Several skirmishes took place in the last fortnight in December, but the first sharp engagement occurred on the 6th of January. Colonel Gildea took out a force of twenty officers, 450 men, a gun, and fifteen waggons14 to bring in some forage15 and attack a Boer position at Pienness River, about twelve miles off. Norris’s Horse scouted17 in front, and the Pretoria Pioneers were detached to cut off the retreat of the Boers. The Boers were easily turned out of their position. Their defence was feeble; but several English were killed, owing to the Boers treacherously18 hoisting19 a flag of truce20, upon which the English skirmishers, who were creeping forward, stood up, thinking that the Boers surrendered; they then fired, and several of our men were killed or wounded. The Boers being largely reinforced came forward to the attack, but were smartly repulsed21. Our loss was four men killed and one officer (Captain Sampson); fourteen men were wounded. On the 15th another force started to attack a Boer laager, but found the enemy in such strength that they retired22 without serious fighting.
On the 12th of February an ineffective attempt was made to take the Red Horse Kraal, seven miles from Pretoria, on the road towards Rustenberg. The force consisted of twenty-two officers and 533 men. The carabineers under Captain Sanctuary23 advanced and attacked a large stone building, 1000 yards from the kraal. They were received by a very heavy fire from the Boers, who advanced in such strength that Colonel Gildea thought it prudent24 to fall back. This movement, covered by the horse, was effected, the infantry taking no part in the fight. Captain Sanctuary and eight men were killed; Colonel Gildea and eight others severely25 wounded. No further sortie was made during the continuance of the war, but the Boers did not venture to attack the British position.
The town of Potchefstroom stood in the district most thickly inhabited by the Boers. On the 14th of December, when it was reported that a large number of Boers were approaching, Colonel Winsloe, who commanded, sent Captain Falls with twenty men of the 21st Fusiliers, twenty-six men of a corps commanded by Commandant Raaff, and sixteen civilian8 volunteers to hold the court-house. The jail was garrisoned26 by twenty fusiliers, and the fort and earthwork, of some thirty yards square, situated28 about 1000 yards from the court-house, was held by 140 men of the fusiliers and a detachment of artillerymen, with two 9-pounders, under Major Thornhill. The three posts were provisioned as well as circumstances permitted.
On the 15th 500 mounted Boers entered the town. On the 16th fighting began in earnest, and the firing was hot on both sides. A very heavy fire was kept up on the prison and court-house. Half an hour after it commenced Captain Falls was killed. For the next sixty hours the firing continued, night and day, and one of the little garrison27 was killed and nine wounded. During the night the Boers broke into a stable close to the court-house, and from a distance of eight yards a heavy fire was kept up. During this time Colonel Winsloe in the fort had given what aid he could to the garrison of the courthouse by shelling the building from which the Dutch were firing upon it. On the evening of the 17th he signalled to the garrison to retire on the fort; but, being completely surrounded, they were unable to do this. On the morning of the 18th the Boers attempted to set fire to the thatch30 roof of the court-house; and as nothing in that case could have saved the garrison, Major Clarke and Commandant Raaff agreed to surrender on the terms that the lives of all those in the court-house should be spared. This was agreed to; but two loyal Boers, who had been captured at an outpost, were tried, condemned31 to death, and shot. On the 21st of December the garrison of the prison, falling short of provisions, evacuated32 it, and succeeded in gaining the fort without loss. The Boers occupied the post, but were driven out by the shell-fire from the fort. Mr Nelson, the magistrate33, was taken prisoner in the town by the Boers, and kept in close confinement34. Three of his sons got into the fort, and took part in its defence. Two of them, on a dark night, on the 19th of February, got through the Boer lines, and carried despatches from Colonel Winsloe to Newcastle, arriving there on the 5th of March, after many perils35, not the least of which was swimming the Vaal River when in full flood.
In the meantime the attack on the fort itself had been uninterrupted. The very first evening the watercourse from which the supply of water to the camp was taken was cut. A well had already been commenced and sunk to a depth of twenty feet, but no water had been obtained. Fortunately the water-barrels had been filled an hour or two before the supply was cut, but these only contained two quarts of water per man. The weather was terribly hot, and the work of the men in the intrenchments was very severe.
On the night of the 17th Lieutenant36 Lindsell, with some of the drivers of the Royal Artillery29, acting37 as cavalry38, and a company of the 21st, went out to fill the water-casks from a stream half a mile away from the camp, and fortunately succeeded in doing so, the Boers not being on the look-out in that direction. This gave a further supply of two quarts per man.
The work of sinking the well had been continued without intermission, and a depth of thirty-six feet had been attained39, but still no water was met with. A reward of 5 pounds was offered to the first party who struck water, and the soldiers off duty commenced digging in several places. At last, to the intense relief of the garrison, a party of Royal Artillery men found water at a depth of nine feet. The well soon filled, and yielded plenty of water during the remainder of the siege.
A desultory40 fire was kept up until the 1st of January, when, the Boers being strongly reinforced, 2000 men surrounded the fort at a distance of 500 yards, and opened a heavy fire upon it. They did not, however, venture to attack the little garrison. On the 5th they occupied the cemetery41, 300 yards from the fort, but Lieutenant Lindsell with a party of volunteers went out by moonlight and drove them out. The Boers then commenced making trenches42, gradually approaching the fort; but on the 22nd Lieutenant Dalrymple Hay went out, carried the position from which the Boers had been most troublesome, and captured four prisoners, some guns, ammunition43, and trenching-tools. From that time, although the Boers continued to throw up trenches, they contented44 themselves with a desultory fire.
The siege continued for three months and five days; at the end of that time the whole of the provisions were exhausted45. Fever, dysentery, and scurvy46 had broken out, and many of the garrison had died. Out of 213 men eighty-three had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. In fact an armistice47 between the armies had at that time been proclaimed, but Cronje, the Boer who commanded the attack, treacherously concealed48 the fact from the garrison. When only three days’ quarter-rations remained the garrison surrendered the fort, on the condition that they should be allowed to march down to Natal49.
Messengers had reached Cronje nine days before with news of the armistice, but although he was aware of this he continued the siege to the end, the firing during the last week being heavier than at any time during the siege,—on two days alone 150 round shot fell on the fort. The Boers were afterwards obliged to allow that the surrender of the fort had been obtained by treachery, and to agree to the garrison being reinstated.
Standerton is the first town of any size on the main road from Natal to Pretoria, and is situated on the north bank of the Vaal River. On the outbreak of hostilities50 two companies of the 94th and one of the 88th marched from Wackerstroom to this town, and Major Montague of the 94th Regiment arrived from Natal to take the command. The total strength of the garrison consisted of about 350 soldiers and seventy civilians. The Landdrost, J.C. Krogh, remained loyal and assisted in the defence, three forts were erected on eminences round the town, two outworks and many breastworks and rifle-pits were dug, houses interfering51 with the line of fire were pulled down, and other buildings in suitable positions were barricaded52 and loop-holed.
The centre point of defence was a building known as Fort Alice, 800 yards from the town, and a military camp was formed on a height one mile and a quarter from this point. Preparations were made to blow up some of the buildings, should the Boers carry the town, mines being dug and laid to the fort. A good store of provisions was collected.
On the 29th a scout16 on a hill signalled a large number of Boers were approaching Erasmus Farm, three miles distant from Standerton. Captain Cassell, with sixteen mounted volunteers, went out to reconnoitre. Two or three scouts53 were thrown out, and these arrived within 600 yards of the farm; suddenly a number of Boers made their appearance, and Mr G.B. Hall, one of the mounted volunteers, gallantly54 tried to cross their line to warn his comrades of the coming danger. Galloping55 in front of the Boers, his horse was shot under him; taking shelter behind it, he opened fire on the enemy, and so attracted the attention of his party. One man could not long resist 300, and Hall was soon killed. The alarm, however, had been given in time, and the mounted men fell back on the camp, exchanging shots with the enemy. The Boers now took up a position 600 yards from the camp, and kept up a heavy fire. Skirmishes occurred daily, and the enemy harassing56 the garrison from a height called Standerton Kop, Major Montague caused a dummy-gun, mounted on two waggon-wheels, to be placed in the intrenchments; the sight of this frightened the Boers off Standerton Kop.
On the 7th of January a Swazi, named Infofa, who had greatly distinguished57 himself by his bravery in the Secoceni War, but was now undergoing a term of penal58 servitude for culpable59 homicide, performed an act of singular bravery. The Boers had during the night erected a small earthwork on the outside of the Vaal River; 400 yards nearer the town stood a house, and fearing that this might be occupied by the Putch, it was determined60 to destroy it. Infofa with a party of Kaffirs volunteered for the duty; he crossed the river with his party, and the Kaffirs began to pull down the house. Infofa, however, took his gun, and marched boldly away to the Boer earthwork, 400 yards distant, to the astonishment61 of the lookers-on. It happened that at the moment no Boers were present in the works, and the man reached it without a shot being fired at him; inside he found some tools, and with these he deliberately62 set to work and levelled the breastwork; this accomplished63, he returned to the party.
Until the end of the war the Boers were unable to make any impression upon Standerton, and whenever they approached too closely the garrison sallied out and drove them off.
At Leydenberg fifty men of the 94th, under Lieutenant Long, had been left, when the four companies under Colonel Anstruther had marched away. The people of the town, when the news of the rising arrived, offered to defend themselves with the troops against attacks; but Lieutenant Long declined to accept the offer. There were in the town 220 women and children, and only thirty-four white men who could be relied on; there were no defences and no water-supply, and as Lieutenant Long knew that three or four months must elapse before a relieving force could arrive, he decided that it would only cost the townspeople their lives and property were they to attempt to defend the place. He therefore advised them to remain neutral, while he with his fifty soldiers defended the fort. This they did, and the commandant of the Boer force, Piet Steyn, caused their property to be respected when he entered the town with his troops.
For three months Lieutenant Long defended the fort gallantly against all attacks. At one time the enemy set fire to the thatch roof of one of the buildings, but the soldiers succeeded in extinguishing it, although the Boers kept up a heavy fire; during the night the defenders64 stripped off the roofs of the remaining thatch buildings, and so prevented a renewal65 of this form of attack. The Boers cut off the water-supply, but the garrison sunk wells, and succeeded in reaching water in time. The casualties among the fifty men during the siege were three killed and nineteen wounded. At the end of the war a general order was published, conferring the highest praise upon Lieutenant Long and his little garrison, for the bravery and endurance which they had shown in maintaining for three months a close siege, and this without any hope of relief or succour. At the conclusion of the war Lieutenant Long was so disgusted at the humiliating terms of the treaty, and the surrender to the Boers, that he resigned his commission in the army.
Marabadstadt, though called a village, consists of only seven or eight houses. Sixty men of the 94th, under Captain Brook66, formed the garrison which was stationed there to keep order after the Secoceni War, as no less than 500,000 natives inhabit the surrounding district. Fortunately the races were being held at the time when the news of the massacre of the 94th arrived, and the English inhabitants of the neighbourhood, who were present, at once responded to the call of Captain Brook to aid in the defence, and thirty white men and fifty half-castes enrolled67 themselves as volunteers. The Boers attacked in considerable force, having with them two cannons68; but the fort held out until the end of the war, the garrison making many sorties when the Boers brought up their guns too close. At Rustenberg and Wackerstroom a successful defence was also maintained throughout the war by the British and loyalists; but no incidents of importance marked the siege of those places.
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1
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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civilians
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| 平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓 | |
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civilian
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| adj.平民的，民用的，民众的 | |
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battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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13
eminences
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| 卓越( eminence的名词复数 )； 著名； 高地； 山丘 | |
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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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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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scouted
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| 寻找，侦察( scout的过去式和过去分词 )； 物色（优秀运动员、演员、音乐家等） | |
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treacherously
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| 背信弃义地； 背叛地； 靠不住地； 危险地 | |
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hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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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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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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cemetery
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| n.坟墓，墓地，坟场 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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46
scurvy
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| adj.下流的，卑鄙的，无礼的；n.坏血病 | |
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armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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48
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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natal
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| adj.出生的，先天的 | |
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hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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51
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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52
barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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53
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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54
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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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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harassing
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| v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人） | |
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57
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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culpable
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| adj.有罪的，该受谴责的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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61
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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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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65
renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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cannons
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| n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 ) | |
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