's march several officers and fifty men were stricken, and a squadron of the 9th Lancers, which was required to attack a kopje, suffered severely67, having nearly twenty casualties, including Captain Stanley, a very brave officer, who died of his wounds, and Victor Brooke (of whom more will be heard in the future) who had his left hand smashed. Captain Brasier-Creagh, 9th Bengal Lancers, commanding Roberts's Horse, was killed at Leeukop, and his many friends along the Indian frontier will not need to be told that by his death Lord Roberts's Army suffered a loss appreciable even among the great forces now in the field.
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1
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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4
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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8
prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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10
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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12
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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13
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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14
memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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15
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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16
condemning
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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17
unnaturally
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| adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地 | |
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18
grudged
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| 怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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19
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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20
natal
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| adj.出生的，先天的 | |
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21
relegated
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| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
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22
pusillanimous
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| adj.懦弱的，胆怯的 | |
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23
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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24
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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25
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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26
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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27
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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28
intermittent
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| adj.间歇的，断断续续的 | |
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29
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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31
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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32
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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33
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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34
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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35
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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36
appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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38
wagered
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| v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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41
percussion
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| n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响 | |
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42
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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43
toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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44
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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45
pivoting
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| n.绕轴旋转，绕公共法线旋转v.（似）在枢轴上转动( pivot的现在分词 )；把…放在枢轴上；以…为核心，围绕（主旨）展开 | |
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46
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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48
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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49
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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50
waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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51
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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52
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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53
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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54
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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55
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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56
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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57
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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58
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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59
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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60
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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61
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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62
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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63
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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64
pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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65
harried
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| v.使苦恼( harry的过去式和过去分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
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66
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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67
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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