TOPIC:

1900 - Kimberley siege day 97 (78%). Ladysmith siege day 79 (66%). Mafeking siege day 99 (45%). Warren moves up Venter's Spruit and attacks Boer right flank. Preparations made for mobilization of Eighth Division.

In Kimberley:

Enemy very quiet this morning; about 200 of them were at about 6 am seen moving from Carter’s farm in the direction Johnson’s Kopje. One shell was fired at Wimbledon ridge at the cattle guard in front of the reservoir. We have so few cattle left that it is hardly worth while their wasting shells in firing at them.

The 28 pounder breech loader made in the De Beers workshops under the direction of Mr Labram was tried this morning from No 2 Kimberley and with very satisfactory results. It has been christened “Long Cecil”. In only two essential respects does it differ very much from guns turned out at Woolwich and at Armstrongs, viz in the breech mechanism and the radial venting.

The task of disguising the gun was one requiring highest skill, judgement and experience and reflects the greatest credit on Mr Labram, and his staff. 16 shell in all were fired during the morning, some of them fell in the Intermediate Pumping Station, a distance of about 8400 yards.

I hope with it we may be able to make things uncomfortable in some of the Boer Laagers within its range.

Notwithstanding most careful arrangements, registration of names, supply tickets, more rations are being drawn daily than there are inhabitants. It appears to be most difficult with this large native population moving from one part of the town to another to prevent them from drawing rations in two places. I am issuing a proclamation on the subject, and hope I shall able to catch some of the offenders.

I sent the following messages by search light this evening.

“From Kekewich to Genl Methuen. Jan 19th No 115. Consider it important Field Marshall should see my No 39 of 22nd Dec No 70 of Jan 2nd ad No 87 of Jan 8th. Stop.My 39 said I had only meatstuffs to last till 22nd January and that meat ration was very small and of inferior quality. Stop. Am now issuing about 800 lbs of beef only daily remainder of horse flesh. Stop. At this rate hope to make beef last another three weeks from this date. Stop. Cannot kill all milch cows as very little condensed milk remaining, result would be very high death rate infants, children, invalids. This town was not provisioned to meet so close an investment, and communication cut so suddenly inhabitants had no chance to leave for South moreover many refugees from SAR and north also had to remain in town. Stop. Practically no provisions in hands of traders inhabitants have to forego all luxuries and have to live on rations, that of vegetables and meat being very small. Stop. Notwithstanding privations spirit determination of inhabitants so far good, but taking into consideration shortness of rations possible this may not be maintained. Stop. Numbers of inhabitants civil and military very approximately as follows, white and coloured twenty seven thousand, natives eighteen thousand; these numbers are from latest food returns and are disappointing exceeding considerably our last census. Stop. My calculations however have always been based on this number.”

“From Int KB to Int MD. Jan 19th No 116 very reliable information De la Rey with portion Lictenburg commando is now at Colesburg. Stop. Portions of Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and Lictenburg commandos under VERMASLE and KOLBE, are now immediately West of Kimberley informant Englishman estimates numbers at two thousand men stop. Boers say they expect large siege gun three days time for bombardment Kimberley. Native here escaped from Alexandersfontein last night reports detachments enemy leaving Scotz Nek also that numbers in all laagers have diminished, cannot say where Boers have gone to. Stop. Own opinion Boers substituting small for large Laagers, and are shifting laagers so as to be out of range relief column guns stop. Natives turned back by Boers say majority enemy desiring peace, and next blow at Scholtz Nek will result in Free Staters hoisting white flag.”

“From Kekewich to Methuen. Jan 19th No 117. Twenty-eight pounder breech loader made by De Beers tested to-day gun great success.”

“From Int KB to Int MD. Jan 19th No118. Answer to your question E 82 of Jan 19th is I think so. God bless her am I right.”

This was in reply to one from Int MD to Int KB.

Jan 19 E 82. Your 108 of sixteenth January. Can you read this “God save the Queen.”

I also received the following:

“January 19th G 196. Say up to what date your supply of food and forage and ammunition will permit you to hold out, issuing on your present scale.”

“From Int MD to Int KB. January 19th I 83 old code. Runner John STOMZULU left you 11th and Will EMOZA left 14th arrived here. Deserter reports telegraph line Jacobsdal Scholtz Nek used and from latter point helio used. Your 113 of seventeenth my estimate agrees with yours. Our difficulties similar. I estimate opposite us 5000 to 7000 opposite you 3000 to 4000 remainder in between. I have no evidence Boer forces have decreased, in fact arrivals seem to balance departures. Native reports Franz Cronje gone Jan 8th to Kampersdam with 2000 men. This seems overestimated.”

In Ladysmith:

Before noon, as I rode round the outposts, I found the good news flying that good news had come. It was thought best not to tell us what, lest, like children, we should cry if disappointed. But it is confidently said that Buller's force has crossed the Tugela in three places—Wright's Drift eastward, Potgieter's Drift in the centre, and at a point further west, perhaps Klein waterfall, where there is a nine-mile plain leading to Acton Homes. The names of the brigades are even stated, and the number of losses. It is said the Boers have been driven from two positions. But there may not be one word of truth in the whole story.

I was early on Observation Hill, watching that strip of plain to the south-west. No shells were bursting on it to-day, and the sound of guns was not so frequent. Our heliograph flashed from the far-off Zwartz Kop, and high above it, looking hardly bigger than a vulture against the pale blue of the Drakensberg precipices, rose Buller's balloon, showing just a point of lustre on its skin.

The view from Observation Hill is far the finest, but the whiz of bullets over the rocks scarcely ever stops, and now and again a shell comes screaming into the rank grass at one's feet.

To-day we enjoyed a further variety, well worth the risk. At the foot of Surprise Hill, hardly 1,500 yards from our position, the Boers have placed a mortar. Now and then it throws a huge column of smoke straight up into the air. The first I thought was a dynamite explosion, but after a few seconds I heard a growing whisper high above my head, as though a falling star had lost its way, and plump came a great shell into the grass, making a 3ft. hole in the reddish earth, and bursting with no end of a bang. We collected nearly all the bits and fitted them together. It was an eight or nine-inch globe, reminding one of those "bomb-shells" which heroes of old used to catch up in their hands and plunge into water-buckets. The most amusing part of it was the fuse—a thick plug of wood running through the shell and pierced with the flash-channel down its centre. It was burnt to charcoal, but we could still make out the holes bored in its side at intervals to convert it into a time-fuse. This is the "one mortar" catalogued in our Intelligence book. It was satisfactory to have located it. Two guns of the 69th Battery threw shrapnel over its head all morning; then the Naval guns had a turn and seem to have reduced it to silence.

In the afternoon there was an auction of Steevens's horses and camp equipment. Many officers came, and the usual knot of greedy civilians on the look-out for a bargain. As auctioneer I had great satisfaction in running the prices up beyond their calculation. But in another way they got the best of the old country to-day. Colonel Stoneman, having discovered a hidden store of sugar, was selling it at the fair price of 4d. a pound to any one who pledged his word he was sick and in need of it. Round clustered the innocent local dealers with sick and sorry looks, swearing by any god they could remember that sugar alone would save their lives, paid their fourpences, and then sold the stuff for 2s. outside the door.

In Mafeking:

There was an artillery duel between one of our seven-pounders—whose shells were made at our own factory here, and the fuses designed by Lieutenant Daniels, B. S. A. P., in which the shells and fuses proved a complete success—and the enemy's five-pounder which was almost immediately silenced. And now as regards the factory. The ammunition for the ship's gun, that weapon of our grandfathers, which was unearthed in the stadt, and which shoots with great violence, though doubtful precision, to enormous ranges, has been cast here. The seven-pounder's shells have been cast, studded, fused, and in every respect made perfect here. Some 2.5-pounder shells, left here by Dr. Jameson, have been fitted with two enlarged driving-bands and have been fired from our seven-pounders with complete success. Too much credit cannot be given to the ingenuity, ability, and energy with which Conolly and all his mates have worked at strengthening that portion of our defences.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, January 1900:

The rebel battery and ours, have been exchanging shots, to very little purpose, as usual. The rebels sometimes knock down the side of a house or kill some non combatant, but I doubt if ours do any damage at all. — When I came here, nearly 50 years since, matches were seldom to be met with in the country districts, so every horseman or traveller, carried a brass Dutch, tinder box, to light his pipe with. It is funny to see these out of date articles, in vogue once more. Many people use a burning glass, or convex lens, to light their pipes with. In one respect, the old tinder box is better than matches, for one can get a light with it even in a gale of wind. This is next to impossible with matches. — Last week, our volunteers had a gala day. Full rations were given them. I don’t know if this extravagance continues, or it was only a treat for one day. Our men have been on quarter rations a long time. Their horses also. We townsfolk also. — Mason and Watkinson’s shop smashed by a shell.—- Rebels said to be clearing out of Natal. We have heard that very often indeed. — A shell just landed within five feet of Mr. Barker, the Arch deacon’s house, making a very big hole in the ground. This house, and the church near it have been struck several times.

1900 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Roused at 4 o’clock. Stables, breakfast, arms inspection etc. Still feeling seedy. Taking advantage of same for short spell of rest with Norton Smith again, where I copy out a lot of these notes. Called again in the evening, having a game of whist. Returned to camp at 10 o’clock, having tent to myself, as remainder of men had gone out on picquet duty. Put in good night. Hear Buller’s force had crossed the Tugela with the loss of 4 men only. Hope it’s true.

1900 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

Good news today. We hear the result of yesterday's shelling was that the Boers have had to leave their positions, and that three of our columns have crossed the Tugela, and that Lord Dundonald with a column has got to Bezuidenhout's Pass. This is all glorious news if true. Tonight were seen star shells, rockets bursting high up. These were seen in the direction of Sir Charles Warren’s column (Springfield). Mama very weak, but temperature down. Am writing lying in bed. Too many visitors to write during the evening.

Bella Craw had good reason to add "if true" to the news that the Mounted Brigade had reached Bezuidenhout's Pass. This pass lies between Bergville and Harrismith, and is far west of Acton Homes, the actual limit of the mounted troops foray. In fact, reaching Acton Homes should have been even better news for Miss Craw, since it is much closer to Ladysmith. However, the bungling by Buller and Warren soon nullified the success of the mounted troops advance.

Brett

The level of sheer incompetence displayed by Buller really does beggar belief, if the war had only been fought on a single front, matters would have doubtless been different and his overall command would not have lasted very long.

Brett Hendey wrote: Bella Craw had good reason to add "if true" to the news that the Mounted Brigade had reached Bezuidenhout's Pass. This pass lies between Bergville and Harrismith, and is far west of Acton Homes, the actual limit of the mounted troops foray. In fact, reaching Acton Homes should have been even better news for Miss Craw, since it is much closer to Ladysmith. However, the bungling by Buller and Warren soon nullified the success of the mounted troops advance.

Brett