Let us pass on to the 21st of August, 1900. Buller's army had by this time
effected a junction with that of Lord Roberts' between Wonderfontein and
Komati River. The commandos under Generals Piet Viljoen and Joachim Fourie
had now joined us, and taken up a position on our left, from Rooikraal to
Komati Bridge. The enemy's numbers were estimated at 60,000, with about 130
guns, including twelve 4•7 naval guns, in addition to the necessary Maxims.
We
had about 4,000 men at the most with six Maxims and about thirteen guns of
various sizes. Our extreme left was first attacked by the enemy while they
took possession of Belfast and Monument Hill, a little eastward, thereby
threatening the whole of our fighting lines. My commandos were stationed to
the right and left of the railway and partly round Monument Hill. Fighting
had been going on at intervals all day long, between my burghers and the
enemy's outposts. The fighting on our left wing lasted till late in the
afternoon, when the enemy was repulsed with heavy losses; while a company of
infantry which had pushed on too far during the fighting, through some
misunderstanding or something of that sort, were cut off and captured by the
Bethel burghers.
The attack was renewed the next morning, several positions being assailed in
turn, while an uninterrupted gunfire was kept up. General Duller was
commanding the enemy's right flank and General French was in charge of the
left. We were able to resist all attacks and the battle went on for six days
without a decisive result. The enemy had tried to break through nearly every
weak point in our fighting line and found out that the key to all our
positions existed in a prominent "randje" to the right of the railway. This
point was being defended by our brave Johannesburg police, while on the
right were the Krugersdorpers and Johannesburgers and to the left the
burghers from Germiston. Thus we had another "Spion Kop" fight for six long
days. The Boers held their ground with determination, and many charges were
repulsed by the burghers with great bravery. But the English were not to be
discouraged by the loss of many valiant soldiers and any failure to dislodge
the Boers from the "klip-kopjes." They were admirably resolute; but then
they were backed up by a superior force of soldiers and artillery.
On
the morning of the 27th of August the enemy were obviously bent on
concentrating their main force on this "randje." There were naval guns
shelling it from different directions, while batteries of field-pieces
pounded away incessantly. The "randje" was enveloped by a cloud of smoke and
dust. The British Infantry charged under cover of the guns, but the Police
and burghers made a brave resistance. The booming of cannon went on without
intermission, and the storming was repeated by regiment upon regiment. Our
gallant Lieutenant Pohlman was killed in this action, and Commandant Philip
Oosthuizen was wounded while fighting manfully against overwhelming odds at
the head of his burghers. An hour before sunset the position fell into the
hands of the enemy. Our loss was heavy—two officers, 18 men killed or
wounded, and 20 missing.
Thus ended one of the fiercest fights of the war. With the exception of the
battle of Vaalkrantz (on the Tugela) our commandos had been exposed to the
heaviest and most persistent bombardment they had yet experienced. It was by
directing an uninterrupted rifle fire from all sides on the lost "randje"
that we kept the enemy employed and prevented them from pushing on any
farther that evening.
At
last came the final order for all to retire via Machadodorp.
