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| Murray's Scouts |
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Before Ladysmith was invested, the Hon. T. K. Murray,
ex-Colonial Secretary, suggested that the Rifle Associations of Natal, which
were on a different footing from the Volunteers, should be called out. The
authorities did not see their way to adopt this suggestion, but General
Wolfe-Murray, commanding the lines of communication, asked Dr Murray to come to
Mooi River as soon as he could with the men he could gather. Forty-eight hours
afterwards Mr Murray was at the appointed place with 80 well-mounted men, each
carrying three days' rations. Within a few days the numbers had increased to
150, and during the first three weeks of November - a most critical period, as
the Boers were pushing across the Tugela and the regulars were only arriving -
Murray's Horse performed most valuable service, patrolling a very wide district,
and probably leading the enemy to believe that lower Natal was better protected
than it really was. The regular troops having arrived before the end of
November, Murray's Horse was disbanded. The Lieutenant General ' Commanding in
Natal issued the following order: "The services of the Irregular Corps raised by
the Honourable T. K. Murray, CMG, having been dispensed with owing to the
arrival of reinforcements from the Cape, the Lieutenant-General Commanding
desires to place on record his high admiration for the patriotic spirit with
which the men of this corps responded to the call to arms at a critical time,
and the efficient manner in which they performed the military duties required of
them".
