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Officers of the
3rd Battalion |
Drum Major |
Maxim detachment |
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The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Mongolian about 21st October 1899, and
arrived at the Cape about 16th November. Along with the 2nd Black
Watch, 1st Highland Light Infantry, and 1st Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders, they formed the 3rd or Highland Brigade, first under Major
General Wauchope and after his death under Brigadier General Hector
Macdonald. The work of the brigade is dealt with under the
2nd Black
Watch.
At Magersfontein (see 2nd Black Watch) the Seaforths saw their first
fighting in the campaign. The regiment was not so severely cut up in
the first outburst of fire as the Black Watch, but during the day its losses
became very heavy, 5 officers and 53 men being killed or mortally wounded, 7
officers and 136 men wounded, and about 14 taken prisoners. The
battalion moved to the right of the Black Watch after the firing began, and
pushed very close to the trenches at the south-east of the hill; indeed it
is recorded by 'The Times' historian that a party of the Seaforths actually
got round to the east of the hill and ascended it from the rear. They
were driven down, partly by the fire of the British guns, and were all
either killed or wounded.
Three officers and 1 non-commissioned officer were mentioned in Lord
Methuen's despatch of 15th February 1900 for great gallantry.
At Koodosberg in the beginning of February the battalion lost 1 officer
and 3 men killed and 17 men wounded.
At Paardeberg (see 2nd Black Watch) the losses of the battalion were
again appalling, 2 officers and 50 men being killed or dying of wounds, and
5 officers and 95 men wounded. Their advance that day, like that of
the Black Watch and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, commanded the
admiration of all onlookers, some companies of the Seaforths being specially
praised for the way in which they pushed down to the river, crossed it, and
worked up the right bank along with some of the Black Watch. In Lord
Roberts' despatch of 31st March 1900, 3 officers, 2 of whom were killed, and
6 men were mentioned for their good work at Paardeberg.
During General Colvile's march from the Bloemfontein Waterworks to
Heilbron some very severe fighting fell to the lot of the Seaforths, and
they always earned the highest commendation of the divisional commander.
At Roodepoort, 28th May 1900, the battalion had to hold a position on the
right. "They were heavily attacked from the right rear by a force
which far outnumbered them", but "held their own all day". Colonel Hughes-Hallett
was wounded, and the Seaforths had another officer and 15 men wounded.
In the operations round the Brandwater basin, when the Highland Brigade was
acting as part of Sir A Hunter's army, the Seaforths again gained the
encomiums of the general. In his despatch of 4th August 1900 Sir
Archibald describes the taking of Retief's Nek with some detail. He
remarks that on 24th July he ordered General Macdonald to bring up the
Seaforths by a wide turning movement on the left of the Black Watch.
The movement was completed successfully, "the Seaforths advancing with quiet
gallantry and seizing the ridge".
When the enemy moved south of Bloemfontein three companies of the
Seaforths were sent, about 13th October 1900, to occupy Jagersfontein and
Fauresmith. Both places were attacked before daybreak on the 16th.
At the former place the Boers got into the town in the darkness, indeed into
the camp, but were driven out. The Seaforths, however, lost 12 killed
and 1 officer and 5 men wounded. A portion of the battalion had
fighting in the Redders-burg district, and moving south to the Rouxville
Aliwal district, they operated there for a considerable time.
Twelve officers and 21 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned
in Lord Roberts' final despatch.
About the middle of February 1901 the battalion was taken to Victoria
West, the enemy being active in Western Cape Colony at that time.
In the summer of 1901 the battalion furnished two companies as part of
the infantry of a column working in the Eastern Transvaal under Major
General Beatson and General Bindon Blood.
In March 1902 the battalion was employed to strengthen the railway line
north of Kroonstad during General Elliot's great drives against the line,
and shortly afterwards they were moved to Klerksdorp to strengthen the
columns in the Western Transvaal in the efforts which were made to clear
that district after the two mishaps to Lord Methuen's forces. The
battalion furnished a guard to the Boer generals during the peace
deliberations.
By a strange mischance Lieutenant E M Sutherland was killed near
Frederickstad on 29th May, two days before the terms of peace were formally
signed.
One officer and 1 private were mentioned by Lord Kitchener during the
war, and in the final despatch the names of 6 officers and 8
non-commissioned officers were added.
