A few days later Kekewich went to Rustenburg, out of which he again sallied forth on October 13 into the Zwartruggens in search of Delarey. Methuen had already left Mafeking on the same errand. On October 24 Delarey fell in with one of Methuen's columns on its way to Zeerust. The column, which was impeded by wagons slowly progressing along a bad road in a defile, was pounced upon unexpectedly and hewn in twain; but if, as usual, the scouting was poor the defence was excellent. After a struggle which lasted two hours Delarey was driven off, the severed portions of the column were re-united, and not one of the seven guns was lost.

* * * * *

By the end of 1901 all the precedents of European warfare had been discredited. Tactics and strategy, as practised by the experts, had done their best, and were now in bankruptcy. The war had drifted into its final mechanical phase: the coercion of brute force by brute force of higher potential. It was now mainly a question of putting as many men as possible on horseback to ride down the enemy. Field guns not being needed, the Royal Artillery was formed into a corps of Mounted Rifles.

Ian Hamilton, who had gone home with Lord Roberts, returned to South Africa a year later as Chief of the Staff to Lord Kitchener.

Notes:

[Footnote 55: These posts, however, were small entrenched forts at considerable distances apart for the protection of the road to Basutoland, rather than blockhouses.]

[Footnote 56: See p. 326.]

[Footnote 57: Lyttelton went to the Cape Colony in February, 1901, to direct the operations against De Wet, and was subsequently sent into the Orange River Colony. After a few months' leave he returned to South Africa in September and took over Hildyard's command in Natal.]

[Footnote 58: He was next heard of at the abortive peace conference held at Middelburg, where he met Lord Kitchener at the end of February.]

[Footnote 59: Bruce Hamilton succeeded Lyttelton in the Orange River Colony when the latter went home on leave.]

[Footnote 60: The "protected area" was a district round Pretoria and Johannesburg which was enclosed by a ring of blockhouses and Constabulary posts in August, 1901.]



CHAPTER XVII

The Mechanical Phase

I. ORANGE RIVER COLONY

The year 1901 was drawing to its close, and the three chief Boer leaders were still at large. Delarey was lurking in the difficult kloofs of the Western Transvaal; Botha was on watch in the high veld of the Eastern Transvaal, just outside the "protected area"; and De Wet was awaiting his opportunity in the N.E. of the Orange River Colony.

De Wet, who had been lying low for some months, was roused by a certain communication from Botha as well as by action taken against him by Lord Kitchener. A carefully devised and accurately carried out centripetal drive of fourteen columns converging, like meridian lines on the Pole, on a certain point ten miles N.E. of Reitz, was abortive. When the columns reached it on November 12 they found that the enemy had wriggled through the intervals, leaving scarcely a burgher at the place of meeting; and while they were blankly staring at each other, De Wet at Blijdschap, only twenty miles away, was in conference with Steyn and discussing with him a suggestion made by Botha that peace negotiations with Lord Kitchener should be opened.

To this an answer similar to that which had been given to Botha in May was returned. De Wet and Steyn scouted the idea of reconciliation with the enemy. A Council of War was summoned and a concentration of burghers ordered. By the end of November De Wet had collected at Blijdschap a force of 1,000 men undetected by Elliott's columns, which, having taken part in the centripetal failure, were again on the move after a brief rest at Harrismith. Elliott, while on the march to Kroonstad, actually brushed past De Wet.

A column under Rimington then came upon the scene. He had heard of the Council of War from a captured Boer, who probably with intent refrained from reporting the concentration. Thus when Rimington expected that the easy task before him was the capture of De Wet and Steyn and the units of a Council of War, he suddenly found himself opposed by a considerable force, a detachment of which passed by him and attacked his train in rear. After an encounter in which a gallant young cavalry subaltern,[61] who but a few weeks before had joined the Inniskilling Dragoons from the Militia, laid down his life for his country, Rimington extricated his convoy, but refrained from attacking De Wet's main body, which was reported to be strong.

Each side thereupon withdrew, Rimington to Heilbron and De Wet to Lindley, from which he found it advisable to retire on coming into contact with a column forming part of another Elliott drive, the second of the series, suggested by Rimington on his return to Heilbron. De Wet then trekked towards Bethlehem, halting at Kaffir Kop, where, nine days later, he foiled a third Elliott drive by promptly dispersing his burghers, who soon reassembled on a range of hills beyond Bethlehem.

Elliott's units then returned to their respective bases to refit. A column under Dartnell at Bethlehem, which had recently been reinforced from Rundle's command by a strong detachment under Barrington Campbell, was on the point of returning to Harrismith, when it was informed that De Wet's re-united commandos were lying in wait at a spruit about twenty miles out on the road to Harrismith. Dartnell marched on and maintained himself without much difficulty when he arrived at the spruit. Campbell came up, and De Wet's commandos withdrew without orders; but no attempt was made to convert their retirement into a rout. Dartnell continued his march to Harrismith.

After the affair at the spruit De Wet again dispersed his burghers, with orders to hold themselves in readiness to muster at short notice. He had not long to wait before he saw another opportunity of employing them.

A small force, less than 1,000 strong, was covering, half-way between Harrismith and Bethlehem, the construction of the main blockhouse line to Kroonstad, under the personal superintendence of Rundle. The force was broken up into three detachments, which were too far apart to render each other effective support in case of a sudden attack.

The strongest detachment, consisting, however, entirely of Yeomanry, was posted on Groen Kop, three miles distant from Rundle's Head Quarters. The position is fairly strong, and resembles a wedge lying on the veld, with a gentle ascent from the east to a plateau to which the normal level rises steeply on three sides. A mile or two to the S.E. it is commanded by a higher eminence, from which a party of Boers had already been expelled. It was not, however, occupied, and De Wet promptly made use of it as an observation post, for which it was admirably adapted, as it looks down into the British position on Groen Kop. Moreover, the customary movements for protection, such as the relief of outposts, were carried out with such extraordinary laxity and neglect that De Wet was soon able to acquaint himself with almost every detail of the defence. Even the emplacements of a field gun and a pom-pom were disclosed by shots casually fired for range-finding purposes.

On Christmas Eve De Wet saw that he had before him a prey that would fall into his hands as easily as Sannah's Post or Waterval Drift, and he resolved to clutch it at once. His burghers, though dispersed, were within call, and a force of over 1,000 was quickly assembled. With unerring instinct he selected the steep N.W. corner of the Groen Kop wedge as the point of attack, reasoning that the defenders would think themselves adequately protected in that direction by the nature of the ground. On Christmas morning, soon after midnight, over 1,000 Boers were in position under the broad end of the wedge. They were not discovered, as no patrols had been sent to watch the ground beneath, and the sentries on the crest gave no sign.

The pioneers of the storming party attained the crest at 2 a.m.; and not until then was the alarm given to the dormant camp. The position, after a struggle which lasted but an hour and a quarter, was captured by De Wet, who, ere the midsummer sun had risen, was hurrying away with British prisoners of war, guns and wagons, which neglect of the ordinary precautions by a body of unprofessional troops had delivered into his hands.

At Rundle's Head Quarters, only three miles away, the sound of the firing had attracted attention, and a weak body of Mounted Infantry, the only mounted force at his disposal, was sent out to see what was the matter. It was unable to intervene with effect, and returned to report the situation.

The remaining detachment of Rundle's force, consisting of two companies of slow-moving Infantry only, was still further from his Head Quarters; but thirteen miles away in the direction of Harrismith lay a force of Colonial Horse. When a telegram from Rundle to summon them to the rescue miscarried, his staff-officer galloped away in the dawn and put them on the trail of De Wet; but he had had a long start and escaped into the hills near Bethlehem. Here he remained for a few hours, and then went towards Reitz.

During a temporary absence for the purpose of conferring with Steyn he left his commandos in charge of Michael Prinsloo, who on December 28 was engaged in a rearguard action with Elliott, who was conducting yet another drive and whom he easily evaded.

On the last day of the year De Wet disbanded his commandos a few miles from the spot on which he had assembled them at the end of November. In the interval he had evaded all the Elliott drives; he had captured a strong British post; he had marched without damage along the sides of a triangle on which lay the towns of Reitz, Lindley, and Bethlehem, each of which was from time to time in the possession of his enemy; and had never been more than thirty miles distant from the central point of the triangle. The captured guns were sent away beyond the Wilge River under Mears.

No blame can be imputed to Rundle for the unsatisfactory issue of the operations. He had little reason to suspect that any considerable force of the enemy was in his vicinity. He was engaged in mechanical work, the laying out of a blockhouse line. It was the immediate task before him, and to the best of his ability he used the untrustworthy and meagre instruments at hand. It would, however, have been more in accordance with military principles if he had employed his mounted troops in duties more suited to their arm, instead of holding with them the infantry position of Groen Kop.

Only a few days before, a similar misadventure had attended the construction of the Heilbron-Vrede blockhouse line. Rimington and Damant had hardly returned to Heilbron after Elliott's third drive when they were ordered out beyond Frankfort, to the assistance of the blockhouse builders, who were being worried by a commando under Wessels, which De Wet had sent out after the Council of War. Near the Wilge River they acted on a front too extended; and a portion of Damant's force was deceived by the slim tricks of a party of Boers working in cavalry formations and many of them dressed in khaki uniforms. In order to keep up the illusion they fired at detached parties of their own side, and in the end Damant was overwhelmed on a hill, with a loss of nearly 90 per cent. of casualties, before the rest of his command came up and drove away the assailants. Rimington was too far away either to prevent or to retrieve the disaster.

When the "drives" were renewed in the northeastern districts of the Orange River Colony at the end of January, 1902, the experience of the last few months had shown that they must be conducted on new methods. Hitherto the typical "drive" had been a net or nets cast too often hastily and at random, the meshes of which were large, irregular, and easily cut. The new "drive" was a bar of steel pushed steadily forward by simultaneous action throughout its length, and with its ends resting on the two completed blockhouse lines running eastward from Heilbron and Kroonstad.

[Sidenote: Map, p. 260.]

The Drive, Mark II, was inaugurated on February 3. De Wet, who on January 10 had had a hurried interview with Steyn near Reitz, was lying at Elandskop between Heilbron and Reitz, and again concentrating his scattered burghers and planning an escape with them to the south across the Kroonstad-Bethlehem blockhouse line. Mears, on his way to rejoin De Wet, ran into a column under Byng, to whom he lost the guns captured by De Wet at Groen Kop.

On February 5 a force of 9,000 men under Elliott, Rawlinson, Byng, and Rimington formed up on a line stretching from Frankfort to Kaffir Kop. The composition of this force showed the altered conditions of warfare. It included very few field guns, but no less than 2,200 horse and field gunners acting as Mounted Riflemen.

Next day the first impulse was given to the Bar, the blockhouse lines north and south, as well as the railway, having been strengthened. The whereabouts of De Wet were approximately known.

The first drive of the new pattern lasted three days, the columns reaching the railway on February 8. It was so far effective that none of the enemy broke back through the advancing line, which was vigorously maintained in continuity of pickets by night and of scouts by day; but De Wet was not on the roll of nearly 300 Boer casualties. Although hampered with live stock from which his followers refused to be parted, and in spite of two hovering columns which were acting in support of the southern blockhouse line, he not only broke through it owing to its want of vigilance, but even succeeded in dragging the cattle across it after him. He then retired as usual to the Doornberg. Other parties of Boers broke through the northern blockhouse line; and thus the first of the new drives ended with poor results. As soon as the trouble was over De Wet with his followers again crossed the southern blockhouse line and quietly returned to Elandskop, where he dispersed them.

A second drive to sweep those districts which had not been touched by the first drive was soon put in hand. It was to be performed in two movements by two sets of columns. A force under the Driver-in-Chief Elliott starting eastwards from Kroonstad and the Doornberg would advance in line, resting its right first on Lindley and then on Harrismith, in the vicinity of which it was proposed that it should meet the other set of columns, under Rawlinson, Byng, and Rimington. These, starting on an extended front which ran from near Johannesburg to within a few miles of Heilbron with their centre astride the Vaal and their right touching the Natal Railway, would advance S.E. to near Vrede; then wheeling to the right march southwards with their left on the Drakensberg; finally, in conjunction with Elliott, pushing the fugitives on to the eastern section of the Harrismith blockhouse line. The operation may be likened to the sweep of two brooms, one acting with a semicircular and the other with a forward movement.

It was begun by Elliott, who started on February 13, and after an abortive attempt to snap up De Wet reached Wilge River on February 22 and awaited the arrival of the other columns; his left being near Tafelkop.

Rawlinson and Byng meanwhile were advancing. On February 19 they wheeled to the right and with their centre near Vrede were now wholly within the Orange River Colony. The two forces were now disposed at right angles to each other, one of the lines containing the angle being the Wilge River, which Elliott was unable to hold in sufficient strength as his front was widely extended. In the vicinity of Harrismith the southern blockhouse line was reinforced by Brook, who succeeded Rundle in the command of the district.

The northern blockhouse line was unable to stem the tide of fugitives flying before Rawlinson and Byng, whose columns were now strung out on a much wider front than that on which they had begun their march. The advance of Elliott had also driven various Boer details into the right angle, in which were now conglomerated not only combatants, but women, children, stock, and transport. Included among the fugitives from Elliott were De Wet and Steyn, who had again come together. With Elliott at their heels, their only chance of escape was to break through the attenuated line of Rawlinson's columns. De Wet's good fortune did not fail him, and with Steyn and a few hundred burghers he severed it at Langverwacht at midnight on February 23 and was again at large. The remnant of the commandos was left behind within the pale with their women, children, cattle, and stuff; and these, augmented by the Harrismith commando, were the prisoners of Elliott and Rawlinson when the drive, in which 30,000 British troops were directly or indirectly engaged, completed its task.

Yet another drive, the third of the new series, ensued. It had, of course, for its objective the capture of De Wet, as well as the "tidying up" of the district, in which certain commandos, which had not been netted in former drives, still lurked. It was composed, like the second drive, of two sets of converging columns and traversed the terrain of the first drive.

It happened that the point of convergence lay near the spot, not far from Reitz, where De Wet and Steyn were in hiding. The propinquity of the columns drove them out of their retreat, and taking a circuitous route past Heilbron and thence along the left bank of the Vaal they crossed the river near Commando Drift, and on March 17 joined Delarey near Wolmaranstad in the Transvaal. Little was done after the junction of the two sets of columns, and they returned to the railway on March 11, with a stray commando in front of them, which easily rushed the blockhouse line near Heilbron. A portion of the troops was hastily withdrawn to deal with the crisis in the Transvaal.

Hardly had the dust raised by the trampling of the third drive settled down upon the veld when the fourth drive was in progress, and 14,000 men on a front which stretched from one blockhouse line to the other were plodding eastward to the Drakensberg. It was held up for a time by two rivers in spate, the Wilge and the Liebenberg's, and when released it trudged on to the mountain range, where on April 5 its components were dissolved, having disposed of less than 100 of the enemy.

Yet one more drive, the fifth and last of the series, was called for. Early in May Bruce Hamilton swooped down from the Eastern Transvaal upon the harassed land, and in co-operation with Elliott worried it for the space of ten days. Many small parties of Boers broke through—the last wriggle in the Orange River Colony.

II. EASTERN TRANSVAAL

[Sidenote: Map p. 292]

The episode of Bakenlaagte called for vigorous measures to be taken against Botha and the men of the high veld in the Eastern Transvaal; and in November, 1901, a second and revised edition of French's programme at the beginning of the year was issued.

The new campaign was placed in charge of Bruce Hamilton, and the general idea, at least in its earlier movement, was the same as that furnished to French, namely the outward sweep of columns having for its object the rounding-up, pursuit towards the Swaziland border, and capture of the various guerilla commandos, which with the Transvaal Government in their midst haunted the Ermelo and Bethal districts.

Bruce Hamilton, with 15,000 men in twelve columns, either under his immediate command or co-operating with him, started on November 16, his immediate objective being the same as French's ten months before, namely, Botha on the high veld. He advanced the Constabulary posts fifteen miles, so that the line now ran between Brugspruit and Waterval; and proceeded to carry out a movement on Ermelo, in which he was supported on either flank by columns acting from the Natal and Delagoa Bay Railways. Botha, however, had had warning of his approach, and having conducted the Transvaal Government out of the area of immediate danger and dispatched it to its old seat at Paardeplatz, returned to deal with Bruce Hamilton, who, on reaching Ermelo on December 3, found, as French had found in February, that he had nothing to strike at. The Transvaal Government had vanished, and Botha and his chief lieutenant, P. Viljoen, instead of being on the run towards Swaziland, had broken back and were now behind him.

In order to deal with them, a pause in the operations became necessary. A series of night raids was instituted. In the first of these Botha, who was lying twenty miles west of Ermelo, was nearly taken. He succeeded in escaping towards the S.E., but was headed by a column under Pulteney operating from Wakkerstroom and was forced towards the upper waters of the Vaal. The raid upon P. Viljoen in the Bethal district was so far successful that in it 200 of his burghers were made prisoners, and one of the guns taken at Bakenlaagte was recovered: while he himself not only escaped, but succeeded in putting 300 of his followers under J. Prinsloo across the recently established Brugspruit-Waterval line of Constabulary posts and in planting them in the "protected area" as seeds of future mischief.

Bruce Hamilton now resumed the general operation eastwards with fair success. Botha at Beginderlyn was faced by the columns supporting the right flank of the advance, and had the Ermelo-Standerton blockhouse line behind him. One of his lieutenants named Britz went out and ambushed a night raid sent out from the line on December 19 at Holland, making nearly 100 prisoners; and a few days later he squeezed through an enveloping movement in which he lost somewhat heavily, but he eventually succeeded in rejoining Botha.

It was now necessary to drive on to Bruce Hamilton a compact little force of over 800 burghers, which on New Year's Day, 1902, Botha had under his command; and this task devolved upon Plumer and the other column commanders operating from the S.E. corner of the Transvaal. Botha was engaged at Bankkop, between Ermelo and Amsterdam, by a strong scouting party acting in advance of the main columns, which he was on the point of overwhelming when it was reinforced. He escaped without difficulty, taking with him eighty prisoners. The plan of throwing him into Bruce Hamilton's arms had failed.

Bruce Hamilton returned to Ermelo, and late in January again swept the country, with scanty results. His operations had been successful to the extent that they finally denied the high veld to Botha, who in February withdrew to the Vryheid district, and secreted himself among the mountains. Bruce Hamilton was sent after him and hunted him for a month. His next appearance was neither as a prisoner of war nor as an opponent in battle, but as the representative of his country on the way to attend the Peace Conference which assembled at Pretoria on April 12.

P. Viljoen, as soon as Bruce Hamilton was out of the way, discussed the situation with his followers. It was decided that he should take action in what was apparently the direction of greatest risk. With 400 men he burst through the line of Constabulary posts, and on January 24 joined J. Prinsloo in the Wilge River Valley, within the so-called "protected area." Prinsloo, even before Viljoen's arrival, had maintained himself without difficulty; and for some weeks after February 24, when an unsuccessful effort was made at Klippan to crush them, they were practically left to roam as they willed, no British troops being available to deal with them effectively.

In the N.E. Transvaal B. Viljoen and Muller had been quiescent throughout the summer. The former lay usually at Pilgrim's Rest; the latter haunted the hilly country west and S.W. of Lydenburg; neither leader being able to get much work out of passive and spiritless followers. When Schalk Burger, the Acting President of the Transvaal, and the rest of the Government were driven across the Delagoa Bay Railway by Bruce Hamilton in December, Park, who was in command of the solitary British force north of the line, aided by a column from Belfast, made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the wandering Government.

B. Viljoen was anxious for its safety and persuaded it to take refuge with him at Pilgrim's Rest. It started on the journey with him; but fortunately its courage failed it, and Viljoen was left to return alone and to be taken prisoner near Lydenburg on January 25. Troops were slipped at it but were evaded; and it withdrew to the west across the Olifant's River. It maintained itself until March 12, when by leave of Lord Kitchener it passed through Balmoral into conference with Steyn and the remnants of the Orange Free State Government at Kroonstad and thence to Klerksdorp.

In the "protected area" P. Viljoen had perforce to be left unmolested until the end of March, when the conclusion of the third drive in the Orange River Colony set some troops free for work elsewhere. His commandos, about 800 strong, were discovered in laager twenty miles east of Springs by a cavalry column under Lawley during a night raid on April 1. After a temporary panic they not only rallied, but drove away the attacking force and pursued it until restrained by the intervention of another portion of Lawley's command which had remained in camp. The incident called for strenuous measures. During the last three weeks of April the whole district was driven by Bruce Hamilton; at first from north to south starting from the vicinity of Carolina, then by a counter march from south to north through the "protected area," the latter movement being repeated in the reverse direction. P. Viljoen was not found in the wilderness, while his colleague Alberts escaped with 500 burghers into the Orange River Colony, whither he was followed by Bruce Hamilton.

III. WESTERN TRANSVAAL

[Sidenote: Map. p. 292.]

Meanwhile in the Western Transvaal Delarey had remained undisturbed save by the building of blockhouse lines. The situation elsewhere had not suffered active measures to be taken in the district controlled by him, which extended from the corner between the Vaal and the Western Railway almost to the Magaliesberg, and for which on the British side Methuen and Kekewich were the commanders chiefly responsible. During the earlier summer months some small incidents occurred which were usually favourable to the British cause.

In February, however, the tide of fortune turned. Delarey came down from the north, apparently to watch his chance of intervening on behalf of De Wet in the Orange River Colony, and heard from Liebenberg that a convoy was on its way from Wolmaranstad to Klerksdorp. On February 25 the convoy, which was escorted by 700 men and two guns, was near Yzer Spruit within a day's march of its destination, when it was ambushed in the dawn and captured by Delarey, Kemp, and Liebenberg, who thus easily obtained what they were most in need of, namely transport animals, guns, and ammunition to the amount of half a million rounds.[62] The capture was effected within hearing not only of Klerksdorp, but also of a small column on the march from Klerksdorp to Hartebeestfontein. Kekewich, who was near Klerksdorp, then left for Wolmaranstad and sent a column under Grenfell in pursuit of Delarey; but the column failed to find Delarey.

Methuen at Vryburg promptly set himself to work, with such tools as he could lay his hands on, to avenge the disaster. He put together a column of which about one-third was regular infantry with four field guns, and the remainder samples of almost every irregular corps that had been raised during the previous twelve months; and he set out at the head of it to intercept Delarey, who was reported to be making for the Marico River. He ordered Kekewich to co-operate with him from Klerksdorp.

Grenfell's column was accordingly ordered to meet Methuen at Roirantjesfontein seventeen miles south of Lichtenburg. He arrived there on March 7; Methuen, who was delayed by the difficulty of finding water, having reached Tweebosch on the previous day.

It was now incumbent on Delarey, who was marching up from the south with 1,100 burghers, to attack either Methuen or Grenfell before they could join hands. He chose the former's heterogeneous host as the easier prey, and fell first upon his rearguard soon after he left Tweebosch at dawn on March 7, and then upon his right flank. The mounted troops, which were promptly disposed as a screen, failed ignominiously, the greater part of them leaving the field in disorder. The regular infantry stood fast with the guns, but were soon overwhelmed. Grenfell was unable to intervene, but he strengthened Lichtenburg in case Delarey should come that way. Delarey, however, went to the south to meet De Wet and Steyn, whom he cheered with the news of the capture of four British field guns and of 600 prisoners of war, among whom was Methuen, severely wounded. Steyn remained with Delarey; De Wet returned to the Orange River Colony.

Yzer Spruit and Tweebosch introduced the Drive into the Western Transvaal. Troops from all quarters reinforced Kekewich at Klerksdorp, and soon a force 14,000 strong was assembled there and elsewhere. The difficulty of the task before it was enhanced by the absence of a network of blockhouse lines, which had only been laid out along the Schoon Spruit and thence to Lichtenburg and Mafeking, and also along the Vaal.

The troops had to begin operations from a faulty strategical base, as they were aligned along or near the Schoon Spruit blockhouse line, and between the Boers and that line. To drive Delarey on to it, they must rapidly place themselves west of him; and this could be done only by a night march of mounted men darting through his commandos and then pressing him on to the Schoon Spruit in the opposite direction.

The operation, which was of spirited and ingenious conception, was carried out on March 23. In proportion to the effort—the force engaged in it numbered 11,000 mounted men—the results were paltry. A few score prisoners and three guns were taken. As in the earlier drives in the Orange River Colony, the meshes of the net were spacious and fragile. Delarey, Kemp, and Steyn escaped; and even Liebenberg, when about to suffer the peine forte et dure upon the Schoon Spruit blockhouse line, found a discontinuity through which he wriggled at midnight. Delarey mustered his burghers to the number of over 2,000 on the Hart's River.

To deal with the embarrassing situation the British columns were again marched to the west, with instructions to form a line of three entrenched camps distant one or two days' march from the Schoon Spruit.

The centre column under the command of W. Kitchener having reached its destination, made a reconnaissance in force still further to the west on March 31. Cookson, who was in charge of the expedition, at the end of a march of thirty-five miles, during which he had pushed back small parties of the enemy, halted at Boschbult, where two farms lay on the banks of the Brak River.

Cookson soon found himself in presence of 2,500 Boers with four field guns, his own strength being 1,800 with the same number of guns. The position was a bad one as the ground rose on each side of the river; the bush offered cover to the attack, and the only cover available to the defence was the almost dry bed of the river. He threw out screens and proceeded to entrench and form a laager; while the screens faced in the open the fire of the enemy under cover in the bush on the high ground. Liebenberg made one attempt from the south to charge the main position, but was driven back by the southern screen which had been brought into the river bank; and after a second unsuccessful attempt, this time from the east, withdrew to the high ground on the north.

When the work at the laager at the farms, which was impeded by artillery fire from the S.W., was sufficiently advanced, the northern screen was withdrawn. Some confusion ensued, as the Boers in the bush immediately fell upon it, but their attempt to get at the main position on the river, though supported by artillery, failed. It never attained the crisis of an assault; and late in the afternoon it was called off by Delarey, who arrived from his Head Quarters near Hart's River.

Meanwhile the sound of the action had reached the ears of W. Kitchener, who twenty miles away was laying out his entrenched camp. He hurried to the rescue, but the cessation of the firing and the reports of stragglers led him to the conclusion that Cookson had been annihilated. He reported to that effect to his brother, Lord Kitchener, and returned to camp. Next day he again went out, and found to his satisfaction that Cookson was still a military asset.

Kekewich, meanwhile, was searching for Delarey elsewhere. He had bespoken at Head Quarters W. Kitchener's co-operation in the quest and was relying on it; but a column commander on trek in partibus Boerum is hard to find, and no instructions reached Kitchener.

The need of a General Manager on the spot to co-ordinate the activities of the syndicate of column commanders who had so signally failed to bring Delarey to book was now manifest; and Ian Hamilton, who had greatly distinguished himself in two of the early combats of the war, was now chosen to bring it to an end. On April 8 he joined Kekewich at Middelbult.

Ian Hamilton quickly formulated a plan of using the three columns, 11,000 strong, of Kekewich, W. Kitchener and Rawlinson, who had lately been in pursuit of De Wet in the Orange River Colony, as a scythe to sweep over the country with a swing at first grazing Hart's River, then the Vaal, and finally coming to rest at Klerksdorp. Only four days were allotted to the movement, which began on April 10 and called for a daily march of more than forty miles. Delarey had been summoned to take part in the negotiations for peace, and Kemp was in charge of the Boer commandos, which numbered about 2,600 burghers.

It happened that Kekewich, whose force was detailed as the right of the advance, bore too much to the left on the first day's march, and found himself in rear of Rawlinson. Kemp was observing the movement, and assumed that he had located the British right, whereas Kekewich had partly regained his position by moving towards Roodeval, where Kemp was hovering for a chance to fall on the rear or the flank of Ian Hamilton's columns.

Kekewich reached Roodeval early on April 11, and at once pressed forward to Hart's River. His advanced guard almost immediately discovered a large body of mounted men on the left front, who, until they opened fire, were by some strange misconception taken to be a portion of Rawlinson's column. They were in fact more than a thousand Boers under Potgieter, who as soon as he had disposed of the advanced guard, made for the main body, which was not yet formed up, and by which Potgieter's men were again mistaken for a portion of Rawlinson's column. The error was discovered, but not too late. The Boer attack, which for sheer reckless bravery could hardly be surpassed, and which has been compared to the Dervish charge at Omdurman, was made in the open against a considerable force, was repelled; and Potgieter fell dead at the head of his commandos. Rawlinson hurried up to the sound of the firing and drove away the enemy, who retired, but not in disorder, to the south. A remnant, however, broke back and even sniped the main body. In less than three hours after the first shot had been fired by Potgieter, Kekewich and Rawlinson started in pursuit. Kemp, however, saved himself, and escaped with what was, under the circumstances, the inconsiderable loss of the two field guns which Delarey had taken from Methuen at Tweebosch.

The two Hamiltons rang down the curtain of the War Tragedy. While Bruce Hamilton was driving for the last time through the Orange River Colony, Ian Hamilton with Kekewich, W. Kitchener, and Rawlinson, assisted by a column from the Vaal under Rochfort, began a westward drive in the Transvaal, with 17,000 men. Kemp followed the usual practice of Boer commandants when hard pressed by the enemy, and scattered his commandos; thus when Ian Hamilton's 17,000 crossed the border and reached the Western Railway on May 11, they found less than 400 Boers, among whom Kemp was not, impaled upon the barrier of blockhouses and armoured trains.

IV. CAPE COLONY

During the early part of the summer of 1901-2 the Cape Colony was, comparatively speaking, quiet, though dormantly rebellious. Little positive progress was made, either by French or by the inflammatory elements opposed to him, of which the leader was J.C. Smuts. These were for the most part acting in a spacious and inaccessible area, which included the districts of Kenhart, Carnarvon, Sutherland, Fraserburg, and Calvinia. A blockhouse line, which when completed would stretch from Victoria West to Lambert's Bay, was in course of construction through these districts.

In December Kritzinger headed a raid from the Orange River Colony; but although he was soon captured near Hanover, the greater portion of his followers escaped to the south and infested the districts of Cradock and Somerset East. Stephenson was put in immediate charge of the operations against Smuts, who had established himself on the Zak River between Kenhart and Calvinia, and who in January moved eastward. It was a false move, because it brought him into the Fraserburg district, and made him more accessible to the columns opposed to him. It was made apparently with the intention of breaking across the railway in the vicinity of Beaufort West.

The operations against Smuts, the flank bases of which, Beaufort West and Lambert's Bay, were over 300 miles apart, attained only negative success. A large convoy drawn by donkeys fell into the hands of the rebels between Beaufort West and Fraserburg, and a smaller convoy in the Sutherland district.

French now took in hand the Drive, the last weapon left in the British Armoury, which his colleagues in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony had been wielding for some months. It was brandished northwards from Beaufort West on February 17; but it only dispersed without destroying the rebels, most of whom had retired to the north and N.W. Not a few scraped round the right flank of the drive, crossed the railway, and plunged into the Graaff Reinet and Aberdeen districts, where they were joined by a band under Fouch, which had been lurking and conniving far away to the N.E. between Dortrecht and Aliwal North.

Smuts withdrew to the N.W. and laid siege to Ookiep, which was relieved on May 3 by an expedition sent from Capetown through Port Nolloth; Smuts having in the meantime retired in order to attend the Peace Conference. He had done his best to carry out the instructions given to him by the Boer Council of War held in June, 1901, to foment a general insurrection in the Cape Colony, but he had failed.

Notes:

[Footnote 61: L.M.O. Requiescat in pace.]

[Footnote 62: It is not easy to understand why an empty convoy on the march, not from, but to a base of supplies, should have taken over 700 rounds per man.]



CHAPTER XVIII

The End

Nearly two years had passed by since the negotiations for peace between Lord Roberts and L. Botha and between Sir Redvers Buller and C. Botha had fallen through shortly before the battle of Diamond Hill. In February, 1901, another conference for peace was held at Middelburg in the Transvaal between Lord Kitchener and L. Botha, who after parleying for a fortnight, abruptly broke off the negotiations. If, as seems probable, he was led to adopt that course by the news of the escape of De Wet from the Cape Colony, a historical parallel may be found in the sudden dissolution of the Congress of Vienna, when the courier brought the news of Napoleon's escape from Elba.

In January, 1902, an offer made by the Government of the Netherlands to mediate between the combatants was declined by the British Government. The incident of the offer was, however, communicated to the Transvaal Government, which was then lying north of Balmoral, and which asked for and received permission to discuss proposals for peace with the Free State Government at Kroonstad. Schalk Burger, the Acting President of the Transvaal, arrived at Kroonstad on March 22. Steyn, who was with Delarey, was sent for; De Wet was searched for, and for the first time found; and the allied Governments, the chief members of which were, on the one side, Schalk Burger and Delarey, and on the other De Wet and Steyn, met in conference on April 9 at Klerksdorp, which was, at Steyn's suggestion, chosen as a more convenient place of meeting than Kroonstad.

It was soon decided to open negotiations with Lord Kitchener, at whose invitation the Governments proceeded to Pretoria, where they met him and Lord Milner. The Boer proposals, which postulated the continued independent existence of the two shattered Republics, were rejected; it seemed that the war must be fought to a still bitterer end. Finally, it was agreed that the negotiations should be adjourned for a month, in order to allow the feelings of the burghers at large to be ascertained, and reported at a Convention to be held at Vereeniging on May 15. In the meantime the military operations were to be continued, subject to the permission to be given to the Boer leaders to go freely among and consult their people.

When the Convention assembled it was found that while the Transvaal was generally in favour of submission, the Orange River Colony was still implacable. A compromise was effected between them, and the heads of a treaty, of which the chief clause ensured a qualified independence to the late Republics, under the guise of British Protectorates, were drawn up by J.C. Smuts, who had come from Ookiep to resume his former profession and to act as legal adviser to his colleagues. It was submitted to Lord Kitchener at Pretoria, who, as the delegates might have foreseen, refused to consider it and handed to their counsel Smuts a document, in which the Boer leaders were required, on their own behalf as well as on their followers' behalf, to acknowledge themselves as British subjects.

The negotiations at Pretoria were conducted by a deputation from the Vereeniging Convention: Delarey, Botha, Smuts, De Wet, and Hertzog. These did their best, and even obtained some verbal changes of phraseology which made Lord Kitchener's terms less unpalatable. The question of British nationality was waived for the moment to allow of the other stipulations of the document being discussed; and the general subject was referred to a minor convention consisting of Lord Milner and his legal adviser on one side, and of Smuts and Hertzog on the other.

A proposal for a final settlement was drawn up, which, with certain alterations insisted on by the Colonial Office, was presented by Lord Kitchener as his ultimatum, to be accepted within three days by the Vereeniging Convention. Botha and his colleagues returned to Vereeniging and laid it before the delegates. Steyn refused to entertain it and immediately resigned his titular office of President of the Orange Free State; De Wet, implacable almost to the last, protested against its terms. The hopelessness of the Boer cause in South Africa was, however, manifest. Even De Wet yielded, and voted with the majority in favour of accepting the British terms of peace.

On May 31, 1902, the Treaty of Vereeniging brought to an end the War of 960 days.

FINIS



COMMANDERS OF DIVISIONS AND BRIGADES, OCTOBER 1899-JUNE 1901

CAVALRY.

DIVISION—French.

BRIGADES.

1 Babington, Porter, Gordon 1 (Natal) Burn-Murdoch 2 Broadwood 2 (Natal) Brocklehurst 3 Gordon, Little 3 (Mounted Brigade, Natal) 4 Dickson Dundonald

MOUNTED INFANTRY BRIGADES——Alderson, Le Gallais, Martyr, Ridley, Hutton

INFANTRY.

DIVISIONS.

I Methuen 5 (Irish) Hart II Clery, Lyttelton, Clery 6 (Fusilier) Barton III Gatacre, Chermside 7 I. Hamilton, W. Kitchener IV White (troops in Ladysmith), 8 Howard Lyttelton 9 Featherstonehaugh, Pole- V Warren, Hildyard Carew, C. Douglas VI Kelly-Kenny 10 Talbot Coke VII Tucker 11 (Lancashire) Woodgate, VIII Rundle Wynne, W. Kitchener, IX Colvile Wynne X Hunter 12 Clements XI Pole-Carew 13 C. Knox Colonial: Brabant 14 Chermside, Maxwell 15 Wavell BRIGADES. 16 B. Campbell 17 Boyes 1 (Guards) Cplvile, Pole- 18 Stephenson Carew, Inigo Jones 19 Smith Dorrien 2 Hildyard, E. Hamilton 20 Paget 3 (Highland) Wauchope, 21 B. Hamilton MacDonald 22 Allen 4 Lyttelton, Norcott, Cooper 23 W. Knox



INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES

(It has not been thought necessary to include in the Index names of towns or of physical features which constantly occur in, or are not material to the narrative; and incidental or unimportant references and allusions have also been generally omitted.)

Abon's Dam, 56, 165 Abraham's Kraal, 187-190 Acton Holmes, 99, 100 Airlie, Lieutenant-Colonel the Earl of, 244 Alberts, 357 Alderson, Brigadier-General E.A.H., 202, 203 America Siding, 233 Amersfort, 272 Amphlett, Major C.G., 198-200

Babington, Major-General J.M., 321-324 Baden-Powell, Major-General R.S.S., 4, 34, 213-222, 224, 273-277, 280-282, 320 Bakenlaagte, 341 Balmoral, 283, 284, 291 Bankkop, 355 Barberton, 289 Barton, Major-General G. 53, 69, 73, 76, 132-135, 294 Bastion Hill, 100, 101 Battles, Sieges and Engagements, chief— Alleman's Nek, 269, 270 Belmont, 55 Bergendal, 286-288 Botha's Pass, 268 Caesar's Camp, 141, 143, 145-149 Colenso, 69-78 Dewetsdorp, 297, 298 Diamond Hill, 241-245 Doornkop (Transvaal), 237 Driefontein, 189-191 Elandslaagte, 42-44 Graspan, 56 Kimberley, 87-92 Ladysmith, 140-155 Lindley, 247-252 Lombard's Kop, 49-50 Mafeking, 212-221 Magersfontein, 58-63 Modder River, 56-57 Paardeberg, 172-183 Pieter's Hill, 133-135 Poplar Grove, 185-188 Rhenoster Kop, 316 Rietfontein, 45 Sannah's Post, 198-206 Six Mile Spruit, 239 Spion Kop, 102-115 Stormberg, 65-69 Talana, 39-41 Vaalkrantz, 116-120 Wepener, 209, 210 Zand River, 233 Beatson, Brigadier-General S.B., 329 Belfast, 272, 285, 286, 325 Bell's Kopje and Spruit, 144 Benson, Colonel G.E., 322, 329, 337, 340-342 Bethlehem, 249, 252, 256-258 Bethune, Colonel E.C., 265, 309 Beyers, General C., 315, 317-322, 325, 326, 328, 337 Biddulphsberg, 252 Blijdschap, 345, 346 Bloemfontein, surrender of, 191 Blood, Lieutenant—General Sir B., 329, 330 Blood River Poort, 338 Boekenhoutskloof Ridge, 241, 242 Boesman's Kop, 199-204 Boschbult, 360 Boschrand (Driefontein), 189 Boschrand (Kroonstad), 234 Bosjespan, 164 Botha, General C., 254, 264, 266, 270, 272, 339, 365 Botha, General L., 52-54, 70, 75, 78, 100, 112, 117-119, 126, 128, 132, 193, 196, 232-242, 245-247, 254, 264, 283-291, 314, 315, 322, 325-327, 337-341, 345, 354, 355, 365-367 Botha, P., 232 Bothaville, 295, 296, 298 Brabant, Brigadier—General Sir E.Y., 194, 206, 207, 209, 210, 230, 247, 252, 256 Brakfontein (Natal), 97, 106, 116-119 Brakfontein (Transvaal), 277, 278 Brak River (Cape Colony), 305-307 Brak River (Transvaal), 360 Brand, 307, 308, 335 Brandfort, 197, 198, 232, 233 Brandwater Basin, 257-261, 271, 278, 280, 295, 331 Britz, 355 Broadwood, Brigadier-General R.G., 198-205, 244, 245, 259, 278, 316, 317, 319, 321, 333 Brocklehurst, Major-General J.F., 269-271 Brook, Major-General E.S., 352 Buller, General Sir Redvers, 51, 53-55, 69-79, 86, 89, 90, 96-103, 107, 112-127, 131-133, 136, 140, 152-155, 231, 240, 254, 256, 262-272, 284-291, 365 Bulwana, 122, 123, 125, 135, 136, 142, 145, 147, 148 Burger, Schalk, Acting President of the Transvaal, 100, 103, 105, 112, 117, 142, 356, 365 Burn-Murdoch, Brigadier-General J.F., 135, 136 Byng, Colonel the Hon. J.H.G., 350-352

Campbell, Colonel W.P., 326 Campbell, Major-General B., 346, 347 Carleton, Lieutenant-Colonel F.R.C., 47-49 Carolina, 272 Carrington, Lieutenant-General Sir F., 274, 277, 278, 290, 314 Chermside, Lieutenant-General Sir H., 230, 232 Chieveley, 53, 76, 97, 121 Chrissie, Lake, 326 Christiana, 226, 235 Cingolo, 123, 124 Clements, Major-General R.A.P., 81, 194, 195, 206, 227, 252, 256, 257, 316-321, 324, 339, 340 Clery, Lieutenant-General Sir C.F., 72, 77, 101, 103, 107, 113, 124, 143, 264, 267, 268, 270, 315 Clump Hill, 132 Coke, Major-General J. Talbot, 102, 103, 106-111, 113, 114, 127, 128, 269 Colenso Kopjes, 127-129 Colesberg, 64, 80, 81, 145, 157, 309 Colvile, Lieutenant-General Sir H.E., 62, 63, 166, 167, 170, 171, 175, 177, 178, 180, 198, 202-206, 216, 232, 233, 247-253, 255, 256 Conical Hill, 102, 105 Cookson, Colonel G.A., 360, 361 Council of War, see Krijgsraad Crabbe, Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre, 309 Crofton, Colonel M., 106, 108, 109, 113 Cronje, General A.P., 46, 140, 167 Cronje, General A.P.J., 163 Cronje, General P., 56-58, 61, 63, 81, 126, 131, 133, 141, 145, 158-164, 166-175, 179, 181-185, 192, 193, 213-217, 219, 220, 223, 281 Cunningham, Brigadier-General G.G., 321, 322, 324 Cyferfontein, 321

Dalgety, Colonel E.H., 209 Damant, Lieutenant-Colonel J.H., 349, 350 Damvallei, 189 Dartnell, Brigadier-General Sir J., 327, 346, 347 De Beer, 172, 179, 182 Delarey, General, 55-58, 61, 81, 189, 190, 194, 221, 232, 239, 241, 242, 245, 274, 275, 282, 283, 315-326, 330, 332, 337, 342-345, 353, 357-362, 365, 366 De Lisle, Colonel H. de B., 245 De Wet, General C., 47, 151, 152, 162, 163, 167, 168, 170, 171, 173, 178-182, 185-191, 198, 200-204, 207-211, 232, 241, 247, 252-256, 258, 259, 274, 278-282, 294-310, 322, 330, 332, 337, 345-353, 358, 359, 365-367 De Wet, General P., 188, 198, 199, 202-204, 230, 254 Dickson, Major-General J.B., 242 Dixon, Brigadier-General H.G., 324, 330, 342 Donkerhoek Range, 241, 245 Donkerpoort, 245 Doornberg, 297, 302, 303, 305, 310, 351 Doornkop Natal, 97, 119 Doornkop Spruit, 74 Douglas, Lieutenant-Colonel W., 329 Douglas, Major-General C.W., 316 Drifts— Bosman's, 57 Botha's, 309 Brandvallei, 169 Bridle, 74 Brown's, 56, 61, 161, 164 Commando, 353 Commissie, 329 De Kiel's, 162, 163, 166 East, 74 Jager's, 39 Klip, 163, 164, 166, 168, 169, 171, 174, 192 Klip Kraal, 163, 164, 169, 171 Koedoesberg, 159, 167 Koodoos, 171, 173, 179 Makow's, 307 Munger's, 117, 118 Oertel's, 190 Old Viljoen's, 235 Paardeberg, 169-171, 173, 176, 178 Potgieter's, 54, 55, 96, 97, 99, 103, 106, 108, 116, 121, 146, 151 Rondeval, 163 Schoeman's, 278, 279, 294 Trickhardt's, 97, 99-102 Vanderberg's, 176 Vendutie, 169, 171-173, 178, 180, 184, 192 Viljoen's, 236 Waterval (near Koffyfontein), 91, 132, 162, 166, 167, 171, 179 Waterval (near Sannah's Post), 204, 205 Wegdraai, 166, 167 West, 74 Wonderwater, 235 Zand, 304, 305, 308, 309 Du Cane, Lieutenant-Colonel H.J., 191 Dullstroom, 329 Dundee, 37, 39 Dundonald, Major-General the Earl of, 76, 99-101, 109, 123-125, 135, 153, 154, 265, 266, 268, 269, 271 Du Plooy, 64 Dwarsvlei, 276

Elandsfontein, 237 Elandskop, 350, 351 Elliott, Major-General E. Locke, 331-334, 337, 346, 349-353 Eloff, 219, 220 Emmett, 328, 338, 339 Ermelo, 272, 326, 327, 330, 332, 354 Erasmus, 40-42 Estcourt, 52, 53, 79

Faber's Put, 228 Fairview, 100, 102 Ferreira, 165, 172, 173 Florida, 237 Forestier-Walker, Lieutenant-General Sir F., 63 Fort Itala, 339 Fort Prospect, 339 Fort Wyllie, 73, 76, 77 Fouch, 364 Fourie, 100, 307, 308 Frankfort, 234 Fredrikstad, 294, 298 French, Lieutenant-General Sir J.D., 48-50, 52, 64, 65, 80, 91, 141, 157-159, 162-168, 171, 172, 182, 183, 186, 187, 189-192, 195, 197, 198, 205, 230, 232-239, 242, 245, 272, 277, 283-291, 313, 315, 320, 321, 326-328, 334, 364 Frere, 53, 76, 96 Froeneman, 304 Fuzzy Hill, 132

Gansvlei Spruit, 269 Gatacre, Lieutenant-General Sir W., 52, 55, 64-68, 80, 81, 157, 194, 195, 206-208, 216, 230, 251, 257, 262 Gatsrand, 279, 322, 333, 336 Glencoe, 42, 44, 136 Gordon, Brigadier-General J.R.P., 179, 244 Gough, Major H. de la P., 338 Green Hill (near Colenso), 123-125 Green Hill (near Spion Kop), 100, 105 Green Hill (near Vaalkrantz), 116, 119, 120 Grenfell, Lieutenant-Colonel H.M., 330, 337, 358, 359 Grimwood, Colonel G.G., 48, 49 Grobelaar Slopes, 128, 129 Grobler, E.R., 68, 69, 195 Grobler, F.A. (Marico), 222 Grobler, H. (Bethal), 341 Grobler of Vryheid, 328, 338, 339 Grobler of Waterberg, 274, 276, 282, 284 Groen Kop, 347-350 Gun Hill (Bakenlaagte), 341 Gun Hill (near Ladysmith), 143 Gun Hill (near Paardeberg), 177

Haasbroek, 261 Hamilton, Lieutenant-General Sir Ian, 43, 44, 49, 147, 149, 231-240, 242-245, 247, 256, 276-278, 280, 284, 285, 288, 290, 344, 361-363 Hamilton, Major-General Bruce, 244, 245, 302-304, 307, 333, 334, 339, 353-357, 363 Hamilton, Brigadier-General E., 269 Hannay, Colonel O.E., 162, 174-177 Hartebeestfontein, 323, 324, 330, 358 Hart, Major-General A.F. 71-75, 78, 99, 101, 120, 129-132, 135, 210, 230, 321, 335 Hart's Hill, 129, 130, 132-135 Hart's Loop, 127 Hattingh, 261 Heilbron Road Station, 253 Hekpoort Valley, 317, 321 Helvetia (Transvaal), 287, 325 Hertzog, General, 299-301, 303-308, 315, 326, 366, 367 Hickman, Colonel T.E., 308, 309 Highlands, 53 Hildyard, Lieutenant-General Sir H., 52, 53, 71-73, 75, 76, 120, 264, 265, 268, 270, 315, 325, 327, 338 Hill, Colonel A.W., 109-111 Hlangwhane, 69-71, 76, 96, 120, 122, 123, 125-127, 131-133 Holdsworth, Lieutenant-Colonel G.L., 223 Holland, 355 Hoopstad, 323, 324 Hore, Lieutenant-Colonel C.O., 214 Horseshoe Hill, 125, 129, 131 Houtnek, 230, 232 Hughes-Hallett, Colonel J.W., 62, 63 Hunter, Lieutenant-General Sir A., 225, 226, 231, 232, 256-261 Hunter-Weston, Lieutenant-Colonel A.G., 191, 234, 239 Hussar Hill, 123, 124 Hutton, Major-General Sir E., 283, 284

Impati, 40-42 Ingouville-Williams, Lieutenant-Colonel E.C., 324 Inkwelo, 267 Inkweloane, 267, 268

Jacobsdaal, 56-58, 163, 168, 170, 171, 173, 179, 181, 183 Johannesburg, Surrender of, 239 Joubert, General P., 38, 49, 53, 54, 69, 105, 117, 118, 135, 140, 142, 143, 145, 185, 193, 194, 196

Kaalfontein, 321, 322 Kaffir Kop, 346, 350 Kainguba Hill (Nicholson's Nek), 47, 49 Kameelfontein Ridge and Valley, 241, 242 Kanya, 224 Karee Siding, 197, 198, 205, 232 Kekewich, Colonel R.G., 86, 87, 89-91, 215, 342-344, 357-359, 361-363 Kelly-Kenny, Lieutenant-General T., 81, 158, 159, 166, 168-171, 173-178, 180, 181, 186, 187, 190, 232, 254 Kemp, 322, 324-326, 330, 337, 342, 343, 358, 360-363 Kissieberg, 66-69 Kitchener, General Lord, 156, 160, 166, 170, 171, 173-178, 180, 181, 183, 184, 188, 194, 227, 229, 241, 246, 247, 254, 255, 278-280, 292, 298, 299, 306, 312, 316, 326, 328, 331-334, 336, 345, 365-367 Kitchener, Major-General W., 132-134, 329, 338, 339, 360, 361, 363 Kitchener's Kopje, 178-182, 185 Kleinfontein Ridge, 244 Klipfontein, 237 Klippan, 356 Klip River, 123, 125, 150 Knox, Colonel E.C., 321 Knox, Major-General C., 168, 177, 254, 294, 295, 297-299, 302-306, 333 Knox, Major-General W., 49 Kock, 42 Koetzee, 289, 290 Koffyfontein, 162, 179 Korn Spruit, 199, 200, 202, 203, 207 Krijgsraad, 143, 188, 194, 196-198, 207, 209, 210, 240, 258, 260, 332, 345, 346, 349, 364 Kritzinger, 299-301, 303-305, 315, 326, 331, 334, 335, 337, 363 Krokodil Spruit and Hill, 241, 242 Kroonstad, 191, 234, 247-250, 258, 357, 365 Kruger, President Paul, 11, 69, 95, 105, 118, 126, 128, 136, 184, 185, 188, 196, 2O7, 213, 220, 239-241, 289, 295, 314, 332

Lancer's Hill, 155 Langewacht Spruit, 125, 130, 132 Langvervacht, 352 Lawley, Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. R., 357 Le Gallais Kopje, 187 Le Gallais, Lieutenant-Colonel P.W., 197, 295 Lemmer, 195 Lennox Hill, 39, 40 Lichtenburg, 226, 315, 323 Liebenberg, 294, 358, 361 Liebenberg's River, 353 Lieuw Kop, 187 Lieuw Spruit, 255 Limit Hill, 144 Little Knoll, 105, 106 Little, Colonel M.O., 278 Long, Colonel C.J., 73, 75, 77 Long Hill, 46, 48, 49 Lotter, 335 Louwbaken, 242 Lubbe, 163, 164 Lydenburg, 288 Lyttelton, Lieutenant-General the Hon. N.G., 99, 106, 108, 109, 119, 120, 124, 135, 264, 265, 268, 270, 271, 303, 308, 309, 315, 316, 325, 333, 334, 338, 339

MacDonald, Major-General Sir H.A., 256, 257 Machadodorp, 239, 282, 283, 287, 295 Mahon, Brigadier-General B.T., 221, 222, 224-226, 232 Maiden's Castle, 145, 146 Majuba Hill, 36, 266, 267 Martyr, Lieutenant-Colonel C., 198, 202-206 Mears, 349, 350 Metcalfe, Colonel C.T.E., 144 Methuen, Lieutenant-General Lord, 52, 55-59, 62, 63, 79, 80, 89-92, 123, 157, 159, 168, 172, 184, 225, 228, 231, 232, 247, 250, 253, 254, 256, 276-280, 315, 323, 324, 337, 344, 357-359, 362 Meyer, L., 39, 40 Meyerton, 235, 236 Middle Hill, 147 Milner, Lord, 51, 86, 160, 228, 367 Moedvil, 342 Monte Cristo, 123-126 Mors Kop, 242, 244 Mostert's Hoek, 208 Mount Alice, 97, 102, 106, 107 Muller, 332, 337, 356

Naval Gun Hill, 75 Naval Hill, 123, 129, 131, 132 Neks Breedt's, 317 Cingolo, 125 Commando (Orange River Colony), 258-260 Commando (Transvaal), 274-276, 278, 280, 282 Laing's, 36, 38, 254, 262, 264, 266-268, 270, 272 Magato, 280, 342 Modderfontein, 322 Naauwpoort, 258, 260 Nicholson's, 46-49, 167 Noitgedacht, 317-320 Olifant's, 274, 276-278, 280, 281 Retiefs, 258, 260 Slabbert's, 258-261 Springhaan's, 297, 299, 302 Zilikat's 11, 239, 274, 275, 277, 278, 283 Nelspruit, 287, 289 Nicholson, Colonel J.S., 223 Noitgedacht (Delagoa Bay Railway), 287 Norcott, Colonel C.H.B., 132, 133

Observation Hill, 142 Olivier, General J.H., 64, 66, 68, 195, 198, 200, 259, 261 Onderbroek, 125, 127 Onderste Poort, 276, 283 Ookiep, 364, 366 Orange Free State, Annexation of, 236 Osfontein, 184, 186

Paget, Major-General A.H., 256, 257, 291, 316, 317, 321, 326 Paris, Major A., 307 Park, Colonel C.W., 329, 356 Penn-Symons, Major-General Sir W., 37, 39, 41, 45 Pepworth Hill, 46, 48, 49, 142 Phipps Hornby, Lieutenant-Colonel E.J., 203 Pienaar's Poort and River, 241, 242, 244 Pietersburg, 292, 314, 328 Pilcher, Lieutenant-Colonel T.D., 195, 198 Pilgrim's Rest, 356 Platrand, 143, 145, 147, 150 Plumer, Brigadier-General H.C.O., 214, 221-225, 274, 305-307, 309, 328, 330, 340, 355 Pole-Carew, Lieutenant-General Sir R., 62, 195, 230, 242, 244, 245, 272, 283-290 Porter, Colonel N.C., 242 Potgieter, F., 362 Potgieter, H., 16 Pretoria, surrender of, 239 Prieska, 184, 194, 196, 227, 305, 306 Prinsloo, Jacob, 55, 355, 356 Prinsloo, Martin, 38, 118, 119, 250, 259-261 Prinsloo, Michael, 249, 250, 299, 349 "Protected Area," 337, 340, 345, 355, 357 Pulteney, Colonel W.P., 329, 355

Railway Hill, 131, 133, 134 Ramdam, 162, 166 Rangeworthy Heights, 100-102, 107 Rawlinson, Colonel Sir H., 350-352, 361-363 Reddersburg, 207-209 Reitz, 333 Rhenosterfontein Heights, 245 Rhenoster River Bridge, 253 Rhodes, Right Hon. Cecil, 83-95, 214 Rifleman's Ridge, 143, 147 Rimington, Colonel M.F., 346, 349, 351 Roberts, Field-Marshal Lord, 79, 114, 120, 132, 153, 154, 156, 158, 160, 161, 167, 168, 170, 171, 173, 179, 181, 183, 184, 186, 189, 191, 194, 195, 219, 226, 228, 229, 231, 232, 234, 236, 239, 241, 246, 254, 256, 262, 264, 271-273, 280-282, 284, 286, 288, 292, 296, 313, 314, 365 Rochfort, Colonel A.N., 363 Roirantjesfontein, 358 Roodeval (Orange River Colony), 252, 253, 300 Roodeval (Transvaal), 362 Rooi Kop, 66 Rosmead (on Riet River), 57 Roux, General P.H., 256-260 Rundle, Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie, 230, 232, 247-250, 252, 256, 259, 260, 331, 333, 347-349, 352 Rustenburg, 273-278, 281, 316, 317, 344

Scheepers, 299, 336 Schiel, 43 Schoeman, 64, 80, 81 Schoon Spruit, 359 Schweizer Reneke, 315 Sefetili, 224 Settle, Major-General Sir H., 315 Seven Kopjes, 186, 187 Shekleton, Lieutenant-Colonel H.P., 322, 323 Sladen, Lieutenant-Colonel J.F.R., 331, 332 Slapkranz, 260 Smith-Dorrien, Major-General H.L., 177, 178, 275, 276, 278-280, 315, 325-328 Smuts, General J.C., 322, 324, 325, 332-336, 363, 364, 366 Smuts, General T., 197, 198, 290, 291 Snyman, General, 217, 219, 220 Spitz Kop (Natal), 267, 268 Spitz Kop (Transvaal), 288 Spragge, Lieutenant-Colonel B.E., 248-252 Spytfontein, 56-58 Steenekamp (of Heilbron), 282 Steenkamp, L.P., 68 Stephenson, Major-General T.E., 176, 177, 183, 363 Stewart, Lieutenant-Colonel H.K., 338 Steyn, Commandant, of Bethlehem, 175, 176, 179, 182 Steyn, M. President, Orange Free State, 52, 118, 185, 191, 196, 257, 258, 278-280, 282, 290, 291, 295, 302, 310, 313-316, 331-333, 345, 346, 350, 352, 353, 357, 359, 360, 365-367 Stinkfontein, 173, 175 Surprise Hill, 144

Table Mountain (on Modder), 186 Theron, 279, 281 Theunissen, 182 Thorneycroft, Colonel A.W., 104, 107-115 Thornhill's Kopje, 144 Three Tree Hill, 100, 101, 106 Transvaal, Annexation of, 288 Tucker, Lieutenant-General Sir C., 166, 168, 171, 191, 197, 198, 321 Tweebosch, 358, 359 Twin Peaks, 100, 105, 106, 109-112, 119 Tygerpoort, 241, 242, 244

Utrecht, 266, 327

Van der Venter, 333-335 Van Reenen's Pass, 263, 267 Van Tender's Pass, 45, 265 Van Wyk's Hill, 267, 268 Van Zyl's Farm, 67 Venter's Spruit, 100 Vereeniging, 235, 236, 366, 367 Viljoen, General B., 6, 117, 118, 284, 290, 291, 315, 316, 325, 328, 329, 340, 356 Viljoen, P., 354-357 Virginia Siding, 255 Vlakfontein, 330 Volksrust, 266, 268-270 Vryheid, 266, 325

Wagon Hill and Point, 142-151 Wakkerstroom, 270 Warren, Lieutenant-General Sir C., 79, 80, 93, 96, 97, 99-1O3, 1O5-115, 120, 128, 129, 132, 213, 228, 264 Waterval (near Pretoria), 239 Waterworks, 198-200, 202, 203, 205 Wauchope, Major-General A.G., 59-62 Wavell, Major-General A.G., 238 Wessels, 349 White, Lieutenant-General Sir George, 37, 38, 42, 43, 45, 46, 49, 51, 72, 79, 96, 100, 102, 116, 122, 125, 126, 128, 132, 137, 140-143, 147-151, 153-155, 263 Wildfontein, 324 Willow Grange, 53 Willowmore, 301 Wilge River (Orange River Colony), 349, 352, 353 Wilge River (Transvaal), 356

THE END