With the Flag to Pretoria: A History of the Boer War of 1899-1900. Volume 1

Just before dawn Cronje's army fell back from Magersfontein—the position which for now more than two months had held the army of Lord Methuen in complete check. So skilfully was the operation effected that no sign of the Boer retreat was detected by Lord Methuen's Division, closely watching the enemy's trenches, till the bird had flown. But as the day wore on, the scouts and pickets noted that the place look deserted, and that there seemed to be no one about. They pushed carefully in, examined the works more closely, and, as no shots were fired at them, grew in audacity. Finally they entered the trenches, and brought Lord Methuen word that the position had been abandoned. He at once advanced to Magersfontein with his division, and thus, without striking a blow or firing a shot, opened the way from the south to Kimberley.

The state of the Boer trenches gave clear evidence of the haste with which the enemy had retreated. Mr. Ralph, who examined them, gives this interesting description:—"The Boers had gone away in such a hurry that they had no time to take their belongings with them. Evidently the order was 'every man for himself, and no time must be lost.' Consequently the position was littered with trunks, saddles, tin boxes, bags of mealies, of mealie flour, and of rice. Cartridges were as thickly strewn about as if they were as cheap as dead leaves in autumn. Blankets and clothing were also much in evidence. In places the frightened Boers had made an effort to hide their leavings by piling them in the trenches, and then throwing skins or canvas over them, and dirt and tree branches on top of all. In their trunks we found usually only clothing and letters. Much that they had been using was of British make, largely taken from the British dead. Dozens and dozens of bullock hides were in use there, for shelters and for coverings. These had been taken fresh from the backs of the cattle, and the sun was making them fizzle and bubble, frying the fat and tissue on the underside of each, so that they exhaled a nauseating stench. But this formed the least part of the effluvia. A plague of flies helped to make the pest spot still more unendurable. From every shelter, and pole, and bush hung strips of biltong (jerked beef or venison), for they had not dared to stop even long enough to take away this main staff of their lives."

To the north of Kimberley a considerable force of Boers, with the great gun from Kamfers Dam, was in full retreat, though much troubled by the unwieldiness of this weapon. Anxious if possible to capture it, General French had started out at 3·30 a.m. of the 16th with all available men and guns. His horses were in such a state that rapid movement was out of the question. He rode due north, followed by the infantry in the town, who came on by rail, and got as far as Macfarlane's Siding, two stations north. Continual skirmishing with the Boer rearguard was the chief feature of the day, and the cavalry engaged suffered some casualties, about a dozen men being killed or wounded. The horses were too worn out to get near the big gun, and the Boers succeeded in carrying it off, but they had to abandon a laager at Dronfield, with one gun, several waggons, and a great quantity of stores. In the British division neither men nor horses had food or water from early in the morning till late at night, and the suffering of all was terrible. The horses in particular, already sorely tired by their 150 miles' ride from Modder River Camp to Kimberley, began to drop right and left in the most alarming manner. Those that still staggered on were mere bundles of skin and bone, in the most urgent need of a week's rest and food, which, however, was not to be theirs.

Already a messenger had come in from the south-east to say that Cronje's force was moving swiftly along the Modder, had destroyed the field telegraph, and was engaged with the British infantry at Klip Drift. But no confirmation of the intelligence and no order from the British headquarters as yet reached General French, nor did he hear the sound of guns. He concluded therefore that the report was erroneous or at least premature; moreover, the state of his horses rendered another long ride back to Klip Drift all but impossible of immediate execution. He gave his staff leave to sleep late into the morning, after their four days of continuous hard work, and himself retired to sleep the sleep of the just, when an order of the highest importance from Lord Kitchener arrived. It stated that Cronje was in full retreat from Magersfontein, with all his waggons, baggage, and four guns, along the line of the Modder to Bloemfontein, that Lord Kitchener had already engaged him, and if General French, with every available horse and man, could head him and prevent his crossing the river at the Paardeberg Drifts, the infantry from Klip Drift would follow with all speed, overtake him, and surround him. Such a message admitted of no excuses or delays—not that General French was the man for either—and orders were at once issued for the only brigade available and three batteries to start with the dawn. But it is now time to turn from General French and his doings to the tale which the people of Kimberley had to tell him.

END OF VOLUME I.

⁂ For revised figures of losses, and some corrections, see Preface.