" Fierce with grasped arms Clashed on their sounding shields the din of
war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of heaven." MILTON.
The first distinct act of war was committed -L by the Boer forces at
Harrismith. Here the train due to leave for Natal at 3 p.m. on Wednesday,
October 11th, was seized by the Orange Free State authorities. This railway
line, running from Van Reenen's Pass to Harrismith in the Orange Free State,
belonged to the Natal Government and was worked by it. It thus happened that
even before war was declared, before the time limit as laid down in the
ultimatum had expired, this hostile act had been performed. The capture of this
train was of immense importance to the Orange Free State commandoes, as by it
both men, artillery, and provisions were conveyed from Harrismith to the
burghers at the front around Ladysmith during the subsequent siege.
The Boers, prior to the delivery of the ultimatum, had taken possession of all
the passes in the Drakensberg adjoining Natal, expecting that they would have to
hold them against the advance of the British troops. Finding, however, that,
after the ultimatum had been received, there was no forward movement among the
British, the Boers began to move down from their strongholds into Natal, thus
commencing the war by invading British territory. The Boers who first entered
Natal were principally the Orange Free State commandoes, and they came through
the Tintwa, Van Reenen's, and Bezuidenhout passes.
The action of the Orange Free State in thus identifying itself with the South
African Republic in its quarrel with England directly aided the Imperial
Government in the best possible way in the prosecution of hostilities, and also
in regard to a final settlement after the war. If the Orange Free State had
decided to hold aloof from the affairs of the South African Republic and
England, the movements of the British troops would have been hampered, the
territory of the Orange Free State would have had to be respected, and the
easiest approach to Pretoria would have been closed. But President Steyn, imbued
with a desire to see Dutch supremacy in South Africa, was only too ready to
declare himself and his State on the side of the adjoining Republic, and to
insult and defy the British Government. And thus "commenced this sanguinary
conflict, the issue of which was to decide the fate of South Africa—whether the
oppression, bribery, and corruption of the Government of the South African
Republic were to continue and spread throughout the whole of South Africa, or
whether Great Britain's well-known justice, equity, and righteous dealing
between man and man were to prevail.
A strict watch was kept on the movements of the Boers after their entry into
Natal. The Natal Volunteers were detailed off to this work of scouting, owing to
their knowledge of the country, and of the Dutch and Kafir languages. Having
lived among Boer farmers, and fought side by side with them in Kafir wars, they
were acquainted with their methods of warfare.
On Monday, October 2nd, two squadrons of the Natal Carbineers, numbering about
250 men, under Major Taunton, left Ladysmith to patrol under the " Berg." Their
instructions were to prevent looting and cattle-stealing by marauding Boers and
natives, and to immediately warn the authorities at Ladysmith of any extensive
movement of the Boers on Natal.
The work performed by them was of a most arduous nature, on account of the
exceedingly hilly character of the country under the " Berg," and also because
of the precautions which had to be taken to avoid a surprise attack by the
Boers. Every night at sundown the camp was struck and removed from five to ten
miles away from the previous camping ground, and at no time could more than four
consecutive hours of sleep be obtained. On several occasions small parties of
Boers were seen in the distance, but these immediately rode off as fast as their
horses could carry them when they saw that they had been observed by the
Carbineers.
On Monday afternoon, October 9th, a party of 20 armed Boers was descried within
three or four miles of Besters railway station, and as it was suspected that
there was a larger 'force in concealment information was sent into Ladysmith,
and a request made for reinforcements. Immediately two squadrons of the 5th
Lancers proceeded to Besters by road, marching through the night and arriving at
six o'clock in the morning. An armoured train, manned by 60 men of the Liverpool
Regiment, was also despatched to Besters to support the Carbineers. On the
arrival, however, of the reinforcements it was found that there was no further
cause for alarm, for, as previously, the Boers had disappeared, having been
probably only a patrolling party. The expeditious manner, however, in which the
Carbineers received support from their base in Ladysmith had a most cheering and
encouraging effect upon them, showing them how closely they were in touch with
their supports, and how quickly they could receive assistance when required.
One of the first hostile acts after war was declared was committed at De Jager's
Drift, on the Buffalo River, near Dundee, where the Boers, through treachery,
captured five men of the Natal Mounted Police, who were stationed at this drift.
On Friday, October 13th, two Dutchmen crossed the river and asked for letters,
at the same time engaging the Police in conversation. While they were thus
engaged a party of 30 Boers rode up rapidly from behind and called upon them to
surrender. Taken thus unawares, the Police were obliged to comply. The Boers
took the five men prisoners and proceeded to loot their quarters—taking
blankets, saddles, and eight horses. A sixth policeman managed to evade the
Boers by hiding in the house for awhile and then * slipping away after their
departure. This regrettable capture occurred through the Government authorities
failing to acquaint the Police at this border outpost of the outbreak of war ;
and thus five able men, invaluable as scouts, as the Police afterwards proved
themselves to be, were lost without a shot being fired on either side.
The Orange Free State commandoes were now beginning to wend their way down the
long passes from the Drakensberg into Natal, and the volunteer patrols, as
previously stated, were keeping a strict watch on their movements. The first
real encounter took place on Wednesday, October 18th, between the volunteers and
the Boers, and is known as the "Carbineer Engagement." The volunteers who took
part in this engagement were the Natal Carbineers, Natal Border Mounted Rifles,
and the Natal Mounted Rifles, numbering in all nearly 600 men. They were
scattered into patrolling parties from Acton Homes to near Besters railway
station.
At midday the Carbineers who were near Besters station were off-saddled and
preparing to eat their dinner when the Boers opened fire on them. Immediately
they saddled up and prepared for action. Unfortunately, however, their position
was not strong; so they had to retire to a stronger, firing on the enemy as they
went. Here they " buckled to" in deadly earnest, and a hot fire became general.
The other volunteer patrols were also now actively engaged in checking the
advance of this Boer army, which numbered about 12,000. Their instructions,
however, having been to retire before a large force, they gradually did so,
holding the enemy in check by a continuous rifle fire, and also with a Maxim
gun, which was splendidly handled.
One noticeable feature of this action was the remarkably poor shooting of the
Boers. During the whole action, which lasted four hours, the volunteers only had
two men wounded ; these were Lieutenant W. J. Gallwey, who was taken prisoner by
the Boers, and Trooper Spencer, who was wounded in the left arm by a spent
Mauser bullet. Lieutenant Gallwey, in charge of a portion of the Carbineers, was
retiring from one kopje to another, and while crossing a donga was wounded.
Shortly afterwards he was missed, and a party of six bravely volunteered to go
to his assistance, but as the Boers had now advanced it was deemed inadvisable
to let them go. Surgeon-Major Buntine, however, with two volunteers, gallantly
went back under a flag of truce to attend to him, but as the Boers, disregarding
the flag, opened fire on them they had to retreat. The Boer losses were 8 killed
and 15 wounded. Great credit was thus due to the gallant volunteers who fought
so bravely against the thousands of Boers.
The camp of the Carbineers, which was near the scene of the engagement, had,
unfortunately, to be left in the hands of the Boers, together with a
considerable quantity of their kit and other property. The volunteers now
retired to their base at Ladysmith, which they reached in safety.
The Boer armies were thus gradually driving the British outposts and patrolling
parties in on their base, their object evidently being to surround the British
forces and besiege them. They were now within ten miles of Ladysmith on the
western side, driving all before them and looting every farmstead.
Another important movement of the Boers at this time was the severing of
communication between the British forces at Glencoe Camp and Ladysmith. This was
effected at a colliery station, named Eland's Laagte, sixteen miles from
Ladysmith on the main railway line to Dundee. A large commando had been detached
from the Boer forces north of Dundee, and sent southward, passing to the west of
the Glencoe Camp to take possession of the railway at Eland's Laagte. They
arrived there on Thursday, October 18th, under the command of General Kock, a
member ot me executive Council of the South African Republic, who had Colonel
Schiel as his second in command. At midday the commando rode in and took
possession of the colliery and adjacent stores, commandeering everything that
was of any use to either men or horses. Shortly afterwards the Boers saw a
passenger train enter the station, half a mile away, which was on its way from
Ladysmith to Dundee. Immediately a rush was made for the station to try and
capture the train. One of the passengers who was standing on the platform,
noticing the advancing horsemen, cried, "The Boers are on us ! " A wild rush was
made by the passengers for their seats. The driver jumped on to his engine, and
putting on full steam left the station for Dundee. Shots from the Boers now came
whistling round the train, aimed principally at the engine, the object being
evidently to either kill the driver or penetrate some vital part of the
locomotive. Fortunately none of the passengers was hit, and the train managed to
pass safely out of the range of the Boer rifles. The Boers now took possession
of the station, and hardly had they done so before another train came into
sight, also from Lady-smith. The station-master pluckily rushed out and tried to
warn the engine-driver of the train's impending fate, but being on a steep
decline the train was unable to stop before entering the station. The Boers at
once took possession of the train and made prisoners of the four passengers,
guard, driver, stoker, and also of the station-master. The driver was then
compelled to run the train up the siding leading to the mine. The Boers had thus
by this clever movement cut off railway communication between the Glencoe Camp
and the base at Ladysmith.
The Boer commandoes in the northern districts had also been gradually closing in
on Dundee. After the evacuation of Charles-town and Newcastle they entered and
took possession, and then, leaving officials in charge, marched on to attack
Dundee. Strong patrols were kept out in all directions to avoid the possibility
of a surprise attack. But these had gradually to fall back on their main body at
Dundee as the Boer commandoes closed in. A great disadvantage to the British
military authorities was the presence of many Dutch farmers in and around
Dundee. These self - appointed spies were giving the enemy all information
possible, and actively, though silently, assisting them in many ways. They
became so conspicuous, finally, in Dundee, riding in daily with absolutely no
apparent business to perform, except to gossip about the streets, that a gentle
hint was given them that their absence ' was preferable to their presence, and
they quickly acted on the hint.
The Boers were now as they thought on their triumphal march to Durban, the
seaport of Natal. Elated by their successful invasion of the undefended Natal
territory, they presumed that they would march on practically unhindered to the
coast, and many were the vaunted tales which they told of predicted victories.
They were all the more confident by being buoyed up with a religious enthusiasm.
The following conversation of two schoolboys was overheard at this time. One—a
Dutch boy—said, "We are sure to win." The other —an English boy—replied, " Why
are you so sure ? " " Oh ! because God is fighting on our side," replied the
Dutch boy. " What! have you commandeered Him too?" was the prompt rejoinder, and
in which lay much significance! General Sir William Penn-Symons, who was in
charge of the force at Dundee, recognised at this juncture the desirability of
the departure from Dundee of all women and children in case of possible
emergency—a step which afterwards proved the wisdom and far-sightedness of this
noble General. Consequently, on October 16th, all those in Dundee unable to take
up arms left in specially provided trains for Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
The coal-mines in this district, of which Dundee was the centre, had by this
time closed down, the native miners having bolted in their fear of the
approaching Boers. The coal supply of the Colony was thus stopped at the
commencement of the war.
Dundee, being now freed from the responsibility of protecting women and
children, was prepared for any emergency. Every able-bodied man took up arms,
ready to stand by the side of the Imperial troops in protecting their town and
resisting the onward march of the Boer commandoes.
