The position taken up by the Boers already referred to, an immensely

powerful one, straddled the Pretoria-Lorenzo railway east of Belfast and
west of Machadodorp. Botha had taken up a front of some fifty miles in
length, and his force numbered about 5000 men. His right rested on the
broken mountainous country of Elandskloof to the north, and his left on
the mountains overlooking the Komati to the south. His centre was at
Bergendal Farm and the rugged and precipitous hills in the rear of the
farm, through which wound the railway and road, his line of retreat,
quite concealed from the fire and view of the British force. On the
extreme left a big gun with two or three smaller pieces were mounted,
but these were useless to give much support to the centre, as they were
too distant. The line of retreat to Komati Poort, which, from the nature
of the country, could not be threatened except by an extended movement
round the north or south, lay along the Belfast-Machadodorp road and the
railway line.

Briefly, the course of the two days' battle may be described as
follows:--

While Pole Carew threatened the centre at Belfast and the position north
of the railway, French was sent with his cavalry division still further
north to threaten the Boer line of retreat towards Pilgrim's Rest, and
their right flank. Buller attacked the Boers' left with the intention of
driving it in and getting behind their centre on their line of retreat.
He on the first day, however, could make no impression on them, and the
two forces held on to the position they were in for the night. On the
morning of the second day Buller, leaving a brigade of infantry and
Dundonald's mounted brigade to watch the Boers' left, moved across their
front under cover of the undulating slopes of ground, and made an attack
at Bergendal Farm and Kopje. After a sharp fight this was carried, and
the Boers retired all along their line in the direction of Machadodorp.

It is necessary to state in detail the part played by the Regiment.

On the morning of Sunday, August 26th, Buller's force was put in motion.
The Regiment was advance guard to the division. When about half a mile
from the camp, the four advanced and extended companies under Captain
Jacson came under fire from some high ground on their right flank,
losing two men. Major Davies, proceeding along this ridge of high ground
with the remainder of the Regiment, forced the Boers posted there off
the hills. The advance guard companies then continued their march with
orders to make Bergendal Farm their point, but not to go beyond it.

When these companies had proceeded some four or five miles, it was found
that General Buller's main body had changed direction to the right and
had gone east. On retracing their steps, the companies with great
difficulty ascertained the whereabouts of Buller's force. Sir Redvers
was now attacking the Boer left within a mile or two of his former
camping ground. A message was then received stating that the Regiment
was at that time a left flank guard to Buller's army, and that the
former advance guard companies were to join the remainder of the
Regiment.

The Boers, opposed to Buller in very considerable numbers, were sangared
on some low hills about 800 yards distant from and in front of and below
the high ridge over which his force had to advance. Buller made his
dispositions behind this high ridge. The reverse slope was completely
raked by the Boer fire, and no cover except that afforded by some
ant-hills was obtainable. The dropping bullets followed the form and
slope of the hill, so that neither front nor rear was secure.

[Illustration: Trekking with General Buller; 5-Inch Guns on the March]

As soon as the Regiment was formed up, an order was sent to advance.
Captain Emerson with fifteen men extended, rushed down the forward slope
under a heavy fire, and took cover behind some ant-hills. The moment the
men showed over the crest line they were met by a hail of bullets, and
further advance was impossible.

Later, another order was sent to advance, but owing to the want of cover
it was found impossible for the line to make headway in the face of the
fire brought to bear upon it. It was not until the Howitzer Battery was
brought into action late in the day, to cover the retirement of the
advanced companies, that Captain Emerson and his men were able to get
back. This they did under a very heavy fire from rifles and machine
guns.

One company under Lieutenant Harris, which had been moved off to the
right, had advanced and got into an exposed place. The men took cover
behind ant-hills, and remained there for the rest of the day. Three
companies had been moved to the neighbourhood of the guns. These came
under shell fire from the Boer guns and had some casualties, amongst
whom was Colour-Sergeant Burchell, who was shot through the shoulder.
Under General Buller's direct supervision one company was ordered
forward. Immediately their four scouts showed over the crest line a
storm of bullets met them, and they were all hit. The four scouts were
found dead on the second day afterwards by the Liverpool Mounted
Infantry.

Dusk found the companies posted as under: Three companies extended on
the ridge on the left, with two companies extended in support on the
rear side of the hill. One company was extended on the ridge in the
centre, whilst three companies were near the guns, three-quarters of a
mile away on the right. One man was killed and one wounded just at dark
by unaimed fire and by the last shots fired. The companies on the ridge
retired to the crest of the hill after dark and took up an entrenched
outpost line for the night. Rations were then issued for the following
day. It was a pitch-black night, and two cooks' orderlies who had gone
to fetch their company's tea and sugar rations from their wagon, missed
their way in the dark when returning, and walked into the Boer position,
distant only a few hundred yards, and were made prisoners. These two men
were the first prisoners of war lost to the battalion up to this date;
and with the exception of one other prisoner, who was temporarily in the
hands of the Boers in the Badfontein valley in the following year, they
were the only men of the battalion taken prisoners during the war. The
casualties of the battalion for the day were 6 killed, 15 wounded, and 2
prisoners.

Early the following morning the 7th Brigade, with the exception of the
Manchester Regiment, moved off to the left, the Rifle Brigade, whose
turn it was to lead, being in front. The guns accompanied the brigade.

There was little or no opposition till the scouts came under fire from
Bergendal Kopje, or Drie Kraal as it was otherwise known. This rocky
kopje was strongly fortified and held by the Boers. A Field Battery
opened fire on to the kopje at about 3000 yards' range from some rising
ground. Shortly afterwards the remaining guns--5-inch, 4.7's, naval
12-pounders, in all to the number of about thirty-nine--commenced
pouring shells on to this one spot in the Boer position. This shelling
continued for about three hours.

Very early in the morning a train had been seen coming out from
Machadodorp with reinforcements. These, it was ascertained, were the
Johannesburg Police, to the number of about eighty, and they formed the
garrison of the kopje, about a hundred more being in the farm behind the
kopje. This kopje was a small hill covered with large boulders. The
rocks had been connected with large stones to form sangars, behind which
the garrison found cover. A pompom was included in the armament of the
position, which measured about eighty yards by forty yards only. It fell
away abruptly in the rear, the farm and outbuildings lying very close
under the steep rear side of the hill.

The English shells fell with terrible accuracy into the sangars, and
there was an almost continuous explosion on the hill. Yet the Boers kept
up their fire till the Rifle Brigade were within ten yards of them, and
their pompom was in action, although partly jammed and firing single
shots, till the very end. This pompom was bravely served by one man, the
remainder of the gun team having been either killed or wounded. It is
not known whether this plucky fellow survived or not.

General Walter Kitchener, who was commanding the infantry attack,
decided to attack with the Rifle Brigade along the ridge which ended in
the kopje, which was slightly above the level of the ridge. At the same
time he ordered the Inniskilling Fusiliers to attack over the low ground
on the Rifle Brigade's right, whilst the Gordon Highlanders and the
Devonshire Regiment were held in support.

The Rifle Brigade started from the foot of the hills under which they
had taken cover, and which was about 1200 yards from the Boer position,
and almost immediately came under heavy musketry fire, being much
exposed on the high open ridge.

They, however, continued their advance in perfect order and eventually
rushed the kopje, the British shells dropping and the Boers firing till
the assault had been delivered. The Inniskillings advanced across the
low ground underneath the Rifle Brigade. Their advance was slightly
delayed, and their delivery of the assault was consequently later than
that of the Rifle Brigade. Captain Emerson with one company of the
Regiment which had been told off as escort to the Maxim guns, advanced
with the leading company of the Inniskillings.

The whole Boer position was evacuated as soon as their line had been
penetrated by the capture of the Bergendal Kopje.

The casualties amongst the Rifle Brigade were severe, owing to the much
exposed ground over which it was necessary for the attack to be
delivered, and to the fact that, as the extended lines converged on to
the small kopje, the men naturally became crowded and formed a better
mark for the Boer rifles. They lost two officers and fourteen men killed
and five officers and fifty men wounded, of whom two officers died of
their wounds the following day. The Regiment had one man wounded.

The position was soon made good, although the Boers held on tenaciously
to a long rocky ridge in their rear to which they had retired, till
nightfall. The force bivouacked for the night near the farm.

This action was known officially as the battle of Belfast.

A quiet night was passed, and next morning, August 28th, the force
occupied Machadodorp with slight opposition. The Boers were seen
retreating up the road leading to Lydenburg, and on the high ground
above the town they brought two big guns into action.

The Gordon Highlanders, in support of Dundonald's Mounted Brigade, were
sent on through the town and occupied the high ground on the far side,
and the Boers retired before them.

The Boers had made a very hurried retirement. In Machadodorp on the
evening of the day of the fight, guns and cartloads of ammunition were
parked in the big open space in the centre of the town. These were moved
off very hurriedly on the approach of the British force, and the guns
had only reached the top of the hills on the further side of Machadodorp
when General Buller's infantry came in view. General Buller brought some
long-range guns into action and shelled them as they ascended the hill,
but without result.

From lack of efficient pursuit after the battle the evening before, and
a too cautious advance in the morning, an opportunity to do the Boer
forces considerable damage was apparently lost. A wagon containing
pompom ammunition was captured by Dundonald's Mounted Brigade, but the
pompom itself got away, notwithstanding the very slight opposition
offered by the Boers.

The following day General Buller's forces reached Helvetia Farm, where
General French's column and General Pole Carew's division joined up.

With the object of releasing the prisoners who had been sent by the
Boers from Pretoria to Noitgedacht down the railway line towards Komati
Poort, General Buller's force now turned eastwards and marched along the
heights on the north side of the railway. On the first day out from
Helvetia his cavalry saw some 2000 released English prisoners marching
up the line towards Waterval Onder from the direction of Noitgedacht,
and having been unable to obtain touch with the Boers, the force
retraced their steps, and encamped some six miles from Helvetia at
Vluchtfontein, and at this place a halt was made on the following day.

From here General Buller turned north, and on September 1st, advancing
up the Lydenburg road, reached Badfontein on the Crocodile River. Here
the army bivouacked for the night, and an advance was made up the
Badfontein valley next morning, but coming into contact with the Boers
who were holding the northern end of the valley, his further progress
was checked. The Boer position extended along the high hills which
straddled the road in a semicircular position some eight miles from
Badfontein.

The Regiment formed the infantry advance guard of the army, and on
reaching what was then named Redvers' Kopje and afterwards known as
Devon Kopje, came under shell fire from three big guns which the Boers
had brought into action on the hills above. At this place the Regiment
stopped for the day, taking cover from shell fire behind the large
boulders of rocks of which the kopje was composed. The remainder of Sir
Redvers Buller's force returned to its old encampment of the previous
night.

The two mounted brigades and one battery R.H.A., which had advanced to
the foot of the hills occupied by the Boers, returned to camp at dusk.

As soon as it was dark, four companies of the Regiment were left on
Devon Kopje as an advanced post, whilst the remainder of the Regiment
retired to the rear of the hill and bivouacked. The kopje was entrenched
and everything made comfortable for the following day. All the baggage
wagons were sent back to the main camp during the night.

September 3rd, 4th, and 5th were spent quietly in position, the Boers on
the 5th firing over the heads of the Regiment into the brigade camp, but
doing very little damage. On the evening of the 5th a hill to the east
was shelled, and after some opposition from the Boers, when Strathcona's
Horse had some casualties, the hill was occupied by the 60th Rifles and
the Leicester Regiment. A battery of artillery was then hauled up the
steep incline to the top.

On the 6th, General Ian Hamilton having brought up reinforcements
consisting of a brigade, from Belfast by way of Dullstrom, thus turning
the Boers' right, General Buller advanced the following day and found
that the Boers had evacuated their position. But, in ignorance of this
retirement, great preparations were made for a big fight.

The Devonshire Regiment headed the advance of the infantry. It was
divided into two half battalions, one half battalion under Major Davies
proceeding up the road in support of the mounted troops, whilst five
companies under Captain Jacson were sent more to the left to attack the
large farm at the foot of the hill, with orders "to proceed as far as
possible without severe loss." These manoeuvres having been accomplished
in safety without a shot being fired, the force reached the top and
bivouacked some two miles further on for the night. Owing to the
steepness of the road the baggage did not arrive till after midnight.

Lydenburg was occupied next day without opposition, the Boers having
retired to a position on Paardeplaats, a range of high and irregular
hills five miles distant from and overlooking Lydenburg on the
Mauchberg-Spitzkop road. From this position the Boers shelled the
baggage, bursting shrapnel over it as it defiled into the open in front
of the town. The train formed up and halted under cover behind a hill,
and came into camp at dusk.

The following morning, September 8th, Sir Redvers Buller decided to
attack the Boer position on Paardeplaats, and for this purpose he
detailed General Walter Kitchener's brigade to advance up the spurs of
the hills against the Boers' right, whilst General Ian Hamilton's
brigade was to turn the Boers' left, the attack being covered by the
artillery which proceeded up the main road in the centre.

General Kitchener's brigade moved out from Lydenburg on to the
race-course. The battalion being the leading regiment deployed and
advanced towards a hill jutting out into the plain, with the mounted
brigade of General Dundonald working round the left. This hill was
afterwards known to the Regiment as Ben Tor. As the Regiment deployed
into the open it came under shrapnel fire from two big guns posted on
Paardeplaats. The Regiment was, however, extended, and had only one man
wounded.

The Gordon Highlanders, who were in support, marched across the Boers'
front, in rear of the extended Devons, in column of companies. Several
shells burst amongst them, and one shell, bursting thirty feet above
graze, took their volunteer company end on and killed and wounded
fifteen.

With Dundonald's men on their left flank, four companies of the Regiment
under Captain Jacson advanced up the spurs without opposition, whilst
Major Davies, in command of the remaining companies, climbed the spurs
on Jacson's right. Little or no opposition was met with on this flank.
Jacson's companies were reinforced by four companies of the Gordon
Highlanders and the 60th Rifles, and at 4 p.m., when nearing the summit,
a thick mist came on, and the flanking brigade halted. Meanwhile Davies,
with two of his companies, had reached the top of the hill and was
proceeding down the far side when the fog lifted. It was then
ascertained that the Boers, under cover of the fog, had left the
position to which they had clung with great determination, and had
retired. The position had been turned by Ian Hamilton's right flank
attack.

The thick mist saved the Boers, who would otherwise undoubtedly have
lost their big guns in their retirement.

Just before dark the companies of the Regiment, which had become
scattered, were collected, and Captain Jacson received an order to
return with these to the old camp on the far side of Lydenburg; seven
companies were thus taken down the hills over very rough country to the
old camp, a distance of nearly six miles. On arrival there a message was
received which stated that the army was encamped half-way up the hill
towards Paardeplaats. The seven companies then returned, and finally
reached camp very late. They had been marching and climbing incessantly
from 7.30 a.m. till 10 p.m.

The brigades had by this time become rather intermingled. Of General
Kitchener's brigade the Manchester Regiment had been left behind at
Witklip, at the north end of the Badfontein valley. A garrison had also
been left at Lydenburg under General Howard, consisting of the Rifle
Brigade and Leicesters, with General Brocklehurst's Cavalry Brigade.

The Devonshire Regiment was now left behind at Paardeplaats, while
General Buller's force, consisting of the Gordon Highlanders and the
60th Rifles, with Dundonald's Mounted Brigade, two Field Batteries, and
the 5-inch guns, advanced on the 9th, the day following the capture of
Paardeplaats, in the direction of the Mauchberg.

The country was extremely difficult, and the Boer guns and pompoms well
served, and considerable opposition was met with in the advance.

General Buller's force reached the Mauchberg that evening and proceeded
on the following day to Devil's Knuckles, down the steep Mauchberg road
(known as Hell's Gate), where the two Boer big guns again narrowly
escaped capture, and so on to Spitzkop, just north of Nelspruit on the
Pretoria-Lorenzo Marques railway.

On the 10th four companies and two guns under Captain Jacson were
ordered to the Mauchberg. The companies got off by midday, and after a
stiff climb occupied the mountain just before dark. The top of the
Mauchberg, 8720 feet high, was found to be very extended, and the
garrison was much split up. Company forts were erected on the main
features, and the place was held till the 20th, mostly in thick fog and
rain.

The Mauchberg post was the terminus of the telegraph line, communication
thence with General Buller's head-quarters being continued by visual
signalling. The mountain was intersected by deep kloofs and ravines,
into most of which the Boers had collected their families and supplies,
in the hope that neither would be found. These were all disclosed from
the summit of the mountain, which commanded a view of a great extent of
country. General Buller succeeded in collecting a large amount of stores
from these "caches."

The families of Boers who surrendered with their stock were sent into
Lydenburg, together with any prisoners that had been taken.

On the 11th two of the Mauchberg companies with the two guns were
ordered to proceed to Devil's Knuckles, to supply picquets for
Dundonald's Mounted Brigade which was stationed there, and on September
20th the companies of the Regiment stationed at Paardeplaats marched to
the Mauchberg, being relieved at the former place by the Leicesters, the
remaining two Mauchberg companies proceeding to Devil's Knuckles.

On the 21st the Regiment was again united and marched with Dundonald's
Brigade down the Sabi Valley, reaching Sabi Drift that evening, where
the force bivouacked. The column under General Dundonald remained at
Sabi Drift till the 26th awaiting the arrival of General Buller, who was
returning from Spitzkop.

[Illustration: Devons Crossing the Sabi River]

A story is told anent the positions out of which General Buller's
infantry had turned the Boers, which goes to show the estimation in
which the British infantry were held by their opponents. The words are
those of General Botha, and were told to an officer of the Head-quarter
Staff. "I shall give it up," he said. "I have taken up position after
position which I considered impregnable; I have always been turned off
by your infantry, who come along in great lines in their dirty clothes
with bags on their backs. Nothing can stop them. I shall give it up."

On September 25th the remainder of General Buller's force marched into
Sabi Drift, and on the 26th the army, united again, advanced north for
Pilgrim's Rest. Burgher's Nek and Mac-Mac diggings were reached about
noon on that day.

The pass over Burgher's Nek was held by the Boers under Gravett, Botha
and the State treasure with a small escort having crossed only a few
hours before, whilst a portion of their army under Viljoen retired at
the same time to the north towards Pietersburg.

The infantry of the advance guard was composed of four companies of the
Regiment under Captain Jacson. On reaching the foot of the pass the
mounted troops were checked and the artillery came into action. The
position occupied by the Boers was formidable--a long stretch of high
rugged hills, with the forward slope ending precipitously. The pass lay
over a Nek between two high shoulders of hills. The Boers, exceedingly
well posted, occupied the hills on either side of the Nek, taking cover
behind the immense boulders on the summit.

After the artillery had been bombarding the south side of the Nek for
some considerable time, the mounted infantry were sent forward to occupy
the hill known as Grass Kop, but were unable to proceed. In the
meantime, the four companies of the advance guard had been moved off to
the left and nearer to the hills. They now got the order to attack and
occupy the hill. Whilst these companies moved off under cover of the
undulating ground to the foot of the hills, two companies with the Maxim
gun took up a position in rear to cover the advance, firing with a range
of 1700 yards at the top of the hill. Most of the artillery came into
action at the same time and at the same objective. The foot of the hill
was reached by the attacking force with two casualties. One company was
then directed to the left to attack round the flank, and the ascent of
the precipitous side of the hill was commenced. Crawling up a goat's
track in single file, on hands and knees, through dense bush, the first
portion of the ascent was accomplished, and the little force formed up
under a spur to get breath before debouching into the open for the final
rush to the top. After a short halt the advance was continued to the
summit, the companies on their way coming under a smart shell fire from
their own guns (happily without casualties), which were bursting
shrapnel with wonderful precision between the two leading companies.
Just before reaching the top the flanking company, coming in from the
left with a well-timed advance, joined the general advance to the
summit. It was found that the Boers had retired, and fire was brought to
bear on them as they descended the rear slope of the hill. The high hill
on the left of the pass was then occupied, and the Nek over which the
road passed cleared of Boers.

A heliograph message from Sir Redvers Buller was received on the summit,
"Well done Devons!" and in Lord Roberts' official dispatch for the day
it was notified that General Buller had occupied Burgher's Nek, and that
"the pass had been turned by a half battalion of the Devonshire
Regiment, well led by Captain Jacson."

The four companies bivouacked on the top. Efforts were made by those
down below to get food and blankets up to them, but owing to the
steepness and difficulties of the climb and the darkness, it was found
impossible.

The head-quarter companies of the Regiment were engaged on outpost duty
at the foot of the pass, where the army had bivouacked, almost all the
men being on duty.

On the following day the march was resumed, the head-quarter companies
of the Regiment being rear-guard to the force. The companies on the hill
were relieved by two companies of the Regiment under Captain Wren. The
road was extremely bad and crossed by many drifts, which caused
considerable delay, and it was not till the early hours of morning that
the rear-guard companies got into camp. The bivouac was formed amongst
the hills, some five miles from Pilgrim's Rest, which had been occupied
the previous day by Strathcona's Horse.

On the 28th the march was continued through Pilgrim's Rest to the foot
of Morgenzon Hill, the mounted troops surprising the Boers on the summit
and putting them to flight.

The baggage was safely brought up the six miles of steep hill on the
following day. The road, which was the old coaching highway Pilgrim's
Rest-Lydenburg, was found in excellent condition, but it was heavy work
for the oxen, and all wagons were double spanned. The force camped on
the summit, and halted there on the 30th.

A good number of Boers were reported in the vicinity to the west and
north, but they did not make their presence felt and Sunday was spent
quietly.

On October 1st Morgenzon was left and the march continued towards
Kruger's Post and Lydenburg. It was a long, dusty road through narrow
valleys. Opposition was encountered at the bifurcation of the
Lydenburg-Morgenzon and Lydenburg-Ohrigstadt roads, which, however, was
soon overcome, the Boers retiring to the hills out of reach of the guns,
and Kruger's Post was reached at 2 p.m.

Shortly after the Regiment had settled itself in its bivouac a Boer big
gun opened on to it from a hill about 6000 yards distant, and not very
far from the road. This gun also shelled the wagons as they came into
camp, necessitating their halting under cover and coming in later. In
the evening, about 6.30, the Boers brought another gun into action on a
hill due west of the camp, and shelled the cavalry and infantry bivouacs
for one and a half hours in the dark. After several shells had pitched
into their midst the Regiment moved out and formed up into two long
lines and entrenched.

It was whilst marching out to take up this position in the dark that a
shell emptied itself into the head of one company, killing Lieutenant
Cumin and severely wounding Captain Luxmoore and one man. The South
African Light Horse and Strathcona's Horse had a number of casualties
amongst their men and horses.

The Boers by a skilful manoeuvre had kept their guns concealed, ready to
be brought into action as soon as General Buller's army had settled
itself quietly in its bivouac. They expended some cartloads of
ammunition in this manner without interference. In the early hours of
the following morning a band of volunteers ascended the hill to capture
the guns. They had both been withdrawn and were not traced.

On the morning of October 2nd Buller's army reached Lydenburg without
further opposition. Lieutenant Cumin was buried in the evening in
Lydenburg cemetery.

On Saturday, October 6th, Sir Redvers Buller bade farewell to his army.
The troops lined the streets and roads and gave him a hearty send-off.
He was immensely popular with the men and they were sorry to see him go.

General W. Kitchener took over command of the Lydenburg district and its
garrison, on Sir Redvers Buller's departure.

On the writer asking Sir Redvers on the eve of the day of his departure
which was his best army--the one he commanded into Ladysmith or the one
with which he trekked north--he replied, "The army I went north with was
the best. I watched the Devons pass me at Burgher's Nek and it struck me
how wonderfully well they looked. I considered they were ready for
anything I asked them to do; but," he added, "they surprised me with the
pace they went up the hill at Burgher's Nek."




CHAPTER IV

LYDENBURG

1900-1901


On October 8th, 1900, the battalion moved out of Lydenburg to the
Mission Station, three miles north of the town on the Kruger's Post
road. The Mission Station was a collection of Kaffir houses, containing
some 500 Christian men, women, and children. The mission-house was taken
over as a post and fortified as soon as the German pastor, who was found
to be communicating with the Boers, had been sent to Pretoria to be
locked up.

[Illustration: Colonel C.W. Park, Mission Camp, Lydenburg]

The site of the camp having been chosen, it was immediately surrounded
by company forts consisting of ditches four feet deep and two feet wide
for protection against shell fire, which it was considered possible
would be brought to bear on the camp. This entrenchment was finished in
one afternoon.

Two guns of the 53rd Battery under Lieutenant Higgins, and one 5-inch
gun under Second Lieutenant McLellan, were added to the garrison.

The battalion stood to arms daily just before dawn.

On the 9th two companies under Captain Bartlett were moved to
Paardeplaats as a permanent garrison, whilst two companies under Captain
Travers were sent to Ben Tor.

On the 10th two companies of the Regiment, two guns, and one company
mounted infantry proceeded just before daylight to a farm some six miles
away, and burnt it. They encountered no opposition. This company of
mounted infantry was then added to the garrison for permanent duty.

The two following days were employed in collecting forage from different
farm-houses. Very few Boers were seen, and there was little or no
opposition.

On the 24th, it having been ordained that all the Boer women in the
various towns were to be sent out to their husbands in the laagers, two
companies and two guns under Captain Ravenshaw were ordered to escort
the ladies of Lydenburg over the Spekboom Bridge on the Kruger's Post
road, and there hand them over to their husbands and friends. Captain
Ravenshaw went out with a flag of truce and met the Boers, amongst whom
was Erasmus. They were most affable, and shook hands cordially. The
women reached Kruger's Post that evening.

The next day General Walter Kitchener started out at 2 a.m. with a
column of infantry (Devons), mounted infantry and guns towards Kruger's
Post for the purpose of shelling the farm. At dawn the column crossed
the Spekboom Bridge and mounted the hills in the face of slight
opposition. A 5-inch gun was then brought to the front and shells
dropped into Kruger's Post, after which the column returned to camp. A
patrol of four Boers was captured, and there were no casualties on the
British side.

Very shortly after this the order concerning the Boer women was
cancelled and a fresh order was issued, which ordained that all Boer
women who were captured or gave themselves up should be confined in
large concentration camps on the railway line.

On the evening of the 24th one company was ordered down from Ben Tor to
be posted on the hill overlooking the Spekboom Bridge. The company
proceeded there on the 25th escorted by two companies, two guns, and
some mounted infantry.

On the following day, as the Boers were threatening the Bridge Post
before the works were complete, one company and two guns were sent out
as a covering party.

The battalion was now split up; two companies under Lieutenant Tringham
proceeded to Witklip, two companies under Captain Bartlett were at
Paardeplaats, one company under Lieutenant Cowie was at Ben Tor, one
company under Captain Travers was at Bridge Post. Of the three remaining
companies one was holding the Mission House, and the two others with the
5-inch gun and the two field guns formed the garrison of the main camp.

On October 30th two companies from Mission Camp were ordered to march at
sunset through Lydenburg to the bank of the river. Here they halted and
had supper, being eventually joined by the Rifle Brigade. Starting again
at 9 p.m. and marching all through the night, they attacked some Boer
laagers at dawn. After some heavy firing the laagers, which had been
completely surprised, were captured with all their tents, etc. The
column returned at 5 p.m. the same day, when the companies redistributed
themselves to their various posts, having marched from 4 a.m. till 10.30
p.m. a distance of thirty-five miles. There were four casualties, one of
which was a Devon man slightly wounded.

November was spent rather quietly by the battalion, the men being
employed in strengthening the various posts and making them comfortable.

On November 7th one company was sent off to garrison Strathcona Hill on
the southern side of the town.

On the 8th General Walter Kitchener again attacked the Boers, this time
employing entirely mounted troops, He brought back with him 1000 sheep,
50 ponies, and 20 wagons. Five Boers were killed, and the mounted troops
had two casualties.

Colonel Park returned from sick leave on the 9th, when Major Davies
resumed his position as second in command. Lieutenants Hext and Kane
left shortly afterwards to join the mounted infantry at Pretoria, and at
the end of November Lieutenant Woollcombe rejoined the Regiment from
Maritzburg, Lieutenant Harris returned from Pretoria with a draft of
thirty-eight men, and Lieutenant Twiss rejoined from hospital at
Newcastle.

At the beginning of December the following was the distribution of the
companies of the Regiment:--

Two companies at Paardeplaats under Captain Bartlett.
One company at Bridge Post under Captain Travers.
One company at Strathcona Hill under Lieutenant Willis; and
Four companies at Mission Camp.

On December 9th and 10th a foraging expedition with three guns and four
companies of the Rifle Brigade went out towards Van Der Merves' Farm
under Colonel Park. These brought back twenty-eight wagon loads of
forage without experiencing any opposition.

It was reported on the 12th that Nelspruit had been cut off by the Boers
and required assistance. A column was immediately formed, composed of
one squadron 19th Hussars, four companies Devons under Major Davies, and
four companies Rifle Brigade with some guns; the whole proceeding under
General Kitchener _en route_ to the Mauchberg and Devil's Knuckles.
Three companies of the Regiment had been taken from Mission Camp and one
from Paardeplaats.

A blizzard blowing all night and the following morning, accompanied with
thunder and heavy rain, delayed the advance of the troops till noon,
when a start was effected, and the Mauchberg was occupied by the Devons
without opposition.

Further advance down Hell's Gate to the Devil's Knuckles was found
impracticable owing to the state of the road. Troops from Machadodorp
had been sent to Lydenburg to act as a garrison whilst the column was
out; but instructions were received from head-quarters on the 15th
ordering the immediate return of the column to Lydenburg, as well as of
the reinforcements back to Machadodorp. The Devons had been, however,
sent out from the Mauchberg previous to the receipt of the order to
retire. They skirmished down the road towards Devil's Knuckles, and in a
very thick fog Boers and British nearly walked into each other's arms.
There was a good deal of musketry fire, with the result to the British
side of one Devon wounded. As was usually said on such occasions,
"Boers' loss was probably very great." The three companies returned to
Mission Camp late on the evening of the 16th.

On the 18th Major Davies was ordered to Witklip to take command of the
forts; he took with him one company as a reinforcement to the garrison.

On Christmas Day the Regiment received a number of telegrams from
friends in England wishing them good luck. A race meeting was held in
the afternoon on the Lydenburg race-course. The public went armed, and
two field guns were brought into action on the course. These precautions
were necessary, for the Boers at this time were very busy, and on the
night of December 28th-29th attacked the post at Helvetia, near
Machadodorp, and captured it.

The post contained a 4.7 naval gun called "Lady Roberts," and this, with
the garrison of three companies of the Liverpool Regiment, was taken,
only one small fort manned by a small contingent of about fifteen men
holding out. General Walter Kitchener left at once with four companies
of the Rifle Brigade, two companies of the Regiment (from Witklip), two
guns, and the mounted troops, in the hope of intercepting the Boers and