On the 30th, the Boers being now in
force on many of the hills around the town, and having inflicted the first
annoyance upon Ladysmith by cutting the conduit that brought down the
water-supply to the town from a reservoir among the hills, and so forced it
for the future to depend upon a few wells and the muddy water of the river,
it was determined to make an effort to drive them back and to gain
possession of some of the hills from which it was now evident the town would
stand a risk of being bombarded. Hitherto there had been considerable apathy
in taking measures for keeping the enemy as far as possible out of range. A
few redoubts thrown up during the last week and strongly held would have
been invaluable, but it seemed to be considered by the military authorities
that the siege could be but a short one, and that the Boers would speedily
be driven off by the troops now pouring into Durban.
An effort was now to be made to
repair the consequences of this remissness and to drive the Boers off the
positions they occupied, and it was hoped that if a heavy blow were dealt
them they would draw off altogether. The forces of Joubert, Meyer, and the
Free Staters were now all within a distance of a few miles, and were all to
be beaten up. Their central position was on a hill afterwards known as
Signal Hill, and on this they had already planted a forty-pounder gun. A
force composed of six companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, four and a
half of the Gloucesters, a mountain battery and a troop of Hussars started
at midnight towards a hill known as Nicholson's Nek, occupied by the Free
Staters. Major General Hunter with a brigade of infantry, three batteries,
and a small cavalry force were to attack Meyer's commando to the east, while
General White, with two infantry brigades, French's cavalry, and six
batteries of field artillery moved against Joubert's force on Modder Spruit.
It was hoped that the Boers, if defeated, would find their retreat barred by
the force that had stated early for Nicholson's Nek. All were well away from
the town before daylight broke.
At five o'clock in the morning the
guns spoke out, and were at once answered by the Boer artillery, and the
roar of fire soon became general. General White's central column was
screened by a ridge near the railway, and the big gun on Signal Hill
directed its fire partly against the town and partly against the cavalry
which could be seen by them in rear of the column. As only a few of the
Volunteer Horse had been ordered to accompany the attacking force, Chris and
his companions took up their position on an eminence that afforded a general
view of the battle, and here a large number of the townspeople also
gathered. The general plan of operations was that the two movable columns
should form a rough arc of a circle and, driving in both flanks of the
Boers, sweep the whole force before them.
"They have a great many guns,"
Peters said, as the rattle of the machine-guns and the thud of quick-firing
one-pounders joined the continuous fire of several Boer batteries and the
deeper roar of their big gun, "and they seem to be in greater force than was
supposed, for I can make out large reinforcements coming up to them from
behind."
Our artillery were first placed
about four thousand yards from the Boer position, but as this was on higher
ground than that occupied by our guns our fire did not appear to be
effective. They were therefore moved forward some distance, supported by two
battalions of the Rifles and the Dublin Fusiliers. The infantry force with
them pushed forward rapidly and gained a crest from which they threatened to
take the Boer position on Signal Hill in rear; but the Boers, very strongly
reinforced, moved to meet them, and heavy fighting took place, until the
enemy's force became so strong that they not only checked the further
advance of the brigade, but threatened it on both flanks. Two batteries went
to their assistance, but even with this aid they could not continue their
advance, pressed as they were by greatly superior numbers and harassed by
the fire of the Boer field batteries on the hill.
At other points our advance was
opposed as hotly. Nowhere were our infantry gaining ground. The enemy had
not wasted their time, but had thrown up intrenchments on the steep hills
they occupied, and from these shelters maintained a terrible fire, while
their numerous machine-guns swept the ground with a hail of bullets and
shells. On such ground the cavalry were useless, and the range of the Boer
guns was much greater than that of our own.
"It seems to me," Chris said, "that
instead of gaining ground we are losing it. We can't see at all what is
going on, but certainly the firing seems nearer than it was."
All had thought the same though none
had cared to suggest such a thing.
"Hurrah! there is a train coming
in," Field said. "I heard they were expecting a party of sailors with naval
guns. They would be useful just at the present moment. Let us go down and
see, we can make out nothing from here."
Glad to be doing something they went
down the hill. As they reached the station they saw a large detachment of
sailors at work detraining some twelve-pounders and two large quick-firing
guns. Teams of oxen were brought up, the sailors harnessed themselves to
ropes, and with tremendous exertions one of the guns was taken up to an
eminence, and at eleven it opened fire. It was but just in time. In steady
order the columns were retiring with their faces towards the Boers,
answering shot for shot, carrying off their wounded as they dropped, in
spite of the terrible rifle fire and the roar of the Boers' batteries; but
as soon as the first naval gun opened fire, amid the cheers of the
townspeople, the situation was changed. The first two shells burst close to
the Boer big gun, the third in the midst of the artillerymen, and it was
some time before its fire was resumed. In the meantime the sailors had
turned their attention to other Boer batteries which the field artillery had
scarcely been able to reach, and one by one these were withdrawn over the
crest.
At one o'clock Colonel Hamilton's
brigade, which had hitherto been lying behind the crest they first occupied,
in readiness to repel any counter- attack the Boers might make, now moved
out and took up their position to cover the retirement of Hunter's column
and Howard's brigade, and although the Boers pressed hotly upon them they
held their ground steadily until their comrades had all reached their camp,
and then marched in unhindered by the enemy, whose big cannon had now been
finally silenced by the naval gun and their batteries for the most part
obliged to retire.
After seeing the naval gun open fire
Chris had gone down to speak to Captain Brookfield, when he met two soldiers
of a mountain battery carrying an injured comrade. They took him into the
hospital and then came out. Their shoulder-straps showed them to belong to
the mountain battery that had gone out with the Royal Irish Fusiliers and
the Gloucesters, of whom nothing had been heard, though occasionally, in
momentary intervals of fire, the sound of distant musketry could be made out
in the direction of Nicholson's Nek.
"How are your party getting on?" he
asked.
"We don't know anything about them,
sir," one of the men said, "except that they have been heavily engaged since
daylight. I am afraid that they are in a tight place."
"How is it you know nothing about
them?"
"It has been a bad job altogether,"
the man said. "We were marching up a steep valley with only room for us to
lead two mules abreast; we were in the rear of the column. Suddenly a
boulder came rolling down the hill and some shots were fired. In a moment
the mules stampeded. One or two began it, kicking and plunging and squealing
like wild beasts, then the others all set to. There was no holding them? it
was almost pitch-dark, and before one could say 'knife' they were tearing
down the road we had come up. There was no time to stop, and those who were
lucky jumped out of their way, those who were not were knocked down and
trampled on. As soon as they had gone those of us who were not hurt set off
after them and looked for them everywhere, but only two or three were
caught. Where the rest went I don't know, but I hope that they got into the
enemy's line of fire and were all shot. At last we gave it up as a bad job
and went back to bring in the fellows who were hurt. I think most of them
are in now. We have been a long time, for Thompson's leg was broken and one
of his arms, and, I expect, most of his ribs, and it hurt him so to be moved
that we have had to stop every two yards." "It is a bad business indeed,"
Chris said; "and of course all your guns are lost?"
"Every one of them, and what is
worse, all the reserve small-arm ammunition is lost too. The mules carrying
them were with ours, and as the fighting up there has been going on ever
since, I am afraid the infantry must have pretty well used up their last
cartridges."
It was not until the next day that
the extent of the calamity was known, when a Boer came down with a white
flag asking that doctors might be sent up. The little column instead of, as
had been hoped, surprising the Boers had itself been ambushed, being
suddenly attacked by two strong parties of the enemy. They at once seized a
little eminence, threw up a breastwork of stone, and defended themselves
successfully until the ammunition was entirely exhausted, and a hundred and
fifty had been killed or wounded. The Boers had, by taking advantage of
every bit of cover, crept up close to them, and a murderous fire was poured
in. The two regiments asked Colonel Carleton, who commanded them, to allow
them to charge with their bayonets and cut their way through. He consented
to allow the desperate attempt to be made, and the men were in the act of
fixing bayonets when someone raised a white flag, and the Boers standing up
advanced to receive the surrender.
After this the laws of war permitted
no further defence, and the men, half mad with fury at the situation in
which they were placed, threw down their rifles and were made prisoners.
This was at two o'clock in the afternoon, after the rest of the force had
returned to Ladysmith; and thus some nine hundred men fell into the hands of
the Boers. Apart from this the loss was comparatively small considering the
heat of the engagement. The day's work had been altogether unsatisfactory;
no advantage whatever had been gained beyond the discovery of the Boers'
position, and their unexpected strength and fighting powers, and it was
evident that the force at Ladysmith was unable to drive off the enemy
unaided, and must undergo a siege until the arrival of a relieving army.
There were provisions calculated to last for two months, and no one doubted
that long before that time General Buller would arrive to their rescue. So
confident had the military authorities been, that not only had no defensive
works been thrown up, but they had omitted to send the women and children,
and the men unfitted to give active assistance, to the rear.
On the following morning the scouts
held a council of war.
"Now," Chris said, "we have to
decide the all-important question. It is quite certain that the town is
going to be besieged, and I should say that the siege will last for some
time, as nothing can be done to relieve them until a lot of troops arrive
from home. We have shown at Dundee and Elandslaagte that our fellows can
drive the Boers from their kopjes, but a force arriving to relieve Ladysmith
would have to fight its way through a tremendously mountainous district, and
to capture at least eight or ten such positions. At Dundee and Elandslaagte
the Boers had only a few guns, and the big one from Pretoria had not
arrived, nor had they time to fortify themselves. It is certain, therefore,
that it will require a very big force to fight its way in here, especially
as the Tugela has to be crossed, and the Boers will of course destroy the
bridges.
"It may be a couple of months before
the place is relieved. Of course the question is, Shall we stay here or go?
I don't think we should be of much use here; indeed, I don't see that
cavalry would be any good at all, whereas if a portion of the Boers push
south we may be very useful in our own line of scouting. Still, this is a
question for you to decide. You chose to make me your commander when at
work, but we should all have an equal voice in a matter of this sort."
There was little discussion; all
were of their leader's opinion that it was best for them to leave. The
prospect of a long siege in which they could take but little active part was
not a pleasant one, and it was decided at once that they should leave.
"Very well," Chris said. "Then I
will go in to Captain Brookfield and ask his permission to go. Now that we
are in camp with him he must be consulted."
They had since Elandslaagte taken
their places as a part of the Maritzburg Scouts, and had been drilled for
some hours each day. They were already favourites among the corps, who were
proud of the work they had done, and being a pleasant set of lads their
uncouth appearance, which had at first been viewed with much disfavour by
many of their comrades, had been forgiven. Chris went to the commander's
tent and laid the matter and their decision before him.
"I think that it is just as well
that you should go, Chris," the officer said; "and indeed I was on the point
of telling you that we are all leaving. For myself I cannot understand why
the cavalry should be kept here, and indeed I know that it is their opinion
also, and that they have asked the general to let them leave. However, he
has decided to keep them. I am sure it is a mistake. Before the siege is
over forage is sure to run short, and half the cavalry will be dismounted
before the end comes. However, I have seen him and pointed out that as
scouts we should be useless here. He has given me leave to go, but has
requested me to join the first troops that come up the line. When we are
once away I shall give you leave to act altogether independently of us,
which will I am sure suit you better than being kept for weeks perhaps at
Colenso or Estcourt. Another thing I will do. General Yule was speaking to
me only yesterday of the manner in which your party defeated and cut up more
than double your number, and how you and three of your party went into the
Boer camp at Talana and ascertained their strength for General Symons. I
expect that General Buller will come on here, as it is certainly the most
serious point at present. I will ask Yule to give you a letter of
introduction to him, it will be useful; and I have no doubt that he will
give you a free hand, as I have done. I should not call upon General Buller
in that rig-out, if I were you. I have heard he is somewhat of a martinet at
the War Office, and we know that they have a very poor opinion of volunteers
there."
Chris smiled. "Volunteers have done
good service at the Cape before now, sir, and have shown over and over again
that a man can fight just as well in plain clothes as if he were buttoned up
to the chin in uniform; and as the Boers are themselves nothing but
volunteers, I should think that before this war is over the War Office will
see its mistake."
"I should think so indeed, Chris,
but at present they have certainly not woke up to the fact. I see by the
telegrams that the London Scottish and the London Irish have both
volunteered almost to a man for service here, and that they have not even
had a civil reply to their application. I tell you, lad, this war is going
to be a big thing, and before it is over we may have both militia and
volunteers out here, and perhaps troops from the colonies. I heard that some
of the Australian colonies have already offered to send bodies of mounted
men, and that our government are ordering out a larger number of men than
was at first intended. I hear this morning that at Kimberley and Mafeking
fighting has begun. On the 24th Kimberley made a successful sortie, and on
the 25th a general attack on Mafeking was repulsed. The fact that both these
places are beleaguered, and that we have again been obliged to fall back
here, and are likely to be cut off altogether, has evidently stirred them
up, and they begin to understand that it is going to be a much bigger affair
than they expected.
"I wrote to your mother yesterday at
Durban, and told her that I intended to leave while it is still possible. Of
course you have written; but I told her of the flattering way in which
General Yule had spoken of the doings of you and your party, and said that I
hoped she would not be anxious, for it was quite evident that you were able
to take good care of yourselves. My letter was in answer to one she wrote to
me from Durban, begging me to keep you from undertaking what she called
'mad-brained business', and expressing some regret that you and the others
had been allowed to form a separate corps, instead of being under the
command of an experienced officer like myself. I told her that I thought
that you would have less chance of coming to harm in scouting work than if
you had to work in a regular way as the general ordered. If this sort of
fighting--I mean, of attacking in front every position the Boers choose to
take--goes on, our numbers will very speedily dwindle away.
"The fact is, as far as we colonials
can see, the regulars do not as yet understand fighting the Boers. Nothing
could be more splendid than the behaviour of the troops, both at Dundee and
Elandslaagte, but in our humble opinion neither fight was necessary; and if
Talana was to be attacked, it should have been done by marching the troops
round the hill and taking it in the rear. In that case the Boers would have
bolted without firing a shot. That it could have been done is shown by the
fact that the cavalry did it, and encountered no difficulty on the way.
Again, at Elandslaagte the object of keeping the road open would have been
equally well attained if, after driving them out of the station, we had
taken up a strong position there and waited for them to attack us.
Therefore, Chris, I think that fighting in our way--that is to say, in Boer
fashion--and trusting to skill as much as to shooting, you will be running a
good deal less risk than you would in fighting under British generals in
British fashion. We shall go off quietly this evening. We must keep a bright
look-out on the way, for the trains have been fired upon, and at any moment
the Boers may pull up the rails and block the roads altogether."
Two hours later all was ready for a
start, and just before sunset the corps rode out of Ladysmith. They kept a
sharp look-out as they went, but saw no signs of the enemy, and crossing the
Tugela by the bridge near Colenso, halted there for the night. Here Captain
Brookfield reported his arrival to the officer in command of the troops, and
on the following day Chris and his friends rode on to Estcourt. They had
seen some parties of mounted men in the far distance, but none had come near
them, and as the military authorities were well aware of the Boers being in
the vicinity, there was nothing to be gained by scouting. But it was now
decided that they were in advance of the point that any large number of the
enemy were likely to reach, and might therefore strike across the country
and resume what they considered their regular work. They added to their
stores several articles whose want they had felt, had slits made in the
waterproof sheets, and covers sewn on to close the holes when they were used
for tents, and had some triangular pieces of the same material made to
buckle on so as to close the rear of the tents, which had before been open
to the wind and rain. They had employed much of their spare time in training
their horses and in teaching them to lie down when ordered, and thus share
the shelter taken up by their masters, behind rocks or a wall.
The officer commanding the small
force at Estcourt had at first viewed them with some suspicion, but Colonel
Yule had purposely left open the letter with which he had furnished Chris,
so that it could be shown to any officers commanding posts or detached
forces, and its production now caused his cold reception to be converted
into a warm welcome. Riding across country they met more than one farmer
trekking with his cattle and belongings towards the ferry across the Mooi
river. These reported that the Boers had overrun the whole of the country
north of the Tugela, and that some parties had already crossed at the ferry
on the road between Helpmakaar and Greytown. Fugitives had come in from the
villages on the other side, and complained that the Boers were looting
everywhere, and had driven off thousands of cattle and numbers of horses,
and had everywhere wantonly destroyed the furniture and everything they
could not carry off, in the farmhouses they visited.
A vigilant look-out was kept as the
scouts advanced. On the second day after starting they encamped on a slight
elevation near Mount Umhlumba, and early next morning they saw a party of
some twenty Boers riding in a direction that would bring them within
rifle-shot of their camp. All were at once on the alert.
"We will not go out and attack
them," Chris said to the lads who were running towards their horses. "That
would mean that though we might kill all of them, half of us would probably
be shot. We will ambush them. Get the picket ropes loose and the bridles on
ready for mounting, and then leave the horses in charge of the natives where
we camped. They will be out of sight there. When you have done that take
your places quietly among the rocks. Do you, Capper and Carmichael, put
yourselves twenty or thirty yards apart; you are our best shots. When the
Boers get within a thousand yards, which is as near as they will do if they
keep the line they are going, open fire upon them and keep it up steadily,
but not too fast. When they see that only two men are firing they will think
that you are a couple of farmers whose place they have plundered, and who
are determined to have their revenge. You are safe to hit some of them, and
the others will decide upon wiping you out, and will probably leave their
horses and crawl up in their usual style. When they get close it will be our
turn. I don't think many of them are likely to get away."
His orders were carried out, and
five minutes later the two rifles flashed out one after another. The Boers
were riding in a clump. One was seen to fall, and the horse of another gave
a violent plunge.
"Very good," exclaimed Chris, who,
like the rest, was lying down behind a rock. "Don't fire too fast. Wait half
a minute, and then each take another turn, one a little time after the
other." The man who had fallen was instantly picked up by one of his
comrades, and all rode off at full gallop, but before they could get beyond
the range of the Mausers each of the lads had fired two more shots. No more
of the Boers dropped, but the watchers, who had their glasses directed upon
them, thought by their movements that two had been hit. The Boers, when the
firing ceased, stopped, and for some little time remained clustered
together. Then they took a long sweep round to a point where the ground was
broken, and a shallow donga ran up in a direction that would bring them
within a hundred yards of the position occupied by their hidden assailants.
There they were seen to dismount, and, after some talk, leaving all the
horses in the charge of one man, probably one of the wounded, they entered
the donga. Its course was irregular, and once or twice the two lads were
able to get a shot at them. The Boers did not return the fire but hurried
past the exposed points. As they approached a head was occasionally raised
above the bank to view the position, and then disappeared again. The ground
between the camp and the nearest point of the donga was thickly strewn with
boulders, with bushes growing between them. The lads had all shifted their
position to this side.
"Don't open fire till I give the
order," Chris said quietly. "We have got them now."
Except for a slight movement of the
bushes, it would not have been known that the Boers had left the donga. Once
or twice Capper and Carmichael caught a momentary glimpse of one of them,
but held their fire, as Chris had said,
"Let them come within twenty yards,
then both fire at once, whether you catch a glimpse of them or not. Thinking
that your rifles are discharged, they will all jump up and make a rush. Then
it will be our turn."
[Illustration: "BOTH RIFLES CRACKED
AT ONCE."]
Presently a man's head was seen
peering round a rock at about the right distance. Both the rifles cracked at
once, and a Boer fell prone on the ground beyond his shelter. At the same
moment there was a shout, and his comrades all sprang to their feet and
rushed forward. A volley from the whole of the scouts flashed out. Twelve of
the Boers fell, the others leapt back behind their shelters, and in turn
opened fire.
"Keep in shelter!" Chris shouted.
"They know now that we are two to their one, and will soon be making off."
The combatants were so close to each
other that neither dared expose shoulder or head to take aim, and after the
first shots fired at the Boers all remained quiet. Chris waited for three or
four minutes, and then told four of the lads who were in the best shelter to
crawl back, mount their horses, and ride out down the other side of the
slope, and, after making a slight circuit, to gallop straight at the Boers'
horses.
"The fellows may be some distance
away already," he said, "as they may have slipped off directly they
discharged their rifles. In any case there is no time to be lost in getting
hold of their ponies, or at any rate in driving them off."
As two or three minutes again passed
without a shot being fired by the Boers, Chris was in the act of calling off
half the troop to watch the donga and fire at the Boers if they saw them
running past the exposed points, when at this moment he heard the horses
returning, and directly afterwards one of the lads he had sent off ran up to
him.
"There are a whole lot of them
coming round the other side," he said, "sixty or seventy of them at least.
Some distance behind I can see a lot of cattle and waggons. I suppose they
were making for home when they heard the firing." Just at this moment two or
three shots rang out, telling that the surviving Boers were seen running
down the donga.
"Never mind them," Chris shouted;
"we are going to be attacked by a big party. Put down your rifles all of
you, and pile the stones on the crest, so as to make a shelter, as quickly
as you can. We shall have a few minutes. Those who are coming up can't know
yet what the firing means." He ran up to the top. "They are not more than
six or seven hundred yards away," he said, "and it would be better to fight
it out here than to take to our horses. Some of us would certainly not get
off without a bullet. You need not mind showing yourselves when they come
up. They won't be able to make out what we are."
The Boers, indeed, reined in their
ponies when they saw Chris appear on the brow of the eminence, and as a
preliminary some of them rode off in both directions and endeavoured to
ascertain the position. Those on the right soon caught sight of the clump of
horses.
"They will soon know all about it,"
Chris said, as two of them galloped off. "We may as well teach them to keep
their distance. Take your places behind rocks, and then open a sharp fire
with your magazines. They cannot know how many of us there are here. Now,
are you all ready? Yes? Well, then, set to work!"
In a moment an almost incessant
rattle of musketry broke out upon the astounded Boers, who, turning their
horses, scattered at full gallop to escape the hail of bullets; but more
than a dozen had fallen before they were beyond the range of the Mausers and
were fully two thousand yards away.
"I don't think we need stop," Chris
said. "Fill up your magazines again, and then make for the horses." Directly
the first party of Boers had been seen, Jack and Japhet had set to work
taking down and rolling up the tents and loading the spare horses.
"Jump up," Chris said to them, "we
are off. Mind you keep well with us. Now," he went on, as they rode off in a
body, "we will do a little cattle raiding on our own account. Make for them,
lads!"
With a shout they rode off at full
gallop towards the great herd of cattle. As they approached, the Kaffirs who
were driving them fled. Separating as they rode, waving their hats and
shouting at the top of their voices, the lads dashed at the herd, who at
once turned and went off at a rate that would have astonished animals
accustomed only to small pastures and other enclosures.
"Don't press them too much," Chris
had ordered before the band separated, "or they will break down. Listen for
my whistle; when you hear it, Field, Willesden, Harris, and Bryan will
follow up the herd with the Kaffirs and keep them moving, the rest will
dismount, make their horses lie down, and open fire. That narrow valley we
passed through yesterday afternoon will do to make a stand. It is about five
miles away, head the cattle for it. The Boers won't be far behind us when we
get there."
The enemy indeed had not noticed
them leave the little kopje, as they were hidden by a slight fall in the
ground where they descended, and it was not until they observed a commotion
among the cattle that they perceived what had happened. Then, furious not
only at the loss they had suffered, but at seeing their booty driven away,
they mounted and pursued in hot haste. But the party had obtained a start of
fully a mile, and the valley was reached by the fugitives while the Boers
were still half that distance in their rear. Chris rode along until he came
to a narrow and defensible point; the horses were taken a hundred yards on
and made to lie down, and he and his sixteen companions then ran back and
took up their positions among the rocks on each side of the track and the
slopes above it.
