with the evacuation of Spion Kop?
Some say that the news is the wrong way about, and that Lubbock has
retired and Sir R. Buller been made a peer. Confirmation of the news was
anxiously awaited.

Whichever way it was, in the face of the evacuation of Spion Kop it was
poor news to feed a half-starved and anxious garrison on. However, in
the meantime the big gun on Bulwana had fired his great shells into the
Railway Cutting Camp and killed the doctor's horse.

About this time a decoction called "chevril" was issued to the men. It
was supplied by the 18th Hussars' horses, whose bodies were boiled down
for the purpose. It was nourishing and the men liked it, which was a
good thing. There was nothing else by which to recommend it. The men
were also allowed to go down to the chevril factory, which was close to
the station, and buy the flesh of the horse after it had passed through
the boiling process. This did not appear appetizing, but again the men
liked it, and when cooked up with wild spinach which grew about the
lines it was considered very tasty.

Two items of news were received on February 4th, one being that General
Buller had again crossed the Tugela in three places and was to be
expected shortly, and the other that the garrison of Ladysmith was to be
attacked again next morning by 10,000 Boers. Arrangements were made to
meet the latter, the arrival of the former being considered
hypothetical. The garrison stood to arms at three o'clock the following
morning and anxiously awaited the dawn, but everything went off quietly,
and at 5.30 a.m. General Buller's guns commenced in three different
directions. The sound of the heavy gun fire increased in intensity, till
at 2.30 p.m. the noise could be compared to a heavy storm with incessant
thunder.

The Regiment was now told off as part of a flying column. This was
hopeful, as it was supposed that arrangements were being made to
co-operate with the relieving army.

At 5.15 a.m. on the 5th Buller's guns began firing again and continued
the whole day.

For the next few days there was no news from the outside world. Buller's
guns were heard incessantly, and one Boer big gun was seen firing on
Dornkloof, south of Manger's Hill. A few of Buller's lyddite shells were
bursting near him, and one shell was seen to strike his magazine and
explode it.

On the seventh night 100 men of the Regiment were again engaged in
shifting the 4.7 gun "Lady Anne."

On the 9th nothing was heard of Buller's guns--perfect silence!

This gave rise to all sorts of reports, one actually given out being
that Buller had taken his position and could come in at any time he
liked, but he had been stopped by a telegram from the Cape in order to
allow of Lord Roberts pushing up through the Free State; and then both
Buller and Roberts would relieve Ladysmith and take Bloemfontein
respectively on the same day. And this on the very day on which Buller
was retiring south of Tugela again from Vaal Krantz.

It was now considered advisable to strengthen the defences held by the
Regiment by an additional work, and the men were kept hard at it from
7.15 p.m. till 10 p.m. A dish of chevril was served out to each man of
the working party before turning in.

On February 13th information was received that Buller had taken two
positions on the north side of the Tugela with small loss--one Krantz
Kloof, and the other Vaal Krantz Spruit. This information seemed
somewhat belated. A message was also received from Lord Roberts in which
he stated that he had entered the Free State with a very large force,
chiefly of artillery and cavalry, and hoped that the pressure on
Ladysmith would shortly be reduced. Heavy gun fire commenced in the
Colenso direction on the night of February 14th, and continued with
slight interruption till the 18th; and on the 15th the Boer pompom was
heard in action, which went to show that the opposing forces were not
very far from each other.

At the last public auction ever held in the town, i.e. on the 14th
evening, the prices were:--

Eggs, 48s. per dozen.
Vegetable marrows, 28s. each.
Mealies, 3s. 8d. each.
Pot of jam, 32s. 6d.
Crosse & Blackwell's piccalilli, 19s. 6d.
Tin of ox tongue, 20s. 6d.
2 oz. stick of cake tobacco, 22s.
Fifty cigars, 10 guineas.

As much as 25s. per stick was paid about this time for two ounces of
cake tobacco. No Kaffir leaf tobacco was to be bought in the town,
although as much as £5 per leaf was offered.

On the 15th the Railway Cutting Camp again received the attention of the
Long Tom gunners on Bulwana, who pitched some shells into the lines, but
without doing damage.

The news of the relief of Kimberley was received by the garrison on
February 17th, and it was reported that General French had captured five
laagers.

On Sunday, the 18th, the battalion and 13th Battery, the remains of the
Gloucester Regiment, and the Mountain Battery assembled as usual under
"Liverpool Castle" for Divine service. The Reverend J. Tuckey
officiated. The usual "extermination" service and prayers for the
"Right" were said, the hymns chosen being--

There is a blessed home
Beyond this land of woe;

and

There is a green hill far away,

sung sadly to the accompaniment of Buller's guns.

He appears to be nearer, and his shells have been bursting on a hill and
ridge in the distance, Colenso way.

The following statistics are of interest:--

Early in November the garrison of Ladysmith numbered about 13,500 men.
During the siege there were over 10,500 admissions to hospital.

Thirty-eight men had been killed by shell fire, and 430 men had died of
disease. Four shells only had accounted for nearly all the thirty-eight.

On February 19th news was sent in that General Buller had captured
Cingolo Mountain and Monte Christo, and that excellent progress was
being made by him. The Boers were seen trekking north all day; and in
the evening Buller's heliographs were seen flashing from Monte Christo,
and two guns on the same hill firing at the Boers. With the exception of
Buller's heliograph and balloon this was the first occasion that the
relieving army was seen from Ladysmith.

On February 22nd, with the intention of finding out whether there had
been any reduction in the investing force, the Regiment with some
mounted infantry were ordered to reconnoitre in the direction of Flag
Hill. A start was made at 3.30 a.m. Some sixty Boers were encountered,
and the Regiment was ordered back to camp at 6.15 a.m., fired at by the
sixty Boers.

Buller's guns were heard firing incessantly all day and every day. His
shells were now seen bursting on a southern spur of Bulwana and near
Intombi Camp.

During the siege the Boers conceived the idea of flooding the Ladysmith
plain and the town by damming the Klip River below Intombi Camp. This
dam was commenced towards the end of the siege, but was not completed
when Ladysmith was relieved. It was a good target for the naval
12-pounder guns on Cæsar's Camp, which frequently fired at it. These in
their turn received on such occasions a good deal of attention from the
Boer big gun on Bulwana.

On the night of the 24th the 4.7 gun "Lady Anne" was again moved; this
was for the fourth and the last time. On the same night very heavy rifle
and Maxim gun fire was heard on the hills south of Cæsar's Camp. This
continued for about one hour, when the firing was taken up by the Boer
outposts all round Ladysmith, a few bullets reaching the Convalescent
Camp on Convent Hill.

February 27th being Majuba Day, the garrison, expecting a demonstration
from the Boers, stood to arms at 4.15 a.m., but, much to the
astonishment of everybody, not a shot was fired. General Buller sent the
garrison in the following message:--

"Colenso rail bridge, which was totally destroyed, is under repair; road
bridge partially destroyed; am doing very well, but the country is
difficult and my progress is slow; hope to be with you soon."

Official news was also received that Lord Roberts had surrounded Cronje,
who had surrendered with 4000 Boers, the English losses being given as
1700 killed and wounded.

On the 28th rations were further cut down to one biscuit and three
ounces of mealies, with one pound of horse as before per man. This was
perhaps the most distressing circumstance connected with the siege, and
it had a most depressing effect. It was not so much the reduction of the
ration that was of consequence, as the reason for the reduction. This
could not be guessed at, and it gave rise to conjectures, the chief
being that Buller had again failed, and could not get through. His
shells had been seen bursting on the hills, and that had encouraged the
garrison; but the garrison had been encouraged before by the sight of
Buller's shells bursting on Thabba Nyama. Three days previously, owing
to the good news received from Buller, the garrison had been put on full
rations, but now, after further good news, the order was promulgated:--

"Highly satisfactory reports have been sent from General Buller as to
his advance, but the country is difficult and progress slow, therefore I
am obliged to reduce the ration, etc. etc."

This sudden cancelling of the increase of the ration, and its still
further reduction in the face of the news received and in the sight of
Buller's shells, was disappointing. Having ascertained that the garrison
could exist till April 15th and not longer, and that then there would
not be a horse, ox, or mule left, Sir George White, much against his
will, but to make things certain in case General Buller was again
checked, gave the orders for the reduction on the day before the relief.

During the day the big gun on Bulwana made an attempt to reach
Observation Hill Post, which were the furthest works from him in that
direction. His attempt succeeded, and he put many shells into the works.
His record for the siege was an attempt to reach Wagon Hill. He failed
in this, but his range, as measured on the map, was 11,560 yards, or 6
miles and 1000 yards.

February 28th, the last day of the siege, was very hot and oppressive;
everybody seemed depressed, trying to guess at some reason for the
ration reduction. At about 2 p.m., however, Major Riddel, brigade-major
to Colonel Knox, came up to the officers' mess smiling all over, and
said that excellent news, the very best, had come in, but that "_it is
confidential, and I am not allowed to say what it is_." He called for
volunteers who were willing and able to march seven miles and fight at
the end of it. The whole Regiment, officers and men, volunteered, but
after a medical examination had been made of the battalion, only one
hundred men were found to come up to requirements.

At about 3.30 p.m. the news was distributed that General Buller had
gained a complete victory over the Boers, who were in full retreat.
Hundreds of wagons were seen going off north towards Modder Station and
Vanreenens, and at 4 p.m. a derrick was seen hoisted over the big gun on
Bulwana, and the naval guns opened fire on him. The Boers dismounted him
under a heavy fire from one 4.7 and two naval 12-pounders, and got him
away.

At 6.20 p.m. a welcome sight greeted the eyes of the weary garrison, for
suddenly out of the bush appeared two squadrons of mounted men, riding
leisurely in across the plain from the direction of Intombi, and the
truth dawned on the garrison that Ladysmith was at last and in reality
relieved.

The siege had lasted four calendar months to the day.

Frantic cheering greeted them as they crossed the ford and reached the
town.

On the following day a column, consisting of the Devons, Gordon
Highlanders, three batteries of artillery, all the cavalry who had
horses, and the two mounted colonial corps, the whole under the command
of Colonel W.G. Knox, sallied forth at 10 a.m. towards Modder Station to
pursue and to stop the Boers getting their big guns away by train. On
arriving abreast of Pepworth Hill, which the Boer rear-guard had
occupied, the advanced troops, consisting of Devons and the batteries,
came under rather a sharp fire. All further progress was stopped, and
the column returned to camp. The Devons had two men wounded. Camp was
reached at 4.30 p.m. The battalion was met on the way home by Major
Davies, Captains Bols and Vigors, Lieutenants Lafone and Munro, all of
the 2nd Battalion. These had ridden in from their camp, and brought with
them tobacco, whisky, rum, and milk. The companies of the 2nd Battalion
sent in to their corresponding companies tea, sugar, tobacco, matches,
etc. These were all most eagerly accepted.

Sir Redvers Buller and his staff rode into Ladysmith in the afternoon.

Explosions at Modder Station and on the railway could be heard,
signifying that the Boers were making good their retreat by blowing up
the bridges.

On March 3rd General Buller made his public entry into Ladysmith at the
head of his army. The march of Buller's army through Ladysmith was a
pageant which those who took part in the siege will never forget.

The garrison of Ladysmith lined the streets. Sir George White with his
staff took his stand mounted, under the damaged clock tower of the Town
Hall--the Gordons on the one hand, the Devons on the other--the Gordon
pipers facing him on the opposite side of the road.

It was a great sight, and those who had been through the siege and had
heard the words of their leader at the end, "Thank God we have kept the
flag flying," knew it for a great sight.

General Buller rode at the head of his army, and received an immense
ovation, as did all his regiments and artillery as they passed through
the lines of the weedy, sickly-looking garrison. These with their thin,
pale faces cheered to the full bent of their power, but after standing
in the sun for some time they became exhausted, and Sir Redvers sent
back word for them to sit down, which they gladly did, whilst the
relievers, as they passed along, chucked them bits of tobacco, ready cut
up, from their small store, small because they themselves were also hard
put for luxuries.

The tramp! tramp! of these men, who to the weakly garrison appeared as
veritable giants, will never be forgotten, as they hurried past to the
strains of the Gordons' pipes, cheering with the utmost enthusiasm the
figure of Sir George White as they passed him. They were almost to a man
reservists, well covered, hard, and well set up. They were filthy, their
clothes were mended and patched, and most of them had scrubby beards.
Tied on to their belts in almost all cases was a Boer blanket, telling
that they had been busy in some Boer laager; on the top of this a small
bundle of sticks for each man to cook his own tea, and by his side,
attached to his belt, hung his black tin pot. But how well they
looked--the picture of vigour, health, and strength, as they "tramp,
tramp"--"tramp, tramp" through the town.

A corps that came in for a good deal of notice was the Bearer Company.
They were at first taken for Boer prisoners, but when it became known
who they were they were much cheered. Clad in worn-out "slops" they
slouched along, in each man's hand a pot of sorts, enamel or china, and
a bundle of something over each man's shoulder.

The meeting of the two battalions was not quite so emotional as has been
depicted by some authors. The 2nd Battalion, the relievers, came through
late at the rear of Buller's army, and by that time the 1st Battalion,
the relieved, had been in the sun, standing or sitting down on the
curbstone, for some hours, and a great many men had fallen out
exhausted. Still the meeting was very hearty, officers recognizing men
and men old comrades. There was little time to enact the scene so
graphically described by one author "which would make old men weep."
Buller's army was straggled out a good deal and the rear had to catch
up, so if a pal was seen he was gone next moment to give way to another
pal. Most of the reservists had been through the ranks of the 1st
Battalion, and with it through the Tirah Campaign; almost all were
hurriedly recognized, and a hearty and hasty shake of the hand was all
the greeting exchanged. Old jokes came to the fore, and were bandied
from one to the other as the 2nd Battalion hurried along. There was no
time for more--one battalion was in a hurry and the other exhausted.

[Illustration: Devon Officers Remaining Fit For Duty At The End of the
Siege (Rajab--Regimental Barber)]

It was well on in the day before the 1st Battalion got back to its camp
at the Railway Cutting.

On Sunday, March 4th, a Thanksgiving Service was held on the flat ground
between the Convent Hill and the Naval Brigade Hill, which was attended
by Generals Buller and White, and on its conclusion the battalion moved
into tents outside the works and in front of Gloucester Post.

It was a strange experience moving out into the open, away from the
protection of the works. The nerves of most had had a severe strain from
want of food and continual anxiety.

It was the anxiety which killed. There is nothing more conducive to the
deterioration of men's minds than false alarms on an empty stomach.




CHAPTER III

EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH, AND THE ADVANCE NORTH UNDER SIR
REDVERS BULLER

1900


The first few days following the relief were employed in the sorting and
reading of four months' mails and the opening up of presents. Many
complimentary telegrams were received by the battalion from England.

Major Davies, Captain Bartlett, and Lieutenant Willis, all of whom had
been doing duty with the 2nd Battalion during the relief operations,
joined the battalion on the 7th with some eighty-six men who had been
sent from Jullunder.

The two battalions were together for a few days only, as the 2nd
Battalion after a short rest proceeded with Sir Redvers Buller's force
towards Modder Spruit.

On March 10th the Ladysmith garrison was reorganized, the battalion
being placed in the 7th Brigade with the Gordon Highlanders, the
Manchester Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. This brigade
was commanded by Colonel W.G. Knox, C.B.

Colonel Park, unfortunately struck down with enteric fever on the last
day of the siege, was shortly afterwards invalided to England. In his
absence Major Davies took over command of the battalion, and Major Curry
having been appointed Commandant of Ladysmith, Captain Jacson took over
the duties of Second-in-Command. On March 14th the 7th Brigade marched
to Arcadia, seven miles out of Ladysmith on the Vanreenen's Pass road,
camping on a kopje overlooking Dewdrop Spruit. The men were then
occupied in route marching and generally getting fit.

[Illustration: Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener]

Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener arrived in camp on the 26th March and
took over the command of the 7th Brigade from Colonel Knox, and on April
2nd the battalion, accompanied by General W. Kitchener, marched to
Brakfontein, seventeen miles distant under Spion Kop, stopped there in
camp on the 3rd, when parties of men went off to view the Boer positions
on Spion Kop and Vaal-Krantz, and returned to Arcadia on the 4th.

Innumerable presents were continually arriving from England for the
battalion, and the thanks of all are due especially to Mr. Young of
Torquay for the indefatigable manner in which he worked, and for the
numerous bundles and boxes of presents which he was instrumental in
collecting and dispatching both at this time and also afterwards. All
these presents were highly appreciated.

A draft of 180 men, consisting of reservists, section "D" Militia
Reservists, and recruits joined the battalion on the 7th; amongst these
were 120 married men.

At 11.30 a.m. on April 11th orders were received to move at once into
Ladysmith, which was to be reached at 2 p.m. The reason for the sudden
move was not explained. There was no transport. Out of six wagons, the
complement for a battalion on light field service scale, there were only
two in camp at the time. At Arcadia the battalion, in common with the
rest of the brigade, was allowed tents, and told that it could have
anything it liked to take with it. There was consequently a good deal
more than six carts could carry.

Towards evening, after the tents had been struck, packed, and sent on
ahead, and the battalion was waiting in the open for more wagons, a most
violent thunderstorm came on, lasting about two hours. Ten men of one
company which was holding a work on Rifleman's Ridge, between Arcadia
and Ladysmith, were struck by lightning, none, however, being killed.
The battalion eventually reached camp at Star Hill, just above the iron
bridge outside Ladysmith, at 3 a.m. wet to the skin. It was found that
the tents had arrived. These were pitched and the men turned in. The
greater part of the brigade did not reach Star Hill till the following
day.

On the 13th the Gordons and Devons moved camp to Hyde's Farm under
Surprise Hill, the Devons proceeding next day to a camp under
Thornhill's Kopje, throwing out picquets on that hill and also on
another kopje further out towards Nicholson's Nek known as Devon Kopje.

From this time till May 15th the battalion remained quietly encamped
under Thornhill's Kopje. Route marching and field days occupied the men
most mornings, hockey and football most afternoons. The men suffered a
good deal at first from jaundice, which was chiefly the result of
over-eating after their long abstinence, but they got fit and recovered
their strength gradually; it was, however, fully six weeks to two months
before they were really ready to take the field.

In the meantime General Buller had turned the Biggarsberg, and the Boers
had fallen back on Laing's Nek.

The 7th Brigade now formed part of the 4th Division under the command of
Major-General Neville Lyttleton, and on May 16th the Regiment was
ordered to proceed north to Modder's Spruit. Here it remained till the
20th, on which day it continued its march to Elandslaagte, and encamped
near the railway station. On the 23rd, having handed in all tents and
excess baggage, the Regiment marched to Sunday's River, where it joined
up with the divisional head-quarters, and on the following day formed
the rear-guard on the march to Black Craig Farm. Here the division
encamped in the heart of the Biggarsberg.

Halting at Kalabis on the 25th, the division reached Ingagane on the
26th.

[Illustration: Railway Bridge Destroyed by Boers, Ingagane]

The brigade was now split up and placed on the line of communications,
and it was thought probable that the Regiment would see no more fighting
and that the war would soon be brought to a conclusion. Of the four
regiments in the brigade, the Manchester Regiment had been left behind
to garrison Jonono's Kop and the railway line near Elandslaagte, the
Devons were left to garrison Ingagane on the railway, and the Rifle
Brigade was at Newcastle and between that place and Ingogo at the foot
of the Laing's Nek pass. The Gordon Highlanders were at Ingogo and
guarded the railway line still further north.

The Regiment itself was also split up. A detachment of one company under
Captain Travers (increased afterwards to two companies) proceeded to
occupy Dannhauser, and two companies under Captain Bartlett were ordered
to Rooi Pint on the high ground between Ingagane and Newcastle. A
battery of artillery was also stationed at this place.

The remaining companies of the Regiment, including a 9th or K company
which had been created shortly after the siege, were posted on the low
hill overlooking Ingagane railway station.

On June 4th the 1st Cavalry Brigade arrived to form part of the garrison
of Ingagane. This brigade was commanded by Brigadier-General Burn
Murdoch, who was in charge of the line of communication
Newcastle-Dannhauser.

At Ingagane Hill the Regiment found itself again employed in building
stone walls. Entrenchments against attack were considered necessary, for
it was thought probable that the Boers would attempt to break through
from the north-east of the Free State on the west and cross into Utrecht
and Vryheid districts. The real danger, however, lay on the east, for
the Vryheid district long remained a Boer stronghold, and parties of
Boers frequently raided to the Blood River in the immediate
neighbourhood of Dannhauser.

It was owing to this that on June 15th a second company was sent to
reinforce Captain Travers at Dannhauser. The hill selected by Captain
Travers for defence overlooked Dannhauser railway station, and commanded
a large extent of ground to the east of the post. This hill was very
strongly fortified, and the works on it, designed and built by Captain
Travers and his men, were perhaps the best works for protection against
musketry fire constructed by the Regiment during the war.

[Illustration: Making Barbed-Wire Entanglement, Ingagane]

News was received daily that thousands of Boers with dozens of guns were
on the eastern flank, with every intention of raiding, cutting the line,
and attacking Dannhauser. Dundee also, according to the newspapers and
the evidence of native scouts, was in deadly peril from attack by Chris.
Botha. It was, perhaps, on account of these rumours that a column was
formed to reconnoitre Utrecht. In conjunction with another column which
moved out from Ingogo, three companies of the Regiment, with the Royal
Dragoons and the 5th Dragoon Guards and two field guns, moved out on the
afternoon of July 1st from Ingagane and camped at Tundega Farm. On the
following morning Tundega Hill was occupied by the infantry whilst the
cavalry reconnoitred over the Buffalo River to Utrecht, which was
distant twenty miles. This place was found occupied by about four
hundred Boers, and after some skirmishing and a good deal of firing the
cavalry returned with a loss of one Royal Dragoon taken prisoner. Next
morning the force returned to Ingagane. The operations were supposed to
have been very successful.

By the end of July the Regiment had quite recovered tone and vigour, and
was well and fit for any work, and on August 2nd, 1900, orders were
received to pack up and proceed by rail the following day to Zandspruit.
On the afternoon of the 3rd the Regiment entrained in coal trucks for
the north. Majuba and Laing's Nek were passed next morning at dawn, and
at 7.30 a.m. Zandspruit was reached.

The strength of the battalion was now 938 of all ranks. All tents and
excess baggage had been returned to store, and on the 6th the Regiment
marched to Meerzicht, where the remainder of General Lyttleton's 4th
Division was found in bivouac. The 4th Division was now complete and
ready to march north with Sir Redvers Buller.

General Buller's force moved out from Meerzicht on August 7th. For some
days previously the Boers had been occupying in force some high ground
known as Rooi Kopjes, a few miles north of Meerzicht, and the Gordon
Highlanders had already twice been slightly engaged with them. The 7th
Brigade advanced out of their camp in attack formation, the Gordons
leading the advance, the Devons in support. Their objective was the Rooi
Kopjes. These were found unoccupied, and, having gained the summit, the
7th Brigade were ordered to make a sweep round to the right.

The new objective was the high ground above Amersfoort. General Buller's
line now occupied some five miles of front. A very high wind was
blowing, and it was not for some time that the Head-quarter Staff, who
at the time were with the 7th Brigade, knew that the artillery of the
8th Brigade, which had marched direct on Amersfoort, were in action,
firing at some Boer guns mounted on the Amersfoort Hills. The Boers were
strongly entrenched on these hills to the number of about 3000 to 4000
with fourteen guns under Chris. Botha and D. Joubert. The 7th Brigade
advanced across a large undulating plain, the Devons leading. The
Gordons had been sent round to the left to support Dundonald's Mounted
Brigade, who had been checked by some fifty Boers. About 6000 yards from
the position Boer shells began to fall among the companies of the
leading battalion. One half battalion under Major Davies thereupon
opened out and advanced, while the other half battalion was sent to the
left under Captain Jacson, with orders to proceed as rapidly as possible
to the assistance of the Gordon Highlanders, who, it was reported, were
being heavily threatened by the Boers on the extreme left. With the
exception of some shell fire the main advance was continued unopposed.
The left half battalion of the Regiment had to make a very long detour,
and on its arrival to the assistance of the Gordons it was found that
the Boer force, which was threatening the left flank, was simply
Dundonald's mounted troops drawing up stationary behind some rising
ground.

After a stiff climb the summit of the Amersfoort Hills was reached just
before dark.

It was found that the Boers had evacuated their position, on their left
flank and rear being threatened by the 8th Brigade. The leading
battalion of this brigade, the 60th Rifles, came under some heavy
musketry fire from the houses in the town, and after several casualties,
which included four officers, Major Campbell, commanding the 60th,
threatened to burn the town if the firing was not discontinued. The
firing then ceased, and the Boers retired to the hills north of the
town.

The Boers had set fire to the long dry grass in every direction, and it
was chiefly by the light of these fires that regiments, companies, and
parties of mounted men found their way off the hill on a pitch-dark
night.

No orders had been circulated as to where the force was to halt and
bivouac for the night, and from every direction various bodies of men
groped their way in the dark towards the town, in the hopes that when
once there some orders might be obtained. It was late when the half
battalion under Captain Jacson found its bivouac and joined hands again
with that of Major Davies just outside the town. One company came in
later, having unfortunately lost its way in the dark.

Some of the leading wagons of the transport, which had been sent along
the direct road from Meerzicht to Amersfoort, broke down in a bad drift,
thus blocking the remainder. No wagons arrived in Amersfoort that night,
and the men after their long tramp, a continuous march without a halt
from 7.30 a.m. till about 8.30 at night, were without greatcoats or
blankets. The night was bitterly cold, with a hard frost. Gangs of men
went down to the town and brought back wood. Soon fires began to light
up in the Devons' and Gordons' bivouacs, which were adjoining, and for
the remainder of the night groups of men sat round them trying to keep
warm. The four companies of the Regiment on outpost duty suffered very
severely, as they were without fires, none being allowed in the outpost
line.

The force halted at Amersfoort on the following day, owing firstly to
the fog which enveloped everything, and secondly to allow of the baggage
train coming up. This began to arrive at 10 a.m., having been detained
at the drift the whole night.

During the fog a few Boers came down from the high ground above the
river and fired into the horses watering, at very close range. They
failed, however, to do any damage.

On August 9th the army continued its advance. On leaving Amersfoort, a
bad drift with a steep climb of half a mile on the further side was met
with, and the baggage was formed into two columns. This was assisted up
the hill by two companies of the Regiment, Sir Redvers Buller personally
superintending. Klippaal Drift was reached late in the afternoon after a
difficult march of ten miles.

General Buller's army was now on the high veldt in winter time. The cold
was intense, especially at night, when there were several degrees of
frost. Owing to the intense cold, two men of the Rifle Brigade died from
exposure during the night.

[Illustration: The Baggage of General Buller's Army Crossing Beginderlyn
Bridge]

On the following day the force continued its march to Beginderlyn
Bridge. This was found intact, and there was no opposition, and the
march was resumed on the 11th as far as Kleinfontein. On August 12th
Ermelo was occupied, and a few of the leading Boers belonging to the
place surrendered.

So far, and until Twyfelaar was reached, Buller's army received little
or no opposition from the Boers. Chris. Botha, who had occupied
Amersfoort, had retired east after evacuating that place, and was
marching parallel to the British force and at a distance of about ten
miles on its right flank. They were evidently watching Buller, probably
thinking that he would turn east towards Piet Retief, where almost all
their stock, sheep, and cattle had been driven, the mountainous and
difficult country there being suitable for its concealment and
protection.

The main body of the Boers was concentrated between Belfast and
Machadodorp, north-east of Twyfelaar, in a country eminently suited for
what was considered their final effort. The valley of the Komati River
was exceedingly difficult country for the British army to operate over.
The Boers to the end of the war were very fond of this country, and it
was there, or in the vicinity towards Lake Chrissie, that several
engagements took place later on, during the guerilla stage of the war,
not always in favour of the British.

The town of Ermelo, which the Regiment was destined to see again on
several future occasions, was left on August 13th, on the evening of
which day the force reached Klipfontein. The Regiment, being rear-guard,
did not reach its bivouac till after dark. Witbank was reached the
following day, and communication was opened up with General French's
column, fifteen miles to the north-west. Carolina could be seen eight
miles away to the north-east.

The force marched next day to Twyfelaar, and here a halt was made till
August 21st, in order to allow of Lord Roberts's army, which was
advancing east from Pretoria along the Lorenzo Marques railway, joining
hands with General Buller's army.

The rear-guard of the force was attacked by the Boers on August 21st on
its march from Twyfelaar to Van Wycks Vlei. The Gordon Highlanders lost
nine killed and eight wounded, and the Liverpool Mounted Infantry eight
killed.

On the following morning a force consisting of Devons, Manchesters,
Gordons, South African Light Horse, one field battery, and the
howitzers, advanced from Van Wycks Vlei under General W. Kitchener, for
the purpose of reconnoitring and driving some Boers off the hills east
of General Buller's camp, so that the road for the next day's march
might be cleared of the enemy. A large number of Boers was seen in the
direction of Carolina, and it was supposed that Chris. Botha's force was
opposed to the column. The Manchester Regiment led the advance,
supported by the Devon Regiment. The former, on crossing a nek to a low
underlying hill, came under a heavy rifle fire from the Boers below and
across the valley, and lost two killed and nine wounded. The force
returned to camp at 6 p.m.

On the following day Buller's army advanced to Geluk, some five or six
miles, the battalion with the Gordons and mounted troops of Dundonald's
Brigade, acting as rear-guard. A very difficult spruit, with steep
sides, was crossed, and the high hills on the further side occupied.
These had been held by the Boers in strength, but they had retired on
Buller's approach. As soon as the infantry of the rear-guard had arrived
in camp, the mounted troops of the rear-guard were attacked rather
sharply, but they managed to hold their own and to beat off the Boers.
Two companies of the Liverpool Regiment, who formed part of the advance
guard, fell into an ambush and lost considerably, leaving, it was
reported, some eighty men either killed, wounded, or prisoners in the
hands of the Boers. Shortly after arrival in camp, five companies of the
Regiment were sent out on outpost duty, taking up a short line and
entrenching--two companies were entrenched in front and furnished
sentries, with three companies entrenched in rear in support.

On August 24th and 25th the force stood fast, exchanging occasional big
gun and musketry fire with the Boers. Information was received that Lord
Roberts had entered Belfast on the 24th, thus practically joining hands
with Sir Redvers Buller.