"My son, if besieged, with an enemy shelling, Take the line of a foe in the
choice of a dwelling." THE " LADYSMITH LYRE."
We must now take our readers back to the early days of November. It will be
remembered that communication with Ladysmith was cut off on November 2nd. At
that time no one in the town imagined for a moment that it would be severed from
the outside world for more than a fortnight at the most, and the chief anxiety
of the inhabitants was not for themselves but for the comparatively unprotected
southern and eastern portions of Natal.
The day after the siege commenced, on Friday, November 3rd, it was reported that
a large commando was m6ving off towards Pietermaritzburg. Sir George White
therefore sent out a flying column of cavalry with one battery of artillery
towards the south-west, in the direction of Dewdrop, to intercept them if
possible. Colonel Brocklehurst was in charge of the column, which, after
proceeding about three miles, came in touch with the enemy. A sharp engagement
ensued, in which the Boers appeared to suffer severely, the British losing 6
killed and 10 wounded. No decisive result, however, was obtained, and the
cavalry gradually withdrew under cover of the artillery. Among the killed was
Major Taunton, of the Natal Carbineers, who, while leading his men to take
better cover, was shot through the heart.
During this Dewdrop engagement fighting was also taking place on Hyde's farm to
the north, and towards Umbulwana Hill to the south-east, the object of the
British being to prevent the Boers from approaching too close to the town.
The Boers had now successfully encircled Ladysmith, having mounted about thirty
guns of various calibre on the surrounding hills. The principal hills occupied
by them were Pepworth's Hill to the north-east ; Lombaard's Kop to the east; and
Umbulwana to the southeast. On each of these three hills was mounted a
long-range siege-gun, throwing a 96-pound shell.
The British force occupied the hills directly surrounding the town, having a
line of defence fifteen miles in length. Immediately on the commencement of the
siege, Sir George White set to work to render the town as secure as possible
against attack, the military engineers superintending the construction of
earthworks, schanzes, sangars, and bomb-proof chambers. The infantry regiments
had to occupy these fortifications, bivouacking out on the hills night and day
throughout the entire siege.
Although the general opinion was that the siege would be of short duration, Sir
George White wisely made every provision to resist a prolonged attack. On
Saturday, November 4th, he sent out a despatch to General Joubert, asking him to
allow the non-combatants .in the town to leave and proceed to the south. General
Joubert replied that he would on no account allow this, but that a neutral camp
might be formed outside the town, in which the women, children, sick, and
non-combatants might live. The benefit of this concession seemed very
questionable, and many of the civilians would not avail themselves of the offer,
preferring to face the Boer shells rather than dwell under the white flag.
Others were very willing to leave, and on Sunday, November 5th, they moved out
of town with the sick and proceeded to the appointed ground, which was four
miles to the south, near the railway line. It was called the 'Ndomba Spruit
Camp; and every morning a train left Ladysmith carrying provisions and water for
its inhabitants. Those who remained in the town jocularly called it "
Funkemsdorp."
On the Monday following, the military authorities took over the stocks of
provisions in most of the stores. Numbers of horses belonging to civilians were
also bought up for the mounted volunteers. On Wednesday the military commenced
to serve out rations daily to the civilians, as they could not now obtain many
necessaries from the storekeepers. On this day also nearly 200 English prisoners
were sent into the town by General Joubert. They were the inhabitants of Dundee
who had remained behind after the evacuation by General Yule's column. On the
entry of the Boers into Dundee they had been despatched as prisoners of war to
Pretoria ; but now that Ladysmith was besieged they were sent into the town to
help Sir George White to get through his stock of provisions as soon as
possible. Truly, Joubert was " slim " ! Five hundred Indians were also sent into
Ladysmith by General Joubert, who stated that they were British subjects; but
these Sir George White returned " with thanks," and General Joubert had
consequently to send them south.
The enemy's shells now began to fall into the town continually, causing, at
first, no small commotion among the inhabitants. After a few days, however, the
old proverb, " Familiarity breeds contempt," proved itself true, and children
would be seen running after the fragments which had fallen from an exploded
shell. Ladysmith, fortunately, covered a large area, and the houses were
consequently not situated very close together, each having a large garden
around. Most of the shells, therefore, fell into the soft ground, entering
without exploding. It really seemed marvellous how few struck the houses or
injured human beings. It was luducrous, however, to watch the instinctive
cautionary actions of men walking down the streets, as they heard the screech of
an approaching shell. They would place themselves flat against the nearest wall,
or dodge down a lane or alley. Others would, apparently unconsciously, raise
their arms to protect their faces, but as a rule the danger had passed
simultaneously with the hearing of the sound. Though most of the shells were
harmless, a few of them wrought a good deal of destruction to property, and in
some cases were accountable for the loss of life. On the first day of the siege
a Kafir was struck by a shell, and the ground for yards around was reddened with
his blood, his body being horribly mutilated. Another shell from the Umbulwana
passed through the roof of a building, and, bursting inside, completely wrecked
the interior, smashing the furniture to atoms, and blowing out the end gable, as
well as shattering windows and doors, and injuring the Royal Hotel adjoining. A
segment of another shell passed through a patrol tent, in which Trooper Schram,
of the Natal Mounted Rifles, was sleeping. It struck him on the neck and breast,
causing instantaneous death. Another sad casualty occurred in the death of Dr.
Stark, a distinguished entomologist, who was staying at the Royal Hotel. He was
entering at the front door at seven o'clock in the evening, when a shell came in
at the back of the building and, passing through a brick wall, alighted at his
feet. His legs were terribly shattered as the result, and he died within an
hour.
Other shells fell in the military camps, in some cases causing loss of life. One
shell bursting among the Liverpools killed five and wounded four. In another
regiment a shell fell into the officers' mess, killing and wounding seven of the
senior officers. It is impossible, however, to enumerate all the sad deaths
which occurred ; suffice it to say, that they were very few compared with the
number of shells which were thrown into the town.
It may seem strange to the reader to state that, though the advent of these
shells was often fraught with destruction, there was sometimes a certain amount
of humour attending them ; but such was the case. A friend of the writer was
lying in bed when a " Long Tom " shell burst through the wall, and after
carrying away the head and foot of the bed vanished into the opposite wall
without injuring him in the slightest degree. It is needless, however, to say
that he does not see any humour in the incident. A Gordon Highlander was quietly
musing, sitting on a box in his tent, when a shell passed between his legs, and,
entering the ground, suddenly raised him with the box; but beyond unseating him
rather roughly it did him no harm. A gentleman was riding gaily down the street,
when a passing shell amputated one of his horse's legs, bringing the rider
ungracefully to the ground. Imagine also the consternation of a Kafir woman who
was intently . washing a pot in a back yard, when a shell struck the pot and
burst. The Kafir woman alighted in the next yard unhurt, but the pot was never
seen again.
It soon became the custom for the civilians to forsake the town during the day,
while the shelling was on, and take shelter in the banks along the river to the
west of the town. These banks rapidly assumed the appearance of a great rabbit
warren, some of the holes, or caves, being large enough to contain a whole
family. As darkness set in the people would leave these holes and repair to the
town, where they would remain until daybreak the next day.
After the siege had continued a few days the Boer gunners began to turn their
attention to those buildings which were flying the Red Cross flag, and which
were used as hospitals for the wounded. The Town Hall and Sanatorium were both
struck three or four times. One shell entered the Town Hall and killed a wounded
man who was lying in bed, and wounded eight others. The churches also, which
were used as hospitals, were struck, so that Sir George White ordered all the
Red Cross flags to be taken down, as they were disregarded by the Boers and only
tended to attract their shell fire. In reply to Sir George White's remonstrance,
General Joubert stated that he would recognise no Red Cross flag in the town, as
the 'Ndomba Spruit Camp had been set apart for hospital purposes.
Wherever three or four people were seen together by the enemy, they would at
once receive the attention of the Boer artillery. Thus it came to pass that the
burial parties were continually being fired upon, so that at last all funerals
took place at night, the chaplains having to recite from memory the Burial
Service.
The enemy were not long in making an attack upon the town after its investment.
On Thursday, November gth, a determined attempt was made to enter. At four
o'clock in the morning the Boer artillery began to vigorously shell the British
camps. After awhile the Boers on the north of the town advanced towards the
British lines, taking advantage of every possible bit of cover. Their object was
to gain a trench which they had previously dug, and from which they would be
able to fire. They were unaware, however, that, during the night, the Rifle
Brigade had occupied the trench, and were now lying in wait for them. They were
allowed to approach to within 350 yards, when a thousand rifles blazed forth,
laying many of them low. The remainder turned and fled, and were followed by
volley after volley from the British rifles. A mortar which the Boers were using
for throwing heavy shells was also struck by the British artillery and rendered
useless; and the remainder of their artillery appearing to run short of
ammunition, they were unable to cover the disordered retreat of their assailing
party.
A simultaneous attack was also made on the south of the town, where the
Manchesters were stationed, and here also the enemy suffered severely at the
hands of the British. The mounted Zarps rode up over a ridge facing a hill on
which were the British artillery. The latter, as a feint, began to retreat, and
the Zarps boldly rode out into the open to follow them, when the artillery
suddenly turned and sent a withering shell fire into their midst causing them to
retreat in confusion.
At eleven o'clock the firing ceased, as the Boers had retreated. Shortly
afterwards, however, the naval guns began to boom forth, and each report was
followed by ringing cheers from the troops all round the lines of defence. The
civilians in the town were at a loss to account for this cheering, as no doubt
were the Boers ; but it transpired that Sir George White was firing a Royal
Salute in honour of the birthday of H.R.H., the Prince of Wales. It was a most
unique salute, being fired with live shell, which could be seen bursting among
the enemy's guns on the surrounding hills.
At two o'clock the Boers again approached to attack the town, coming from the
direction of Lombaard's Kop and Umbulwana to the east. They were, however,
subjected to such a hot shell fire that they beat a hasty retreat. The enemy had
thus been repulsed at all points, with a loss of about 800 killed and wounded.
The British loss was only 2 killed and 15 wounded. On the following day General
Joubert sent into Ladysmith begging for medicines, which Sir George White
humanely sent out to him with an English doctor. It was evident, therefore, that
the Boers had not anticipated such a severe reverse and were quite unprepared to
attend to such a number of wounded.
The usual daily shelling continued until the following Tuesday, November 14th,
when a reconnaissance in force was made by the artillery and cavalry towards the
west of the town. After a short but sharp skirmish, however, they returned,
having inflicted rather heavy loss upon the enemy at the expense of only one man
being wounded.
The town now settled down to a time of weary waiting—longing for news of the
Relief Column. Kumours oi me most extravagant nature were flying around on all
sides, many of which tended to depress the spirits of the civilians. Tommy
Atkins, however, managed to preserve a placid and even temperament, and rather
preferred to hear the shells hissing through the air than endure the dull
monotony when the enemy desisted from their firing. He humorously nicknamed the
Boer guns, some of the names being very appropriate and suggestive. " Long Tom "
and " Slim Piet" were the two largest guns which did the most damage. Then there
were " Silent Susan," "Puffing Billy" and "Coolie Mary." There were also the "
Umbulwana Sneak," and " Piffling Jimmie," which could never hit the object aimed
at; and last came " Weary Willie," which always dropped its shell a long way
short of the mark.
Two or three newspapers were started by enterprising journalists for the
amusement and edification of the besieged. The first issue of the Bombshell
appeared on November 17th. It was " struck off" on the cyclo-style, and was a
very creditable little paper. The Ladysmith Lyre of which the responsible editor
was the late Mr. G. W. Steevens, was also a great credit to those who produced
it, being most humorous, and containing excellent cartoons. The monotony was
also relieved by the organisation of cricket and football matches as well as
polo ; and it often looked absurdly ridiculous to see the indifference with
which the players and spectators treated the passing shells, some of which would
burst within the limits of the "field."
An incident, however, occurred on Thursday, December 7th, which tended to
relieve the monotony of siege life, and even fill the whole of the inhabitants
of Ladysmith with joyous excitement. On the evening of that day a picked force
of 500 Natal Volunteers, and 100 Imperial Light Horse left Ladysmith, under the
command of Major-General Sir Archibald Hunter, to storm Gun Hill, which was a
ridge running like a spur from Lombaard's Kop. The most strict silence was
observed as the men ascended the hill. On reaching the enemy's pickets they were
challenged, and, thus, seeing they were discovered, advanced at the double. ' A
few shots were fired at them, but the command rang out, "Fix bayonets, and give
them cold steel! " They were, unfortunately, not provided with bayonets, but the
Boers, being ignorant of this, turned and fled, leaving everything behind them,
including one 6-inch "Long Tom," a 4.7 howitzer and a Maxim gun. The two large
guns were immediately blown up with guncotton, and the Maxim gun was taken back
to the town. The force was back again in Ladysmith by half-past three on Friday
morning, having been away only five hours. This glorious feat was performed with
the loss of only i man killed and 7 wounded.
During Friday morning Sir George White had the force paraded before him, and, in
addressing them, thanked them for the splendid service they had performed, and
praised them for their great gallantry. The whole garrison also poured unstinted
praise upon the brave volunteers for their successful attack.
This night attack on Gun Hill had proved so successful that Sir George White
determined to try another. On the following Sunday evening, December 10th, a
force of 500 men of the Rifle Brigade, under Colonel Metcalfe, left the British
lines to attempt the destruction of a 4.7 howitzer on Surprise Hill, which was
two miles due north of Ladysmith. Leaving Observation Hill they made a detour to
the left, to avoid a Boer position, and reached the foot of Surprise Hill, whose
steep and rugged sides they immediately began to ascend. The summit was soon
reached and carried at the point of the bayonet with a ringing cheer, the enemy
flying in all directions. The howitzer was found in its fortalice, and the
Engineers immediately prepared to destroy it. The fuse, however, was found to be
defective, thus causing a delay of twenty minutes, and the Boers were, during
this period, beginning to mass a short distance off and to fire volleys into the
party. The gun having been destroyed, a bayonet charge was made into the enemy
to scatter them and prevent them from firing into the Rifle Brigade during its
retreat. They were completely routed, many being killed; and then the Rifle
Brigade turned to retreat. A strong force of the enemy, however, had collected
near the foot of the hill to cut off their retreat, and it was found that they
had to pass through a lane formed by the enemy, who poured in a deadly
cross-fire at close quarters.
Nothing daunted, however, they charged down the hill with bayonets fixed,
working terrible execution among the enemy. A great state of confusion existed
during this charge, for in the darkness the opposing forces became mixed, and
the Boers shouted out orders in English, thus deceiving the British and leading
them astray. The bottom, of the hill was, however, reached at last, and the
plucky Rifle Brigade asked that it might be allowed to charge back again into
the enemy, but this Colonel Metcalfe would not allow, he having attained his
object —the howitzer having been destroyed.
The British loss was 12 killed and 50 wounded ; but the enemy must have lost
much more heavily, for among the Rifle Brigade there were found, next morning,
96 blood-stained bayonets.
When the ambulance corps went out they found the Boers terribly enraged at the
loss of another gun and so many men, for they placed them all under arrest, and
it was not until Sir George White had sent out and remonstrated with General
Schalk Burger, who was in command, that they were liberated and allowed to
attend to the wounded and bury the dead.
The news of this victory sent a thrill of pride and satisfaction through the
inhabitants of the town, causing them to forget for awhile their own terrible
plight. But time soon began to again hang heavily, there being nothing of any
public interest to arouse the inhabitants from their morbid forebodings.
Occasionally native runners would manage to pass through the Boer lines with
despatches to the outside world, and sometimes they would safely return,
bringing with them two or three newspapers as well as letters for some of the
beleaguered, but they were generally caught by the Boer sentries. Heliographic
communication existed, however, from the beginning of December to the close of
the siege, so that they were acquainted with the movements of the Relief Column
; and bitter was the disappointment when they heard of General Buller's reverse
at Colenso on December 15th. Many became despondent, but the majority were still
hopeful, having perfect faith in the abilities of the relieving force. They were
again subjected to two or three weeks of monotonous siege life, with nothing to
relieve the strain. Sickness was now beginning to find its way among the ranks,
and, to a lesser extent, among the inhabitants. Being the middle of summer, the
heat was intense, and many were struck down with enteric fever. Dysentery also
played havoc ; and it was found that many more deaths were caused by disease
than by the enemy's shells which fell daily into the town.
As Christmas Day approached the signs of relief seemed as far off as ever ; but,
notwithstanding this, all possible preparations were made for spending as happy
a Christmas as circumstances would allow. Delicacies of all sorts were now
becoming scarce, but what remained were gathered together to cheer the " festive
board" ; and a really jolly Christmas was spent, which tended to put fresh
spirit into many languishing hearts.
Christmas went by and New Year came, and still no relief! Life became more
monotonous than ever. But soon an event happened which filled the whole garrison
and town with excitement.
