South Africa
and the
Transvaal War
TRANSCRIBERS’ NOTE:
The following publishers’ note was bound into the middle of the book. To simplify reading of that section and allow interested readers to view it easily, it has been moved here.
Corrections are individually listed at the end of the text.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE.
The prolongation of the War far beyond the calculation of those best able to form an opinion on the subject has necessarily affected the plan of Creswicke’s “South Africa and Transvaal War,” and in consequence the completion of the work in a manner satisfactory to subscribers, and worthy of a book now widely recognised as a great History of the Campaign, has been most carefully considered by both Author and Publishers. They have decided to adhere closely to the plan of the work sketched in the original prospectus; that is to say, Volume VI. will bring to a close the History of the War so far as the annexation of the Transvaal is concerned. All the important and daring movements that culminated in the occupation of Lydenburg and the flight of Kruger are treated in graphic detail. A condensed account is also given of the subsequent Guerilla Warfare down to March 1901.
At the end of the Volume will be found the valuable Appendix matter announced in Prospectus:—
(1.) Gazetteer. This gives in alphabetical order all the information that is required as to places in South Africa. Military terms are also fully explained.
(2.) Biographical Record. No attempt has been made elsewhere to deal biographically in one list with the prominent actors connected with the South African Campaign. This list, which would form in itself a good sized volume crowded with facts, will be of permanent value.
(3.) Recipients of the Victoria Cross: giving details regarding those who have earned this honour during the War up to the date of publication.
It is evident, however, that the Guerilla operations, spread over so large an area as they are, would themselves furnish material for an extensive book. In view, therefore, of the importance of this unique development of the campaign, the military interest of the story, and the many heroic deeds which deserve the fullest recognition possible, the Publishers have decided to issue an additional and strictly supplementary Volume dealing with Lord Kitchener’s regime as Commander-in-Chief and the Guerilla War. This additional volume will be uniform as regards general style, number of illustrations, price, &c., and it is hoped that it will be found possible to include in it some account of the ultimate settlement and the resources of the new Colonies. The Publishers are confident that subscribers will find this a valuable addition to the work.
Readers interested in this work are requested to assist the writer of the narrative by forwarding authentic letters or accounts throwing light on the military operations subsequent to Lord Roberts’s departure from South Africa. The names of correspondents will not be made public, and their communications will be returned if desired. All letters should be addressed, Louis Creswicke, Esq., c/o Messrs T. C. & E. C. Jack, Causewayside, Edinburgh.
Photo by Alf. F. Hosking, Cape Town.
South Africa
and the
Transvaal War
BY
LOUIS CRESWICKE
AUTHOR OF “ROXANE,” ETC.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS
IN SIX VOLUMES
VOL. VI.—FROM THE OCCUPATION OF PRETORIA TO MR. KRUGER’S DEPARTURE FROM SOUTH AFRICA, WITH A SUMMARISED ACCOUNT OF THE GUERILLA WAR TO MARCH 1901
EDINBURGH: T. C. & E. C. JACK
MANCHESTER: KENNETH MACLENNAN, 75 PICCADILLY
1901
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press
CONTENTS—Vol. VI
PAGE CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE v OFFICIAL TABLE OF CASUALTIES IN SOUTH AFRICA viii CHAPTER I At Pretoria, June 5 to 10 1 The Battle of Diamond Hill, June 11 to 12 12 Guarding the Communications 19 CHAPTER II General Buller’s Operations—Routing the Boers from Laing’s Nek, May 19 to June 12 27 The Advance from Laing’s Nek to Standerton—Joining Hands with Lord Roberts’s Force, June 13 to 22 32 CHAPTER III In Orange River Colony (East), June 37 In the Western Transvaal, June to July 9 40 CHAPTER IV The Battle of Bethlehem—The Surrender of Prinsloo 43LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Vol. VI.
Map Illustrating General Buller’s Campaign in Natal, May-June 1900 At Front 1. COLOURED PLATES PAGE Muster of the Cape Town Guard Frontispiece The Grenadier Guards 8 The Highland Light Infantry 56 The Victoria Mounted Rifles 72 The Royal Welsh Fusiliers 120 The 2nd Northampton Regiment 140 Market Square, Johannesburg 148 Commander and Able-Seaman, R.N. 192 2. FULL-PAGE PLATES Australian Bushmen on the March 24 A Historic Battlefield: Majuba 32 Prinsloo’s Commando Retreating to the Brandwater Basin 44 Prinsloo’s Last Stand in the Valley of theCHRONOLOGICAL TABLE—Vol. VI.
JUNE 1900.
5.—The British flag hoisted in Pretoria.
7.—The 4th Battalion Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) captured by the enemy at Roodeval.
9.—Klerksdorp surrendered to General Hunter.
11.—Lord Methuen gained a complete victory over De Wet.
12.—Almond’s Nek having been forced the previous day, the Boers evacuated Laing’s Nek and Majuba at nightfall, and General Buller encamped four miles north of Volksrust.
The battle of Diamond Hill. Lord Roberts defeated Botha 15 miles east of Pretoria. The Boers retreated in the night farther east.
13.—The Boers continued their aggressions on the Senekal-Ficksburg line. The Senekal-Winburg telegraph line was damaged. General Lyttelton occupied Wakkerstroom.
14.—Rustenburg occupied by General Baden-Powell.
Botha’s rearguard surprised and “thoroughly routed” by General Ian Hamilton’s Mounted Infantry.
Position on Zand River attacked by 800 Boers with three guns. Enemy driven off by General Knox.
15.—Column left Pretoria to meet General Baden-Powell and repair telegraph between Pretoria and Rustenburg.
18.—General Baden-Powell arrived at Pretoria.
General Hunter occupied Krugersdorp.
19.—Lord Methuen defeated De Wet at Heilbron.
20.—Extinction of rebellion in Cape Colony. Surrender of De Villiers.
22.—Lord Dundonald occupied Standerton.
24.—General Clements defeated the Boers at Winburg.
General Ian Hamilton occupied Heidelburg.
26.—Boer attack repulsed near Senekal, and enemy’s laager burned.
27.—Attack on British at Roodeval Spruit. Boers beaten off.
JULY 1900.
1.—Generals Hunter and MacDonald joined hands at Frankfort.
4.—General Buller’s forces and those of the Commander-in-Chief joined at Vlakfontein.
Entire railway from Natal to Johannesburg in hands of the British.
General Paget drove the enemy from strong positions towards Bethlehem.
7.—General Buller arrived at Pretoria.
Bethlehem captured by Generals Clements and Paget. De Wet put to flight.
11.—Squadron of Scots Greys, five companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment, with two guns of the O Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, captured at Nitral’s Nek. General Smith-Dorrien successfully engaged the Boers near Krugersdorp.
16.—Determined attacks by Boers on left flank of British posts in the Pretoria district. Enemy driven off with loss.
19.—General Little engaged De Wet near Lindley, and broke up his forces.
21.—Advance begun from Pretoria east, along Delagoa Bay Railway.
A supply train, with 100 Welsh Fusiliers, captured near Honing Spruit.
23.—The Black Watch capture a hill at Retief’s Nek. The Highland Light Infantry were compelled to retire from a steep hill above the Nek.
25.—Lord Roberts’s force reached Balmoral on the way to Middelburg. French’s Cavalry and Hutton’s Mounted Infantry put Boers to flight six miles south of Balmoral.
Boers flee in disorder before Lord Roberts’s advance. General French crosses Oliphant’s River.
26.—Philip de Wet, younger brother of Christian
General Hunter occupied Fouriesburg.
General MacDonald, after fighting a rearguard action, blocked Naauwpoort Nek.
27.—Occupation of Middelburg by advance guard of Lord Roberts without opposition.
30.—Surrender of Generals Prinsloo, A. J. Villiers, and Crowther, and 4000 Boers to General Hunter.
AUGUST 1900.
4.—Surrender of Harrismith to General MacDonald.
10.—Discovery of the plot at Pretoria to kidnap Lord Roberts and the British officers.
Pursuit of De Wet continued.
12.—De Wet escaped.
16.—Eland’s River garrison relieved.
24.—Lord Roberts left for the front in the Eastern Transvaal to operate against General Botha.
25.—Lieutenant Hans Cordua shot in Pretoria for his participation in the plot against Lord Roberts.
26.—Great battle near Dalmanutha.
Capture of Commandant Olivier and his two sons at Winburg.
27.—Important positions captured near Dalmanutha.
28.—General Buller’s troops occupied Machadodorp.
Bergendal occupied.
29.—Kruger fled to Nelspruit.
The Boers evacuated Helvetia, which was occupied by General Buller.
30.—British occupation of Waterval Boven.
Release of about 2000 British prisoners at Nooitgedacht.
SEPTEMBER 1900.
1.—Lord Roberts annexed to the British Empire the South African Republic, which henceforth will be known as the Transvaal Colony.
4.—General Buller and Botha engaged at Lydenburg.
Siege of Ladybrand raised.
6.—British occupied Lydenburg. Botha retreated.
8.—Spitz Kop captured.
11.—Kruger, having fled from the Transvaal, arrived in Portuguese territory, and proceeded to Lorenzo Marques.
13.—Lord Roberts issued a proclamation calling upon the Boers to surrender.
General French occupied Barberton.
16.—British occupied Nelspruit.
20.—British occupation of Kaap Muiden.
24.—Arrival of the British at the Portuguese frontier. Evacuation of all the Boer positions near the frontier.
25.—Lord Roberts telegraphed to the Lord Mayor of London that the City Imperial Volunteers might be expected home “before November 5th.”
Surrender of Boers to the Portuguese.
OCTOBER 1900.
3.—Return of General Buller to Lydenburg after having marched through the whole of the hilly country to the north as far as Pilgrim’s Rest, and having occupied the principal Boer positions.
9.—Continuous series of engagements in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, and defeat of De Wet, who was driven north, across the Vaal, at Venterstroom.
10.—General Buller prepared to return home.
11.—Anniversary of Kruger’s insolent ultimatum.
19.—Mr. Kruger left Lorenzo Marques for Europe, and made his exit from the political stage.
24.—General Buller left Cape Town for England.
Koffyfontein besieged.
25.—The Transvaal formally annexed.
NOVEMBER 1900
3.—Koffyfontein relieved.
6.—Engagement with De Wet near Bothaville.
16.—Conspirators against Lord Roberts arrested.
18.—Lord Roberts met with an accident at Johannesburg.
23.—Garrison at Dewetsdorp surrendered to De Wet.
27.—General Charles Knox in touch with De Wet at Beyersberg.
29.—Lord Kitchener took over the command in South Africa.
DECEMBER 1900.
5.—De Wet crossed the Caledon with a view to entering Cape Colony.
11.—Lord Roberts left Cape Town for England.
De Wet, after being turned northward by General Knox, moved towards Reddersburg.
13.—Reverse to General Clements near the Magaliesberg.
Brabant’s Horse mishap near Zastron.
19.—Boers under Delarey routed.
Boer raid into Cape Colony.
21.—War Office arranged for reinforcements.
22.—Boer movement in Cape Colony checked.
26.—General Charles Knox engaged with De Wet near Leeuw Kop.
28.—De Wet, frustrated in his attempt to break through to the south, withdrew to Senekal.
Cape raiders driven northward.
29.—British garrison at Helvetia captured.
30.—Preparations made for the frustration of a more ambitious Boer raid into Cape Colony.
JANUARY 1901
1.—“Call to arms” at Capetown. Enthusiastic response.
7.—Boers attacked Belfast, Wonderfontein, Nooitgedacht, Widfontein, and Pan, and after sharp fighting were dispersed.
10.—Machadodorp attacked by night. Post gallantly defended.
12.—Boers driven eastward from Witwatersberg by General French.
Activities in Cape Colony to frustrate Hertzog’s advance.
22.—Death of Queen Victoria. Lamentation throughout the world.
23.—Colonels De Lisle, Scobell, and Collenbrander drove the enemy out of Calvinia and Van Rhynsdorp, and pursued him north to Carnarvon.
28.—General French marched eastward, clearing the valley of the Wilge River.
FEBRUARY 1901.
6.—General French, after encountering little resistance, entered Ermelo. General Smith-Dorrien repulsed 2000 of the enemy. His losses were 23 killed and 52 wounded.
9.—Eastern movement continued in deluges of rain, but invasion of Natal by Botha eventually frustrated.
10.—De Wet, after many contests with the British forces in Orange River Colony, succeeded in crossing the river at Sand Drift.
14.—Animated chases after De Wet.
23.—De Wet succeeded in recrossing the river after losing 200 prisoners, all his guns, ammunition, and waggons.
27.—Lengthy negotiations for the promotion of peace took place between Lord Kitchener and Commandant Botha, which negotiations eventually fell to the ground.
OFFICIAL TABLE OF CASUALTIES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The following is a table of casualties in the Field Force, South Africa, reported during the month of December 1900, and total casualties reported since the beginning of the war, up to and including the month:—
Casualties in Action. Killed.