{"1": {"fulltext": "FIGHTING FOR\\nTHE EMPIRE", "height": "3098", "width": "2073", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "LIBRARY OF^ONGRESS.\\nChap Copyright iVo.\\n\u00c2\u00bbSlieIt\\njKe\\nUNITED STATES OF AMERICA.", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive\\nin 2010 witii funding from\\nTine Library of Congress\\nlittp://www.arcliive.org/details/figlitingforempirOOotis", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2924", "width": "1927", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "GENERAL CRONJE S SURRENDER TO LORD ROBERTS AT PAARDE-\\nBERG.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "FIGHTING FOR THE\\nEMPIRE\\nmjz Storg of tfje mux in Sautfj Africa\\nBY\\nJAMES OTIS ^ttJ^-^\\nAUTHOR OF\\nTOBY TYLER, JENNY WREN s BOARDING HOUSE,\\nTHE BOYS OF FORT SCHUYLER, ETC.\\nCllustrateH iig\\nFRANK T. MERRILL\\nAnd other well-knoivn Artists\\nBOSTON\\nDANA ESTES COMPANY\\nPUBLISHERS", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "70908\\nI\\nI VI LOnti KtCl.^ED\\nNOV 5 1900\\nCopyright entry\\nSECOND copy,\\nDelivered to\\nORDtR DIVISION,\\nr OV 24 1900\\nCopyright, igoo\\nBy Dana Estes Company\\nCToIonial IBresa\\nElectrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds Co.\\nBoston, Mass., U.S.A.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "CONTENTS.\\nCHAPTER PAGE\\nIntroduction xi\\nI. At Cape Town ii\\nII. October Newspaper Bulletins 19\\nIII. Glencoe, Dundee, and Elandslaagte 29\\nIV. Nicholson s Nek Disaster 43\\nV. November Newspaper Bulletins 48\\nVI. Capture of the Armoured Train 61\\nVII. November Newspaper Bulletins 65\\nVIII. Methuen s Advance toward Kimberley tj\\nIX. December News Items ^s\\nX. Stormberg Junction 96\\nXL The Battle of Magersfontein 105\\nXll. The Battle of Colenso .112\\nXIII. In January 121\\nXIV. Operations around Colesberg .136\\nXV. Cesar s Camp and Wagon Hill 147\\nXVI. Spion Kop Campaign 154\\nXVII. February Bulletins 180\\nXVIII. Lord Roberts s Advance 201\\nXIX. Vaal Krantz 218\\nXX. Lord Roberts 227\\nXXI. Kimberley 237\\nXXII. How French Reached Kimberley 249\\nXXIII. Pursuit and Capture of Cronje 253\\nvii", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "Vlll\\nCONTENTS.\\nCHAPTER PAGE\\nXXIV. Buller s Fourth Advance toward Lady-\\nsmith 272\\nXXV. Ladysmith .281\\nXXVI. The Work in March 297\\nXXVII. Overtures for Peace 322\\nXXVIII. The Battle of Poplar Grove 328\\nXXIX. The Battle of Driefontein 334\\nXXX. Occupation of Bloemfontein 337\\nXXXI. General Joubert 341\\nXXXII. The Disaster at S annas Post 346\\nXXXIII. April News 351\\nXXXIV. Reddersburg 368\\nXXXV. April News Continued 372\\nXXXVI. Advancing Northward 391\\nXXXVII. Mafeking 404\\nXXXVIII. In June 429", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.\\nPAGE\\nGeneral Cronje Surrenders to Lord Roberts at\\nPaardeberg Frontispiece\\nMap of South Africa Sub-frontispiece\\nPortrait of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum 20\\nThe Charge of the Imperial Light Horse at\\nElandslaagte 38\\nPortrait of Lord Roberts 46\\nBoer Sharpshooters Attacking an Armoured Train\\nNEAR ChIEVELEY 6i\\nPortrait of the Hon. Joseph Chamberlain 90\\nBritish Soldiers Trying to Save the Field Guns\\nAT Colenso 118\\nPortrait of Gen. Sir Redvers H. Buller 132\\nBritish Troops Ascending Spion Kop at Night 157\\nPortrait of General Joubert 205\\nRelief of Ladysmith. The Advance Guard Enter-\\ning the Town 293\\nPortrait of Lieutenant -General Lord Methuen 325\\nAnnexation Ceremony. Raising the Flag at Bloem-\\nfontein 340\\nPortrait of Lieutenant- General Sir George White 390\\nIn the Trenches at Mafeking 408\\nPortrait of President Kruger .432", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nIf one turns the leaves of this book simply for the\\npurpose of learning when some particular battle was\\nfought, or how a certain body of troops behaved under\\ntrying circumstances, then there is no good reason why\\nthis introduction should be given a passing glance.\\nThat which follows is set down in order that the\\nreader who seeks to learn the cause of the effect may\\nnot be disappointed, and to such end is given in fewest\\nwords possible an outline of the events which led up\\nto the war of 1899-1900 in South Africa.\\nFirst as to how and why the two republics the\\nOrange Free State and the Transvaal, or the South\\nAfrican Republic are situated very nearly inside that\\nportion of the continent claimed by Great Britain.\\nOn the loth day of January, 1806, that portion of\\nAfrica known as Cape Colony capitulated to the British\\nforces. It belonged to the Netherlands but when\\nLouis Napoleon was made King of the Netherlands,\\nEngland, being then at war with France, made an\\nattack upon it, with the result as above stated. In the\\nyear 18 14, by a convention between Great Britain and\\nthe Netherlands, and in consideration of the sum of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "Xll INTRODUCTION.\\nthirty million dollars paid by the first-named country,\\nCape Colony, together with those colonies now forming\\nBritish Guiana, was formally ceded to England.\\nThe Dutch inhabitants were restive under the British\\nrule believed that they were unjustly dealt with, par-\\nticularly by the emancipation of their slaves, and in 1836\\nand 1837 eight thousand or more farmers emigrated\\nfrom Cape Colony northward, founding a republic\\namid the natives.\\nThis movement is known as the Grand Trek, and\\nthe sturdy Dutchmen fought the blacks, at the same\\ntime tilling the land, to such purpose that in 1852 the\\nindependence of the Transvaal Boers was recognised\\nby Great Britain,\\nProf. Keith Johnston thus explains how these two\\nrepublics sprang into existence\\nIn 1834 the great measure of slave emancipation\\ntook effect in Cape Colony. It has been of immense\\nservice in raising the character and condition of the\\nHottentots and other races before held in bondage,\\nthough many of the vices begotten by the state of\\nslavery still adhere to them. This measure gave great\\noffence to the Dutch Boers of the colony, and com-\\npleted their already existing disaffection to the British\\nrule.\\nIn 1835-1836 a large number of these people\\nresolved to free themselves from the British govern-\\nment by removing, with their families, beyond the limits\\nof the colony. With this object they sold their farms,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. Xlll\\nmostly at a great sacrifice, and crossed the Orange\\nRiver into territories inhabited chiefly by tribes of the\\nKaffir race. After meeting with great hardships and\\nvaried success in their contests with the natives, a part\\nof their number, under one Peter Retief, crossed the\\nDrakenberg Mountains and took possession of the dis-\\ntrict of Natal, where they established a republican\\ngovernment, and maintained the ground against power-\\nful nations of Zulu Kaffirs till 1842, when they were\\nforced to yield to the authority of the British govern-\\nment, which took possession of Natal.\\nThe Boers beyond the Orange River and west\\nof the Drakenberg still, however, retained a sort of\\nindependence till 1848, when, in consequence of the\\nlawless state of the country, and the solicitation of\\npart of the inhabitants, the governor, Sir Harry Smith,\\ndeclared the supremacy of the crown over the terri-\\ntory, which was thenceforth called the Orange River\\nSovereignty. Shortly after this, in consequence, it\\nwas alleged, of certain acts of the British govern-\\nment in Natal, Andrew Pretorious, an intelligent\\nBoer of that district, crossed the Drakenberg Moun-\\ntains, with his followers, and, after being joined on\\nthe western side by large numbers of disaffected\\nBoers, raised the standard of rebellion. Upon this\\nthe governor. Sir Harry Smith, crossed the Orange\\nRiver at the head of a detachment of troops, and\\nencountered and defeated the rebels in a short but\\nbrilliant skirmish at Boem Plaats. After this, Pre-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "XIV INTRODUCTION.\\ntorious and the most disaffected part of the Boers\\nretreated to beyond the Vaal River (the northern\\nhmit of the sovereignty), where they established a\\ngovernment of their own. They were subsequently,\\nin 1852, absolved from their allegiance to the British\\nCrown by treaty with the governors and her Majesty s\\ncommissioners for settling frontier affairs,\\nIn 1853-54, in consequence of the troubled state\\nof the Orange River Sovereignty, and the difficulty of\\nmaintaining with becoming dignity the authority of\\nher Majesty there, it was resolved to abandon the\\ncountry to the settlers, mostly Dutch Boers. This\\nwas carried into effect by a special commissioner.\\nSir George Clerk, sent from England for the purpose\\nand the country, under the name of the Orange Free\\nState, was constituted a republic, with a president\\nat its head, assisted or controlled by an assembly\\ncalled the volksraad (people s council), elected by\\nnearly universal suffrage.\\nProfessor A. H. Keane, in an article on the Trans-\\nvaal, writes\\nThe historic life of the Transvaal begins with the\\nGreat Trek, or general exodus of the Cape Colony\\nBoers, who, being dissatisfied, especially with the\\nliberal pohcy of the British government toward the\\nnatives, removed northwards in large numbers be-\\ntween the years 1833 and 1837. By 1836 some thou-\\nsands had already crossed the Vaal, that is, had\\nreached the Trans-Vaal country, which at that time", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. XV\\nwas mostly under the sway of the powerful refugee\\nZulu chief Moselekatze, whose principal kraal was\\nat Mosega in the present Marico district, on the west\\nfrontier. To avenge the massacre of some emigrant\\nbands, the Boers, under Maritz and Potgieter, attacked\\nand utterly defeated Moselekatze at this place in 1837.\\nNext year the Zulu chief withdrew beyond the Lim-\\npopo, where he founded the Matebele state between\\nthat river and the Zambesi, thus leaving the region\\nbetween the Vaal and Limpopo virtually in the hands\\nof the Trekkers. But their position was rendered in-\\nsecure on the east side by the military despotism of\\nthe fierce Zulu chief, Dingaan, who, after the murder\\nof his brother Chaka, had asserted his authority over\\nthe whole of Zululand and most of Natal. The situa-\\ntion was rendered almost desperate by the complete\\nrout and wholesale massacre (1838) of the right divi-\\nsion of the emigrant Boers, who had ventured to cross\\nthe Buffalo under Peter Retief, and who were de-\\nfeated by Dingaan, first at Umkongloof, then at\\nWeenen, and again soon after, under Uys, Maritz, and\\nPotgieter, when as many as eight hundred fell before\\nthe irresistible onslaught of the disciplined warriors.\\nAt this critical juncture the Trekkers were saved from\\nutter extermination by Andries Pretorious, of Graaf\\nReinet, by whom Dingaan met with a first check\\nbefore the close of 1838, followed in January, 1840,\\nby a still more crushing defeat. Dingaan having\\nbeen soon after murdered, the friendly Panda was", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "XVI INTRODUCTION.\\nset up in his place, and Natal proclaimed a Boer re-\\npublic. But the British occupation of that territory\\nin 1843 induced the Boers to retire in two bands\\nacross the Drakenberg, the southern division settling\\nin the present Orange Free State, the northern again\\npassing into the Transvaal, But, owing to internal\\ndissensions, and the perpetual bickerings of the two\\nmost prominent personalities, Pretorious and Potgieter,\\nall attempts at establishing an organised system of\\ngovernment throughout the Transvaal ended in failure,\\ntill Pretorious induced the British government to sign\\nthe Sand River convention (January 17, 1852), which\\nvirtually established the political independence of that\\nregion. The death of both Pretorious and Potgieter,\\nin 1853, prepared the way for a period of internal\\npeace under Pretorious s eldest son, Marthinus Wes-\\nsels Pretorious, first president of the Dutch African\\nRepublic, whose title was afterward altered (1858) to\\nthat of the South African Republic\\nThe principal events can be set down thus\\ni8s7. Invasion of the Orange Free State by Pretorious. Dis-\\npute settled without bloodshed by the treaty of June ist.\\niS^g. Pretorious, during whose absence affairs had fallen\\ninto confusion, has continued trouble with the natives quarrels\\nwith the Batalpins, Barolongs, and Guiquas in the west; in the\\neast, with Ketchywayo, King of Zululand, about the Boer s right\\nto the Wakkerstrooth and Utrecht districts,\\n186 Discovery of diamonds, and Mauch s announcement of\\ngold-fields in the interior.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. XVll\\n1868. Pretorious s proclamation extending the boundaries of\\nthe state, west to Lake Ngami, east to Delagoa Bay, whence dis-\\nputes and negotiations with England and Portugal, Delagoa Bay\\nbeing ultimately awarded (July, 1875), to Portugal by the French\\npresident, MacMahon, to whose decision the matter had been\\nreferred.\\ni8 /i. Boundary disputes toward the southwest settled by\\nthe award of Lieutenant-Governor Keate, of Natal, leading to\\nthe resignation of Pretorious and appointment of President\\nBurgers,\\ni8ys- The Fundamental Law forces Burgers to measures\\nleading to war with Sikokuni, chief of the Bapedi, south of the\\nOlifant River, who claimed a large part of Lydenburg and even\\nof Pretoria Burgers s visit to Europe in connection with the Del-\\nagoa Bay Railway scheme on his return he finds everything in\\nthe greatest confusion Boers dispirited by repeated reverses\\nin the Sikokuni War, an empty treasury, broken credit the state\\npractically bankrupt and exposed to imminent danger of invasion\\n,by Bapedis and Zulus. Hence\\ni8j6-j Intervention of England, and Sir Theophilus Shep-\\nstone s proclamation (April 12, 1877), annexing Transvaal, fol-\\nlowed by the appointment of Sir W. Owen Lanyon as British\\nadministrator.\\nJ880-81. Revolt of the discontented Boers, who, being suc-\\ncessful in a few contests with British troops, induced the British\\ngovernment to restore the Republic under the suzerainty of\\nthe queen, by the treaty of peace of March 21, 1881, a British\\nresident being appointed, with the functions of a consul-general.\\ni88j. Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger elected president.\\n1884. Convention of London (February 27th, ratified by the\\nvolksraad, August 8th) recognising the state as the South African\\nRepublic, and considerably restricting the British suzerainty.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "XVlll INTRODUCTION.\\ni88_5. Proclamation (March 23d) of the British protectorate\\nover Bechuanaland, thereby arresting the westward advance of\\nthe Boers.\\n1886. Fresh discoveries of gold, especially in the Middlegurn\\nprovince, followed by a great influx of English-speaking people,\\nthreatening to swamp the Boer element.\\nFrom this time British subjects residing in the South\\nAfrican RepubHc had many grievances, chief of which\\nwas that while they, the Uitlanders, or Out-\\nlanders, paid more than three-quarters of all the\\ntaxes, they could have no voice in the government,\\neven so far as might relate to the ordinar} expendi-\\nture of public money. Taxation without representa-\\ntion is tyranny, so the subjects of Great Britain said,\\nquoting one of the promoters of the American Revolu-\\ntion. There was nothing in the Constitution of the\\nRepublic which held out any well-grounded hope that\\na Uitlander might become a citizen. Not until af-\\nter a man had amassed a certain amount of property,\\nand resided within the limits of the country fourteen\\nyears, could he apply to the volksraad for permission\\nto become a citizen, and even then he had no assur-\\nance his petition would be granted. In 1899 the rev-\\nenue amounted to \u00c2\u00a3^,o? 7,2 S2, and of this sum over\\n^3,250,000 had been paid by the Uitlanders, who had\\nabsolutely no voice in public affairs.\\nIn addition to this were the excessive duties, laxity\\nof the liquor laws, the brick and dynamite monopolies,\\nwhich last so increased the cost of mining that no more", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. XIX\\nthan twenty-five mines out of one hundred and eighty-\\nthree were able to pay a dividend.\\nThe Pass Law of 1895, the AHens Expulsion Law of\\n1896, and the Judges Law of 1897, were all grievances\\nwhich called forth protests from the Uitlanders, but\\nwhich protests passed unheeded.\\nThen came the Jameson Raid, after which, to quote\\nfrom Ireland s Anglo-Boer Conflict, the lot of the\\nUitlanders became harder and harder, notwithstand-\\ning the fact that President Kruger solemnly promised,\\nafter Jameson s men had laid down their arms, that he\\nwould inquire into and redress their grievances. At\\nlength, on March 24, 1899, a petition signed by 21,648\\nUitlanders was forwarded by the High Commissioner\\nto her Majesty, praying that she would intervene to\\nsecure just treatment for the British Uitlanders.\\nThe chief grounds for the petition were stated to\\nbe the failure of President Kruger to institute the\\nreforms promised after the Jameson Raid the con-\\ntinuation of the dynamite monopoly and its attendant\\ngrievances, notwithstanding the fact that a government\\ncommission, consisting of officials of the Republic, had\\ninquired into the matter and suggested many reforms\\nthe subjugation of the High Court to the executive\\nauthority, and the dismissal of the chief justice for\\nhis earnest protest against the interference with the\\ncourt s independence the selection of none but\\nBurghers to sit on juries the aggressive attitude of\\nthe police toward the Uitlanders; the continued out-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "XX INTRODUCTION.\\nrages on the persons and property of British subjects;\\ntaxation without representation, and the withholding of\\neducational privileges from the children of Uitlanders.\\nOn the 9th of October, 1899, President Kruger,\\nthrough his State Secretary, issued the following ulti-\\nmatum (a) That all points of mutual difference shall\\nbe regulated by the friendly course of arbitration or by\\nwhatever amicable way may be agreed upon by this\\ngovernment with her Majesty s government, {b) That\\nthe troops on the borders shall be instantly withdrawn.\\n(c) That all reinforcements of troops which have\\narrived in South Africa since the ist of June, 1899,\\nshall be removed from South Africa within a reason-\\nable time, to be agreed upon with this government, and\\nwith a mutual assurance and guarantee on the part of\\nthis government that no attack upon or hostilities\\nagainst any portion of the possessions of the British\\ngovernment shall be made by the Republic during\\nfurther negotiations within a period of time to be\\nsubsequently agreed upon between the governments\\nand this government will, on compliance therewith, be\\nprepared to withdraw the armed Burghers of this Re-\\npublic from the borders, {d) That her Majesty s troops\\nwhich are now on the high seas shall not be landed in\\nany port in South Africa.\\nThis government must press for an immediate and\\naffirmative answer to these four questions, and earnestly\\nrequests her Majesty s government to return such an\\nanswer before or upon Wednesday, the nth of October,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. XXI\\n1899, not later than five o clock p. m. and it desires\\nfurther to add that, in the event of, unexpectedly, no\\nsatisfactory answer being received by it within that\\ninterval, it will with great regret be compelled to regard\\nthe action of her Majesty s government as a formal\\ndeclaration of war, and will not hold itself responsible\\nfor the consequences thereof and that, in the event\\nof any further movements of troops taking place within\\nthe above-mentioned time, in the nearer direction of\\nour borders, this government will be compelled to\\nregard that, also, as a formal declaration of war.\\nIn reply to this ultimatum, Mr. Chamberlain sent the\\nfollowing telegram to Sir Alfred Milner, dated October\\n10, 1899\\nHer Majesty s government have received with\\ngreat regret the peremptory demands of the govern-\\nment of the South African Republic. You will inform\\nthe government of the South African Republic, in reply,\\nthat the conditions demanded by the government of\\nthe South African Republic are such as her Majesty s\\ngovernment deem it impossible to discuss.\\nBefore sunrise on Thursday, the 12th of October,\\n1899, the troops of the Republic invaded the British\\nColony of Natal.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE,\\nCHAPTER I.\\nAT CAPE TOWN.\\nXTT AR between the South African Republic and\\nGreat Britain was really declared on the nth\\nof October, 1899, when the troops of the Republic\\nbegan the advance on Natal but the formal declaration\\nwas not made until ten o clock in the forenoon of the\\nI2th.\\nThe fact that the Boers were bent on assuming the\\noffensive came to the citizens of Cape Town as a sur-\\nprise, in a certain degree, because it was not generally\\nbelieved that the government of the Republic was fully\\nprepared for such a bold movement. They at once\\nbegan to make more careful estimates as to the strength\\nof the enemy, methods of transportation, means of pro-\\nvisioning her Majesty s troops, and the probable stay-\\ning qualities of those who counted on preventing the\\nEnglish Government from interfering in the internal\\naffairs of the South African Republic.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "12 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nIt was difficult to arrive at any reliable estimate re-\\ngarding the strength of the Boers. The report came\\nthat General Joubert, Vice-President of the Republic\\nand commander-in-chief of the Burghers army, had\\nmade the following estimate\\nFrom the Transvaal, 1 8,000 Orange Free State,\\n16,000; accessions from British territory, 6,000 total,\\n40,000. He assumed that the Boer population of the\\nTransvaal was 80,000 of the Orange Free State,\\n78,000; total, 158,000. Allowing that one out of five\\nwas capable of bearing arms, the maximum available\\nfighting force of the two republics would be 3 1,000.\\nMr. Windham, in a speech in the House of Commons,\\nstated that in June, 1899, the British Intelligence\\nOffice estimated that the total number of male Boers in\\nthe two repubHcs, between the ages of sixteen and\\nsixty, was 51,000; likely to join from the colonies,\\n4,000; foreigners, 4,000; total, 59,000.\\nThe lines of transportation operated by steam, which\\nmight advantage the British forces, were as follows\\nOne line of railroad starting from Cape Town, running\\nnearly north, skirting the western border of the Orange\\nFree State and South African Republic, passing through\\nKimberley and Mafeking and on to Rhodesia, Another\\nline starting from Port Elizabeth, about 450 miles east\\nfrom Cape Town, and running in a northwesterly direc-\\ntion to De Aar Junction, where it connected with the\\nCape Town road. From Naauwpoort, a station on this\\nline about seventy miles southeast of De Aar, a road", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "AT CAPE TOWN. 1 3\\nran a little east of north, crossing the Orange River,\\nand running through the centre of the Boer republics\\nto Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. Another\\nline starting from East London, about 600 miles east\\nof Cape Town, and running in a northwesterly direc-\\ntion to Springfontein, just across the border, in the\\nOrange Free State, where it connected with the line\\nfrom Naauwpoort. From Cape Town it is 750 miles to\\nBloemfontein and 1,040 miles to Pretoria. From\\nPort Elizabeth to these towns the distances are about\\n300 miles less than from Cape Town. These were the\\nonly lines by which Boer territories could be reached\\nfrom the south.\\nTo advance an army division across the country other\\nthan by railroad is an undertaking of more magnitude\\nthan the average reader imagines. A single day s\\nrations for one regiment weigh about one and one-\\nhalf tons, while a ton of ammunition suffices for a single\\nquick-firing field-gun no more than half an hour of con-\\ntinuous work. To advance one division of troops, five\\nmiles of mule and ox train become necessary there-\\nfore it may readily be understood that, in this war\\nabout to be waged, much might depend upon the\\npossibility of using the railroad as a means of trans-\\nporting troops.\\nWhen war was declared, the English Government was\\nilly prepared. Sir George White had in Natal about\\n1 5,000 men. Along the southern and western borders\\nof the Boer republics there were less than 5,000", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "14 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntroops, very widely scattered. These included the gar-\\nrisons of Mafeking and Kimberley.\\nMeanwhile the mobilisation of troops began in Eng-\\nland. It was then thought that one army corps addi-\\ntional would be sufficient, and the total strength of\\nregular troops, in South Africa, and under orders to go,\\namounted to 78,500 of all arms, including troops for\\nlines of communications, depots, army service corps,\\nhospitals, etc. There were available, besides these, the\\ncolonial contingents, Cape Mounted Rifles, Natal Police,\\nlocal volunteers, and naval brigades from the war-ships\\nin South African waters, amounting altogether to about\\n20,000.\\nThe first war news received in Cape Town was\\nconflicting, as might be expected but, after winnowing\\nit generously, there was enough of importance remain-\\ning to cause serious apprehensions.\\nIt was reported from reliable sources that the Natal\\ninvasion was made in three columns at dawn, October\\n1 2th, through Botha s Pass, Laing s Nek, and from\\nWakkerstroem, the objective point of the invaders being\\nNewcastle. The Boers utilised several thousand natives,\\nwho were tramping from the Rand,^ to drive their\\nheavy guns up Laing s Nek.\\nFrom Pietermaritzburg and Durban came the word\\nthat those places were taking vigorous steps for de-\\nThe term Rand, or Randt, is a contraction of Witwaters-\\nrandt, tlie name given to the high ridge of land in the southern part\\nof the Transvaal, meaning White Water Ridge.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "AT CAPE TOWN. 1 5\\nfence, in the remote contingency that the enemy might\\nekide the vigilance of the British at the Ladysmith and\\nGlencoe camps.\\nA despatch from Durban stated that the partial clos-\\ning down of the Natal coal mines would not interrupt\\nthe supplies for the imperial transport at Durban, as\\nhad been imagined by the Boers, large quantities of\\ncoal being already on the water from India. Regular\\nshipments were scheduled to arrive from India until the\\nNatal mines opened again.\\nAnother despatch reported activity on the part of the\\nFree State commando in the neighbourhood of Aliwal.\\nThe Boers advance patrol, so the message ran, went\\nto the frontier bridge nightly, to keep watch, firing\\nshots at intervals as signals. It was believed the en-\\nemy intended to try to rush the railway station, with\\nthe help of artillery posted on a ridge commanding the\\ntown.\\nThe most important festival in the Boer calendar, the\\nNachtmaal, or communion, was being held in Vryburg,\\nand word came to Cape Town from the Orange River\\nthat the telegraph wires had been cut between Vryburg\\nand Kimberley, and that the Boers were taking advan-\\ntage of the presence of a large gathering of disloyal\\nfarmers at Vryburg, to attack the town, hoping that\\nthe farmers would assist them against the British.\\nThe same despatch stated that the British force at\\nKimberley was confident of its ability to hold out, but\\nurged the immediate despatch of a relief force.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "1 6 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe question of a possible rising of the farmers in\\nthe northern portions of Cape Colony was very impor-\\ntant. There was serious disloyalty and much anti-\\nBritish agitation in these districts, while the Free State\\nBoers threatened an immediate invasion of Colesberg\\nand Aliwal North.\\nIt was believed that Sir Alfred Milner, the High\\nCommissioner of South Africa, was literally being\\nworked to death, and the citizens of Cape Town were\\nfilled with bitter resentment at what they termed the\\nSchreiner cabinet s betrayal of Maf eking, by its con-\\ntinued refusal to send a volunteer force to its relief.\\nMany of the residents had relatives at Vryburg,\\nand were angry with Colonial Treasurer Muriman, and\\nCommissioner of Public Works Sauer, even going\\nso far as to mob these ministers when they appeared\\nin public. Mr. Hofmeyer, the Afrikander leader, was\\nsaid to have gone into the country in order to escape\\nthe outbursts of indignation which were raised against\\nhim.\\nOn a certain evening shortly after the declaration of\\nwar, the streets of Cape Town were filled with angry\\ncitizens, making threatening demonstrations, and a riot\\nseemed imminent. These evidences of public displeas-\\nure, combined with the pressure of the imperial govern-\\nment, brought the Schreiner government to a sense of\\nits peril, as well as its duty, and moved it to decide\\nto call out the volunteers, a body of seven thousand\\nmen, with eleven pieces of artillery.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "AT CAPE TOWN. 1 7\\nUnauthenticated news from Mafeking aroused the\\npeople to the highest pitch of excitement, for in\\nfact had the war been begun. It was stated that a\\nbattle had been fought at Mafeking, resulting in the\\nkilling of three hundred Boers, and eighteen British\\nsoldiers.\\nThis startling information had no more than gained\\ncirculation, when it was reported that Colonel Baden-\\nPowell made a sortie in force, attacking the enemy\\nwho were investing the town. After fierce fighting the\\nBoers retreated. While the people speculated as to\\nwhether one or both of these news items could\\nbe founded on truth, the following alleged facts were\\nbulletined in rapid succession\\nA cyclist despatch was received from Ottoshoep,\\nnear Malmani, this evening, asserting that heavy fight-\\ning had been in progress all day, north of Mafeking.\\nThe British troops on board an armoured train acted\\nas a covering for the military engineers engaged in\\nrepairing the track. A Maxim on the train kept up a\\ncontinuous fire.\\nConspicuous bravery was displayed on both sides,\\nbut it soon became apparent that the rifles of the\\nBurghers were ineffective against an armoured train.\\nThe latter, however, was once forced to retreat before\\na particularly strong assault but it soon returned, ac-\\ncompanied by a British mounted contingent, and the\\nfighting was renewed fiercely. Fighting still continues,\\nthe Boers holding their position well. Many Boers", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "15 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwere killed or wounded, and the British also suffered\\nconsiderable loss.\\nHeavy firing can be heard south of Mafeking,\\nwhere General Cronje s commando is operating.\\nA corps of experienced continental engineers, for-\\nmer officers, has left Pretoria for the southwestern\\nborders, escorted by a command of picked Boer shots.\\nIt is probably intended for large dynamiting operations.\\nA big engagement is expected shortly in the vicin-\\nity of Ladysmith. The forces of Commandant Piet\\nVys are encamped on a mountain overlooking Dundee,\\nfrom which point they will be able to observe the\\nmovements of the British troops.\\nOf a truth, the war was begun, and while the best\\ninformed were not able to predict what a day might\\nbring forth, all within the limits of Cape Colony were\\nconfident that the British troops would make short\\nwork of the farmers, who were inclined to try their\\nskill at the game for kings.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER II.\\nOCTOBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS.\\n/^CTOBER 20. A battle is in progress at Glencoe.\\nGen. Sir William Penn Syraons has been wounded.\\nThis officer entered the British army in 1863, and\\nserved against Calokas in 1877-78, in the Zulu war,\\nthe Burmese expedition, and several other campaigns.\\nHe commanded the Second Brigade in the Tochi field\\nforce, and the First Division of the Tirah expeditionary\\nforce in 1897-98. He was decorated a Knight Com-\\nmander of the Bath for services with the latter. He\\nis the second in command to Major-Gen. Sir George\\nStewart White, who commands the British forces in\\nNatal.\\nThis is the sixth day of Kimberley s investment by\\nthe enemy. An armoured train went out yesterday,\\nand found the Boers still in the direction of Spytfon-\\ntein. Their position is believed to be strong.\\nOctober 21. Heavy fighting is going on at Dundee\\nand Elandslaagte. It is a continuation of the engage-\\nment yesterday at Glencoe.\\nOctober 22. The engagement still continues at\\nDundee and Elandslaagte. The Boers are shelling\\n19", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "20 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nDundee heavily. The British are entrenched in good\\npositions.\\nIt is believed that the railway between Ladysmith\\nand Glencoe has been repaired.\\nThe movements of the commandoes in the Utrecht\\ndistrict are somewhat mysterious. It is supposed that\\nthey have some idea of getting around between this\\nplace and Ladysmith. Many Boers are reported to be\\nfalling back in their old positions. They have been\\nraising a series of fortifications between Sandspruit and\\nDannahausr, their object being to contest the advance\\nof the imperial troops. Near Sandspruit camp they have\\na laager with several pieces of artillery, and another be-\\nhind Volksrust. There are guns on Mouent Pogwani,\\noverlooking Laing s Nek. Laing s Nek and Ingogo\\nHeights are fortified earthworks have been thrown up\\nand guns left at the various places on the way south.\\nThe latest despatches received to-day do not indicate\\nany general incursion of Boers as yet into Bechuana-\\nland. Along the Orange River everything seems to\\nbe quiet. From Colesberg it is reported that all the\\navailable Burghers of the Orange Free State have been\\nsent north and west.\\nOn the other hand, a messenger from Aliwal North\\nreports that a large body of Boers is advancing toward\\nthe Orange River. Refugees are leaving that town\\nin great numbers daily. The Boers have mounted a\\nKrupp gun on a bridge commanding the most thickly\\npeopled part.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "PORTRAIT OF LORD KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "OCTOBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 21\\nA wholesome fear of a rising in Basutoland prevents\\nthe Boers invading Cape Colony, and, on the other\\nhand, there is considerable disturbance at Maseru and\\nother Basuto stations, arising from native apprehensions\\nof Boer attacks.\\nIt appears that colonial news is in some mysterious\\nway supplied to the Boers, and that their movements\\ndepend largely on intelligence communicated through\\nnatives. Disquieting information comes from Herschel\\nand other points in Cape Colony, where the natives are\\nmuch excited.\\nOctober 2^. It is rumoured here this morning that\\nBarkly West, northwest of Kimberley, has been sur-\\nrendered to the Boers without firing a shot.\\nCape volunteers, it is reported, will be sent to relieve\\nKimberley.\\nA despatch from Kimberley reports Great en-\\nthusiasm has been aroused here by the news of the\\nBritish successes in Natal. Several farmers from\\nthe neighbourhood of Kimberley have been noticed\\nin the ranks of the Boers. A letter from Father\\nRorke said six hundred Boers, with one hundred\\nwagons, were laagered at Taungs. All the whites have\\nleft except the women, who sought refuge in the con-\\nvent. The Boer commandant has promised to protect\\nthem.\\nThe story of the retreat from Glencoe and Dundee\\nshows that the British were forced to move their camp\\ntwice in order to get out of the range of excellent Boer", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "22 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\npractice. Just as they had decided to evacuate the\\nsecond camp a shell killed two soldiers.\\nWhen General Yule heard of the battle of Elands-\\nlaagte, he sent a squad of Hussars, under Colonel Knox,\\nand a battery of artillery to intercept the Boers at\\nBiggarsberg. The artillery succeeded in shelling the\\nBoers as they were returning over the Umpati Moun-\\ntains, killing and wounding many but the artillerymen\\nwere forced to retire by the rifle fire of the enemy.\\nIt appears that the Boers shelled the camp all day\\nSunday, and the British were kept busy skirmishing\\nand removing their transport wagons out of range.\\nDuring the retreat there were many anxious moments\\nMonday night, when the British marched through Van\\nLondeers Pass, six miles long, across to Biggarsberg.\\nThe troops got through the dangerous defile, which fifty\\nmen could have easily held, at three o clock Tuesday\\nmorning.\\nA young officer of the Manchesters, wounded at\\nDundee, lay on the hillside, expecting to die during the\\nnight, which had already fallen, bleeding from a bad\\nwound in his thigh, and shivering with cold, when\\nthere stumbled over him a Tommy of his company\\nnamed Rodgers. This Tommy quickly whipped\\noff his own overcoat, placed it around the boy ofhcer,\\nand, lying down, put his arms around him, and for the\\nrest of that long, cold night kept him beautifully\\nwarm. And there are now being told many such\\nincidents.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "OCTOBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 2^\\nA Dutch circular is being secretly circulated in the\\nKurghersdorp, appealing to the Dutch to stand shoul-\\nder to shoulder against the tyrant who never keeps\\nfaith.\\nWith regard to the western frontier, it is reported\\nthat President Steyn recently visited a force of two\\nthousand Boers encamped ten miles south of Kimberley.\\nOctober 24.. It is reported that the Boers are shell-\\ning Ladysmith.\\nGeneral White engaged the enemy at Rietfontein, or,\\nas the place is sometimes called, Jonono s, for five hours,\\nfinally driving the Boers from their position. The\\nBritish loss is reported as 1 16 killed and wounded.\\nOctober 2^. The following despatch has just been\\nreceived from Ladysmith All well here. Enemy still\\nshelling. We made a successful night attack on his\\ntrenches, losing six killed and nine wounded. Boers\\nhave vacated Signal Hill.\\nA second despatch from Ladysmith, dated the 23d,\\nand delayed in some unaccountable manner, contains the\\nfollowing Strong reinforcements of infantry and artil-\\nlery have arrived here from Pietermaritzburg.\\nIt is reported that the Boers are again massing near\\nElandslaagte, and that a Free State force, several thou-\\nsand strong, is occupying Bester s Station.\\nThere is little news from the western border. The\\ncordon around Kimberley is drawing closer, but hopes\\nare expressed that a flying column will shortly be sent\\nto its relief.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "24 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe Boers have occupied Windsorton, an unprotected\\ntown. The magistrate, with the consent of the inhab-\\nitants, surrendered on demand, conditional upon the\\nlives and properties of the people being respected.\\nThere is intense anxiety for further news from Mafe-\\nking, where it is believed a number of officers, who were\\nsupposed to be on furlough, had joined Colonel Baden-\\nPowell.\\nGeneral White sends a despatch from Ladysmith dated\\nat 3.50 o clock this afternoon: The advance guard\\nof the force sent out by me this morning to get in\\ntouch with and help General Yule s column, was within\\nthree miles of that column, which had temporarily halted\\nat Sunday River about noon, I have occupied all the\\nstrong positions on the road to Ladysmith, and I have\\nno further anxiety about them. I have received from\\nLieutenant Kenrick, signalling officer of the Queen s\\nRegiment, who has ridden in, and also from Colonel\\nDartnell of the Natal Police, who accompanied the\\ncolumn, the best account of the spirits and efficiency\\nof the troops, who are very anxious to meet the enemy\\nagain.\\nSeveral Boers own officially that they lost over one\\nhundred killed at Elandslaagte. Three hundred pris-\\noners, wounded and unwounded, are in the hands of the\\nBritish, including several of high position. The Trans-\\nvaal force defeated at Elandslaagte was the Johannes-\\nburg corps.\\nOther accounts dwell on the severity of the rifle fire", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "OCTOBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 25\\nat Rietfontein. They say that when the Boers finally\\nretreated, the Lancers cut them off from their horses,\\nand inflicted severe loss on them. The retreat ended\\nin a general rout.\\nBrigadier-General Yule s force has left Dundee, with\\nthe view of concentration at Ladysmith.\\nIn the action at Elandslaagte on the 2 1 st, the Johan-\\nnesburg force, with a detachment of the German corps,\\nwas completely broken up.\\nThe Portuguese authorities have reconducted over\\nthe Transvaal border five hundred white and black\\nprisoners, whom the Boers released from their jails and\\nturned loose in Portuguese territory.\\nOctober 26. The despatches from the front to-day\\nare so diversified and contradictory that it is difficult\\nto outline the situation with any degree of exactitude.\\nThree or four main facts, however, stand out prom-\\ninently. General Symons s fight at Glencoe was not\\nanything like the decisive victory at first alleged, and\\nGeneral Yule would, in all probability, have been anni-\\nhilated, or have met with the same fate as the captured\\nHussars, if he had not retreated.\\nGeneral White s artillery duel at Rietfontein was a\\nvery severe engagement, in which the rifle did great\\nexecution, and where success was only achieved at a\\ndistressing cost.\\nThe bombardment of Mafeking has commenced, with\\nunknown result, and the Boers have got their Hussar\\nprisoners safely to Pretoria.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "26 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nOctober z j. The news from the northern border in-\\ndicates that the Boers are actively trying to prevent\\nColonel Plummer from relieving Mafeking, whence the\\nabsence of news since Pretoria announced the bombard-\\nment of the place, is creating considerable alarm.\\nOctober jo. The following despatch has just been\\nreceived from Ladysmith All well. Enemy now\\nclosing to invest us, and destroying railway two miles\\nnorth.\\nOctober J I. Reports are current here that General\\nWhite may retire to Pietermaritzburg while the railway\\nis intact.\\nThere is much divergence of opinion in military\\ncircles as to the advisability of such a step.\\nFrom Ladysmith Assault to-day on southeast\\ncorner of town. Our loss, five killed, five wounded.\\nA story of terrible disaster comes from Nicholson s\\nNek. General White has been defeated wofully, and\\nwith great loss of both men and guns.\\nSuch a defeat must be appalling to a general who is\\npractically surrounded. Two of the finest British reg-\\niments and a mule battery deducted from the Lady-\\nsmith garrison weakens it about a fifth of its total\\nstrength, and alters the whole situation very materially\\nin favour of the Boers, who once again have shown\\nthemselves stern fighters and military strategists of\\nsuperior order.\\nThe disaster cost the British from fifteen hundred to\\ntwo thousand men, and six 7-pound screw-guns, and,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "OCTOBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 27\\nas the Boer artillery is already stronger than the Brit-\\nish, the capture of these guns will be a great help to\\nthe enemy.\\nApart from the immediate loss in effectives, which\\nwill seriously cripple General White s operations, the\\nBritish defeat must have a most depressing effect on\\nthe balance of the Ladysmith force, while it may\\nbe expected to have much more weight with those\\nBoers who are wavering as to which side to support.\\nFurther news must be awaited before it is attempted\\nto attach the blame where it belongs. General White\\nmanfully accepts all the discredit attaching to the dis-\\naster, which, apparently, was at least partially due to\\nthe stampeding of the mules with the guns.\\nForty-two officers were made prisoners, besides a\\nnewspaper correspondent, Mr. J. Hyde.\\nThe latest advices show all was well at Kimberley on\\nThursday. Although the usual water supply of the\\ntown was cut off, there was ample water for the needs\\nof the citizens. A small body of Boers approached the\\ntown on Wednesday, and Major Chamier made a sortie\\nwith a reconnoitring party, and some guns on board an\\narmoured train. After a few shots the Burghers fled.\\nThere were no casualties on the British side.\\nThe police garrisons of Fourteen Streams and\\nTaunds have arrived at Kimberley. Everything tends\\nto confirm the statement that Colonel Baden-Powell\\ntemporarily worsted the Boers at Maf eking, and it ap-\\npears true that upward of three hundred wounded", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "28 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nBoers have arrived at Johannesburg. The Boers, how-\\never, seem to have re-occupied the scene of the fight-\\ning, as an attempt to recover the bodies of the British\\ndead failed, owing, it is alleged, to the Boers refusing to\\nrecognise the Red Cross flag.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0052.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER III.\\nGLENCOE, DUNDEE, AND ELANDSLAAGTE,\\nAFTER a lapse of more than eighteen years, and on\\nthe second anniversary of the storming of Dargal\\nHeights by the Gordon Highlanders, Britisher and\\nBoer met for the second time near Majuba Hill, and on\\nthis last occasion the English forces had no reason to\\nbe dissatisfied with the result.\\nThat engagement known as the battle of Glencoe\\nwas fought October 20, 1899 but not to a finish, since\\nthe actions at Dundee and Elandslaagte on the 21st\\nand 22d were but continuations of the struggle which\\nbegan amid fog and rain at Glencoe camp.\\nOn the 1 8th of October a squadron of the i8th Hus-\\nsars, under command of Major Laming, rode out from\\nGlencoe camp on a reconnoissance, little dreaming that\\nthe enemy were moving toward Elandslaagte, bent on\\ndriving what should be the opening wedge for a victory\\nat Ladysmith.\\nWhen having gained the brow of a hill beyond\\nHatingspruit Station, the officers patrol, under Lieu-\\n29", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0053.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "30 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntenant Cape, sighted a strong advance party of the\\nenemy.\\nThe Hussars retired on the main body, and made\\nready to open fire had the Boers continued their\\nadvance.\\nThe wily enemy were not to be drawn on. In fact,\\nhaving met those who were their equals if not their\\nsuperiors in swift tactical movements, they hesitated,\\nafter delivering their fire, apparently staggered at their\\npoor success with the rifle, and, perceiving that the\\nHussars had manoeuvred out of range, they turned\\nquickly and retired.\\nThe failing light alone prevented the Hussars from\\nfollowing up their advantage. The enemy refusing to\\nmake a farther advance, the Hussars returned to camp.\\nNot until thirty-six hours had elapsed did the Boers\\nshow themselves again in the vicinity of Glencoe, and\\nthen at break of day on the 20th of October, it was\\ndiscovered that the enemy had several guns in position\\non Dundee Hill, east of the British camp.\\nThe natural conclusion of the English commanders\\nwas that the Boers proposed to hold the force at Lady-\\nsmith by demonstrations of the Free State Burghers on\\nthe western side, in order to prevent reinforcements\\nbeing sent to Glencoe, which place was to be isolated\\nby cutting the railway between it and Ladysmith, after\\nwhich a large force would probably make a converging\\nattack upon the camp.\\nAs a matter of fact, General Joubert had in mind", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0054.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "GLENCOE, DUNDEE, AND ELANDSLAAGTE. 3 1\\nonly a converging attack by three columns, each accom-\\npanied by a battery of eight guns. General Meyer\\nwas to lead the left wing, made up of seven hundred\\nmen from the Vryheid commands. General Erasmus,\\nwith six hundred Pretorians, comfnanded the centre,\\nwhile Commandants Grobler and Trichardt led four\\nhundred Ermelo Burghers, comprising the left wing.\\nOwing to the fog the columns failed to connect, and\\nit was General Meyer s command alone that opened the\\nbattle beginning at Glencoe camp.\\nThe total British force consisted of the 18th Hussars,\\nthe Nalal mounted volunteers, the ist battalion of the\\nLeicestershire regiment, the ist King s Royal Rifles,\\nthe 2d Dublin Fusiliers, the Devonshire regiment, the\\nDorsetshire regiment, several companies of mounted\\ninfantry, and three field-batteries, a total of about four\\nthousand men.\\nThe seizure of Dundee Hill by the Boers was a sur-\\nprise, for, although the pickets had been exchanging\\nshots all night, it was not until a shell boomed over the\\ntown into the camp that their presence was discovered.\\nThen the shells came fast. The hill appeared to be\\nalive with the swarming Boers. The British artillery\\ngot to work with energy and precision. The batteries\\nfrom the camp took up position to the south of the\\ntown, and, after a quarter of an hour s firing, silenced\\nthe guns on the hills.\\nAt this time the enemy held the whole of the hill\\nbehind Smith s farm and the Dundee Kopje, right away", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0055.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "32 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nto the south, in which direction the British infantry and\\ncavalry moved at once. The fighting raged particularly\\nhot in the valley outside the town.\\nDirectly the Boer guns ceased firing, General Symons\\nordered the infantry to move on the position. The\\ninfantry charge was magnificent. The King s Royal\\nRifles and the Dublin Fusiliers stormed the position in\\nfine style.\\nThe firing of the Boers was not so deadly as might\\nhave been expected from the troops occupying such an\\nexcellent position, but the infantry lost heavily.\\nIndeed, the hill was almost inaccessible to the storm-\\ning party, and any hesitation would have lost the day.\\nMany of the enemy s guns were abandoned, for the\\nBoers had no time to remove them. A stream of fugi-\\ntives poured down the hillside into the valley, where the\\nbattle went on with no abatement.\\nGeneral Sir William Penn Symons was wounded\\nearly in the action, and the command then devolved\\nupon General Yule. General Symons was shot through\\nthe thigh, but no bones were broken.\\nThe enemy, as they fled, were followed by the cav-\\nalry, mounted infantry, and artillery. The direction\\ntaken was to the eastward.\\nAlthough the enemy s position was carried soon after\\none o clock, scattered firing went on throughout the\\nafternoon.\\nThe final rush was made with a triumphant yell, and,\\nas the British troops charged to close quarters, the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0056.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "enemy turned and fled, leaving all their impedimenta\\nand guns behind them in their precipitate flight.\\nWhile this was going on, one battery of artillery, the\\n1 8th Hussars, and the mounted infantry, with a part of\\nthe Leicester regiment, got on the enemy s flank, and\\nas the Boers streamed wildly down the hill, making for\\nthe main road, they found their retreat had been cut\\noff, but they rallied for awhile, and there was severe\\nfiring, with considerable loss on both sides.\\nDuring Friday night the missing columns of the\\nBoers took position between Dundee and Elandslaagte,\\nand the engagement of the 2ist of October is thus\\ndescribed by Gen. George Stewart White, the general\\ncommanding in Natal\\nIn the action at Elandslaagte the troops engaged\\nwere the following cavalry, 5th Lancers, a squadron\\nof the 5th Dragoon Guards, the Imperial Light Horse,\\nand two squadrons of Natal Carbineers; artillery, 21st\\nField Battery, 42d Field Battery, the Natal Field Bat-\\ntery infantry, the Devonshire regiment, half a battalion\\nof the Gordon Highlanders, and the Manchester regi-\\nment. The whole force was under General French, with\\nColonel Ian Hamilton commanding the infantry.\\nI was present in person from 3.3d p. m. to 6.30\\np. M. but did not assume direction of the fight, which\\nwas left in the hands of General French. Although\\ndesultory fighting took place earlier in the day while\\nreinforcements, sent out later on ascertaining the\\nenemy s strength, were arriving from Ladysmith, the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0057.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "34 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nreal action did not begin until 3.30 p. m. At that hour\\nthe Boers held a position of very exceptional strength,\\nconsisting of a rock hill about one and one-half miles\\nsoutheast of Elandslaagte station,\\nAt 3.30 p, M. our guns took a position on a ridge\\n4,100 yards from the Boers, whose guns at once opened\\nfire. This fire was generally well directed, but some-\\nwhat high. Contrary to previous experiences, their\\nshells burst well.\\nThe Imperial Light Horse moved toward the left\\nof the enemy s position, and two squadrons of the 5th\\nLancers toward his right. During the artillery duel,\\nmounted Boers pushed out from their left and engaged\\nthe Imperial Light Horse. In a few minutes the\\nenemy s guns ceased firing, and our artillery was\\nturned on the mounted Boers who opposed the Im-\\nperial Light Horse, who at once fell back. After the\\nartillery preparations, our infantry advanced to the\\nattack, supported by our guns in the second position.\\nThe Devonshires held the enemy in front, while the\\nManchester regiment and the Gordon Highlanders\\nturned his left flank.\\nThe Boers guns, although often temporarily\\nsilenced, invariably opened fire again on the slightest\\nopportunity, and were served with great courage.\\nAfter severe firing, our infantry carried the posi-\\ntion. At 6.30 p. M. this was accomplished, the enemy\\nstanding his ground to the last with courage and tenac-\\nity. The 5th Lancers and a squadron of the 5th", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0058.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "GLENCOE, DUNDEE, AND ELANDSLAAGTE. 35\\nDragoon Guards charged thrice through the retreating\\nBoers in the dark, doing considerable execution.\\nWe captured the Boer camp with tents, wagons,\\nhorses, and also two guns. The Boer losses were very\\nconsiderable, including a number of wounded and un-\\nwounded prisoners. Among the former are General\\nJan Kock and Piet Joubert, nephew of Commandant-\\nGeneral Joubert.\\nOne goods train, with supplies for Glencoe camp,\\nand nine English prisoners were recovered. Our loss,\\nI regret to say, was heavy. It is roughly computed at\\n150 killed and wounded.\\nThe battle was not ended, although at the close of\\nthe fight on the 21st it appeared as if the Boers were\\ncompletely vanquished. The chief portion of the Free\\nState troops halted at Biggarsberg, and it was neces-\\nsary General Yule s force should join the troops at\\nLadysmith.\\nTo avoid the risk of life which a long march would\\nhave entailed, the wounded were left at Dundee under\\nmedical supervision.\\nSir George White, having ascertained by a previous\\nreconnoissance that the Free State forces had moved\\neastward from Bester s Station and were attempting to\\ngain the road from Ladysmith to the north, moved out\\nin the direction of Elandslaagte, with the 5th Lancers,\\n19th Hussars, Imperial Light Horse, Natal mounted\\nvolunteers, two of the field-batteries, one mountain-\\nbattery, and a brigade of infantry.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0059.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "36 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe enemy posted a battery two miles south of\\nModderspruit, and opened with infantry fire at long\\nrange on the British-advance guard, consisting of the\\n19th Hussars. This was followed by artillery fire\\ndirected with considerable accuracy against the British\\nguns. An action lasting six hours ensued at Riet-\\nfontein Farm. The enemy was driven from the\\nhills commanding the roads. Sir George White s\\nobject being accompHshed, the column returned to\\nLadysmith.\\nLieutenant Clem Webb, who took part with the Im-\\nperial Light Horse by the side of the Gordon High-\\nlanders in that famous charge up the precipitous steep\\nat Elandslaagte, thus described the affair\\nThe battle was a terrible one, and the slaughter too\\nawful for the victory which yet had to be won. Our\\nmen fought splendidly, and led most of the charges.\\nThe artillery shells burst within ten yards of us, all\\naround, and yet some of our men had to sit on horses\\nat attention under the fire for an hour.\\nI saw some horrible sights, and yet one must\\nexpect these things. One Gordon got a shell right\\nin the face, knocking his head clean off. We charged\\nup to the cannon s mouth and took their guns, the\\nGordons using the bayonets. The Boers were very\\nplucky, shouted for us to come on, and stood to the\\nlast. I saw Ben Viljoen badly wounded, and Captain\\nSchiel. I saw Kock and Piennar, both dead, and\\nDoctor Coster with a bullet in his head. There are", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0060.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "GLENCOE, DUNDEE, AND ELANDSLAAGTE. 37\\nheaps of the Johannesburg, Krugersdorp, and Boksburg\\nofficials dead and wounded, and others prisoners, several\\nIrish and English among them.\\nThe Lancers made a charge into those who ran.\\nSome went down on their knees, and prayed for mercy,\\nand were let off others did this, and then shot at our\\nmen as they went away. One cur killed a Gordon\\nofficer who let him off. Some fine fellows were killed\\nand died bravely. I asked Schurmann, of Johannes-\\nburg, what he now thought of the Johannesburg white\\nslaves, and he replied By heaven, you re a brave lot\\nof men. He is a prisoner.\\nCaptain Schiel played the part of a man when badly\\nwounded, refusing help until our men had been attended\\nto, and ordering his crowd to discontinue shooting at\\nour wounded. We killed and wounded all their officers.\\nOur artillery shooting is very accurate, and the men\\nbrave and cheerful. We were right beside them for an\\nhour.\\nAn extract from the London CJironicle s correspond-\\nent s report of the battle\\nThe remnants of them were struggling to get away\\nin the twilight over a bit of rocky plain on our left.\\nThere the Dragoon Guards got them, and three times\\nwent through. A Dragoon Guards corporal who was\\nthere tells me the Boers fell off their horses and rolled\\namong the rocks, hiding their heads in their arms and\\ncalling for mercy, calling to be shot, anything to", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0061.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "38 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nescape the stab of those terrible lances through their\\nbacks and bowels. But not many escaped. We just\\ngave them a good dig as they lay, were the corporal s\\nwords. Next day most of the lances were bloody.\\nA young officer, hardly more than a lad, thus wrote\\nfrom Pietermaritzburg Hospital to his mother, one week\\nafter the battle\\nI lay where I fell for about three-quarters of an\\nhour, when a doctor came and put a field-dressing on\\nmy wound, gave me some brandy, put my helmet under\\nmy head as a pillow, covered me with a Boer blanket,\\nwhich he had taken from a dead man, and then went to\\nlook after some other poor beggar. I shall never forget\\nthe horrors of that night as long as I live. In addition\\nto the agony which my wound gave me, I had two\\nsharp stones running into my back, I was soaked to the\\nskin and bitterly cold, but had an awful thirst the tor-\\nrents of rain never stopped. On one side of me was a\\nGordon Highlander in raving delirium, and on the other\\na Boer who had had his leg shattered by a shell, and\\nwho gave vent to the most heartrending cries and\\ngroans. War is a funny game, mother, and no one can\\nrealise what its grim horrors are like till they see it in\\nall its barbarous reality. I lay out in the rain the whole\\nof the night, and at daybreak was put into a doolie by\\na doctor, and some natives carried me down to the\\nstation. The ground was awfully rough, and they", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0062.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "THE CHARGE OF THE IMPERIAL LIGHT HORSE AT ELANDS-\\nLAAGTE.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0063.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0064.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "GLEnCoe, Dundee, and elandslaagte. 39\\ndropped me twice I fainted both times. I was sent\\ndown to Ladysmith in the hospital-train from the\\nstation I was conveyed to the chapel (officers hospital)\\nin a bullock-cart, the jolting of which made me faint\\nagain. I was the last officer taken in. I was then put\\nto bed, and my wound was dressed just seventeen hours\\nafter I was hit. They then gave me some beef-tea, which\\nwas the first food I had had for twenty-seven hours.\\nA pathetic incident at Elandslaagte is described in a\\nletter from one of the bearer company\\nWe were out looking after the wounded at night\\nwhen the fight was over, and I came across an old,\\nwhite-bearded Boer. He was lying behind a bit of rock,\\nsupporting himself on his elbows. I was a bit wary of\\nthe old fellow at first. Some of these w^ounded Boers,\\nwe ve found, are snakes in the grass. You go up to\\nthem with the best intentions, and the next thing you\\nknow is that the man you were going to succour is\\nblazing at you with his gun. So I kept my eye on\\nthe old chap. But when I got nearer I saw that he\\nwas too far gone to raise his rifle. He was gasping\\nhard for breath, and I saw he was not long for this\\nworld. He motioned to me that he wanted to speak,\\nand I bent over him. He asked me to go and find his\\nson, a boy of thirteen, who had been fighting by his\\nside when he fell. I did as he asked me, and under a\\nheap of wounded I found the poor lad, stone-dead, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0065.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "40 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nI carried him back to his father. Well, you know I m\\nnot a chicken-hearted sort of a fellow. I have seen a\\nbit of fighting in my time, and that sort of thing knocks\\nall the soft out of a chap. But I had to turn away\\nwhen that old Boer saw his dead lad. He hugged the\\nbody to him and moaned over it, and carried on in a\\nway that fetched a big lump in my throat. Until that\\nvery moment I never thought how horrible war is. I\\nnever wanted to see another shot fired. And when I\\nlooked around again, the old Boer was dead, clasping\\nthe cold hand of his dead boy.\\nThe War Office issued the following list of casualties\\nin the battle of Glencoe, October 20th\\nGeneral Symons, badly wounded in the stomach.\\nColonel C. E. Beckett, assistant adjutant-general,\\nseverely wounded in the right shoulder.\\nMajor Frederick Hammersley, deputy assistant adju-\\ntant-general, seriously wounded in the leg.\\nColonel John Sherston, deputy staff officer and brigade\\nmajor, killed.\\nFirst Battalion Royal Irish Fusihers Second Lieut.\\nA. H. M. Hill, killed; Capt. H. B. Connor, wounded,\\nsince dead Capt. G. A. Weldon, killed Lieut. C. G.\\nJ. L. Genge, wounded, since dead.\\nKing s Royal Rifles Lieut.-Col. R. H. Gunning,\\nkilled; Capt. H. K. Pechell, killed; Lieut. J. Taylor,\\nkilled Lieut. R. C. Barnett, killed Lieut. N. J. Ham-\\nbro, killed. Eight other officers were wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0066.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "GLENCOE, DUNDEE, AND ELANDSLAAGTE. 4 1\\nThe War Office announces that in the battle thirty-\\none non-commissioned officers and men were killed and\\n151 wounded.\\nThe list of officers kUled and wounded strikingly\\nshows that, although the British victory was complete,\\nit was bought at a heavy price.\\nAmong the rank and file the Hussars had seven\\nwounded the artillery, one killed and three wounded\\nthe Leicestershire regiment, one wounded the King s\\nRifles, eleven killed and sixty-eight wounded the Irish\\nFusiliers, fourteen killed and thirty wounded the Dub-\\nlin Fusiliers, four killed and forty-one wounded, and the\\nNatal Police, two wounded.\\nColonel Sherston was a nephew of General Lord\\nRoberts. As his aide-de-camp, he went through the\\nAfghan war, accompanying Lord Roberts on the famous\\nKandahar march.\\nColonel Gunning went through the Zulu war, and\\nwas also in the Burma campaign.\\nAmong the losses of the Boers at Elandslaagte were\\nGeneral Viljeon, killed General Kock, wounded and\\ncaptured (since dead) General Kock s son, killed\\nColonel Schiel, German officer commanding the artil-\\nlery, Avounded and a prisoner Commander Pretorious,\\nwounded and taken prisoner.\\nThe following order was issued on the day after the\\nengagement at Glencoe\\nThe Queen has been pleased to approve of the pro-\\nmotion of Colonel Local Lieutenant-General Symons,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0067.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "42 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ncommanding the 4th division of the Natal field force,\\nto be a major-general supernumerary to the establish-\\nment, for distinguished service in the field.\\nGeneral Symons was one of the few who escaped on\\nthat memorable January morning at Isandula, when\\nnearly the whole of his regiment, the gallant 24th,\\nperished. Thus there is a tragic completeness in his\\nvictory near the scene of that massacre.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0068.jp2"}, "69": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER IV.\\nNICHOLSON S NEK DISASTER.\\n^ENERAL WHITE, commanding at Ladysmith,\\nsent the following official despatch, which at the\\nbest makes sorry reading for all concerned\\nLadysmith, October 31st, at 7.50 p.m. I took\\nout from Ladysmith a brigade of mounted troops, two\\nbrigade divisions of the Royal Artillery, the Natal field-\\nbattery, and two brigades of infantry, to reconnoitre in\\nforce the enemy s main position to the north, and,\\nif the opportunity should offer, to capture the hill be-\\nhind Farquhar s Farm, which had on the previous day\\nbeen held in strength by the enemy. In connection\\nwith this advance, a column, consisting of the loth\\nMountain Artillery, four half-companies of the Glouces-\\nters, and six companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the\\nwhole under Lieutenant-Colonel Carlton and Major\\nAdye, deputy assistant adjutant-general, was des-\\npatched, at II p. M., on the 29th, to march by night\\nup Bell s Spruit, and seize Nicholson s Nek, or some po-\\nsition near Nicholson s Nek, thus turning the enemy s\\nright flank.\\nThe main advance was successfully carried out, the\\nobjective of the attack being found evacuated, and an\\n43", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0069.jp2"}, "70": {"fulltext": "44 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nartillery duel, between our field-batteries and the en-\\nemy s guns of the position and Maxims, is understood\\nto have caused heavy loss to the enemy.\\nThe reconnoissance forced the enemy to fully dis-\\nclose his position, and after a strong counter attack\\nupon our right, the infantry brigade and cavalry, had\\nbeen repulsed, the troops were slowly withdrawn to\\ncamp, pickets being left on observation.\\nLate in the engagement the naval contingent, un-\\nder Captain Lambton, of H. M. S. Powerful, came into\\naction, and silenced, with their extremely accurate\\nfire, the enemy s guns of position.\\nThe circumstances which attended the movements\\nof Lieutenant- Colonel Carlton s column are not fully\\nknown yet, but from reports received, the column ap-\\npeared to have carried out the night s march unmo-\\nlested, until within two miles of Nicholson s Nek. At\\nthis point two boulders rolled from the hill, and a few\\nrifle-shots stampeded the infantry ammunition mules.\\nThe stampede spread to the battery mules, which broke\\nloose from their leaders and got away with practically\\nthe whole of the gun equipment and the greater portion\\nof the regimental small-arm ammunition. The reserve\\nwas similarly lost.\\nThe infantry battalions, however, fixed bayonets,\\nand, accompanied by the personnel of the artillery,\\nseized a hill on the left of the road, two miles from\\nthe Nek, with but little opposition.\\nThere they remained unmolested till dawn, the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0070.jp2"}, "71": {"fulltext": "Nicholson s nek disaster. 45\\ntime being occupied in organising the defence of the\\nhill and constructing stone sangars and walls as\\ncovers from fire.\\nAt dawn a skirmishing attack on our position was\\ncommenced by the enemy, but made no way until 9.30\\nA. M., when strong reinforcements enabled them to\\nrush to the attack with great energy. Their fire be-\\ncame very searching, and two companies of the Glouces-\\nters in an advanced position were ordered to fall back.\\nThe enemy then pressed to short range, the losses on\\nour side becoming very numerous.\\nAt 3 p. M. our ammunition was practically exhausted,\\nthe position was captured, and the survivors of the col-\\numn fell into the enemy s hands.\\nThe enemy treated our wounded with humanity,\\nGeneral Joubert at once despatching a letter to me,\\noffering a safe-conduct to doctors and ambulances to\\nremove the wounded. A medical ofifiicer and parties\\nto render first aid to the wounded were despatched to\\nthe scene of action from Ladysmith last night, and the\\nambulance at dawn this morning.\\nThe want of success of the column was due to\\nthe misfortune of the mules stampeding and the con-\\nsequent loss of the guns and small-arm ammunition\\nreserved.\\nThe official list of casualties and prisoners will be\\nreported shortly. The latter are understood to have\\nbeen sent by rail to Pretoria.\\nThe security of Ladysmith is in no way affected.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0071.jp2"}, "72": {"fulltext": "46 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nIn a later despatch General White adds to the sad\\nstory of the disaster, which must stand side by side\\nwith the tale of Majuba Hill in 188 1\\nA man of the Fusiliers, employed as a hospital\\norderly, came in under a flag of truce with a letter from\\nthe survivors of the column, who asked for assistance\\nto bury the dead.\\nI formed a plan, in the carrying out of which the\\ndisaster occurred, and I am alone responsible for the\\nplan. There is no blame whatever to the troops, as\\nthe position was untenable.\\nThe official account from Pretoria did not materially\\nchange the story. It is in part as follows\\nGeneral Joubert was in supreme command. The\\nBritishers advanced in the darkness on the Republic s\\nforce, on the right of the hill, formed by the Free\\nStaters, commanded by General Cronje. A stampede\\nof their mules threw the whole force in disorder. The\\nBritish batteries were observed in a long line on\\nthe plains in the direction of the Boers centre, along\\nthe table-hill, from which our artillery opened fire\\non the English batteries coming into position from\\nLombardskop, with a Creusot. The second shell fell in\\ntheir midst. It was followed by shot after shot, draw-\\ning the British concealed batteries. From six to twelve\\nthe hill was a veritable inferno of hissing, whistling\\nfragments of shells.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0072.jp2"}, "73": {"fulltext": "4\\ni\\n1\\nLORD ROBERTS OF KANDAHAR.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0073.jp2"}, "74": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0074.jp2"}, "75": {"fulltext": "NICHOLSON S NEK DISASTER. 47\\nAt first the British failed to reach the hill, while the\\nBoer fire told heavily. Eventually the British reached the\\nBoers, and showered shells on our gunners. The Boers\\ncould only occasionally fire their guns. While a wounded\\ngunner bandaged himself, another fought, oblivious of\\nthe fragments of shells at his back. Doctor Hohls was\\nkilled while bandaging the wounded.\\nIn the meanwhile the Burghers got their howitzers\\nfarther forward and into play, and the extreme end of\\nMeyers s battery got in their deadly work.\\nMr. Steevens, the English newspaper correspondent,\\nwho died in Ladysmith before the town was relieved,\\nthus wrote regarding the disaster\\nThe best part of a thousand British soldiers, with\\nall their arms and equipment and four mountain guns,\\nwere captured by the enemy. The Boers had their\\nrevenge for Dundee and Elandslaagte in war now they\\ntook it, full measure, in kindness. They gave the\\nwhole men the water out of their own bottles they\\ngave the wounded the blankets off their own saddles,\\nand slept themselves on the naked veldt. What\\nbitter shame for all the camp All ashamed for Eng-\\nland Not of her, never that but for her. Once\\nmore she was a laughter to her enemies.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0075.jp2"}, "76": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER V.\\nNOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS.\\n\\\\T0 VEMBER I. A despatch states that 3,000\\nBoers have collected at Bethulie Bridge, under\\nField-Cornet Dutoit. The Orange River is now in full\\nflood, and fording is reported to be impossible.\\nStragglers from the Gloucestershire regiment which\\nparticipated in the disaster at Nicholson s Nek are\\narriving at Ladysmith. A number of mules, and a\\nportion of the mountain-battery, are also coming in.\\nEchoes from Nicholson s Nek The character of the\\nDublins. Private Kavanagh that day one of the\\nstretcher-bearers chaffed and encouraged his com-\\nrades, telling them the Boer shells could hit nothing.\\nHe it was who, at Dundee, after the long day s battle,\\nbeing asked if he was hungry, and did not wish for\\nsomething to eat, said No. How can I with my\\nmouth full Full, said his officer; what do you\\nmean Why, my heart s been in it all day, sir,\\nreplied Kavanagh, with a grin. And so the hard\\ncase of his battalion shouted and joked, walked about\\namid a tempest of bullets, and stirred the gallant,\\nglorious Dublins to shoot well and true.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0076.jp2"}, "77": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 49\\nNovember 2. The War Office has received a tele-\\ngram sent from Ladysmith at 9.25 this morning, saying\\nthat General White was well, and holding his position.\\nThe brevity of the news received from Ladysmith since\\nTuesday night has not relieved the anxiety prevailing\\nregarding the position of the British army at that place.\\nThe War Office this afternoon issued the following\\ndespatch sent by the chief of staff at Ladysmith, Natal,\\nto the War Secretary\\nLieutenant Egerton, H. M. S. Powerful, seriously\\nwounded this morning by a shell, left knee and right\\nfoot. Life not in danger at present.\\nA special despatch from Ladysmith this afternoon\\nsays twenty British dead and one hundred wounded\\nhave been counted on the scene of Monday s disaster,\\nwhile 870 prisoners were sent to Pretoria.\\nMagistrate Harmsworth has arrived at Hope Town\\nfrom Klipdam, and reports that there are six thousand\\nBoers around Kimberley and that all the roads are\\nstrictly patrolled.\\nHe says he passed close enough to Kimberley to see\\nthe search-lights, and was informed that the defenders\\nof Kimberley were satisfied they could hold out, but\\nwere wearied with the inactivity, and hoped that a\\nrelieving force would soon arrive.\\nStories of Boer victories have spread rapidly along\\nthe western border, and Magistrate Harmsworth esti-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0077.jp2"}, "78": {"fulltext": "50 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmates that over half the Dutch residents of Bechu-\\nanaland and Griqualand will join the Boers after the\\ndeclaration of annexation.\\nNovember Colenso, in the rear of General White s\\nforce, is believed to be well defended by a composite\\nnaval and military corps, and it is understood that the\\ntwo naval 12-pounders mounted near the bridge over\\nthe Tugela, one of the most vulnerable points along the\\nrailroad from Ladysmith to Pietermaritzburg, ought to\\nbe able to defend it and prevent its destruction.\\nIf the Boers should succeed in destroying this bridge\\nit would mean the interruption of railroad communica-\\ntion with Ladysmith for an indefinite period. While\\nthe Boer attempts in this direction are not confirmed,\\nit is claimed that they may be expected momentarily,\\nand the reported steady shelling of Ladysmith, it is\\nadded, points to the intention of the Boer commanders\\nto keep General White occupied while their strategy is\\ncarried out.\\nAn official telegram reporting the condition of the\\nwounded at Kimberley adds that Colonel Kekewitch,\\nthe British commander there, has learned from various\\nsources that the Boer losses on the occasion of the late\\nsortie of the British troops from Kimberley were very\\nheavy.\\nNovember A despatch from Ladysmith says that\\non Thursday afternoon the British cavalry charged the\\nBoers while the latter were manoeuvring south of the\\ntown, and cut their way through them.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0078.jp2"}, "79": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 5 1\\nA long Tom posted on Bulwana hill shelled the\\ntown, but little damage was done.\\nThe naval guns put the big Boer gun situated on\\nHepworth s hill out of action.\\nThe enemy at Grobler s Kloof engaged a company of\\nthe Royal Irish Fusiliers, and brisk firing occurred on\\nboth sides. An armoured train, with sixty infantry\\nmen on board, drew the enemy s fire, enabling the vol-\\nunteers to make headquarters safely.\\nNovember 5. Kimberley is holding out well, at\\nleast we learn by an express rider that on Monday last,\\nthe sixteenth day of the siege, the most serious incon-\\nvenience complained of was the postal telegraph\\nstoppages.\\nMaf eking stands as it stood. Commander Cronje has\\nstopped the shelling of the town, to find out from Col-\\nonel Baden-Powell if he wishes to surrender. The gal-\\nlant colonel replied that he would let the Boer leader\\nknow when he had enough.\\nNovember 6. A cavalry action is reported to have\\noccurred near Dewdrop.\\nNovember y. The commandant at Durban sends\\nthe following, received from Ladysmith by pigeon post,\\ndated November 3d\\nYesterday General French went out with cavalry\\nand field-artillery, and effectively shelled the Boer\\nlaager, without loss on our side.\\nLieutenant Egerton, of the Poiverficl, is dead.\\nGeneral Joubert sent in Major C. S. Kincaid, of the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0079.jp2"}, "80": {"fulltext": "52 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nRoyal Irish Fusiliers, and nine wounded prisoners.\\nEight Boers were sent out in exchange, no others being\\nfit to travel.\\nColonel Brocklehurst, with cavalry, field-artillery,\\nthe Imperial Light Horse, and the Natal mounted vol-\\nunteers, were engaged to-day with the enemy to the\\nsouthwest of Ladysmith. The fighting lasted several\\nhours. Our loss was very small. The bombardment of\\nLadysmith continued yesterday and to-day, many Boer\\nshells being pitched into the town. Our troops are in\\ngood health and spirits, and the wounded are doing\\nwell.\\nNovember 8. A private message from Maf eking re-\\nports that all was well there Monday, November 6th.\\nThe possible revolt of the Basuto chief, Joel, who, it\\nhas been announced, may join the Boers, is attributed\\nto tribal jealousy. There has long been a feud between\\nthe half-brothers, Jonathan and Joel, the latter refusing\\nto recognise his brother s nomination as chief. Joel,\\ntherefore, took an anti-British side against Jonathan\\nin i88o, and committed most hideous atrocities. If\\nhe joins the Boers it is said the chiefs Lerothodi,\\nJonathan, and others are liable to make short work of\\nthe recalcitrants.\\nNovember g. The Boers attacked Ladysmith this\\nmorning, but were repulsed with heavy loss.\\nNovember lo. Colonel Gough, at Orange River,\\nreports that, during the reconnoissance of fifteen miles\\nto a point nine miles west of Belmont, to-day, the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0080.jp2"}, "81": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. K^\\nofficers of the patrol first came on a Boer position\\ntaken upon a great semicircular ridge, standing out\\ninto a plateau. They endeavoured to make the Boers\\ndevelop their strength by demonstrating with two\\nsquadrons of the 9th Lancers and a field-battery\\non the left wing, with one and one-half companies\\nof mounted infantry on the right wing, and with artil-\\nlery in the middle of the plateau, out of the infantry s\\nfire.\\nThe enemy began by firing at the British cavalry from\\na gun at the north end. As the cavalry, in open order,\\nbegan to circle around them, the hills seemed full of\\nsharpshooters. The mounted infantry endeavoured to\\noutflank the enemy s left, in order to discover the laager,\\ncoming under a heavy and unexpected fire from a few\\nskirmishers.\\nThe British guns fired several apparently effective\\nshots, but the enemy did not respond, having with-\\ndrawn with the wounded. The Boers did not fire on\\nan ambulance. Colonel Gough withdrew his force\\nafter a demonstration lasting three hours, and returned\\nto camp this afternoon near Orange River.\\nThe guns and a few horses were brought in by rail.\\nThe wounded were sent to Orange River by rail imme-\\ndiately after the action. The enemy s strength ap-\\npeared considerable, apparently seven hundred, with one\\ngun, under David Lipe and P. Van der Merwe.\\nNovember 11. The Boers are endeavouring to sur-\\nround Ladysmith in such way as to not only com-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0081.jp2"}, "82": {"fulltext": "54 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\npletely invest the town and garrison, but also be in a\\nposition to meet any British reinforcements that may\\nbe sent from Durban.\\nThere are signs that the greater part of the Boer\\nforces are concentrating between Ladysmith and Co-\\nlenso. In this position Ladysmith is effectually cut off\\nfrom all help, and, at the same time, the enemy is well\\nplaced to meet any British force advancing from Est-\\ncourt.\\nThe risk to the Boers is great in case of a retreat, as\\nGeneral White would certainly intercept them, unless\\nthey fell back in the direction of Tintwa Pass and\\nOlivers Hoek. If they should take either of these\\nroutes they must abandon most of their guns.\\nThe bombardment of Ladysmith continues. Prob-\\nably the Boers now have several heavy guns in place,\\nso that the British garrison may have to endure severe\\ntrials.\\nThe Boer shells are said to be bursting better than\\nhitherto, and the fire of their big weapons is becoming\\nmore effective.\\nNo more transports with troops have yet reached the\\nCape. No artillery can arrive much before the four-\\nteenth, as the Armenian, with three field batteries, is not\\ndue till that day.\\nWithout guns, an advance from Estcourt will be\\nalmost impossible if the Boers hold the heights near\\nPieter s Station in strength.\\nIn yesterday s fight the Boers made their appearance", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0082.jp2"}, "83": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 55\\nnear Carter s farm. The British opened fire with a\\nMaxim, the enemy replying with rifles. By mistake,\\nthe English fire went down into the valley, killing a\\nmember of the Cape Police and wounding another.\\nThe British finally retired on the reservoir, where two\\nguns were brought up to shell the Boers. The result\\nis not yet known.\\nMeanwhile some Boers had occupied Kamper s dam,\\nfiring with one gun on Otto s kopje, but not getting the\\nrange. They did no damage. It is believed that six\\nBoers were killed in the first fight.\\nThe Boers now surround Kimberley in great numbers,\\nand are bent on lifting cattle and harrassing the\\nBritish. New alarm signals were sounded at ten o clock\\nthis morning, the enemy having been observed in\\ngreater numbers, and closer to our outposts. They\\nfired on a patrol under Major Peakman, which engaged\\nthem, but the firing was at long range. The only cas-\\nualty was the wounding of Major Ayleff of the Cape\\nPolice.\\nThe enemy lifted forty cattle northeast of the\\nsanitarium, subsequently firing eight shells in the neigh-\\nbourhood of Telsmead s farm at Kennilworth. They\\ndid no damage, and retired. Later they fired on a\\nnumber of convicts who were working near the sanita-\\nrium, and eventually went off with a large number of\\ncattle and donkeys.\\nA siege train for South Africa is to be mobilised\\nimmediately. It will consist of thirty howitzers, with", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0083.jp2"}, "84": {"fulltext": "56 FIGHTING FOk THE EMPIRE.\\nthirty-two officers and about eleven hundred men. Fif-\\nteen thousand rounds of lyddite shells will go with the\\ntrain. No news has been received from either Kimber-\\nley or Mafeking, but a feeling of confidence prevails that\\nthe Boers have not made any impression on the de-\\nfences of those two posts.\\nNovember 12. If the news contained in the Preto-\\nria despatch of Thursday, November 9th, received here\\non the loth, is correct, and the Boer despatches have\\nalmost invariably rendered fairly accurate accounts, it\\nis claimed that it implies that a general assault on\\nLadysmith was pending when General Joubert s report\\nwas sent.\\nAttention is called to the fact that the date, Novem-\\nber 9th, is assumed to be the date of General White s\\nlast pigeon-post message, announcing a renewal of the\\nbombardment, since which nothing has been received\\nexcept rumours from Estcourt, that the bombardment\\nwas suspended November loth.\\nIt is claimed that if the Boers got their forces within\\nfifteen hundred yards of the British position, it shows\\nthey fully realise the necessity of utilising the brief\\ninterval before the arrival of the British reinforcements\\nto make a determined attempt to storm General White s\\nposition.\\nTo successfully advance so close to Ladysmith, it is\\npointed out, the Boers must have been most active in\\nentrenching, and the nearness of the besieging lines\\nindicates their readiness for the assault, which there has", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0084.jp2"}, "85": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 57\\nbeen a disposition in military circles to believe the Boers\\nwere not willing to undertake. It must, however, have\\nbeen patent to General Joubert that Ladysmith would\\nnot fall to the fire of his artillery, and therefore he\\nhad no choice but to assault the place or retire to\\nthe passes of the Drakensberg, in the hope of involv-\\ning the pursuing, British in the intricate fastnesses of\\nthe mountains.\\nThe cessation of the cannonade mentioned in the\\ndespatch, and the opening of musketry fire implies, it\\nis said, that the Boers were obliged to stop their\\nartillery for fear of hitting their own men and that\\nnothing further has been heard from this movement\\nis regarded here as an indication either that the\\nthreatened assault was postponed, or that the result\\nwas indecisive. Otherwise something further would\\nhave leaked out before now.\\nNovember ij. Despatches from Estcourt say it has\\nbeen ascertained that the British have laid concrete\\nbeds for firing the lyddite naval guns, showing that\\nthere is no foundation for the fear that the lyddite\\nammunition at Ladysmith has been exhausted. It is\\nalso reported from the same quarters that some fires\\nhave been seen at Ladysmith, indicating that the Boer\\nbombardment has been to a certain extent effective.\\nA special despatch confirms the earlier report that\\nit was General Buller who ordered the British evacua-\\ntion of Stormberg and Naauwpoort, as he considered\\nthe frontier line too weak and too much extended.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0085.jp2"}, "86": {"fulltext": "58 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nIt is understood, however, that Naauwpoort will be\\noccupied again as soon as the advance from Queens-\\ntown is ordered.\\nStrong bids are being made by the Boers for the\\nsupport of the Cape Dutch, but without much success,\\nalthough it is believed that the Dutch farmers, especially\\nin Picquetberg district, are armed with Mausers, and\\nare watching the course of events before joining the\\nBoers.\\nFrom Stormberg it is reported that the Free State\\nforces are working slowly toward Dordrecht, with a\\nview of attacking Queen st own, and cutting off the\\ntowns in the northern districts of Cape Colony.\\nThe wounded are recovering in a remarkable manner.\\nThe Mauser wounds are small, and heal quickly. Many\\nof the wounded apply for permission to return to the\\nfront.\\nNovember i^. It is reported from Delagoa Bay that\\nLady smith was subjected to a very heavy bombardment\\nall day, on the 14th, and that at midnight all the cannon\\non the hills surrounding the town opened fire simultane-\\nously, pouring shells from all points of the compass.\\nSeveral buildings were on fire, and could be distinctly\\nseen from Bulwana hill.\\nNovember 75. Lieut. Winston Churchill, of the 4th\\nHussars, a newspaper correspondent, grandson of the\\nlate Leonard Jerome, of New York, was captured by\\nthe Boers near Estcourt, Natal.\\nNovember 16. News comes from Mafeking showing", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0086.jp2"}, "87": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 59\\nthat on November 15th the town was safe. The Boers\\nwere making trenches, but there was no chance of\\ntheir capturing the place. Their big guns had not\\nbeen heard for two days, and it was supposed that they\\nhad been withdrawn. More probably they had expended\\ntheir ammunition, and were waiting for more.\\nFrom an official report it was gathered that the\\nOrange Free State Burghers are doing their best to\\nmake the Basuto chief, Joel, take up arms against his\\nrival, Jonathan,\\nEvery one agreed from the beginning of the war that\\nthis kind of assistance or opposition of the blacks must\\nbe resolutely excluded. Fortunately, Lerothodi, the\\nparamount chief, is a strong man, and is still, it is\\nbelieved, under the influence of Sir Godfrey Lagden,\\nwho has made herculean efforts to preserve peace.\\nThe Boers are in easy view of the besieged forces\\nat Ladysmith\\nOn the i6th of November the day was deliciously\\nfine. The Boers dried their clothes and then began\\na languid bombardment, their rate of fire being pre-\\nsumably kept down by the difficulty of carrying ammu-\\nnition to the high summits on which their guns were\\nplaced. One unlucky shrapnel killed a railway guard,\\nand wounded three civilians and two natives. The day\\nbefore, a shrapnel bullet took a volunteer, who was asleep\\nin his tent, in the spine, and killed him instantly. The\\nsame morning a shell burst under a room in which\\nseveral officers, including Col. Frank Rhodes, were", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0087.jp2"}, "88": {"fulltext": "6o FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nabout to breakfast. One floor-plank was blown up, and\\nstuck in the ceiling. The crockery was smashed.\\nNobody was there, but the officers had breakfast five\\nminutes later. The latest eccentricity of the enemy\\nwas the firing of three rounds from a howitzer at half-\\npast seven o clock last evening. The second missile\\npierced the roof of the Royal Hotel. Mr. Stark, a\\nnaturalist, who was preparing a book on The Entomol-\\nogy of Natal, was standing in the doorway. He was\\nhurled into the street, both his legs being torn off.\\nHe said, Look after my cat, and then died.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0088.jp2"}, "89": {"fulltext": "BOER SHARPSHOOTERS ATTACKING AN ARMOURED TRAIN NEAR\\nCHIEVELEY.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0089.jp2"}, "90": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0090.jp2"}, "91": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VI.\\nCAPTURE OF THE ARMOURED TRAIN.\\nA T six o clock on the morning of November 15th\\nan armoured train left Estcourt for Chieveley. It\\nconsisted of, first, and in advance of the engine, a flat\\ncar on which was a /-pounder gun, manned by a\\npetty officer and five sailors from her Majesty s ship\\nTartar. Following the flat car was an armour-plated\\nengine and tender, behind which were two armour-plated\\ntrucks, and, bringing up the rear, was another flat car.\\nOn board were about fifty men of the Dublin Fusi-\\nliers, and forty of the Durban Light Infantry. Captain\\nHaldane, of the Gordon Highlanders, Lieut. Winston\\nChurchill, of the Hussars, and other officers were in\\ncharge of the men.\\nOn arriving beyond the summit of the line near Frere,\\nthe train ran forward to Chieveley, where a body of the\\nenemy was seen. The wires were tapped, and messages\\nreceived ordering the train to come back. It was return-\\ning smartly up the grade when the enemy opened a can-\\nnonade at a range of about two thousand yards. The\\nBoers also had tilted a rail, and a shell struck the\\nforemost truck at the moment of passing this defect.\\n61", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0091.jp2"}, "92": {"fulltext": "62 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nInstantly two trucks were overturned and the third was\\nderailed. Several men were severely injured.\\nWhile the train was thus helpless the British soldiers\\nwere brought into line, facing the Boers, who were now\\nfiring shot and shell.\\nCaptain Haldane and Lieutenant Churchill showed\\nthemselves brave even to recklessness. Summoning\\nthe track hands, and such of the railway crew as\\nwere able to do duty, these two officers absolutely\\ncleared the track while the soldiers and sailors held\\nthe Boers in check. The blue-jackets fired the\\n7-pounder as rapidly as it could be reloaded, serv-\\ning it with great spirit, although it was by compari-\\nson with the enemy s guns no more than a toy.\\nThree shells were sent with deadly aim into the\\nmassed ranks of the Boers, and then it was shattered\\nby the enemy s fire.\\nMeanwhile the locomotive was literally driven through\\nthe wreckage, pulling at this obstruction and pushing\\nat that, until the way was clear. Encouraged by the\\nexample of the officers, the men had worked like he-\\nroes in clearing the line, regarding not the shot which\\nhummed above their heads like angry bees. Once the\\nlocomotive could be used, the wounded were put on\\nboard, completely filling the cab and tender, and it was\\nrun swiftly back to Estcourt for reinforcements.\\nSeventy-five or eighty Britishers remained to hold the\\nBoers in check, and the brave fellows never flinched\\nwhen, as the engine was steaming away, the enemy", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0092.jp2"}, "93": {"fulltext": "CAPTURE OF THE ARMOURED TRAIN. 63\\nredoubled his fire from a Maxim and two 9-pounders,\\ngetting the range accurately.\\nThe fire was so severe that telegraph wires and poles\\nwere destroyed. The Boer guns were posted on a\\nkopje covered with brushwood, and their sharpshooters\\nwere hidden behind boulders. The Dublins and volun-\\nteers, fighting an unequal battle, thrice drove the enemy\\nback but the fierceness of the rifle and big gun fire\\nwas too much for the brave little party, which was\\nweakened at the outset by the overturning of the\\ntrucks, when several were injured.\\nAs the train came back from Estcourt under a flag\\nof truce, the brave fellows, having capitulated when it\\nwas found useless to struggle longer, had been carried\\naway prisoners, and with them those who were wounded\\nduring the fight. Three officers and ninety men were\\nthus missing.\\nA heavy rain, accompanied by mist, had begun to\\nfall, and, as was afterward learned, the little force of\\nBritish had not surrendered until it was no longer\\npossible for them to see the enemy.\\nLieut. Winston Churchill is of the 4th Hussars, and\\nacted as newspaper correspondent. He is a grandson\\nof Leonard Jerome, of New York.\\nThe armoured locomotive afforded good proof that the\\nBoers fire was exceedingly heavy. It was covered with\\nindentations and rifle-balls its dome-cover was smashed,\\nas also was its automatic exhaust pipe and twenty-five-ton\\nscrew-jack. The tender was pitted with bullet marks.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0093.jp2"}, "94": {"fulltext": "64 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nA London correspondent, writing from Estcourt, con-\\ncludes that Natal is the least suitable of all countries\\nfor armoured trains, and adds Besides, those we have\\nare poorly extemporised affairs, though the best, perhaps,\\nthat could be done in a hurry. Imagine a few five-\\neighths-inch boiler-plates placed around the engine, and\\nflat bogie trucks boxed around seven feet high with sim-\\nilar sheets of iron or steel, roughly loopholed, the\\nwhole painted khaki, and you have the armoured train.\\nThere being no doorways, to get inside one of those\\noblong iron boxes, which are quite uncovered at the\\ntop, you have to clamber up as best you can, gripping\\nthe loopholes and exterior fastenings. Egress has to be\\nmade in the same manner. They are all right against\\nrifle-fire, except when in a cutting or passing under a\\nhill, when an enemy might have you at his mercy by\\nfiring down into the open-topped trucks. It is a well-\\nknown lesson, also, that an armoured train, except in an\\nabsolutely flat country, is unsuited for scouting or at-\\ntack unless backed and flanked by a friendly force of\\ncavalry and guns. Our armoured trains here are\\nunprovided with Maxims or cannon.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0094.jp2"}, "95": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VII.\\nNOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS.\\n1\\\\J0VEMBER ly. The latest despatches from\\nEstcourt regarding the armed-train engagement\\nsay that the train was capsized by an explosion, pre-\\nsumably dynamite. The engine returned to Estcourt\\nwith two dead Fusiliers, and the following wounded\\nhanging on Captain Wylie, three non-commissioned\\nofficers, and nine privates, all belonging to the Durban\\nvolunteers.\\nThe Boers are hurrying new commanders to Lady-\\nsmith, and are declaring that the place must fall speed-\\nily, in order to liberate their forces, so that these may\\ngo to meet General Buller s advance.\\nIt is officially stated that arrangements for the relief\\nof Ladysmith have been completed. General Buller\\nhas gone up country.\\nA Boer contingent of three hundred men appeared\\nsouth of Frere on the 15th, and two companies of\\nmounted troops. Imperial Light Horse and Natal Car-\\nbineers engaged them eight miles from Estcourt. The\\nBoers occupied a strong position on a kopje. The Carbi-\\nneers worked around on their right and drove the enemy\\n65", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0095.jp2"}, "96": {"fulltext": "66 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nback, whereupon the Imperial Light Horse opened a\\nbrisk fire at a medium range, killing several. One\\nman of the Imperial Light Horse was wounded.\\nRumours are current in the Natal capital that the\\nBoers contemplate a retreat. It is needless, however,\\nto attach importance to such reports, which are spread,\\nin all probability, with a view of luring General White,\\nif possible, to abandon his defensive attitude. Similar\\nrumours are current regarding the Boers at Mafeking,\\nand are spread industriously by native spies.\\nAccording to a special despatch from Lorenzo Mar-\\nquez. General Lucas Meyer has gone to Pretoria for\\nhis health. Moreover, a difference of opinion exists\\namong the commanders. The Boer military council\\nwants the army moved elsewhere, but General Joubert\\ninsists that Ladysmith must fall first.\\nThe West Yorkshire regiment, the Prince of Wales s\\nOwn, commanded by Colonel Kitchener, brother of\\nLord Kitchener of Khartoum, has arrived at Estcourt\\nfrom Durban. The troops there sleep in their boots,\\nand the utmost vigilance is maintained. It is rumoured\\nthat some important movement is imminent.\\nNovember i8. A special despatch from Estcourt,\\ndated to-day, says All is quiet here. The enemy is\\nbelieved to be encamped six miles away. Our position\\nis good, and our forces are sufificiently strong to repulse\\nan attack.\\nJulian Ralph, writing from Orange River, recurs to\\nthe subject of khaki colour South Africa looks now", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0096.jp2"}, "97": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 67\\nas if it were the dust-bin of creation. Its ground is\\nloose dust. Its air is flying dust. Its vegetation, ani-\\nmals, and insects are nearly all of different shades of\\ndust colour. As I write, the men are dissolving mud\\nin their pails and dipping brushes in it to paint their\\nwhite straps mud colour. Every pouch, and strap, and\\ncloth-covered water-bottle that would show white or\\ndark is undergoing this treatment. The drummers are\\ndoing the same with their drums, painting the white\\ntightening-cords with mud, muddying over the golden\\nlions and unicorns and the gaudy regimental mottoes, so\\nthat everything shall look like the veldt, so that we\\nshall be as dusty as the country. While Tommy\\nis wholly and solely earthlike in tone, his officers differ\\nfrom him in wearing shiny buttons, stars, crowns, and\\nsword-hilts, and pipe-clayed belts and straps. In this\\ndifference has lain the danger of all in battle in this\\ncampaign, and from it has come the death of far too\\nmany. All alike recognise this, yet how differently\\nthey discussed the proposal to have the officers dress\\nlike the men. The Tommies are all in favour of the\\nchange, though it would greatly increase their own dan-\\nger and losses. They are enthusiastic for having the\\nofficers doff swords, carry light carbines, and do away\\nwith their ornaments. They discuss the mortality\\nabove the ranks with bated breath, as a thing alto-\\ngether awful. With the officers the subject is differ-\\nently treated. Some discuss the prospect of disguising\\nthemselves as if it were a thing to be considered only for", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0097.jp2"}, "98": {"fulltext": "68 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe sake of deceiving an unfair foe, and gaining a point\\nthat way. Others indignantly spurn the idea as un-\\ndignified and unworthy.\\nNovember ig. The general commanding at Pieter-\\nmaritzburg telegraphed at 9.35 o clock last night\\nTo-day, at 8 p.m., the officer commanding our northern\\noutpost reported that the enemy s mounted patrol were\\nadvancing across the whole country, from Gourtona\\nroad to Ulandi, moving on Est court. My force stood\\nto arms. The outposts reported various bodies, from\\nfive hundred to seven hundred strong, advancing on\\nEstcourt from a northwesterly direction. One party,\\nfive hundred strong, moved toward the railway bridge,\\nhalf a mile to the northwest of Estcourt.\\nOur outposts fired on the enemy, and one of the\\nnaval guns fired a shell at eight thousand yards range,\\nthe shell bursting close to the enemy, and they hurriedly\\nretired.\\nAt twelve o clock reports were received from three\\npickets that a large number of Boers were in sight on a\\nhill above Leslie s homestead. The troops have returned\\nto camp.\\nLast Thursday a combined force of Free State and\\nTransvaal Burghers occupied Colesberg, Cape Colony,\\nwithout opposition by the residents, and proclaimed the\\ndistrict to be Free State territory.\\nThe Boers occupied Burghersdorp Tuesday, and it is\\nbelieved that they were then on the way to seize Storm-\\nberg Junction.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0098.jp2"}, "99": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 69\\nThe British troop-ship Manila has arrived at Durban.\\nOur last news from Lady smith said all well.\\nAn old message, dated November 19th, just arrived,\\nbegins: Joubert has explained firing on our (Red\\nCross) flag, previously reported. Have accepted ex-\\nplanation as satisfactory. Lieutenant Lethbridge, rifle\\nbrigade, died of wounds. Others wounded generally\\ndoing well. Health of troops good. Six wounded\\nDubhn Fusiliers, captured on armoured train south of\\nColenso, sent here to-day.\\nNovember 2^. General Hildyard, moving out from\\nEstcourt to-day, made a successful attack, with three\\nbattalions, one field-battery, a naval gun, and seven\\nhundred mounted troops, on the enemy occupying\\nBeacon Hill, which dominates William Grange and\\nhad interrupted his communication. As a result of the\\noperations the enemy is retiring, and the railway and\\ntelegraph lines have been restored between Estcourt\\nand Weston. Our loss was fifteen killed and seventy-\\ntwo wounded. Major Hobbs, of the West Yorkshire\\nregiment, was captured, and several men are missing.\\nGeneral Hildyard has advanced to a position near\\nFrere, as he hopes to cut off the enemy, who is be-\\nlieved to be retiring on Colenso, via Weenen. General\\nBarton, from Weston, has advanced to Estcourt.\\nLord Methuen has fought at Belmont to-day. Save\\nthat the British drove the enemy back, and in so doing\\nlost 298 in killed, wounded, and missing, no particu-\\nlars have been received.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0099.jp2"}, "100": {"fulltext": "70 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nMajor William A. Simpson, U. S. A., chief of the\\nmilitary information bureau, writing of the situation\\nin Natal, says\\nThe situation in Natal is a most peculiar one. Sir\\nGeorge White, with probably about nine thousand\\ntroops, is still at Lady smith. The Boers have been\\nunable to destroy his force or capture the position.\\nGeneral Hildyard is in command at Estcourt, about\\nthirty-five miles south of Ladysmith. The exact\\nnumber of his force is unknown, but it is probably\\nnot more than two thousand. There is no communi-\\ncation between him and General White, and now the\\nBoers have cut his communications to the south.\\nAbout twenty miles southeast of Estcourt, the rail-\\nroad crosses the Mooi River. Here is a British camp,\\nwhich the Boers have been shelling. Now they have\\nworked around to the south, and are said to be threat-\\nening Pietermaritzburg, about forty miles southeast of\\nthe Mooi River crossing.\\nWe have then the curious spectacle of three British\\ndetachments along the line of the railroad, each holding\\nits own, but cut off from all communication with the\\noutside world. General Clery is in command of the\\nrelief expedition, numbering about nine thousand men,\\nwhich has not yet begun its advance. The British seem\\nto be deficient in cavalry, and the Boers, in small\\nmounted parties, swarm over the country at their own\\nsweet will, cutting the telegraph wires, looting, and run-\\nning off stock.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0100.jp2"}, "101": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 7 1\\nA prompt and successful advance on the part of\\nGeneral Clery would at once relieve the situation, and\\nevery moment is precious. When his forward move-\\nment will begin, the reports do not state. If he succeeds\\nin relieving the different beleaguered commands in re-\\nturn, while yet intact, he will have a united force at his\\ncommand which should give him control of the situation\\nin Natal.\\nIn the west, the British seem to have done very well.\\nMafeking and Kimberley have been isolated almost from\\nthe beginning, but they have been vigorously defended,\\nsuccessful sorties have been made, and the reports indi-\\ncate the garrisons in good condition and fine spirits.\\nThe lines advance from the south, as has been fore-\\ntold, namely from East London, in the direction of\\nBloemfontein, and along the western border toward Kim-\\nberley. Thirty-seven thousand men of Buller s corps\\nhave already arrived, and the remainder should not be\\nlong behind. Deducting the relief force sent into Natal\\nvia Durban, this would leave about forty thousand for\\nthe two columns engaged in the main forward move-\\nment, and decisive results should soon be looked for.\\nLord Methuen is near Belmont, on the west, with\\nabout thirteen thousand men, and this force should go\\nforward via Kimberley without much trouble. Gen-\\neral Gatacre, in command of the troops moving toward\\nthe southern boundary of the Orange Free State, has\\nat present probably not more than five thousand men,\\nand his efforts will probably be restricted, until his", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0101.jp2"}, "102": {"fulltext": "72 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nforce is considerably increased, to clearing the country\\nin northern Cape Colony. Then he will be ready for\\na forward movement on Bloemfontein.\\nSuperiority in numbers on the part of the British in\\ntheir northward movement would enable them to do as\\nSherman did in his march to the sea hold the enemy\\nin front, and have sufficient force left to turn their flanks\\nand force them to abandon their position without assaults.\\nHad the Boers only the numbers they were credited\\nwith at the beginning of the campaign, it would look\\nlike a walkover for the British. An advance on the\\nBoer capital with largely superior forces would naturally\\ndraw off the Boers from Natal for the defence of their\\nhomes, and the now besieged British in Natal would be\\nin a position to make it very unpleasant for them.\\nIt was stated in a previous article that if the Boers\\nwere successful in Natal it would give them great pres-\\ntige and bring to the ranks large accessions from British\\nSouth Africa. This seems to have been the case, as it\\nis reported that large numbers from Natal and Cape\\nColony have joined their ranks. Without knowledge of\\nthe extent to which the Boer forces have been so rein-\\nforced, and with no means of determining their present\\nstrength, it would be rash to make any prediction as to\\nthe result of the military operations about to take place.\\nNovember 2^. Lord Methuen has fought a second\\nbattle in his advance on Kimberley, this time at Graspan\\nStation, or Enslin. It is reported that the British have\\nlost 198 in killed, wounded, and missing.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0102.jp2"}, "103": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 73\\nIn the fight at Belmont on the 23d, eighty-one Boer\\nkilled are accounted for. Sixty-four wagons were burned.\\nA large quantity of powder, fifty thousand rounds of am-\\nmunition, and 750 shells were blown up. Commander\\nAlbrecht, chief of the Orange Free State artillery, com-\\nmanded the Boer artillery. General Bolewy was in chief\\ncommand.\\nNovember 26. The governor of Natal has just tele-\\ngraphed\\nThe Boers are retiring on Weenen. Our troops are\\noccupying a ridge three miles northward of the Mooi\\nRiver. It appears that the Boers have found our posi-\\ntion too strong, and are retiring toward Ladysmith with\\nthe loot they have collected. The river is in flood.\\nThe railroad bridge at Frere, spanning a wide stream,\\nhas been destroyed by the Boers, who are reported to\\nbe retiring rapidly.\\nA general advance upon Colenso has been ordered,\\nand a flying column has left Estcourt to intercept the\\nBoer raiding parties.\\nA reliable messenger from Ladysmith says he gath-\\nered from the Boers that they had proposed a combined\\nattack all over the country for to-day.\\nGeneral Joubert is expected to stoutly dispute the\\npassage of the Tugela River.\\nDespatches from President Kruger and General Jou-\\nbert, found on a Boer prisoner, state that the Boer\\nlosses at Belmont were ten men killed and forty\\nwounded. The Joubert despatch added, in order to", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0103.jp2"}, "104": {"fulltext": "74 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nreassure the Burghers, that it had been deemed\\nnecessary to fall back on Warrenton.\\nA pigeon message from Colonels Ian Hamilton and\\nDuff at Ladysmith, undated, reports all well.\\nAnother naval contingent from the British first-class\\ncruiser Teirible, with two 4-7-inch guns, started for the\\nfront to-night.\\nThe situation in Natal has improved. The British\\nadvance in force to the relief of Ladysmith has not yet\\nbegun, but the Boers have fallen back. Communication\\nwith this port is open, and the Mooi River force has\\nmoved to Estcourt. The British relieving army will\\nhave a difficult task in forcing a passage over the\\nTugela River, where the enemy is likely to make its\\nfirst great stand. Generals Gatacre and French do not\\nseem to make much progress.\\nNovember 2^. The rising of the Cape Dutch appears\\nto be spreading. The railway and telegraph between\\nStormberg and Staynsburg have been cut. Staynsburg\\nlies on the railway line from Stormberg to Rosemead\\nJunction. The Boers are not in any force in this quar-\\nter, but there is a strong command at Arundel Kop, con-\\nfronting General French, This is likely to be attacked\\nsoon by the troops available. Barkley East has been\\noccupied by the Boers.\\nGeneral Methuen has captured Honey Nest Kloof,\\nten miles north of Graspan, and two million rounds of\\nammunition.\\nTo General Methuen, it appears, belongs the honour", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0104.jp2"}, "105": {"fulltext": "NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER BULLETINS. 75\\nof the first real British victory of the present war, as\\nBelmont was the first battle after which the British\\nadvanced instead of retreating. The fact that General\\nMethuen was forced to fight a second pitched battle\\nnear the scene of the first shows the Boers were not\\ndemoralised at Belmont, but quickly rallied, and with\\nthe utmost courage met the splendid assault of the Brit-\\nish naval brigade at Graspan. The excellent military\\nqualities displayed by the Boers in these two fights were\\nno doubt partially derived from the training of Comman-\\ndant Albrecht, a former officer of the Austrian army.\\nPresumably General Methuen has already resumed\\nhis march northward. When last heard from definitely\\nhe was still nearly fifty miles from Kimberley, and\\ndoubtless an action will have to be fought at Modder\\nRiver before Diamondopolis is relieved.\\nNovember 28. It is reported that General Methuen\\nfought the third battle of the advance to-day at Modder\\nRiver, with a loss of 438 killed, wounded, and missing.\\nDundonald s mounted force, accompanied by four\\nguns, went in pursuit of a body of Boers returning to\\nColenso. They followed the Boers to within two and\\none-half miles of Colenso, when the Boers replied to\\nthe British shells with long-range guns. There were\\nno casualties.\\nNovember 2g. The Colenso bridge has been de-\\nstroyed by the Boers.\\nA revised list of the casualties sustained by General\\nHildyard s forces at Beacon Hill shows Killed, thir-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0105.jp2"}, "106": {"fulltext": "76 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nteen; wounded, sixty-four; missing, one; prisoners,\\neight.\\nNovember jo. At Ladysmith, yesterday, a shrapnel-\\nshell pierced the roof of the hospital, falling among\\nthe sick and wounded inmates. One man was killed,\\nand seven wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0106.jp2"}, "107": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VIII.\\nmethuen s advance toward kimberley.\\nThe Battle of Belmont.\\nI ^HE theatre of the war was shifted to the southern\\nand western side of the Orange Free State when\\nLord Methuen, with his splendid flying column of nearly\\nten thousand men, began the advance toward Kimberley\\nfrom Belmont.\\nBelmont lies fifty-six miles south of the city Lord\\nMethuen counted on relieving, and in front of the\\nBritish army, on the range of hills running north and\\nsouth, was the Boer position, extending two miles or\\nmore, held by a commando of about four thousand\\nmen. The enemy was disposed on four rocky hills,\\nwhich at first glance seemed impregnable.\\nLord Methuen s force left the Belmont farm at three\\no clock on the morning of November 23d, marching in\\nalmost perfect silence until daybreak, when, while the\\nBritishers were yet in the open, the Boer fire was\\nbegun.\\nFollowing is the official report of a most desperate\\nencounter, when both Britons and Boers fought with\\nmore than usual bravery\\n77", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0107.jp2"}, "108": {"fulltext": "78 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAttacked the enemy at daybreak this morning.\\nHe was in strong position. Three ridges were carried\\nin succession, the last attack being prepared by\\nshrapnel. Infantry behaved splendidly, and received\\nsupport from the naval brigade and artillery. The\\nenemy fought with courage and skill. Had I attacked\\nlater, I should have had far heavier losses.\\nOur victory was complete. Have taken forty priso-\\nners. Am burying a good number of the Boers, but\\nthe greater part of the enemy s killed and wounded\\nwere removed by their comrades. Have captured a\\nlarge number of horses and cows, and destroyed a large\\nquantity of ammunition.\\nBrigadier-General Fetherstonhaugh was severely\\nwounded in the shoulder, and Lieutenant-Colonel Crabbe,\\nof the Grenadier Guards, was reported wounded.\\nA revised list of the British casualties at Belmont\\nshows\\nOfficers killed, four, wounded, twenty-two non-com-\\nmissioned officers and privates, killed, forty-six, wounded,\\n226, of which number the Guards had thirty- five killed\\nand 159 wounded.\\nJulian Ralph, in his account of this battle, adds to\\nthe list of casualties the wounding of E. F. Knight,\\nspecial correspondent of the London Post, and thus\\ndescribes the appearance of the British soldiers\\nI went upon the field with the King s Own York-\\nshire Light Infantry, and a description of the manner\\nin which they went into action will serve as illustrating", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0108.jp2"}, "109": {"fulltext": "METHUEN S ADVANCE TOWARD KIMBERLEY. 79\\nthe course pursued by all the forces except the naval\\nbrigade.\\nThe privates were, as I have already described\\nthem to you, with dulled buttons, muddied straps and\\nbelts and pouches, and with the handles and scabbards\\nof their bayonets painted khaki colour. But on this\\nmorning, for the first time in their lives, perhaps for\\nthe first time in British history, the officers threw aside\\ntheir swords and put on the accoutrements of privates,\\neven to their rifles. Thus I saw Colonel Barter, of the\\nYorkshires, stride off with his battalion, and thus he\\nled them into the hell s rain of lead, obeying the letter\\nof the new regulation by an attempt at disguise which\\ntook no note of his towering and athletic figure or his\\nnatural pose and manner of command. Thus dressed\\nI also saw the gallant commander of the Grenadier\\nGuards lying in the broiling sun, propped against a\\nrock, wounded, and telling the ambulance men to look\\nafter his gashed and blood-stained men who lay around\\nhim among: the rocks.\\nTJie Battle of Graspan.\\nTwo days after the engagement at Belmont, word was\\nreceived from Cape Town to the following effect\\nLord Methuen gained a free victory over the enemy\\nto-day, November 25th, at the Graspan hills, defeating\\na body of twenty-five hundred Boers, who were block-\\ning his advance to Kimberley. As Graspan is only ten", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0109.jp2"}, "110": {"fulltext": "8o FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmiles north of Belmont, apparently the British general\\nfinds nearly every step of his way disputed by the foe,\\nwhich does not know when it is beaten. It accepts a\\nreverse only as an opportunity for another effort.\\nLord Methuen reports that he moved at 3.30 a. m.,\\nwith the 9th Brigade, the mounted corps, the Naval\\nBrigade and two batteries, the guards following with the\\nbaggage. Near Graspan, about ten miles north of\\nBelmont, on the railway line to Kiraberley, twenty-five\\nhundred Boers, with ^six guns and two machine-guns,\\nopposed him.\\nThe action began at 6 a. m. The British batteries\\nfired shrapnel very accurately till the heights seemed\\nclear. Then the naval brigade and infantry advanced to\\nthe assault. The fighting was desperate until 10 a. m.,\\nwhen the heights were carried. The Boers retreated on\\nthe line where the 9th Lancers were placed to inter-\\ncept them. The artillery took immediate advantage of\\nthe enemy s retirement.\\nEarly in the action five hundred Boers attacked the\\nBritish rear-guard. The brigade met this, and also pro-\\ntected the flanks. The naval brigade acted with the\\ngreatest gallantry, and suffered heavily.\\nThe Boers showed the greatest stubbornness and\\nsuffered greatly. Twenty were buried. It is known\\nthat thirty-one were killed and forty-eight wotinded.\\nMore than fifty horses were found dead in one place.\\nOne battery fired five hundred rounds.\\nIt was necessary for the British force to halt one", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0110.jp2"}, "111": {"fulltext": "methuen s advance toward KIMBERLEY. 8 1\\nday at Graspan to rest and replenish ammunition. The\\nnaval brigade, the Royal Marines, and light infantry and\\nthe first battalion of the North Lancashire regiment\\nespecially distinguished themselves.\\nThe British loss in killed, wounded, and missing is\\ngiven at 198 officers and privates.\\nA report from Pretoria regarding the battle states\\nThe Boers successfully retreated. The Lancers\\nattempted to intercept and reach them, but a severe\\nfire, opened from a kopje, forced the Lancers to retreat.\\nGeneral Cronje was with the Boers. Among the Boer\\nprisoners are Alderman Jeppe and Commandant Rossik,\\nwho led the Boer force.\\nOne of the English correspondents heads his com-\\nmunication with this explanation as to the confusion of\\nnames which has arisen concerning the location\\nThe battle of Graspan is called Enslin officially by\\nthe army, and Royslaagte by the Boers, but the word\\nGraspan is painted on the railway station sign-board\\nbeside the position occupied by our left, and so strongly\\nhas the name taken root already that I use no other\\nname in treating of that fight.\\nBattle of Modder River.\\nThe British force under Lord Methuen, who were\\nstriving to the utmost of human endurance in the effort\\nto relieve their besieged countrymen at Ladysmith, had\\nfought two battles in five days, and at evening on the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0111.jp2"}, "112": {"fulltext": "82 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\n27th of November encamped near a large pond for a\\ntwelve hours rest.\\nAt 4 o clock next morning the ten thousand men, or,\\nmore properly speaking, all left alive of those who set\\nout from Belmont on the 23d, resumed the march over\\nthe dry veldt, where water was oftentimes more precious\\nthan anything save life itself.\\nThree hours later, that is to say, about seven o clock\\non the morning of November 28th, the Boers gave token\\nof their proximity by opening fire from the opposite\\nside of the Modder, which river as yet remained hidden\\nfrom view of the advancing column. An Irish lad, a\\nveteran of three wars, who was with General Methuen\\nat Modder River, wrote to his sister, who resides in Fall\\nRiver, Massachusetts, regarding the terrible engagement\\nwith the Boers at Modder River. He says\\nIt was expected that the crossing of the Modder\\nRiver would be an easy task for the men under General\\nMethuen, but we never crossed it. As we moved for-\\nward, the Scotch brigade had the right of line, the\\nHighlanders singing lustily, One Wide River to Cross.\\nFor a time we met no opposition, no Boers coming in\\nsight, and the mountain-battery and entrenchments\\nwhich we expected to meet could not be seen. Sud-\\ndenly a troop of Boer cavalry appeared, apparently the\\nvanguard of a much larger body, whose intentions were\\nto charge our troops. The officers ordered square for-\\nmations, to meet the supposed attack, but the Boers\\ngalloped away when the formation was complete, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0112.jp2"}, "113": {"fulltext": "methuen s advance toward kimberley. 83\\na terrible hail of solid shot and shell was hurled at the\\nBritish soldiers from concealed mountain-batteries on\\nthe hills above the British army.\\nOur men were slaughtered like pigs in a pen, and\\nin a short time our formation was broken and we were\\nrunning for shelter. Our officers rallied us, and, with\\nthe reserve, we marched forward to the attack again,\\nwith some artillery, but were driven back again and\\nagain, the Boer fire being extraordinarily effective, while\\nour shell-fire fell short and our infantry aim was inaccu-\\nrate. Officers and men fought heroicall}^ but with\\nno avail for hours we lay with our faces to the\\nground, with the terrible hail of bullet and shell flying\\nover us. Once we were ordered to renew the attack,\\nbut none of us dared to face the fire of the Boers\\nagain. It was an awful scene. Men were cursing\\nand praying alternately. I was in Abyssinia, on the\\nNile, and in the Soudan, but never saw such warfare\\nbefore.\\nMethuen was carried to the rear, wounded in the\\nthigh. Word came from his quarters to the men, For\\nthe sake of their God, their country, and their queen, to\\nhold their places until nightfall, when they might re-\\ntreat in order and with honour. They tried to obey,\\nbut finally retreated two miles, in disorder, leaving dead\\nand dying behind, cursing with dying breath the names\\nof Rhodes and Chamberlain. When beyond range, we\\nformed in order and retired to the camp we left so\\nbuoyantly the night before.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0113.jp2"}, "114": {"fulltext": "84 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral Methuen s official report is as follows\\nMoDDER River, Tuesday, November 28th. Rec-\\nonnoitred at 5 A. M. enemy s position on river Modder,\\nand found them strongly entrenched and concealed.\\nNo means of outflanking, the river being full. Action\\ncommenced with artillery, mounted infantry, and cav-\\nalry at 5.30. Guards on right, 9th Brigade on left.\\nAttacked position in widely extended formation at 6.30,\\nand, supported by the artillery, found myself in front of\\na whole Boer force, eight thousand strong, with two\\nlarge guns, four Krupps, etc.\\nThe naval brigade rendered great assistance from\\nthe railway,\\nAfter desperate, hard fighting, which lasted ten\\nhours, our men, without water or food, and in a burning\\nsun, made the enemy quit his position.\\nGeneral Pole-Carew was successful in getting a\\nsmall party across the river, gallantly assisted by three\\nhundred sappers.\\nI speak in terms of high praise of the conduct of\\nall who were engaged in one of the hardest and most\\ntrying fights in the annals of the British army. If I\\ncan mention one arm particularly, it is two batteries of\\nartillery,\\nThe battle was the bloodiest of the century. We\\nshelled the enemy and the result was terrible.\\nThe official hst of the British killed amounted to 438.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0114.jp2"}, "115": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER IX.\\nDECEMBER NEWS ITEMS.\\nT^ECEMBER i. The following despatch was sent\\nby General Forestier- Walker to the War Office\\n.to-day\\nGeneral Gatacre reports no change in the situation.\\nGeneral French has made a reconnoissance from\\nNauwpoort to Rosemead. The troops returned to-day.\\nGeneral Methuen s flesh-wound is slight. He is\\nremaining at Modder River for the reconstruction of\\nthe bridge. Am reinforcing him with Highlanders and\\na cavalry corps. Horse artillery, the Canadian regiment,\\nAustralian contingents, and three battalions of infantry\\nmoved up to the De Aar and Belmont line.\\nThe Canadian marksmen and other reinforcements\\nhave been pushed forward to the neighbourhood of the\\nOrange River, to protect General Methuen s line of\\ncommunication.\\nPrisoners taken by the British have been sent to\\nSimon s Bay, and put on board the prison-hulk Pene-\\nlope. Their friends at the Cape take full advantage of\\nthe permission accorded them, and there is quite a\\ncrowd of visitors each day to the Penelope. At the\\n85", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0115.jp2"}, "116": {"fulltext": "86 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nstern of the vessel floats the white ensign, and on the\\nfore and aft bridges a couple of blue-jackets are on\\nsentry with loaded rifles. The deck presents a motley\\nscene. The prisoners and their friends stand about in\\ngroups, absorbed in conversation. Those who have no\\nfriends lounge about the deck smoking. Some are\\nplaying quoits, while others are busy making purchases\\nfrom the Indian hawkers, who drive a thriving trade.\\nThe prisoners are dressed in a variety of costumes\\nmany of them are neatly attired in well-cut tweed suits,\\nwhile others, with their clumsy garments, ungainly\\nveldschoen, and broad slouch hats, present the appear-\\nance of hailing from the back-veldt, although, as a\\nmatter of fact, nearly all of them come from the Rand\\nor its immediate vicinity. Between themselves and\\ntheir friends conversation is carried on in Dutch, but,\\non accosting them in English, one is astonished to find\\nhow large a proportion of them not only speak English,\\nbut speak it fluently and with a less-pronounced accent\\nthan is to be heard among Afrikanders in Cape Colony,\\nand even in Cape Town itself. Generally speaking,\\nthe prisoners by no means convey the idea of the back-\\nveldt Transvaal, although here and there are to be seen\\nmen who have evidently come straight from the country.\\nDecember 2. The latest news from Natal indicates\\nthat the bulk of the Ladysmith relief force has arrived\\nat Frere, though there is considerable conjecture as to\\nthe whereabouts of General Clery, whose movements\\nhave not been chronicled recently. It is surmised in", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0116.jp2"}, "117": {"fulltext": "DECEMBER NEWS ITEMS. Sj\\nsome quarters that he may reappear in a totally unex-\\npected quarter, on the flank or rear of General Joubert s\\nforce, which is supposed to be concentrated at Grobler s\\nKloof, north of the Tugela River. As General Hild-\\nyard s advance-guard was in touch with the Boers as\\nlong ago as Tuesday last, developments should not be\\nlong delayed.\\nDecember 5. General Buller and his staff have\\nstarted for the front from Pietermaritzburg, and assumed\\ndirect control of the British Natal army, with head-\\nquarters at F rere camp. Including the colonial levies,\\nhis forces of all arms have reached probably nearly\\nthirty thousand men. The immediate effect of the\\narrival of the army troops from England in Natal was\\nthe withdrawal of the Boers from the south of the\\nTugela River. They made raids over the Colenso\\nbridges, and, crossing the river farther to the west,\\ndescended into the heart of Natal by the Weenen road,\\ngetting down to Estcourt. As they retreated they\\nravaged the country as much as possible. The bridge\\nat Frere was destroyed, and it took several days for\\nthe British engineers to replace it with a trestle bridge.\\nDecember 6. Yesterday a sortie was made from\\nKimberley in the direction of Carter s farm. The\\nBritish were commanded by Col. Scott Turner, who\\nwas killed while leading an attack upon the Boer laager.\\nIn addition, the British lost twenty-two killed and twenty-\\neight wounded.\\nIt is reported officially that the total casualties at", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0117.jp2"}, "118": {"fulltext": "88 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLadysmith since November ist are five officers and\\ntwenty-six men killed fifteen officers and 1 30 men\\nwounded three missing.\\nDecember 8. A column of Light Horse and Natal\\nvolunteers, supported by British regular cavalry, sallied\\nout from Ladysmith last night under the command of\\nGeneral Sir Archibald Hunter. They attacked a gun\\non a hill near Lombard s Kop, carried the position, blew\\nup the Boer guns, including a 6-inch Creusot piece and\\none howitzer, and captured a Maxim-Nordenfeldt quick-\\nfiring gun.\\nA naval 4.7-inch gun, firing a 52-pound shell,\\ncharged with lyddite, was taken out with an escort\\nbeyond the British outposts at Modder River this\\nmorning. It made very good practice at the Boer\\nlines, seven thousand yards distant.\\nThe trestle bridge at Frere is completed, and the\\nfront has been advanced to Chieveley.\\nDecember g. A force of one thousand Boers attacked\\ntwo companies of the 2d Northamptonshire regiment,\\nwhich had been left to guard the line of communi-\\ncation at Graspan. General Methuen, from his camp\\nat Modder River, sent the 12th Lancers and the\\nSeaforth Highlanders, together with the 62d Field\\nBattery, to their assistance. The Boers attacked the\\nBritish post at 7.30 a. m., but withdrew at eleven\\no clock, when the reinforcements approached the scene.\\nThe British loss was one killed and six wounded.\\nAlthough Ladysmith may be able to bold out, at any", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0118.jp2"}, "119": {"fulltext": "DECEMBER NEWS ITEMS. 89\\ncost, for another month, there is no time to lose, how-\\never, in bringing relief, if relief is to come at all. Other-\\nwise, the effective strength of Sir George White s com-\\nmand will be so seriously reduced as to make it of little\\nuse in the future.\\nDecember 10. General Gatacre has been defeated at\\nStormberg Junction. Over five hundred British have\\nbeen taken prisoners.\\nDecember 11. A battle is being fought by General\\nMethuen at Magersfontein. It is the fourth general\\nengagement since the advance to Kimberley was begun.\\nThe most serious aspect of General Gatacre s defeat\\nat Stormberg yesterday is the effect it is likely to have\\non the Dutch in this colony, who have been wavering\\nas to whether to throw in their lot with the Boers.\\nHosts of the Northern farmers are now likely to join\\nthe rebellion.\\nThe defeat is also serious because it will delay the\\njunction of General Gatacre with General French at\\nNaauwpoort. The plan was for their combined forces\\nto relieve the pressure on Lord Methuen s column.\\nThe disclosure of such a strong force at Stormberg\\nwas quite unexpected. Doubtless General Gatacre was\\nthe victim of treacherous guides. But the result points\\nalso to the absence of proper cavalry scouting.\\nDecember 12. The battle at Magersfontein was not\\nbrought to a finish until to-day. The British loss is\\nroughly estimated at 963 in killed, wounded, and\\nmissing.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0119.jp2"}, "120": {"fulltext": "C)Q FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral Forestier-Walker telegraphed to the War\\nOffice to-day Methuen wires that General Wauchope\\nwas killed in action yesterday.\\nGeneral Wauchope, of the Black Watch, commanded the High-\\nland brigade with General Methuen s column. He served in\\nAshantee, Egypt, and the Soudan. He twice contested Midlo-\\nthian, once against Mr. Gladstone. He was a great favourite in\\nthe army.\\nLast night Colonel Metcalfe and five hundred of\\nthe 2d Rifle Brigade went out from Lady smith to\\ncapture a Boer howitzer on a hill. They reached\\nthe crest without being discovered, drove off the\\nenemy, and then destroyed the howitzer with gun-\\ncotton.\\nWhen returning, Metcalfe found his retirement barred\\nby the Boers, but he forced his way through, using the\\nbayonet freely. The Boer losses were considerable.\\nThe British losses were Lieutenant Ferguson and\\neleven, men killed Captain Foley, Second Lieutenant\\nDavenport, Second Lieutenant Bond, and forty-one men\\nwounded six men captured, who had remained behind\\nin charge of the wounded.\\nDecember ij. General French reports a skirmish at\\nfour o clock this morning with eighteen hundred Boers\\nwho were advancing southward toward Naauwpoort.\\nThe skirmishing continued all the morning, the Boers\\nfighting on a front of fourteen miles. The enemy re-\\ntired with a loss of forty killed and wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0120.jp2"}, "121": {"fulltext": "k\\nH^B\\n^KT S^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l\\n|ir^\\nK^H\\nIhI\\n^^^^B ill ViMr\\n^^HiHI\\n^^^^^^^^Bkt^ .r J^^S||^^^^^^^^^H\\nH\\n^^^KI^I^I^^^^H\\nPORTRAIT OF THE HON. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0121.jp2"}, "122": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0122.jp2"}, "123": {"fulltext": "DECEMBER NEWS ITEMS. 9 1\\nThe second battalion of the Coldstream Guards has\\nlost one of its majors in the Marquis of Winchester.\\nAugustus John Paulet was the fifteenth marquis of his family,\\nand ranked as the premier marquis of England, the creation dat-\\ning from 1551. The first Marquis of Winchester was lord treas-\\nurer of England during the reigns of King Edward VI. and\\nQueens Mary and Elizabeth.\\nThe officer who has been killed was unmarried, and the title,\\nwith the estates of Amport Park, Hampshire, passes to his brother,\\nHenry William Montague. It will pass, through his daughter, to\\nthe Wemyss family, of County Fife.\\nDecember Tzf.. Winston Churchill, the newspaper cor-\\nrespondent and former officer of the 4th Hussars, who\\nwas captured by the Boers at the time of the armoured\\ntrain disaster near Estcourt, November 15th, has escaped\\nfrom Pretoria.\\nDecember i^, A heavy battle was fought to-day at\\nColenso, when the Boers opposed General Buller s\\nattempt to cross the Tugela River. The British were\\nrepulsed with a loss of 145 killed, 752 wounded, and\\n224 missing. The enemy captured eleven heavy guns.\\nDecember 16. More than five hundred British pris-\\noners, captured at the battle of Stormberg, have arrived\\nat Pretoria and been taken to Waterfall, to join the\\nother prisoners.\\nFifteen transports are due to arrive between Decem-\\nber 17th and January 8th, with about fifteen thousand\\ntroops of all arms but, unless General Buller is able to\\nrenew the attack at once, which is exceedingly doubtful,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0123.jp2"}, "124": {"fulltext": "92 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe British generals will be compelled for another fort-\\nnight or more to remain practically on the defensive.\\nThe total British losses during the war, to date, in-\\ncluding killed, wounded, and missing, number 7,630.\\nDecember ly. A despatch from Chieveley announces\\nthe death of Lieutenant the Honourable F. H. S. Rob-\\nerts, son of Baron Roberts, of Kandahar and Water-\\nford, who was wounded in the engagement at Tugela\\nRiver.\\nLieutenant Roberts was an only son, and had been his father s\\naide-de-camp until 1895. He served in Waziristan and in the\\nChitral and Nile expeditions. Such was his display of gallantry\\nFriday, in an attempt to rescue the guns, that he was recom-\\nmended for the Victoria Cross.\\nGovernment officials in Pretoria are greatly chagrined\\nby the escape of Winston Churchill. They are doing\\ntheir utmost to discover how he got away, and have\\ninstituted a house to house search for incriminating\\npapers. The Volkstem asserts that he escaped dis-\\nguised as a woman. The last book Churchill borrowed\\nfrom the library was Mills on Liberty.\\nDecember 18. Late last night the following notice\\nwas posted at the War Office in London\\nAs the campaign in Natal, in the opinion of her\\nMajesty s government, is likely to require the presence\\nand undivided attention of General Sir Redvers Buller,\\nit has been decided to send Baron Roberts, of Kandahar\\nand Waterford, as commander-in-chief in South Africa,\\nwith Lord Kitchener as chief of staff.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0124.jp2"}, "125": {"fulltext": "DECEMBER NEWS ITEMS. 93\\nBaron Roberts, of Kandahar and Waterford, is at present com-\\nmander of the forces in Ireland, and General Lord Kitchener, of\\nKhartoum, is in the Soudan.\\nDecember 22. A despatch from Ladysmith states\\nthat the Boers have mounted another howitzer on\\nSurprise Hill, replacing the gun captured in the sortie\\nof rifle brigade. While the Boers watch us nightly with\\na search-light, and bombard the place daily, they show no\\nsigns of assaulting the town. They probably think they\\ncan starve us out, but we have plenty of provisions.\\nThe total casualties since the siege began, are seventy\\nmen killed and 236 wounded.\\nDecember 2^. Ladysmith has stood two months\\nsiege and bombardment food and ammunition stores\\nare dwindling, and disease is again increasing. The\\nstrain on the garrison has been, in spite of their pluck\\nand stamina, a severe one. How long can they hold\\nout It is difficult to say precisely, because after the\\nordinary rations are exhausted, determined men will eat\\nhorses and rats and beetles, and such like odds and\\nends, and so continue the defence. But another month\\nmust be the hmit of their endurance, and then, if no\\nhelp comes, Sir George White will have to fire off all his\\nammunition, blow up his heavy guns, burn all wagons\\nand equipments, and sally out with a full force in a\\nfierce endeavour to escape southward. Perhaps half\\nmight succeed in reaching our lines, but the rest, less\\nthe killed and wounded, would be sent to occupy the\\nnew camp at Waterfall, which has already been laid out", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0125.jp2"}, "126": {"fulltext": "94 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nsuch is the intelhgent anticipation of the enemy\\nfor their accommodation.\\nDecember 2^. An official despatch from Mafeking\\nannounces that in a sortie which the British made\\nfrom that place this forenoon, attacking one of the\\nBoer forts with cannon, Maxims, and an armoured\\ntrain, the British lost 109 men killed and wounded,\\nwhile the Boers only lost two men killed and seven\\nwounded.\\nThe despatch adds that Captains Kirkwood and\\nGrenfell were captured by Boer scouts near Colenso,\\nand were being sent to Pretoria.\\nTen unloaded shells, inscribed The Season s Greet-\\nings, have been fired at Lady smith.\\nDecember 26. The British have made an unsuccess-\\nful attack on the Boers at Gametree, two miles from\\nMafeking.\\nDecember 2 A hehograph message, received by\\nway of Weenen from Ladysmith, says\\nThe Boers are actively bombarding the town. One\\nshell struck the Devonshire mess tent, killing Captain\\nDalzel and wounding seven lieutenants, Dent, Twiss,\\nTringham, Caffyn, Byrne, Scafe, and Kane.\\nTen South African medical students from Edinburgh\\narrived at Pretoria from Delagoa Bay, with five tons\\nof medical stores.\\nDecember 28. A despatch from the Boer camp at\\nthe Modder River reports that an artillery duel, lasting\\nan hour, was indulged in at that place this morning.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0126.jp2"}, "127": {"fulltext": "DECEMBER NEWS ITEMS. 95\\nThe British have, in fact, begun a steady bombardment\\nof the Boer position.\\nDecember ^o. A force sent out by General Gatacre\\nto reconnoitre has been routed by the Boers and driven\\nback on Dordrecht.\\nDecember ji. General French has surprised the\\nenemy, and compelled him to retreat to Colesberg.\\nFrom Ladysmith comes the statement that General\\nWhite has again been the aggressor, having made an at-\\ntack on a Boer position and captured a hill. As the news\\ncomes from a native runner, it requires confirmation.\\nThe War Office has not yet issued anything about either\\nGeneral Gatacre s venture or General White s reported\\nsuccess. What does seem certain, however, coming as\\nit does from many sources, is the report and despatches,\\npublished yesterday morning, that Dordrecht had been\\nreoccupied by Gatacre. This is regarded by the military\\nexperts as a move by General Gatacre of great strategi-\\ncal value, opening up, as it does, some fifty miles of\\ncountry hitherto in full possession of the Boers.\\nFrom General Buller nothing fresh has come in. It\\nis calculated that he now has a force of about twenty-\\nseven thousand men, with sixty-one guns, not counting\\nthe heavy naval weapons. Military experts here are\\ninclined to think that Buller may contrive to achieve\\nsomething important, though he is still handicapped\\nby want of cavalry. It is not believed that his selec-\\ntion of a time for striking will be in any way affected\\nby the approach of Lord Roberts.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0127.jp2"}, "128": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER X.\\nSTORMBERG JUNCTION.\\nGENERAL SIR WILLIAM FORBES GAT-\\nACRE, a soldier who had been often tried and\\nnever found lacking in all that goes to make up a\\ncommander, suffered a most serious defeat at Stormberg\\nJunction on the loth of December, which defeat cost\\nthe nation the lives of many brave men, and brought\\nto the general commanding a most severe criticism\\nfrom Lord Roberts.\\nGeneral Gatacre won for himself an enviable reputa-\\ntion in the British army in the recent campaigns in\\nIndia and the S.oudan, where he commanded brigades,\\nand he wears many war medals for service in the lower\\ngrades of rank. He is a member of the Distinguished\\nService Order.\\nThe private soldier in the barrack room has bestowed\\non the general the nickname of Bill Backacher, on\\naccount of his capacity for hard work. In the Soudan\\nhis brigade was recognised as the best marching force\\nin the country, and General Gatacre himself tramped\\ncheerfully through the desert on the way to Khartoum.\\nHe is fifty-six years old, and from the time he en-\\n96", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0128.jp2"}, "129": {"fulltext": "STORMBERG JUNCTION. 97\\ntered the army, in the Duke of Cambridge s Own,\\nhas passed a most active miUtary career. Having gone\\nthrough the staff college, he filled administrative posts\\nat Aldershot and Madras, and later filled the positions\\nin India of assistant quarter-master-general on the head-\\nquarters staff and adjutant-general at Bombay. In\\nthe Chitral campaign of 1895, with his brigade form-\\ning part of the relief force, he conducted the action of\\nMaarragai, and had fierce fighting in the passages\\nof the Jambatai and Lowarai passes.\\nAt the end of last year s campaign in the Egyptian\\nSoudan, for his services at the battles of Atbara and\\nOmdurraan, he received the thanks of Parliament, and\\nwas made a knight commander of the Bath.\\nGatacre s force left Putter s Kraal by train for Mol-\\nteno, and then proceeded, by forced march, twelve miles\\ntoward Stormberg. The force comprised three thousand\\nmen, including the Northumberland Fusihers, the Royal\\nIrish Rifles, and two batteries of field-artillery.\\nGeneral Gatacre s report of the disaster is as follows\\nThe idea to attack Stormberg seemed to promise\\ncertain success, but the distance was underestimated\\nby myself and the local guides. A policeman took us\\naround some miles consequently we were marching\\nfrom 9.30 P.M. till 4 A.M., and were landed in an\\nimpossible position. I do not consider the error\\nintentional.\\nThe Boers commenced firing from the top of an\\nunscalable hill, and wounded a good many of our men", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0129.jp2"}, "130": {"fulltext": "98 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwhile in the open plain. The 2d Northumberlands\\ntried to turn out the enemy, but failed. The 2d\\nIrish Fusiliers seized a kopje near and held on,\\nsupported by the mounted infantry and Cape Police.\\nThe guns, under Jeffries, could not have been better\\nhandled. But I regret to say that one gun was over-\\nturned in a deep nullah, and another sank in a quicksand.\\nNeither could be extricated in the time available.\\nSeeing the situation, I sent a despatch rider to Mol-\\nteno with the news, then collected and withdrew our\\nforce from ridge to ridge about nine miles.\\nThe Boer guns were remarkably well served. They\\ncarried accurately five thousand yards. I am holding\\nBushman s Hook and Cypergat. Am sending the Irish\\nRifles and Northumberlands to Sterkestroom to recu-\\nperate. The wounded proceed to Queenstown.\\nOne of the leading London papers, in commenting on\\nthe action, says\\nApparently the British were set an impossible task\\nand were treacherously guided. After a trying march\\nand being under arms sixteen hours, they attacked\\nthe wrong part of the Boer position, where the hill was\\nimpregnable, and the Burghers were estimated to num-\\nber six thousand men, instead of twenty-five hundred, as\\nthe spies had reported.\\nThere is little in the story to mitigate the intense\\nhumiliation occasioned by the episode, which is almost\\nan exact counterpart of the battle of Nicholson s\\nNek.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0130.jp2"}, "131": {"fulltext": "STORMBERG JUNCTION. 99\\nGeneral Gatacre s movement may be termed a rec-\\nonnoissance in force. Its object was to ascertain\\nthe strength of the position of the Boers, who were\\nstrongly entrenched along the Stormberg range. He\\nleft Putter s Kraal about noon, with a fighting force\\nslightly over three thousand men.\\nLeaving Molteno at nine o clock, on the 9th of De-\\ncember, he made a memorable night march over the\\nrocks and veldt. There was no sound, except a steady\\ntramp, and there were no distinguishing lights, the\\nbright moon having gone down at 11.30 o clock.\\nThe column arrived safely within a couple of miles of\\nits destination, the only incidents of the march being an\\noccasional sudden call of Halt, under the belief that\\nthe Boers were near.\\nSuddenly a terrific fire opened simultaneously on the\\nBritish front and right flank. The Royal Irish Rifles,\\nwhich formed the advance, sought shelter behind a\\nkopje, and were speedily joined by the remainder of\\nthe column. It was found, however, that this position,\\nalso, was covered by Boer guns, which were more pow-\\nerful than had been supposed. The troops, therefore,\\nsought a safer position, about half a mile away, two\\nbatteries, in the meantime, engaging the Boers and\\ncovering the troops in their withdrawal.\\nThe action now became general at long range, and a\\ndetachment of mounted infantry moved northward, with\\na view of getting on the enemy s right flank. Suddenly\\n^a strong commando was seen moving from the north,\\nL\u00c2\u00abrc", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0131.jp2"}, "132": {"fulltext": "lOO FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand the Royal Irish Rifles and the Northumberland\\nregiment were sent out to meet it. It was soon dis-\\ncovered, however, that the Boers had machine-guns well\\nplaced, and the British were compelled to face a terrible\\nfire.\\nFinding it impossible to hold the position in the face\\nof an enemy apparently superior in position, numbers,\\nand artillery, the British retired on Molteno, the Boers\\nfollowing up the retirement closely and bringing two big\\nguns to bear on the retiring column.\\nI have seen, in my life, writes the correspondent of\\nthe London Times, one or two fights, but at Storm-\\nberg, for the first time, I was enabled to realise what\\nactual defeat means. It was, indeed, a case of vce\\nvictis. The hopeless exhaustion of the unhappy soldiers\\nwas terrible to see.\\nHis description of General Gatacre s reverse at this\\npoint is, in part\\nThe infantry has been at work, or in the train in\\nopen trucks, or marching, since 4 a. m. Saturday. The\\nactual march occupied seven hours, and it is, therefore,\\nlittle to be wondered at that the men were wholly inca-\\npable of making a supreme effort when at last they were\\nsurprised by receiving fire at short range while marching\\nin fours in fancied security.\\nOn receiving the enemy s fire, the companies at hand\\nrushed at once against the kopjes from which it pro-\\nceeded, and advancing from boulder to boulder, swiftly\\ncommenced to ascend. Indeed, it is a fact that a con-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0132.jp2"}, "133": {"fulltext": "STORMBERG JUNCTION. lOI\\nsiderable number actually arrived within a few yards of\\na lower line of seances, which could not, however, be\\nreached without ladders.\\nBut at this juncture our own artillery, failing in the\\nyet uncertain light to observe the ascent of the infantry,\\nopened fire upon the enemy, and several shells, falling\\nshort, dealt destruction among the assailants of the\\nposition.\\nA partial retirement instantly ensued, and having\\nbeen brought to a standstill, the attack gradually melted\\naway until, convinced that the case was hopeless, the\\ngeneral ordered the retire to be sounded. Had the\\norder been promptly obeyed, the troops might not im-\\nprobably have been withdrawn without any serious\\nloss, and a fresh attempt might even yet have been\\nsuccessfully prosecuted.\\nBut it was not to be. Many men were loth to retire\\nbecause they were anxious to go on, while not a few\\nwere so utterly exhausted that they simply preferred\\nto stay where they were, at all hazards, than to under-\\ntake the ordeal of a rapid retirement over the open\\nground at the foot of the hills. Eventually over\\nfive hundred unwounded men were taken prisoners.\\nSteadily, as if on parade, the retirement was exe-\\ncuted by those who responded to the order, the\\nsoldiers moving back at a steady pace, without the\\nleast hurry or confusion, and halting constantly to\\nfire.\\nSo far as I can understand the matter, the causes", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0133.jp2"}, "134": {"fulltext": "102 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nto which this most lamentable failure must be attributed\\nare\\nI. The map of the ground was utterly misleading,\\nand more than useless.\\n2. So far as I am aware, no one among the respon-\\nsible authorities had taken any compass bearings, and,\\nconsequently, no one knew where he was being taken\\nin the dark.\\n3. The Berkshire regiment, by whom the redoubts\\nnow occupied by the Boers at Stormberg had been\\nbuilt, and to whom every inch of the ground was\\nfamiliar, were left at Queenstown, instead of being\\nemployed to recapture the work which they had so\\nunwillingly evacuated about a month previously.\\n4. Over five hundred men, afterward made prison-\\ners, had fallen into a trap, from which they failed to\\nextricate themselves. Consequently, when the rest of\\nthe force had been rallied upon a defenceless portion\\nin the rear, the general had not troops sufficient to\\nwarrant a fresh attempt upon some selected point of\\nattack.\\n5. In any case, the men, who had been by this time\\non the move for over twenty-four hours on the stretch,\\nwho had just completed seven hours of marching\\nthrough the night, and who had been actually under\\narms for upwards of sixteen hours, were so dead beat\\nthat severe hill fighting was quite beyond their powers.\\nDuring the actual retirement from the hills attacked,\\nor rather under which we were ourselves attacked iri", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0134.jp2"}, "135": {"fulltext": "STORMBERG JUNCTION. lO^\\nanticipation, men were falling asleep in the open\\nground, after or before using their rifles. No sooner\\ndid they halt to fire than they fell forward sound\\nasleep. An officer told me that he awoke several such\\nmen by kicking them soundly, and thus insisting upon\\ntheir continuing their retreat to a place of safety.\\n6. The guns were at first in the same trap as the\\ninfantry, and were compelled to retreat some distance\\nover very difficult ground before they could come into\\naction upon even then a poor position, with most infe-\\nrior command. During this movement a gun was lost\\nin consequence of being stuck fast, and the struggling\\nhorses shot down by the enemy. It was a pitiable\\nsight, of which those who saw it cannot speak without\\nemotion.\\nLord Roberts, in transmitting General Gatacre s\\nreport of the engagement, wrote as follows\\nThe failure was mainly due to reliance on inaccu-\\nrate information regarding the .ground to be traversed\\nto the position held by the Boers, to the employment\\nof too small a force, and to the men being tired out by\\na long night march before they came in contact with\\nthe enemy.\\nWhen it became evident, shortly after midnight,\\nthat the guides were leading the column in the wrong\\ndirection, I consider Gatacre should have halted and\\nendeavoured to find a proper road, or should have fallen\\nback on Molteno rather than have risked the safety of\\nthe entire force by following a route which brought the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0135.jp2"}, "136": {"fulltext": "I04 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntroops into difficult ground commanded on both sides\\nby Boers.\\nFrom the Boer lines President Steyn sent the follow-\\ning details of the fight\\nThe British, with six cannon, attacked the Boers\\nunder Swanspoel and Olivier, and stormed the Boers\\nentrenched position on the kopjes. After a severe\\nfight they were compelled to surrender.\\nThe prisoners are Major Sturges, six officers, and\\n230 non-commissioned officers and men of the North-\\numberlands, and two officers and about 250 non-com-\\nmissioned officers and men of the Irish Fusiliers.\\nIt is impossible to state the number of dead and\\nwounded British.\\nThe Boers captured three cannon and two ammu-\\nnition wagons.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0136.jp2"}, "137": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XL\\nTHE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN.\\nI ^HE fourth battle in the advance of General Me-\\nthuen toward Kimberley, was fought at Magers-\\nfontein, six miles northeast of the British camp at\\nModder River.\\nThe commander explained in his official despatch\\nthat there were most serious difficulties to be encoun-\\ntered in an attempt to outflank sixteen hundred Boers\\nentrenched among the Magersfontein kopjes. He be-\\nlieved that a blow dealt at the Boer centre would\\nbe more effective than any other movement, inasmuch\\nas his orders were to relieve Kimberley at the earliest\\npossible moment therefore, the day the last reinforce-\\nments arrived, he decided to attack Magersfontein\\nkopje.\\nTo this end the Guards and Highland brigade\\nmoved from the Modder River camp early on the even-\\ning of December loth, and marched in the night in a\\nnortheasterly direction. The objective of the High-\\nlanders was the eastern spur of the Boer position,\\nwhile the Guards followed the bank of the river, and\\nthe Yorkshire light infantry moved along the river-\\n105", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0137.jp2"}, "138": {"fulltext": "I06 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nside. Just before daybreak the Highlanders arrived\\nwithin two hundred yards of the Boer entrenchments\\nat the foot of the hill. Unsuspecting that the Boers\\nwere in the vicinity, the British were still marching in\\nquarter column in close order, when they met a terrible\\nfire from the flanks, and were forced to retire, with\\nheavy loss.\\nThe troops reformed under the shelter of some rising\\nground, and gallantly held their position. Later, the\\nGordons arrived, and the troops gradually worked their\\nway until within three hundred yards of the Boer position,\\ndisplaying the greatest gallantry. In the meanwhile\\na naval gun at Modder River, the howitzer batteries,\\nand the horse artillery opened a terrific fire, enfilading\\nthe trenches and searching every portion of the Boer\\nposition. The enemy s guns were entirely silent. In\\nthe meanwhile the Boers, on the open ground directly\\nin front, moved, with the object of making a flank at-\\ntack, but this was frustrated by the guards and artillery.\\nThe Boers .recommenced shelling in the evening,\\nbut no damage was done. The British slept on their\\nposition.\\nDuring the night it was considered expedient that the\\nHighland brigade, about four thousand strong, under\\nGeneral Wauchope, should get close enough to the lines\\nof the foe to make it possible to charge the heights. At\\nmidnight the gallant, but ill-fated brigade moved cau-\\ntiously through the darkness toward the kopje where the\\nBoers were most strongly entrenched. They were led", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0138.jp2"}, "139": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN. I07\\nby a guide who was supposed to know every inch of\\nthe country, out into the darkness of an African night.\\nThe brigade marclied in line of quarter cohimn, each\\nman stepping cautiously and slowly, for they knew that\\nevery sound meant death.\\nEvery order was given in a hoarse whisper, and in\\nwhispers it was passed along the ranks from man to\\nman. Nothing was heard as they moved toward the\\ngloomy, stfeel-fronted heights but the brushing of their\\nfeet in the veldt grass, and the deep-drawn breaths of\\nthe marching men.\\nSo onward, until three of the clock on the morning\\nof Monday. Then out of the darkness a rifle rang,\\nsharp and clear, a herald of disaster, a soldier had\\ntripped in the dark over the hidden wires laid down by\\nthe enemy. In a second, in the twinkling of an eye,\\nthe search-lights of the Boers fell broad and clear as the\\nnoonday sun, on the ranks of the doomed Highlanders,\\nthough it left the enemy concealed in the shadows of\\nthe frowning mass of hills behind him.\\nFor one brief moment the Scots seemed paralysed by\\nthe suddenness of their discovery, for they knew that\\nthey were huddled together like sheep within fifty yards\\nof the trenches of the foe. Then, clear above the con-\\nfusion, rolled the voice of the general, Steady, men,\\nsteady and, like an echo to the veteran s voice, out\\ncame the crash of nearly a thousand rifles.\\nThe Highlanders reeled before the shock like trees\\nbefore the tempest. Their best, their bravest, fell in", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0139.jp2"}, "140": {"fulltext": "ro8 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthat wild hail of lead. General Wauchope was down,\\nriddled with bullets, yet, gasping, dying, bleeding from\\nevery vein, the Highland chieftain raised himself upon\\nhis hands and knees, and cheered his men forward.\\nMen and officers fell in heaps together.\\nThe Black Watch charged, and the Gordons and the\\nSeaforths, with a yell that stirred the British camp be-\\nlow, rushed onward onward to death or disaster.\\nThe wires caught them around the legs until they floun-\\ndered like trapped wolves, and all the time the rifles of\\nthe foe sang the song of death in their ears. Then they\\nfell back, broken and beaten, leaving nearly thirteen\\nhundred dead and wounded just where the broad breast\\nof the grassy veldt melts into the embrace of the rugged\\nAfrican hills.\\nAn hour later the dawning came of the dreariest day\\nthat Scotland has known for a generation. Of her\\nofficers, the flower of her chivalry, the pride of her\\nbreeding, but few remained to tell the tale, a sad tale\\ntruly, but one untainted with dishonour or smirched\\nwith disgrace, for up those heights, under similar cir-\\ncumstances, even a brigade of devils could scarcely have\\nhoped to pass. All that mortal men could do, the Scots\\ndid. They tried, they failed, they fell, and there is noth-\\ning left now but to mourn for them and avenge them.\\nAll that fateful day the wounded men lay close to\\nthe Boer lines under a blazing sun.- Over their heads\\nthe shots of friends and foes passed without ceasing.\\nAll day long the battle raged. Scarcely could either", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0140.jp2"}, "141": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN. IO9\\narmy see the foe. All that met British eyes was the\\nrocky heights, that spoke with tongues of flame when-\\never their troops drew near.\\nOnce the Guards made a brilliant dash at the trenches,\\nand, like a torrent, their resistless valour bore all before\\nthem, and for a few brief moments they got within\\nhitting distance of the foe. Well did they avenge the\\nslaughter of the Scots. The bayonets, like tongues of\\nflame, passed above or below the rifle-guards, and swept\\nthrough brisket and breastbone. Out of their trenches\\nthe Guardsmen tossed the Boers as men in harvest-field\\ntoss the grain when the reapers scythes have whitened\\nthe field, and the human streams were plentiful where\\nthe British Guardsmen stood.\\nThen they fell back, for the fire from the heights\\nabove them fell thick as the spume of the surf on an\\nAustralian rock-ribbed coast. But the Guards had\\nproved to the Boer that, man to man, the Briton was\\nhis master.\\nIn vain all that day Methuen tried by every rule he\\nknew to draw the enemy. Vainly the Lancers rode\\nrecklessly to induce those human rock-limpets to come\\nout and cut them off. Cronje knew the metal of his\\nfoe, and an ironic laugh played around his iron mouth,\\nbut still he stayed within his native fastness.\\nYet death sat ever at his elbow, for British gunners\\ndropped the lyddite shells and the howling shrapnel all\\nalong his lines, until the trenches ran blood, and many\\nof his guns were silent. In the valley behind his outer", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0141.jp2"}, "142": {"fulltext": "no FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nline of hills his dead lay piled in hundreds, and the\\nsmoke of the hills was a charnel house, where the\\nwounded all rise amid the masses of the dead, a ghastly\\ntribute to British gunnery.\\nWhen, at half-past one o clock on Tuesday afternoon,\\nthe English drew off to Modder River to recuperate, they\\nleft nearly three thousand dead and wounded of grim old\\nCronje s men, as token of their staying qualities.\\nAn official report gave the total number of British\\nkilled, wounded, and missing of all arms in the engage-\\nment, as 963. Of the officers, fifteen were killed and\\nforty-seven wounded, while five were missing and one\\ncaptured.\\nThere were 650 casualties among the non-commis-\\nsioned officers and men of the Highland brigade. The\\nbrigade lost ten officers killed and thirty-five wounded.\\nA celebrated English critic on mihtary affairs thus\\nwrites\\nMagersfontein appears to be another case of either\\nsuperior Boer strategy or inexcusable neglect by the\\nBritish to fully feel the position of their opponents,\\nalthough fuller accounts of the battle would seem to\\nsupport the theory that the repulse was due rather to\\naccident than to any fault on the part of generals or\\nmen. Still, there is much to be explained. The Boer\\nposition had been heavily bombarded on Tuesday, but\\nwe do not know that the entrenchments had been\\nthoroughly examined. It is probable that during the\\nnight an advance was made by the Boers, and new", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0142.jp2"}, "143": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN, III\\nworks constructed, upon which the Highlanders blun-\\ndered in the dark.\\nNo troops, taken altogether by surprise, could have\\nescaped terrible losses, yet, when the British column\\nadvanced at night toward the enemy s position, it seems\\nas if every precaution should have been taken to guard\\nagainst all possible moves of the mobile foe. Instead\\nof that, the British advanced as if on parade, until they\\nwere at the mercy of the entrenched Boers.\\nInstead of being in a scattered line, the quarter-\\ncolumn formation, in which the Highlanders were\\nmarching when they came unexpectedly on the Boers,\\nis the closest formation in which regiments can move.\\nThere is only just room for the officers and non-com-\\nmissioned officers between the companies. A regiment\\nin this formation looks like solid blocks of humanity.\\nIt must by this time be clear to the British officers\\nthat night attacks in the South African war with an\\nalert foe are a grave mistake. Twice within a few\\ndays they have miscarried. At Telel Kebir, a night\\nattack upon an entrenched position succeeded admirably,\\nbut the enemy there was of quite a different calibre.\\nThe classical method of storming an entrenched posi-\\ntion is first to bombard heavily, and just before the\\nassault pour in a perfect storm of shells. Then im-\\nmediately the infantry go forward. In the case of\\nMagersfontein, the Boers were given a night to re-\\ncover from the shock and demoralisation which a\\nterrific artillery bombardment must cause.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0143.jp2"}, "144": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XII.\\nTHE BATTLE OF COLENSO.\\nTHE first intimation which the pubHc received of a\\npossible disaster to the British force in Natal\\ncame like a thunderclap from the clear sky, when Gen-\\neral Buller sent the following official report\\nChieveley Camp, December 1 5, 6.30 p. m. I regret\\nto report a serious reverse. I moved in full strength\\nfrom our camp near Chieveley at four o clock this\\nmorning. There are two fordable places in the Tugela\\nRiver, and it was my intention to force a passage through\\nat one of them. They are about two miles apart.\\nMy intention was to force one or the other with\\none brigade, supported by a central brigade. General\\nHart was to attack the left drift, General Hildyard\\nthe right road, and General Lyttleton was to take the\\ncentre and to support either.\\nEarly in the day I saw that General Hart would\\nnot be able to force a passage, and I directed him to\\nwithdraw. He had, however, attacked with great\\ngallantry, and his leading battalion, the Connaught\\nRangers, I fear suffered a great deal. Colonel I. G.\\nBrooke was seriously wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0144.jp2"}, "145": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF COLENSO. II3\\nI then ordered General Hildyard to advance, which\\nhe did, and his leading regiment, the East Surrey, occu-\\npied Colenso Station and the houses near the bridge.\\nAt that moment I heard that the whole artillery\\nI had sent to support the attack, the 14th and 66th\\nField Batteries and six naval 12-pounder quick-firers,\\nunder Colonel Long, had advanced close to the river,\\nin Long s desire to be within effective range. It proved\\nto be full of the enemy, who suddenly opened a galling\\nfire at close range, killing all their horses and the\\ngunners were compelled to stand to their guns. Some\\nof the wagon teams got shelter for the troops in a\\ndonga, and desperate efforts were made to bring out\\nthe field-guns.\\nThe fire, however, was too severe, and only two\\nwere saved by Captain Schofield and some drivers,\\nwhose names I will furnish.\\nAnother most gallant attempt, with three teams,\\nwas made by an officer, whose name I will obtain. Of\\nthe eighteen horses, thirteen were killed, and as several\\ndrivers were wounded, I would not allow another at-\\ntempt, as it seemed that they would be a shell mark,\\nsacrificing life to a gallant attempt to force the passage.\\nUnsupported by artillery, I directed the troops to\\nwithdraw, which they did in good order.\\nThroughout the day a considerable force of the\\nenemy was pressing on my right flank, but was kept\\nback by mounted men under Lord Dundonald and part\\nof General Barton s brigade. The day was intensely", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0145.jp2"}, "146": {"fulltext": "114 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhot, and most trying to the troops, whose conduct was\\nexcellent. We have abandoned ten guns, and lost by\\nshell fire, one.\\nThe 14th and 66th Field Batteries suffered severe\\nlosses. We have retired to our camp at Chieveley.\\nOn the following day General Buller reported that\\nhis losses in the engagement were\\nKilled, 82 wounded, 66^] missing, 348 a total of\\n1,097.\\nOfficers killed Field Artillery, 2 Dublin Fusiliers,\\n2 Inniskillen Fusiliers, 2 Medical Corps, i Thorney-\\ncroft s mounted infantry, i.\\nOfficers wounded Devonshire regiment, 5 Rifle\\nBrigade (the Prince Consort s Own), i 5th Brigade,\\nstaff, I Inniskillen Fusiliers, 8 Border regiment, 3\\nConnaught Rangers, 2 Dublin Fusiliers, 3 Irish Fu-\\nsiliers, I Horse Artillery, i Field Artillery, 5 Medical\\nCorps, I mounted infantry, 3 Natal Carbineers, 2\\nSouth African Light Horse, 2.\\nOfficers taken prisoners or missing Field Artillery,\\n5 Devonshire regiment, 3 Essex regiment, i Royal\\nScots Fusiliers, 6; Royal Artillery, 3.\\nFrom near its source in the Drakensburg range, right\\ndown beyond Rorkes drift, the Tugela River, the pas-\\nsage of which General Buller tried to force, is a broad,\\nrapid stream at this time of the year, just at the end of\\nthe rainy season.\\nAround Colenso, on the south side, the country is", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0146.jp2"}, "147": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF COLENSO. II5\\nbroken and hilly, as it is across the stream from there,\\nand admirably adapted for the Boer methods of fighting,\\npast masters of taking advantage of shelter as they are.\\nLike all the country around about here, the land is abso-\\nlutely bare of trees. Through this country the Tugela\\nhas eaten its way down to a deep bed with steep bluff\\nbanks north and south. In the neighbourhood of Co-\\nlenso, where the contending forces came into conflict,\\nthe north bank is even steeper than the south.\\nExcept where there may happen to be a ford, there\\nis either a sheer drop of from seven to ten feet, or\\nwhere, as at Colenso, the hills infringe so closely on\\nboth sides, the Tugela is a difficult stream to cross at\\nany time. But two such crossings exist, one about two\\nmiles east and the other some three miles up-stream\\nfrom Colenso. The hills fall away on the right bank,\\nand where the stream is low, both fords were used by\\nthe ox-teams of the farmers before the road bridge was\\nbuilt.\\nAt either ford the ground on both sides is firm and\\nhard, and not even in the wet season is there any spot\\nwhere guns could be stalled. The lower ford, the objec-\\ntive point of the right wing of the British force, is\\nskirted for miles by low rocky hills on the western side,\\nand there was where Buller s battery horses were shot\\ndown.\\nThe British story of the battle is told most graph-\\nically by the correspondent of the Lojidon Daily\\nTelegraph.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0147.jp2"}, "148": {"fulltext": "Il6 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAfter describing how the British force began its\\nadvance at daylight, and how the Boers left them\\nabsolutely unmolested, the writer says\\nAt 6.25 there suddenly burst an awful crash of\\nBoer musketry upon the batteries and advancing in-\\nfantry. The rattle of the Mausers swelled and was\\nmaintained as one continuous roar. From the build-\\nings and lines of trenches south of the river and from\\nthe river bank itself the Boers fired at our gunners and\\nfoot-men. The trenches on the northern side of the\\nTugela River joined their shot, and from Fort Wylie\\nand elsewhere they sent out a hurricane of leaden hail.\\nThe bullets venomously rained upon the ground in all\\ndirections, raising puffs of dust and tearing through the\\nair with a shrill sound. Few have ever seen so heavy\\nand so deadly a fusilade but neither the British gun-\\nners nor the infantry hesitated or winced. Cannon were\\nwheeled into position, although many of the horses and\\nmen were shot down before the manoeuvre was com-\\npleted, and our indomitable soldiers marched straight\\nonward. Not even Rome in her palmiest days ever\\npossessed more devoted sons. As the gladiators went\\nforth, proud and beaming, to meet death, so the British\\nsoldiers, doomed to die, saluted, and then with alacrity\\nstepped forward to do their duty glory or the grave.\\nAnglo-Saxon soldiers always advance that way.\\nI asked an American who had seen warfare at home,\\nin Cuba, and Manila, if his own countrymen generally\\ndid this, and he answered", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0148.jp2"}, "149": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF COLENSO. II7\\nYes it is marvellous, but wasteful.\\nCloser and closer walked the soldiers to the Boer\\ntrenches, until within four hundred yards of the nearest\\nrifle-pits. Then, lying down, they returned the fire, but\\nthere was little or nothing left to aim at.\\nBy 7. 1 5 the Irish brigade had driven the Boers to\\nthe north bank of the Tugela. They found that the\\nenemy had planted the ground with barbed wire entan-\\nglements. Even in the bed of the river, barbed wire\\nwas laid down. Into the water went the Dublins, Innis-\\nkillens. Borderers, and Connaughts, but it was found at\\nthe ford that the Boers had cunningly dammed the river,\\nand there was ten feet of water where ordinarily it is\\nonly knee-deep. They strove to find the crossings, and\\nmany a fine fellow, with his weight of ammunition\\nand accoutrements, was drowned.\\nIt was a desperate and serious situation. The attack\\nupon the right was making no progress, and the hearts\\nof the men had reached an apparent impasse. But there\\nwere furious and angry Irishmen who had resolved to\\nget across somehow. By dint of scrambling from rock\\nto rock, and swimming, a number won the other side,\\nbut most of them found that they had but passed across\\na winding spruit. The Tugela still lay in front, and all\\nthe while the murderous fire of cannon and Mauser\\ncrashed, and comrades fell, weltering in their blood.\\nIn the meanwhile Colonel Long had lost his gun, and\\nGenerals Buller and Clery, with their staffs and escorts,\\nhad ridden to the scene. The spouting hail of lead and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0149.jp2"}, "150": {"fulltext": "Il8 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\niron snapped and spluttered, and the dust puffed more\\nthan ever. Lord Roberts s son, with Captains Schofield\\nand Congreve, vokmteered to ride out and endeavour\\nto save the two field-batteries in the open. Readily\\nother volunteers were found. Corporals from the lines,\\nmen and drivers of the ammunition wagons, taking spare\\nteams, galloped out, and men and horses again began\\nfalling on every side. Young Roberts s horse wsls blown\\nup with a shell. Congreve was hit with a bullet, and\\nhis clothes were cut by other missiles. Schofield alone\\nremained untouched.\\nAcross that valley of death quickly the surviving\\nanimals were rounded up, and the guns were hooked\\nand dragged away. Again and again attempts were\\nmade to haul off the remaining guns, but the Boer fire\\nwas incessant and withering. At four o clock the bat-\\ntle was over. General Buller abandoned the guns and\\nretreated.\\nAn official account of the Boer casualties at the\\nbattle of Tugela River says thirty men were killed or\\nwounded. General Schalk-Burgers s report of the battle,\\ndespatched from the head laager, December i6th, says:\\nFriday, at dawn, the day long expected arrived.\\nThe Pretoria detachment of artillery gave the alarm.\\nGeneral Buller s Ladysmith relief column was in battle\\narray, advancing on the Boer positions close to the\\nTugela and Colenso. The centre consisted of an im-\\nmense crown of infantry, flanked on each side by two\\nbatteries, with strong bodies of cavalry supporting.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0150.jp2"}, "151": {"fulltext": "BRITISH SOLDIERS TRYING TO SAVE THE FIELD GUNS AT\\nCOLENSO.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0151.jp2"}, "152": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0152.jp2"}, "153": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF COLENSO. II9\\nThe Boer artillery preserved absolute silence, not\\ndisclosing its position. Two batteries came within rifle\\ndistance of our foremost position, and the Boers then\\nopened fire with deadly effect. Our artillery also com-\\nmenced, and apparently absolutely confused the enemy,\\nwho were allowed to think the bridge was open for them\\nto cross.\\nTheir right flank, in the meantime, attacked the\\nBoers southernmost position, but the Mauser rifle fire\\nwas so tremendous that they were rolled back like a\\nspent wave, leaving ridges and ridges of dead and dying\\nhumanity behind.\\nAgain the British advanced to the attack, but again\\nfell back, swelling with heaps of dead. Their cavalry\\ncharged to the river, where the Ermelo commando\\ndelivered such a murderous fire that two batteries of\\ncannon had to be abandoned, which the Boers are going\\nto bring here. Twice the British essayed to bring\\nhorses to remove them. The first time, they succeeded\\nin hitching on to one cannon, and the second trial the\\nhorses and men fell in a heap.\\nThen the British were in full retreat to their camp,\\nwhence they sent a heavy shrapnel fire on Dulwer\\nbridge across the Tugela, to prevent the Burghers\\nfrom recovering the cannon.\\nThe French attache, Villebois, and the German\\nattache, Braun, say the fight could not have been im-\\nproved upon by the armies of Europe.\\nGenerals Botha and Trichardt were always at the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0153.jp2"}, "154": {"fulltext": "I20 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmost dangerous points of the fighting. Eleven ambu-\\nlances removed the English dead and wounded.\\nSuch a tremendous cannonade has seldom been\\nheard. The veldt, for miles, was covered with dead\\nand wounded. It was a most crushing British defeat.\\nNine of the cannon have since been brought across the\\nriver. The British asked for, and were granted, a\\ntwenty-four hour armistice.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0154.jp2"}, "155": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIII.\\nIN JANUARY.\\n^^ANUARY I. On December 30th a reconnoi-\\nJ tring force, sent out by General Gatacre, was routed\\nby the Boers and driven back to Dordrecht. Lieuten-\\nant Turner, of the Frontier Mounted Rifles, and twenty-\\nseven men were left, during the retreat, at Labnschagnes\\nNek. This party had been thus voluntarily cut off be-\\ncause of its refusal to leave a wounded officer Lieu-\\ntenant Warren, of Brabants s Horse.\\nDuring the night the little force defended itself suc-\\ncessfully against the repeated attacks of the Boers, who\\nresorted to snipping.\\nNext morning, Captain Goldsworthy, with no men of\\nthe Cape Mounted Rifles and four guns, set out to res-\\ncue the party. The Boers did not wait long to try\\nconclusions with the newcomers, but fled to the hills\\nafter a skirmish in which they lost eight men killed,\\nin addition to the wounded. Two of Lieutenant Tur-\\nner s party were wounded, and nearly all the horses had\\nbeen killed.\\nThere was sharp fighting to-day in the hills around", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0155.jp2"}, "156": {"fulltext": "122 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nColesberg. The Boers stubbornly resisted the British\\nat every point, but gradually retreated.\\nThe British forces under General French hold the\\nextreme position to the south and east, overlooking the\\ntown.\\nThe hills around Colesberg are numerous, not in\\nranges, but in groups, making it very difficult to hunt\\nthe Boers out.\\nColonel Pilcher reports, through the officer command-\\ning at the Orange River\\nI have completely defeated a hostile command at\\nthe Sunnyside laager this day, taking the laager and\\nforty prisoners, besides the killed and wounded.\\nOur casualties are two privates killed and Lieuten-\\nant Adie wounded.\\nAm encamped at Dover farm, twenty miles north-\\nwest of Belmont and ten miles from Sunnyside.\\nJanuajy 2. Colonel Pilcher pushed forward rapidly,\\ncapturing the town of Douglas this afternoon. Casual-\\nties light.\\nLatest reports from Ladysmith give the unpleasant\\ninformation that the fever is spreading among the troops\\nto an alarming degree.\\nThe fighting at Colesberg continues the Boers yet\\nhold possession of the town.\\nA late despatch announces that the Boers have\\nattacked Molteno.\\nJanuary General Gatacre is engaging the Boers\\nnear Cypergat.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0156.jp2"}, "157": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 123\\nAt General French s special request, the Household\\ncavalry, a battery of field-artillery, and the first bat-\\ntalion of the Essex regiment have been despatched to\\nreinforce him temporarily.\\nFurther details of the fighting between General Gat-\\nacre and the Boers at Cypergat, to-day, show that\\nthree thousand Boers, with artillery, attacked a Brit-\\nish outpost between Cypergat and Molteno. General\\nGatacre, with mounted troops and field-artillery, moved\\nout in front of Sterkstroom, and found the Boers\\nstrongly posted at Coperberg, whence they were quickly\\ndislodged, the Boers fleeing in the direction of Storm-\\nberg. The Boers used the British guns captured\\nDecember loth and shot well, but the British kept\\nunder cover and there were no casualties on their\\nside.\\nThe Boers attacked Molteno again this morning.\\nA brisk action is now in progress.\\nColonel Pilcher, it is officially announced, being only\\non a raiding expedition, and for military reasons being\\nunable to occupy Douglas permanently, has evacuated\\nthe town, bringing off all the loyalists.\\nHe has now returned safely to close proximity to\\nBelmont. When he announced the necessity of evacu-\\nating the place, the inhabitants of Douglas declared\\ntheir lives were not worth five minutes purchase after\\nthe troops left. Colonel Pilcher therefore invited\\nthem to accompany him to Belmont.\\nThe preparations were speedily completed, but the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0157.jp2"}, "158": {"fulltext": "124 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nvehicles of the town were totally madequate to convey\\nthe refugees, so the troops gave up the transport wagons\\nto -the women and children.\\nThe Canadians acted as an escort of the refugees,\\ncarried babies for the women, and kept everybody lively\\nby singing as they marched pluckily along in spite of\\nsore feet, occasioned by the heavy sand, which made\\nmarching extremely tiring. The force received General\\nBuller s congratulations on the success of the expedition\\nwith great satisfaction.\\nThe following despatch comes from Lorenzo Marquez\\nField Cornet Visser reports as follows from Kuru-\\nman, British Bechuanaland, under date of Tuesday,\\nJanuary 2d\\nI commenced a bombardment of Kuruman yester-\\nday (Monday) morning, aiming at the police barracks.\\nThe fight lasted until six in the evening, when the\\ngarrison surrendered, issuing from the forts and yield-\\ning up arms.\\nWe took 120 prisoners, including Captain Bates\\nand Captain Dennison, Mr. Hilliard, the magistrate,\\nand eight other officers. We also captured seventy\\nnatives, together with a number of rifles and revolvers\\nand a quantity of ammunition. Fifteen British were\\nwounded. They are being attended by us, with the\\nhelp of Doctor Bearne, an English physician.\\nThe horses, oxen, mealies, and flour taken from\\nthe prisoners have been sent to Pretoria by way of\\nVryburg.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0158.jp2"}, "159": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 125\\nGeneral Gatacre has given up Dordrecht, thinking\\nit inadvisable to hold the place longer.\\nThe British government has seized the German mail-\\nsteamer, General, for alleged carrying of contraband\\ngoods.\\nEmperor William is said to be particularly incensed\\nover the affair, because information has reached him\\nshowing that the seizure was not due to the blundering\\nof British naval officers, but to strict orders from head-\\nquarters which the officers are merely carrying out.\\nHe has therefore instructed Count von Buelow, the\\nforeign secretary, to demand exact and full reparation\\nfor the outrage done to the German flag.\\nSignificant of the intensity of Germany s indignation\\nagainst England in this matter, is a declaration published\\nto-day by the German Colonial Society, among whose\\neighty thousand members are a number of reigning\\nGerman princes, which says\\nEngland s recent proceedings against German ves-\\nsels are an outrage. The fact remains that the small\\nrespect which the English people feel for Germany, be-\\ncause of her inefficiency in naval power, has taken such\\ndeep root that the commanders of English war-ships\\nhasten to commit breaches in international rights so\\nlong as only Germany is thereby touched. This lack\\nof fear to touch the German flag must be thoroughly\\nand speedily cured.\\nThe 7th Army Division sailed from England to-\\nday.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0159.jp2"}, "160": {"fulltext": "126 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nA number of signs indicate that the hour of battle in\\nNatal is drawing near, volunteers for duty as stretcher-\\nbearers having been sent to the front. The foreign\\nattaches have left Durban for Frere. Very important\\nnews is expected at any moment.\\nJamiary 5. Colonel Baden-Powell reports that on\\nDecember 26th he made a sortie from Mafeking, and\\nwas defeated, with a loss of forty-five killed and\\nwounded.\\nJamiary 6. The Boers took their turn on the ag-\\ngressive early this morning, when they attacked Lady-\\nsmith with great force on all sides. General White s\\ngarrison replied with a tremendous fire of musketry and\\nfield-guns. The Boers were very successful, capturing\\nseveral important positions, and holding them all day\\nlong. In the middle of the afternoon, General White\\nhehographed to Buller that he was hard pressed, but\\nthe latter was powerless to assist him. Just at dark, in\\nsheer desperation, White ordered a bayonet charge, and\\nthe Boers were driven from their advanced position.\\nBritish losses thirteen officers killed, twenty-seven\\nwounded rank and file, thirteen killed, 269 wounded.\\nBoer losses twenty-seven killed, and seventy wounded.\\nThe German steamer General has been released.\\nGermany has sent a war-ship to Delagoa Bay.\\nGeneral French reports a loss of 217 men.\\nJaniiary y. The following was received at four this\\nafternoon from General White\\nJanuary 6th, 12.45 P- Have beaten the enemy", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0160.jp2"}, "161": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 127\\noff at present, but they are still around me in great\\nnumbers, especially to the south, and I think renewed\\nattack very probable.\\n3.15 p. M. Attack renewed. Very hard pressed.\\nGeneral French reports that ninety men of the Suf-\\nfolk regiment have been sent off and captured by the\\nBoers.\\nJanuary 8. General White has sent the following\\nmessage from Ladysmith, dated at 2 p. m. to-day\\nAn attack was commenced on my position, but was\\nchiefly against Caesar s Camp and Wagon Hill. The\\nenemy was in force, and pushed the attack with the\\ngreatest courage and energy. Some of our entrench-\\nments on Wagon Hill were three times taken by the\\nenemy and retaken by us. The attack continued until\\n7.30. One point in our position was occupied by the\\nenemy the whole day. But at dusk, in a very heavy\\nrain-storm, they were turned out of this position at the\\npoint of the bayonet, in a most gallant manner, by the\\nDevons, led by Colonel Park. Colonel Ian Hamilton\\ncommanded on Wagon Hill, and rendered valuable\\nservices. The troops have had a very trying time, and\\nhave behaved excellently. They are elated at the ser-\\nvice they have rendered the queen.\\nThe enemy was repulsed everywhere with a very\\nheavy loss, greatly exceeding that on my side, which\\nwill be reported as soon as the lists are com-\\npleted.\\nJanuary 10. General Lord Roberts and his chief", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0161.jp2"}, "162": {"fulltext": "128 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nof Staff, General Lord Kitchener, arrived early this\\nevening.\\nJanuary ii. General Buller advanced this forenoon\\nand occupied the south bank of the Tugela River,\\nseizing the pont.\\nThe American flour which had been seized was re-\\nleased to-day, the government having declared that food-\\nstuffs are not contraband of war, unless intended for\\nuse by the enemy s forces.\\nJanuary 75. The Boers rushed a hill to-day at Rens-\\nburg, but were driven back at the point of the bayonet\\nby General French s force. The enemy s loss was\\ntwenty-one killed, and fifty wounded.\\nJanuary 16. Major-General Lyttleton ferried and\\nforded Potgieter s drift on the Tugela River this after-\\nnoon, and seized, with but little opposition, a line of\\nlow ridges a mile therefrom.\\nJanuary ij. General Buller s advance was continued\\nlast night, when the howitzer battery was carried\\nacross the Tugela River at Potgieter s drift and to-day,\\nfrom Mount Ahce near Swartz Kop, the naval guns\\nand the howitzers shelled effectively the Boer position,\\nwhich is a strong one.\\nGeneral Sir Charles Warren crossed the Tugela to-\\nday six miles farther to the west, near Wagon drift, with\\na force of all arms, in the face of a hot and very heavy\\nfire from the Boer cannon and rifles. He has effected\\na most satisfactory lodgment two miles inland, toward\\nSproonkop.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0162.jp2"}, "163": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 129\\nJanuary ig. Lord Dundonald s cavalry defeated the\\nBoers to-day in a skirmish west of Acton Homes. The\\nenemy lost thirty-five in killed and wounded.\\nJanuary 20. General Warren has had an all-day fight,\\ndriving the Boers back a thousand yards. His loss in\\nwounded is given as\\nOfficers staff, Col. B. Hamilton and Maj. C. Mc-\\nGregor 2d Lancashire Fusiliers, Capt. R. B. Blunt and\\n2d Lieut. H. G. Crofton and E. J. M. Barrett; ist\\nBorder Rifles, Capt. C. D. Vaughan and 2d Lieut.\\nMurior; ist York and Lancashires, 2d Lieut. A. H.\\nKeirroy 2d Dublin Fusiliers, Capt. C. A. Hornsby\\n(since dead), and Maj. F. English 2d Gordon, 2d\\nLieut. T. D. Stewart, and 279 non-commissioned\\nofficers and men.\\nGeneral Lyttleton made to-day a reconnoissance in\\nforce in front of Potgieter s drift. His casualities are\\ntwo killed, twelve wounded, and two missing.\\nJanuary 22. General Warren is attacking the enemy s\\nright flank.\\nJanuary 2^. General Warren has taken Spion Kop,\\nthe Boer garrison leaving the position without making\\nmuch resistance. Major-General Woodgate has been\\nseriously wounded.\\nJanuary 2^. General Warren, late to-night, was forced\\nto abandon Spion Kop. General Buller reports the loss\\nto-day as killed, six officers and twenty-four non-com-\\nmissioned officers and men wounded, twelve officers\\nand 142 non-commissioned officers and men; mis-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0163.jp2"}, "164": {"fulltext": "130 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nsing, thirty-one, Boer losses: fifty-two killed, 120\\nwounded.\\nA letter sent from Ladysmith by a native runner thus\\nspeaks of General Buller s defeat at Colenso\\nThe news was received with blank dismay. Then,\\nas the situation began to be studied calmly, the tension\\nwas reheved. It did not really matter if the investment\\nlasted a few weeks longer. We had few of the luxuries\\nof life, it is true, but there was a full ration of the neces-\\nsaries for at least two months. The defences were\\npractically secure against attack. Our worst enemy\\nwas sickness. The situation was anything but desper-\\nate. The men, having so long stood to the field fortifica-\\ntions, seemed satisfied to remain on the defences. The\\ndisappointment was acute, but, as far as the garrison\\nwas concerned, the situation remained unchanged.\\nFrom all accounts, the invaders have carried out\\ntheir devastation with a ruthless hand. Not content with\\nlifting all cattle found on farms, they have destroyed\\nprivate property in a shameful and childlike manner.\\nWhen the orders were given to leave the homesteads\\nstanding, the raiders, after removing everything port-\\nable, resorted to the petty spite of slitting pictures and\\nfiring bullets into pianos, and in every way trying to do\\nas much annoying damage as possible. In a farm which\\nwe have retaken we found the pictures with the eyes\\ngouged out of the portraits, and all the little harmless\\nornaments, which the feminine mind loves so well, de-\\nliberately smashed. A poor revenge.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0164.jp2"}, "165": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 131\\nWinston Churchill gives this graphic picture of fight-\\ning Boers, from Chieveley\\nYesterday I rode out to watch the evening bombard-\\nment which we make on their entrenchments with the\\n4.7 guns. From the low hill on which the battery was\\nestablished the whole scene was laid bare. The Boer\\nlines run in a great crescent along the hills. Tier above\\ntier of trenches have been scored along their sides, and\\nthe brown streaks run across the grass of the open\\ncountry south of the river.\\nAfter tea in the captain s cabin, I should say tent,\\nCommander Limpus, of the Terrible kindly invited\\nme to look through the telescope and mark the fall of\\nthe shots. The glass was one of great power, and I\\ncould plainly see the figures of the Boers, walking\\nabout in twos and threes, sitting on the embankments,\\nor shovelling away to heighten them. We selected one\\nparticular group near a kraal, whose range had been\\ncarefully noted, and the great guns were slowly brought\\nto bear on the unsuspecting target.\\nI looked through the spy-hole at the tiny picture\\nthree dirty beehives for the kraal, a long breast-\\nwork of newly thrown up earth, six or seven minia-\\nture men gathered into a little bunch,, two others\\nskylarking on the grass behind the trench, apparently\\nengaged in a boxing-match. Then I turned to the\\nguns. A naval ofiicer craned along the 17-foot barrel,\\npeering through the telescopic sights. Another was\\npenciling some calculations as to wind, and light,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0165.jp2"}, "166": {"fulltext": "132 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand other intricate details. The crew stood attentive\\naround.\\nAt last all was done. I looked back to the enemy.\\nThe group was still intact. The boxers were still play-\\ning\u00e2\u0080\u0094one had pushed the other down. A solitary\\nhorseman had also come into the picture and was rid-\\ning slowly across. The desire of murder rose in my\\nheart. Now for a bag. Bang I jumped at least a\\nfoot, disarranging the telescope but there was plenty of\\ntime to reset it while the shell was hissing and roaring\\nits way through nearly five miles of air.\\nI found the kraal again the group still there, but\\nall motionless and alert, like startled rabbits. Then they\\nbegan to bob into the earth, one after the other. Sud-\\ndenly, in the middle of the kraal, there appeared a huge\\nflash, a billowy ball of smoke and clouds of dust. Bang\\nI jumped again the second gun had fired. But before\\nthis shell could reach the trenches a dozen little figures\\nscampered away, scattering in all directions evidently\\nthe first had not been without effect. But when I\\nturned the glass to another part of the defences\\nthe Boers were working away stolidly, and only\\nthose near the explosion showed any signs of dis-\\nturbance.\\nThe bombardment continued for half an hour, the\\nshells being flung sometimes into the trenches, some-\\ntimes among the houses of Colenso, and always directed\\nwith marvellous accuracy. At last the guns were cov-\\nered up agam in their tarpaulins, the crowd of military", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0166.jp2"}, "167": {"fulltext": "jflipp%\\n4\\n4\\n.g\\nIH^^^H\\n^Ki\\nt^^P^r ^^^^H\\nP\\ni\\nt\\n|DI\\nM-\\nHHg^\\nB\\ns\\nW J\\nI\\nGENERAL SIR REDVERS H. BULLER.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0167.jp2"}, "168": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0168.jp2"}, "169": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 133\\nSpectators broke up and dispersed amid the tents, and\\nsoon it became night.\\nJanuary 2^. General Buller has commenced the\\nwithdrawal of General Warren s force to the south\\nof the Tugela River.\\nJanuary 26. General Warren s force is now on the\\nsouth of the Tugela.\\nJanuary 2^/. The transport Assaye has arrived at\\nCape Town with 2,127 officers and men. The first por-\\ntion of the 7th Division is afloat. Hence, with ten\\nthousand men of this division, and about nine thousand\\nothers now at sea, it lies in the power of Lord Roberts\\nto reinforce General Buller heavily. This course is\\nadvised by military writers.\\nFollowing is an extract from a letter written in Lady-\\nsmith, and received in Cape Town on this date\\nThat there are traitors and spies, white as well as\\nblack, in the garrison of Ladysmith is certain. The\\nenemy never fails to receive notice of our movements.\\nGeneral Joubert, indeed, is said to have been very angry\\nbecause on one occasion he had not heard of the order\\ncountermanding a night attack. He complained of\\nGeneral White s want of consideration in keeping the\\nBurghers out of bed,\\nOn Mournful Monday, the name given by common\\nconsent to the day of Nicholson s Nek, the Boers gave\\ndisastrous proof of acquaintance with our plans by with-\\ndrawing their main body from the centre of our attack,\\nand by preparing an ambush for the Gloucesters and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0169.jp2"}, "170": {"fulltext": "134 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nIrish Fusiliers. The reconnoissance under Colonel\\nBrocklehurst also showed that they had been warned\\nin time to change their position.\\nIn short, it is impossible to avoid the reflection that\\nwe are in an enemy s country. The loyalty of the Brit-\\nish colonies is beyond question, but the Dutch element\\nin Natal is very strong. Several farmers have been\\ncaught red-handed, and many civilians and volunteers\\nhave brothers and cousins fighting on the other side.\\nEvery project is known and discussed in the volunteer\\nline long before the regulars have any idea of it, and\\nofficers have received countermands of orders that never\\nreached them.\\nOnly three Europeans one of whom has since\\nmysteriously disappeared have come from the south,\\nLieutenant Hooper, of the 5th Lancers, having set the\\nexample by his plucky ride from Colenso. We have\\ntherefore been dependent upon native runners for any\\nnews from the outside world, and that news has\\nbeen of the most meagre and untrustworthy kind.\\nEven after communication was established by helio-\\ngraph and flashlight, we were denied the information\\nwhich we were most eager for, the signallers at\\nWeenen preferring to send personal and even frivolous\\nmessages.\\nOur horses and oxen have suffered, the supply of\\nfodder being exhausted, and the limited area of grazing\\nground having been cropped to the last blade. Gro-\\nceries have run out pure water i\u00c2\u00a7 gcarce whiskey", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0170.jp2"}, "171": {"fulltext": "IN JANUARY. 135\\nsells at thirty-five dollars a bottle, and milch cows\\nare commandeerd for beef.\\nGeneral Lyttleton s force has been withdrawn south\\nof the Tugela River. Kelly-Kenny is now occupying\\nThebus, Cape Colony.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0171.jp2"}, "172": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIV.\\nOPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG.\\n/^^N the first day of the year, General French, who\\noccupied Rensburg, on the Hne of the railroad, set\\nout to dislodge the Boers who were holding Colesberg.\\nDuring the two previous days he had been pressing the\\nenemy vigorously, and the time had come when a deter-\\nmined attack miight produce most important results.\\nHe left Rensburg on the afternoon of December 31st,\\nwith cavalry, artillery, and infantry, the latter riding in\\nwagons to hasten the advance, but the details of this\\naction will best be told by copying the general s official\\nreport, which was as follows\\nLeaving at Rensburg, holding the enemy in front,\\nhalf of the ist Suffolks and a section of the Royal\\nHorse Artillery, I started thence at five in the afternoon,\\nDecember 31st, taking with me five squadrons of cav-\\nalry, half of the 2d Berks, and eighty mounted infantry,\\ninfantry carried in wagons, and ten guns.\\nI halted for four hours at Haider s farm, and at 3.30\\nnext morning occupied the kopje overlooking and west-\\nward of Colesberg. The enemy s outposts were taken\\ncompletely by surprise. At daylight we shelled the\\n136", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0172.jp2"}, "173": {"fulltext": "OPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG. I37\\nlaager and enfiladed the right of the enemy s position.\\nThe artillery fire was very hot from a 15-pounder using\\nroyal laboratory ammunition, and other guns.\\nWe silenced the guns on the enemy s right flank,\\ndemonstrating with cavalry and guns to the north of\\nColesberg, toward the junction, where a strong laager\\nof the enemy was holding a hill and a position southeast\\nof Colesberg, as far as the junction.\\nOur position cuts the line of retreat from the road\\nand bridge.\\nSome thousands of Boers with two guns are re-\\nported to be retiring toward Norval s Pont. All Rem-\\nington scouts proceeded toward Achterland yesterday\\nmorning.\\nSlight casualties.\\nThe British loss was three killed and seven wounded.\\nThe strength of the Boers was estimated at five thou-\\nsand men, and it was believed they suffered severely.\\nDuring the night the republicans were reinforced,\\nand that which General French had believed to be a\\nretreat, proved simply a change of position. They held\\nthe hills immediately surrounding Colesberg, thus pre-\\nventing the British from entering the town or advanc-\\ning along the railway.\\nThe fighting was continued at long range on the\\nmorning of the 2d and the 3d, with no especial\\nadvantage to either side. On the 3d, reinforcements\\nof infantry and artillery were sent to General French\\nfrom De Aar.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0173.jp2"}, "174": {"fulltext": "138 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nOn the 4th, the Boers pressed the British hard, losing\\nno less than fifty killed, and a large number wounded.\\nThe action was continued at long range throughout the\\n5th, and on the next day General French reported as\\nfollows\\nThe situation is much the same as yesterday, but\\nI regret to report that a serious accident happened to\\nthe first battalion of the Suffolk regiment.\\nIt appears that, with the authority of General French,\\nfour companies of the first battalion advanced by night\\nagainst a low hill one mile from their camp. They\\nattacked at dawn. Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, com-\\nmanding, gave orders to charge. He was at once\\nwounded. Orders for retirement were given. Three-\\nquarters of the force retreated to camp. The remainder\\nheld their ground until they were overpowered by\\ngreater numbers, when they surrendered. Seventy\\nwere taken prisoners, including seven officers.\\nOn this same day (January 6th), General Forestier-\\nWalker reported\\nReferring to my earlier despatch, to-day, I have to\\nreport that General French reports, under date of Janu-\\nary 6th, that a medical officer has been sent out to col-\\nlect all the wounded to the northeast of Colesberg.\\nThe exact list of persons missing, French has not yet\\nascertained, probably about seventy. The first bat-\\ntalion of the Essex regiment has been sent to replace\\nthe first battalion of the Suffolk.\\nThe position of affairs, tactical and strategic, is", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0174.jp2"}, "175": {"fulltext": "OPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG. 1 39\\nwithout alteration. A Boer medical officer admits it\\nwas intended to leave Colesberg. The enemy s loss,\\nday by day, from our fire has been heavy.\\nFrom this time, until January 15th, the situation\\nremained practically unchanged, save that the Boers\\nwere strengthening their position steadily, and on that\\ndate the republicans assumed the offensive.\\nOn the morning of the 15th the enemy attempted to\\nrush a hill held by a company of the Yorkshires and\\nthe New Zealanders, but they were repulsed at the\\npoint of the bayonet.\\nThe Boers had twenty-one men killed and about fifty\\nwounded.\\nThe hill commands a tract of country east of the\\nmain position of the Boers, and they had determined to\\nmake an attempt to seize the heights.\\nThey advanced cautiously, directing their fire at a\\nsmall wall held by the Yorkshires, and compelling the\\nlatter to keep close under cover. When the Boers\\nrushed the wall, the Yorkshires fixed bayonets and\\ncharged. Just at that moment Captain Haddocks, with\\na small party of New Zealanders, came up, and the\\ncombined force leaped over the wall and charged\\nstraight for the enemy, who fled, followed by a wither-\\ning fire at close range.\\nThe Boers literally tumbled over each other in their\\nhurry to escape, but the persistent fire of the British\\ninflicted a heavy loss. Desultory firing continued for\\nsome time, but the attack was an utter failure, and the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0175.jp2"}, "176": {"fulltext": "140 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nBoers retreated to the shelter of the small kopjes at\\nthe base of the hill.\\nThe struggle, which continued nearly thirty days, was\\na most determined effort to hold possession of that\\nsection of the country. Both the British and the Boers\\nhad been reinforced, and the aim of each was to out-\\nmanoeuvre the other. The English lines were extended\\neast and west until they were in horseshoe form, twenty-\\nfive miles in length.\\nThere was no news of importance from Rensburg\\nuntil the 12th of February, when was foreshadowed\\nGeneral French s retreat. The despatch read as\\nfollows\\nThe Boers have driven in the British outposts on\\nthe western flank to-day, all outposts at Bastards Nek,\\nHobkirks Windmill, and other points, retiring to\\nHaider s farm.\\nOn the following day came a stronger note of defeat\\nThe Boers are actively pressing around Rensburg.\\nThe British force under Lieutenant-Colonel Page, con-\\nsisting of a section of artillery and 150 horses, which\\nreached Slingersfontein February loth, has been com-\\npelled to fall back on Rensburg, owing to its eastern\\nflank being threatened.\\nYesterday s retirement of the western outposts\\nincluded the withdrawal from Cole s Kop and all the\\nsurrounding posts. The Boers placed a 40-pounder at\\nBastards Nek, commanding the surrounding country,\\nand successfully shelled the British position. The Boers", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0176.jp2"}, "177": {"fulltext": "OPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG. I4I\\nnumbered some thousands, and were five to one every-\\nwhere fighting occurred. The British are chafing under\\nthe necessity of a retreat from their posts, some of\\nwhich they have held since the new year.\\nThe British now have no camp west of Rensburg.\\nThey safely brought off the guns from Cole s Kop.\\nSevere fighting occurred during the British retreat, the\\nvarious outposts on both sides suffering heavy losses.\\nIt is doubtful if Rensburg can be held.\\nA second despatch, on the following day, gave further\\nparticulars of the Slingersfontein affair\\nEarly yesterday morning the Boers attacked Sling-\\nersfontein, opening the assault with musketry on the\\nhills on the northeast, held by three companies of\\nthe Worcesters under Captain Hovel.\\nAt sunrise, the artillery attack began. The Boers\\napproached in great numbers, estimated at seven to one.\\nThe British, under good cover, sustained the attack\\nthroughout the day.\\nMeanwhile two big guns on the west opened upon\\nthe British at daylight and fired during half an hour,\\nwhen a British howitzer silenced them with lyddite,\\nthe British artillery firing with precision.\\nThen another Boer gun to the north opened on the\\nRoyal Irish Rifles, but rather ineffectually, as the Rifles\\nhad good cover,\\nThe shelling continued all day, and last evening the\\nBoers brought up a 40-pounder, in order to bombard\\nthe camp from a hill to the north. The attempt was", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0177.jp2"}, "178": {"fulltext": "142 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nplainly visible, as the gun could be seen being drawn\\nup by eighteen oxen.\\nWith the Boers surrounding the British in over-\\nwhelming numbers, and having artillery, it became\\nevident that it would be impossible to retain Slingers-\\nfontein, which the British evacuated under cover of\\ndarkness, falling back upon Rensburg.\\nThe British casualties were lighter than might have\\nbeen expected in the circumstances.\\nThe announcement of the retreat was made on the\\nsame day the previous despatch came to hand (February\\n13th), and was sent from Naauwpoort\\nVery severe fighting occurred on both our flanks,\\nnear Rensburg. The enemy greatly outnumbered our\\ntroops, being about four thousand in number.\\nThey attacked the Worcestershire regiment on\\ntheir hill, and with desperate determination charged\\nhome, only to experience such a heavy Maxim and\\nrifle fire from our men that the death-roll of the\\nassailants must have been considerable.\\nA patrol of the Inniskillen Dragoons was sur-\\nrounded by some five hundred Boers, and gallantly\\ncut its way through without losing a man but a\\ncompany of New South Wales mounted infantry was,\\nunfortunately, annihilated, most of the men s bayonets,\\nhowever, bearing the impress of a sanguinary conflict\\nwith their foes.\\nColonel Conyngham was shot through the heart\\nat the outset of the engagement. The enemy chose", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0178.jp2"}, "179": {"fulltext": "OPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG. I43\\nthe time when the moon was setting, for their on-\\nslaught. Out of five colonial officers only one returned\\nto camp.\\nA strategic and concentrated move back to Arundel\\nwas decided upon. Our guns from Cole s Kop have\\nbeen safely removed, one Maxim being destroyed, to\\nprevent its falling into the hands of the enemy. Nine\\nwounded officers and thirty-five men were brought into\\nthe Naauwpoort field-hospital. Our death-roll at present\\nis not known.\\nTwo companies of the Wiltshires, that were on\\noutpost duty, failed to join the force before the\\nretirement from Rensburg, and their absence not\\nbeing noticed on the parade, they were eventually\\ncut off.\\nThe British commander, however, had no idea of\\nleaving Colesberg and Rensburg in the hands of the\\nenemy, indeed, it was of the utmost importance that\\nthese posts be taken, therefore he continued to harass\\nthe Boers at every opportunity, but gaining no ad-\\nvantage until February 2 2d, when he sent the following\\ndespatch from Arundel\\nColonel Henderson s squadron of the Inniskillens,\\nwith two guns, reconnoitred westward to Mooifon-\\ntein farm, on the direct road to Colesberg and\\nHanover. They arrived close to the Boers in the\\nhills, and were fired on. They quickly got their guns\\nin position and shelled the hills. Eventually the\\nBoers were driven out, retiring northward, when they", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0179.jp2"}, "180": {"fulltext": "144 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ncame under fire of two other guns, supported by a\\ncompany of Australians, near the British western post\\non Dragoon Hill.\\nColonel Henderson proceeded to Mooifontein farm,\\nwhich he now occupies. The British patrol from Han-\\nover also came out that far.\\nThe Boers are not in great force. They have been\\npersistently followed all day long, and have withdrawn\\na considerable distance northward.\\nSix days later, February 28th, Lord Roberts\\nreported officially\\nGeneral Clements reports that, on hearing Colesberg\\nhad been evacuated, he sent a force to occupy Coles-\\nberg Junction, and rode into the town, where he\\nreceived an enthusiastic welcome.\\nHe secured a certain amount of ammunition, ar-\\nrested several rebels, and then returned to Rensburg.\\nHe reported the railway line clear and working to\\nLanewalewnans s siding.\\nColesberg and Colesberg Junction are held by our\\ntroops.\\nThe Boers lost no time in retiring from Cape Colony,\\nbut left behind them a good reputation for kindness to\\na foe, for citizens of Colesberg reported that the re-\\npublicans denied themselves many necessaries rather\\nthan allow the wounded British to suffer.\\nA reconnoissance with two troops of Australians and\\ntwo guns found the wagon bridge over the Orange\\nRiver intact. Fifty Boers on the other side were taken", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0180.jp2"}, "181": {"fulltext": "OPERATIONS AROUND COLESBERG. I45\\nby surprise, and the British galloped to their laager,\\nsome miles on the Free State side.\\nThe last of the engagements in the northern portion\\nof Cape Colony took place at Dordrecht on the 4th\\nand 5th of March, and were thus reported\\nGeneral Brabant s colonial division, after a night s\\nmarch, attacked the Boers this morning in a strong\\nposition at Labuschagne s Nek, on the road from\\nDordrecht to Jamestown.\\nThe engagement proceeded with great vigour, the\\nBoers gradually retiring before the British shell fire\\nfrom three positions. A heavy rifle fire was exchanged\\nwhen the British engaged the Boers on the right flank.\\nGeneral Brabant s advance was most satisfactory.\\nToward night, the British force reached the strong, en-\\ntrenched position, which they occupied and now hold,\\nthe Boers being on the opposite hill.\\nThe British will remain to-night in the captured\\npositions, although the Boers brought two guns into\\naction and made a determined effort to retake them.\\nThe British losses were six killed and eighteen\\nwounded.\\nFollowing yesterday s success, General Brabant\\nagain engaged the Boers to-day with advantage, hold-\\ning the position already captured.\\nThere was some smart fighting this morning, the\\nBritish losing five or six men, capturing the Boer fort,\\nand thus vastly improving their position.\\nThe Boers fought tenaciously, contesting every", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0181.jp2"}, "182": {"fulltext": "146 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ninch of the ground, but ultimately they retreated\\nsuddenly, carrying off their guns and wagons.\\nThe British casualties during the two days were\\nthirteen killed, and thirty wounded. The Boer losses\\nare unknown.\\nThe way to Bloemfontein was opened to the British.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0182.jp2"}, "183": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XV.\\nCiESAR s CAMP AND WAGON HILL.\\nAMONG the many stories of heroism which have\\nbeen told regarding the brave men who were be-\\nsieged in Ladysmith, and the hardly less brave men\\nwho stood in the ranks of the besiegers, there is none\\nmore thrilling than that of the Boer attack upon\\nCaesar s Camp and Wagon Hill.\\nIt began at 1.45 o clock on the morning of January\\n6th, and did not end until 7.30 in the evening. Some\\nof the British entrenchments on Wagon Hill were taken\\nthree times by the Boers, and as often regained by the\\ndefenders. One point of the British position was occu-\\npied by the Boers during the whole day, but at night-\\nfall, under cover of a heavy rain-storm, the Devonshire\\nregiment succeeded in turning them out at the point of\\nthe bayonet.\\nThe chief Boer attacks were directed at Caesar s\\nCamp and Wagon Hill, which were defended by the\\nManchester regiment and the Gordon Highlanders.\\nComing up from the south by the way of Fouries\\nSpruit, the Boers assaulted three times with the great-\\nest obstinacy and vigour, sometimes obtaining a foot.\\n147", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0183.jp2"}, "184": {"fulltext": "148 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhold, and again falling back before the British bayonet\\ncharge.\\nMeanwhile the latter, as commando after commando\\ncame up from Colenso to reinforce the fighting lines,\\ngradually spread over the whole circle of entrenchments,\\nincluding the great Boer forts on Mt. Isimbulwana and\\nLombard s Kop.\\nA letter written in Ladysmith by one who wit-\\nnessed the spirited attack and defence, gives the best\\ndescription of the scene yet published\\nThe enemy to-day made a determined effort to cap-\\nture two positions Caesar s Camp and Wagon Hill.\\nThe latter is a lofty eminence to the southwest, posses-\\nsion of which would have brought them within rifle-\\nrange of the town. Caesar s Camp was held by the\\n1st Battalion of the Manchester regiment. The posi-\\ntion was separated from that of the Boers by a rocky\\nravine.\\nIn the early hours of the morning, under cover of\\ndarkness, the Heidelberg commando succeeded in evad-\\ning our pickets, making their way through the thorn-\\nbush, and reaching the foot of the slope at half-past two.\\nThe alarm was raised by our sentries, but, before the\\nfull extent of the danger could be realised, the outlying\\nsangas had been rushed and their defenders slain.\\nOn hearing the firing, two companies of the Gordon\\nHighlanders went to the assistance of the Man ch esters.\\nAt first it was thought that the Boers were concen-\\ntrating on the southern slope, where they had already", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0184.jp2"}, "185": {"fulltext": "CAESARS CAMP AND WAGON HILL. 1 49\\nsecured a footing on the plateau. Here, however, their\\nadvance was checked by the steady volleys of our\\ninfantry and the deadly fire of an automatic gun.\\nLieut. Hunt Grubbe went out to see if any aid\\nwas needed by the troops stationed on the ridge near\\nthe town. He was not aware that the enemy had al-\\nready captured the breastworks, and called out to the\\nsergeant. He received the reply, Here I am, sir and\\nthen he suddenly disappeared from sight. Captain Car-\\nnegie, suspecting a ruse, ordered the Gordons to fire a\\nvolley and to charge. The enemy thereupon fell back\\nprecipitately, leaving behind them the officer whom they\\nhad captured with so much presence of mind. The\\nlieutenant was quite unhurt.\\nIt was now evident that the camp was being assailed\\non the left flank and on the front. By daybreak rein-\\nforcements of Gordon Highlanders and of the Rifle\\nBrigade had been hurried up to the fighting line. Lieu-\\ntenant-Colonel Dick-Cunnyngham, who was leading the\\nGordons out of camp, fell mortally wounded, being hit\\nby a stray bullet while still close to the town.\\nThe 53d Battery of field-artillery, under Major\\nAbdy, crossed the Klip River and shelled the ridge\\nand reverse slope of the front position, where the\\nenemy were lying among the thorn-bushes.\\nThe shrapnel, which flew over our heads, did terri-\\nble execution. It effectually held the Boers in check,\\nand rendered it impossible for them to send reinforce-\\nments to their men through the ravine. The enemy", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0185.jp2"}, "186": {"fulltext": "150 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nfought throughout with the most stubborn courage,\\nbeing evidently determined to take the camp or die in\\nthe attempt. Their 6-inch gun on Umbulwana Moun-\\ntain, and its smaller satellites, threw more than a hun-\\ndred shells at Abdy s battery and at the troops on the\\nhill. Our troops, however, were not less gallant and\\nresolved, and the enemy was pressed back, step by step,\\nuntil, at length, those who were left broke and fled in\\nutter disorder.\\nA terrific storm of rain and hail, accompanied by\\npeals of thunder, had burst over the camp during the\\nfighting. This served to swell the streams into raging\\ntorrents. In their efforts to escape, numbers of the\\nenemy flung themselves into the current and were swept\\naway. The struggle in this part of the field was now\\nended, and the finale was a terrific fusilade all along the\\nline, the crash of which almost drowned the incessant\\nthunder above.\\nMeanwhile a more exciting contest was in progress\\nin the direction of Wagon Hill. At two o clock in the\\nmorning a storming party, furnished by the Harrismith\\ncommando, crept slowly and cautiously along a donga\\nin the valley, which divides our posts from their camp.-\\nA few well-aimed rifle-shots killed our pickets. Tak-\\ning advantage of every inch of cover, the Boers then\\ngradually reached the crest of the heights.\\nHere a body of Light Horse was posted, but they\\nwere forced to retire before the advance of the Free\\nStaters, there being no breastworks for defence on the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0186.jp2"}, "187": {"fulltext": "C^SARS CAMP AND WAGON HILL. I5I\\nwestern shoulder of the hill. With little to impede\\ntheir progress, the enemy soon came to an emplacement,\\nwhere they surprised working parties of the Gordon\\nHighlanders and the 60th Rifles.\\nLieut. Digby Jones, of the Royal Engineers, col-\\nlected a handful of men, and made a gallant effort to\\nhold the position, but the numbers were against him,\\nand after a stubborn resistance he was driven back, and\\nthe enemy got possession of the summit. Even then,\\nhowever, the Free Staters were afraid to venture far or\\nface the heavy fire from the sanga. Here it was that\\nLieutenant McNaughton and thirty of the Gordons were\\ncaptured, although not until every man among them was\\nwounded.\\nAt five o clock Colonel Edwards, with two squad-\\nrons of Light Horse, and the 21st Battery of the\\nRoyal Field Artillery, under Major Blewitt, came into\\naction, preventing the storming party being reinforced\\nfrom the Boer camp.\\nAt the same time, the i8th Hussars and the 5th\\nLancers checked the movement from the spruit on our\\nright flank. Nevertheless, our position at this point had\\nbecome critical. Our men had retired for cover behind\\nthe northern slope, while the enemy had made their way\\ninto the pass dividing them from the hill. Major Bowen\\nrallied a few of the Rifles, but fell while leading them\\nto the charge. His example was at once followed by\\nLieutenant Tod, but the latter met the same fate.\\nThe enemy were making good the footing they", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0187.jp2"}, "188": {"fulltext": "152 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhad already secured in the enplacement, when Maj.\\nMiller Walnutt, calling the scattered Gordons together,\\ncharged in and drove them back. Having thus cleared\\nthe ground, he joined Lieut. Digby Jones in a newly\\nprepared emplacement on the western shoulder.\\nA pause ensued for a time. The Boers were not\\nyet finally beaten. Taking advantage of the storm now\\nraging, they essayed to capture the position by another\\nrush. Three of their leaders reached the parapet, but\\nwere shot down by Lieut. Digby Jones and Major Wal-\\nnutt, the latter of whom also fell.\\nThe renewed check effectually discouraged the\\nassailants, and the deadly duel was now practically at\\nan end. Nevertheless, small parties of the braver\\nspirits kept up a murderous fire on our men from be-\\nhind the rocks.\\nThe moment had evidently arrived to strike a final\\nblow, and Colonel Park quickly issued the necessary\\norders. Three companies of Devonshires, led by Cap-\\ntain Lafone, Lieutenant Field, and Lieutenant Master-\\nson, made a brilliant charge across the open under a\\nterrific fire, and fairly hurled the enemy down the hill\\nat the point of the bayonet. In the course of the\\nstruggle Captain Lafone and Lieutenant Field were\\nkilled, and Lieutenant Masterson received no fewer\\nthan ten wounds.\\nThis was a fitting close to a struggle which had\\nlasted sixteen hours, during which every rifle and gun\\nhad been brought to bear. Our position was now", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0188.jp2"}, "189": {"fulltext": "C^SARS CAMP AND WAGON HILL. 1 53\\nsecure. The attacks on the north and east had also\\nbeen repulsed, and the grand assault had failed all\\nalong the line. The Boers lost heavily. They admit\\nthe engagement was the most severe blow their arms\\nhad sustained since the opening of the campaign. They\\nwere confident of their ability to capture the town, and\\nhad called upon reinforcements from Colenso to assist\\nat the expected victory. Our losses also were consider-\\nable.\\nEarly in the morning the Earl of Ava was mortally\\nwounded while accompanying Col. Ian Hamilton to the\\nscene of action.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0189.jp2"}, "190": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XVI.\\nSPION KOP CAMPAIGN.\\nGeneral 311116/8 Expedition for the Relief of Ladysmith.\\nT N no better way can the general outlines of what has\\nbeen called the Spion Kop Campaign, which was\\nthe first of a series of manoeuvres for the relief of Lady-\\nsmith, be described than by a condensing and putting\\ntogether of the reports made by the English newspaper\\ncorrespondents. In order that General Buller s work\\nmay be thoroughly understood and appreciated, it is\\nwell to have the outline clearly in mind before reading\\nthe detail of the work.\\nThe united information of the correspondents shows\\nthat the operation which began January ii, 1899, and\\nended with Buller once more going back across the\\nTugela on January 25th, was far more dramatic than\\ncould be imagined from the cabled despatches.\\nMen whose lives have been spent in describing fight-\\ning of every kind, in every corner of the globe, declare\\nBuller s movement to have been one of the most care-\\nfully planned and intensely interesting, from a military\\npoint of view, that has marked the war history of the\\n154", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0190.jp2"}, "191": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 55\\nworld while the fighting on Spion Kop is painted in\\nvivid colours that mark it as one of the most spectacular,\\nyet awful, events in the present war.\\nStarting from Chieveley on January nth, General\\nBuller brought his forces slowly to the south bank of\\nthe Tugela. Only a favoured few knew what his inten-\\ntions were, but when within striking distance of the\\nTugela, there developed this plan of action\\nSeven battalions, twenty-two guns, and three hundred\\nhorse under Lyttleton, to mask the Potgieter position\\ntwelve battalions, thirty-six guns, and sixteen hundred\\nhorse to cross five miles to the westward, and make a\\nturning movement against the enemy s right. The\\nBoer covering army was to be swept back on Ladysmith\\nby a powerful left arm, the pivoting shoulder of which\\nwas at Potgieter s, the elbow at Trichard s drift, and the\\nenveloping hand the cavalry and the Lord Dundonald\\nstretching out toward Acton Homes.\\nEvery step was made as planned. The Tugela was\\ncrossed, with practically no resistance, on January 20th.\\nThe first position taken was a sugar-loaf hill on the\\nleft flank. When the squadron reached the summit\\nthe hill was deserted. Corporal Tobin especially dis-\\ntinguished himself in the ascent, being foremost through-\\nout, and, aided by an athletic physique, he managed to\\nreach the summit some paces before his comrades, to\\nwhom he shouted Come on there is no one here.\\nTobin is an American.\\nThe following day the Boers resisted in earnest.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0191.jp2"}, "192": {"fulltext": "156 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe advance into the jaws of death had its amusing\\nas well as its sad incidents. During the ascent, while\\nbullets were flitting by, and a man went down now and\\nagain and had to be carried to the rear, two privates\\nwere very busy, one munching an army biscuit, the\\nother flicking small pebbles at him.\\nSuddenly, what appeared to the man with the biscuit\\nas a particularly sharp stone hit him on the neck, and\\nhe turned around indignantly and demanded\\nSay, Bill, did you chuck that stone at me\\nBill denied the charge, and rejoined\\nWhy, mate, you re wounded.\\nAnd he was. A bullet had passed through the right\\nside of his neck, then into the fleshy part of his shoul-\\nder, and ended its career by lodging underneath the\\nskin of the upper part of his arm. An officer dug out\\nthe bullet with his penknife, and Bill, his comrade,\\npassed him to the ambulance down hill, plaintively reit-\\nerating that he had chucked no stone.\\nThe British fought from kopje to kopje, and then\\nwere at a deadlock. There had been four days fight-\\ning. The first had been distinctly successful; the\\nBritish troops had forced the enemy back from all his\\nadvanced positions the infantry had fought splendidly,\\nand the losses, considering the strength of the position\\nthey had been attacking, had not been great.\\nNow, however, they had come to the main line of\\ndefence. Three days fighting had not improved the\\nBritish position. The Boer was probably stronger, for", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0192.jp2"}, "193": {"fulltext": "BRITISH TROOPS ASCENDING SPION KOP AT NIGHT.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0193.jp2"}, "194": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0194.jp2"}, "195": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. I57\\nhe had brought up more guns and improved his en-\\ntrenchments. It was obvious, therefore, that the\\nBritish could not hope for success in that direction, and\\nso the attack on Spion Kop was ordered.\\nAccording to another account, the attack on Spion\\nKop, which was beheved to dominate the Boer positions,\\nwas not decided until after a council of war, in which\\nGeneral Buller, while personally favouring an immediate\\nretreat across the Tugela, allowed himself to be gov-\\nerned by the entreaties of his subordinates.\\nOf the ascent of Spion Kop a correspondent writes\\nThe night was intensely dark. The troops were\\nled by the guides over rocky ridges and through dongas,\\nand in single file the long line of silent figures crept\\nup the height.\\nThe crest of the mountain, fully two thousand feet\\nabove its base, was reached about 3.30 a. m. Wednesday,\\nJanuary 24th. Bayonets were now fixed, and the men\\npeered intently through the blackness ahead. Suddenly,\\nat four o clock in the morning, when a third of the entire\\nlength of the plateau had been cautiously traversed, a\\nKaffir was heard singing out the alarm in Dutch. A\\nsentry challenged, and the Fusiliers, levelling bayonets,\\ncharged with a cheer. An officer bayonetted the\\nsentry. The Boers thereupon fired a wild volley, and\\nbolted into the darkness.\\nThe first trench had been won without the loss of\\na man on our side, and the column sent up a ringing\\ncheer. About 5 a. m. the second trench was taken.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0195.jp2"}, "196": {"fulltext": "158 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAbout eight o clock the misty cloud-cap over Spion\\nKop melted away sufficiently to enable the Boers, who\\nwere now crowding in thousands on the ridge, and in\\nhundreds behind the rocks and in the trenches across\\nthe northern extremity, as well as nearly up to the\\ncentre of the mountain crest, to open a concentrated\\nfire upon our devoted battalions. The hail-like rattle\\nof the Boer rifles was vigorously replied to.\\nGeneral Woodgate, who was detailed by General\\nWarren to effect the capture of the position, walked\\nto and fro, amid the never-ceasing whistle of flying\\nbullets, to direct his men. Early in the engagement\\nthe general was shot over the left eye as he was coolly\\nwatching the effects of our fire. He was carried to the\\nrear, suffering acute pain, but exclaimed Let me\\nalone. Let me alone.\\nOf the fierce fighting that followed all that day on\\nSpion Kop there are many brilliant accounts, but none\\nmore so than that of Winston Churchill.\\nThe troops/ he writes, were driven almost entirely\\noff the main plateau, and the Boers succeeded in reoc-\\ncupying some of their trenches.\\nA frightful disaster was narrowly averted. About\\ntwenty men in one of the captured trenches abandoned\\ntheir resistance, threw up their hands, and called out\\nthat they would surrender. Colonel Thorneycroft, whose\\ngreat stature made him everywhere conspicuous, and\\nwho was from dawn till dusk in the first firing line,\\nrushed to the spot.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0196.jp2"}, "197": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 59\\nThe Boers, advancing to take the prisoners, as at\\nNicholson s Nek, v/ere scarcely thirty yards away.\\nThorneycroft shouted to the Boer leader\\nYou may go to h 1 I command on this hill,\\nand allow no surrender. Go on with your firing.\\nWhich, later, they did with terrible effect, killing\\nmany.\\nThe survivors, with the rest of the firing line, fled\\ntwo hundred yards, were rallied by their indomitable\\ncommander, and, being reinforced by two brave com-\\npanies of the Middlesex regiment, charged back, recov-\\nering all lost ground, and the position was maintained\\nuntil nightfall.\\nNo words in these days of extravagant expression\\ncan do justice to the glorious endurance which the\\nEnglish regiments for they were all English dis-\\nplayed throughout the long, dragging hours of hell\\nfire.\\nA village of ambulance wagons grew up at the foot\\nof the mountain. The dead and injured, smashed and\\nbroken by the shells, littered the summit till it was a\\nbloody, reeking shambles. Thirst tormented the soldiers,\\nfor, though water was at hand, the fight was too close\\nand furious to give even a moment s breathing space.\\nBut nothing could weaken the stubborn vigour of the\\ndefence. The artillery, unable to find or reach the\\nenemy s guns, could only tear up the ground in impo-\\ntent fury. Night closed in with the British still in\\npossession of the hill.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0197.jp2"}, "198": {"fulltext": "l6o FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nDescribing his endeavour to get up the hill, a corre-\\nspondent says\\nStreams of wounded met us and obstructed the\\npath. Corpses lay here and there. Many of the\\nwounds were of a horrible nature. The splinters and\\nfragments of the shells had torn and mutilated in the\\nmost ghastly manner. I passed about two hundred\\nwhile I was climbing up.\\nThere was, moreover, a small, but steady leakage\\nof unwounded men of all corps. Some of these cursed\\nand swore. Others were utterly exhausted, and fell on\\nthe hillside in stupour. Others, again, seemed drunk,\\nthough they had had no liquor. Scores were sleeping\\nheavily.\\nLater that night an informal council of war was called,\\nand Sir Charles Warren, from below the hill, sent Mr.\\nChurchill to ascertain Colonel Thorneycroft s views.\\nWhen the correspondent reached the crest he found\\nonly one solid battalion remained, the Dorsets. All\\nothers were intermingled.\\nAmid this disorganised, but determined force,\\nMr, Churchill writes, I found Colonel Thorneycroft,\\nat the top of the mountain. Every one seemed to\\nknow, even in the confusion, where he was. He was\\nsitting on the ground, surrounded by the remnants of\\nthe regiment he had raised, who had fought for him\\nlike lions and followed him like dogs.\\nI explained the situation as I had been told, and as\\nI thought. Naval guns were prepared to try, sappers", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0198.jp2"}, "199": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. l6l\\nand working parties were already on the road with\\nthousands of sand-bags. What did he think\\nBut the decision had already been taken. He had\\nnever received any messages from the general, had not\\nhad time to write any. Messages had been sent him,\\nhe had wanted to send others himself. The fight had\\nbeen too hot, too close, too interlaced, for him to\\nattend to anything but to support this company,\\nclear those rocks, or line that trench. So, having\\nheard nothing, and expecting no guns, he had decided\\nto retire. As he put it, tersely Better six good bat-\\ntalions safely down the hill, than a mob up in the\\nmorning.\\nThe retrograde movement was effected in a masterly\\nmanner without loss. General Buller conducted this\\nmovement in person. He was almost incessantly in\\nthe saddle for over two days and nights. Only a man\\nof iron nerves like his could rise superior to such an\\nunfortunate miscarriage of his plans.\\nSuch was the fifth of the series of actions called the\\nbattle of Spion Kop. It was an event which the British\\npeople may regard with feelings of equal pride and sad-\\nness. It redounds to the honour of the soldiers, though\\nnot greatly to that of the generals.\\nIt was on the nth of January, at 9.30 p.m., that\\nGeneral Buller telegraphed from Springfield, Natal\\nI occupied the south bank of the Tugela River at\\nPotgieter s drift this morning, and seized the bridge.\\nThe river is in a flood.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0199.jp2"}, "200": {"fulltext": "1 62 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe enemy is strongly entrenched about four and\\none half miles to the north.\\nGeneral Buller was hardly prepared for the advance\\nwhich he contemplated on an elaborate scale, and the\\nstrategical scheme of flanking his opponents. The rein-\\nforcements he had received after falling back from\\nColenso placed him in command of more than thirty\\nthousand men. General Sir Charles Warren had joined\\nhim, an officer whose Griqualand expedition years\\nago earned for him a reputation of being able to out-\\nmanoeuvre the Boers in their own peculiar style of\\nfighting and on their own grounds.\\nFrom Estcourt, Warren was in a position to start\\non a long flanking movement, either to the east by\\nWeenen or to the west by Bethany, making a semi-\\ncircle to Ladysmith. Buller, with his headquarters\\nat Frere, could make an inner movement, choosing\\nhis point of crossing the Tugela, either directly in\\nfront, or by turning movements on either side. He\\nchose the left, or westward route, and keeping his\\nplans secret, was able to announce the first success-\\nful step of his advance in his despatch from Potgieter s\\ndrift.\\nThis ford is a little to the westward of the junction\\nof the Tugela with its southern branch, the Little Tugela\\nRiver. The road from Frere would pass along the foot\\nof a range of mountains on the right hand. British cav-\\nalry scouts had, some days previously, come across part\\nof the Boers at Potgieter s drift, and it was ascertained", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0200.jp2"}, "201": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 163\\nthat General Joubert was making a fortified position in\\nthe neighbourhood.\\nWhen Buller had gained the drift, his first new step\\nwas to inform himself as to the locality and strength of\\nthis position. It was, he said, about four and one-half\\nmiles in front, away from the river, and of a strong\\ncharacter. Five days passed in deliberate preparation\\nfor continuing the march to Dewdrop. Not only had\\nthe transport of the column been steadily brought up,\\nbut it was necessary the relief supplies for Ladysmith\\nshould be close in the rear.\\nGeneral Warren s column acted in cooperation with\\nBuller s advance-guard, by moving in a parallel line on\\nthe west.\\nThe Boer commander made the following report of\\nthe situation, under date of January 19th\\nThe British now occupy three positions along the\\nTugela River. Their naval guns have been firing steel-\\npointed armour piercing shells.\\nReports being received that two thousand British\\ncavalry were attempting to outflank us along the Dra-\\nkensberg ridge, a strong patrol was sent to reconnoitre.\\nMistaking the signals, the scouts and patrol proceeded\\nto a kopje, from whence a terrific rifle and Maxim gun\\nfire suddenly opened.\\nThe Boers lost fourteen men killed, and twenty\\nwounded. The British loss was probably insignificant.\\nThe bombardment of the Boer positions from\\nSwartzkop was resumed yesterday, chiefly from a bat-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0201.jp2"}, "202": {"fulltext": "164 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntery brought across the river. In the afternoon the\\ncannonade became exceedingly brisk, and under cover\\nthereof the infantry advanced in three lines to a second\\nrow of Httle kopjes, which they occupied at nightfall\\nbut later they retired to their old position.\\nDuring the night a score of shells were fired by the\\nBritish, and a balloon was sent up to spy out the Boer\\npositions.\\nThe naval guns resumed the bombardment this\\nmorning from a new position, but without results.\\nThe three British positions are the old Chieveley\\ncamp nearest Colenso the central position at Swartz-\\nkop drift, where they hold both banks of the river, and\\na position higher up, in the direction of Zuncles, where\\nthey have bridged the river and established an immense\\ncommissariat. On the summit of the terraces at Swartz-\\nkop they have placed five naval guns, and have brought\\nthe field-artillery across the river to a small kopje on the\\nnorthern bank, whence they keep up an incessant and\\nterrific cannonade on the Boer trenches.\\nSince the first of the week communication with the\\ndifferent positions has been kept up under the ordeal\\nof this cannonade, the casualties resulting from it being\\nheavier than those that occurred at Colenso. One of\\nthe shells from the naval guns killed a father and son.\\nFree Staters, who were chatting at the time. Strangely,\\nneither had any visible wound.\\nOn the 20th of January, in order to relieve the pres-\\nsure on General Warren, and to ascertain the strength", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0202.jp2"}, "203": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 65\\nof the Boers in front of Potgieter s drift, at Ventor s\\nSpruit, General Lyttleton made a reconnoissance in\\nforce, which kept the Boers in the trenches all day.\\nTwo killed, twelve wounded, and two missing, was the\\nprice paid by the English.\\nThe British lines were advanced about a thousand\\nyards. During the night which followed, the Boers\\nmaintained an irregular fire, but the British outposts\\ndid not reply.\\nNext morning, at daybreak, the Boers opened a stiff\\nfire. The British stood to the guns, where they had\\nslept, and the engagement was resumed vigorously. The\\nfield-artillery poured sharpnel into the enemy s trenches.\\nA rumour that Ladysmith had been relieved enlivened\\nthe British, who sent up a ringing cheer. This was\\ntaken for an advance. The first kopje was carried at\\nthe point of the bayonet, and the Boers retreated to the\\nnext kopje, which, like most others, was strewn with\\nimmense boulders, surmounted by mounds on the\\nsummit.\\nThe British advanced steadily, and the Boers relaxed\\nslightly. The latter did not show such tenacity as\\npreviously. Their Nordenveldts were fired at long\\nintervals, and their cannon but seldom.\\nAll day the roar of musketry continued. The British\\ntook three Boer positions on the mountain, and found\\nshelter behind the boulders.\\nRegarding General Warren s work on this day,\\nGeneral Buller reported", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0203.jp2"}, "204": {"fulltext": "1 66 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nHe has swung forward about a couple of miles.\\nThe ground is very difficult, and, as the fighting is all\\nthe time up-hill, it is difficult to say exactly how much\\nwe have gained, but I think we are making substantial\\nprogress.\\nThe Boer report concerning this engagement is as\\nfollows\\nSigns were discovered of an intended movement in\\nthe British northern camp. When the heat, which was\\nmore frightful than any yet experienced, had worn off,\\nthe British cannon started in full force, and their infantry\\nadvanced in extended order.\\nGenerals Botha and Cronje held the high hills over\\nwhich the road to Ladysmith passed. When the Mauser\\nfire opened, a pandemonium of sound filled the air. The\\nvindictive crash of lyddite shells, the sharp volleys of\\nLee-Metfords, and the whip-like crack of Mausers were\\ninterspersed with the Boer Maxims. The battle ended\\nwith darkness, but not without evidences of execution\\namong the British, which were manifest at sunrise.\\nField Cornet Ernst Emilio was killed, nor did the\\ngenerals escape unscathed.\\nAt the central position, Swartzkop, where the other\\nroad to Ladysmith crosses the hills, the British advanced\\nfrom low kopjes on the banks of the Tugela unmolested.\\nThen they entered the zone of the Mauser fire, and\\nalthough their naval guns kept up the usual terrible\\nracket, the advance was stopped, and the British had\\nto count out their dead and wounded..", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0204.jp2"}, "205": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 67\\nCommandant Viijeon and two Burghers were\\nknocked senseless by an explosion of lyddite, but\\nCommandant Viijeon recovered. Field Cornet Heil-\\nbron was wounded, and, on refusing to surrender, was\\nshot,\\nThe British loss was probably insignificant. They\\ncomplain that sporting Mausers were found on the\\nfield, and softened bullets with Lee-Metfords. The\\nBoers admit that sporting Mausers were occasionally\\nfound, but they deny the charge respecting expansive\\nbullets. Not a shot was fired by the Boers with\\ncannon or rifles at the Swartzkop position, this side\\nof the river.\\nOne thousand infantry and a battery advanced yes-\\nterday to the second row of low hills between the re-\\npublicans and the river. Heavy cannonading proceeded\\nat a range of two thousand yards, but the federals\\nmaintained the silence of death. This must have\\nstaggered the British, as the advance was stopped,\\nand this morning they had retired to their old position.\\nOn the evening of January 23d General Buller\\ntelegraphed\\nWarren holds the position he gained two days ago.\\nIn front of him, at about fourteen hundred yards, is the\\nenemy s position, west of Spion Kop. It is on higher\\nground than Warren s position, so it is impossible to\\nsee it properly. It can only be approached over bare,\\nopen slopes, and the ridges held by Warren are so\\nsteep that guns cannot be placed on them, but we", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0205.jp2"}, "206": {"fulltext": "1 68 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nare shelling the enemy s position with howitzers and\\nfield-artillery, placed on lower ground behind in-\\nfantry. The enemy is replying with Creusot and\\nother artillery.\\nIn this duel the advantage rests with us, as we\\nappear to be searching his trenches, and his artillery\\nfire is not causing us much loss.\\nAn attempt will be made to-night to seize Spion\\nKop, the salient point of which forms the left of the\\nenemy s position, facing Trichard s drift, and which\\ndivides it. from the position facing Potgieter s drift. It\\nhas considerable command over all the enemy s entrench-\\nments.\\nThirty hours later General Buller telegraphed\\nGeneral Warren s troops last night occupied Spion\\nKop, surprising the small garrison, who fled. It has\\nbeen held by us all day, though we were heavily attacked,\\nespecially by a very annoying shell fire.\\nI fear our casualties are considerable, and I have\\nto inform you, with regret, that General Woodgate was\\ndangerously wounded.\\nGeneral Warren is of the opinion that he has ren-\\ndered the enemy s position untenable.\\nSpion Kop is a precipitous mountain overtopping the whole\\nline of kopjes along the upper Tugela. On the eastern side the\\nmountain faces Mount Alice and Potgieter s drift, standing at\\nright angles to the Boer central position and Lyttleton s advanced\\nposition.\\nThe southern point descends in abrupt steps to the lower line\\nof kopjes. On the western side, opposite tlae right outposts of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0206.jp2"}, "207": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 69\\nWarren s forces, it is inaccessibly steep, until the point where the\\nneck joins the kop to the main range. Then there is a gentle\\nslope, which allows easy access to the summit.\\nThe neck was strongly held by the Boers, who also occupied\\na heavy spur parallel with the kop, where the enemy was con-\\ncealed in no fewer than thirty-five rifle-pits, and was thus enabled\\nto bring to bear a damaging cross-fire, the only possible point\\nfor a British attack being the southern side, with virtually sheer\\nprecipices on the left and right.\\nA narrow footpath, admitting men in single file only, to the\\nsummit, opens to a perfect table-land, probably three hundred\\nsquare yards area, upon which the Boers had hastily commenced\\nto make a transverse trench. The English were able to occupy\\nthe farther end of this table-land, where the ridge descended to\\nanother flat, which was again succeeded by a round, stony emi-\\nnence, held by the Boers in great strength.\\nThe ridge held by the British force was faced by a number of\\nstrong little kopjes at all angles, whence the Boers sent a concen-\\ntrated fire from their rifles, supported by a Maxim-Nordenfeldt\\nand a big long-range gun. What with the rifles, and the machine\\nguns, and the big gun, the summit was converted into a perfect\\nhell. The shells exploded continually in the British ranks, and\\nthe rifle fire, from an absolutely unseen enemy, was perfectly\\nappalling.\\nReinforcements were hurried up by General Warren, but they\\nhad to cross a stretch of flat ground, which was literally torn up\\nby the flying lead of the enemy. The unfinished trench on the\\nsummit gave very questionable shelter, as the enemy s machine\\nguns were so accurately ranged upon the place that often sixteen\\nshells fell in the trench in a single minute.\\nMortal men could not permanently hold such a position. The\\nBritish held it tenaciously twenty-four hours, and then, taking\\nadvantage of the dark night, abandoned it to the enemy.\\nGeneral Woodgate was wounded about two o clock in the\\nafternoon. Even then he protested that he was all right, and he\\nhad to be held down on the stretcher.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0207.jp2"}, "208": {"fulltext": "1 70 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nA Boer despatch from upper Tugela gave the follow-\\ning information relative to the British abandonment of\\nSpion Kop\\nEarly this morning some Vryheid Burghers from the\\noutposts on the highest hills of the Spion Kop group\\nrushed into the laager, saying that the kop was lost,\\nand that the English had taken it. Reinforcements\\nwere ordered up, but nothing could be done for some\\ntime, the hill being enveloped in a thick mist.\\nAt dawn the Heidelberg and Carolina contingents,\\nsupplemented from other commandoes, began the\\nascent of the hill. Three spurs, precipitous projec-\\ntions, faced the Boer positions. Up these the advance\\nwas made. The horses were left under the first ter-\\nrace of rocks.\\nWhile scaling the kop, the Boers found that the\\nEnglish had improved the opportunity and entrenched\\nheavily. Between the lines of trenches was an open\\nveldt, which had to be rushed under a heavy fire, not\\nonly from rifles, but of lyddite and shrapnel from field-\\nguns.\\nThree forces ascended the three spurs coordinately,\\nunder cover of fire from the Free State Krupps, a\\nCreusot, and a big Maxim. The English tried to rush\\nthe Boers with the bayonet, but their infantry went\\ndown before the Boer rifle fire as before a scythe.\\nThe Boer investing party advanced step by step until\\ntwo o clock in the afternoon, when a white flag went up,\\nand one hundred and fifty men in the front trenches", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0208.jp2"}, "209": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 171\\nsurrendered, and were sent as prisoners to the head\\nlaager.\\nThe Boer advance continued on the two kopjes east\\nof Spion Kop. Many Boers were shot, but so numer-\\nous were the Burghers that the gaps filled automati-\\ncally. Toward twilight they reached the summit of\\nthe second kopje, but did not get farther.\\nThe British Maxims belched flame, but a wall of fire\\nfrom the Mausers held the English back. Their centre,\\nunder this pressure, graduall}/- gave way and broke,\\nabandoning the position.\\nThe prisoners speak highly of the bravery of the\\nBurghers, who, despising cover, stood against the sky-\\nline edges of the summit to shoot the Dublin Fusiliers\\nsheltered in the trenches.\\nFiring continued some time, and then the Fusiliers\\nand the* Light Horse, serving as infantry, threw up their\\narms and rushed out of the trenches.\\nThe effect of the abandonment of Spion Kop by the\\nEnglish can hardly be gauged as yet, but it must prove\\nto be immense.\\nGeneral Buller reported his loss on January 24th as,\\nkilled, six officers, twenty-four non-commissioned officers\\nand privates. Wounded, twelve officers, one hundred\\nand forty-two non-commissioned officers and men miss-\\ning, thirty-one.\\nA young medical officer of the British forces thus\\ndescribed his personal experience at Spion Kop in a\\nprivate letter", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0209.jp2"}, "210": {"fulltext": "172 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nI selected a pass overhung by steep clay banks, on\\nthe top of which I got up a Red Cross flag. Cases now\\nbegan to pour down from Spion Kop on stretchers.\\nThe Boers opened on us, and three bullets went into\\nthe fire, knocking the sticks about. The reason for\\nthis was not the Red Cross flag, but owing to some\\nTommies who were strolling over to it, either to take\\ncover there or to see what we were doing. I promptly\\nordered them away.\\nA few minutes after, the Boers let fire five shells\\nin quick succession in our direction, but they fell short,\\nand did no harm. This sort of thing went on around\\nme for the rest of the day, but I always kept well in\\nthe shelter of the bank.\\nFrom this time to ten o clock the next morning, the\\nwounded came through my dressing-station, as the pass\\nwas the only exit from the hill, I saw every case, and\\nsome of them were mutilated beyond description.\\nFully three hundred and thirty wounded and dead\\nwho had died on the way passed through my hands.\\nThe cheerfulness of the wounded struck me as remark-\\nable, men with shattered limbs smoking their pipes,\\nand, although starving, not a grumble did I hear. Many\\na poor chap shot in the morning in the front trenches,\\nwho could not be reached, lay in the blazing sun all\\nday.\\nOne old colonial in Thorneycroft s, with a gray\\nbeard, walked down, leaning on his rifle he was a\\nmass of wounds one ear cut through by a bullet, his", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0210.jp2"}, "211": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 73\\nchin, neck, and chest also pierced by many a ball, and\\nhis back and legs torn by shell. He said he had just\\ndropped in to let me take his finger off, because it was\\nso shattered he could not pull the trigger of his rifle, as\\nit got in the way of the next finger, which he could use,,\\nfor he wanted to get back up the hill to pay the Dutch-\\nmen out. Of course I would not let him go away.\\nThe bullet wounds are beautifully clean; just a\\nlittle round hole, and, as a rule, do not do much\\ndamage, as they often go through the bone without\\nshattering it, and bleed but little. The shell wounds\\nare hideous.\\nIt was now frightfully dark, and I put one of the\\nlanterns on a stick as a direction light to my pass a\\ngroup of soldiers returning to the hill tried to run away\\nwith it, and I would have lost it, only I snatched up a\\nrifle from a wounded man and shouted I would shoot\\nthem if they did not bring it back. They dropped it\\nand ran away, and it went out, but I got it again.\\nShortly after this, both lanterns went out, and I had\\na pretty bad time, as the path often got blocked with\\nwounded. Finally I could send no more wounded\\nacross the drift, and had to stack them, with the dead,\\nin rows on the grass. I collected all the disabled offi-\\ncers on stretchers around me, and gave them brandy\\nand a hypodermic of morphine.\\nThe morning light began to dawn about 4.30, and\\nlit up the ghastly faces of the patients around me. My\\nmen now built a fire, got ready beef-tea and coffee, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0211.jp2"}, "212": {"fulltext": "i74 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nI had a lunch, the first meal since dinner the day before,\\nand after giving the wounded some as well, I sent them\\non the ambulance across the drift.\\nCommandants Botha and Burgess, who were the\\nBoer generals, came now on the scene. The former,\\nwho was the chief general, is a small, thin man, with\\nyellowish beard and hair, and had a magnificent rifle\\nbeautifully carved with his name and a text .from the\\nBible. He was followed by an interpreter, and a couple\\nof mounted Kaffirs, carrying his ammunition and water-\\nbottle. He seemed, however, to understand English,\\nthough he refused to speak it. There were quite a\\nnumber of German officers. I heard that one of them\\nhad been killed.\\nThey let our men search the dead for their identifi-\\ncation cards, letters and money. It was very sad to see\\nthe things we found in their pockets, love-letters,\\nChristmas cards, little pocket-books with accounts, half-\\nfinished letters. Several of the Boers handed in little\\narticles they found, a check for ten shillings, a purse\\nwith money, etc. Some of the officers had trinkets\\naround their necks.\\nOne poor chap wore a locket with a spray of white\\nheather, and we were forced to cut the name off his\\nshirt and pin it to the locket, as a means of identifica-\\ntion. I am sorry to say that a number had had their\\nfingers cut off, that the rings might be removed. The\\nBoers declared they did not know who did it, and were\\nindignant.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0212.jp2"}, "213": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 175\\nThe official Boer report of losses at Spion Kop is\\nfifty-three killed, one hundred and twenty wounded.\\nThe first manoeuvre for the relief of Ladysmith was\\ncome to an end, and General Buller thus made official\\nannouncement of the fact, dating his despatch from\\nSpearman s Camp, January 27th, at 6 p. m.\\nOn January 20th, Warren drove back the enemy\\nand obtained possession of the southern crests of the\\nhigh table-land extending from the line of Acton Homes\\nand Monger s Poort to the western Ladysmith hill.\\nFrom then to January 25 th he remained in close con-\\ntact with the enemy.\\nThe enemy held a strong position on a range of\\nsmall kopjes stretching from northwest to southeast\\nacross the plateau from Acton Homes, through Spion\\nKop, to the left bank of the Tugela. The actual posi-\\ntion held was perfectly tenable, but did not lend itself\\nto an advance, as the southern slopes were so steep that\\nWarren could not get an effective artillery position, and\\nwater-supply was a difficulty.\\nOn January 23d, I assented to his attacking Spion\\nKop, a large hill, indeed, a mountain, which was\\nevidently the key of the position, but was far more acces-\\nsible from the north than from the south.\\nOn the night of January 23d attacked Spion Kop,\\nbut found it very difficult to hold, as its perimeter was\\ntoo large, and water, which he had been led to believe\\nexisted even in this extraordinary dry season, was found\\nvery deficient.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0213.jp2"}, "214": {"fulltext": "176 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe crests were held all that day against severe\\nattacks and a heavy shell fire. Our men fought with\\ngreat gallantry. Would especially mention the conduct\\nof the 2d Cameronians and the 3d King s Rifles, who\\nsupported the attack on the mountain from the steepest\\nside, and in each case fought their way to the top and\\nthe 2d Lancashire Fusiliers and 2d Middlesex, who\\nmagnificently maintained the best traditions of the\\nBritish army throughout the trying day, on January\\n24th, and Thorney croft s mounted infantry, who fought\\nthroughout the day equally well alongside of them.\\nGeneral Woodgate, who was in command at the\\nsummit, having been wounded, the officer who succeeded\\nhim decided, on the night of January 24th, to abandon\\nthe position, and did so before dawn of January 25th.\\nI reached Warren s camp at 5 a. m., January 25th,\\nand decided that a second attack upon Spion Kop was\\nuseless, and that the enemy s right was too strong to\\nallow me to force it.\\nAccordingly, I decided to withdraw the force to the\\nsouth of Tugela. At 6. a m. we commenced withdraw-\\ning the train, and by 8 a. m., January 27th (Saturday),\\nWarren s force was concentrated south of the Tugela,\\nwithout the loss of a man or a pound of stores.\\nThe fact that the force could be brought in actual\\ntouch in some cases the lines were less than one\\nthousand yards apart with the enemy, in the manner\\nit was, is, I think, sufficient evidence of the morale of\\nthe troops, and that we were permitted to withdraw our", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0214.jp2"}, "215": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 77\\ncumbrous ox and mule transport across the river, eighty-\\nfive yards broad with twenty-foot banks and a very\\nswift current, unmolested, is, I think, proof that the\\nenemy has been taught to respect our soldiers fighting\\npowers.\\nOn the 13th of February Lord Roberts sent a des-\\npatch to the War Office, submitting General Buller s\\ndespatches describing the Spion Kop and other opera-\\ntions, from January 17th to January 24th.\\nIn his comments. Lord Roberts dealt severely with\\nGeneral Warren and others, not even sparing General\\nBuller. He complained that the plan of operation was\\nnot clearly described in the despatches. After sketch-\\ning General Buller s intentions, as communicated to Sir\\nCharles Warren, who commanded the whole force,\\nLord Roberts pointed out that General Warren seemed\\nto have concluded, after consultation with his officers,\\nthat the flanking movement ordered by General Buller\\nwas impracticable, and therefore so changed the plan of\\nadvance as to necessitate the capture and retention\\nof Spion Kop. Lord Roberts continued\\nAs Warren considered it impossible to make the\\nwide flanking movement which was recommended, if not\\nactually prescribed, in the secret instructions, he should\\nforthwith have acquainted Buller with the course he\\nproposed to adopt. There is nothing to show whether\\nhe did so or not. But it is only fair to Warren to point\\nout that Buller appears throughout to have been aware\\nof what was happening.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0215.jp2"}, "216": {"fulltext": "178 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nRegarding the withdrawal from Spion Kop, the reten-\\ntion of which had become essential to the relief of\\nLadysmith, Lord Roberts said\\nI regret to be unable to concur with Buller in think-\\ning Thorneycroft exercised wise discretion in ordering\\nthe troops to retire.\\nI am of the opinion that Thorneycroft s assumption\\nof responsibility and authority was wholly inexcusable.\\nDuring the night the enemy s fire could not have been\\nformidable, and it would not have taken more than two\\nor three hours for Thorneycroft to communicate by\\nmessenger with Major-General Coke or Warren.\\n**Coke appears to have left Spion Kop at 9.30 p. m.\\nfor the purpose of consulting with Warren. Up to that\\nhour the idea of withdrawal had not been entertained.\\nYet, almost immediately after Coke s departure, Thorn-\\neycroft issued the order, without reference to superior\\nauthority, which upset the whole plan of operations and\\nrendered unavailable the sacrifices already made to\\ncarry it into effect.\\nHowever, it is only right to state that Thorney-\\ncroft appears to have behaved in a very gallant manner\\nthroughout the day.\\nIt is to be regretted that Warren did not himself\\nvisit Spion Kop in the afternoon or evening, knowing,\\nas he did, that the state of affairs was very critical, and\\nthat the loss of position would involve the failure of the\\noperations.\\nHe consequently was obliged to summon Coke to", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0216.jp2"}, "217": {"fulltext": "SPION KOP CAMPAIGN. 1 79\\nhis headquarters, and the command at Spion Kop thus\\ndevolved on Thorneycroft, unknown to Coke, who was\\nunder the impression that the command devolved upon\\nColonel Hill, as senior officer.\\nOmission or mistakes of this nature may be trivial\\nin themselves, yet they may exercise an important\\ninfluence on the course of events, and I believe Buller\\nwas justified in remarking there was a want of organ-\\nisation and system, which acted most unfavourably on\\nthe defence.\\nThe attempt to relieve Ladysmith was well devised,\\nand I agree with Buller in thinking it ought to have\\nsucceeded. That it failed may in some measure have\\nbeen due to the difficulties of the ground and the com-\\nmanding positions held by the enemy, and probably also\\nto errors of judgment and want of administrative capac-\\nity on the part of Warren.\\nBut, whatever faults Warren may have committed,\\nthe failure must also be attributed to the disinclination\\nof the officer in supreme command to assert his author-\\nity, and see that what he thought best was done, and\\nalso to the unwarrantable and needless assumption of\\nresponsibility by a subordinate officer.\\nThe despatch concluded The gratifying feature of\\nthese despatches is the admirable behaviour of the\\ntroops throughout the operation.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0217.jp2"}, "218": {"fulltext": "J^\\nCHAPTER XVIL\\nFEBRUARY BULLETINS.\\nCape Town.\\nBRUARY I. Evidence is accumulatins: that\\nt\\nsomething beyond a tacit understanding existed\\nbetween the Boer executives and the inner circle of\\nthe Afrikander Bund concerning what should follow\\nthe ripening rebellion at the outbreak of the war. Fully\\nfive hundred colonial Dutchmen have joined the enemy.\\nThe Boers, however, believed that this number would\\nbe multiplied tenfold. Consequently, the Afrikander\\nBund is now execrated at Pretoria and Bloemfontein.\\nA curious incident is related of the fighting on Janu-\\nary 24th. One of the Lancasters, while firing from the\\nprone position, had his head taken clean off by a shell.\\nTo the amazement of his comrades, the headless trunk\\nquietly rose, stood upright a few seconds, and then\\nfell.\\nFebruary 2. Colonel Plumer has been repulsed by\\nthe Boers, ninety miles beyond Mafeking.\\nFebruary j. South African horse sickness\\ncalled in the Dutch language parde siekte is a\\nscourge which is always prevalent in the region of the\\n180", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0218.jp2"}, "219": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. l8l\\nwar. Three years ago, when a small British force was\\ngarrisoning Natal, six hundred government horses were\\ncarried off. Dutchmen say the disease is caused by\\nopen feeding on the veldt at night, when the poisonous\\nherb called tulp is in its worst state of virulence.\\nNo remedy is known. Perhaps twenty per cent, of the\\nanimals attacked pulled through, and they are termed\\nsalted, for such seldom have a second attack. Already\\nthis year the English War Department has sent out\\nthirty thousand horses and twenty thousand mules as\\nremounts, in addition to those accompanying the troops\\nto South Africa.\\nFebruary Advices from Gaberones say The\\nartillery duel between Colonel Plumer s force and five\\nhundred Boers continued until to-day, when the British\\ndropped two shells into the Boer force. The Boer guns\\nhave since been silent. Colonel Plumer s advance has\\nbeen checked by floods.\\nFebruary j. General Buller has crossed the Tugela\\nat Potgieter s drift, and taken Vaal Krantz.\\nGeneral MacDonald has captured Koodoesberg drift,\\non the Boers right at Magersfontein.\\nA despatch from Naauwpoort says\\nThere is great activity here, and on the Rensburg-\\nHanover road, due to the despatch of an overwhelming\\nforce of infantry to seize Norval s Pont. The British\\ncavalry, having completed the reconnoissance, is being\\nretired to recoup losses. The Boers at Colesberg are\\nvirtually surrounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0219.jp2"}, "220": {"fulltext": "152 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nFebruary 6. Fighting continues all along the upper\\nTugela. General Buller reports two officers killed and\\nfifteen wounded. Two hundred and sixteen men killed\\nand wounded.\\nTwo thousand men, with an armoured train, made a\\nsortie from Chieveley, and were driven back.\\nFebruary y. Fighting still continues all along the\\nTugela. General Buller still holds Vaal Krantz.\\nLord Roberts and Lord Kitchener left Cape Town\\nto-day, on their way to Modder River.\\nFebruary 8. General Buller s force has been driven\\nfrom Vaal Krantz, and is retreating to the south bank\\nof the Tugela.\\nGeneral MacDonald has retreated to the Modder.\\nThe British have been repulsed at Rensburg.\\nFebruary g. It is reported that General White is\\nattempting to cut his way out of Ladysmith.\\nGeneral Buller is once more south of the Tugela\\nRiver, General MacDonald is back at the Modder\\nRiver, and, apparently, the Boers have lost none of\\nthe ascendency they have held so long. Yet to-day s\\nnews by no means causes the acute disappointment\\nattendant on the other failures to relieve Ladysmith.\\nThis can be attributed to three causes\\nFirst, there is a strong belief that General Buller s\\nlast attempt was only a demonstration on a large scale\\nsecond, the wiser critics had warned the public not to\\nexpect the immediate relief of General White third,\\nthe nation has settled down to the realisation that the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0220.jp2"}, "221": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 83\\nwar will last a long time, and they are not swayed as at\\nfirst by minor reverses and victories.\\nThe second and third reasons are self -explaining.\\nThe first requires considerable elucidation. In favour\\nof the opinion held by Mr. Spencer Wilkinson, the mili-\\ntary critic of the Morning Post, that General Buller did\\nnot intend immediately pushing on to Ladysmith, there\\nis overwhelming evidence to show that Field Marshal\\nLord Roberts ordered systematic activity upon the part\\nof all the forces. On this basis. General Buller s move\\nmay only be a repetition of General MacDonald s and\\nGeneral French s reconnoissances.\\nFebruary 10. General Roberts has taken command\\nat Modder River, and has been joined by General\\nFrench,\\nThe War Office announces that the British killed,\\nwounded, and captured, to date, amount to 10,244.\\nFebruary 11. Fighting is going on at Rensburg.\\nThe latest news from the Modder River shows that\\nGeneral MacDonald s retirement from Koodoesberg\\ndrift was effected in complete order. The most reason-\\nable explanation of this movement is that it was under-\\ntaken more to restore the confidence of the Highland\\nBrigade, still nervous from their terrible experience at\\nMagersfontein, than to gain any important objective.\\nWith this important unit. General Methuen s force is\\nrehabilitated for a vigorous attack on General Cronje,\\nand an attempt to relieve Kimberley may be looked for,\\nmore than likely superintended by Lord Roberts, while", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0221.jp2"}, "222": {"fulltext": "184 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe Seventh Division and part of General French s\\ncavalry are occupied in a turning movement east of\\nJacobsdal.\\nFebruary 12. The British outposts have been driven\\nin at Rensburg, with a loss of twelve officers and twenty-\\nnine men. General Clements, who is in command, re-\\nports that he is hard pressed.\\nGeneral Roberts has begun his advance into the\\nFree State. General French has seized Dekils drift,\\nReit River, and the Sixth and Seventh Divisions are\\nencamped on the east bank.\\nA small force of col.onial cavalry, with a battery,\\nassisted by the Welsh Fusiliers, made a reconnoissance\\neast of Chieveley. Upon the force retiring, Boer snipers\\nfrom Hlangwana and Monte Christo attacked the colo-\\nnial troopers who used machine guns and rifles.\\nA squadron of the ist Dragoons had a skirmish with\\nthe Boers near Fustenberg this morning. The enemy\\nwas defeated. The British loss was reported as two\\nofficers and ten men wounded one officer and six men\\ncaptured.\\nThe British have seized Zoutpan s drift on the Orange\\nRiver.\\nFebruary ij. The Eighth Division has been ordered\\nto get ready to embark. The British forces in South\\nAfrica now number 190,000.\\nGeneral Clements has been driven out of Rensburg.\\nA despatch from Frere contains the following\\nThe bombardment of Ladysmith is proceeding", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0222.jp2"}, "223": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 85\\nsharply. Reuter s correspondent has escaped from\\nLadysmith and arrived here. He reports the garrison\\nhopeful. The Boers are evidently anxious about their\\nposition. They have thrown up defensive works from\\nTrichard s drift and the Spion Kop ranges, eastward to\\nHlangwana and Monte Christo, on this side of the\\nTugela. The enemy also has two, if not three, wooden\\nbridges spanning the river in the bend, and also a wire\\nrope apparatus for the conveyance of food and ammuni-\\ntion across.\\nFebruary i^. The Boers are reported as moving to\\ncut off Lord Roberts s line of communications.\\nGeneral Clements has fallen back on Arundel, closely\\npursued by the enemy.\\nThe Boers have advanced to Naaupoort, and are\\noccupying the hills commanding the town.\\nGeneral Buller has begun his fourth advance toward\\nLadysmith, by seizing two hills north of Chieveley.\\nThe leading Boer commanders are\\nGen. Piet Joubert, commander-in-chief, now opposing\\nBuller in Natal.\\nGeneral Schalk-Burger, besieging Ladysmith.\\nGeneral Botha, operating with Joubert.\\nGeneral Delaney, in command in Cape Colony, with\\nheadquarters at Colesberg.\\nGeneral Cronje, at Magersfontein, near the Modder\\nRiver.\\nColonel Villebris-Mareuil, a French officer, chief of\\nstaff to General Joubert.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0223.jp2"}, "224": {"fulltext": "1 86 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe escape of the Associated Press correspondent\\nwas most adventurous and arduous. Leaving Lady-\\nsmith the evening of February loth, guided by a native,\\nhe soon encountered a Boer patrol, who fired upon him.\\nEscaping the patrol, he crawled twenty-two miles over\\nthe roughest and stoniest of paths, hiding in native huts\\nand kraals during the day, and proceeding at night.\\nOnce a Boer patrol came to the door of the hut where\\nhe was hiding under blankets. He swam the Tugela\\nRiver, and reached Chieveley the morning of February\\n13th, where he took train for Durban.\\nFebruary 75. Kimberley relieved. General French\\nhas entered the city with about five thousand men.\\nLord Roberts s strategy has been a brilliant success. He has\\naccomplished one of the military wonders of history. With\\nKitchener as organiser, and French to make the rapid marches\\nand unexpected and bold dashes, he only started on the road to\\nKimberley on Saturday last.\\nHis first real movement was the sudden taking of Dekils drift\\non Monday. On Tuesday General French left Dekils drift, and\\nin six and one-half hours forced the march to Klip drift, twenty-\\nfive miles away, where he captured three Boer laagers. The\\ncavalry leader, however, must have kept right on, for the distance\\nfrom Klip drift to Kimberley is at least sixty miles, and he made\\nit between Tuesday and Thursday night, forty-eight hours.\\nThis means forced marching and an almost unobstructed route.\\nThe siege of Kimberley has lasted since October 15th, and the\\nBoers made the most desperate efforts to take the city, in the\\nhope of obtaining possession of the diamond mines, which they\\ndeclared they would destroy.\\nAnother object of their attack on the city was Cecil Rhodes,\\nwith whom they have many scores to settle, the latest of which is", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0224.jp2"}, "225": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 187\\nfor the famous Jameson Raid. They declared that when they cap-\\ntured him tliey would place him in an iron cage and exhibit him\\nin the streets of Pretoria.\\nRhodes was not frightened by their threats, however, but took\\nan active part in the defence of the city. He even had his minia-\\nture painted during the bombardment by Miss Amalie Kuessner,\\nthe American portrait painter.\\nColonel Kekevvich was in command of the British forces at\\nKimberley during the siege, and made a remarkable defence. He\\nhad about six thousand men, including artillery, cavalry, and in-\\nfantry. The De Beers Company, owners of the diamond mines,\\nin anticipation of trouble, had laid in an enormous stock of pro-\\nvisions and ammunition, and even fortified their mines, and no\\ndoubt materially aided the regulars in saving the city from the\\nBoers.\\nShells were continuously dropping into the city, and attempts\\nwere made by spies, mostly Kaffirs, to dynamite the mines, but\\nthey were caught. Several sorties were made by Kekewich s\\nforces and a series of defences built about the city, which made\\nit practically impregnable to an attacking force.\\nStarvation and disease were the only enemies feared, and these\\ncould have been staved off only a short while longer.\\nGeneral Roberts has seized Jacobsdal and seventy-\\neight wagon-loads of supplies.\\nThe Boers are retreating from Modder River, one\\ncolumn going to the west of Kimberley, and another,\\nunder General Cronje, to the east, in the direction of\\nBloemfontein.\\nThe Boers have captured at Reit River a large\\nBritish convoy of nearly two hundred wagons of sup-\\nplies.\\nThe correspondent of the Associated Press at Lady-\\nsmith, from which place he escaped February loth, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0225.jp2"}, "226": {"fulltext": "1 88 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\narrived at Durban February 14th, sends the following,\\nwritten before he left Ladysmith\\nSince the furious cannonade in the early part of\\nthe week, quietness has reigned. The hills on which\\nthe relief column s lyddite shells were bursting by the\\nhundreds, a few days previously, are now occupied only\\nby grazing cattle. Farther away, on the north side of\\nSpion Kop, the Boer laagers can be seen, evidently\\nbigger than before, showing they have no idea at\\npresent of retiring from their position.\\nMuch disappointment is felt at the non-appearance\\nof General Buller, as from the severity of the fire every\\nheart was glowing with hope and excitement at the\\nprospect of immediate relief not that we are at all\\nin the blues, for every one capable of shouldering a\\nrifle is confident in our ability to hold the town against\\nany force the Boers are capable of putting in the field.\\nStill, the continued diet of horse and mule flesh is\\ngetting somewhat monotonous, although the health of\\nthe camp, taking everything into consideration, is better\\nthan could be expected.\\nEnteric fever and dysentery have abated. The camp\\nfever is not virulent, but is slightly increasing. The\\nscarcity of vegetables is very trying to the troops.\\nFebruary 16. The following despatch from General\\nRoberts, near Jacobsdal, fills the gaps in the earlier\\ndespatches\\nThe Sixth Division left Waterfall drift early yester-\\nday morning, and marched here, going on the same", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0226.jp2"}, "227": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 89\\nevening to Rondaval drift, to hold the crossing of the\\nModder River and leave General French free to act.\\nShortly after arriving here, mounted infantry visited\\nJacobsdal and found it full of women and children, with\\nfour of our wounded men doing well.\\nOn the way back the mounted infantry were at-\\ntacked and nine men wounded. Colonel Henry and\\nMajor Hatchell and ten men were missing. Both offi-\\ncers were subsequently found at Jacobsdal, slightly\\nwounded.\\nThe cavalry division is moving in a northerly direc-\\ntion, and has apparently already reduced the pressure\\non Kimberley, as Kekewich signals the enemy has\\nabandoned Alexandersfontein and that he has occu-\\npied it.\\nFrench has advanced as far as Abonsdam with\\nslight loss, and is pushing on the post, his rear being\\nheld by mounted infantry.\\nClements, having been pressed by the Boers, has\\nretired to Arundel, to cover Naauwpoort.\\nGeneral Cronje is in full retreat, closely pursued by\\nGeneral Kelly-Kenny s Sixth Division, and General\\nTucker s Seventh Division. General Kitchener is in\\ncommand.\\nGeneral French s march was so rapid, and the heat\\nso intense, that many of his horses died of exhaustion.\\nAt the crossing of the Modder River the Boers bolted,\\nleaving their tents, guns, oxen, wagons, and large quan-\\ntities of ammunition in the hands of the British. Mov-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0227.jp2"}, "228": {"fulltext": "IQO FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ning northward, the Boers again attempted to stem the\\nadvance, but General French turned their flank, and\\nreached his goal with insignificant losses, seven men\\nkilled and thirty-five wounded, during three days, from\\nWednesday, February 14th, to Friday, February i6th.\\nAfter a night s rest at Kimberley, General French s\\ncolumn pursued the Boers to Drontveld, surrounded\\nthe kopjes on which they were posted, and shelled\\nthem till nightfall, when the Boers fled, leaving many\\ndead.\\nGeneral Cronje left the gun, his tents, food, and\\nclothes at Magersfontein.\\nThe scene in this city, when the special editions of\\nthe papers announced the relief of Kimberley, was ex-\\nciting in the extreme.\\nCheers burst forth, and from all parts of the city the\\ninhabitants came rushing up in frantic haste to swell\\nthe throng. Cheers were called for her Majesty, for\\nLord Roberts, for General French, and for the gov-\\nernor; and St. George s Street the Fleet Street of\\nCape Town was soon choked with citizens hurrying\\nfrom all parts of the city to share in the extraordinary\\noutburst of enthusiasm. The doors of the cathedral\\nwere sprung open, and the crowd surged in to sing the\\nnational anthem to organ accompaniment.\\nA flag the red ensign was then produced, and\\nsuddenly the vast crowd was in motion, bound for the\\noffices of Ons Land, where what promised to develop\\ninto something more than a hostile dem.onstration was", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0228.jp2"}, "229": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. I9I\\nhappily checked by the presence of a strong force of\\nmounted poHce. Then a move was made to Govern-\\nment House, where the crowd remained for a quarter\\nof an hour, singing the national anthem and cheering,\\nuntil Sir Alfred Milner, amid a scene of extraordinary\\nenthusiasm, showed himself for a second or two at the\\ngates.\\nStill following the flag, the crowd surged through\\nthe town, vigorously hooting outside the government\\noffices, making a patriotic demonstration opposite the\\nstatue of her Majesty, and finally coming to a standstill\\noutside the town house, from the steps of which the\\nmayor delivered a thankful little speech, which had the\\neffect of sending everybody away in a contented frame\\nof mind. The outburst of patriotic enthusiasm lasted\\nfor about an hour, and formed one of the most remark-\\nable demonstrations of loyalty which has ever been\\nwitnessed in the metropolis of the colony.\\nThe following comes from Ladysmith to-day by a\\nprivate messenger Luxuries are beyond the means\\nof the majority. Eggs are thirty-six shillings a dozen;\\na small fowl is eighteen shillings sixpence pumpkins,\\ntwelve shillings each tin of jam, twelve shillings six-\\npence a tin of milk, seven shillings sixpence box of\\nsardines, three shillings tobacco, ninety shillings a\\npound. A case of whiskey was raffled for ^i4S-\\nThe Boers are smuggling tobacco into camp by the\\naid of natives. A local factory is turning out excellent\\nhorse sausages, and another is making nourishing soup", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0229.jp2"}, "230": {"fulltext": "192 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nfrom the same kind of meat, which is much appreciated\\nby the troops, who certainly have increased in strength\\nsince these were served out.\\nFebruary ly. The enemy are shelHng General Gat-\\nacre s position at Molteno.\\nThe Boers have been driven from the hills surround-\\ning Dordrecht.\\nFrom Ladysmith we have received this despatch\\nAll day men gather on the convent hill and try to\\nsee General Buller s shells bursting in the distance.\\nThe siege has been inexpressibly tedious for the last\\nfortnight. Boer camps have entirely disappeared from\\nthe old positions in the last few days, and large parties\\nwith wagons are trekking westward. It is assumed that\\nthe Free Staters are going to resist the advance of Lord\\nRoberts.\\nWe estimate that about six thousand have gone.\\nNear the foot of Bulwana the Boers have been con-\\nstructing a work near the river, possibly a dam. We\\ncan see a figure like an old lady in a red petticoat\\ndirecting operations.\\nFebruary 18. General Brabant has entered Dor-\\ndrecht.\\nThe Boers are trying to cut Lord Roberts s lines at\\nGraspan and near De Aar.\\nGeneral Buller has moved around the enemy s left\\nflank and captured Monte Christo Hill, driving the\\nBoers back across the Tugela. He has taken several\\ncamps, and captured many prisoners. A bombard-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0230.jp2"}, "231": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 93\\nment of the enemy s position on Hlangwana Hill has\\nbegun.\\nDesperate fighting has been going on all day between\\nCronje s army and General Kitchener s force. One\\nhundred and forty-six British have been killed; Generals\\nKnox and MacDonald are wounded.\\nThe casualties among General Buller s force in the\\nfighting at Hussar Hill, Monte Christo Hill, and other\\nplaces, from February 15th to February i8th, were:\\nkilled, Capt. T. H. Burney and thirteen men\\nwounded, six officers and 154 men.\\nLord Methuen has issued the following notification\\nat Kimberley I have received instructions that if any\\ndisturbance occurs west of the Vaal River my force is\\nto return and punish the rebels immediately.\\nFebruary ig. General Buller has taken Hlangwana\\nHill.\\nLord Roberts has advanced into the Free State to\\nPaardeberg, thirty miles east of Jacobsdal.\\nThe battle between Cronje and General Kitchener\\nhas been renewed to-day.\\nFebruary 20. The Boers evacuated Colenso, and\\nGeneral Buller occupied the town. Hart s brigade\\ncrossed to the north side of the Tugela, and the Boers\\nare reported as being in full retreat.\\nLord Roberts has beaten off the Boers under\\nCommandant Botha, who were trying to reinforce\\nCronje.\\nThe railroad to Kimberley is open, and a coal train", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0231.jp2"}, "232": {"fulltext": "194 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nstarts for there from this city to-day. General Methuen\\nis sending forward reinforcements.\\nGeneral Buller has just taken Fort Wylie, north of\\nthe Tugela, losing three officers and nine men killed,\\nand six officers and ninety-seven men wounded, among\\nwhom is Major-General Wynne.\\nFebruary 21. The following Boer despatches have\\nbeen intercepted\\nHooFD Laager, Ladysmith, Feb. 21, 1900.\\nThere was heavy fighting all Monday and Tuesday,\\nand it still continues since early this morning. Our\\nofficers hope to dislodge the British from their position.\\nLast night a body of British troops tried to cross\\nthe river, but were beaten back with heavy loss. Our\\nloss was slight.\\nOur positions are being bombarded from Ladysmith,\\nat a point where the Klip River passes through the\\nhills. Our long-tom is replying with good effect.\\nA report was received this morning of cannon firing\\nwest of Colesberg. At Petrusberg, cannon firing com-\\nmenced at six in the morning. A big fight was expected\\nto-day.\\nDe Wet telegraphed yesterday from Petrusberg\\nthat all was quiet, except several cannon-shots and\\nsmall skirmishes. Yesterday evening the British\\nstormed the Federal position as far as Schauzer, but\\nwere driven back.\\nCommandant Fronoman reports that from February\\n1 5th to February 20th he was surrounded by the British", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0232.jp2"}, "233": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 95\\nat the Modder River, when, with a small number of\\nmen, he broke through the river.\\nOn Sunday there was a heavy fight. The British\\nprepared to lay siege to the Boer laager, with fighting\\ngeneral. We were surrounded by twenty-five hundred\\nBritish, five miles from the chief laager. At night we\\ncut our way through, with the loss of seven dead and\\nsixteen wounded. The loss to the British was heavy.\\nYesterday we cut our way through to reach De Wet,\\nwho was in the neighbourhood. Fifty-three prisoners\\nwere taken, and fifty-three prisoners formerly taken\\nhave been forwarded. It is reported that the British\\nwere continually attacking Koodoosrand yesterday, with\\ninfantry and Lancers, but that they were driven back.\\nThe following despatch has just been received from\\nKimberley Cavalry patrols, that went north to cap-\\nture the lOO-pounder, report that the weapon has been\\ntaken beyond Riverton station, drawn by thirty-three\\noxen. The British cavalry say that they saw Boer\\nparties, but they did not go beyond Riverton, for fear\\nof being cut off. They learned, however, that the\\nTransvaalers were being concentrated on the border to\\nthe north.\\nA party of Boers fired at the British camp. Fifty\\nthousand rounds of ammunition were captured at\\nMagersfontein. Cecil Rhodes will leave for England\\nshortly. W. E. Chapman, with thirty men, held out\\nfor weeks against the Boers, at Otto Kopje mine, until\\nrelieved from Kimberley.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0233.jp2"}, "234": {"fulltext": "196 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe Boers are reported in strength at Fourteen\\nStreams, thirty-five miles north from Kimberley, with\\ntwo guns and many wagons. They have destroyed\\nthe bridge over the Vaal River.\\nA Boer kopje has been captured near Paardeberg\\nwith fifty prisoners. General Cronje s position is un-\\nchanged.\\nFebruary 22. Last Monday General Cronje asked\\nfor an armistice of twenty-four hours, to allow him to\\nbury his dead. Lord Kitchener, in reply, told the\\nBoer commander that he must fight to a finish or sur-\\nrender unconditionally. General Cronje s position is\\nreported hopeless.\\nThe British have crossed the Tugela over a pontoon\\nnorthward of Hlangwana, and now occupy Fort Wylie.\\nWhile the naval brigade was bombarding Grobler s\\nkloof, the Boers big Creusot replied. Yesterday even-\\ning, after the occupation of Colenso, a small party of\\nThorney croft s Horse crossed the river, but were driven\\nback by fire from the trenches.\\nThe Boer guns are still shelling the relieving force\\nfrom the hills south of Ladysmith, but the impression\\nis spreading that they are merely covering the retreat\\nof the entire Boer force. General Buller s casualties,\\nTuesday, February 20th, and Wednesday, February\\n2 1st, were: killed, Captain Crealock and Lieutenants\\nKeith-Falconer and Parry of the Somersetshire Light\\nInfantry, and nine men wounded, six officers and\\nninety-seven men missing, five men.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0234.jp2"}, "235": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 97\\nA special despatch from Paardeberg says\\nCommandant Botha has been attempting to reHeve\\nGeneral Cronje. There has been severe fighting.\\nGeneral Botha s force is scattered, with heavy losses.\\nLord Methuen reports that Barkly West was occupied\\nby our troops to-day. The loyal inhabitants displayed\\ngreat enthusiasm. The country west of the railway\\nfrom Cape Town to Kimberley is gradually settling\\ndown. A detachment has started from De Aar for\\nBritstown, and Douglas and Prieska will shortly be\\nvisited by British troops.\\nFebruary 2^. Commandant De Wet, who was ad-\\nvancing to the aid of General Cronje, has just been\\nchecked by Lord Roberts at Petrusberg.\\nGeneral Buller reports that twelve officers of his\\ncommand have been wounded since last night.\\nThe first passenger train from the south, containing\\nthe October mail, arrived at Kimberley to-day.\\nGeneral Cronje is reported to have plenty of provi-\\nsions, but to be running short of ammunition. Mr.\\nRhodes is extremely hopeful that the war has reached\\nits concluding stage.\\nFebritary 2^. Within the last few days two hundred\\nprisoners have arrived here, and preparations are being\\nmade to receive large numbers.\\nFifty officers and men have been despatched to Wal-\\nfisch Bay, where it is reported that Boer munitions are\\nbeing landed.\\nIt is said that about fifty per cent, of the first five", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0235.jp2"}, "236": {"fulltext": "T98 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nsquadrons of Brabant s Horse have taken their dis-\\ncharges, having completed their engagement for three\\nmonths. Various reasons are given.\\nFebntary 26. The campaign is now approaching a\\nmost interesting phase. In about a fortnight the\\nCongress of the Afrikander Bund will meet, and it is\\nrumoured that Mr. Hofmeyer will then propose peace\\nterms on the basis of the Republics retaining absolute\\nindependence, but offering to disarm. If these terms\\nare rejected, it is understood that a manifesto will be\\nboldly issued to the Dutch throughout South Africa,\\ncalling upon them to throw off their allegiance to Great\\nBritain.\\nThe Boer force occupying Prieska consists of 120\\nrebels, led by Free Staters. A proclamation has been\\nread annexing the Prieska district to the Free State,\\nand all loyal British have been given eight days to quit\\nthe place.\\nIt is said by refugees from Prieska that, unless troops\\nare speedily sent there, the whole northwestern district\\nwill rise.\\nThe feeling in official circles at Pretoria borders on\\nconsternation. Gen. Louis Botha and President\\nSteyn are both urging President Kruger to sue for\\npeace. At Bloemfontein General Cronje s position is\\nregarded as hopeless.\\nGeneral Puller s march on Ladysmith is being marked\\nby sharp fighting. A Pietermaritzburg despatch of\\nto-day s date says he is still heavily engaged.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0236.jp2"}, "237": {"fulltext": "FEBRUARY BULLETINS. 1 99\\nGeneral Buller, in a despatch from Colenso, dated\\nSunday, February 25th, reports that the British casual-\\nties February 20th were twelve killed and ninety-nine\\nwounded, among the Somersets and Dorsets, and that,\\nFebruary 2 2d and 23d, twelve officers were wounded.\\nThere are now six hundred Boer prisoners at Modder\\nRiver, most of whom surrendered Friday and Saturday.\\nThey are kept under guard between wire fences.\\nIn northern Cape Colony an important move has\\nbeen made in the occupation by General Brabant of\\nJamestown, northeast of the Boer position in the Storm-\\nberg hills.\\nFebruary 2 General Cronje has surrendered his\\nforce of three thousand men and fifteen guns to Lord\\nRoberts.\\nGeneral Buller has taken Pieter s Hill by assault,\\nputting the enemy to rout.\\nBoer commandoes are reported hastening from all\\nquarters of the two Republics, to the defence of Bloem-\\nfontein. No estimate is made of their numbers, but\\nthe withdrawal of the Boers from most of the places\\nwhere they have been in contact with the British, except\\nthe district near Ladysmith, may raise the resisting\\nforce to thirty thousand men. This figure assumes\\nthat the Boers have between sixty thousand and\\nseventy thousand men in the field.\\nA despatch from Paardeberg says General Cronje s\\nsurrender was chiefly due to the gallant night attack\\nupon his trenches by the Canadians and Gordons.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0237.jp2"}, "238": {"fulltext": "200 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe War Office has issued a Hst of 721 non-com-\\nmissioned officers and men wounded in the fighting at\\nPaardeberg, Sunday, February i8th, including sixty-\\nthree Canadians and 273 Highlanders.\\nFebruary 28. Ladysmith has at last been relieved.\\nGeneral Dundonald, with a force of cavalry and infantry,\\nentered the town to-day.\\nGeneral Clements has occupied Colesberg, the Boers\\nhaving retired to the north of Cape Colony.\\nA despatch from Arundel says that the British troops\\nhave again occupied Rensburg.\\nGeneral Cronje s aide-de-camp stated that he believed\\nthe Free State would continue to fight as long as the\\nTransvaal wished. On the other hand, many Free\\nStaters are anxiously asking for copies of Lord Rob-\\nerts s proclamation.\\nThere is talk of peace in the air. The English organ\\nof the Afrikander Bund proposes the formation of a\\nconciliation committee, the object being, of course, to\\nsave Boer independence.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0238.jp2"}, "239": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XVIII.\\nLORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE.\\nON the 1 0th of January, Lords Roberts and Kitch-\\nener arrived in Cape Town, the former to take\\ncommand of the British army in Africa, and the latter\\nas his cliief of staff. It was not, however, until Feb-\\nruary loth that Roberts took personal command at\\nModder River.\\nAt that time careful estimates placed the strength\\nof the Boers, in men which were or could be put into\\nthe field, at 60,000, and no guns. The total British\\nforce amounted to 180,000 men and 410 guns.\\nWith the beginning of February General BuUer was\\nsouth of the Tugela, awaiting an opportunity to enter\\nLadysmith. Colonel Plumer, with a small force, re-\\nmained north of Mafeking, vainly trying to succour that\\ntown, and the bulk of the British army was in the\\nvicinity of Modder River, from which direction fruitless\\nefforts had been made to relieve Kimberley.\\nOn the 2d of February, Colonel Plumer was repulsed\\nby the Boers at a point ninety miles north of Mafeking,\\nand on the 4th, after an artillery duel with the enemy,\\nhis further advance was checked by the floods.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0239.jp2"}, "240": {"fulltext": "202 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nFebruary 5th, General Buller crossed the Tugela at\\nPotgieter s drift, and, advancing, took possession of\\nVaal Krantz.\\nOn the same day, General MacDonald made what\\nwas afterward found to be a feint, by advancing into\\nthe Orange Free State to Koppies Dam or Koodoes-\\nberg, as may be seen by the following despatch from\\nKoppies Dam, under this date\\nGeneral MacDonald, with a brigade of infantr) a\\nregiment of Lancers, and one battery, has reached here\\nfrom Modder River camp, in what is regarded as an\\nimportant movement to the right of the Boer position\\nat Magersfontein. Koppies Dam commands the roads\\nfrom Kimberley to Hope Town and Douglas. The\\nBoer laagers at Kamul Hock and Griquatown are within\\nstrong distance. The arrival of General MacDonald s\\ncolumn was opportune, as it just prevented two large\\ncommandoes effecting a junction. He now holds both\\nbanks of the river. Our Lancers had two brushes with\\nthe Boer patrols. There is great activity among the\\nenemy, and strong forces are concentrating to oppose\\nfurther advance. The troops suffered from heat and\\nscarcity of water during the march.\\nGeneral Buller s advance had brought him into direct\\ncontact with the enemy, as may be seen by the accom-\\npanying despatch from the Boers, dated at Boer Head\\nLaager, near Ladysmith, February 6th\\nSince yesterday the British, with naval and other\\nguns, have bombarded our positions on the upper", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0240.jp2"}, "241": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 203\\nTugela. The troops crossed the river at the Pont and\\nMolen drift, with the object of storming our positions.\\nAt the former, General Burger beat them back, and\\nthey recrossed in great confusion. The fighting con-\\ntinues at Molen drift with the Standerton and Johan-\\nnesburg commandoes. There were no casualties on\\nour side. The cannonade was the fiercest yet expe-\\nrienced. There was a continuous roaring all day long.\\nThis morning it recommenced with an increased num-\\nber of guns.\\nLate on the afternoon of the 6th day of February\\nGeneral Buller sent an armoured train with two thou-\\nsand men on a sortie from Chieveley but the enemy\\ndrove them back with considerable loss. In fact, Gen-\\neral Buller reports his entire loss during the day to be,\\ntwo officers killed and fifteen wounded 216 non-com-\\nmissioned officers and men killed and wounded.\\nOn February 7th, General Buller held Vaal Krantz,\\nbut at the expense of fighting all along the Tugela, the\\nBoers knowing full well that their hopes of capturing\\nLadysmith depended upon their holding the commander\\nof the Natal forces in check.\\nIn the southwestern portion of the Orange Free\\nState, General MacDonald scored a distinct success at\\nKoodoesberg. His original orders were to hold the\\ndrift and construct a fort. The position, however, was\\nextremely difficult, a long range of high hills running\\nnorthwest, and terminating close to the drift on the\\nnorth bank of the river. As it was impossible to hold", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0241.jp2"}, "242": {"fulltext": "204 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe whole summit, General MacDonald constructed\\nstrong works across the centre, which were held by\\nthe Seaforth Highlanders and three companies of the\\nBlack Watch. While the Highland Light Infantry\\nheld a small kopje on the right, the 9th Lancers\\npatrolled the left toward the river, General MacDon-\\nald s plan being to repel attacks.\\nThings went on quietly until February 7th, when the\\nBoers advanced along the ridge within nine hundred\\nyards, mounting two mountain 7-pounders, which were\\ninvisible from the plain. They also held a smaller\\ndrift three miles to the west.\\nOn receipt of this news, General Methuen despatched\\na large force of cavalry and two horse-batteries, under\\nGeneral Babington, with the purpose of surrounding\\nthe Boers. In order to further this plan General Mac-\\nDonald adopted merely defensive tactics. It was not\\nattempted to force back the Boers right, which move\\nmight have resulted in their general retirement too\\nsoon.\\nGeneral Babington left Modder River at 11.30 in\\nthe morning, and arrived within two miles of Koodoes-\\nberg at 4.30 p. m., too late to attempt the turning\\nmovement.\\nThe next morning it was found that the Boers had\\nfled from the lower drift, but still remained on the hill,\\nwhich they also left when they perceived Babington s\\nmovements. Early in the morning Babington vigor-\\nously shelled the retiring Boers.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0242.jp2"}, "243": {"fulltext": "GENERAL JOUBERT.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0243.jp2"}, "244": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0244.jp2"}, "245": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 2O5\\nThe entire British force then returned to camp.\\nThe 8th of February was a day for retreating, appar-\\nently. General MacDonald fell back to Modder River,\\nthus giving military critics a very decided impression\\nthat his orders had been simply to show activity.\\nThis last reason may apply equally well to General\\nBuller s movements. Without apparently sufficient\\ncause, he retired from Vaal Krantz to south of the\\nTugela, much as though he had no idea of making any\\neffort to relieve Ladysmith.\\nOn February loth, Lord Roberts took command at\\nModder River, and was at once joined by General\\nFrench.\\nAs if making preparations to turn over a new leaf\\nin the conduct of the war, official announcement was\\nmade that up to this date the British losses, in killed,\\nwounded, missing, and captured, amounted to 10,214.\\nOn the Modder River, Lord Roberts perfected the\\nplans of his campaign, mapping out work for all the\\nforces in South Africa, The Natal army knocking\\naway at the gates in the mountains, Methuen s men\\nplodding along up the Vaal River, Hunter striking out\\nfrom the west directly for Johannesburg, and Carring-\\nton swooping down from distant Rhodesia, were all\\nthreads in one great general scheme for the undoing\\nof the Boers.\\nThe Boers made a slight advance down the Lady-\\nsmith road toward Potgieter s drift on February i ith.\\nThree hundred of them proceeded to construct new", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0245.jp2"}, "246": {"fulltext": "206 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nrows of trenches at right angles to the road and about\\ntwo miles north of the drift. A party of the enemy\\nalso crossed the Tugela, which was very low, six miles\\nbelow Potgieter s, and sniped at a squadron of the South\\nAfrican Light Horse. The enemy were driven back.\\nAt Rensburg, Major-General Clements found ample\\nemployment in keeping the Boers at a distance, and it\\nappeared to be no portion of Lord Roberts s plan to aid\\nhim in holding his position.\\nThe work in Natal, on February 12th, consisted in\\na reconnoissance by Dundonald with seven hundred\\nmounted men, a field-battery, and the First Royal\\nWelsh Fusiliers, who reconnoitred the high ground\\nnear Chieveley which the enemy had been in the habit\\nof visiting. The Boers evacuated it with the loss of two\\nmen, after slight resistance. When the force retired,\\non the completion of the reconnoissance, the enemy\\nreturned in considerable number and kept up a heavy\\nrifle fire. Five men of the British force were missing.\\nMajor-General Clements s outposts were driven back\\nat Rensburg with a loss of twelve officers and twenty-\\nnine men. General Clements admitted that he was\\nbeing hard pressed.\\nNorth of Maf eking, Colonel Plumer sent Major Bird\\nwith two hundred colonials to attempt the capture of the\\nBoer i2-pounder on a kopje near Crocodile Pool. Major\\nBird met with such a terrific rifle and shell fire that he\\nconsidered the position too strong, and ordered a retire-\\nment.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0246.jp2"}, "247": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 20/\\nColonel the Hon. H, F, White was slightly wounded,\\nMajor Straker was severely wounded, nineteen privates\\nwere wounded, and Capt. Samson French and nine\\nmen were missing.\\nOn this date, also (February 12th), General Roberts s\\nreal advance began. General French, with the Seventh\\nDivision (cavalry), seized Dekils drift. By another route\\nthe Sixth Division set off, halting for the night at\\nRamdam.\\nThe campaign was now opened.\\nFebruary 13th, Major-General Clements was driven\\nout of Rensburg, and by this time it could be seen that\\nLord Roberts had counted on keeping the Boers occu-\\npied farther to the southward while the main portion of\\nhis force was well under way for the besieged towns and\\nthe chief Boer cities.\\nGeneral French left Dekils drift on the afternoon of\\nthe 13th, pushing on to a point lower down the Reit\\nRiver, known as Wegdraal, where he arrived at one\\no clock next morning. The Sixth Division passed the\\nSeventh at Wegdraal, advancing toward Drieput on\\nthe Modder. General French had been forced to halt\\nat Rondaval drift to engage the enemy in order to force\\na passage, but the Boers were not in strong force, and\\nsoon retired.\\nColonel Hannay, while on his way to Ramah, en-\\ncountered five hundred Boers, with two guns, holding\\na kopje commanding the valley leading to the drift.\\nThe fighting lasted all day long, and the Boers disap-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0247.jp2"}, "248": {"fulltext": "208 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\npeared during the night. Thirteen of the British were\\ncaptured.\\nThe force commanded by General Wood moved up\\nfrom the southward and seized Zoutpan s drift.\\nOn the same day the Boers in Natal began throwing\\nup defensive works from Trichard s drift and the Spion\\nKop range, eastward to Hlangwana and Monte Christo.\\nFebruary 14th, General Buller began his fourth ad-\\nvance on Ladysmith by seizing two hills north of\\nChieveley.\\nGeneral Clements, being hard pressed by the Boers,\\nfell back to Arundel in order to cover Naauwpoort,\\ntoward which the Boers were advancing by occupying\\nhills commanding the town,\\nFrench was pushing on, somewhere between Drieput\\nand Kimberley.\\nAt Reit River drift, on this morning of the 14th, was\\na large convoy, consisting of two hundred ox-wagons,\\neach drawn by sixteen oxen, and each loaded with six\\nthousand pounds of rations and forage. The teams\\nwere laagered near the drift awaiting orders, when\\nfrom a kopje fifteen hundred yards on the right flank,\\na rain of shot and shell was poured in upon them.\\nThe little escort eighty Gordons, forty of the army\\nservice corps, and a score of Lord Kitchener s Horse\\nheld a force of fifteen hundred Boers with four guns, in\\ncheck nearly all day. One hundred and eighty wagons\\nwere captured by the enemy before the relieving party\\narrived.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0248.jp2"}, "249": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 2O9\\nOn the 15th of February, Kimberley was relieved,\\nJacobsdal was seized, Magersfontein and Spyfontein\\nwere evacuated, and the Boers began a retreat from\\nModder River. It was the first of Lord Roberts s har-\\nvest, and a most promising beginning.\\nDuring the forenoon of the 15 th, a cavalry patrol\\nentered Jacobsdal and found it full of wounded, includ-\\ning several British from Rensburg. But few Boers\\nhad been left to hold the place, and these were soon\\ndriven out after a battery of artillery had been called\\ninto service.\\nOn the way back to report, a party of mounted in-\\nfantry was attacked by the Boers. Two officers were\\nwounded and ten men captured.\\nGeneral French s arrival at Kimberley is described\\nelsewhere. The retreat of the Boers was made in two\\ncolumns, one going west of Kimberley, and the other,\\nunder General Cronje, moving east, toward Bloemfon-\\ntein.\\nPursuit of the enemy was begun at once by the Sixth\\nand Seventh Divisions, and on the morning of the i6th\\nGeneral French sent the following report to his com-\\nmander-in-chief\\nI have completely dispersed the enemy from the\\nsouthern side of Kimberley, from Alexandersfontein to\\nOliphantsfontein, and am now going to occupy their\\nground. Have captured the enemy s laager, and store\\ndepot supplies, and supplies of ammunition. Casualties,\\nabout twenty of all ranks wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0249.jp2"}, "250": {"fulltext": "2IO FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLord Roberts reported to the War Office\\nI have good reason to believe the Magersfontein\\ntrenches have been abandoned, and that the Boers are\\nendeavouring to escape. General French is scouring\\nthe country north of Kimberley. One of General\\nKelly-Kenny s brigades of infantry is in pursuit of a\\nlarge Boer convoy moving toward Bloemfontein.\\nFebruary 15th, the Boers occupied a strong hill north\\nof Dordrecht, and the British held a commanding post\\nto the south, both maintaining a brisk exchange of\\nshells over Dordrecht.\\nGeneral Brabant s Horse, two thousand strong, com-\\nmenced the march from Pen Hook on the morning of\\nthe 15th, over a trackless veldt, and through a moun-\\ntainous and difficult country. Early next day they\\nwere fired upon, and the firing continued all day and\\nwell into the night, the British clearing the Boers out\\nof successive positions, under a terrific rifle fire lasting-\\neight hours.\\nToward midnight, on the i6th the British forced\\nthe Boers, at the point of the bayonet, out of their\\nlast position, an important one, overlooking Dor-\\ndrecht. The artillery duel was continued throughout\\nthe day.\\nThe British casualties were, eight killed, including\\nCaptain Crallan and Lieutenant Chandler, and eight\\nwounded. The British captured some prisoners and a\\nquantity of forage and provisions. The Boers had been\\nfighting a good rear-guard action, occupying successive", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0250.jp2"}, "251": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 2 I I\\nkopjes in order to allow the moving of the convoy,\\nwhich, however, had been going at a very slow pace,\\nthe animals being worn out.\\nDuring this day the Boers vigorously shelled General\\nGatacre s position at Molteno, but without any decided\\neffect.\\nOn the 1 8th of February, General Buller, in Natal,\\nsucceeded in moving around the Boers left flank, and\\ncaptured Monte Christo Hill, driving the enemy back\\nacross the Tugela River. Several Boer camps, consid-\\nerable store of supplies and ammunition, and many\\nwagons were taken. Once Monte Christo Hill was\\noccupied by him. General Buller began a bombard-\\nment of the strong Boer position on HIangwana Hill.\\nHis losses, from the 15th to the i8th of February, were\\none officer and thirteen men killed, and six officers and\\nmen wounded.\\nThe running battle between Kitchener and Cronje\\nis given in detail elsewhere. On this day the British\\nlost in killed 146 men, and General MacDonald was\\nseriously wounded.\\nThe British forces under General Brabant entered\\nDordrecht on this day, and the Boers made vain at-\\ntejnpts to cut Lord Roberts s lines at Graspan and\\nnear De Aar.\\nCommandant Pretorious, who was captured by the\\nBritish at Elandslaagte, and three other Boer prisoners,\\nwere handed over to the Boers at Arundel. A messen-\\nger under a flag of truce had previously arranged an", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0251.jp2"}, "252": {"fulltext": "212 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ninterview with General Clements, and they were then\\ntaken in an ambulance half-way to the Boer camp.\\nThere was continuous fighting, February 19th, from\\nthe British positions on Gun Hill and Hussar Hill. The\\ntroops advanced from the former toward Monte Christo.\\nThere was a heavy bombardment with three 4.7-inch\\nguns and the loo-pounder siege gun, supported by\\ninfantry, against the Boer position on Hlangwana Hill,\\nwhich adjoins Monte Christo, and was regarded as the\\nkey to Grobler s kloof.\\nThe firing was particularly active from Hussar Hill\\non the strong Boer entrenchments at the extreme end of\\nHlangwana Hill. These entrenchments were strength-\\nened with sand-bags.\\nHlangwana Hill lies between two bends of the Tu-\\ngela River. The Boers had erected a bridge between\\nHlangwana and the northern portion of the river.\\nGeneral Roberts advanced on this day (19th) into the\\nOrange Free State, to Paardeberg, twenty miles east\\nof Jacobsdal.\\nKitchener and Cronje continued their battle, while\\nLord Roberts watched jealously lest the Boers receive\\nreinforcements, beating off the force under Comman-\\ndant Botha.\\nFebruary 20th, the Boers evacuated Colenso, and\\nGeneral Buller at once moved up and occupied the\\ntown. Hart s brigade crossed to the north side of the\\nTugela, in pursuit of the retreating enemy. Later in\\nthe day General Buller took Fort Wylie, but a portion", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0252.jp2"}, "253": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 2 I 3\\nof his force (Thorneycroft s Horse) was driven back\\nacross the river. His loss in this last action was re-\\nported as three officers and nine men killed, and six\\nofficers and ninety-seven men wounded among the\\nlast was Major-General Wynne.\\nKitchener shelled Cronje s position with seventy guns.\\nGen. Hector MacDonald of the Highland Brigade was\\nseverely wounded.\\nAgain, on February 21st, did Commandant Botha\\nattempt to relieve General Cronje but Lord Roberts\\nscattered the Boer forces, and with heavy loss, after\\nseveral hours of severe fighting.\\nA Boer kopje near Paardeberg was captured, and fifty\\nprisoners taken, among whom was one with despatches\\nfrom General Cronje declaring that his position remained\\nunchanged.\\nIn Natal, affairs were not progressing as well for the\\nBritish. On February 20th the Boers, who had been\\nreinforced, made a stand at Grobler s kloof and on a\\nrange of hills running east, having previously been\\nforced from all their positions on the right. General\\nLyttleton s division advanced under cover of the kopjes,\\nand the Boers fired a Creusot and a long-tom. The\\nBritish artillery was well sheltered in the action at day-\\nbreak and until late in the afternoon, when a heavy\\nrifle fire on both sides developed.\\nThe British infantry had advanced a mile and a half,\\nand a continuous fire was kept up until after dark.\\nThe Boers stuck to their positions.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0253.jp2"}, "254": {"fulltext": "214 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe British fire was irregular. A few salvos were\\nsent toward the thickly wooded spots and ravines from\\nwhich the Boer fire was heaviest. The Boers sent\\nshells into the headquarters baggage, close to the\\nhospital, but no material damage was done.\\nThe Boer positions were not considered strong, with\\nthe exception of Grobler s kloof. The hills eastward\\nare not so high, and could not be entrenched so well as\\nthe mountains which the British had taken.\\nThe Somersets were the first across the pontoon on\\nthe 2 1 St. They were subjected to a heavy fire during\\nfive hours in an isolated position. It was the first time\\nthey had been under fire, and they behaved excellently.\\nEarly on the morning of the 22d, a severe rifle fire\\nwas resumed on the right and front, from the positions\\nheld over night, by both sides. The British naval guns,\\nhowitzers, mountain and field-batteries shelled the Boer\\ntrenches incessantly. The Boers replied with two heavy\\nguns, some of their shells bursting over the hospital.\\nAs a result, the British wounded were removed.\\nDuring the afternoon, the 5 th Brigade, the Innis-\\nkillens and Dublins leading, began to advance up the\\nhill. In spite of the constant shelling, the Boers stood\\nup in their trenches, aiming deliberately down the\\nhills.\\nThe infantry advance was further covered by parties\\non the right and left, firing volleys. It was slow, the\\nBritish taking advantage of every bit of natural cover.\\nThe Boers, on the crests of the hills, as well as from", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0254.jp2"}, "255": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 215\\nthe trenches part of the way down, poured lead along\\nthe advancing line.\\nAt dark, the British infantry had reached within a\\nfew hundred yards of the first line of Boer trenches.\\nOn the 23d, Commandant De Wet made a desperate\\nattempt to aid General Cronje, but was checked by\\nLord Roberts, at Petrusberg.\\nGeneral Gatacre made a reconnoissance in force on\\nthe 24th of February, from Sterkstroom, with eight\\nguns, and found the Boers occupying a ridge three\\nmiles beyond Molteno, in the Stormberg direction.\\nMontmorency s scouts charged the Boers, who crept\\naround the scouts flank, pouring in a deadly fire. The\\nscouts were finally compelled to retire, having lost\\nheavily. Captain Montmorency and Lieut.-Col. F.\\nH. Hoskier, of the Third Middlesex Volunteer Artil-\\nlery, were killed. Fourteen of the force were reported\\nmissing.\\nLord Roberts s plan included the crushing of Cronje s\\nforce, and the capture of that former general whose loss\\nwould be so deeply felt by the republicans therefore\\nall else in the campaign was made subservient to this\\npurpose.\\nThat the commander-in-chief was in no haste to put\\nan end to the situation such as had existed from Febru-\\nary 1 6th, can well be understood. Each day brought\\nsmall parties of Boers, in a vain effort to relieve General\\nCronje, and these Lord Roberts could attend to in\\ndetail, swelling his list of prisoners hourly, until he", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0255.jp2"}, "256": {"fulltext": "2l6 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwould soon have quite a respectable offset for the three\\nthousand British captives in Pretoria.\\nAffairs were moving in accordance with Roberts s\\nwishes. Buller was making a most stubbornly con-\\ntested but cautious advance toward Ladysmith, and in\\nthe northern portion of Cape Colony the British were\\ngathering up such loose ends as escaped the strict\\nattention of the Boers.\\nGeneral Brabant aided in the general advance by\\noccupying Jamestown, and the Boers were forced to\\nretire from around Arundel, lest they should sud-\\ndenly find themselves in a net from which was no\\nescape.\\nFebruary 27th was a black Tuesday for the Republi-\\ncans. Cronje, worn out at last, surrendered to Lord\\nRoberts, with his entire force of four thousand men\\nand fifteen guns, by which move twenty-nine Trans-\\nvaal and eighteen Free State officers were added to\\nthe list of prisoners. Included in the surrender were\\nChief Commandant Wolverans, Field Cornet Frus, a\\nScandinavian, Major Albrecht, a famous German artil-\\nleryman, and Major Von Denitz, a distinguished Ger-\\nman engineer.\\nOn the same day, General Buller carried Pieter s\\nHill by assault, putting the enemy to rout, and captur-\\ning sixty Boers.\\nIn the evening of this same 27th of February, the\\nsiege of Ladysmith was raised.\\nThe month was brought to a successful close, from a", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0256.jp2"}, "257": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS S ADVANCE. 2 1 7\\nBritish standpoint, by the rehef of the sorely-tried garri-\\nson, the occupation of Colesberg, by General Clements,\\nand the reoccupation of Rensburg.\\nThe Boers, from this time forward, were to do battle\\non their own territory.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0257.jp2"}, "258": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIX.\\nVAAL KRANTZ.\\ny^^ENERAL BULLER S third attempt to relieve\\nLadysmith was begun when, on February 6th, he\\ncrossed the Tugela at Potgieter s drift. It came to an\\nunsuccessful end when, after fighting three days, he was\\nforced to retire from Vaal Krantz.\\nIt was well known twenty-four hours in advance, even\\nto the camp-followers, that on Monday, February 5th,\\nGeneral Buller intended attacking the line of low hills\\nopposite Potgieter s drift.\\nBrakfontein is the principal feature of the chain that,\\nrunning nearly east and west, connects the Spion Kop\\nmountain ridges with Doom Kloof. There was to be\\na feint or demonstration from the British left against\\nBrakfontein, and a determined attack later in the day\\nupon the right, to carry the separated, crested hill of\\nVaal Krantz.\\nFrom Signal Hill and Swartzkop, General Buller\\nand staff had looked upon Vaal Krantz. They came to\\nthe conclusion that it was possible to seize the hill, for\\nthe Boers had not strongly fortified the naturally advan-\\ntageous position. From Vaal Krantz, Krantz Kloof\\n218", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0258.jp2"}, "259": {"fulltext": "VAAL KRANTZ. 219\\nand other positions were to be occupied, and, under\\nthe cover which the interlocking ridges gave, the army\\nwas to be hurried across the Tugela upon pontoon\\nbridges, to threaten Brakfontein and other sahent\\npoints from flank and rear.\\nIt all looked very feasible from Swartzkop but in\\nthat corner of Natal, every hill seems to be commanded\\nby another behind or to left of the one it is proposed to\\noccupy.\\nVery quietly the British preparations were completed.\\nGuns were, with infinite labour, placed upon Swartzkop,\\nand Warren s division, with other troops, moved down\\ntoward the intended field of action. The ever wonder-\\nful mules somehow, notwithstanding many falls, got the\\nmountain-battery up, although the place was as steep,\\nin parts, as the side of a house. The sailors, helped by\\nthe Scottish Rifles, with steel hausers, warped their\\nguns up over the worst part. It was altogether as\\nastounding a performance as heaving batteries to the\\nmasthead of a ship. The ammunition was carried by\\nhand, each man bearing a shell or powder charge.\\nAt 6 A. M., February 5th, the cavalry went forward,\\nbut it was an hour later ere the British guns from\\nMount Alice began the battle. They directed their\\nfire against the Boer works upon Spion Kop, Brak-\\nfontein, and the positions fronting Potgieter s.\\nAbout 9 A. M., Major-General Wynne, who had suc-\\nceeded to the command of the Lancashire Brigade after\\nGeneral Woodgate was wounded, led his men forward", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0259.jp2"}, "260": {"fulltext": "220 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nfrom behind the five low, detached hills or hillocks, a\\nmile north of Potgieter s drift. The new balloon was\\nsent up to spy out what the Boers were about, and\\nmore particularly where their cannons were placed.\\nAs the Lancashire Brigade went forward in widely\\nspread and far apart successive lines of skirmishers,\\nfive field-batteries, and the 50-pound howitzers thun-\\ndered lyddite and shrapnel upon the enemy s trenches\\nand works. The balloonist directed by telephone where\\nthe Boers clustered thickest behind their defences.\\nThe British infantry went steadily, slowly forward, as\\nif to charge the Boer works. By 9.30 a. m. they were\\nnear enough for the enemy to begin sniping in earnest\\nat ranges of twelve hundred yards or less. Their marks-\\nmanship was indifferent, and the troops, disregarding\\ntheir tormentors, walked or ran forward. At convenient\\nstages they would lie flat upon the ground and open\\nindependent volley firing at the enemy, concealed in\\ndongas and trenches.\\nMeanwhile, the Royal Engineers were busily laying\\ndown a trestlework and pontoon bridge combined, near\\nHunger s drift, which is up-stream from Schiet drift.\\nWhen the enemy discovered what was going on at the\\ndrift, they opened a sharp fusilade upon the sappers\\nand the covering party of soldiers. Their aim was\\npoor, and only five sappers and a few soldiers were\\nwounded.\\nWhilst the cannon and rifles were flashing fire and\\nhurling death, there were two helios at Ladysmith", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0260.jp2"}, "261": {"fulltext": "VAAL KRANTZ. 221\\nglittering and sending messages to Signal Hill. By\\nmeans of such simple apparatus Generals Buller and\\nWhite were able to communicate fully with each other.\\nThe bridge having been completed, there was no\\nfurther need for continuing the demonstration- before\\nBrakfontein. Under a redoubled fire from Boer guns\\nand Mausers, General Wynne proceeded to withdraw\\nhis brigade very deliberately, and in perfect order.\\nToward noon, the storm of artillery the roar and\\nshock of cannon, and. the shriek of shells in midair\\nwas almost deafening and bewildering. The great\\nmissiles tore overhead with the uproar of a locomotive\\nhammering through a tunnel at express speed. When\\nthe din became furious, musketry joining in, it was as\\nthe tear and whirl of hundreds of huge machinery\\nwheels broken loose, or many engines racing.\\nNever was stouter, more indomitable courage dis-\\nplayed than by the howitzer and field-batteries of the\\nBritish force. A hurricane of Boer common and shrap-\\nnel shell descended upon them. Shells burst to right\\nand left, in front and behind them, but found them\\nunmoved. The missiles struck under the limbers,\\nalmost under the gunners feet, and out of the bursting,\\nsplashing smoke and dust-encircling clouds steadily the\\ngunners laid their pieces and pulled the lanyards, the\\nflash of exploding shell answering upon the instant with\\ndarting flame from British cannon. To and fro the\\ngunners walked, doing their duty without fluster or\\nhaste, and showing by their shooting that their aim was", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0261.jp2"}, "262": {"fulltext": "2 22 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ngood and true. Horses were wounded, and one or two\\nwere killed. A few gunners also fell, and were carried\\nin, and for nearly an hour the contest rose and fell from\\nthe enemy s lines but from the British position the fire\\ncontinued with unabated force and steadiness.\\nThe atmosphere grew clearer as the afternoon\\nadvanced. At 3 p. m., from near Hunger s farm,\\nLyttleton launched his brigade at Vaal Krantz. With\\nthe Durham Light Infantry leading, and the 3d Bat-\\ntalion King s Royal Rifles upon the right, uprose the\\ntroops from the sloping banks of the Tugela, and dashed\\nforward toward the rugged sides of Vaal Krantz. From\\nfront and flanks the enemy opened fire.\\nOn leaving the protection of the river bank, the Dur-\\nhams were exposed to a withering musket fire, while\\nthe Creusot on the left of Vaal Krantz, and the Maxim\\nautomatic well up the valley aided the Boer riflemen in\\ndelaying the advance. The work of pounding ahead in\\nthe face of so galling a fire was both difficult and ardu-\\nous, but the Durham s steadily crept forward, replying\\nas well as they could to the enemy s fire, which pres-\\nently came with a deafening roll from Vaal Kop and\\nright along Vaal Krantz, and they reached the right\\ndonga with comparatively few casualties.\\nThe advance was slightly checked by a deep pool.\\nOnce the latter was circled, and the men had reached\\nthe dip between the two dongas, they were not so\\ndirectly exposed to a frontal fire, and were able to draw\\nbreath before making their final rush.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0262.jp2"}, "263": {"fulltext": "VAAL KRANTZ. 223\\nThere was no reason to suppose that Vaal Kop itself\\nwas very strongly held, but the ridges farther on\\nundoubtedly were. Moreover, the precipitous character\\nof the kopje rendered its tenure by even two hundred\\nof the enemy a not impossible feature. The Boers\\ndetailed to hold the position refused to budge until\\nthe Durham s had left the dongas and made a start for\\nthem.\\nOn arriving at the foot of the kopje, word was given\\nto fix bayonets and charge, and the Durhams ran up\\nthe hill. Forty or more Boers, who stayed to the last on\\nthe near base, scurried before them, leaving their horses\\nbehind. The fire from the high ridge to the left became\\nvery deadly, and Maj. Johnson Smythe fell, shot through\\nthe throat, while leading his company.\\nUp, still up, panting through the steepness of the\\nascent, the Durhams charged, the Boers still fleeing\\nbefore them, until the latter disappeared over the crest,\\nand the position was won.\\nA fairly determined effort was made by the Boers,\\ntoward the close of the day, to drive the British from\\nthe Vaal Krantz, but, reinforced by the Scottish Rifles\\nand the 3d Battalion of King s Royal Rifles, the men\\nwithout much difficulty repulsed the assailing Boers and\\nheld their ground.\\nHildyard had moved up to render assistance, but\\nLyttleton, with two battalions, was able to deal with\\nevery effort made by the Boers. The day, on the whole,\\nclosed auspiciously. The Boers had been driven from", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0263.jp2"}, "264": {"fulltext": "2 24 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE,\\nVaal Krantz, the key of their advanced position, facing\\nthe drifts.\\nIt now remained for the English to turn the Boer\\nworks to the right and left, or march on to Lady-\\nsmith but this last was not practicable, so far as\\nconcerned the baggage and supply trains, while the\\nRepublicans were in a position to fire upon the drifts\\nand pontoons.\\nThe Boers cunningly set fire to the grass near General\\nLyttleton s position, and by means of the light it gave\\nthey shelled the brigade during the night, bringing up\\nthe Maxim cannon. But still the English held their\\nown, and more, having forced the enemy farther from\\nthe hill.\\nBefore sunrise the Boers startled the camps by firing\\nfrom Doom Kloof their 96-pounder Creusot guns. The\\nshells burst in every direction, several falling at no\\ngreat distance from General Buller s headquarters.\\nThe British big guns and naval 12-pounders bent all\\ntheir energies to knocking out the 96-pounder, but\\nwithout success.\\nDuring the afternoon of the 6th, General Buller gave\\nup all hope of penetrating the Boer lines, because he\\ncould not advance toward the left without certainty of\\na heavy loss.\\nFinding that he could not, from the nature of the\\nsurface of the hill, entrench the troops in order to\\nprotect them against the enemy s fire, and was unable\\nto silence their big guns, he determined to abandon", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0264.jp2"}, "265": {"fulltext": "VAAL KRANTZ. 2 25\\nthe idea of opening up a route to Ladysmith in that\\ndirection.\\nAccording to observation from the balloon, the enemy-\\nwere seen in very large numbers on the hills, and a\\nlarge force was reported as moving in a westerly direc-\\ntion, apparently with a view of making a flank move-\\nment.\\nAt sunset, on the 6th, Hildyard s brigade relieved\\nLyttleton on Vaal Krantz, and the former was imme-\\ndiately called upon to repulse a very severe attack on\\nthe enemy, which his brigade did in gallant style.\\nWednesday, the 7th, was much as Tuesday had been,\\nwith fighting all day, but the British were making little\\nor no progress upon or along Vaal Krantz.\\nOn the afternoon of the 7th there was a council of\\nwar upon the field, at which all the generals were\\npresent except Clery, who had met with an accident to\\nhis leg, which confined him temporarily to bed. All\\nadvocated retirement, as the lines could not be forced,\\nexcept Major-General Hart, who was for storming\\nDoom Kop. The Dublin Fusiliers volunteered to\\ncapture or destroy the one or two Boer long-toms\\nupon Doom Kop, and General Hart wanted to lead\\nthem.\\nAt 6 p. M., on Wednesday, orders were issued for the\\nretirement of the supply column.\\nWhile the backward movement proceeded, the big\\nguns of the Boers continued their storm of shells, and\\non Friday morning, February 9th, the last of the rehef", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0265.jp2"}, "266": {"fulltext": "226 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ncolumn prepared to leave the scene of the third failure\\nto force the Boer cordon at the Tugela.\\nThe queen s troops had fought as well as ever but\\nyet they had lost again. They were not defeated\\nnot disgraced but despondent.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0266.jp2"}, "267": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XX.\\nLORD ROBERTS.\\nTTEW military men have so completely won the\\nadmiration of their followers as has Field-Mar-\\nshal Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts, V. C, Baron of\\nKandahar and Waterford. Fewer still are the com-\\nmanders who have enjoyed so large a measure of their\\nsoldiers love as that which the English and Indian\\narmies long ago gave to Bobs, Little Bobs, or\\nBobsy, as he is variously known in their terms of\\nendearment.\\nThis feeling for their hero is almost that of a family\\nfor its head. There is something patriarchal about it.\\nTommy, be he Briton or be he Indian, dearly loves\\na hero, but when he finds a man who combines moral\\nand physical courage of a high order with brilliancy,\\ndash, and modesty, and a keen personal regard for the\\ncomfort of the man in the rank, Tommy straight-\\nway falls down and worships. And he has been doing\\nthat before Bobs for these many years.\\nWith never a failure in his record. Lord Roberts has\\nmany a feat of generalship and individual bravery to\\nhis credit. That for which he is most famous is his\\n227", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0267.jp2"}, "268": {"fulltext": "2 28 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmarch from Kabul to the relief of Kandahar, in 1880,\\nwhile England was on tenterhooks of anxiety as to his\\nsafety.\\nHis successful movement of a body comprising about\\nten thousand fighters, British and Indian, eight\\nthousand camp-followers, and twenty-three hundred\\nhorses and gun mules, through difficult, hostile territory,\\nin three weeks, with the loss of only one British soldier\\nand a dozen natives, is considered by competent critics\\nthe most remarkable achievement of its kind in modern\\ntimes. A special bronze star was given to each of the\\nmen participating in the march.\\nHis rapidity completely baffled the enemy in his own\\ncountry, and enabled Roberts to administer the crushing\\nblow which ended the campaign.\\nUpon his return to England after that campaign he\\nwas thanked by the government of India and by both\\nhouses of Parliament. The queen summoned him to\\nWindsor. The municipality of London presented to\\nhim a sword and the freedom of the city. Universities,\\nthe ancient trade guilds, and commercial bodies vied with\\none another in giving degrees, privileges, banquets, and\\naddresses.\\nBut that was only one episode in a brilliant career,\\nand many of those best qualified to judge believe that\\nRoberts s most valuable services to the empire were\\ncomprised in the arduous, unobtrusive labours by which\\nhe remodelled the frontier defences and virtually re-\\nmade the Indian army, bringing it to its present high", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0268.jp2"}, "269": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS. 229\\nefficiency. More than once his reforming opinions\\nwere so opposed to general notions at the time that\\nthey made him the object of attack, and even ridicule.\\nBut he stuck to them, and later was vindicated by their\\nadoption.\\nMuch of his success as a general and as a builder\\nwas due, not only to his remarkable magnetism, but to\\nhis close touch with the men in the ranks. Leaving\\nIndia in 1893, after two terms, or nearly eight years, as\\ncommander-in-chief, at a farewell banquet in Calcutta,\\nhe strongly urged upon all officers the necessity for\\nshowing sympathy with soldiers and their families, and\\nof giving effect to orders in a liberal and intelligent\\nspirit.\\nOn the same occasion, he showed his faith in his\\nsystem by saying that, if the time of trial should ever\\ncome, India could rest secure, not only on her troops,\\nher forts, and her guns, but on the loyalty of her foun-\\ndatories and the affection of her subjects. He always\\ngave the credit of his victories to the men under his\\ncommand.\\nOne of his names among the people who honoured\\nhim only second to their sovereign in the parade on the\\noccasion of her diamond jubilee, two and a half years\\nago, is that of the soldiers general. No military\\nleader in England stands higher in the hearts of the\\nBritish nation, and, in the judgment of European critics,\\nhis ability ranks with or above that of Lord Wolseley,\\nhis commander-in-chief.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0269.jp2"}, "270": {"fulltext": "230 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAfter passing through Eton and Sandhurst, Freder-\\nick Roberts, then nineteen years old, obtained his first\\ncommission as a second lieutenant in the Bengal Artil-\\nlery, on December 12, 185 1. Going at once to India,\\nhe learned from his father much about Afghanistan and\\nthe campaign through which General Sir Abraham\\nRoberts had just passed, thereby laying the foundation\\nof the knowledge which he later put to such good\\nuse.\\nHe soon afterward obtained a staff appointment, and,\\ndiscovering the value of Hindustani, set to work to\\nacquire the language with the assiduous thoroughness\\ncharacteristic of all his doings.\\nHe went through the Mutiny in 1857 and 1858, from\\nthe siege and capture of Delhi to the relief of Lucknow,\\nwinning distinction through his courage and ability.\\nThree horses were shot under him during the cam-\\npaign.\\nIn his own characteristic way he won the Victoria\\nCross. He had just saved a native officer s life, when\\nhe saw two Sepoys carrying off the colours. Dashing\\nafter them, he slew one, and, seizing the standard,\\nbrought it back in triumph. He would have lost his\\nlife had not a musket missed fire while its muzzle was\\npressed against his body.\\nIn one of his earlier engagements, while aiding drivers\\nto limber up a gun, he was shot near the spine, and\\nthe wound was not mortal only because a leathern\\npouch, which had slipped around to his back, received", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0270.jp2"}, "271": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS. 23 1\\nthe force of the impact. He left the Mutiny as a\\nbrevet major, and wearing a medal with three clasps.\\nIn 1859 he married Miss Bews, a daughter of Cap-\\ntain Bews, of the 73d Regiment, She entered thoroughly\\ninto his work, and her sympathy has greatly aided him.\\nThis lady and two daughters now comprise his family.\\nIn i860 he became a regimental captain. After\\nquiet administrative work he won a medal and clasp\\nin the Umbeylan campaign in 1863.\\nHe joined the expedition of Lord Napier of Magdala\\nto Abyssinia in 1868. As assistant quartermaster-\\ngeneral he superintended the embarkation of the en-\\ntire expedition. He was thrice mentioned for his\\nservices, and Lord Napier selected him as a bearer of\\nthe despatches which announced the entire success of\\nthe expedition. Thus he won another medal and was\\nbrevetted lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Artillery.\\nAs a reward for his services with the Looshai expedi-\\ntionary force, in 1872, he was made a military companion\\nof the Order of the Bath.\\nHe qualified as colonel in 1875, and received an\\nappointment as permanent quartermaster-general, with\\nthe local rank of major-general.\\nLord Lytton offered him the command of the Punjab\\nforces in 1878, when he became a major-general of the\\narmy.\\nIn 1 879, he received the command of eastern Afghan-\\nistan, from Kabul to Jamrud. It was in the war which\\nbroke out soon afterward, that he first began to attract", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0271.jp2"}, "272": {"fulltext": "232 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe general public attention which culminated in enthu-\\nsiasm over his famous march. During the campaign\\nhe was mentioned eight times in the despatches.\\nOn his march to Kabul in 1879, while in command of\\nthe Kurum Valley force, he fought a fierce and bloody\\nbattle at Pewar Kotal, winning a brilliant victory at\\nCharasai before his capture of the capital. Thence\\nhe had to retire to Sherpur cantonments, where his\\nforesight had led to the construction of a strongly en-\\ntrenched position for just such an emergency.\\nThroughout the winter he held the place with a force\\nof seven thousand, against one hundred thousand fierce\\ntribesmen, awaiting the arrival of reinforcements, with\\nthe aid of which he promptly recaptured Kabul, and\\nwas ready to march to Kandahar when the necessity\\npresented itself.\\nFrom 1881 to 1885 he was in command of the\\nMadras Presidency troops, and his latest fighting was\\nwith the Burmah expedition, in 1886. He was com-\\nmander-in-chief of the forces in India from 1885 to\\n1893, and then was succeeded, largely on his own\\nrecommendation, by General Sir George White, lately\\nbeleaguered in Ladysmith.\\nAfter his return to England, Lord Roberts was made\\ncommander of the forces in Ireland. He was raised to\\nthe peerage as Baron of Kandahar in Afghanistan, and\\nof the city of Waterford, in 1 892.\\nHastily despatched to Cape Town as governor of\\nCape Colony and commander of the forces there, he", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0272.jp2"}, "273": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS. 233\\narrived just after the battle of Majuba Hill, when peace\\nhad been declared. A peace, alas without honour,\\nhe recently said, to which may be attributed the recent\\nstate of affairs in the Transvaal. He was summoned\\nback to England after less than twenty-four hours in\\nCape Town.\\nHe was created a military knight of the Grand Cross\\nof the Bath, and a baronet in June, 1881, in recognition\\nof his distinguished services in India.\\nHe is very small in stature, but has all the wit and\\ngeniality accredited to Irish blood, and has the habit\\nof being successful.\\nThe higher circles of the British army government\\nare supposed to be divided into two opposing schools,\\nof which Lord Wolseley is at the head of one and Lord\\nRoberts at the head of the other. The Wolseley camp\\nhad been in command in South Africa until Lord\\nRoberts s appointment.\\nHis only son was killed at Tugela River, and his\\nnephew. Colonel Sherston, fell at Glencoe.\\nAs showing the sentiment of the British public for\\nLord Roberts as a soldier, the following report is given\\nof his departure from London to Southampton en route\\nto Africa, to take command of the army\\nField-Marshal Lord Roberts, who is to assume com-\\nmand of the British forces in .South Africa, left Water-\\nloo railroad station, London, at noon of December 23,\\n1899, amid scenes of great enthusiasm, vividly demon-\\nstrating the national interest in the event and the belief", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0273.jp2"}, "274": {"fulltext": "2 34 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthat the departure of the general may be accepted as a\\nguarantee that whatever can be done in South Africa\\nwill be carried out by thoroughly competent hands and\\non carefully matured lines.\\nAlthough only privileged persons were permitted to\\nenter the station, this did not prevent the gathering of\\nan immense throng at all the approaches and other\\npoints of vantage, who cheered repeatedly as Bobs,\\naccompanied by his wife and two daughters, drove up.\\nSeldom has the terminus witnessed such an inspiring\\nsend-off. Every appearance of the field-marshal was\\nthe signal for ringing hurrahs, lusty shouts, and good\\nwishes.\\nThe moment the veteran commander arrived he was\\nsurrounded by military officers and other friends, and\\nheld a semi-private reception in the waiting-room.\\nAfter personal leave-taking. Lord Roberts reached the\\nplatform, where general greetings and parting words\\nwere exchanged,\\nAs the general joined his wife and daughters at the\\ndoor of the saloon carriage, he was speedily surrounded\\nby distinguished statesmen and military men, including\\nMr. A. J. Balfour, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Field-\\nMarshal Sir Donald Stewart, and Lieutenant-Colonel\\nCarington, the queen s equerry. Lord Wolseley and\\nothers arrived late, and it required all the efforts of the\\npolice to clear a passage for them.\\nScarcely had the commander-in-chief joined Lord\\nRoberts when a great cheer announced the approach of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0274.jp2"}, "275": {"fulltext": "LORD ROBERTS. 235\\nthe Duke of Cambridge. The crush was so great that\\nthe duke, in spite of pohce protection, was so hustled\\nthat, more than once, he gave verbal expression of\\nresentment at the rough treatment he had to submit to,\\nand the police redoubled their efforts, finally enabling\\nhim to reach Lord Roberts, though in the confusion the\\npolice thrust aside many of those who were best entitled\\nto remain, including Lord Wolseley, who, however, took\\nthe rough handling of the police good-hum ouredly. The\\nladies suffered much from the crowd, but their appeals\\nwere unavailing to stem the crush.\\nRenewed cheering heralded the Duke of Con-\\nnaught s arrival. Then rousing cheers momentarily\\ndiverted attention from the hero of the hour as the\\nPrince of Wales appeared and greeted Lord Roberts in\\nthe most cordial manner. The prince and the distin-\\nguished general engaged in earnest conversation and\\nfurnished a striking centre to a notable group, which\\nincluded no less than five field-marshals.\\nAt the time the train was due to start, the Prince of\\nWales again shook hands with Lord Roberts and spoke\\na few words to the general, of which the phrases, God\\nbless you, Good luck to you, were caught by those\\nnear by.\\nThe prince also said Good-bye, Bobs, a happy\\nChristmas, a prosperous new year, and every possible\\nluck in your job.\\nAmid the din, enthusiasm, and excitement no one\\nheard the signal for departure, and, in consequence, the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0275.jp2"}, "276": {"fulltext": "236 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntrain was moving while Lord Roberts was still on the\\nplatform with his back to the carriage door. The fare-\\nwells were abruptly terminated, and Lord Roberts was\\nforced to make a somewhat undignified scramble for his\\nseat. As the general disappeared in the saloon carriage\\na final lusty cheer was started and continued until the\\ntrain passed out of sight.\\nOn arriving at Southampton General Roberts was\\nheartily cheered by thousands of people, and as he\\nboarded the Dimottar Castle, between a guard of honour\\nof marines and bluejackets, there was a renewed out-\\nburst of applause.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0276.jp2"}, "277": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXI.\\nKIMBERLEY.\\n/^~\\\\N the 15th day of October, in the year 1899, there\\nwas flashed over telegraph wire and cable the\\nannouncement: Kimberley is invested!\\nEach morning thereafter, throughout the English*\\nspeaking world, until the sun had risen one hundred\\nand twenty-three times, the question was eagerly asked\\nWhat news from Kimberley?\\nNot until the 15th day of February, 1900, did the\\nlong-hoped-for news come forth from Africa Kim-\\nberley has been relieved!\\nTwenty thousand people were shut up in an African\\ntown, remaining almost helpless under the shells of the\\nBoer guns for seven or eight weeks, with a British army\\nimmovable only twenty-five miles away, condemned to a\\nmonotonous period of waiting after Lord Methuen with-\\ndrew from the fatal rifle trenches of Magersfontein to\\nentrench himself at Modder River.\\nThe garrison was not strong enough to make a diver-\\ntissement, while the Boer force contented itself with the\\nexpectation of being able to starve the place into sub-\\nmission. Methuen s entrenchment at Modder River,\\n237", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0277.jp2"}, "278": {"fulltext": "238 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhowever, had the important effect of preventing General\\nCronje from weakening his line to exert pressure on the\\ntown.\\nThe investment began on October 15 th, when Kim-\\nberley was isolated, the Boers cutting the Bulwayo rail-\\nway north and south. The garrison had been organised\\nby Colonel Kekewich, aided by Captain O Mara and\\nLieutenant Maclnnes, both of the Royal Engineers.\\nMajor Scott-Turner was the fourth officer responsible\\nfor the defence in the early days. He lost his life in a\\nsortie in the town. Under these officers were placed\\nfour companies of the North Lancashire regiment, a\\nbattery of Royal Garrison Artillery, under Major\\nChamier, and a detachment of Royal Engineers.\\nSome troops of Cape Police, the Kimberley Light\\nHorse, and the town guards were welded into a compact\\nforce, which showed itself eager in keeping the Boers at\\na distance from the town. The garrison thus consisted\\nof about seven hundred imperial troops, and, with the\\ncolonial and other forces, reached a total of about\\ntwenty-seven thousand. A detachment of the royal\\narmy medical corps, with ambulances, was also included\\nin the garrison, and gave effective service.\\nLieut. -Col. R. G. Kekewich, the colonel of the Lan-\\ncashire regiment, and commandant of the town, gained a\\nreputation on the staff in Egypt from 1 884 to 1 890, and\\nhas been military secretary to two commanders-in-chief.\\nA few days before the formal declaration of war by\\nthe republics, Colonel Kekewich held a review of his", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0278.jp2"}, "279": {"fulltext": "KIMBERLEY. 239\\ngarrison. The brave show put heart into the inhabit-\\nants. The town was well supplied with cattle and pro-\\nvisions, and elaborate defences had been constructed\\nwith earthworks made out of the rubbish heaps of the\\nmines, sixty feet high, and with miles of barbed wire.\\nFor the Boers Kimberley was a prize worth almost\\nany cost. There were the diamond mines, to begin\\nwith, and the loot to be obtained in the most important\\ntown of upper Cape Colony. From a military point\\nof view its capture would mean the prevention of its\\nbeing utilised as a base for any British army operating\\nagainst the Orange Free State.\\nMore piquant interest, however, was given to the\\nsiege by the fact that almost the last arrival in the town,\\nbefore its isolation on October 15th, was that of Cecil\\nRhodes, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Rochfort\\nMaguire. James Rochfort Maguire, who has been\\nassociated with Mr. Rhodes, was a co-director in many\\ncolossal enterprises, particularly the South African\\nChartered Company, and is an old Oxford chum of Mr,\\nRhodes. His wife, the Hon. Mrs. James Maguire, was\\nbefore her marriage the Miss Peel who presided at the\\nSpeaker s house when her father, Viscount Peel, was\\nSpeaker of the House of Commons.\\nMr. Rhodes had determined to cast in his lot with\\nthe town so closely identified with his fortunes. Rumour\\nwas busy with tales of the fate in store for one regarded\\nby the Boers as their arch-enemy, should he fall into\\ntheir hands. It was said that President Kruger had set", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0279.jp2"}, "280": {"fulltext": "240 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\na price on Mr. Rhodes s head, with the reward of a large\\nland grant to the fortunate captor. To avoid such a\\nfate Mr. Rhodes, so the story went, had provided him-\\nself with a balloon as a means of escape at the last\\nmoment. Whatever basis of truth lay in these pictur-\\nesque details, Mr. Rhodes set himself to aid the defence\\nwith characteristic energy.\\nDuring the first few weeks some sharp fighting took\\nplace between the garrison and the investing Boers.\\nThe reconnoissances and sorties were successful in pre-\\nventing the enemy approaching the town too closely.\\nA hot engagement, the conclusion of which was\\nfought out within sight of Kimberley, and was wit-\\nnessed by many spectators, took place, October 24th,\\nbefore daybreak.\\nA patrol of mounted police and volunteers, number-\\ning over three thousand men, was despatched, under\\ncommand of Major Scott-Turner, to make a reconnois-\\nsance northward beyond MacFarland s farm. An\\narmoured train supported the reconnoissance. Major\\nScott-Turner got in contact with the enemy at an\\nearly hour. They were first seen in scattered parties,\\nbut quickly appeared in considerable force, endeavour-\\ning, by manoeuvres on the right, to get between Scott-\\nTurner s patrol and the armoured train.\\nAs soon as he became aware of the fact that fighting\\nhad begun. Colonel Kekewich sent out a train with a\\ndetachment of the North Lancashire regiment, under\\ncommand of Major Murray, together with two guns", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0280.jp2"}, "281": {"fulltext": "KIMBERLEY. 24 1\\nof the Diamond field artillery, under Captain May.\\nThe latter went by the road. The enemy despatched\\na big force for the purpose of intercepting these guns.\\nThe Boers, occupying a strong position upon a wooded\\nridge at the right of the road, opened a furious fusilade,\\nat a range of eight hundred yards, before the British\\nguns could be unlirabered.\\nThe volunteer artillery, though taken at a disadvan-\\ntage, behaved with great coolness, and quickly got their\\nguns into action, shelling with great vigour the bush\\nwhich concealed the enemy. The marksmanship of the\\nBoers was bad, and they were disconcerted by the shell\\nfire.\\nAt this critical moment the North Lancashires re-\\nturned by the train, which had gone farther north.\\nUnder cover of the British guns they attacked the\\nenemy s kopje, driving the Boers out of it. Their\\nvolley firing was effective, and the Boers beat a hasty\\nretreat. The English mounted troops were too tired\\nby their previous exertion, and, moreover, not suffi-\\nciently numerous to follow the enemy.\\nAmong the Boer dead was Commandant Botha, of\\nBoshof. The body of the Boer leader was found and\\nidentified. He had been shot through the right breast.\\nAmong the papers found on Botha s body was a letter\\nfrom Head-Commandant Wessels, instructing him to\\nseize Castle Kennilworth as soon as practicable. This\\nwas believed to have been the object of the Boer move-\\nment.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0281.jp2"}, "282": {"fulltext": "242 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe British losses were four killed and eleven\\nwounded.\\nCommander Botha, who was among the killed, was\\na member of the Volksraad, and a famous Dutch\\nfighter. He distinguished himself as a marksman at\\nBrenkhorst Spruit, when the 94th British Regiment\\nwas mowed down. He afterward defended a farmhouse\\nagainst the British. When he surrendered the farm-\\nhouse, Botha was found with five wounds, bathed in\\nblood.\\nOn November 9th, the bombardment of Kimberley\\nwas begun. On the nth Colonel Kekewich sent the\\nfollowing heliographic despatch\\nThe enemy was very active early on the 4th, en-\\ndeavouring to drive off our cattle, but retired rapidly\\nbefore Colonel Turner s advance, remaining quiet until\\n12.30 p. M., when the Transvaal troops advanced on\\nKennil worth. Major Peakman, with a squadron of\\nKimberley Light Horse, was hiding in the bush, and\\ngave the enemy a warm reception. The Boers retired\\nfiring. Colonel Turner was reinforced by Major Peak-\\nman, and at 12.45 the enemy opened fire with one\\npiece of artillery, at nearly four thousand yards range.\\nTwo guns of the Diamond field artillery were then\\nin support of Colonel Turner, but the enemy s guns\\nhad ceased firing after the fifth round. Consequently\\nour guns did not come into action. The enemy s\\nartillery fire was not damaging, and his shooting was\\nbad.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0282.jp2"}, "283": {"fulltext": "KIMBERLEY. 243\\nOur casualties in the Kennil worth engagement\\nwere limited to Major Ayleff of the Cape Police, who\\nwas wounded in the neck. He is expected to recover.\\nLater in the day, our pickets say, the Boers carried off\\nsix dead from one spot, probably killed by our Maxim.\\nThe total Boer loss was probably heavy.\\nAbout 5.30 P.M. Colonel Turner was again in\\ncontact with a new body of the enemy on the Schnest\\ndrift road. From the conning-tower a large number\\ncould be plainly seen about two miles to the north of\\nthe Kimberley reservoir, and others held a walled enclo-\\nsure on their own right flank. Colonel Turner opened\\nwith a Maxim, and two guns of the Diamond field artil-\\nlery, sent in support. He came into action at 5.47\\np. M., and continued firing until dusk.\\nOur further casualties there were Private Lubde, of\\nthe Cape Police, who was shot through the head and\\ndied on arriving at the hospital, and Sergeant Water-\\nmarge, of the Kimberley division of the Cape Police, was\\nwounded, but is doing well.\\nAt 6.10 p. M. the enemy opened fire with one piece\\nof artillery from Kamper s dam, on Otto s kopje, the\\nlatter being held by the Cape Police. The enemy\\ninflicted no damage.\\nThe Boers continued to shell the town actively, and, on\\nNovember i6th, Colonel Kekewich sent a despatch by\\nexpress rider to Orange River, containing the following\\nOur mounted troops, with two guns, made a sortie\\nearly this morning. A heavy mist delayed them and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0283.jp2"}, "284": {"fulltext": "244 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhampered their movement. The enemy was discovered\\nin great force entrenched in a position guarding the\\nridge. They opened heavy fire at our men, and a fight\\nlasting for more than an hour ensued. As there was\\nno possibility of storming the position with the small\\nforce at his command, Colonel Scott-Turner returned to\\nKimberley.\\nOur casualties in the engagement were Trooper\\nGeorge Goodall, of the Kimberley Light Horse, killed,\\nand Major Peakman, of the same corps, and some others,\\nwounded.\\nOn the 17th, a second despatch was sent by express\\nrider to Orange River, of which the following is an\\nextract\\nTo-day s bombardment was rather a feeble affair.\\nAltogether the Boer artillery have fired seven hundred\\nrounds, but, despite this weight of metal, only one old\\nwoman has been killed by their fire, and one civilian\\ninjured. The number of escapes have been wonderful,\\nconsidering that the shells frequently drop in busy\\nthoroughfares, and that our mean, jerry-built brick\\nbuildings offer but a slight resistance.\\nAfter a bombardment lasting for ten days, and\\nisolation from the outer world for thirty-three days, the\\ninhabitants are anxiously awaiting the early approach of\\nthe relief column. Our latest news is nearly a fortnight\\nold.\\nThis afternoon a strong mounted force of artillery\\nmade a sortie near Beaconsfield, with the object of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0284.jp2"}, "285": {"fulltext": "KIMBERLEY. 245\\ntempting the enemy to attack. The Boers remained,\\nhowever, in the kopjes and blazed away an immense\\namount of ammunition at an impossible range. A brief\\nartillery fire resulted in the Boer guns being silenced.\\nOur only casualty was Captain Bodley, of the Dia-\\nmond field horse, wounded. It is now clear that the\\nenemy s infantry tactics are entirely defensive, and that\\nthey are relying on their artillery to compel the sub-\\nmission of the garrison. Up to the present, their\\nartillery fire has been useless against our redoubts,\\nand has done only slight damage to private property.\\nOur men are astonished at the strength of the enemy.\\nOur losses were due to rifle fire. The Boer shells hurt\\nnobody. One pitched among a group of six men, who\\nat once dismounted and engaged in a friendly scramble\\nfor the pieces.\\nOn November 23d, simultaneously with the defeat of\\nthe Boers by Lord Methuen, the Kimberley garrison\\ncaptured a laager, but lost a gallant leader in Major\\nScott-Turner, of the Black Watch.\\nHopes now ran high in the town, as Colonel Keke-\\nwich was in constant communication with the advancing\\narmy, by means of the electric flashlight.\\nThe battle of Magersfontein, on December nth, with\\nits unwelcome check and the withdrawal of Lord Me-\\nthuen to an entrenched position at the Modder River,\\ndispersed these expectations, though Colonel Keke-\\nwich was probably soon informed of the reason for\\nthe enforced delay.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0285.jp2"}, "286": {"fulltext": "246 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLord Methuen s settled position served to occupy the\\nattention of General Cronje, and no deliberate attack\\nwas made on Kimberley. The shell fire, though occa-\\nsionally heavy, did little damage.\\nAt Christmas the privations were not extreme, though\\ntyphoid and scurvy were on the increase.\\nMr. Rhodes again came to the rescue with the dis-\\ntribution among the various camps of plum puddings,\\ncooked at his residence, the Sanatorium.\\nThere were still weeks of tedium to be passed before\\nany indications were made that the British were to\\nassume the offensive, with Kimberley again as the\\nimmediate objective.\\nEarly in the siege, the military authorities had put an\\nembargo on all the stores. No storekeeper was allowed\\nto take advantage of the siege, and the community was\\nthus enabled to live at normal prices, so far as the absol-\\nute necessaries of life were concerned, though famine\\nprices ruled in the case of fowls, vegetables, and fruit.\\nAt length there must have been a stir in the air fore-\\ntelling the end.\\nOn February 8th, Gen. Hector MacDonald, with the\\nHighland Brigade, made his reconnoissance to Koodoes\\ndrift, a movement which was merely a feint to draw the\\nBoers to the westward, while the way was left open for\\nFrench to cut through between Cronje s entrenchments\\nat Modder River and Jacobsdal on the eastward.\\nOn Lord Roberts s arrival at the Modder, everything\\nwas in train for the execution of the neat piece of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0286.jp2"}, "287": {"fulltext": "KIMBERLEY. 247\\nStrategy which completely circumvented the Boers.\\nGeneral French, once in motion, swept his squadrons\\nonward, and brushing aside the parties of Boers who\\nattempted to bar his progress, reached Kimberley from\\nthe southeast on Thursday, February 15th.\\nAlthough the rapid march of General French s divi-\\nsion was marked by a number of conflicts, his actual\\nentry into Kimberley was virtually unopposed. When\\nthe British were still eight miles off, the signalling corps\\nintercepted a heliograph message from the beleaguered\\ngarrison to Modder River, saying\\nThe Boers are shelling the town.\\nThe advance column replied\\nThis is General French, coming to the relief of\\nKimberley.\\nThe garrison was incredulous, believing the message\\nwas a Boer ruse, and flashed the query\\nWhat regiment are you\\nThe reply satisfied the defenders of Kimberley that\\nthe anxiously awaited succour was at hand; and, a few\\nhours later. General French, at the head of a column,\\nmade a triumphant entry into the place, the people sur-\\nrounding the troops and intermingling with them, cheer-\\ning wildly, grasping the soldiers hands, waving flags,\\nhats, and handkerchiefs, and exhibiting in a hundred\\nways the intensity of their joy.\\nThe inhabitants had been on short rations for some\\ntime, eating horse-flesh and living in burrows under\\nheaps of mine refuse. Diminishing rations were served", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0287.jp2"}, "288": {"fulltext": "248 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nout daily, at eleven o clock, in the market square under\\nshell fire of the enemy, whose guns opened on the\\nsquare whenever the inhabitants assembled. No horse-\\nfood was left.\\nThroughout the siege Cecil Rhodes provided the\\nnatives with work and food, and thus kept them quiet.\\nThe miles of convoy, bearing provisions for the relief\\ncolumn and the town, slowly winding its way across the\\nplains in the direction of Kimberley, was the gladdest\\nsight which greeted the eyes of the besieged for four\\nmonths.\\nThen was sent to the outer world, by Lord Roberts,\\nthat message which gave joy and relief to so many\\nJacobsdal, February i6th, 2 a. m, French, with\\na force of artillery, cavalry, and mounted infantry,\\nreached Kimberley last evening, Thursday.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0288.jp2"}, "289": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXII.\\nHOW FRENCH REACHED KIMBERLEY.\\nTHE cavalry division under General French was\\ncomposed of the following troops Household\\nCavalry, 6th Dragoon Guards, 6th Inniskillen Dragoons,\\nloth Hussars, 14th Hussars, 5th Hussars, New South\\nWales Lancers, 2d Dragoons, mounted infantry, includ-\\ning colonial contingents, horse-artillery.\\nThe first real move of Lord Roberts toward the relief\\nof Kimberley was the taking of Dekils drift on Monday,\\nFebruary 12th,\\nOn Tuesday, General French left Dekils drift, and in\\nsix and one-half hours forced a march to Klip drift,\\ntwenty-five miles away. Here a slight engagement\\nensued, and the cavalry pushed on a short distance\\nfurther to Rondaval drift, where, after shelling the Boers\\nvigorously, a passage was forced.\\nThe Boers precipitately retired, leaving five laagers\\nin the hands of the British, besides a great quantity of\\ncattle and three thousand sheep.\\nThe rapidity of General French s march and the\\noverwhelming nature of his force enabled him, in spite\\n249", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0289.jp2"}, "290": {"fulltext": "250 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nof the difficulties of water transportation, to thoroughly\\noutwit and surprise the Boers.\\nThe British casualties were slight.\\nGeneral French s division seized three drifts on the\\nModder River. At the third drift the Boers were\\nreasonably well entrenched. General French bom-\\nbarded them and drove them off. Then he moved\\nrapidly in the direction of Kimberley, making the dis-\\ntance of sixty miles in forty-eight hours.\\nThe march was so rapid and the heat so intense, that\\nmany of his horses died of exhaustion but he reached\\nhis goal with insignificant losses, seven men killed\\nand thirty-four wounded.\\nThe Sixth Division was at Drieput when General\\nFrench rode into Kimberley, and what occurred on the\\nday after the relief of the town is thus told by a British\\nofficer\\nKimberley was relieved, and every one that night at\\nDrieput was elated at our success, but the full signifi-\\ncance of all our rapid movements was only realised the\\nfollowing morning.\\nAt break of day a great cloud of dust was seen six\\nmiles from camp, moving in an easterly direction, and\\nextending some eight miles in length. The Boers were\\ntrekking.\\nIt came on all as a surprise that this should have\\nbeen accomplished by a force of ten thousand mounted\\nmen, while one division was twenty miles or more from\\nKimberley, another only at Jacobsdal, and a third far-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0290.jp2"}, "291": {"fulltext": "HOW FRENCH REACHED KIMBERLEY. 25 1\\nther off still. But the Boers were seized with a whole-\\nsome fear of our ten thousand mobile cavalry. They\\nhad heard of our infantry coming up, and feared, and\\nthey rightfully feared, being caught in a trap.\\nSoon our mounted infantry patrol, sent out to\\nthe east, came back and reported that they had been\\ndriven in by the enemy s advance-guard. They also\\nreported that there was a convoy of nearly one\\nthousand wagons being escorted along the north of\\nthe Modder.\\nGeneral Knox s brigade was immediately ordered\\nout, with the 8ist and 76th Field Batteries. The con-\\nvoy had, for the moment, slipped through, and were\\nfive or six miles farther on. The main body of the\\nenemy, however, was attacked.\\nThe Boers made a gallant stand to give their trans-\\nport time to get through. They took up a strong posi-\\ntion north of the Modder on some kopjes with three\\nsides, facing south, east, and west. From the eastern\\nend of the road followed the course of the river, pro-\\ntected by a slight declivity in the ground. At distances\\nof about five hundred yards, other kopjes rose, which\\ngave the Boers good positions as they fell back, and\\nacted as stepping-stones in their line of retreat.\\nThe main position was occupied the whole day by\\nthe bulk of the enemy, who were covering the rest of\\ntheir force as they retired. Our shrapnel played on it\\nhour after hour, and the enemy deserved the greatest\\nadmiration for the manner in which they maintained", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0291.jp2"}, "292": {"fulltext": "252 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntheir position. Their efforts, however, were not des-\\ntined to be crowned with success.\\nFour thousand of our mounted infantry, moving en\\nechelon, got around their left, or, rather, cut off their\\nline of retreat, as we were fighting in parallel lines.\\nTheir oxen, having come from Kimberley, were\\nexhausted, and before nightfall they had to be out-\\nspanned ten miles from their main position. The 76th\\nBattery was quickly up there, and ruthlessly played on\\nthe transport until dark.\\nThe enemy seemed very determined to get through\\nto Koffyfontein, which is extremely strong. They have\\nevacuated all their positions, those around Magersfon-\\ntein, as well as those around Kimberley, and have left\\ntheir guns behind. General French has left Kimberley,\\nand is moving around north of the Boers to cut them\\noff from Bloemfontein.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0292.jp2"}, "293": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIII.\\nPURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE.\\nT ORD ROBERTS began his campaign by strik-\\ning at the principal Boer force in the western\\ntheatre of war, that of Commandant Cronje, covering\\nthe siege of Kimberley.\\nIn a little over three weeks Lord Roberts completed\\nthe organisation of his forces. He then quietly massed\\nsome fifty thousand men, four infantry divisions and a\\ncavalry division, near the selected point, reaching Modder\\nRiver station on Friday, February 9th. He put his\\ntroops in motion with the least possible delay, and on\\nMonday, February 12th, the action began. It was an\\nattempt to turn the Boer position by a march around its\\nleft or eastern flank.\\nThe same day, General French s cavalry seized the\\npassages of the Riet River, southeast of Jacobsdal, and\\nwere at once followed up by two infantry divisions. On\\nTuesday, the cavalry moved north, and seized the cross-\\nings of the Modder River, the infantry following at their\\nheels. On Thursday, February 15th, when one division\\nof infantry was on the Modder and the other close be-\\nhind it, between the two rivers, the cavalry moved\\n253", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0293.jp2"}, "294": {"fulltext": "2 54 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nforward toward Kimberley, dispersing the besiegers\\nfrom the southeastern front, and opening connection\\nwith the town.\\nThe same day the troops from the old camp at Mod-\\nder River station opened communication with Jacobsdal,\\nwhich had already been taken. Thus Lord Roberts\\nhad a semicircle around the Boer position at Magers-\\nfontein, from Kimberley on the north, to Modder River\\nstation on the south, and the line was prolonged from\\nModder River station to the northwest so that General\\nFrench might hope, by passing through Kimberley, to\\ncomplete the circle, and thus enable Lord Roberts to\\nenvelop and capture Cronje s whole force.\\nThis was the result hoped for. The plan was bril-\\nliantly conceived and vigorously executed. But Cronje\\nhad been able to evade the blow. When General French\\nreached Kimberley it was found that Cronje, with the\\nbulk of his force, had moved off toward Bloemfontein,\\napparently by the Boshof road, or by a shorter route\\nalong the north bank of the Modder. The laagers and\\nstores abandoned and the convoy captured proved that\\nCronje left in haste, and one of General Kelly-Kenny s\\nbrigades was despatched in hot pursuit.\\nThe story of General Cronje s retreat, beginning on\\nthe 15th, is thus told by one of the English correspon-\\ndents\\nOn Thursday, at midnight, headed by General\\nCronje, five thousand Boers, with their heavy guns and\\nox-wagons, evacuated the Magersfontein lines. At", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0294.jp2"}, "295": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 255\\ndawn, on Friday, the retreating Boer army was seen\\nfrom the British naval gun station on KHp drift kopje,\\ntrekking eastward across the British front.\\nOur guns opened on them, and a force of mounted\\ninfantry, crossing the river, made a dashing charge in\\nthe attempt to cut off the head of the enemy s column.\\nBut in half an hour their whole force had gained shelter\\nunder a line of kopjes.\\nMeanwhile, two of our batteries had come up, and\\nthe Oxfords, Buffs, West Ridings, and Gloucesters.\\nOur infantry crossed the drift, and for three hours were\\nengaged with the enemy, while our batteries shelled\\nhis position. The mounted infantry kept hard at\\nwork.\\nUnable to withstand our galling shell fire, the enemy\\nretired, disputing every inch of the way, and took up a\\nsecond position on the kopjes to the eastward. It was\\na magnificent spectacle to see the Boer army thus at\\nbay. Their rear-guard, two thousand strong, fought us,\\nwhile the main body trekked farther east, and then\\nbrought their guns into action, while the rear guard\\nretired.\\nThe action lasted through the day. Our infantry\\nfought splendidly, but the enemy held his ground under\\nthe continued bombardment. Later, the Boer com-\\nmander ventured on a bold stroke. Leaving two thou-\\nsand of his men under cover, he withdrew the rest from\\nhis main position and headed for Klip Kraal drift, six\\nmiles to the east.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0295.jp2"}, "296": {"fulltext": "256 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThis movement was soon discovered. Our mounted\\ninfantry came back across the drift and marched along\\nthe south bank to endeavour to head off the enemy.\\nWhen they reached the neighbourhood of Klip Kraal\\ndrift, night had fallen, and half the Boers were already\\nacross to the south side. Our mounted infantry har-\\nassed their movements.\\nMeanwhile, the Boer rear-guard, having covered the\\ncrossing of the main body, retired slowly, and success-\\nfully passed the drift. The rear guard fought desper-\\nately, and as it fell back to the river it was harassed on\\nthe flank and rear by the British.\\nHaving thus passed the Modder under cover of\\ndarkness, the Boers trekked throughout the night in\\nthe direction of Bloemfontein. General Kelly-Kenny,\\nwith the Sixth Division, pursued them at daylight.\\nGeneral MacDonald, with the Highlanders, following\\nhim. MacDonald reached Klip Kraal drift by forced\\nmarches Sunday. General Kelly-Kenny, moving from\\nKlip Kraal drift, was endeavouring to outflank the\\nenemy and to cut them off from Bloemfontein, so as to\\ndrive them back into General MacDonald s hands.\\nOn the 1 6th, General Kelly-Kenny s division captured\\nseventy-eight wagons laden with stores, two wagons of\\nMauser rifles, eight boxes of shells, ten barrels of ex-\\nplosives, and a large quantity of stores, all belonging to\\nCronje s laager.\\nGeneral Cronje made an official report, under date of\\nFebruary i8th, to the effect", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0296.jp2"}, "297": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 257\\nYesterday morning, about six o clock, while remov-\\ning the laager near Scholtz Nek, we were attacked by\\nthe British. The fight lasted until 7.30 in the evening.\\nAlthough, on the whole, the British were driven\\nback, they each time renewed the attack,\\nThe loss to the British must have been considerable.\\nThus far the Boer loss has been eight killed and\\ntwelve wounded.\\nThis morning the British shelled us with cannon.\\nChief Commandant Ferreira s force was too small\\nto stop the calvary from entering Kimberley.\\nCommandant Steyn reported that on Saturday,\\nFebruary 17th, and Sunday, February i8th, near Koo-\\ndoos Rand, he fought the British, who tried to encom-\\npass General Cronje s laager, and drove them off. They\\nfought until late Sunday evening. The Boers had one\\nman killed and one wounded, and captured booty and\\ntwenty-one horses and mules.\\nGeneral De Wet says that on Sunday afternoon\\nhe arrived between Paardeberg and Koodoos Rand, in\\nwhich direction there had been heavy firing since morn-\\ning. He stormed several kopjes, which the British\\nvacated, leaving their dead and wounded and forty\\nprisoners in the hands of the Boers, who captured the\\nkopjes. The Boer loss was two men killed and four\\nwounded. The fight lasted until late in the evening.\\nThe story of the battle on the i8th is thus told by\\na correspondent accompanying the British army\\nThe magnificent night march of General Cronje s", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0297.jp2"}, "298": {"fulltext": "258 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nforce from Magersfontein now appears likely to end in\\ndisaster. The main body of the Boers is enclosed in a\\nterrible death-trap, hiding in the bed of the Modder,\\ncommanded by the British artillery, and threatened on\\nthe east and west by the British infantry.\\nThe retreating foe made a gallant stand last Sunday.\\nTired and harassed, they still maintain a bold front. It\\nis somewhat difficult to explain Sunday s action, in\\nwhich all the British force was engaged, and in which\\nGeneral Cronje, under difficult conditions, managed to\\nhold his own.\\nSaturday night the British mounted infantry came\\ninto touch with Cronje s rear-guard, driving it back\\nupon the main body. Sunday morning the action was\\nrenewed, but the Boers, who had entrenched the river-\\nbed during the night, prevented a further advance of\\nthe mounted infantry in this direction.\\nMeanwhile, the Highland Brigade, consisting of the\\nSeaforths, the Black Watch, and the Argylls, advanced\\nfrom the south bank, and the Essex, Welsh, and York-\\nshires formed a long line on the left, which rested on\\nthe river, the extreme right being the Welsh. The\\nwhole line was ordered to envelop the Boers, who lined\\nboth banks of the river.\\nThe firing soon became heavy. The Boers, holding\\na splendid position, covered the left of the Highland\\nBrigade, which advanced partly up the river-bed and\\npartly in the open, while the rest of the brigade, with\\nthe other regiments, swung around the front of the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0298.jp2"}, "299": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 259\\nHighland Brigade on the level, coverless ground, ex-\\nposed to a terrible fire, which obliged them to lie upon\\nthe ground, as they did during the remainder of the\\nday.\\nThis began at 7.30 a. m. Through the dreadful heat\\nand a terrible thunder-storm, our men hung to the posi-\\ntion, answering the Boer fire and shooting steadily.\\nIn the meantime, the rest of the infantry completed\\nthe enveloping movement, the Welsh regiment having\\nsucceeded in seizing the drift, thus closing in the Boers,\\nwho had fought throughout with splendid courage.\\nGeneral Cronje s laager, full of carts, ammunition,\\nand stores, could be plainly seen near the north bank.\\nGeneral Smith-Dorrien collected a large body of men,\\nincluding the Canadians, and crossed the river by Paar-\\ndeberg drift, advancing toward the laager, which was\\nbeing vigorously shelled. This force made a gallant\\nattempt to charge into the laager, but failed.\\nBefore seizing the western drift, the Boers occupied\\na kopje on the south bank, running down to the river.\\nTherefore their force is cut in two. The Boers hold a\\nkopje, and have one Vickers-Maxim, and probably one\\nor two other guns.\\nToward evening the battery on the south side opened,\\ncooperating with the battery on the north side. A\\nwonderful sight followed. The shells fell with amazing\\nprecision along the river-bed, opposite the laager, which\\nwas shelled thoroughly, damaging everything it con-\\ntained. One shell set on fire a small ammunition", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0299.jp2"}, "300": {"fulltext": "26o FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwagon, which burned nearly all day. Many other\\nwagons were set on fire, and the glare was visible at\\na considerable distance, far into the night.\\nThe infantry also maintained a terrible fire, which\\nwas answered vigorously. The scene toward nightfall\\nwas terribly picturesque, with blazing wagons, the roar-\\ning artillery and the crackling rifle fire.\\nAt dawn, on the 20th, it was found that the Boers\\nhad vacated all their positions south of the Tugela, and\\nwere in positions among the high hills midway between\\nLadysmith and the river, and making a determined\\nstand. They had in the action two Creusot guns.\\nLater on that same day, Lord Roberts sent the fol-\\nlowing despatch to the War Office\\nYesterday afternoon I was satisfied, by a careful\\nreconnoissance in force of the enemy s position, that I\\ncould not assault it, without very heavy loss, which\\nI was most anxious to avoid. Accordingly, I decided\\nto bombard himi with artillery, and turn my attention to\\nthe enemy s reinforcements.\\nThe result was most satisfactory. The Boers were\\ndriven off in all directions, losing a good many killed\\nand wounded, and about fifty prisoners, who say they\\narrived from Ladysmith two days ago by railroad.\\nThey also say it was our artillery fire which caused\\nthem to abandon the kopje they were occupying. Our\\nloss was two officers Captain Campbell, of the 9th\\nLancers, and Lieutenant Houston, of the artillery and\\nfour men, all slightly wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0300.jp2"}, "301": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 26 1\\nA correspondent wrote, under date of the 21st\\nThe Boer forces under General Cronje are esti-\\nmated at eight thousand men. At 12 o clock he asked\\nan armistice of twenty-four hours, which was refused.\\nLater he sent a messenger to say that he would sur-\\nrender.\\nThe British general sent a reply, telling him to come\\ninto camp. Cronje refused, saying there had been a\\nmisunderstanding, and that he would fight to the\\ndeath. The bombardment was then reopened, and\\nour lyddite shells set fire to the Boer wagons. We\\ncontinued shelling the laager through the night, and in\\nthe morning we resumed with Maxims and rifles, princi-\\npally from the north side.\\nSunday there was much waste of life in attacking,\\nand the same result might have been achieved without\\nit. During Monday night seven Boers made an attempt\\nto break through our lines, but they were captured and\\ntheir leader killed. Four were carrying letters. It is\\nbelieved that there was one other, who got through.\\nOther prisoners say that General Cronje marched\\nfrom Magersfontein here without outspanning, a dis-\\ntance of thirty-three miles. Had he succeeded in escap-\\ning it would have been one of the finest performances\\nin the annals of the war.\\nThe Canadians m_ade a gallant charge at the laager,\\nbut were driven back with loss. General MacDonald\\nand General Knox are slightly wounded.\\nThe following account of the work done by British", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0301.jp2"}, "302": {"fulltext": "262 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand Boers during the 21st, and of the general situation,\\nwas sent from Paardeberg\\nEarly yesterday morning a most terrific rattle of\\nrifle fire broke out, waking the sleeping camp. It was\\nthe heaviest fire during the war, and it soon developed\\nthat the Gloucesters and the Essexes, having lost their\\nway, had bivouacked in error close to the Boer laager\\non the north side of the river. As soon as they were\\ndiscovered by the enemy, the latter fusiladed, but the\\nBritish casualties were practically none.\\nDesultory firing continued all day on both the north\\nand south banks, General Knox s brigade holding and\\npushing forward the line south of the river, while Gen-\\neral Smith-Dorrien, on the north side, worked toward\\nthe laager. Meanwhile General French advanced in a\\nfar easterly direction, near a kopje held by a strong\\nforce of Cronje s men, reinforced by a Ladysmith con-\\ntingent.\\nAt the same time. General Broadwood s brigade,\\nwith a battery of horse artillery, took up positions to the\\nleft and rear of the same kopje.\\nThe front of the hill was thoroughly searched by a\\nraking fire, and suddenly the Boers bolted from every\\nside toward General French, who headed for the drift,\\nshelling vigorously. A great number of the Boers\\nescaped, but many were killed by shrapnel, and about\\nforty were captured.\\nThe kopje was found to be a wonderfully strong\\nposition naturally, and to form the real key to the posi-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0302.jp2"}, "303": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 263\\ntion in case of defence against Boer reinforcements\\nadvancing from the east.\\nOur first contact with the Ladysmith Boers was sin-\\ngularly unfortunate to them. A great deal of forage,\\nprovisions, and equipment was captured, and the kopje\\nwas frequently dotted with blood, showing that many\\nwounded had been removed.\\nThe Boer method of removing their dead is to tie a\\ncouple of reins to the body, which is thus dragged off\\nby two horsemen at full gallop.\\nA deserter who came into camp Tuesday night says\\nthat the bombardment that day was appalhng in its\\neffects, especially in the case of the howitzer batteries\\nenfilading the river.\\nEverybody admires the splendid stand of the Burgh-\\ners, but, from a humanitarian point of view, it is consid-\\nered that further resistance on the part of General\\nCronje will be criminal. Every shrapnel-shell finds a\\nvictim, and unless a miracle occurs his force must be\\nwiped out or captured. The former result is terrible\\nto contemplate, but although it would require a few\\ndays, it would be easy to accomplish.\\nYesterday Lord Roberts sent General Cronje an\\noffer of a safe-conduct for the women and children,\\ntogether with a free pass to any point for them, and\\nalso an offer of doctors and medicine. Cronje s reply\\nwas a curt refusal, and desultory shelling was resumed\\nand continued during the early part of last night. As\\nsoon as the last gun was fired, the Shropshires, who had", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0303.jp2"}, "304": {"fulltext": "264 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nbeen occupying the river-bed since Sunday, rushed\\nforward, seized an additional two hundred yards of near\\nground, and entrenched a fresh position before day-\\nbreak. At dawn General Cronje found himself docked\\nthat amount of space. The Shropshires had done\\nexcellent work under a galling fire since Sunday, and\\nthey were relieved by the Gordons to-day.\\nThe scene of the last five days fighting is one of the\\nprettiest spots in South Africa. The river, at the point\\nwhere General Cronje is ensconced and fighting for\\nlife, resembles some parts of the Hudson River, the\\nground all around sloping toward the stream. All\\nthe highlands are covered by British artillery. Cronje\\nis faced in the front and rear from both banks by the\\nBritish, while General French s Horse, far away on the\\nflanks, prevents a sudden inrush of Boers.\\nDuring the artillery firing last evening the mules\\nof the 82d Battery, which had remained hitched to the\\ncarriages, suddenly stampeded and galloped off en\\nmasse, but to-day the wagons, with one exception, were\\nrecovered.\\nGeneral French has sent in seventy-five prisoners.\\nThe British patrol, eight miles to the west, discovered\\nthirty Boers wandering away, and corralled them. Alto-\\ngether this force has already captured 460 of the enemy,\\nwhile many dead Boers have been seen.\\nTo-day a German ambulance attached to the Boer\\nforces was allowed to traverse the British lines in front\\nof Jacobsdal.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0304.jp2"}, "305": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF GRONJE. 265\\nThere was a series of sharp fights along the British\\nfront on the 23d. One thousand Boers, commanded by\\nGeneral De Wet, who were known to be operating in\\nthe immediate front, at early dawn determined to\\nattempt to break through the British lines and aid\\nGeneral Cronje.\\nA body of five hundred Boers moved toward the\\nBritish left, and cantered in the direction of a kopje,\\nwith the object of occupying it. Unfortunately for the\\nBoers, however, the kopje was held by a company of\\nScottish Borderers, who opened a heavy fire. The\\nBoers galloped off, but moved again toward another\\nBritish position, with exactly the same result. They\\nthen made a third attempt to occupy another position,\\nbut the Borderers were again ready to receive them.\\nThe third repulse thoroughly disconcerted the Boers,\\nwho galloped away in a panic.\\nLater, perceiving another kopje, the Boers moved\\nquickly toward it. This kopje was unoccupied, but the\\nBorderers, not to be beaten, raced the Boers for the\\nposition, and won, occupying the kopje and driving off\\nthe enemy. A portion of the latter ultimately occupied\\na kopje flanked partially by the Borderers and facing\\nanother kopje held by the Yorkshires. A vigorous\\nfusilade ensued, the British firing truly and accurately,\\nand silencing the Boer fire.\\nMeanwhile the Buffs were ordered to reinforce the\\nYorkshires in case the Boers should be reinforced.\\nThe British attack worked around to the right of the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0305.jp2"}, "306": {"fulltext": "266 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nkopje held by the Yorkshires, where the 7th Battery is\\nstationed, the 67th Battery being placed at a farm near\\nthe centre of the Borderers position. A vigorous\\nshelling, accompanied by a British fusilade, completely\\nsilenced the Boers.\\nA company of Yorkshires was sent to clear out the\\nenemy, but the attempt failed, the Boers opening a\\nheavy fire, and the British having no cover.\\nThe British then again opened a heavy rifle fire, which\\nagain silenced the Boers. The enemy made several\\nattempts to run, but the Maxims opened upon them\\neffectually and checked them. The Buffs now worked\\ncarefully and cautiously around, and got within 150\\nyards of the Boers. Eighty surrendered, but many, it\\nappears, escaped, going singly.\\nThe story of the end came suddenly, although all\\nwere hoping for such a result. On the 27th, at 7.45\\nA. M., Lord Roberts telegraphed from Paardeberg\\nGeneral Cronje and all his force capitulated uncon-\\nditionally at daylight, and are now prisoners in my\\ncamp.\\nThe strength of his force will be communicated\\nlater.\\nI hope that her Majesty s government will consider\\nthis event satisfactory, occurring as it does on the anni-\\nversary of Majuba Hill.\\nThis despatch was followed four hours later by a\\nsecond, reading thus\\nFrom information furnished daily to me by the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0306.jp2"}, "307": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 267\\nintelligence department, it became apparent that Gen-\\neral Cronje s force was becoming more depressed, and\\nthat the discontent of the troops and the discord among\\nthe leaders was rapidly increasing.\\nThis feeling was, doubtless, accentuated by the dis-\\nappointment caused when the Boer reinforcements,\\nwhich tried to relieve General Cronje, were defeated\\nby our troops on February 23d.\\nI resolved, therefore, to bring pressure to bear on\\nthe enemy. Each night the trenches were pushed for-\\nward toward the enemy s laager, so as to gradually\\ncontract his position, and at the same time I bombarded\\nit heavily with artillery, which was yesterday mate-\\nrially aided by the arrival of four 6-inch howitzers,\\nwhich I had ordered up from Dewar.\\nIn carrying out these measures a captive balloon\\ngave great assistance by keeping us informed of the\\ndisposition and movements of the enemy.\\nAt 3 A.M. to-day a most dashing advance was\\nmade by the Canadian regiment and some engineers,\\nsupported by the First Gordon Highlanders and 2d\\nShropshires, resulting in our gaining a point some six\\nhundred yards nearer the enemy, and within about\\neighty yards of his trenches, where our men entrenched\\nthemselves and maintained their positions till morning,\\na gallant deed worthy of our colonial comrades, and\\nwhich, I am glad to say, was attended by comparatively\\nslight loss.\\nThis apparently clinched matters, for by daylight", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0307.jp2"}, "308": {"fulltext": "268 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nto-day a letter signed by General Cronje, in which he\\nstated that he surrendered unconditionally, was brought\\nto our outposts under a flag of truce.\\nIn my reply I told General Cronje he must present\\nhimself to my camp, and that his force must come out\\nof their laager after laying down their arms.\\nBy 7 A. M. I received General Cronje, and despatched\\na telegram to you announcing the fact.\\nIn the course of conversation he asked for kind\\ntreatment at our hands, and also that his wife, grand-\\nson, private secretary, adjutant, and servants might\\naccompany him wherever he was sent. I reassured\\nhim, and told him his request would be complied with.\\nI informed him that a general officer would be sent\\nwith him to Cape Town to ensure his being treated\\nwith proper respect en route.\\nHe will start this evening under charge of Major-\\nGeneral Prettyman, who will hand him over to the\\ngeneral commanding at Cape Town.\\nThe prisoners, who number about three thousand,\\nwill be formed into commandoes under our own officers.\\nThey will also leave here to-day, reaching the Modder\\nRiver to-morrow, when they will be railed to Cape\\nTown in detachments.\\nA private letter from Paardeberg, on the day after\\nthe surrender, thus describes the scene in that camp\\nAll the Boer prisoners were paraded yesterday after-\\nnoon. They extended in a long, trailing line, like a\\nserpent, across the plain, and, as far as possible, were", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0308.jp2"}, "309": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 269\\narranged in commandoes. The Free Staters were kept\\nseparate from the Transvaalers.\\nThe look upon the faces of the men, as they passed,\\nmade it impossible to arrive at any other conclusion\\nthan that they were all overjoyed at their release from\\nthe daily fire of shell and shot which they had been\\nexperiencing lately. Many did not even take the\\ntrouble to conceal their delight from the soldiers guard-\\ning them. They chatted freely with the British, dis-\\ncussing the different battles in which they had fought.\\nAll the prisoners have an intense admiration for the\\nbravery and pluck of the Highlanders, and they freely\\nconfess that they are incapable of the dash, go, and\\npluck of the British.\\nSome of the sick prisoners have given a vivid descrip-\\ntion of General Cronje s night march. It began in a\\npanic, and terrible confusion prevailed throughout. The\\nhuge wagons crowded the narrow road, there was an\\nutter lack of order, and desertions were numerous.\\nFrom them, also, were learned the details of the\\nBoer commissariat. The Boer rations consisted of one\\npound and a half of fresh meat daily, and one pound\\nand a half of coffee, three pounds of sugar, and five\\npounds of flour per man weekly.\\nEvery man who was off duty visited the Boer laager\\nyesterday, and the crowd of curious Tommies spent\\nthe day in searching every nook and corner. After\\nwhat might prove useful to the army had been secured,\\nthe soldiers were allowed to take whatever they liked.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0309.jp2"}, "310": {"fulltext": "270 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe men carried off clothing, kettles, cups, and even\\numbrellas.\\nAmong the Boer commanders who were taken pris-\\noners were Commandants J. Martin, R. West, and Vers-\\nter Field-Cornets J. Snyman, J. H. Vande, J. H. L,\\nBosman, W. L. Lemmer, and Badenhorst Adjutants\\nJ. S. Maree and J. A. Botha War Commissioner\\nArnolds, and Acting Field-Cornets P. V. Devilliers and\\nG. J. Duplessis.\\nThe biggest commandoes that surrendered were the\\nPotchestroom, of seven hundred men, and the Bloem-\\nfontein, of five hundred men.\\nA two hours inspection of the Boer laager was an\\nordeal. It was marvelous how anyone could remain ten\\ndays there among decomposed horses and the entrails\\nof cattle and sheep which were being roasted by the\\nsun.\\nA correspondent tramped out on the veldt and saw\\nsome British soldiers removing the Boer sick on stretch-\\ners. He did not see a single wagon intact anywhere,\\nand most of them were half burned. Meal and potatoes\\nwere scattered among old clothes, trunks, and cooking\\nutensils. There were thousands of rounds of Mauser\\nand Martini-Henry cartridges, but there was scarcely\\nany artillery ammunition. Only four Krupp 12-pounders,\\none Maxim, and one Vickers-Maxim were found.\\nThe position south of the river was protected with\\nremarkable trenches that looked like split dumb-bells.\\nThey were banked with sand-bags waist high, and the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0310.jp2"}, "311": {"fulltext": "PURSUIT AND CAPTURE OF CRONJE. 27 1\\nends were deep and overhanging. There were many-\\nbags filled with flour, bread, and cartridges. Probably\\nnot more than three persons lived in each trench. The\\nprisoners looked more like an irregular horde than\\nsoldiers. There are many gray-bearded men and boys\\namong them. They appear to be well fed, but tired.\\nThey carry a rough roll like that used by farm servants\\nin carrying their effects when they are changing situa-\\ntions. General Cronje and about a dozen others alone\\nlook like men of position. Even the uniformed Orange\\nFree State artillerists were ragged. All the prisoners\\naccepted their position complacently. General Cronje\\nsat silently smoking under the trees near headquarters,\\nwhile the others were arranged in rows on the veldt,\\naccording to their commandoes.\\nThis decisive British victory was not followed by a\\ncollapse on the part of the Boers. It only resulted in\\nthe freeing of the Free State force, the removal of one\\nof the most skilful commanders, and the return to their\\nfarms of weak-kneed among the Free Staters but in\\nthe Free State another series of actions had become\\nnecessary, while the march into the Transvaal was only\\nmade after very hard fighting and the loss of many\\nlives.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0311.jp2"}, "312": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIV.\\nbuller s fourth advance toward ladysmith.\\nAFTER General Buller s third unsuccessful attempt\\nto relieve Ladysmith, he gave his weary troops a\\nmuch-needed rest, yet absolutely lost no valuable time\\nin the task which had been set him.\\nA fourth effort was to be made as soon as the arrange-\\nments could be perfected. He had decided that the\\nnext movement should be by a very direct route, re-\\ngardless of the fact that, owing to the physical nature\\nof the country, the difficulties in the path would be\\nmany and great.\\nIf he could gain possession of Mts. Hlangwana and\\nMonte Christo, it would mean access to the Tugela\\nbelow Colenso, and south of Nelthorpe, at the same time\\nbringing the enemy s lines of communication with the\\nnorth under the fire of the naval guns.\\nThe Boers had many trenches and forts along the\\nlower slopes of Hlangwana and Monte Christo, and\\nhad mounted six small cannon, including a 9-centimetre\\nCreusot gun. They had five camps, none of them large,\\nsouth of the Tugela. One upon the nek behind Monte\\nChristo contained fifteen hundred men. They also had\\n272", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0312.jp2"}, "313": {"fulltext": "BULLERS FOURTH ADVANCE. 273\\nsix cannons, so disposed as to fire upon Hlangwana from\\nnorth of the Tugela.\\nAt eight o clock, on the morning of February 15th,\\nGeneral Buller advanced his entire army, except Hart s\\nbrigade, toward Mt. Hlangwana and Monte Christo.\\nHis first objective was to seize Hussar Hill, a spread-\\ning ridge under the western slopes of Monte Christo,\\nand two miles south of Hlangwana, While the British\\ncamp was held, one force moved eastward, and Lyttle-\\nton s men marched north to clear the valleys, and the\\ncolonial cavalry scouted. Thorneycroft s mounted in-\\nfantry galloped for Hussar Hill, which was taken after\\na feeble resistance.\\nAbout nine o clock, as the infantry approached Hus-\\nsar Hill and Hlangwana, to relieve the troopers, and\\nwere going forward upon the front flank, the leading\\nregiments were sniped by Boers, who had crept onward.\\nThese were driven back steadily, the British skirmishers\\nbeing helped by the fire from field-batteries and howit-\\nzers.\\nAt ten o clock in the morning, the Boers commenced\\npitching shells from batteries hidden behind a screen of\\nbushes and rocks. The English gunners replied, silenc-\\ning the enemy s artillery, which shifted about and\\nopened at other points. Hussar Hill was thus brought\\nunder a cross-fire, but little damage was done.\\nThe British constructed a long trench to secure\\ntheir possession of the hill, and placed a naval 12-\\npounder in a sand-bag battery upon it.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0313.jp2"}, "314": {"fulltext": "2 74 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nHeavy artillery firing was maintained at intervals by\\nboth sides throughout the i6th, when the British slowly\\npushed the advance, and their infantry occupied and\\nentrenched new positions in front of Hussar Hill, with\\nslight losses.\\nBy this movement General Buller s infantry was dis-\\nposed along the line extending seven miles, to the small\\nkopjes at the base of Monte Christo Hill.\\nOn the 17th, Cingolo Hill was carried, and the\\nBritish had secured possession of the north of the\\nrange.\\nRegarding his advance of the next three days. Gen-\\neral Buller reported, officially\\nI moved around the enemy s flank. The Queen s,\\nwho had bivouacked on the northern slope of Cingolo,\\ncrossed the nek, and, supported by the rest of the 2d\\nBrigade, under Hildyard, assaulted and took the south-\\nern end of Monte Christo.\\nThe 4th Brigade, on the left or western slope,\\nand the Welsh Fusiliers, supported by the rest of the\\n6th Brigade, assaulted the eastern flank of the enemy s\\nposition, while the 2d Brigade cavalry, on the extreme\\nright, watched the eastern slopes of Monte Christo,\\nand drove back those of the enemy attempting to\\nescape there from our artillery fire.\\nAssaulted by heavy artillery fire on their front and\\nflank, and attacked on their flank and rear, the enemy\\nmade but slight resistance, and, abandoning their strong\\nposition, were driven across the Tugela.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0314.jp2"}, "315": {"fulltext": "BULLERS FOURTH ADVANCE. 275\\nI have taken several camps, a wagon-load of ammu-\\nnition, several wagons of stores and supplies, and a few\\nprisoners.\\nThe weather has been intensely hot, and the ground\\ntraversed was exceedingly difhcult, but the energy and\\ndash of the troops have been very pleasant to see.\\nThey have all done splendidly. The work of the\\nirregular cavalry, the Queen s and the Scots Fusiliers,\\nand the Rifle Brigade, was, perhaps, most noticeable,\\nwhile the excellent practice of the artillery and naval\\nguns, and the steadiness of the gunners under, at\\ntimes, very accurate fire, was remarkable. The precise\\nfire of the naval guns from Chieveley was of great\\nassistance.\\nBlow s farm, Tuesday, February 20-24, 10 p- m.\\nThe Fusiher Brigade yesterday took Hlangwana Hill,\\nthe right of the enemy s position, and commanding\\nColenso, the rest of the force advancing toward the\\nTugela.\\nThis morning the enemy had withdrawn all the\\ntroops south of the Tugela, and had practically evac-\\nuated Colenso.\\nTo-day General Hart occupied Colenso, after a very\\nslight resistance by a weak rear-guard, and we hold the\\nline of the Tugela, on the south side, from Colenso to\\nEagle s Nest.\\nThe enemy seem to be in full retreat, and ap-\\nparently are only holding the position they occupy", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0315.jp2"}, "316": {"fulltext": "276 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nacross the Colenso-Ladysmith railway, where it is close\\nto the angle of the Tugela, with a weak rear-guard.\\nHart s advanced guard is crossing at Colenso.\\nFebruary 21, 1900, 4.27 p.m. The Fifth Divi-\\nsion crossed the Tugela to-day by pontoon, and drove\\nback the enemy s rear-guard, our naval 12-pounder\\nsilencing all of the enemy s guns.\\nA correspondent of the Lojidoji Mail thus describes\\nthe difificulties in General Buller s way, and gives a\\ngraphic picture of the work done after the Tugela had\\nbeen crossed\\nThe stupendous nature of the task was only\\nunderstood when, being on the spot, one was able\\nto realise what it means to hurl infantry at posi-\\ntions lined in every direction with carefully prepared\\ntrenches, and with breastworks defended by practi-\\ncally invisible riflemen, armed with the most deadly\\nrapid-firing weapons, and aided by quick-firing guns,\\nwhich put all but our cannon of the largest calibre\\ninto the shade.\\nAs it would have been madness to seek an outlet\\nfrom the amphitheatre of hills by way of Grobler s\\nkloof, on the left, a route had to be found on the right\\nand at 2 p. m., Friday, amid the incessant cracking of\\nrifle fire and the roar of cannon, the Irish brigade was\\ndespatched along the river to take Railway Hill on the\\nother side of Pieter s station.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0316.jp2"}, "317": {"fulltext": "BULLERS FOURTH ADVANCE. 277\\nThis hill is commanding enough to ensure our\\nfinal advance, providing we could hold it securely and\\ncould mount cannon on it. From Onderbrook Spruit\\nrailway bridge the track runs along the Tugela, and it\\nwas perilously open to the Boer marksmen disposed on\\nthe kopjes back from the river therefore, after passing\\nPieter s station, many men would be bound to be hit.\\nBeyond the station the line passes over another\\nsmall bridge, crossing a deep donga, and it was in the\\napproach to this bridge, and onward to the base of Rail-\\nway Hill, that the greatest danger from enforced expo-\\nsure obtained. It was necessary to cross by the bridge\\nat the mouth of the donga, which, beside being diffi-\\ncult of access, ran into the Tugela. The path between\\nthe railway and the river was almost always in full\\nview of the enemy.\\nEvery man of the Irish brigade had, therefore, to\\nrun the gauntlet of Boer marksmen, and numbers\\ndropped on the bridge, where the Boer bullets fell\\ndangerously thick, until the bridge was sandbagged,\\nand only one man allowed on it at a time.\\nVery soon fifty men were put out of action in the\\nrace from the bridge to the rendezvous, and several\\nmembers of the volunteer ambulance corps were\\nwounded in following the troops.\\nYesterday the Boer retreat continued. A party\\nof about seventy, en route from the north, drew rein\\nnear Limit Hill. A battery of 15-pounders, placed not\\nfar off, suddenly opened fire, and practically annihilated", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0317.jp2"}, "318": {"fulltext": "278 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe party. A Boer ambulance was later on seen col-\\nlecting the dead and wounded,\\nThe Boers are trying to form a bridge or ford\\nacross Klip River, south of Umbulwana, evidently for\\nthe purpose of permitting the passage of wagons and\\nartillery in their retirement from Colenso. Our guns\\nare preventing this work being carried on.\\nGeneral Buller s oflficial report, dated February 28th,\\nthus tersely describes the work done the 27th, the\\nanniversary of that disaster at Majuba Hill:\\nFinding that the passage of Langewechts Spruit\\nwas commanded by some strong entrenchments, I\\nreconnoitred for another passage on the Tugela.\\nOne was found for me below the cataract by Colonel\\nSandbach, Royal Engineers, on February 25th.\\nWe commenced making an approach thereto, and,\\non February 26th, finding that I could make the\\npassage practicable, I crossed the guns and baggage\\nback to the south side of the Tugela, took up the\\npontoon bridge on Monday night, and relaid it at\\nthe new site.\\nDuring all this time the troops had been scattered,\\ncrouching under hastily constructed small stone shelters\\nand exposed to a galling shell and rifle fire, and through-\\nout they maintained the most excellent spirits.\\nTuesday, General Barton, with two battalions of the\\n6th Brigade and the Dublin Fusiliers, crept about a\\nmile and a half down the banks of the river and\\nascended a very steep cliff almost a precipice of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0318.jp2"}, "319": {"fulltext": "BULLER S FOURTH ADVANCE. 279\\nabout five hundred feet, assaulted and carried the top\\nof Pieter s Hill.\\nThis hill, to a certain extent, turned the enemy s\\nleft, and the 4th Brigade, under Colonel Norcott, and\\nthe nth Brigade, Colonel Kitchener commanding,\\nthe whole under command of General Warren, as-\\nsaulted the enemy s position, which was magnificently\\ncarried by the South Lancashire regiment about sunset.\\nWe took sixty prisoners and scattered the enemy in\\nall directions.\\nThere seems to be still a considerable body of them\\nleft on and under Bulwana Mountain.\\nOur losses, I hope, are not large. They certainly\\nare much less than they would have been were it not\\nfor the admirable manner in which the artillery was\\nserved, especially the guns manned by the royal naval\\nforce and the Natal naval volunteers.\\nAn American who witnessed the storming of the hill\\ngives the following picture of the action\\nSince Friday s attack the whole face of the position\\nhas been shelled at intervals, but from early this morn-\\ning the trenches directly opposite the British front and\\nthe nek separating Pieter s Hill from another hill were\\nsimply strewn with lyddite-shells and shrapnel. It ap-\\npears marvellous that anything human could live on\\nthe hill.\\nAt three o clock this afternoon the batteries fired\\nsalvos, and all the heavy ordnance was in constant\\naction.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0319.jp2"}, "320": {"fulltext": "28o FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral Barton led his command to the extreme\\nright; Colonel Kitchener, who had taken Wynne s com-\\nmand, formed the centre. The brigade under Colonel\\nNorthcote attacked Railway Hill. The infantry on the\\nright advanced over the hill, forcing the Boers into\\nthe nek, while Colonel Kitchener led his men over\\nRailway Hill, meeting little opposition.\\nThe Boers remained in the trenches, from which a\\nterrible cross-fire was sent during Friday s fight.\\nA few of them escaped to the next trench, and\\nhoisted a white flag, which they waved vigorously.\\nSome prisoners were taken. The infantry cheered\\nand charged, taking Pieter s Hill with fixed bayonets.\\nHere they were met with a heavy musketry fire.\\nThe British now command the direct road to\\nLady smith.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0320.jp2"}, "321": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXV.\\nLADYSMITH.\\nLADYSMITH, previous to the breaking out of the\\nwar in South Africa, was the military headquarters\\nof the British colony of Natal, and was quite generally\\ncalled the Aldershot of South Africa. It is a town\\nof about forty-five hundred inhabitants, 189 miles by\\nrail from Durban, the principal seaport of the colony,\\nand is 322 miles from Pretoria, the capital of the South\\nAfrican Republic.\\nThe town is not well suited for defence, for it lies\\nin a plain, several miles wide, through which flows the\\nKlip River. On one side was the military camp and a\\nlarge exercise plain. Low hills surround the town, and\\nbeyond them lie higher hills, or kops, which command\\nthe whole section of the country for miles. The Boers\\noccupied these high hills, mounting on them some of\\nthe biggest guns manufactured, notably the now famous\\nlong-tom, and consequently it was comparatively easy\\nfor them to hold the town in siege.\\nGeneral Sir George Stewart White, V. C., who has\\nbeen in command in Ladysmith, was for years com-\\nmander-in-chief of the British forces in India, and is\\n281", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0321.jp2"}, "322": {"fulltext": "252 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nrecognised as one of the best and bravest leaders in\\nthe British army. He was sent to Natal last June, at\\nthe time of the famous conferences engineered by-\\nJoseph Chamberlain between Sir Alfred Milner, the\\nBritish high commissioner of South Africa, and Presi-\\ndent Kruger, and took command of the troops that had\\nbeen steadily poured into South Africa from England\\nand from India.\\nWhen, on October loth, President Kruger sent his\\nultimatum to Great Britain, calling for the removal of\\nthe troops threatening the borders of the Republic, Sir\\nGeorge White had small garrisons scattered up the nek\\nof Natal as far as Newcastle.\\nArrangements had been made to send troops to\\nLaing s Nek, the pass through which the railroad\\nenters Natal. These garrisons he was obliged to re-\\ncall as soon as the Boer invasion began, October 12th.\\nThey were weak and isolated.\\nHe left a strong garrison of four thousand men under\\nGeneral Symons at Glencoe and Dundee, where there\\nwas a large store of military supplies. He himself\\nwished to withdraw the force to a junction with his\\nown at Ladysmith, and then fall back to the Tugela\\nRiver for defence but the governor of Natal, Sir\\nW. F. Hely-Hutchinson, urged that, for political rea-\\nsons, the towns be not deserted, and Sir George yielded,\\nwith disastrous results.\\nThe Boer commandoes invaded Natal October 1 2th\\non the 14th, they occupied deserted Newcastle; on the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0322.jp2"}, "323": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 283\\n1 8th, their advance-guard engaged White s cavalry out-\\nposts near Glencoe, and on the 20th they were before\\nGlencoe with a large force.\\nGeneral Symons attacked them. Before repeated\\ndesperate charges the Boers fell back, with a loss that\\nthe British estimated at five hundred killed and wounded,\\nalthough the Boer estimate was remarkably small while\\nthe British loss was thirty-six killed, 191 wounded, and\\n208 captured, being a squadron of the i8th Hussars,\\nwhich had pursued recklessly, only to fall into the first\\nof the Boer traps.\\nGeneral Symons was mortally wounded. The Boer\\nadvance was not checked. They came on and began\\nto shell Dundee, to which the British had retired.\\nThe situation was desperate. The railroad to Lady-\\nsmith had been cut. General Yule, who succeeded to\\nthe command, had to abandon the town with the stores\\nand all his wounded, and retreat by a devious route to\\nLadysmith. He left by night, October 23d, and, after\\na terrible march, reached General White s outposts on\\nthe 26th.\\nThe Boers had anticipated this retreat, and a column\\nof eight hundred men sent to block his way was met at\\nElandslaagte by General French, of White s force, and\\ndefeated.\\nTwo days later, on the 24th, Sir George White made\\na reconnoissance in force, and found plenty of Boers to\\nthe north. The engagement of Reitfontein followed,\\nwhere the British lost twelve killed and 104 wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0323.jp2"}, "324": {"fulltext": "284 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAgain White made a reconnoissance in force, in-\\ntending really to crush the advancing Boers, who were\\nclosing around him. This was on October 30th. The\\nresult was a severe defeat, and the disaster, of Nichol-\\nson s Nek, where a battalion of the Royal Irish Fusi-\\nliers, a battalion of the Gloucestershires, and the loth\\nMountain Battery, after losing heavily, were taken\\nprisoners. The British loss was sixty-one killed, 241\\nwounded, and about eight hundred captured.\\nThe town was isolated November 2d, when parties\\nof Boers effectually cut the railway on the north side\\nof the Tugela River. General French, who had been\\nin command at Elandslaagte, was the last to leave the\\nplace by train, and luckily ran the gauntlet without\\nmishap.\\nAs the Boers proceeded to establish their laagers at\\ndifferent points behind the hills which encircled the\\ntown. General White and his garrison settled down to\\nthe defence with the strongest confidence that they\\ncould hold the position against assault until relief came.\\nAll told, the fighting force of the British scarcely num-\\nbered ten thousand effectives. These were distributed\\nin camps outside the town, and it was necessary to\\nguard an area having a circumference of twelve miles.\\nHeavy guns were placed in position, and the daily shell-\\ning of Ladysmith commenced. The civilian population\\nbecame alarmed after the first bombardment, and Gen-\\neral Joubert, commander-in-chief of the Boers, allowed\\nthem to make a camp of safety about four miles from", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0324.jp2"}, "325": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 285\\nthe town, under Mount Bulwana. The sick and wounded,\\nlater on, were removed to this retreat and cared for.\\nMany non-combatants, however, decided to remain in\\nthe town, and underground galleries were constructed\\nall about the place, into which men, women, and chil-\\ndren hurried and huddled when the big shells came fly-\\ning through the air thick and fast.\\nThe town had been well provisioned, and mihtary\\nstores of all kinds had long been accumulating. Gen-\\neral White s force, roughly speaking, was eleven thou-\\nsand men when the war broke out, and he had thirty-six\\nguns.\\nSurrounding General White, and facing General\\nBuller s relief column along the Tugela River, were,\\nit is estimated by the British, twenty-five thousand\\nBoers, commanded by General Joubert.\\nOn November 3d, shells began to drop into the\\ntown. To the surprise of the British, the Boers\\nmounted big guns, with which the best naval guns,\\nbrought up fortunately in the nick of time, alone could\\ncope. But the supply of shells for these was limited,\\nand a series of cavalry engagements was resorted to by\\nthe defenders to permit, as far as possible, a close ap-\\nproach of the Boers. On their side, the Boers were\\nelated by their success, and it does not appear that\\nthey at all anticipated a long check before the town.\\nAfter a few weeks, however, many got accustomed\\nto the bombardment, it becoming a hollow terror, as\\ncorrespondent George W. Steevens described it in a let-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0325.jp2"}, "326": {"fulltext": "286 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nter written shortly before his death from fever in the be-\\nleaguered city. People would hear the boom of long-\\ntom away off on Mount Bulwana, and then watch the\\nhuge shell sail slowly toward the town even wait for\\nit to burst, if it was not coming too near them, in which\\ncase they made a rush for their caves.\\nNovember 6th the monotony of the siege was varied\\nby a cavalry action at Dewdrop.\\nThe first serious attack was made on November 9th.\\nRiding down into the plain, the Burghers attacked the\\ngarrison at various points, only to meet with a disas-\\ntrous repulse. Their losses were estimated at eight\\nhundred, but, whether they amounted to this number\\nor not, the effect of the reverse was to reduce them to\\na state of inactivity for three weeks. During this time\\nthey could be seen in large numbers all around. Their\\npatrols were active, and their investment was strict.\\nBy December 7th the total casualties had reached\\nfive officers and twenty-six men killed, and fifteen offi-\\ncers and 130 men wounded.\\nOn the night of December 8th a daring party, under\\nthe command of General Sir Archibald Hunter, went\\nout of Ladysmith, and wrecked one of the Boers big\\nguns with guncotton. They took the small guard by\\nsurprise, and returned with a loss of about forty in\\nkilled and wounded.\\nA force under Lieutenant-Colonel Metcalfe made a\\nless successful sortie on the night of December nth.\\nThe object of the sally was to destroy the howitzer", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0326.jp2"}, "327": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 287\\nwhich had the range of the town to an annoying exact-\\nness. The destruction of the big gun was accomplished,\\nbut the Boers were not surprised at this time. They\\nattacked the British party, killed and wounded many,\\nand captured quite a number of prisoners.\\nNext came General Buller s first attack to relieve\\nthe besieged town. This was on December 15th, when\\nhe tried to cross the Tugela River to Colenso. A great\\nbattle was fought, in which both sides displayed the\\nutmost gallantry. The British were finally driven back,\\nwith very serious loss, their casualties being 145 killed,\\n752 wounded, and 224 missing. Buller also lost eleven\\nguns, despite the brave attempt of volunteers to recover\\nthem. Lord Roberts s son was one of the volunteers,\\nand he was shot dead beside the guns.\\nA private letter sent out from Ladysmith, December\\n19th, gives a striking picture of the besieged town\\nIt is impossible to express the feeling of consterna-\\ntion with which the news of General Buller s check on\\nthe Tugela was received in the invested town. All had\\nmade up their minds that the period of enforced inac-\\ntivity was at an end. We were proud to think that we\\nshould be able to meet the relieving troops with the\\nlittle histories of our own regarding the Gun and Sur-\\nprise Hill batteries. No one for a moment imagined\\nthat the southern force would be anything but suc-\\ncessful.\\nOn December 12th, heavy firing had been heard in\\nthe direction of Colenso, while on the following day the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0327.jp2"}, "328": {"fulltext": "288 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\npickets on Caesar s camp and Wagon Hill had seen\\nthe smoke made by the bursting shrapnel.\\nThen we waited for news, waited breathlessly for\\norders to be given to the flying column, composed of\\nthe Devonshire and Lancashire regiments and the Gor-\\ndon Highlanders, to leave camp to complete the devasta-\\ntion which the south force had begun. Men and women\\ncongratulated themselves in the streets when they heard\\nthat one of our heavy guns had been sent to Wagon\\nHill to cover the movement of the flying column. But\\nthe silence was prolonged, though the helio winked\\nceaselessly from the hilltops but rumour had its way,\\nand stories were told of a splendid victory, of deserting\\nBoers, of fleeing Dutch, and slaughtered Burghers.\\nBut nothing from headquarters. December i6th was\\nDingaans Day, the anniversary of the declaration of inde-\\npendence of the South African Republic by the trium-\\nvirate in 1880. It was thought that this would be a\\nsuitable day for us to crush the power of the rebel state.\\nDay dawned, and with the advent of the sun the big gun\\non Bulwana opened a spiteful fire. Twenty-one rounds\\nwere fired into the town. The Boers had remembered\\nthe salute which we had fired on the Prince of Wales s\\nbirthday. Grimly on Dingaan s Day they returned the\\nsalute. And with effect, for there were three fatal\\ncasualties from the fire. Still the town congratulated\\nitself. This salute was but the song of the dying swan.\\nIn a fit of bravado the enemy had fired into us before\\nremoving the gun to escape the advance from the south.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0328.jp2"}, "329": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 289\\nA story came in from Intombi camp that the Boers\\nhad sent a number of wounded Dutch for treatment.\\nExcitement ran high, and a speculative photographer\\nerected a notice that, now the siege was practically at\\nan end, he would be happy to make a mass group of\\nthe civilians who had survived.\\nBut on Saturday night the sinister order appeared.\\nThe batteries attached to the flying column were sent\\nback to their positions on the line of defences. On the\\nmorrow the following general order was published to\\nthe garrison\\nThe general officer commanding the Natal field\\nforce regrets to have to announce that General Sir Red-\\nvers Buller failed to make good his first attack on Co-\\nlenso reinforcements will not, therefore, arrive here as\\nearly as was expected. Sir George White is confident\\nthat the defence of Lady smith will be continued by the\\ngarrison in the same spirited manner as it has hitherto\\nbeen conducted, until the general officer commanding-\\nin-chief in South Africa does relieve it.\\nThese are real and trying discomforts, but more\\noppressive than all the hardships we endure is the\\ndreadful monotony of the siege. We have ceased to\\ntake any interest in shells, and even the most timid no\\nlonger walk up the street to see the damage done by\\none of long-tom s best efforts. The opportunities for\\nactive exercise are restricted, and a gallop on horseback\\nis possible only under shrapnel or common shell.\\nThere might appear to be one resource left, and that", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0329.jp2"}, "330": {"fulltext": "290 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nis to sleep the time peacefully away. Even this conso-\\nlation is denied, for Ladysmith is afflicted with a plague\\nof flies more terrible than any that oppressed the Egyp-\\ntians. They descend upon us in clouds, noisy, vora-\\ncious, stinging pests, attacking every exposed part of\\nthe body with ceaseless energy, boldness, and unflinch-\\ning determination. Every dish on the table is black\\nwith these torments, so that it is often literally im-\\npossible to see the food or to carry it to the mouth\\nwithout the risk of swallowing scores of the poisonous\\ninsects.\\nOn the 19th, General White stated that he had pro-\\nvisions sufficient for two months. The weather was\\nintensely hot on the 20th, and many cases of enteric\\nfever. December 20th, the Boers mounted another\\nhowitzer on Surprise Hill.\\nBefore Christmas Day the list of casualties had grown\\nto seventy killed and 236 wounded. But a more dreaded\\nenemy, enteric fever, was beginning to make havoc, ow-\\ning to the confinement, and the contamination of water.\\nIn spite of the havoc caused by disease and death,\\nChristmas was celebrated with merriment. Women and\\nchildren came out of their underground dwelling-places.\\nThe soldiers had plum pudding and cigars, and the\\nqueen s message, flashed by the heliograph, was re-\\nceived with enthusiasm. The weather was intensely\\nhot, but the garrison amused itself with polo, football,\\nevening entertainments, and siege newspapers.\\nThe general in command was himself struck down by", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0330.jp2"}, "331": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 29 1\\nfever, but had recovered by the time the garrison was\\nput to the supreme test, on Saturday, January 6th. At\\ndawn on that day the investing forces drew together for\\na mighty effort. The battle raged on every side, though\\nthe chief and most determined assault was made on\\nCaesar s camp, which lay to the south, protecting the\\ngeneral camp. For seventeen hours there was des-\\nperate fighting. Thrice was one position captured by\\nthe Boers and thrice retaken. At dusk the Devons\\nremained the masters of an entrenchment held all day\\nby the enemy. The British loss in the engagement\\namounted to over 320, including thirteen officers killed\\nand twenty-seven wounded.\\nThen came Buller s attempt to turn the Boers\\nright flank, ending with his defeat at Spion Kop, on\\nJanuary 24th,\\nBuller s third attempt at relief was made by crossing\\nthe Tugela at Potgieter s drift and seizing Vaal Krantz,\\nfrom which position he was forced back across the\\nriver on February 8th.\\nBuller began his fourth attempt to succour White on\\nFebruary 14th, bombarding and taking the Boer posi-\\ntions south of the Tugela, and pushing the Burghers\\nback over the river at Colenso.\\nDuring the first three moves by Buller, the worn and\\nwasted men of the Ladysmith garrison heard the boom\\nof the guns of the relief column, and their hopes ran\\nhigh, only to be dashed by the absolute failure of the\\nattempts.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0331.jp2"}, "332": {"fulltext": "292 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe town was besieged 1 1 8 days, and then, February\\n27th, the advance of Buller s force, under Lord Dun-\\ndonald, entered the town.\\nAt noon, on Tuesday, the 27th, the firing of General\\nBuller s army seemed to recede instead of to approach,\\nand the garrison was consequently depressed. Every-\\nbody was startled to hear the garrison s 4.7-gun fir-\\ning. It had not been used much of late, owing to the\\ndiminishing ammunition.\\nOn hurrying out, it was found that the Boers were\\ntrying to remove the big gun on Bulwana Hill by the\\nerection of a derrick. This proved that something ex-\\ntraordinary was happening. The other garrison guns\\nthen directed their fire on Bulwana, with the result that\\nthe Boers were compelled to abandon the attempt with\\nthe derrick. Later they placed the gun on a wagon,\\nwhich capsised on a donga.\\nDuring the afternoon, whenever the Boers were seen\\napproaching, the British resumed the shelling of Bul-\\nwana. About four o clock a terrific thunder-storm\\nbroke over the town, just after a message had been\\nheliographed from Wagon Hill that the Boers were in\\nfull retreat.\\nOther officers said they believed they could descry\\nBritish cavalry but most people supposed that the\\nwish was father to the thought.\\nAs soon as the storm ceased, the British guns re-\\nopened on Bulwana, gradually concentrating the fire on\\nthe left and driving the Boers before them, with the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0332.jp2"}, "333": {"fulltext": "RELIEF OF LADYSMITH. THE ADVANCE GUARD ENTERING THE\\nTOWN.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0333.jp2"}, "334": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0334.jp2"}, "335": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 293\\nobject of preventing the enemy from hampering any\\nBritish approach.\\nAn hour later, a party of British horsemen could be\\nseen crossing the flat below Bulwana, some miles dis-\\ntant. It is impossible to describe the excitement and\\nenthusiasm among the troops that followed. Most of\\nthe townspeople had been driven into the house by the\\nstorm, and did not learn the good news until later.\\nThe storm broke out again at seven o clock in the\\nevening and continued until two the next morning. It\\nmust have seriously hampered the retreating Boers.\\nThe British gunners kept a sharp watch to prevent any\\nfurther attempt to remove the Bulwana gun.\\nThe British naval gun fired at intervals through the\\nnight, and in the morning a force was sent out to look\\nafter the gun and to occupy Bulwana. Lord Dundon-\\nald s force set off after the retreating Boers, while four\\nthousand of the best men of the garrison went toward\\nElandslaagte in the hope of being able to intercept the\\nenemy.\\nThe Boers give the following account of the relief of\\nthe long-besieged town\\nThe siege of Lady smith has been raised, and the\\nFederal troops have fallen back on the Biggarsberg\\nmountain chain south of Dundee. The retreat was\\ndue to a mistake, a certain commandant ordering his\\nmen to fall back from their position without any reason\\nfor such a move, and also to bad news from Modder\\nRiver.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0335.jp2"}, "336": {"fulltext": "294 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nOn Wednesday, it was resolved to send the wagons\\nback to Biggarsberg immediately. Soon long strings of\\nwagons were wending along the different roads. A\\nlarge number of tents that were captured from the\\nBritish at Dundee were abandoned.\\nThe chief difficulty lay in dismounting the *long-\\ntoms from their various positions. When cranes for\\nlowering them were erected, the naval guns in Lady-\\nsmith opened a heavy fire. Two artillerists were\\nwounded slightly. Through a misunderstanding, some\\nammunition was left behind, the transport arrangements\\nhaving failed.\\nMeanwhile General Buller s forces sat still, clearly\\nnot intending to move ahead until their cannon were\\nready to cover them. On Thursday, the relieving force\\nadvanced, and the Federal troops fell back north of the\\nKlip River Ladysmith now developed activity and\\nbombarded the position of the Pretoria commando, on\\nwhich an attack was subsequently delivered. General\\nErasmus drove the British back. Then an attack was\\nmade on the Free Staters, with a similar result.\\nOn Thursday night. Commandant Botha took up a\\nposition in the hills northeast of Ladysmith. One of\\nhis patrols, consisting of the Bethel Burghers, surprised\\nsome British cavalry, shooting some of them and captur-\\ning a number of horses. Meanwhile the ground behind\\nhad been cleared. The Boers were independent of the\\nrailway, as was shown by the fact that, of two thousand\\nwagons, not one went by rail. All travelled the road,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0336.jp2"}, "337": {"fulltext": "LADYSMITH. 295\\ntogether with the field-batteries. Only the heavy guns\\nand the infantry wounded were allowed to go by rail.\\nWhen the last of the trains had left Elandslaagte, a\\nworkman s train followed and blew up every bridge and\\nculvert between Ladysmith and Glencoe, after blowing\\nup and setting fire to the Elandslaagte collieries. Thus\\nthe British, with Natal s southernmost collieries in their\\nhands, would be unable to draw supplies from them.\\nA small quantity of stores left at Elandslaagte was\\nalso set on fire under cover of the night, and with the\\ncollieries sending up lurid flame to the heavens,, the\\nbullock- wagons wound over the hills, making roads\\nwhere none had before existed, and the siege of Lady-\\nsmith was raised, after it had lasted four months.\\nAs for the present week s casualties, definite figures\\ncannot yet be given, owing to the disorganisation of the\\nambulance corps and the circumstances of the retreat.\\nIt is said that fifteen Burghers were killed, and twenty-\\nfive wounded. A lieutenant of artillery was wounded\\nin the head.\\nMarch ist, the queen sent the following despatches,\\nthe first to General Buller\\nI thank God for the news you have telegraphed me, and I\\ncongratulate you and all under you with all my heart.\\nAnd the second to General White\\nI thank God that you and all those with you are safe, after\\nyour long, trying siege, borne with such heroism. I congratu-\\nlate you, and all under you from the bottom of my heart. I trust\\nyou are all not very much exhausted.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0337.jp2"}, "338": {"fulltext": "296 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral White replied\\nYour Majesty s most gracious message has been received by\\nme with the deepest gratitude, and with enthusiasm by the troops.\\nAny hardships and privations are an hundred times compensated\\nfor by the sympathy and appreciation of our queen, and your\\nMajesty s message will do more to restore both officers and men\\nthan anything else.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0338.jp2"}, "339": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVI.\\nTHE WORK IN MARCH.\\nTHE success which had attended his plans during\\nthe latter portion of February did not tend to\\nrender Lord Roberts careless or reckless. Until the\\n7th of March he gave his troops a rest, and then moved\\nagain toward the east.\\nOn the 9th of March, the Boers were routed out of\\nan untenable position at Poplar Grove. They knew\\nthey were outflanked, and beat a hasty retreat, aban-\\ndoning dinners already cooked over the camp-fires.\\nLord Roberts had reached a point nearly seventy\\nmiles from his advanced base at the Modder River\\nstation. The work of transporting the long trains of\\nsupplies across the intervening veldt was prodigious,\\nand it was necessary a considerable force be employed\\nto defend his lines of communication. As was proven,\\nhowever, there was no body of Boers in position to\\nseriously menace his connections with the base.\\nAn engagement, with considerable loss on both sides,\\noccurred at Driefontein, March loth.\\nThat night Lord Roberts encamped at Driefontein.\\nOn the following day he marched to Aasvogel Kop,\\n297", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0339.jp2"}, "340": {"fulltext": "298 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand on the next to Venters Vlei, about eighteen miles\\nfrom Bloemfontein, Meanwhile the cavalry division\\nhad been pushed forward more rapidly, and was on the\\nrailway, six miles south of the Orange Free State capi-\\ntal. Ten men of the Royal Engineers took their lives\\nin their hand, and, passing through the positions of the\\nenemy to the north of the city, cut the telegraph lines.\\nThe British scouts approached the capital on the\\nmorning of March 13th, whereupon certain officials of\\nthe Free State came out to Lord Roberts and for-\\nmally surrendered the town, presenting at the same\\ntime the keys of the public offices.\\nThe English commander-in-chief had spent less than\\na month in moving his army across the hundred miles of\\nrailroadless veldt which lay between his base at Mod-\\nder River station and President Steyn s headquarters,\\nincluding the stops on the way to ensnare Cronje, and\\nto beat off the re-formed Boer forces at Driefontein.\\nHis soldiers were worn out with marching and fight-\\ning, and he had left his track strewn with the carcasses\\nof dead horses.\\nLord Roberts allowed his men to rest while he\\nopened railroad lines of communication directly south\\nof Cape Town. He shifted his base from the Modder\\nto the Orange River, a move which is regarded by mili-\\ntary men as a triumph in the art of war of a critical\\ncharacter.\\nThe South Africa winter was commencing, and it\\nwas necessary preparations be made to efface the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0340.jp2"}, "341": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 299\\neffect of the early frost upon the animals already\\nseriously affected by horse sickness. The troops\\nneeded warm clothing, new boots, and many articles\\nthat had been worn out or were not required in the\\nsummer.\\nIt was impossible to move again until the temper of\\nthe inhabitants had been tested, and dispositions made\\nfor the protection of the new steam lines of transpor-\\ntation.\\nOn March 25 th and 26th, the troops were moved up\\nfrom Bloemfontein, rather as a measure of precaution\\nthan as specific indication of an advance.\\nThe Boers, to cover the retirement of their forces\\nfrom the south, had developed an aggressive spirit in\\nthe immediate front, occupying certain kopjes near\\nKaree Siding station, a few miles south of Brandfort.\\nOn March 30th, the Seventh Division successively\\nattacked and captured the kopjes, the enemy retreating\\nto Brandfort, their advanced post for covering their\\noperations on the railway at Winburg, and north to their\\nheadquarters at Kroonstadt.\\nThe commander-in-chief s army had grown much\\ngreater than it was when he invaded the Free State, on\\nFebruary 12th, with eleven thousand mounted men,\\ntwenty-three thousand infantry, and ninety-eight guns\\nof all kinds. He had added the Guards Brigade and\\nthe brigade of General Clements, with large reinforce-\\nments of Imperial Yeomanry and colonial and other\\ntroops.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0341.jp2"}, "342": {"fulltext": "300 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nHis force was now constituted of a cavalry division\\nof four brigades, five infantry divisions, eight batteries\\nof horse-artillery, about twenty field-batteries, and a\\nsiege train, exclusive of the soldiers in the southern\\nportions of the Free State.\\nIn order to give the movements of all the British\\ntroops during the month of March, it seems best to set\\ndown the several facts in regular order, as they appeared\\nin the newspapers of Cape Town.\\nMarch i. General Buller telegraphs from Nelthorpe\\nto-day: I have just returned from Ladysmith. Except\\na small guard, north of Surprise Hill, the whole of the\\nenemy lately besieging the town have retired in hot\\nhaste, and to the south of the town the country is quite\\nclear of them. The garrison were on half a pound of\\nmeat per man a day, and were supplementing the meat\\nration by horses and mules. The men will want a\\nlittle nursing before being fit for the fields. General\\nDundonald, with the Natal Carbineers, and a composite\\nregiment, entered Ladysmith last night.\\nGeneral Kitchener has gone to Arundel.\\nThe Boers of northern Cape Colony are in full retreat.\\nMany Dutch rebels in Colesberg have been arrested.\\nThe following despatch is just received from Lady-\\nsmith\\nSurrounded by cheering soldiers, townspeople, and\\ncoolies, celebrating the relief of the town, Sir George\\nWhite, at the post-office, addressed the throng. He\\nsaid", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0342.jp2"}, "343": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 3OI\\nPeople of Ladysmith, I thank you for the heroic\\nand patient manner in which you assisted me during\\nthe siege. It hurt me terribly to cut down the rations,\\nbut, thank God, we kept the flag flying.\\nThen, profoundly moved, General White led the\\nassembly in singing God Save the Queen.\\nThe once dashing cavalry brigade has practically\\nceased to exist. At the beginning of the year there\\nwere fifty-five hundred horses and forty-five hundred\\nmules. Before the end of January only eleven hun-\\ndred horses could be fed. The others had either been\\nconverted into joints, soups, and sausage, or had been\\nleft to forage for themselves. These poor emaciated\\nanimals, mere phantoms, were among the most painful\\nsights of the siege. Had the British possessed an\\nunlimited amount of heavy guns and ammunition, they\\nmight have made the position more bearable, although\\nnot a shot was fired except from dire necessity. There\\nwere, on February ist, only forty rounds left for each\\nnaval gun, while the supply for the field-artillery would\\nhave been exhausted in a couple of minor engagements.\\nFortunately the Boers were ignorant of the true state\\nof affairs. Had they known the real weakness, they\\nmight have displayed greater daring, with results which\\nnow that the town is safe one can venture to con-\\ntemplate. The defenders were victorious solely because\\nof masterly inactivity.\\nMarch 2. General Cronje and his party of prisoners\\nthat were taken at Paardeberg arrived at Simonstown", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0343.jp2"}, "344": {"fulltext": "302 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nto-day. General Cronje was received by General Sir\\nFrederick Forestier Walker and a representative of\\nSir Alfred Milner, the governor of Cape Colony. Gen-\\neral Cronje was immediately escorted on board the\\nBritish second-class cruiser Doris. There was no\\ndemonstration.\\nThe Boers are reported as massing in the Orange\\nFree State to oppose the advance of Lord Roberts.\\nA despatch from Osfontein of this date is as follows\\nThe British camp has been moved here. A heavy\\nrain is falling, the veldt is improving, supplies are rap-\\nidly arriving, and the men are in good health, despite the\\nfact that they have been on half rations for a fortnight.\\nLord Roberts has published an order thanking the\\ntroops for their courage and for the zeal and endurance\\nthey have displayed amid the hardships of the forced\\nmarch. He says that their fortitude and general\\nconduct have been worthy the queen s soldiers.\\nA slight skirmish occurred six miles southeast, in\\nwhich Colonel Remington had a horse shot under him.\\nThe Boer forces on our front are believed to be under\\nthe joint command of Botha, Delarey, and De Wet.\\nThey are expecting reinforcements from Natal.]\\nThe guns that were captured at Paardeberg have\\nbeen brought here. The rifles captured have, in many\\ncases, scriptural texts engraved upon them, for example,\\nLord, strengthen this arm. It is said that just prior\\nto General Cronje s surrender there was almost a mutiny\\nin the camp.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0344.jp2"}, "345": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 303\\nThe total casualties in Ladysmith since the invest-\\nment amount to killed, or died of wounds, twenty-four\\nofficers and 235 men; died of disease, six officers and\\n340 men wounded, seventy officers and 520 men, ex-\\nclusive of civilians and natives.\\nMarch 5. The Boers have evacuated Stormberg,\\nand the town is occupied by General Gatacre s forces.\\nThe lines of railway north and west will now be re-\\npaired. General Clements is at Joubert s Siding sta-\\ntion, beyond Colesberg.\\nGeneral Buller reports Natal as practically clear of\\nthe enemy, and that he cannot hear of any formed body\\nof them anywhere. The Boers left some ambulances\\nfull of their sick and wounded, from which the mules\\nhad been taken for transport purposes.\\nGeneral Brabant has captured a fort near Dordrecht.\\nThe Boers succeeded in making good their retreat with\\nguns and wagons.\\nPresidents Kruger and Steyn have sent proposals for\\npeace to Great Britain.\\nThe Duke of Marlborough, with the Oxford company\\nof the Imperial Yeomanry, has just started for Naauw-\\npoort. He left Cape Town at 10 a. m.\\nMaixh 6. General Buller has sent a force toward\\nVan Reenan s Pass in pursuit of the enemy. He\\nreports his total losses of killed, wounded, and cap-\\ntured, in his final move to the relief of Ladysmith,\\nas 1,859.\\nA flying column under Colonel Prendergast has", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0345.jp2"}, "346": {"fulltext": "304 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nentered the Transvaal through Zukiland, and captured\\na position.\\nMarch j. A battle has been fought at Poplar Grove,\\nthe British troops gaining a decided advantage. Presi-\\ndents Kruger and Steyn were both present during the\\nengagement and endeavoured in vain to rally their\\ntroops. The British loss is reported as five officers\\nand forty-nine men. (A detailed account of the battle\\nof Poplar Grove is given elsewhere.)\\nGeneral Roberts s advance to-day has been from\\nOsfontein to Poplar Drift, Modder River. The Boers\\nare in full retreat.\\nGeneral Gatacre occupied Burghersdorp to-day, and\\nwas greeted with great enthusiasm on the part of the\\nloyal inhabitants. His scouts report that large num-\\nbers of the rebels in the neighbourhood are anxious to\\nsurrender. Burghersdorp is situated fifteen miles from\\nBethulie Bridge, Orange River.\\nMarch 8. Lord Roberts telegraphed Clements\\nhas occupied Norval s Pont and the adjacent drift. As\\nsoon as the engineers, pontoon, and troops arrive he will\\ncross the river, when the necessary repairs to the rail-\\nway bridge will be commenced.\\nThe Boers retreated across the Orange River at\\nNorval s Pont last night, and destroyed the big bridge\\nafter making the passage. The enemy is now encamped\\nin force on the northern bank of the river.\\nA British force has been sent toward Bloemfontein\\nin pursuit of De Wet s command.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0346.jp2"}, "347": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 305\\nThe military authorities have decided that General\\nCronje and the other Boer prisoners shall be sent\\nimmediately to the Island of St. Helena, there to re-\\nmain until the end of the war. Lord Roberts has\\nchosen Lord Bathurst, colonel of a militia regiment at\\nthe front, to command the escort to St. Helena. It is\\nalso asserted that the cabinet has resolved neither to\\npropose nor to entertain proposals at the present\\njuncture for an exchange of prisoners.\\nMarch p. General Gatacre has sent a force to James-\\ntown, and another to Aliwal North. Cape Colony is now\\npractically clear of Boers.\\nMarch 10. Lord Roberts advanced to Driefontein\\nthis morning, and during the day has fought a battle.\\nThe Boers rear-guard made desperate efforts to hold\\nthe British in check, and Lord Roberts s force has suf-\\nfered severely. (See account of the battle elsewhere.)\\nA despatch from Lobatsi reports that Commandant\\nEloff, with a commando, has left Zerust for Maf eking.\\nCommandant Schwartz, with 150 men, is threatening\\nthe railway near Aasvogel Kop, north of Lobatsi.\\nA British patrol, which reconnoitred within fourteen\\nmiles of Maf eking, found the railway uninjured, and the\\ntelegraph wires untouched north of Pitsani.\\nLord Roberts halted at Aasvogel Vlei late to-night\\nafter the engagement at Driefontein.\\nMarch 11. President Kruger has asked the foreign\\nconsuls to invite the intervention of the powers to stop\\nthe war.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0347.jp2"}, "348": {"fulltext": "306 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLord Salisbury has cabled to President Kruger\\nrefusing peace at the price of the independence of\\nthe Republic.\\nA despatch from Aasvogel Kop, dated this afternoon,\\nsays, regarding the movements of Lord Roberts s army\\nThe march was continued to-day to this point. No\\nBoers were seen on the way. The British are now only\\ntwenty-five miles from Bloemfontein.\\nThe Boers are in force among the Biggarsburg Moun-\\ntains, with General Joubert in command.\\nAasvogel, which the British reached to-night, was\\nexpected to be the last place at which the Boers\\nwould make their stand before Bloemfontein. It\\nwould appear that no such stand was made, and that\\nRoberts s cavalry are practically at the gates of\\nBloemfontein. The way to the capital is now open\\nto the whole force.\\nThe insurrection in the west of Cape Colony is spread-\\ning. Lord Kitchener is now on the spot, taking steps\\nto suppress it.\\nChanges in the distribution of the British forces,\\nwhich the relief of Ladysmith has enabled Lord\\nRoberts to make, have nearly been completed. In\\na few days there will be three large British armies\\nin South Africa, the main one, under the field-mar-\\nshal, in the centre of the Orange Free State the newly\\nconstituted army corps, under General White, in the\\nsouth of the same state, and that under General Buller\\nin Natal. General White will have a very large assem-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0348.jp2"}, "349": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 307\\nWage of troops under him, for General Warren and his\\ndivision, upon landing at East London, will either join\\nor support General Gatacre, while General Hunter,\\ntaking over the command in the west from General\\nClements, will collect the Tenth division on the Orange\\nRiver, north of Colesberg. When General White unites\\nhis forces, he will have Generals Hunter s, Warren s,\\nGatacre s, and Brabant s divisions.\\nLord Roberts has sent the following despatch from\\nDriefontein to the War Office\\nThe following telegram has been addressed by me\\nto their Honours, Presidents of the Orange Free State\\nand the South African Republic\\nAnother instance having occurred of gross abuse\\nof the white flag and of the signal of holding up hands\\nin token of surrender, it is my duty to inform you that,\\nif such abuse occurs again, I shall most reluctantly be\\ncompelled to order my troops to disregard the white flag\\nentirely.\\nThe instance occurred on a kopje east of Drie-\\nfontein farm, yesterday evening, and was witnessed by\\nseveral of my own staff officers, as well as by myself,\\nand resulted in the wounding of several of my officers\\nand men.\\nA large quantity of explosive bullets of three dif-\\nferent kinds was found in Commandant Cronje s laager\\nand this has been the case after every engagement with\\nyour Honours troops. Such breaches of the recognised\\nusages of war and of the Geneva convention are a dis-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0349.jp2"}, "350": {"fulltext": "308 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ngrace to any civilised power. A copy of this telegram\\nhas been sent to my government, with the request that\\nit may be communicated to all neutral powers.\\nThe white flag treachery was personally witnessed at\\nDriefontein by Lord Roberts, who was looking through\\na telescope when the Welsh were charging, and saw the\\nBoers hold up their hands, show their flag, and drop\\ntheir guns. He saw an English officer advance to re-\\nceive their surrender, whereupon a Boer volley was fired,\\nand the officer fell.\\nMarch 12. General French pushed on this morning\\nand took the hills commanding Bloemfontein, losing\\nseventy men killed, and 341 wounded.\\nLord Roberts, with General Kelly-Kenny s and Gen-\\neral Colville s divisions, the Guards Brigade, and the\\nmounted infantry, advanced to-day to Venters Vlei,\\nfourteen miles from Bloemfontein.\\nThe British war loan of ^150,000,000 has all been\\neagerly taken.\\nMarch ij. Lord Roberts entered Bloemfontein to-\\nday. (See occupation of Bloemfontein.)\\nAn amnesty has been proclaimed for Free Staters\\nwho will lay down their arms.\\nIt is reported that the Boers have declared their\\nintention of blowing up the Johannesburg mines.\\nThe United States government has offered its offices\\nin behalf of peace, but England has declined.\\nMarch 75. Generals Gatacre, Brabant, and Clements,\\nwith a total force of fifteen thousand men, have crossed", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0350.jp2"}, "351": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 309\\nto the north bank of the Orange River. The Boers are\\nstill in that region.\\nGeneral Cronje and other Boer prisoners left Cape\\nTown to-day for St. Helena.\\nBritish losses to date, in killed, wounded, and missing,\\namount to about sixteen thousand.\\nMarch 16. General Methuen has arrived at Warren-\\nton, fifty miles north of Kimberley, evidently advancing\\nto the relief of Mafeking.\\nThe following comes from Bloemfontein\\nContempt for the flight of the Free Staters is uni-\\nversal, many people asserting that President Steyn\\nwould have been shot if his intention to flee had been\\nknown. More harm has been done the Dutch cause\\nby the ignominious surrender than is conceivable and,\\ndespite the statements of the brother of Steyn, it is\\ndoubtful that there will be any more resistance south\\nof the vaal.\\nMr. Molengraff, chief of the intelligence department\\nat Pretoria, announces that the Federal losses, prior to\\nthe relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith, were killed,\\n^jy wounded, 2,129; accidents, sickness, and other\\ndisabling causes, 1,545. Total, 4,351.\\nMarch 18. A despatch from Kroonstad, Orange\\nFree State, says\\nThe Pretoria Federal commandoes are here. They\\nare in grand spirits, ready for the enemy, and are even\\ndefiantly awaiting the British advance. Presidents Kru-\\nger and Steyn addressed a vast camp-meeting to-day.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0351.jp2"}, "352": {"fulltext": "3IO FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe Transvaal president made an impassioned appeal\\nto the Burghers to maintain their gallant fight for\\nfreedom. He told them that it was certain the ulti-\\nmate result of the war would be that the Boer Republics\\nwould retain their independence, despite the temporary\\nBritish occupation of Bloemfontein.\\nPresident Steyn followed President Kruger in a\\nstrong speech. He told the Burghers that the Free\\nState was far from conquered because its capital had\\nbeen occupied by the British. He informed the Burgh-\\ners that England had definitely refused to allow the\\nRepublics to remain independent states. Therefore, all\\nthe Republics had to do now was to fight to the last.\\nPresident Steyn said that, in the six months the\\nwar had been going on, the Boers had lost less than\\none thousand men in killed, and that the fighting was\\nreally commencing now. As president, he warned the\\nFree^State Burghers not to believe Lord Roberts s proc-\\nlamation, and accept his invitation to lay down their\\narms. He assured them that the British had failed on\\nevery occasion to keep the solemn treaties they had\\nmade.\\nSir Alfred Milner, the governor of Cape Colony,\\nMr. Steyn declared, had publicly proclaimed that the\\nAfrikanders would be exterminated, knowing that the\\nRepublic would fight to the end. He closed by urging\\nthe Burghers to place their trust in God. President\\nSteyn s appeal roused the Burghers to a pitch of wild\\nenthusiasm.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0352.jp2"}, "353": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 3II\\nMarch ig. The Boers have blown up the bridge\\nnorth of Bloemfontein.\\nThe railroad from Bloemfontein to Cape Town is now\\nopen and in working order.\\nThere are to-day thirty-two thousand fresh British\\ntroops at sea.\\nMarch 20. General Kitchener has entered Prieska,\\nCape Colony, without opposition, the insurgents laying\\ndown their arms, which confirms the previous reports of\\ntheir willingness to submit.\\nMarch 21. General Methuen is fighting at Warren-\\nton to-day.\\nThe Boers are wrecking the railway south of Lobatsi.\\nHeavy skirmishing between Colonel Plumer s column\\nand the Boers is now going on near Lobatsi. One\\nBritish officer and two men have been killed, and one\\nofficer captured.\\nMarch 22. The reports of skirmishing near Lobatsi,\\nwhile apparently not inflicting any serious loss on Col-\\nonel Plumer s column, cause some anxiety in regard to\\nhis ability to reach Mafeking. Colonel Bodle came\\nin touch with the Boers just in time to prevent the\\ncamp being surprised. The Boers attacked the advance\\nparty, captured a few boxes of ammunition, and nearly\\nsecured a Maxim. Lieutenant Tyler was killed and\\nLieutenant Chapman was captured. Colonel Bodle,\\ncoming up, put the Boers to flight with heavy loss.\\nThe Boers yesterday were within a few miles of\\nLobatsi.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0353.jp2"}, "354": {"fulltext": "312 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nYesterday afternoon the Boers pressed closely on\\nColonel Plumer s main camp, and kept up a hot fire with\\na Maxim, killing one white man and one native. They\\nplaced the Maxim and a i2}^-pounder on a hill on the\\neast side of the line, four thousand yards from the camp.\\nThe British right is protected by Chief Bathoen, who\\nhas warned the Boers not to enter his territory.\\nColonel Plumer s present endeavour is to ensure the\\nsafety of the railway north of Lobatsi, and to watch\\nwell the left flank. It is probable that before the Boers\\nretire toward Pretoria they will tackle the Rhodesians\\nin force. It is reported that the Burghers are abandon-\\ning the environs of Mafeking, leaving only a sufficient\\nnumber of artillerists to man the big guns. There are\\nnone at Ramathlabama, where they were supposed to\\nhave their base. Colonel Plumer s scouts were at\\nRamathlabama yesterday.\\nDynamite explosions wrecking the railway are pro-\\nceeding south of Lobatsi.\\nMarch 2^. Colonel Plumer has been forced to retire\\nto Crocodile Pool, north of Mafeking, where he was two\\nmonths ago.\\nOlivier s Boers, with two thousand wagons, are trek-\\nking northward from Orange River, and General French\\nis in hot pursuit.\\nGeneral Woodgate, who was wounded at Spion Kop,\\nhas just died of his wounds.\\nMarch 2^. General French has returned to Bloem-\\nfontein, Olivier having escaped him.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0354.jp2"}, "355": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 313\\nMarch 26. A correspondent for one of the London\\npapers has just sent the following interesting article\\nhome\\nThe hospitals and prisons in Cape Town furnish\\nsome notable material for historians. Such exquisite\\ncontrasts in human nature, and such a variety of emo-\\ntions, have not existed since the days of the early\\nChristian martyrs.\\nOn the one hand you have a few thousand Boers of\\nthe most provincial type, few of whom ever before saw\\nthe ocean, steamships, or steam cars, penned up inside\\nan up-to-date bicycle track that would suffer little in\\ncomparison with the one at Manhattan Beach. The\\nvery cement path, with its precipitous incline, is a con-\\nstant marvel to them.\\nAs for the two hundred transports and men-of-war\\nthat lie in the harbour here, dialect is inadequate to\\nexpress the old Boer s ceaseless wonder.\\nYesterday, by great good luck, I slipped by a sentry,\\nand secured a few moments conversation with a group\\njust arrived. Some of them, more tutored, were at-\\ntempting to explain the mystery of ocean navigation,\\nbut I noticed they had meagre success.\\nThe final comment of one man, who seemed really\\nanxious to be enlightened, was\\nI can understand about the steam cars, but the\\nsteamship I cannot understand. Where does it out-\\nspan, when night comes\\nFrom early dawn until nightfall, these old plains-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0355.jp2"}, "356": {"fulltext": "314 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmen, with their rough clothes, slouch hats, and ill-kempt\\nwhiskers, lean over the top of the grand stand and gaze\\nat the thousands of Enghsh troops that march by with\\na great clanking of swords and shuffling of feet.\\nSome of the younger men and boys play football\\nfor diversion, but the majority wander about aimlessly,\\nonly to look up with a gleam in their eyes when an\\noutsider approaches very near.\\nA move like this will arouse all the cunning of the\\nimprisoned Boer, and he will pace up and down, darting\\nenvenomed looks at the sentry, for all the world like a\\nwild animal.\\nYou want to look out he s artful, is that chap\\nwith the blue trousers, warns a chubby -faced cockney\\nguard. We re only opin e ll get to that wire, and\\nthen, my eye, we ll fill his bloomin ide with lead.\\nAnd this is no idle threat. The wire in question\\nruns about the track, two rods from the fence, and the\\norders are to shoot any one who lays his hand on it.\\nTwo were shot this week.\\nThe last was a boy twelve years old, who managed\\nto get over the dead-line and climb the fence. Just as\\nhe reached the top a sentry caught sight of him, and\\nthe poor lad dropped with a bullet through the brain.\\nThe Boers are as cunning in devising methods to\\nescape as in warfare. They are aided in their efforts,\\ntoo, by hundreds of sympathisers in the city. In-\\ndeed, the whole colony is so divided in sentiment it\\nis impossible to know whom one can trust.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0356.jp2"}, "357": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 3I5\\nIn the siege of Kimberley, persons from the city\\nmanaged each day to send outside a Hst of the British\\nkilled and wounded. One of the curiosities displayed in\\na drug-store window here is a football taken from a boy,\\nwho was kicking it along carelessly toward the Boer\\nlines at Kimberley. It attracted the attention of the\\nsentinel, who cut it open and discovered a new dia-\\ngram of the town, showing exactly where each shell had\\nlanded during the day.\\nPigeons and dogs were also used for conveying in-\\ntelligence. In Cape Town, the other day, a truck driver\\nwas discovered selling to. the Boers melons which con-\\ntained pistols or knives.\\nThe prisoners at Simon s Bay dug a tunnel eighty\\nfeet long, and nearly accomplished a wholesale escape.\\nA German engineer laid out the course and started a\\nhole in his tent. Every day, for three weeks, the pris-\\noners worked in squads, lying down on their stomachs\\nand wriggling along, tearing away the earth with their\\nfingers or part of a knife.\\nUnfortunately, the engineer planned the tunnel so\\nthat it would emerge just under a sentry-box on the\\noutside of the fence. The result was that a soldier\\nheard the subterranean scratching, and when the pris-\\noners were within three hours of liberty their ruse was\\ndiscovered.\\nThe English engineers who examined the work pro-\\nnounce it a wonder, and cannot explain how the men\\nmanaged to breathe at the far end. The hole was five", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0357.jp2"}, "358": {"fulltext": "3l6 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nfeet under ground and about two feet six inches in\\ndiameter. The Boers carried away the earth in their\\npockets and shoes.\\nThe discovery of this attempt has well-nigh dis-\\nheartened them, and with the doubling of the guard\\nand erection of barbed-wire fences, escape now is impos-\\nsible from the cycle track of Simon s Bay.\\nThe only hope left them, therefore, is in prayer,\\nand it is truly a novel sight, after the evening meal, to\\nsee a thousand of these great shaggy men down on\\ntheir knees in the arena singing Wesleyan hymns, each\\nholding a note long as possible, and praying almost\\nangrily to Allemachte for deliverance.\\nIt would probably be impossible to find in any\\nother people such absolute belief in the God of the\\nOld Testament.\\nAnything like skepticism is unknown.\\nMarch 27. Gen. Petrus Jacobus Joubert, comman-\\ndant-general of the Transvaal forces, died from peri-\\ntonitis at Pretoria.\\nIt is said that Louis Botha is his probable successor.\\nMarch 28. Ten thousand transport, cavalry, and gun\\nanimals are due to arrive here during this and next week.\\nLord Roberts reports the death, at Nerval s Pont,\\nof Colonel the Honourable George Hugh Clough, C. B.\\nGeneral White, invalided, sailed for Southampton\\nto-day.\\nMarch 2g. General Joubert was to-day buried on\\nhis farm at Rusfontein.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0358.jp2"}, "359": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 317\\nMarch jo. The following despatch has been inter-\\ncepted from Kroonstad\\nGeneral Smuts to-day engaged the British at Mafel-\\nkop, south of Brandfort, and held them at bay for six\\nhours. The Burghers fought well. The casualties are\\nunknown.\\nIt is reported that General Methuen has been ordered\\nback to Kimberley.\\nGeneral Olivier has just passed Jammersburg drift\\nwith a large body of men, four guns, and eight hundred\\nwagons. The column, which extended thirty miles, was\\naccompanied by many women and children.\\nColonel Gough, of the 14th Hussars, who died at\\nNorval s Pont yesterday, was buried at Bloemfontein\\nto-day with full military honours, Lord Roberts and\\nstaff following the remains to the grave.\\nThe queen has cabled expression of sympathy to\\nMrs. Joubert.\\nLord Roberts has sent the following despatch to\\nPresident Kruger\\nHave just heard of the death of General Joubert,\\nand desire to offer my sincere condolences upon the sad\\nevent. Would ask you to convey to General Joubert s\\nfamily an expression of my most respectful sympathy\\nwith their sad bereavement, and to assure them also\\nfrom me that all ranks of her Majesty s forces share\\nmy feelings of deep regret at the sudden and untimely\\nend of so distinguished a general, who devoted his life\\nto the service of his country, and whose personal gal-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0359.jp2"}, "360": {"fulltext": "3l8 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nlantry was only surpassed by his humane conduct and\\nchivalrous bearing under all circumstances.\\nThe Free State raad will assemble at Kroonstad,\\nApril 2d.\\nLady Sarah Wilson has written from Mafeking,\\nunder date of March 30th, saying Colonel Plumer s\\ncolumn is now within twenty miles of us, but its advent\\nis undesirable, unless accompanied by food supplies.\\nMajrhji. A British force has been ambushed at\\nSannas Post, or Karee Spruit, twenty-two miles east\\nof Bloemfontein. The British casualties number\\n450. One hundred wagons and eleven guns have\\nbeen captured by the Boers. (See Disaster at Sannas\\nPost.)\\nThe following Boer despatch, under date of to-day,\\nfrom Pretoria, has been intercepted\\nThere has been heavy fighting between Brandfort\\nand Bloemfontein. The Wakkerstroom and Ermelo com-\\nmandoes attacked seven thousand British and drove\\nthem back, with heavy loss. According to the reports\\nof the wounded who have arrived here, fighting occurred\\nall along the line. The Federal troops held positions on\\nthe side and top of the mountain, while the British\\npositions were on the opposite side of the hill. The\\nBritish charged repeatedly, but were repulsed. The\\nlatest reports say that the Federals were more than\\nholding their own, but the final result of the fighting\\nis not known here. The Federal loss was nine killed\\nand wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0360.jp2"}, "361": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 319\\nReports from Brandfort, received later, state that\\ntwo thousand Federals attacked three thousand British\\nsuccessfully, but that thirteen thousand British rein-\\nforcements arrived, and the Federals were compelled\\nto retire, after punishing the British severely.\\nThe Bloemfontein correspondent reports that the\\nmovement of troops continues with bewildering fre-\\nquency, brigades and divisions appearing and disappear-\\ning at brief intervals. No specific account of such\\nmovements is permitted.\\nSome remounts were fired on yesterday on the rail-\\nway, while they were on the way here from the south.\\nThe enemy are reported to be in considerable numbers\\nto the southeast of the line.\\nThe Boers are also apparently feeling their way\\nfrequently to the west of the line. A party has been\\nthrown forward, and has reoccupied the laager at\\nPaardeberg, probably in search for buried arms and\\nammunition.\\nThe air is thick with rumours of large forces of Boers\\nto the southward, but there is no positive official in-\\nformation on the subject. On the other hand, the\\nrailway is said to be well guarded.\\nPresident Steyn is reported to have gone to Lady-\\nbrand to stir up the Burghers there to renewed re-\\nsistance.\\nThe Boers have removed from the immediate vicinity\\nof Plattberg, and taken up a commanding position\\nadjacent.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0361.jp2"}, "362": {"fulltext": "320 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe Dutch who surrendered their arms at Lady-\\nbrand are now suffering seizures of their Hve stock.\\nThe transportation of the prisoners to St. Helena is\\narousing the anger of the Boers, who threaten to re-\\ntahate by sending the British prisoners to Koonatipoort,\\nreputed to be the worst fever den in South Africa,\\nAn order has just been issued by the War Office that\\nall revolver ammunition served out for South Africa\\nshall have a solid bullet. No mushroom pattern bullet\\nis to be taken. It has just occurred to the War Office,\\nthe original patentees of the dum-dum, that the\\nBritish army service revolver ammunition contains an\\nexpanding bullet, whereas the Boers, against whom\\ncharges of using uncivilised ammunition have been so\\nfreely made, employ Mauser pistols, which carry a\\nsteel-coated bullet of the most humane pattern.\\nColonel Plumer made an attack upon the Boers near\\nRamathlabama to-day, and was finally forced to retire,\\nafter he himself had been wounded.\\nIt was thus reported by one of his staff\\nThe fight was conducted, on Colonel Plumer s side,\\nunder great difficulties, being in the proximity of the\\nBoer laagers, whence reinforcements could be promptly\\nsent to the Burghers and there was little cover avail-\\nable for the British when the fight began, the plain\\nbeing but sparsely wooded, and the railroad embank-\\nments, the chief protection, being only two feet high.\\nThe men behaved gallantly, however, and the officers\\nwere exceptionally conspicuous in the affair.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0362.jp2"}, "363": {"fulltext": "THE WORK IN MARCH. 32 1\\nWith the exception of a few rounds by the British\\nMaxim at Raraathlabama, the fire on both sides was\\nentirely by rifle. Half of the British officers were more\\nor less seriously wounded. Colonel Plumer s wound\\nwas in his right arm. His horse was shot. Colonel\\nBogle and Captain Rolt were wounded. Colonel Bogle,\\nPlumer s orderly, is missing. Capt. Fred Crewe was\\nshot dead while covering the retreat of others. Cap-\\ntain MacLaren was severely wounded, and Lieutenant\\nMilligan, the famous Yorkshire cricketer, fatally, while\\ntenaciously holding an assigned position. Lieutenant\\nMilligan rode unassisted to Ramathlabama.\\nThe British casualties were two officers and six men\\nkilled three officers and thirty-six men wounded one\\nofficer and eleven men captured.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0363.jp2"}, "364": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVII.\\nOVERTURES FOR PEACE.\\n/^^N the fifth day of March, 1900, President Kruger,\\nof the South African RepubHc, and President\\nSteyn, of the Orange Free State, made overtures for\\npeace by sending the following telegram to the British\\ngovernment\\nBloemfontein, March 5th. The blood and the\\ntears of thousands who have suffered by this war, and\\nthe prospect of all moral and economic ruin wherewith\\nSouth Africa is now threatened, make it necessary for\\nboth belligerents to ask themselves dispassionately and\\nas in the sight of the tribune God, for what are they\\nfighting, and whether the aim of each justifies all this\\nappalling misery and devastation.\\nWith this object, and in view of the assertions of\\nvarious British statesmen to the effect that this war was\\nbegun and is being carried on with the set purpose of\\nundermining her Majesty s authority in South Africa, and\\nof setting up an administration over all of South Africa\\nindependent of her Majesty s government, we consider\\nit our duty to solemnly declare that this war was under-\\n332", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0364.jp2"}, "365": {"fulltext": "OVERTURES FOR PEACE. 323\\ntaken solely as a defensive measure to maintain the\\nthreatened independence of the South African Repub-\\nlic, and is only continued in order to secure and main-\\ntain the incontestable independence of both Republics\\nas sovereign international states, and to obtain the as-\\nsurance that those of her Majesty s subjects who have\\ntaken part with us in this war shall suffer no harm\\nwhatever in person or property.\\nOn these conditions, but on these conditions alone,\\nwe are now, as in the past, desirous of seeing peace\\nreestablished in South Africa while, if her Majesty s\\ngovernment is determined to destroy the independence\\nof the Republics, there is nothing left to us and to our\\npeople but to persevere to the end in the course already\\nbegun.\\nIn spite of the overwhelming preeminence of the\\nBritish empire, we are confident that that God who\\nlighted the unextinguishable fire of the love of freedom\\nin the hearts of ourselves and of our fathers, will not\\nforsake us, and will accomplish his work in us and in\\nour descendants.\\nWe hesitated to make this declaration earlier to\\nyour Excellency, as we feared that as long as the advan-\\ntage was always on our side, and as long as our forces\\nheld the defensive positions far within her Majesty s\\ncolonies, such a declaration might hurt the feelings\\nand honour of the British people. But now that the\\nprestige of the British empire may be considered to be\\nassured by the capture of one of our forces by her", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0365.jp2"}, "366": {"fulltext": "324 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nMajesty s troops, and that we have thereby been forced\\nto evacuate other positions which our forces had occu-\\npied, that difficulty is over, and we can no longer hesi-\\ntate to clearly inform your government and people, in\\nthe sight of the whole civilised world, why we are fight-\\ning, and on what conditions we are ready to restore\\npeace.\\nTo this telegram Lord Salisbury sent in reply the\\nfollowing\\nForeign Office, March nth. I have the honour to\\nacknowledge your Honour s telegram, dated March 5th,\\nfrom Bloemfontein, of which the purport is principally\\nto demand that her Majesty s government shall recog-\\nnise the incontestable independence of the South\\nAfrican Republic and Free State as sovereign inter-\\nnational states, and to offer on those terms to bring\\nthe war to a conclusion.\\nIn the beginning of October last, peace existed\\nbetween her Majesty and the two Republics under con-\\nventions which then were in existence. A discussion\\nhad been proceeding for some months between her\\nMajesty s government and the South African Repub-\\nlic, of which the object was to obtain redress for certain\\nvery serious grievances under which the British residents\\nin South Africa were suffering.\\nIn the course of those negotiations, the South\\nAfrican Republic had, to the knowledge of her\\nMajesty s government, made considerable armaments,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0366.jp2"}, "367": {"fulltext": "LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LORD METHUEN.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0367.jp2"}, "368": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0368.jp2"}, "369": {"fulltext": "OVERTURES FOR PEACE. 325\\nand the latter had, consequently, taken steps to provide\\ncorresponding reinforcements of the British garrisons\\nat Cape Town and in Natal. No infringement of the\\nrights guaranteed by the conventions had, up to that\\npoint, taken place on the British side.\\nSuddenly, at two days notice, the South African\\nRepublic, after issuing an insulting ultimatum, declared\\nwar upon her Majesty, and the Orange Free State, with\\nwhom there had not even been any discussion, took a\\nsimilar step. Her Majesty s dominions were imme-\\ndiately invaded by the two Republics. Siege was laid\\nto three towns within the British frontier, a large por-\\ntion of two colonies was overrun with great destruction\\nof property and life, and the Republics claimed to treat\\nthe inhabitants of extensive portions of her Majesty s\\ndominions as if those dominions had been annexed to\\none or the other of them.\\nIn anticipation of these operations, the South\\nAfrican Republic had been accumulating for many\\nyears past mihtary stores on an enormous scale, which,\\nby their character, could only have been intended for\\nuse against Great Britain.\\nYour Honours make some observations of a nega-\\ntive character upon the object with which these prep-\\narations were made. I don t think it necessary to\\ndiscuss the question you have raised. But the result\\nof these preparations, carried on with great secrecy,\\nhas been that the British empire has been compelled\\nto confront an invasion which has entailed upon the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0369.jp2"}, "370": {"fulltext": "326 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nempire a costly war and the loss of thousands of\\nprecious lives. This great calamity has been the\\npenalty Great Britain has suffered for having of re-\\ncent years acquiesced to the existence of the two\\nRepublics.\\nIn view of the use to which the two Republics have\\nput the position which was given them, and the calami-\\nties their unprovoked attack has inflicted on her\\nMajesty s dominions, her Majesty s government can\\nonly answer your Honours telegram by saying that\\nthey are not prepared to assent to the independence\\neither of the South African Republic, or the Orange\\nFree State.\\nBefore Lord Salisbury s reply had been received,\\nPresidents Kruger and Steyn, through Consul Adelbert\\nS. Hay at Pretoria, asked that the United States gov-\\nernment would mediate between the British govern-\\nment and the South African Republics, with the view\\nof bringing about peace.\\nThe representations made to Great Britain were so\\nput that they assumed nothing of a desire to intervene,\\nbut simply transmitted a communication made to the\\nUnited States by Consul Hay, with the accompanying\\nassurances that anything the State department could do\\nin the interests of peace would be gladly undertaken.\\nThe United States charge d affaires, Mr. Henry\\nWhite, called upon Lord Salisbury at the Foreign\\nOffice, and received a formal reply from the British", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0370.jp2"}, "371": {"fulltext": "OVERTURES FOR PEACE. 327\\ngovernment, declining the good offices of the United\\nStates in regard to peace.\\nTwo days later, the Boer Peace Commission asked\\nItaly to intervene, and the Italian minister of foreign\\naffairs, the Marquis di Visconti-Venosta, replied that,\\nwhile he would receive the envoys, the best he could\\ndo would be to transmit their proposals to London, thus\\nfollowing the course of the United States.\\nThen followed the visit of the Commission to the\\nUnited States, and meanwhile Lord Roberts continued\\nhis advance, capturing one stronghold after another,\\nuntil the Republics were literally crushed out of exist-\\nence.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0371.jp2"}, "372": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVIII.\\nTHE BATTLE OF POPLAR GROVE.\\nT ORD ROBERTS S movement at Poplar Grove\\non March 7th thoroughly surprised, outwitted,\\nand out-manoeuvred the Boers, who unsuccessfully\\nventured battle. Instead of pushing infantry forward\\nagainst entrenchments, he played upon the enemy with\\nartillery as the men moved around the kopjes, and used\\nthe cavalry to cut off a retreat.\\nAt Poplar Grove the plan of battle was as follows\\nGeneral Colville s division extended along the north\\nbank General Tucker held the centre reserve, and the\\nGuards Brigade had the centre advance. General Kelly-\\nKenny s division was ordered to make a huge flanking\\nmovement on the Boers left, following General French,\\nwho was instructed to move southeast, until opposite\\nthe Boer flank, and then swing around the rear.\\nEvery movement was admirably executed and entirely\\nsuccessful. The Boers were surprised, as was evident\\nfrom the state of the deserted camps. Twice the\\nBritish cavalry were almost in position to charge, but\\nthey admit that they were foiled by the manoeuvring of\\nthe Boers.\\n328", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0372.jp2"}, "373": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF POPLAR GROVE. 329\\nGeneral French pursued the enemy vigorously. Gen-\\neral Colville merely demonstrated against the high\\nmountain occupied by the Transvaal troops, who fled\\nin consequence of the flight of the Free Staters, south\\nof the river.\\nIn the course of the operations the 9th Lancers\\nattempted to get close to the Boers right, with the\\nobject of charging but the Boers came out in great\\nforce, and the Lancers were compelled to retire. A\\nbattery was then sent forward to hold the enemy in\\ncheck, while the Grahamstown vohmteers and a com-\\npany of mounted infantry, supported by another battery,\\nengaged the Boers on their right flank.\\nThe Boers fired shell, falling short, however, and\\nthey made a stubborn defence on the kopje on the\\nBritish right, enfilading the battery, and killing eighteen\\nof the battery horses. The mounted infantry gradually\\nrepelled the Boers, and the battery then took a position\\nand expelled them from the laager in confusion.\\nThe Boers held a strong position on the north bank\\nof the river, but the flight from the southern bank com-\\npelled them to retreat. They showed great adroitness\\nin getting away the wagons, and displayed a bold front\\nwhile the rest of the force was busy inspanning. Gen-\\neral French s division consisted of three brigades of\\ncavalry, two of mounted infantry, and seven horse-\\nbatteries.\\nAt 4.30 p. M., March 7th, Lord Roberts telegraphed\\nfrom Osfontein to the War Ofiice", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0373.jp2"}, "374": {"fulltext": "330 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nOur operations to-day promise to be a great success.\\nThe enemy occupied a position four miles north and\\neleven miles south of the Modder River. I placed\\nGeneral Colville s division on the north bank, and Gen-\\nerals Kelly-Kenny s and Tucker s divisions, with cav-\\nalry, on the south bank. The cavalry division succeeded\\nin turning the enemy s left flanks, opening a road for\\nthe Sixth Division, which is advancing without being\\nobliged to fire a shot up to the present time.\\nThe enemy are in full retreat toward the north\\nand east. They are being closely followed by cavalry,\\nhorse-artillery, and mounted infantry, while Tucker s\\nSeventh Division, Colville s Ninth Division, and the\\nGuards Brigade, under Pole-Car ew, are making their\\nway across the river at Poplar s drift, where I propose\\nto place my headquarters this evening.\\nOur casualties, will, I trust, be few, as the enemy\\nwere quite unprepared for being attacked by the flank\\nand having their communications with Bloemfontein\\nthreatened.\\nTwo hours later he telegraphed\\nWe had a very successful day, and have completely\\nrouted the enemy, who are in full retreat. The posi-\\ntion which they occupied is extremely strong and cun-\\nningly arranged, with a second line of entrenchments\\nwhich would have caused us heavy loss had a direct\\nattack been made. The turning movement was neces-\\nsarily wide, owing to the nature of the ground, and the\\ncavalry and horse-artillery horses are much done up.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0374.jp2"}, "375": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF POPLAR GROVE. 33 1\\nThe fighting was practically confined to the cavalry\\ndivision, which, as usual, did exceedingly well, and\\nGeneral French reports that the horse-artillery batteries\\ndid great execution among the enemy.\\nOur casualties were about fifty. I regret to say that\\nLieutenant Keswick was killed, and Lieutenant Bailey\\nseverely wounded; both of the 12th Lancers. Lieu-\\ntenant De Crespigny, of the 2d Life Guards, was\\nseverely wounded. Generals De Wet and Delarey\\ncommanded the Boer forces.\\nThe enemy occupied a position four miles north and\\neleven miles south of the Modder River. I placed Gen-\\neral Colville s division on the north bank, and Generals\\nKelly-Kenny s and Tucker s divisions, with cavalry, on\\nthe south bank. The cavalry division succeeded in\\nturning the enemy s left flank, opening a road for the\\nSixth Division, which advanced.\\nOn the following day he sent the despatch given\\nbelow, dating the same from Poplar Grove\\nTwo brigades of cavalry, with horse-artillery and\\nKelly-Kenny s division, marched to-day ten miles east-\\nward. The Boers were quite taken by surprise yes-\\nterday. They moved off so hurriedly that they left\\ncooked dinners behind. We captured a Krupp gun\\nand several tents and wagons.\\nIn addition to the list of casualties sent yesterday,\\nwe had two men killed, forty-six wounded, and one\\nmissing.\\nGeneral French, in trying to intercept the main body", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0375.jp2"}, "376": {"fulltext": "33^ Fighting for the empire.\\nof Boers in their retreat, was foiled by a few riflemen.\\nA press correspondent describes how this came about\\nAbout six thousand yards from the square kopje\\nat Driefontein a 3-inch Creusot and a Vickers-Maxim\\nopened fire on our advance. A great many shells were\\nthrown we, however, suffered no loss, and P Battery\\nopened in an attempt to silence these guns, whose\\nchance of escape seemed then very slender.\\nBut here an exciting and unlooked-for change oc-\\ncurred. French, once more reahsing that extension on\\nhis right was the thing to effect, gave orders to that\\nend, and, riding himself to make his dispositions, sud-\\ndenly discovered on a ridge before him a party of about\\nfifty Boer sharpshooters, who not only drove off the\\ngeneral and staff, but forced the retirement of the whole\\nright wing, barring a squadron of Household, with two\\nMaxims, some mounted infantry with Maxims, and a\\nsquadron of Remington s Guides, all posted in broken\\nground on our right, and under sharp fire from the\\nkopje we had neglected to seize.\\nP Battery at first regarded a target of forty or fifty\\nBoers as beneath contempt, then, finding how effectual\\na fire they could direct, and misunderstanding French s\\norders to them to shell the ridge, limbered up to retire.\\nFrench and staff had luckily escaped without in-\\njury, except a horse shot. He himself dashed down\\nthe head of the battery and corrected the error, but\\nour advance was stopped for an hour and twenty min-\\nutes. We suffered nearly fifty casualties, and, more", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0376.jp2"}, "377": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF POPLAR GROVE. 333\\nimportant than all, the enemy was moving, whilst we\\nwere held, and got off his guns and stores.\\nA most brilliant stand, brilliantly executed. We\\nhad the chagrin of watching from the disputed ridge\\nthe distant retirement of the Boer convoy. Not till\\nnext day did we hear that President Kruger had been\\npresent at the battle, and that we might even have\\ncaptured him and brought the war to a sudden end, but\\nfor the ill-starred contraction of our right wing, which,\\nin dealing with an enemy of such mobility as the Boers,\\nwas on much too short a radius, and which had no jus-\\ntification in any effort on the part of the enemy to\\nbreak through our centre, who, on the contrary,\\nthroughout the day, constantly rallied on his left, ac-\\ntually outflanking our contracted right between 9 and\\n10 A. M. and again at i p. m.\\nLord Roberts s turning movement effectually dis-\\nlodged the Boers from their position, but they suc-\\nceeded in making good their escape. They were not\\nsurrounded. They took alarm too soon for the British\\ncavalry, which, exhausted by the wide sweep necessary\\nto turn the Boer works, could not cut them off or bring\\nthem to action. They halted at Abraham s Kraal,\\nabout thirty miles from Poplar Grove, and about the\\nsame distance from Bloemfontein.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0377.jp2"}, "378": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIX.\\nTHE BATTLE OF DRIEFONTEIN.\\nTHE engagement at Driefontein, March loth, prac-\\ntically placed the capital of the Free State at the\\nmercy of the British. The fate of Bloemfontein was\\ndecided ere yet the imperial forces had approached\\nwithin striking distance.\\nThroughout the advance of March loth the Boers\\nopposed the British, fighting a stubborn rear-guard\\naction until in danger of being cut off, when they iied.\\nOwing to the Boers intimate knowledge of the country,\\nthey were able to cause the British considerable trouble,\\nbut could not prevent them from reaching their destina-\\ntion.\\nLord Roberts telegraphed at the close of the engage-\\nment\\nThe brunt of the fighting fell on General Kelly-\\nKenny s division, two battalions of which, the Welsh\\nand Essex, turned the Boers out of two strong posi-\\ntions at the point of the bayonet.\\nI cannot get the precise number of casualties before\\nI march, but will communicate it as soon as possible.\\nThe Boers suffered heavily, 102 of their dead being left\\non the ground. We captured about twenty prisoners.\\n334", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0378.jp2"}, "379": {"fulltext": "THE BATTLE OF DRIEFONTEIN. 335\\nAmong the killed are Captain Eustace, of the Buffs,\\nCaptain Lomax of the Welsh regiment, and Mr. Mc-\\nKartie, a retired Indian civilian, attached to Kitchener s\\nHorse.\\nThe British advanced from Poplar Grove with three\\ncolumns, to each of which was attached a brigade of\\ncavalry. The march was begun at early dawn, and the\\nfirst column, under General Tucker, moved southward\\nto Petrusburg without opposition, occupying that town.\\nThe second column, under General Kelly-Kenny, fol-\\nlowed the river bank two hours or more, and then struck\\nacross the country in the direction of Abraham s Kraal,\\nuntil meeting General Colville, with the third column,\\non the upper Bloemfontein road.\\nHere was found the enemy, strongly posted on the\\nridge connecting a range of kopjes. They had mounted\\nseven or eight guns, and these were opened on the\\nmounted infantry and cavalry of both British columns.\\nOwing to the nature of the country, the horsemen were\\nunable to outflank the Boers, and it became necessary\\nto wait until the infantry could come up.\\nThe Boers were estimated to be not less than four\\nthousand strong, and it is safe to say that the engage-\\nment was a surprise to both armies.\\nThe Boers were surprised by the double line of ad-\\nvance. They had taken a position ahead, on the right\\nflank of General Kelly-Kenny, thinking that his force\\nrepresented the general advance. They found afterward\\nthat a parallel column threatened their rear.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0379.jp2"}, "380": {"fulltext": "336 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe British infantry, moving slowly, were unable to\\narrive in time, and thus the Boers finally succeeded in\\nescaping.\\nOne of Roberts s officers writes\\nThe fight throughout was much involved. The\\nenemy evacuated and reoccupied positions, subtly con-\\ncealing their intentions, and only withdrawing their\\nguns a few minutes prior to their intending capture.\\nTheir guns outranged ours, the naval brigade not arriv-\\ning in time.\\nOur cavalry horses were completely tired by the re-\\npeated withdrawal. The turning movement was begun\\ntoo late. The enemy attempted with heliograph to lure\\nus to occupy a kopje which they held; but, detecting\\nthe deception, we returned.\\nThe Welsh gallantly rushed some of the entrenched\\nkopjes, and the Highlanders made several direct attacks\\nwith such impetuosity that the Boers beat a precipitate\\nretreat but not before fifteen prisoners of the Pretoria\\ncommand had been taken by the Welsh.\\nA correspondent states\\nKelly-Kenny s force sustained the brunt of the\\nfighting, advancing against a horse-shoe-shaped posi-\\ntion. It was not until the Welsh carried the Boer\\nright that the position was cleared, but it was then\\nimpossible for Colville s infantry, on Kelly-Kenny s\\nright, to have entered the action in time to crush\\nthe retreating foe.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0380.jp2"}, "381": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXX.\\nOCCUPATION OF BLOEMFONTEIN,\\nON March 13th, at 5.20 a. m., Lord Roberts tele-\\ngraphed from Venter s Vlei to the War Office as\\nfollows\\nI directed General French yesterday, if there were\\ntime before dark, to seize the railway station at Bloem-\\nfontein and thus secure the rolling-stock. At midnight\\nI received a report from him that, after considerable\\nopposition, he had been able to occupy the hills, close\\nto the railway station, which command Bloemfontein.\\nA brother of President Steyn has been made a prisoner.\\nThe telegraph line leading northward has been cut\\nand the railway broken up. I am now starting with the\\n3d Cavalry Brigade, which I called up from the 7th\\nDivision, near Petrusburg, yesterday, and the mounted\\ninfantry, to reinforce the cavalry division. The rest of\\nthe force will follow as quickly as possible.\\nLate on the afternoon of the same day Lord Roberts\\nsent a second despatch, dating it at the capital of the\\nFree State\\nBy the help of God, and by the bravery of her\\nMajesty s soldiers, the troops under my command have\\n337", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0381.jp2"}, "382": {"fulltext": "2,2,0 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntaken possession of Bloemfontein. The British flag now\\nflies over the presidency, evacuated last evening by Mr.\\nSteyn, late president of the Orange Free State. Mr.\\nFrazer, member of the late executive government, the\\nmayor, the secretary to the late government, the land-\\nrost, and other officials, met me two miles from the town\\nand presented me with the keys of the public offices.\\nThe enemy has withdrawn from the neighbourhood,\\nand all seems quiet. The inhabitants of Bloemfontein\\ngave the troops a cordial welcome.\\nA private letter thus tells the story\\nLord Roberts entered the Free State capital prac-\\ntically unopposed. He lay at Venters VI ei, fourteen\\nmiles away, last night, with General Kelly-Kenny s\\nand General Colville s divisions, the Guards Brigade\\nand the mounted infantry.\\nGeneral French, having cut the railway and tele-\\ngraphs, experienced a slight skirmish with some Boers\\nholding a kopje southeast of the town. Early in the\\nmorning the cavalry brigade moved forward and occu-\\npied slowly several kopjes which commanded the Boers.\\nA few well-placed shells from the horse-artillery\\ndrove off the enemy. General French then sent out\\nscouts to feel their way toward the town, perceiving\\nwhich, several press correspondents galloped forward\\nand entered the town, which wore an every-day aspect.\\nThe people were out shopping or promenading, and\\nat first the three newspaper men were regarded as\\ntownsfolk. When, later, it became known that they", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0382.jp2"}, "383": {"fulltext": "OCCUPATION OF BLOEMFONTEIN. 339\\nwere the forerunners of the British army, they were\\ngreeted cordially and conducted to a club, where they\\nmet Mr. Frazer, of the executive council, the mayor, and\\nother officials. These they persuaded to take carriages\\nand to go to meet Lord Roberts.\\nAs the party drove out of the city, the British cav-\\nalry were closing around like a high net. The depu-\\ntation soon arrived opposite the kopje where Lord\\nRoberts was stationed, and a messenger rode forward\\nand announced to the commander-in-chief that Bloem-\\nfontein would surrender.\\nA little later the deputation began to approach, and\\nLord Roberts went forward to meet them. The scene\\nwas picturesque in the extreme. A few yards away\\nthe guns of a battery pointed their grim mouths toward\\nthe late position of the Boers, while the tin roofs of\\nBloemfontein shone in the distance.\\nAfter salutes had been exchanged, a member of the\\ndeputation stepped forward and declared that the town,\\nbeing without defences, wished to surrender, hoping\\nthat Lord Roberts would protect life and property.\\nHe replied that, provided there was no opposition, he\\nwould undertake to guarantee the security of both.\\nThe interview was very cordial, without a sign of\\nsolemness. It struck the spectators that the deputa-\\ntion seemed relieved by the presence of the British\\ntroops. Lord Roberts notified the deputation of his\\nintention of entering the town in state, and they with-\\ndrew to inform the townspeople.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0383.jp2"}, "384": {"fulltext": "340 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLord Roberts then made his mihtary dispositions,\\nordering the ist Brigade to follow him and to take\\npossession of the town. With his staff and the military-\\nattaches, he descended the kopje and arrived on the\\nplain, where he waited until the cavalry approached.\\nThen he entered the city, followed by his personal staff,\\nthe general staff, the military attaches, and the troops.\\nLord Roberts received a tremendous ovation. After\\nvisiting the public buildings, he went to the official resi-\\ndence of the President, followed by a cheering crowd,\\nwho waved the British flag and sang the British na-\\ntional anthem. The people were in a condition of\\nfrenzied excitement.\\nMajor-General Prettyman was appointed governor of\\nthe city.\\nWhen, later in the day, Lord Roberts rode through\\nthe streets with his staff, he was everywhere cheered.\\nThe British national anthem was sung in all quarters\\nthe shops were open, and there appeared to be great\\nand general rejoicing.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0384.jp2"}, "385": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION CEREMONY. RAISING THE FLAG AT BLOEM-\\nFONTEIN.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0385.jp2"}, "386": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0386.jp2"}, "387": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXI.\\nGENERAL JOUBERT.\\nTHE following despatch was sent from Pretoria,\\nunder date of March 28, 1900\\nGeneral Joubert died here from peritonitis at eleven\\no clock last night, to the general grief of all. The\\nfuneral will take place to-morrow, but as General Jou-\\nbert always desired to be buried in the mausoleum built\\non his farm, it is uncertain whether the funeral will be\\na state one or not.\\nGeneral Petrus Jacobus Joubert, commandant-general\\nof the Transvaal forces, better known as Piet Joubert,\\nor Slien Piet (Slim Peter), was born about sixty-\\neight years ago. He was descended from the old\\nFrench Huguenot family which settled in South Africa\\nmany years ago. He was born in Cape Colony, but\\nwas taken by his parents, when seven years old, to the\\nOrange Free State, where he was taught from early\\nchildhood to shoot straight and to hate the British.\\nHe is described as having been utterly fearless.\\nOf schooling he had but little, and he never saw a\\nnewspaper until he was nineteen years old. In spite\\nof this, his ambition prompted him to read the few\\n341", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0387.jp2"}, "388": {"fulltext": "342 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nbooks he could secure, and he succeeded in obtaining\\na fair knowledge of history and languages.\\nIn consequence of the acquisition of Natal by the\\nBritish, he and his family moved from that part of\\nSouth Africa, and settled in the Transvaal. Soon\\nafterward he became a Burgher of the South African\\nRepublic, and a daring fighter. It was claimed in his\\nbehalf that he could lead a body of men more success-\\nfully against hostile natives than any other man in the\\nTransvaal. He was, eventually, so feared by the na-\\ntives that the knowledge that he was at the head of a\\npunitive expedition usually resulted in their surrender.\\nIt was during these wars with the natives that Joubert\\nbecame acquainted with Paul Kruger, and the two men\\nwere bosom friends. He was elected vice-president\\nof the Transvaal, defeated Sir George Colley at Majuba\\nHill in 1 88 1, and acted as president of the Republic in\\n1883-84, during Kruger s absence in Europe.\\nGeneral Joubert was always in favour of the use of\\nforce instead of diplomacy, and President Kruger, on\\nseveral occasions, had great difficulty in repressing his\\nhot-headed colleague.\\nIn the late seventies, during the troubles with Eng-\\nland that culminated in the war under the memory of\\nwhich England has smarted ever since, Joubert became\\na very prominent figure in Transvaal affairs. He accom-\\npanied Kruger on his memorable visit to England, when\\nthe demand for the independence of the Republic was\\nformulated. This demand was finally refused, and on", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0388.jp2"}, "389": {"fulltext": "GENERAL JOUBERT. 343\\nDecember 30, 1880, Kruger, Joubert, and Pretorious\\nformed themselves into the triumvirate that declared\\nthe Republic independent.\\nThen came the memorable war, with Laing s Nek,\\nIngogo, and Majuba Hill following in rapid and fatal\\nsequence. Joubert was the hero of Majuba Hill. He\\npersonally led the force that dealt England the blow\\nshe has neither forgotten nor forgiven.\\nJoubert remarked the next day that he always had\\nsupposed the English flag was red, but now he knew it\\nwas white; he had seen it at Majuba Hill. That remark\\ncompleted his conquest of the Boers.\\nFairness was a conspicuous trait of General Joubert.\\nThe Boers, in their ambition to possess outlying lands\\nthat England had seized before them, raided Bechuana-\\nland in 1884. The movement was a popular one. The\\nBoers were flushed with victory. They believed the\\nland was more theirs than England s, for they had\\nbroken the ground before England possessed it but\\nJoubert stopped it.\\nI positively refuse, he declared, to hold office\\nunder a government that deliberately breaks its cove-\\nnant, and we have made covenants with England.\\nHe meant it. He would have resigned and gone back\\nto his farm, and the Boers knew it.\\nJoubert organised the army of the Transvaal. He\\ndivided the country into seventeen military depart-\\nments, and each department again and again into\\nsmaller divisions, with commanders, field-cornets, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0389.jp2"}, "390": {"fulltext": "344 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nlieutenants of various ranks, in charge. Every man in\\nthe Transvaal became a trained soldier without leav-\\ning his farm. Every man had his complete equipment\\nready at home. Every man was pledged to appear at\\nan appointed spot at the summons.\\nTo mobilise the entire force of the Republic, Joubert\\nhad to send only seventeen telegrams. The word was\\npassed down the line, and in an incredibly short time\\nhundreds of post-riders carried the summons from farm\\nto farm. Within forty-eight hours the entire nation\\nwould be in arms, fully equipped and provisioned for\\na march, awaiting only the command to assemble.\\nIn the old days of Majuba Hill the army thus as-\\nsembled was an army of sharpshooters. Then Joubert s\\nproud boast was true Forty bullets per soldier, and a\\nman per bullet.\\nJoubert was Vice-President of the South African Re-\\npublic he was also commander of the forces he was\\non the Executive Council, which answers to our Cabinet,\\nand he held a dozen other offices of high honour.\\nHe had made two attempts at wresting the presidency\\nfrom Paul Kruger, but was defeated in both cases. The\\nfirst time he ran, there were those who alleged that he\\nactually polled more votes than Kruger, and was not\\nreturned, owing only to a particularly flagrant piece\\nof vemeukerij, or swindling, combined with wholesale\\nbribery and corruption of the returning officers.\\nBe this as it may, the next election, five years later,\\nwas fought on other lines. The former, by the way,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0390.jp2"}, "391": {"fulltext": "GENERAL jOUBERT. 345\\nwas conducted in the time-honoured open fashion, every\\nBurgher giving his vote openly and in pubUc. Before\\nthe latter election, however, a secret ballot act had\\nbeen passed, and voting took place, nominally, in se-\\ncret, though it is probable that the Burghers were\\ncoerced into voting just as the wire-pullers pleased.\\nThere were three candidates Paul Kruger, Chief\\nJustice Kotze, and General Joubert. Kruger happened\\nto be in evil odour in the Transvaal at the time, for\\nvarious causes, not the least of which was his open\\nadvocacy of the Dopper Church against the Gevor-\\nmeerde or less puritanical Lutheran party. He there-\\nfore feared that his period of presidentship might be\\nbrought to an untimely close.\\nKotze was a dangerous rival. He was honest, up-\\nright, a judge, a gentleman, and a man of education.\\nAll these qualifications turned to drawbacks in Kruger s\\neyes. So Joubert was induced, for reasons which were\\nopenly discussed at the time, to make a triangular duel\\nof the election, and by splitting the votes of the pro-\\ngressive Burghers, ensure Kruger s election.\\nAlthough Joubert was nominally commander-in-chief\\nof the Transvaal forces, it could not be said that he\\npossessed the entire confidence of his soldiers, patriotic\\nor mercenary. The young Boers petitioned Pretoria to\\nreplace him by Cronje, who, as a fire-eater, had no equal\\nin the Transvaal. But Joubert was too old and tried a\\npatriot to be ousted by the noisy clamour of the young\\nBoers.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0391.jp2"}, "392": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXII.\\nTHE DISASTER AT SANNAS POST.\\n/^^N the 31st of March, a British force, with two bat-\\nteries, walked dehberately into a Boer ambush,\\nhardly more than twenty miles from Bloemfontein, at\\na place known as Sannas Post, Karee, or Korn Spruit.\\nSix out of twelve guns, all the wagons, and many men\\nfell into the hands of the wily enemy, whose daring,\\ndisplayed so near the captured capital, shows that they\\nrapidly recovered heart after their reverses.\\nThe British force, commanded by Colonel Broadwood,\\nconsisting of the loth Hussars, Household Cavalry,\\ntwo horse-batteries, and a body of mounted infantry\\nunder Colonel Pilcher, which had been garrisoning\\nThaba N Chu, was obliged, in consequence of the\\nnear approach of a large commando of Boers, to aban-\\ndon its post on the evening of March 30th. Colonel\\nBroadwood marched to the Bloemfontein water-works,\\nsouth of the Modder, where he encamped at four\\no clock in the morning.\\nAt early dawn the camp was shelled by the enemy\\nfrom a near point. Colonel Broadwood sent off a con-\\nvoy with the batteries, while the rest of the force\\nremained to act as a rear-guard.\\n346", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0392.jp2"}, "393": {"fulltext": "THE DISASTER AT SANNAS POST. 347\\nThe Boers drove the convoy, exactly as partridges\\nare driven to a gun, directly to a drift or spruit, and as\\neach wagon descended the hollow the enemy appeared.\\nThe driver of the wagon was shown which way he\\nshould turn his team so as not to block the convoy.\\nWhen the guns arrived, the trap was all clear again for\\ntheir reception. As one who was present said, It was\\nlike a cloak-room. The Boers politely took your rifle\\nand asked you kindly to step to one side. There was\\nnothing else for you to do.\\nThe Boers side of the story is as follows\\nColonel Broadwood evacuated Thaba N Chu, owing\\nto the advance of Commandant Olivier from the south.\\nThe Federal troops found the British camp in peaceful\\nslumber, without a sentinel or an outpost to give the\\nalarm. General De Wet immediately placed guns and\\nthe commandoes in such positions as to surround the\\nBritish, who did not have time to recover from their\\nsurprise.\\nIt appears that when the first retreating British\\nwagons entered the drift, the ambushers shouted,\\nHands up then removed the officers, and let the\\ncart go through. This process was repeated several\\ntimes, till the wagons arrived in a bunch, when the ruse\\nwas discovered, and a disorderly flight followed. In\\none cart were two officers, to whom Commandant De\\nWet shouted, Hands up One of them obeyed, where-\\nupon the other shot his comrade dead, refused to sur-\\nrender, and was immediately shot.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0393.jp2"}, "394": {"fulltext": "348 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe Burghers lost three men killed and ten men\\nwounded, including a field-cornet.\\nAmong the wounded was the Dutch military attache,\\nNixe, who received a bullet in his chest. Altogether,\\nthe Boers captured 389 prisoners throughout the day.\\nThe significance of the battle must not be underesti-\\nmated. It was fought by a force of Free Staters on a\\nflat plain and without shelter. The Free Staters are\\nnow desirous of marching on Bloemfontein, and the\\nTransvaalers are anxious to emulate the large success\\nof their allies.\\nA despatch-box was found at Sannas Post contain-\\ning the oaths signed by the Free Staters who surren-\\ndered. The signers have been sent for in order that\\nthe general may explain the invalidity of oaths under\\ncompulsion.\\nIt is officially announced that the Republican forces\\ncaptured eleven officers and 362 men, with eleven guns,\\ntwo ammunition wagons and mules.\\nThat the British did not surrender tamely is shown\\nby Lord Roberts s telegram of April 2d from Bloem-\\nfontein\\nThere has been considerable delay in getting accu-\\nrate returns of the casualties, as the action took place\\ntwenty-two miles hence, the telegraph cable has been\\ninterrupted several times, cloudy weather has interfered\\nwith signalling, and, although there has been no gen-\\neral engagement since, the forces are continually in\\ntouch with the enemy.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0394.jp2"}, "395": {"fulltext": "THE DISASTER AT SANNAS POST. 349\\nThere were many acts of conspicuous gallantry dis-\\nplayed during the day. K Battery remained in action\\nunder a cross-fire at twelve hundred yards, for some\\nhours, the officers serving the guns as the casualties\\nreduced the detachment.\\nSeveral gallant attempts were made to bring in\\ntwo guns, the teams of which had been killed, but at\\neach attempt the horses were shot.\\nThe Essex, Munster, Shropshire, and Northumber-\\nland mounted infantry, and Roberts s Horse covered\\nthe retirement of the guns from that position to the\\ncrossing of the drift found by the cavalry two miles far-\\nther south, and withstood the determined attacks of\\nthe enemy, who, in some cases, advanced to within one\\nhundred yards.\\nU Battery, of the Royal Horse Artillery, was sud-\\ndenly surrounded in the drift, and the officers and men\\nwere all made prisoners without a shot being fired.\\nBut Major Taylor and a sergeant-major succeeded in\\nescaping in the confusion. Five guns were captured at\\nthe same time.\\nA letter from Sergeant Parker, describing the Sannas\\nPost disaster, says\\nIn galloping from the spruit, my gun was overturned,\\nand every horse was shot. I got up with No. 4 gun, and\\nwe remained three hours under the most terrible fire.\\nIn five minutes I had lost two complete detach-\\nments, and only Gunner Lodge and myself were left\\nto work the two guns, he at one and I at the other.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0395.jp2"}, "396": {"fulltext": "350 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nWe remained at the guns, loading, laying, and\\nfiring by ourselves, and brought both guns out of\\naction by ourselves. We have been recommended for\\nthe Victoria Cross.\\nThe Cape Town correspondent of the London Times,\\ndiscussing the affair, says\\nAll the details only serve to bring out clearly the\\nmarvellous cleverness of the Boers no less than the\\nmarvellous carelessness and improvidence of the British\\nofficers, whom, it would seem, no series of disasters will\\never teach to keep wide awake. General Buller s anx-\\nious inquiry, whether British officers will ever learn the\\nvalue of scouting, comes back with enforced emphasis\\nto the British public to-day, in receipt of the tidings\\nthat a convoy with guns has walked deliberately into a\\nBoer ambush,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0396.jp2"}, "397": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIII.\\nAPRIL NEWS.\\nT^HE disaster of Sannas Post had much to do with\\ndelaying Lord Roberts s advance, and because of\\na second disaster following close upon the heels of the\\nfirst, together with an unexpected move on the part\\nof the Boers, was he forced to remain in the vicinity\\nof Bloemfontein.\\nThe April news shall be told as it was received at\\nCape Town, in a fragmentary manner, it is true, but\\nsuch as enables the reader better to understand what\\nwas done, than if any attempt was made to follow the\\ncourse of each division of the army.\\nApril I. At the beginning of the month General\\nTucker s division was strongly occupying the Boer\\ncamp at Karee Siding, with the way open to\\nBrandfort, which town had been evacuated by the\\nBoers.\\nKenhardt was formally re-annexed to Cape Colony\\nto-day amidst the cheers of the assembled troops.\\nSix hundred Barkly refugees sent back from Cape\\nTown are stranded, the Kimberley military authorities\\nrefusing assistance to allow them to proceed.\\n351", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0397.jp2"}, "398": {"fulltext": "352 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe departure of the transports with the Boer\\nprisoners, for St. Helena, has been delayed in con-\\nsequence of the increased sickness among the prison-\\ners. Three died to-day and twelve have died during\\nthe week. Arrangements are being made to prevent\\novercrowding. The prisoners do not complain of their\\ntreatment or their food. Many of General Cronje s\\nmen when captured were completely worn out with\\nthe hardships they had undergone, and little strength\\nwas left them to fight disease. Moreover, the con-\\nfinement on shipboard is very irksome to men who\\nhave been accustomed to outdoor life.\\nApril 2. The Boers are still occupying the Bloem-\\nfontein water-works, which the British shelled yester-\\nday afternoon, the Boers replying.\\nThe defenders of Mafeking made a sortie to-day,\\nbut were speedily driven back.\\nThe garrison at Mafeking is suffering severely from\\nlack of bread, and a mixture of oats, bran, and mealies\\nis doing duty for the article, which is described as\\ncoarse in substance, of the colour of gingerbread,\\nand of the consistency of Norway pine.\\nApril J. A despatch from Pretoria announces the\\narrival there of twenty-eight prisoners, mostly residents\\nof Ladybrand, who were seized when the Boers forced\\nthe British to evacuate that place.\\nThis evening General Cronje, Colonel Schiel, and\\none thousand Boer prisoners sailed for St. Helena.\\nApril At Reddersburg, thirty miles south of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0398.jp2"}, "399": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 353\\nBloemfontein, five British companies fell into a Boer\\ntrap on the third, and were captured to-day. Details\\nof the disaster are given elsewhere.\\nThere are numerous indications that, in pursuance\\nof their boast that they will recapture Bloemfontein,\\nthe Boers are trying to surround the town and to cut\\nthe British line of communication to the south. Large\\nforces are reported east and south, which are supposed\\nto be making for the railway. They still hold Thaba\\nN Chu and the water- works. Lord Roberts is com-\\npleting his concentration. Four 4.7 guns and four\\nnaval 12-pounders have been mounted on kopjes com-\\nmanding the plain. The cavalry camp has been re-\\nmoved to a better position, northeast of the city.\\nSpecial precautions are being taken to protect the\\nrailway southward. Several arrests have been made,\\nin the town, of persons suspected of giving information\\nto the Boers. The railway to the north is in posses-\\nsion of the British as far as Naroe Siding.\\nThe permanent bridge at Modder River station has\\nbeen finished, and the first train passed over it yester-\\nday.\\nA despatch has just been received from Lord Me-\\nthuen in which he stated that on his march from\\nKimberley, while about nine miles from Boshof, this\\nafternoon, he encountered a body of seventy Boers\\nposted on a kopje. After about four hours fighting,\\nthe little force surrendered.\\nAmong the killed was Gen, De Villebois Mareuil,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0399.jp2"}, "400": {"fulltext": "354 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe distinguished French tactician and strategist. The\\nprisoners included many Frenchmen.\\nApril General Clements s division, six thousand\\nstrong, has arrived from the southward and encamped\\nfive miles north of Bloemfontein, after a continuous\\nmarch of a fortnight.\\nAn unimportant engagement, lasting several hours,\\nwas fought this afternoon at Bosman s Kop between\\nthe Boer and British outposts.\\nDoctor Jameson, the leader of the famous raid in the\\nTransvaal territory, has arrived here. He is very ill.\\nApril 6. A despatch from Aliwal North says\\nThe Royal Irish Rifles, which have been falling back\\nfrom Rouxville, arrived here safely to-night. Their\\nretirement was covered by a detachment sent by Gen-\\neral Brabant. Lieutenant Bonsey and two men of Bra-\\nbant s detachment of the Border Horse are missing.\\nTwo Boers were killed in the rear-guard action. A\\nstrong Boer commando is reported to be at Walsekop,\\nfourteen miles west of Rouxville.\\nA despatch from Bloemfontein states\\nNo anxiety need be felt as to the security of Bloem-\\nfontein, although the enemy may succeed in destroying\\ntelegraphic communication, and even in cutting the\\nrailway for a brief period.\\nA number of civilians, including Lady Bentinck\\nand Lady Edward Cecil, who arrived here recently\\nfrom Cape Town, left to-day in compliance with a\\ngeneral order issued by the authorities.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0400.jp2"}, "401": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 355\\nA runner, who has just arrived at Lorenzo Marquez,\\nfrom Sobobo s kraal, Swaziland, says Sobobo has been\\nkilled, and his women have been tied up with ropes.\\nUnrest is increasing in the country, which is in a most\\nunsettled state, bordering on a reign of terror, in the\\nabsence of white man s law. Many natives have\\nbeen threatened, and in one district they have been\\ncompletely killed off.\\nA messenger from Bremersdorp, Swaziland, says\\nthat soldiers are making presents to the queen, and\\nare seeking permission to pass through Swaziland\\narmed. M Quezie, the famous old Swazi chief, and\\ntwo women of his household, with their infants, have\\nall been assegaied at M Quezie s kraal. The kraal\\nwas sacked and burned, and the chief s son captured.\\nNumerous bands are marching about natives and\\nSwazi and marauding in every direction.\\nGeneral Villebois Mareuil was buried to-day at Boshof\\nwith military honours.\\nThe following despatch comes from Bloemfontein,\\nunder date of to-day\\nAll is quiet here. Remounts and reinforcements\\nare arriving, and preparations are being made to deal\\nwith the enemy. Many of the historic regiments, like\\nthe Scots Greys, the Inniskillen Dragoons, and the\\nLancers, cannot muster one hundred mounted men,\\nwhile artillery horses are very scarce.\\nThe enemy has now been entirely cleared out from\\nthe position they lately occupied north of Glen, and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0401.jp2"}, "402": {"fulltext": "356 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthe British force there is being considerably augmented.\\nLord Kitchener commands the railway to the south,\\nand our positions are secure against interruption. The\\ntroops are all in good spirits, though badly in need of\\nclothing and boots.\\nThe Ninth Division, under General Colville, marched\\non the 4th in the direction of Rietfontein, but arrived\\ntoo late to disperse a gathering of Boer leaders, who\\nhad assembled there for conference. The division\\nreturned here to-day.\\nThe Boers have shot a Free State Burgher named\\nMcCaskill, who was employed by the British as a con-\\nductor of the wagons which the Boers captured at the\\nBloemfontein water-works. General Gatacre has retired\\nto Bethany on orders from headquarters to guard the\\nrailway.\\nThe Boer artillery about Mafeking is well horsed.\\nTheir pom-poms are mounted on light, four-wheeled car-\\nriages, each drawn by four smart horses, in marked\\ncontrast with those Colonel Plumer fought with at\\nCrocodile Pool. The Boers, too, are well mounted and\\nwell dressed, and have fit-looking patrols. The grain\\nand other crops in the district are excellent, so the\\nTransvaalers are not likely to suffer from scarcity of\\nfood for a long time. Plumer s little force is now\\nstrongly entrenched northwest of Mafeking.\\nApi il y. The following despatch has just been\\nreceived from Bloemfontein\\nThe Boers are reported in force to the south.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0402.jp2"}, "403": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 357\\nthreatening the railroad, which, however, is strongly-\\nprotected.\\nBritish pickets at Springfield, eight miles distant,\\nwere attacked to-day by Boers advancing from the\\nwater-works.\\nAdvices from Mafeking state that a band of armed\\nKaffirs left that town through the Burgher lines, during\\nthe night of April 5th, and were followed and sur-\\nrounded in the bush, when they were shelled by a\\nMaxim-Nordenfeldt gun. The Boers then stormed the\\nKaffir position, killing thirty-one. The Kaffirs fought\\nstubbornly.\\nIt appears that no fewer than thirty Boers escaped\\nfrom the old camp at Simonstown last evening. Nine\\nhave since been recaptured. The prisoners effected\\ntheir escape by cutting a fence under the sentry bridge,\\nwhile the sentry was above. A driver of a sanitary\\ncart was offered two hundred pounds to carry off the\\nprisoners. A new tunnel has been discovered in the\\ndirection opposite to the former one. It had been\\ncompleted to within five feet of the point for a breach.\\nWhen the Boers were driven out of Ladybrand, Thaba\\nN Chu, and other points of eastern Cape Colony, the\\nBasutos showed a pleasant face to the British, but now\\nthat the British have been in turn driven out of these\\nplaces, the natives are beginning to look ugly, and if\\nWepener should be retaken by the Boers, all the\\nauthorities agree that the result would be decidedly\\nunpleasant to the British.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0403.jp2"}, "404": {"fulltext": "358 FIGHTING FOR TJHE EMPIRE.\\nYesterday evening the British shelled Fourteen\\nStreams, which was occupied by a force of Boers.\\nThis morning the Boers placed in position a big gun,\\nwhich they fired effectively. A fusilade of mortars\\nfollowed at intervals throughout the day. The Brit-\\nish brought lyddite and shrapnel-shells into the Boer\\n.position, finally silencing the enemy s fire and driving\\noff the snipers.\\nThe prisoners and guns taken in the Saunas Post, or\\nKorn Spruit, fight have arrived at Pretoria. The vic-\\ntory has created a most inspiring impression among the\\ncommandoes in the field. Y.ive hundred British subjects\\nhave been ordered to leave Johannesburg, and to-day\\none hundred were ordered to quit Pretoria.\\nThe War Office issued, this afternoon, a return of the\\ntotal British casualties up to April ist.\\nKilled in action, 211 officers and 1,960 men.\\nDied of wounds, 48 officers and 465 men.\\nMissing and prisoners, 168 officers and 3,722 men.\\nDied of disease, 47 officers and 1,485 men.\\nAccidental deaths, 3 officers and 34 men.\\nRepatriated invalids, 288 officers and 4,934 men.\\nTotal, 13,365, exclusive of the sick and wounded now\\nin the hospital.\\nTo the War Office return of casualties must be added\\nthe losses of last week, and the wounded, aggregating\\nabout 10,000 men, making a grand total of upward of\\n23,000 officers and men put out of action.\\nApril 8. It is evident that General Brabant has been", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0404.jp2"}, "405": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 359\\ncut off from communication with Lord Roberts. A\\ndespatch from near Wepener, just received, states\\nThe garrison is practically isolated. However, the\\nlines are enormously strong, and the force is fully pro-\\nvisioned. Desultory firing between outposts continues.\\nA commando, estimated at two thousand, with four guns,\\nwent into laager last night, five miles from here, in the\\ndirection of Dewetsdorp.\\nApril p. An engagement took place to-day at Wepe-\\nner. The Boers Vickers-Maxim did considerable exe-\\ncution at first, but the British guns soon got the range,\\nand did great havoc. The fighting was severe and lasted\\nall day long. The Boers received a check. The casu-\\nalties were rather heavy on both sides. Another com-\\nmando is advancing toward Wepener from Dewetsdorp.\\nThe Rouxville commando has gone to Wepener.\\nThe British loss is eleven killed and forty-one\\nwounded.\\nA despatch from Aliwal North, dated at 3.30 this\\nafternoon, contains the following\\nSmall bodies of the enemy have been seen across\\nthe river near the town of Odendoalstroom. The ferry\\nhas been destroyed. There is a Boer commando of six\\nhundred at Rouxville. A larger one has left Smith-\\nfield for Wepener. There are two commandoes around\\nWepener, but thus far there has been only outpost fir-\\ning. A lieutenant of Brabant s Horse has been captured\\nat Rouxville by Boers who had previously surrendered.\\nThe landrost is also said to have broken his oath.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0405.jp2"}, "406": {"fulltext": "360 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nA detachment of Cape artillery, with three guns, and\\na squadron of Queenstown mounted volunteers arrived\\nto-day. Many Boers, who had already taken the non-\\ncombatants oath, are rejoining their old commandoes.\\nAn intercepted Boer despatch from Lermokap, a town\\nsoutheast of Bloemfontein, says\\nThe Boer commando which is still in the southern\\ndistrict, and which it was feared had been cut off, has\\nrendered a good account of itself with the Basutoland\\npolice, who had invaded the Orange Free State.\\nFour British scouts captured to-day say that\\nBloemfontein is hard pressed for water. They add\\nthat all the private wells were guarded, and civilians\\nwere not permitted to use them until the troops were\\nsupplied.\\nCommandant De Wet has received a report that\\nthe British who fled from Smithfield southward were\\nseverely punished by the Burghers of Rouxville. News\\nreceived here from Johannesburg drift says a British\\nforce of about one hundred men, mainly composed of\\nBrabant s Horse, with General Brabant commanding, is\\nsurrounded at Robinson s Mills with a remote chance\\nof relief or effective resistance.\\nThe British force reported in the despatch from Ler-\\nmokop to be surrounded at Robinson s Mills is probably\\nthe force of colonial troops previously referred to as\\nsurrounded by the Boers near Wepener. These British\\ntroops are not commanded by General Brabant in per-\\nson, but are under the command of Colonel Dalgety,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0406.jp2"}, "407": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 361\\nGeneral Brabant was last reported at Aliwal North with\\nGeneral Kitchener.\\nLord Methuen s force is encamped at Zwartzkopfon-\\ntein, ten miles east of Boshof.\\nFifty-two prisoners, who were captured at Boshof, have\\narrived at Kimberley. Only three are Dutchmen, the\\nothers being Frenchmen, Germans, and Russians.\\nRemounts are continually arriving at Bloemfontein,\\nbut competent authorities estimate that the wastage of\\nhorse monthly, by the British forces in South Africa,\\nmust be calculated at not less than five thovisand.\\nApril JO. News from a Boer source at Wepener,\\nofficially communicated, says that four Boer guns have\\nbeen disabled, and four commandants killed or wounded.\\nThis afternoon the British made a sortie, capturing a\\nBoer gun and taking some prisoners. The colonial\\ntroops are still holding their own splendidly. The\\nBoer attack yesterday was not very serious. The\\nBritish are carefully husbanding their ammunition, and\\ntheir guns are making excellent practice. The Boers\\nare short of ammunition.\\nLord Roberts has just telegraphed to the War\\nOffice:\\nThe enemy has been very active during the past\\nfew days. One commando is now on the north bank\\nof the Orange River, not far from Aliwal North, while\\nanother is attacking Wepener. The garrison there is\\nholding out bravely, and inflicted serious loss on the\\nBoers yesterday. Major Springe, of the Cape Mounted", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0407.jp2"}, "408": {"fulltext": "362 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nRifles, was killed. No other casualties have been re-\\nported as yet. The troops are being moved up rapidly.\\nA patrol of six men of the 7th Dragoon Guards,\\nunder Lieutenant Wetherley, which had been reported\\nmissing since April 7th, has returned safely.\\nThis morning at Elandslaagte, while the British\\ntroops were drilling, the Boers, under Gen. Louis Botha,\\nbegan shelling. One private was killed and another\\nwounded before the men could be removed beyond\\nrange. After three hours bombardment, the Boers\\nfire slackened, and the Burghers cleared from a kopje\\non the right, when a British shell lit on the spot occu-\\npied by their gun. Another command was seen moving\\ntoward the British left, apparently with the intention\\nof flanking them, but the British shells forced them to\\nretire. The British advance pickets were continually\\nsniped. r^\\nHeavy fighting was continued at Wepener this morn-\\ning.\\nThe British naval guns have commenced bombarding\\nthe Boer positions between Sunday s River and Big-\\ngarsberg.\\nThe remainder of the Boer prisoners that were on\\nboard the transports off Simonstown, about two thou-\\nsand, have been transferred to the mainland. General\\nCronje and his companions arrived at St. Helena to-day.\\nThey will be landed to-morrow.\\nFrom Bloemfontein the following despatch has just\\nbeen received", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0408.jp2"}, "409": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 363\\nThe water-supply continues satisfactory. Entrench-\\ning is proceeding vigorously on the hills commanding\\nBloemfontein, civilian labour being utilised. Prepara-\\ntions are being made to hold Bloemfontein against sur-\\nprises. Lord Kitchener has been given an important\\nduty, being responsible for the protection of the railway,\\nwhile Lord Roberts is waiting for remounts and winter\\nclothing for the troops, whose thin cotton khaki uni-\\nforms and boots are worn out.\\nApril I I. Heavy cannonading is going on at Wepe-\\nner to-day. The town is regularly invested, and Col-\\nonel Dalgety, despite the strength of his position, has\\nall the work in hand which he can well look after. One\\nof the Boers big guns was knocked over to-day, and\\nthe indications are that the garrison will hold its own.\\nBoer despatches claim that the bombardment continues\\nfavourable to the Federals.\\nA despatch from Elandslaagte says\\nFighting was renewed beyond Elandslaagte this\\nafternoon. The Boers steadily advanced upon the\\nBritish positions. There was a continuous rifle fire,\\nand the Boer big guns were in action. The British\\nreplied effectively, and after two hours fighting the\\nBoers were checked. Last night the Boers set fire\\nto the grass on two hills almost on their extreme\\nwings. The motive has not been ascertained, but the\\nincident disclosed the fact that their position extends\\nover fully fifteen miles in a continuous row of hills,\\nfrom Jenos Kop, on the British left, to a kopje com-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0409.jp2"}, "410": {"fulltext": "364 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmanding Sunday s River Bridge on the British\\nright.\\nA despatch from Mafeking this afternoon reports a\\nterrific bombardment of the town this forenoon, A\\ngloomy account of the depression due to the probabil-\\nity of the siege lasting until the end of May is given,\\nand the despatch concludes with the statement\\nIt is hard to accept Colonel Baden-Powell s efforts\\nto cheer the people by optimistic predictions in the\\nabsence of any sign of release, particularly in view of\\nthe fact that the daily rations are six ounces of gritty\\noat bread, one pound of bully beef, and one quart of\\nskillet.\\nGeneral Gatacre has been recalled to England.\\nApidl 12. The siege of Wepener still continues, and\\nthe Boers appear bent on forcing the fighting.\\nApril I J. Lord Roberts telegraphed the War Ofifice\\nto-day as follows\\nThe enemy s movements south have been checked.\\nWepener is still surrounded, but the little garrison is\\nholding out well. Troops are moving to their assistance.\\nThe Boers tried to rush Colonel Dalgety s left front,\\nbut retired after fighting an hour. Their attack is\\napparently weakening, although large numbers of fresh\\nlittle schanzes are visible along the enemy s position.\\nThe British trenches at Warrenton are being bom-\\nbarded but without any serious effect.\\nGeneral Settle reports from Kenhardt, that two hun-\\ndred Transvaalers made a determined attack to-day on", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0410.jp2"}, "411": {"fulltext": "April news. 365\\nDopaspoort, held by a party of Orpen s Horse. The\\nBritish losses were two killed and one wounded. The\\nenemy s losses must have been heavy, as they applied\\nfor doctors and an ambulance.\\nA patrol of Royal Irish, among whom was Lord Ross-\\nlyn, has been captured thirty miles southeast of Bloem-\\nfontein. Lord Rosslyn has been sent to Kroonstad.\\nSir Godfrey Lagden, British resident commissioner,\\nreturned here yesterday from the scene of operations\\nnear Wepener. He and the paramount chief have sta-\\ntioned three thousand armed natives to resist possible\\nBoer encroachments. The orders of the resident com-\\nmissioner are that the Basutos are not to be allowed to\\ncross the Free State frontier on any pretext whatever.\\nTwo natives, who crossed and looted an abandoned Boer\\nfarm, are now in custody. Colonel Dalgety s position\\nis strong and well chosen, but he is completely sur-\\nrounded. The Boers have their backs against Basu-\\ntoland, and if they stay much longer they will be\\nhemmed in. The British operations are keenly watched\\nfrom the neighbouring height. Shelling and sniping\\nhave been going on steadily during the last six days.\\nColonel Dalgety s guns are admirably served, and there\\nis no waste of ammunition. The Boers, when they see\\nthe electric flash of the cordite, bolt into their holes or\\nbehind walls. So near are the Boers and the Basuto\\nguards, that they converse. The ambulances are close\\nto the border, but the killed and wounded are not re-\\nmoved until nightfall, in order to conceal the number of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0411.jp2"}, "412": {"fulltext": "366 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ncasualties. The Boers are fatigued and their horses are\\ntired and footsore.\\nApril 7^. Colonel Dalgety telegraphed yesterday\\nfrom Wepener All well. Enemy apparently slack-\\nening attack.\\nGeneral Chermside s division is encamped seventeen\\nmiles east of the railway. Boers are supposed to be in\\nthe vicinity, but an attack by them is improbable.\\nIt is officially reported that the British losses at\\nWepener, in four days fighting, were eighteen men\\nkilled, and 132 wounded.\\nGeneral Cronje and his wife, and three members of\\nthe staff of the former Boer commandant, who, with\\nother prisoners, arrived at St. Helena on the Niobe and\\nMilwaukee, April loth, were landed to-day, accompanied\\nby Colonel Reefe. The other prisoners will disembark\\nMonday.\\nThe Royal Irish Rifles have been forced to evacuate\\nRouxville.\\nThe transport Lake Erie, with upwards of five hun-\\ndred Transvaal prisoners, including French, German,\\nand Russian members of the foreign legion captured\\nat Boshof, sails for St. Helena to-day,\\nApril i^. General Brabant has reoccupied Rouxville.\\nMr. Frank Smith, the well-known mine owner, fell\\ninto the hands of the Boers while driving from Barkly\\nWest toward the Frank Smith diamond mine.\\nColonel Schiel and two other Boer prisoners were\\nlanded at St. Helena to-day, and sent to the citadel.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0412.jp2"}, "413": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS. 367\\nin consequence of an attempt to escape. It appears\\nthat Colonel Schiel bribed a boatman to take a letter to\\nthe Dutch cruiser, but the boatman, by mistake, took it\\nto the British cruiser Niobe. A large knife was found\\nin possession of one of the three. Colonel Schiel walked\\nto the citadel, declining a carriage that was placed .at\\nhis disposal.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0413.jp2"}, "414": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIV.\\nREDDERSBURG.\\nANOTHER Boer trap, another disaster for the Brit-\\nish forces, and five companies of British troops in\\nthe hands of the Boers\\nLord Roberts gave an outline of the story in his\\ndespatch sent from Bloemfontein, April 5th, in which\\nhe says Another unfortunate affair has occurred,\\nresulting, I fear, in the capture of a party of in-\\nfantry, consisting of three companies of the Royal\\nIrish Fusiliers and two companies of the 9th Regi-\\nment of mounted infantry, near Reddersburg, a little\\neastward of Bethany railroad station, within a few miles\\nof this place.\\nThey were surrounded by a stronger force of the\\nenemy, with four or five guns. The detachment held\\nout from before noon, April 3d, until 9 a. m., April 4th,\\nand then apparently surrendered, for it is reported that\\nthe firing ceased at that time.\\nImmediately after I heard the news, during the\\nafternoon of April 3d, I ordered Gatacre to proceed\\nfrom Springfontein, his present headquarters, to Red-\\ndersburg, with all possible speed, and I despatched the\\n368", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0414.jp2"}, "415": {"fulltext": "REDDERSBURG. 369\\nCameron Highlanders hence to Bethany. He arrived\\nat Reddersburg at 10.30 yesterday morning, without op-\\nposition, but could get no news of the missing detach-\\nment. There can be no doubt the whole party has been\\nmade prisoners.\\nHere is the story as told by one of the Boers Five\\nhundred Irish Rifles entered Dewetsdorp on April ist,\\nunder Captain McWhinnie, and demanded the surren-\\nder of the town, which was readily given. Captain Mc-\\nWhinnie was surprised to hear that a Boer force was\\napproaching, and he promptly retreated on Redders-\\nburg. General De Wet, fresh from his brilliant victory\\nat Sannas Post, followed the retreat along a range of\\nkopjes for hours. The two opposing forces went into\\ncamp on different sides of the range. General De Wet\\nknew all about the British positions and movements, but\\nthe Irish were quite unaware of the proximity of the\\nBoers. They blundered again, as at Sannas Post, and\\nthe scouts were not alert.\\nBefore sunset on Tuesday, De Wet had the British\\nforce in his power, after an engagement which lasted\\nall the afternoon. The Irish made a most brilliant\\ndefence, but their fate was never in doubt. During\\nthe afternoon De Wet sent eight hundred Burghers to\\ncut off their retreat, and he then moved forward a small\\nforce of Boers to the top of the kopjes held by the\\nBritish. The latter boldly attacked, and then De Wet s\\nplan was suddenly developed.\\nThe British soon found themselves surrounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0415.jp2"}, "416": {"fulltext": "370 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThey had, indeed, fallen into a beautiful trap, for they\\nwere commanded at every point by the Boer guns, while\\ntheir force was separated on two kopjes, with the Boers\\nbetween. At sunrise on Wednesday, the Boer guns\\ncommenced to hurl shell upon the devoted Irishmen,\\nwho, however, refused to surrender, but fought with the\\nutmost fierceness for three hours. At ten o clock, how-\\never, the British commanding officer saw that further\\nresistance would only involve a useless waste of life, as\\nhis military position was quite hopeless, and he there-\\nfore hoisted a white flag.\\nTwelve officers sorrowfully handed over their swords\\nto General De Wet, and 459 non-commissioned officers\\nand men surrendered. All the prisoners were forth-\\nwith sent to Thaba N Chu under escort, and General\\nDe Wet continued his march toward Wepener.\\nA British officer thus tells the story\\nThe Royal Irish Rifles had been marching in the\\neastern part of the Free State, collecting arms, and\\nwere returning to Bethany, Tuesday, when they were\\nintercepted by a Boer commando, which had placed\\nthree guns in position.\\nThe Irish entrenched themselves while the mounted\\ninfantry scouted along both flanks, only to find escape\\nimpossible. The Boers opened with gun and rifle fire.\\nThe British replied sparingly with rifle fire, husbanding\\ntheir cartridges in the hope that help would arrive.\\nGradually the Boers drew into closer quarters. They\\nfired intermittently during Tuesday night, but did not", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0416.jp2"}, "417": {"fulltext": "REDDERSBURG. 37 1\\nattempt to rush the British position until Wednesday,\\nwhen the Irishmen, who had fought tenaciously, were\\nsuffering severely from want of food and water. By\\nthis time also the Rifles had expended their last cart-\\nridges. Finding that there were no signs of succour,\\nthey surrendered, having fought nearly thirty hours.\\nThey lost ten killed and many wounded. Among the\\ncaptured is Captain Tenant, General Gatacre s chief\\nintelligence officer.\\nThe following from Lord Roberts to the War Office\\nThe casualties at Reddersburg were two officers\\nkilled, two wounded, and eight captured eight non-\\ncommissioned officers and men killed, thirty-three\\nwounded the rest were captured. Our strength was\\n167 mounted infantry, and 424 infantry. The enemy\\nwas said to be thirty-two hundred strong, with five\\nguns.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0417.jp2"}, "418": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXV.\\nAPRIL NEWS CONTINUED.\\nyfPRIL i6. A despatch from Ladysmith this\\nmorning states: Native scouts have just re-\\nported that the Boers in the Elandslaagte district have\\nretired beyond the Biggarsberg. Other information\\ntends to confirm the reports that the Boers have suc-\\nceeded in blowing up three important collieries near\\nWessels Nek, completely destroying the engine-houses\\nand plant.\\nApril ly. Lord Roberts telegraphed the War Office\\nto-day Our force at Wepener is still surrounded,\\nbut it is reported that the enemy are attacking in a very\\nhalf-hearted manner, and are anxious about their com-\\nmunications, hearing that forces are approaching Wepe-\\nner from two directions, one under General Rundle,\\nvia Reddersburg, and another under General Brabant,\\nwith General Hart s brigade in support, via Rouxville.\\nThere are over two thousand cases of dysentery and\\nenteric fever in the British field-hospitals in the Free\\nState.\\nApril i8. A correspondent with General Chermside\\nreports that the Third Division has advanced eight miles\\n372", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0418.jp2"}, "419": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 373\\neast of Reddersburg, and gone into camp where the\\nIrish Rifles surrendered. Four hundred Boers had just\\nevacuated the position. General Chermside had no\\nfurther contact with the Boers.\\nThe British patrols at Elandslaagte to-day discovered\\nanother party of Boers on the British left, in the same\\nposition from which the enemy recently fired on the\\nSouth African Horse. In this instance, however, there\\nwas no firing. Native deserters confirm previous state-\\nments with respect to the fortifications and strength of\\nthe Boers along Biggarsberg range. The enemy has\\nrecently established a large hospital, which is already\\nfilled, and similar hospitals are being established by\\nthem at the various railway towns.\\nAn official list of the British losses at Wepener, from\\nApril 9th to April i8th, shows: killed, three officers\\nand eighteen men wounded, fourteen officers and\\neighty-six men.\\nApril ig. General Chermside and General Rundle\\nare moving over sodden roads. Rain was still falling\\nwhen they went into camp this afternoon, eighteen\\nmiles west of Dewetsdorp. They hold the railway on\\nthe southern frontier of the Free State with twenty\\nthousand. How many are going with the generals, who\\nwill engage the Boers at Wepener, is not mentioned\\nin the latest despatch from Oorlogspoort, where the\\nBritish bivouacked last night. The field-telegraph ends\\nthere. To-day the Boers still have Colonel Dalgety\\nclosely penned.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0419.jp2"}, "420": {"fulltext": "374 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nApril 20. Two reports to-day regarding Wepener.\\nThe first from British sources by way of Maseru\\nThe Boers continue to move freely around Wepener,\\ngoing in all directions from which relief columns are\\nexpected. Desultory cannon fire and sniping have\\ncontinued all day, with scarcely any reply from Colonel\\nDalgety s force. The Caledon River rose considerably\\nduring the night. This made the Boers uneasy, as\\nthey fear separation. Some reinforcements have ar-\\nrived for them, coming directly from Thaba N Chu,\\nor that direction. Our casualties up to date are be-\\nlieved to have been twenty-five killed, and one hundred\\nand ten wounded. Owing to the heavy rain and clouds,\\nheliographing has been impossible for the last two\\ndays. The Boers who lately surrendered in the We-\\npener district have been forced again, with violence,\\nto fight. Ten of their leaders have been arrested.\\nPresident Steyn has issued orders to the Boer forces\\nto hold tight to the grain district of Wepener, Lady-\\nbrand, and Fricksburg, from which they draw their\\nsupplies, and also to prevent the British forces from\\ngetting the rich supplies now in those districts.\\nThe second despatch is from Boer sources, and\\ncomes by way of Pretoria\\nPresident Kruger has received through President\\nSteyn an official report sent by General De Wet, under\\ndate of April 20th, to the effect that the latter still\\nsurrounds General Brabant s colonials at Wepener, and\\nthat he has captured eleven prisoners, including the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0420.jp2"}, "421": {"fulltext": "April news continued. 375\\nchief artillery officer. The report adds that the British\\ncoming from Aliwal North are destroying farmhouses\\non the way.\\nFrom Dewetsdorp comes the story of a British\\ncheck, according to the official Boer report, which\\nis as follows\\nWhen General De Wet s scouts announced, Thurs-\\nday evening, that General Kelly-Kenny s and General\\nRundle s columns were advancing on Dewetsdorp, he\\nordered saddle up, and moved with the Fricksburg\\ncommando and Generals Cronje, Olivier, and Wessels\\nto intercept their march.\\nThis was successful Friday morning. While the\\nBritish occupied the grassy hills at Taljards farm, and\\nDe Wet those immediately southwest of Dewetsdorp,\\nfacing the British, Cronje delayed occupying an im-\\nportant hill, which the British took at noon. At nine\\no clock rifle firing commenced briskly. The British\\nhad made trenches and thrown up schanzes. At eleven\\no clock the Free State cannon and Maxim guns opened\\nfire, and the former constantly dropped shells into\\nthe British camp. Darkness stopped the fighting until\\nhalf an hour later, when the Bethlehem men on the\\nextreme right heard some British in their immediate\\nvicinity, and opened fire. Their commandant stepped\\nout into the darkness, and discovered a wounded man\\nand fifteen other British, who declared they had lost\\ntheir way while searching for water.\\nLord Roberts s report of the same action says Run-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0421.jp2"}, "422": {"fulltext": "37^ FIGHTING FOR THE EMflRE.\\ndie s force came in contact with the enemy yesterday,\\nfour miles southwest from Dewetsdorp. They occupied\\nstrong positions covering the town. The yeomanry\\nand mounted infantry seized another position, which\\nenabled Rundle to drive the enemy off and occupy the\\nhigh ground the Boers had been holding.\\nAt midday General Methuen s field force at Swartz-\\nkopfontein was ordered to return to Boshof. Its con-\\nvoy extended over six miles. The escort took up a\\nposition on a hill commanding the road just in the nick\\nof time, as a force of two thousand Boers, with two\\nguns and a pom-pom, suddenly appeared in the vicinity\\nand opened a very heavy fire. The British, however,\\nheld them in check until the column reached a point\\nof safety, when they retired. The Boers fought de-\\nterminedly, and must have suffered considerably, as\\nthey once advanced to within three hundred yards of\\nthe hill, whence a concealed detachment of the British\\nopened a heavy fusilade on them.\\nMajor-General Schalk-Burger has been gazetted vice-\\npresident, in succession to the late General Joubert,\\nand Gen. Louis Botha has been gazetted acting com-\\nmandant-general, succeeding General Joubert in com-\\nmand of the Transvaal forces.\\nApril 21. The fighting which began yesterday at\\nDewetsdorp was continued this morning. The Boer\\nreport says At daybreak thirteen more British\\nstrayed into camp. An hour later the British started\\nan outflanking movement, sending a large body of", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0422.jp2"}, "423": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 377\\nhorse to the hills south of Dewetsdorp. General De\\nWet immediately despatched General Wessels, with\\nthree cannon, to head off the enemy, and the latter\\nwas forced to retm n to camp. At the main position\\na constant cannonade was maintained, but there was\\nlittle rifle fire. The British camp was observed at\\nsunset to be hastily packing up, and was subsequently\\nremoved behind the hills, the troops in the schanzes\\nfiring volley after volley to distract attention from\\nthe camp, which was seriously damaged by the Free\\nState shells. The prisoners declared that the British\\nnumbered twenty-five hundred men. Lieutenant\\nLosberg, of the artillery, was shot through the head,\\nleg, and arms, but continued at the guns, and Field\\nCornet Engelbrecht was killed while standing up and\\ngiving orders. The loss during the two days was three\\nkilled and twelve wounded. The British loss is un-\\nknown, but where their right flank was driven back,\\nto-day, a number of dead were left on the field. Gen-\\neral Kelly-Kenny s left was beaten back yesterday,\\nand his right to-day.\\nLord Roberts telegraphed Rundle advanced this\\nmorning and is now engaging with the enemy. Our\\ncasualties yesterday were two men severely and Lieu-\\ntenant O Connor and seven men slightly wounded.\\nThis from Elandslaagte A commando of one thou-\\nsand Boers came through Wessels Nek this morning.\\nThey crossed Sunday s Bridge and advanced to the\\ncrest of a ridge, but fell back when they saw the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0423.jp2"}, "424": {"fulltext": "378 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmounted infantry, who opened fire. Later the Boers\\nshelled Elandslaagte colliery. Ten shells were sent to\\nthe mine, but did no damage. The British guns opened\\nfire. The naval brigade on the right sent a few shells\\nin the direction of the Boers guns, which were posted\\non a long ridge, four thousand yards to the right of the\\nbridge. They were difficult to locate, but the Boers\\nwere seen retreating over the hill toward Wessels Nek.\\nOn the left, the squadron of African Horse was engaged\\nall day in exchanging shots with the Boers. No casu-\\nalties are reported. Late in the day the Boers showed\\nactivity in the trenches on the ridges in front of Elands-\\nlaagte. A few 4.7 shells forced them to relinquish their\\nworks.\\nThis regarding Wepener Four Boer guns have\\nbeen hard at work all day on Colonel Dalgety s posi-\\ntion. The British guns have replied at intervals. Gen-\\neral Brabant s relief force is reported to be to-day in\\nthe neighbourhood of Bushman s Kop, twenty miles\\nfrom Wepener.\\nGeneral Brabant s advanced guard reached Bush-\\nman s Kop this evening. The Boers hold a strong\\nposition there, with two guns.\\nThis from Warrenton There has been intermittent\\nand ineffective sniping by the Boers, who also fired a\\nfew shells, both during the day and the night, at the\\nstation.\\nApril 22. An engagement was opened at sunrise\\nthis morning on Bushman s Kop, with heavy rifle fire.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0424.jp2"}, "425": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 379\\nAt 6.30 A. M. cannonading began and continued for\\nseveral hours. General Brabant s force outflanked\\nthe Boers position., but the movement had not been\\ncompleted when darkness fell.\\nThe action at Leeuw Kop On the 21st, Lord Rob-\\nerts despatched the First Division, under General Pole-\\nCarew, and two brigades of cavalry, under General\\nFrench, from Bloemfontein to assist General Rundle.\\nAt an early hour to-day the cavalry came under a\\nheavy fire from a pom-pom on a range adjoining Leeuw\\nKop. Unable to continue its march to the south. Gen-\\neral Dickson s brigade fell back to the north to await\\nthe infantry attack. The flanking movement having\\nfailed. General Pole-Carew, with General Stephenson s\\nbrigade, advanced in crescent form from the west and\\nsouth with the object of enveloping the kopjes. The\\nWelsh, Warwickshire, Essex, and Yorkshire regiments\\nadvanced in extended line, covering the west, while the\\nGuards Brigade took up a position to the south with two\\nfield-batteries and naval guns. Sheltered by the rocks,\\nthe enemy opened a heavy fire from rifles and a pom-\\npom. The British advanced over the open ground by a\\nsuccession of short rushes, falling prone while pouring\\nin their volleys. The approach of darkness threatened\\nto leave the Boers in possession but, just before sun-\\nset, the Essex regiment pressed forward and drove the\\nlast of the enemy from Paarde kraal, a bold spur of\\nLeeuw Kop. The British loss was one officer and two\\nmen killed, and nineteen men wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0425.jp2"}, "426": {"fulltext": "380 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nHeliograph communication has been estabhshed with\\nGeneral Rundle, who reports twenty-five men missing\\nsince last night. Forty-three were sent out with wood\\nto an outpost after dark, and only eighteen returned.\\nGeneral Kelly-Kenny s artillery at Dewetsdorp in-\\ndulged in a mild bombardment of General De Wet s\\nposition, the fire lasting through the morning.\\nThe scarcity of water is very pressing at Bloemfon-\\ntein. A desperate attempt was made by a large British\\nforce in two columns, to-day, to recapture the water-\\nworks. Their right flank was beaten back, however,\\na party of fifty were cut off, and twelve men were\\nkilled.\\nThe most hopeful advice from Mafeking is that the\\ngarrison will be barely able to hold out for a month.\\nThe fever is spreading.\\nApril 2^. Fighting began early this morning at\\nBushman s Kop. The colonial division, under General\\nBrabant, advanced cautiously, followed and supported\\nby General Hart s infantry brigade. It was found that\\nthe Boers had evacuated their position on Bushman s\\nKop during the night. A running fight has been pro-\\nceeding throughout the day, the British gradually ad-\\nvancing and the Boers losing ground. The British\\ncasualties so far are twenty-five wounded. The Elev-\\nenth Division, under General Pole-Carew, and General\\nFrench s two brigades of cavalry, reached Tweede\\nCeluk yesterday afternoon without having met serious\\nopposition.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0426.jp2"}, "427": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 381\\nMounted infantry under Gen. Ian Hamilton occupied\\nthe water-works at Sannas Post. As the enemy are\\nholding the neighbouring hills in some strength, the\\nNinth Division, consisting of General Smith-Dorrien s\\nand General MacDonald s brigades, has been despatched\\nto support Hamilton.\\nA British column in the direction of Bultfontein and\\nHoopstad has been beaten back through Boshof. The\\nFederals sustained two casualties, and the British had\\ntwelve men killed and a number wounded.\\nThe Boers are displaying renewed activity at Wepe-\\nner. Five guns were used freely to-day, from four new\\npositions, against the British. Rifle fire from the south\\nand west was heavy and continuous.\\nCommandant Olivier was wounded in front of Wepe-\\nner this morning.\\nLord Roberts has ordered Lord Methuen to retire\\nfrom Boshof.\\nApril 24. Lord Roberts has sent the following\\ninformation to the War Office to-day Pole-Carew s\\ndivision reached Roode Kop yesterday evening without\\ncasualties. Its advance was covered by cavalry and\\nhorse-artillery, which drove back the enemy with heavy\\nloss, their dead being left on the ground. The mounted\\ntroops halted for the night at Grootfontein, and at 7.30\\nthis morning were crossing the Modder River at Vals-\\nbank, in accordance with my instructions to French to\\nendeavour to place himself astride the enemy s line of\\nretreat. French s arrival near the Modder evidently, how-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0427.jp2"}, "428": {"fulltext": "382 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\never, alarmed the Boers, for they evacuated their strong\\nposition near Dewetsdorp during the night, and it was\\noccupied by Chermside s division this morning.\\nThe mounted cavalry under Ian Hamilton drove\\nthe enemy off the kopjes in the neighbourhood of the\\nwater-works, without casualties on our side. The High-\\nland Brigade marched twenty-four miles yesterday to\\nsupport General Hamilton, and halted for the night at\\nKlip kraal, four miles short of Sannas Post,\\nBrabant and Hart are still a few miles short of\\nWepener, and the numbers of the enemy appear to\\nhave somewhat increased during the last few days.\\nBut it is not likely there will be much trouble in the\\nneighbourhood of Wepener once Dewetsdorp is occu-\\npied by our troops.\\nFrom Wepener The Boers severely attacked Colo-\\nnel Dalgety s northern position, facing Bokpoort Ridge,\\nat ten o clock this morning, bringing four guns into\\naction, under whose fire they made a determined ad-\\nvance. The British returned a heavy fire, before which\\nthe Boers recoiled, afterward extending across the flats,\\nand maintaining a continuous long-range fusilade for\\nsome hours. Late in the evening they began to retire,\\nand before midnight five thousand were in full retreat\\nalong the Ladybrand road. During the siege which\\nhas thus been raised. Colonel Dalgety s casualties have\\nbeen thirty-three killed and 132 wounded.\\nGeneral Maxwell s brigade, formerly General Cherm-\\nside s, of the Seventh Division, moved eastward to-day.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0428.jp2"}, "429": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 383\\nand seized the hills covering the wagon bridge over the\\nModder River at Krans kraal, an important communica-\\ntion much used by the Boers during the last three weeks.\\nThe only casualty was the capture of one man.\\nLord Roberts has suddenly deployed his army on the\\nlong front from Karee Siding to Wepener, a distance\\nof about seventy miles.\\nThe Boers are bombarding Mafeking heavily to-day.\\nAt Pretoria a serious explosion occurred at the Beg-\\nbie works, used by the government as an arsenal, late\\nthis evening. The walls of the building were destroyed,\\nand the structures in the neighbourhood are a mass of\\nflames. The shrieks of women and children in the\\nadjoining streets added to the ghastliness of the scene.\\nTen workmen were killed, and thirty-two injured, includ-\\ning Herr Grunberg, the manager of the works. The\\nmost important of the machinery was saved. The cause\\nof the explosion is unknown. The works employed\\n240 persons, mostly French and Italians.\\nCommandant Cronje, second son of the famous Boer\\ngeneral, reports that with a strong commando he\\nattacked the British northeast of Boshof. A heavy\\nengagement followed, and the English were driven from\\nkopje to kopje. The Federals displayed great courage\\nand resolution, and spiritedly chased the enemy in the\\ndirection of Boshof. Only two Burghers were wounded.\\nThe British lost fifteen men killed, and left three\\nwounded and eight prisoners in the hands of the\\nBoers.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0429.jp2"}, "430": {"fulltext": "384 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nApril 2^. Gen. Ian Hamilton drove the enemy\\noff a strong position at Israel s Poort by a well-conceived\\nturning movement to-day, which was admirably carried\\nout by General Ridley, commander of the 2d Mounted\\nInfantry Brigade, and General Smith-Dorrien, com-\\nmanding the 1 8th Brigade.\\nIsrael s Poort is about seven miles west of Thaba\\nN Chu, and there three hundred Boers were strongly\\nentrenched on two kopjes. The British artillery shelled\\nthese kopjes all day, from three positions. The Boer\\npositions were extremely well chosen, consisting of a\\nlong range of very precipitous hills, with narrow poorts\\n(passes) between, commanding a vast extent of country.\\nThe mounted infantry made a wide turning movement,\\nwhile the foot infantry advanced, with two thousand\\nyards under good shelter. During the afternoon the\\nbattle became general, and extended over a frontage of\\nten miles. The rifles, Maxim, and artillery firing\\nwas deafening.\\nAt three o clock in the afternoon the place of honour\\nwas given to the Canadians, who advanced very cleverly\\nunder their dashing commander. Colonel Otter. The\\nBoers reserved their fire until the Canadians had\\nreached the wire entanglements. Then they opened\\nwith a terrific hail of bullets. The Canadians, however,\\nhad taken good cover, and were not greatly damaged.\\nThey were ably supported in the assault by the Gra-\\nhamstown Horse. Successive rushes brought them\\nright up to the kopjes, when Colonel Otter was struck", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0430.jp2"}, "431": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 385\\ntwice, one bullet inflicting a nasty, but not dangerous\\nwound in the neck, and the other tearing the badges\\nfrom his shoulder. But he still cheered his men on\\nuntil the kopjes were carried, when the Boers bolted,\\nretiring north and east with wagons. The British\\nlosses were twenty in killed and wounded.\\nApril 26. Colonel Plumer telegraphs, by way of\\nLorenzo Marquez, that the Boers around Mafeking\\nhave been gradually reinforced, and their strength is\\nestimated at three thousand. Colonel Plumer has suc-\\nceeded in communicating with Mafeking by means of\\ncarrier pigeons, and is endeavouring to communicate\\nwith the southern relief column.\\nGen. Ian Hamilton s force is to-day advancing toward\\nThaba N Chu.\\nGeneral French s and General Rundle s forces left\\nDewetsdorp to-day, going in different directions.\\nThe government inquiry upon the explosion of the\\nBegbie works in Pretoria suggests that the explosion\\nwas a planned outrage. It occurred in a house quite\\nseparate from the works, and required a much larger\\nquantity of nitro-glycerine than could have been found\\non the premises. The factory will be working again in\\na fortnight. The British are suspected of causing the\\ndisaster by means of a tunnel dug from a house on\\nthe opposite side of the street. It is feared that the\\nBoers will make reprisals on the mines.\\nA despatch from Johannesburg says Personal ex-\\namination at the scene of the Begbie works disaster", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0431.jp2"}, "432": {"fulltext": "386 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nshows that the foundry was destroyed by an explosion\\nbeyond repair, probably, this side of the declaration of\\npeace, although the shell-making plant may be trans-\\nferred to another foundry. It is said that seventeen\\nworkmen are still unaccounted for. Mr. Begbie is\\ncharged with murder. He is suspected by the Boers\\nof having blown up his works, which cost four hundred\\nthousand dollars, in order to revenge himself for the\\naffront of being compelled to manufacture munitions of\\nwar for the enemy.\\nA despatch from St. Helena states: There was an\\nexciting time to-day among the prisoners at Deadwood\\nwhen a new batch of prisoners arrived in camp. There\\nwas great cheering when they were first sighted. Then\\nas one and another recognised friends and acquaint-\\nances, shouts of welcome, badinage, and laughter were\\nheard. Many Frenchmen were among the prisoners.\\nWith the captives was a Russian prince.\\nApril 2 J. Lord Roberts sent the following telegram\\nfrom Bloemfontein to-day General French reached\\nThaba N Chu this morning, with cavalry. He met\\nGen. Ian Hamilton s and General Smith-Dorrien s bri-\\ngades. The enemy was still holding the eastern outlet\\nof the town, wherefrom General French and General\\nHamilton were proceeding to turn them out. Gen-\\neral Rundle s division was eight miles south of Thaba\\nN Chu last evening.\\nUpon the withdrawal of the British demonstrations\\non both flanks of the enemy, the Boers pressed at close", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0432.jp2"}, "433": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 387\\nquarters, and Kitchener s Horse were unable to evacu-\\nate their position until midnight.\\nA despatch from Lorenzo Marquez has the follow-\\ning Swaziland runners report that the recent visit to\\nthe Queen of Swaziland by Sir Ashmead-Bartlett, con-\\nservative member of the British House of Commons, has\\nnot checked the killing. The Swazi queen has placed\\non the throne the former king s brother, a boy of eight-\\neen. She argues that as she will have to answer for\\nthe death of Sebugau, she may as well continue the\\nkilling, and she has given the chiefs permission to kill\\nwhom they please throughout the whole of Swaziland.\\nApril 28. At Thaba N Chu To-day s operations\\nwere intended to drive out or to intercept the Boers.\\nThey occupied a Made horseshoe of the mountains,\\nwith the convex face toward the British. General\\nHamilton succeeded in crushing the Boers on the\\nright and opening a road for General Dickson s cav-\\nalry brigade, which dashed through and hunted the\\nenemy from ridge to ridge, shelling them with horse-\\nartillery.\\nAt last the British arrived at the rear of the horse-\\nshoe, and the Boers, in parties of two hundred, could be\\nseen within the enclosed space, running about like rats\\nin a trap. Dickson hoped to make a bag, and he sig-\\nnalled to Hamilton regarding the situation. Hamilton\\ncame at once, bringing up every soldier he could find.\\nSuddenly, about 4.30, the Boer army, nearly four thou-\\nsand strong, moved out of the horseshoe and began", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0433.jp2"}, "434": {"fulltext": "388 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nmarching northeast. Their order was so regular that\\nat first it was beheved they were General Gordon s\\ncavalry brigade, but they quickly opened with artillery\\non Dickson. At the same time, the Boers who had\\nescaped earlier in the day from the imagined trap\\nreturned in force on Dickson s left and rear with two\\nguns. In these circumstances Dickson resolv^ed to re-\\ntire and he only just withdrew in time, leaving his\\nown mess-cart and the brigade water-carts in the hands\\nof the enemy.\\nThis retreat compromised Hamilton, who, therefore,\\ncollected his forces and fell back warily into Thaba\\nN Chu, after sharply checking the advancing enemy\\nwith musketry and artillery fire. Although much am-\\nmunition was expended on both sides, the losses were\\ninsignificant, the firing being at great range.\\nThe Boers attacked the British outposts at Boshof,\\nthe headquarters of Lord Methuen, to-day, but without\\nresult. The British guns at Warrenton shelled the\\nBoers out of their half-constructed trenches.\\nThe Bloemfontein correspondent, telegraphing to-\\nday, says A cavalry reconnoissance twenty-five\\nmiles northeast encountered four hundred Boers.\\nThe British drove them out of a kopje north of\\nKaree. The British outposts are still harassed by\\nmoving commandoes. In an outpost affair on Thurs-\\nday several Boers were killed.\\nApril 2g. Lord Roberts sent the following tele-\\ngram to-day to the War Office The Boers have", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0434.jp2"}, "435": {"fulltext": "APRIL NEWS CONTINUED. 389\\nmade persistent attacks around Thaba N Chu to-day,\\nbut the position which the Eighth (Rundle s) Division\\nholds is very strong, and has the assistance of Gor-\\ndon s and Dickson s brigades, the cavalry under\\nFrench, Smith-Dorrien s infantry brigade, and a body\\nof mounted infantry under Ian Hamilton.\\nLater in the day the Boers beat a retreat from Thaba\\nN Chu, and it was not in the power of the British force\\navailable to interfere with them or their wagons.\\nSniping and shelling continue about Warrenton,\\napparently ineffectually, as no casualties have been\\nreported on either side.\\nApril ^o. Lord Roberts has sent the following des-\\npatch this day to the War Office\\nIan Hamilton marched yesterday in a northerly\\ndirection from Thaba N Chu, with a body of mounted\\ninfantry and Smith-Dorrien s brigade of Clements s di-\\nvision. At Hautney he found himself opposed by a\\nstrong force commanded by General Botha in person.\\nReinforcements reached this force during the day, and\\nI directed French to strengthen him during the night\\nfrom Thaba N Chu. This he was able to do, as the\\nnumber of Boers in the neighbourhood of Thaba N Chu\\nhad considerably decreased. Hamilton mentioned that\\nhis casualties yesterday were about thirty. Maxwell s\\nbrigade of the Seventh Division yesterday occupied\\nVlaksontor s and Schauskraal, a row of kopjes, with-\\nout meeting with opposition, but the mounted infan-\\ntry were engaged for some hours.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0435.jp2"}, "436": {"fulltext": "390 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAn official Boer report from Pretoria states that a\\nBritish mounted corps appeared near Brandfort this\\nforenoon. The Federals attacked them on two sides,\\nand the British, retired after eleven of their number\\nhad been captured and two wounded. Later in the\\nafternoon General Delarey learned that the British\\nhad forced their way twenty miles east of Brandfort\\nand seven miles north of the Modder River. With\\n250 men, Delarey set out in pursuit of the British,\\nwho numbered twelve hundred. The forces met in\\nthe open country, a sharp engagement followed, and\\nthe British retired. As the Boers had had a heavy\\nday, they did not pursue. The Federals had five men\\nwounded.\\nGeneral Louis Botha has returned to Pretoria, to\\nassume supreme command of the Republic s forces.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0436.jp2"}, "437": {"fulltext": "LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR GEORGE WHITE.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0437.jp2"}, "438": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0438.jp2"}, "439": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVI.\\nADVANCING NORTHWARD.\\nT ORD Roberts s army of the centre began the real\\nadvance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria on May\\n1st, and on the 4th he was at Brandfort, thirty-six\\nmiles north, having driven General Delarey before him.\\nHe halted at Smaldeel, May 7th and 8th, to wait for\\ncavalry, and to give the engineers an opportunity to\\nrehabilitate the railroad in the rear. Meanwhile Ham-\\nilton had been rushing across country, his column\\nmarching a full hundred miles and fighting nine days\\nout of thirteen, to occupy Winburg.\\nA strong footing was secured on the north bank\\nof the Zand River, May loth. On the i ith Lord\\nRoberts pushed forward twenty miles, and at night\\nwas at Geneva Siding, fourteen miles from Kroonstad.\\nNext day he entered Kroonstad, one hundred and\\ntwenty miles north of Bloemfontein.\\nThere was a pause of the central advance, to further\\nrepair the railway and bring up supplies but the\\nmounted men continued to push out into the country\\nto the northwest and northeast.\\nLord Roberts remained in Kroonstad ten days, and\\n391", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0439.jp2"}, "440": {"fulltext": "392 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nthen advanced to Honings Spruit, twenty miles farther\\nnorth Hamilton was at Heilbron, thirty miles east,\\nand French was across the Rhenoster River, twelve\\nmiles northwest.\\nThe army of the centre crossed the Vaal River, fifty-\\none miles from Johannesburg, and seventy-seven from\\nPretoria, on May 27th. Four days later (May 31st) he\\nwas in possession of the gold reef city. June 5th, he\\nwas at the gates of the capital city of the Transvaal,\\ntwo hundred and seventy-five miles from Bloemfontein,\\nthe point of departure of his second advance.\\nIn detail, and briefly, the story of the advance was\\nthus told at Cape Town\\nMay I. Early on this morning General Pole-Carew s\\ndivision, composed of the Guards and General Stephen-\\nson s brigade, with several batteries of artillery, all in\\nwinter clothing, left Bloemfontein.\\nThe Boers are unusually active west of Bloemfon-\\ntein. They are in force between Fourteen Streams\\nand Kimberley. On Sunday they occupied Windsor-\\nton, west of the railway, and now threaten to interrupt\\nthe communication of the British force at Warrenton,\\nto the north.\\nWepener, lately the scene of incessant fighting, is\\ndeserted, General Brabant and Colonel Dalgety having\\nmoved northward.\\nSlight outpost actions take place daily beyond Karee\\nSiding, where the head of the British invasion is\\ncantoned.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0440.jp2"}, "441": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 393\\nAt the conclusion of Gen. Sir George White s visit\\nto Windsor to-day, Queen Victoria decorated the de-\\nfender of Ladysmith with the cross and star of the\\nRoyal Victorian order.\\nGen. Ian Hamilton drove the enemy from his strong\\nposition at Hout Nek, killing twelve and wounding forty.\\nMay 2. At Thaba N Chu, in a flanking movement.\\nCaptain Towse and fifty Gordon Highlanders were sur-\\nrounded by 250 Boers, who demanded their surrender.\\nCaptain Towse ordered his men to fix bayonets and\\ncharge. With a wild cheer the Gordons rushed at the\\nenemy and swept them away with great slaughter.\\nCaptain Towse was blinded in both eyes by the enemy s\\nfire, and throughout behaved most heroically.\\nGeneral Tucker s attempt to advance on Brandfort\\nshowed the enemy to be in considerable strength. The\\ncolonial cavalry were engaged, and they lost twenty\\nhorses while under fire, from pom-poms. The Boers,\\nhowever, were driven from their position.\\nA British reconnoitring party fell into the hands of\\nthe Boers near Windsorton.\\nMay J. Bombardment on the Boer laager near\\nWarrenton.\\nBrandfort captured by the British.\\nMay /j.. General Hamilton advanced to Nealwelkot,\\nbeing engaged with the enemy throughout the march.\\nGeneral Broadwood s cavalry brigade has reached\\nIsabelfontein, twenty-eight miles north of Thaba N Chu.\\nGen. Ian Hamilton is bivouacking at Jacobsrust, fif-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0441.jp2"}, "442": {"fulltext": "394 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nteen miles north of Thaba N Chu. General Tucker s\\ndivision is moving eastward from Karee Siding. The\\ndivisions of General French and General Rundle are in\\nand near Thaba N Chu. Thus Lord Roberts has fifty\\nthousand men operating clear of the railway, along a\\nfront of forty miles.\\nMay 5. The British, after a long march, encountered\\nBoers holding the Vet River, with six guns, two being\\nof long range. An artillery duel ensued. Meanwhile\\nGeneral Hutton, after a sharp engagement, crossed\\nthe river, on the left, just before sunset. The Boers\\nretreated during the night.\\nGeneral Barton s brigade has crossed the Vaal River\\nat Windsorton after a stiff action, in which the British\\nlost five killed and twenty-five wounded.\\nGeneral Rundle has arrived in pursuit of the Boers\\nseven miles north of Thaba N Chu, compelling the\\nBoers to retire in an easterly direction.\\nMay 6. Lord Roberts thus announces an important\\nsuccess We crossed the Vet River this morning, and\\nare now encamped at Smaldeel Junction. The enemy\\nis in full retreat toward Zand River and Kroonstad.\\nThe turning movement was made by the mounted infan-\\ntry just before dark yesterday. It was a very dashing\\naffair. We have lost only one killed, fi.fteen wounded,\\nand three missing.\\nMay y. The Boers have been driven out of Four-\\nteen Streams, and the British are now encamped on\\nthe north bank of the Vaal River.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0442.jp2"}, "443": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 395\\nWinburg has been occupied by the Highland\\nBrigade.\\nMay 8. General Hutton s mounted infantry brigade,\\nincluding the Canadians, with a part of General French s\\ncavalry, crossed the Zand River Tuesday, and began to\\nvi^ork its way cautiously along the railroad northward,\\nin the track of the retiring Boers.\\nMay g. The government of the Orange Free State\\nhas been moved from Kroonstad to Heilbron.\\nLord Roberts is at Welgelegen.\\nMay 10. Lord Roberts telegraphed this evening\\nfrom Riet Spruit We have had a successful day,\\nand have driven the enemy from point to point. French,\\nwith Porter s and Dickson s brigades of cavalry, and\\nHutton s mounted infantry, crossed the Zand River at\\nVermenten s kraal, and then worked around in a north-\\neasterly direction to Maatschapy, being opposed con-\\ntinuously by the enemy. Pole-Carew s division and\\nGordon s cavalry brigade, augmented by J Battery of\\nthe Royal Horse Artillery, and by Henry s and Rosse s\\nmounted infantry, crossed the river by a drift near the\\nrailway bridge. My headquarters accompanied this\\nforce. With the infantry portion we are eight miles\\nnorth of the river. The cavalry and mounted in-\\nfantry are at Ventersburg road station, and Tucker s\\ndivision is at Deelfontein. Ian Hamilton s force\\nand Broadwood s cavalry brigade were making for\\nthe cross-roads near Ventersburg when I last heard\\nfrom them. Hamilton s column met with stubborn", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0443.jp2"}, "444": {"fulltext": "396 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nresistance, and Smith-Dorrien s brigade was engaged\\nfor some hours in protecting the rear and flank of\\nhis force.\\nGeneral French s cavalry had a lively fight after\\ncrossing the Zand River. A mixed squadron, composed\\nof the Scots Greys, the Inniskillens, Carbineers, and\\nAustralian Horse, took a kopje and dismounted. The\\nBoers suddenly fired from a concealed position, killing\\nmany horses and stampeding the rest. The enemy\\nthen advanced in overwhelming numbers and drove the\\nsquadron, capturing some. The Boers robbed the dead\\nand looted the saddles. Finally a brigade of cavalry\\ndrove them off.\\nGeneral Buller is advancing northward from Lady-\\nsmith,\\nMay 12. Lord Roberts occupied Kroonstad to-day.\\nPresident Steyn had fled the night previous.\\nThe Boers stormed the forts at Mafeking. They\\nwere driven off, leaving behind seventeen dead and\\nninety prisoners, including Commander Eloff, President\\nKruger s grandson.\\nMay 75. General Buller has occupied Dundee.\\nA portion of Brabant s Horse occupied Ladybrand\\nto-day, and another portion is pushing on to Clocolan.\\nMay 16. General Buller telegraphed to-day We\\noccupied Glencoe this forenoon. The Transvaalers\\nhave now evacuated Biggarsberg. The Free Staters\\non the Drakensburg are much reduced in numbers.\\nThe Carolina, Lydenberg, and Pretoria commandoes", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0444.jp2"}, "445": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 397\\ntrekked north from Hlatikulu on the 13th and 14th\\nof May. Eleven of their guns were entrained by them\\nat Glencoe. The last train, with ambulance, left there\\nat dawn, May 15th.\\nGeneral Rundle and General Brabant are taking\\npossession of the wide regions around Ladybrand almost\\nwithout opposition. They find the country plentifully\\nsupplied with cattle, horse-feed, and flour. General\\nRundle is reducing his transport and feeding his men\\nand animals largely off the country.\\nMay ly. Lord Roberts has just telegraphed\\nHunter has occupied Christiana without opposition,\\nthe enemy having retired to Klerksdorp under the\\nimpression that the latter was threatened by a por-\\ntion of this force from Pary s. Rundle s force was\\nclose to Clocolan (southwest of Fricksburg) yesterday\\nevening. The country was clear of the enemy.\\nThe British relieving force occupied Mafeking at nine\\no clock this morning. The garrison immediately moved\\nout with i2-pounders and pom-poms and attacked Mc-\\nMullin s laager. The Boers resisted weakly for half\\nan hour, and then fled in disorder, leaving their tents,\\nwagons, and impedimenta. The British then occupied\\nall the Boer positions. Colonel Baden-Powell gave the\\ngarrison an opportunity of revenging themselves, using\\nthe relief force as a reserve and as supports. Men and\\nwomen swarmed to the house-tops, and Lady Sarah\\nWilson, on a bicycle, accompanied the troops as far\\nas the Boer lines.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0445.jp2"}, "446": {"fulltext": "398 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nColonel Mahon fought the Boers for five hours at a\\npoint nine miles east of Maf eking.\\nMay 18. Colonel Pilcher, with four hundred men\\nfrom Alderson s command, including Canadians and\\nAustralians, all mounted on carefully selected horses,\\ndashed northward from Kroonstad yesterday and cap-\\ntured Bothaville.\\nLord Roberts sends the following despatch from\\nKroonstad to-day Methuen entered Hoopstad unop-\\nposed. Generals Duprey and Daniels, and forty men,\\nhave surrendered. Broadwood occupied Lindley after\\nslight opposition. Only two of our men were wounded.\\nSteyn was not there, and his government officials had\\nleft last Sunday. Hutton s mounted infantry surprised\\nand captured, about thirty-one miles northwest of this\\nplace. Commandant Botha, Field-Cornet Gassen, five\\nJohannesburg policemen, and seventeen Boers. There\\nwere no casualties on our side.\\nGeneral Buller has occupied Newcastle.\\nMay ig. General Clery, with a cavalry brigade, en-\\ngaged the rear-guard of the Boers at Laing s Nek to-day,\\ncaptured a number of wagons, and took some prisoners.\\nHis artillery shelled the nek. The Boers, in their\\nretreat, laid waste the territory, blew up bridges, and\\nburned several houses, as many as six in Newcastle.\\nThe machinery of the Navigation collieries was ruined.\\nMay 20. A despatch from Pretoria states Sixty\\nBritish cavalry came into collision with eighty of the\\nSwaziland commando at Scheepers Nek. The fighting", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0446.jp2"}, "447": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 399\\nlasted an hour. The British lost twenty-seven killed,\\ntwenty-five wounded, and eleven were taken prisoners.\\nTwenty-five horses, two Maxims, and a quantity of am-\\nmunition were also captured. The Federals lost one\\nkilled and one wounded. They assisted to remove the\\nwounded and bury the dead.\\nMay 21. General Buller has just telegraphed:\\nWhile marching in the direction of Newcastle one\\nof my squadrons of mounted infantry was ambushed\\nby Boers six miles west of Dryheid, and very few\\nescaped. Lieutenants Lausum and Cat ell are among\\nthe missing. Capt. Earl de la Warr is slightly wounded\\nin the leg. The total casualties are about sixty-six.\\nMay 22. Lord Roberts sends the following despatch\\nfrom Honings Spruit Ian Hamilton reached Heilbron\\nthis morning after a series of engagements with a Boer\\nforce under De Wet, who was retiring before him.\\nBroadwood had captured fifteen Boer wagons. There\\nhave been seventy-five casualties in Hamilton s force,\\ntwo yesterday evening. We marched here this\\nmorning.\\nMay ^j. Lord Roberts s infantry forces are at the\\nRhenoster River, thirty-three miles north of Kroonstad.\\nThe Boers are retiring slowly.\\nMay 2/}.. In Natal, General Buller s forces have\\ncrossed into the Transvaal, near Ingogo, but are still\\nheld at bay at Laing s Nek, where the Boers are\\nentrenching themselves. With the exception of this\\npass. Natal is clear of Boers.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0447.jp2"}, "448": {"fulltext": "400 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral Rundle occupied Senekal to-day.\\nThe British columns, after an unopposed march,\\nreached the Vredefort road at noon to-day, and are\\nnow only two marches from the Vaal River.\\nGeneral French has reached Prospect station, about\\nfive miles north of Rhenoster River. The Boers are\\nretreating straight on the Vaal.\\nMay 2^. Lord Roberts s infantry advance is delayed\\nat the Rhenoster River for a day or two by the depth\\nof the stream, which is not fordable. The banks, which\\nare precipitous, are forty feet high. A pontoon and\\ntemporary bridge constructions are under way.\\nMay 26. Lord Roberts has telegraphed from Wolve\\nHoek An advanced portion of this force crossed the\\nVaal River on the queen s birthday, near Pary s. Ham-\\nilton s column is at Boschbank. Our scouts are now at\\nViljoens drift (on the frontier north of Wolve Hoek).\\nThe local mines are uninjured, and work is going on\\nas usual. There is no enemy this side of the river.\\nHunter reached Vryburg May 24th.\\nMay 2 j. A despatch from Lord Roberts to-day,\\ndated at Vereeniging We crossed the Vaal this\\nmorning, and are now encamped on the north bank.\\nThe advance troops, which crossed yesterday, were only\\njust in time to save the coal-mines on both this and\\nthe other side of the river from being destroyed. Our\\ncasualties were four.\\nGeneral Hamilton has invaded the Transvaal, having\\ncrossed at Wondorfontein drift.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0448.jp2"}, "449": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 4OI\\nMay 28. From Lord Roberts, at Klip River, Trans-\\nvaal We marched twenty miles to-day, and are now\\neighteen miles from Johannesburg,\\nThe Orange Free State was formally annexed to\\nthe British empire, to be known as the Orange River\\nState.\\nMay 2g. Lord Roberts arrived at Germiston to-day.\\nGeneral Warren, with seven hundred men, occupied\\na strong defensive position at Fabersput this morning.\\nAt dawn he found that he was surrounded, and he was\\nfiercely attacked by one thousand Boers. The horses\\nwere stampeded, but the force concentrated and the\\nenemy was repulsed. The British loss was fifteen\\nkilled, including Colonel Spence, and thirty wounded.\\nSir Henry Colville, in reporting the arrival of the\\nHighland Brigade at Heilbron, to-day, states that he\\nwas opposed more or less the whole way from Venters-\\nburg. Eight men were killed, and four officers and\\nthirty-two men were wounded.\\nThe British guns at Ingogo have been heavily bom-\\nbarding the Boer positions since daylight. The Boer\\nguns have replied intermittently.\\nGeneral Buller and the Boers had an all-day artillery\\nduel in the Natal mountains.\\nGeneral Hunter has reentered the Transvaal half-way\\nbetween Vryburg and Mafeking on the west. Baden-\\nPowell is also invading from the west, but farther north.\\nMay JO. British officers are now at Johannesburg\\ndictating terms of surrender. The British advance-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0449.jp2"}, "450": {"fulltext": "402 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nguard is half-way between Johannesburg and Pretoria.\\nPresident Kruger has gone to Waterval Boven, 130\\nmiles due east of Pretoria, on the line of the Delagoa\\nBay railway.\\nIn northern Natal, Utrecht has surrendered to\\nGeneral Hildyard, and General Lyttleton is moving\\nto Vryheid.\\nMay ^i. A despatch from Lord Roberts has just\\nbeen received The occupation of Johannesburg\\npassed off quite satisfactorily, thanks to the excellent\\narrangements made by Doctor Krause, the Transvaal\\ncommandant here, and order prevails throughout the\\ntown. Doctor Krause met me on my entrance to\\nJohannesburg, and rode by my side to the government\\noffices, where he introduced me to the heads of the\\nseveral departments, all of whom acceded to my request\\nthat they would carry on their respective duties until\\nthey could be relieved of them. Johannesburg is very\\nempty, but a good crowd of people had assembled in\\nthe main square by the time the British flag was being\\nhoisted. A royal salute was fired, and three cheers for\\nthe queen given. At the end of the ceremony the\\nEleventh and Seventh Divisions marched past, with\\nthe naval brigade, the heavy artillery, and two brigade\\ndivisions of the Royal Field Artillery. Gen. Ian Ham-\\nilton s column, and the cavalry division and mounted\\ninfantry were too far away to take part in the cere-\\nmony. The 14th and Wavell s Brigade have been left\\nin Johannesburg to preserve order, while the remainder", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0450.jp2"}, "451": {"fulltext": "ADVANCING NORTHWARD. 403\\nof the force is encamped north of the town, on the\\nPretoria road.\\nNear Lindley, this afternoon, the Boers made a plucky-\\nstand, and after a hot, but brief action, captured the\\n13th Imperial Yeomanry (Irish). Lord Methuen has\\nbeen ordered in pursuit of the enemy.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0451.jp2"}, "452": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVII.\\nMAFEKING.\\nMAFEKING, situated on the Cape to Cairo rail-\\nway, about 1 60 miles due west of Pretoria,\\nclose upon the border of the Transvaal, within easy\\nstriking distance of the capital of the South Afri-\\ncan Republic, and of Johannesburg, was unfortunate\\nbecause of its proximity to the enemy but fortunate\\nin having as its military commander Colonel Baden-\\nPowell.\\nWhen Colonel Baden-Powell took command at\\nMafeking he had a force of about six hundred men,\\nwhom he had recruited in the vicinity.\\nThe town was formerly unfortified except for a\\nsmall stone fort. It stands in an open plain, desti-\\ntute of trees, and with no natural obstructions near\\nto break the sweep of the enemy s fire.\\nIn such a place as this, and with his small force.\\nColonel Baden-Powell was obliged to withstand the en-\\ncroachment of a large army of Boers. How well he\\ndid it is shown by the length of the memorable siege.\\nMafeking is the farthest northwest of any of the\\nBritish outposts in the theatre of war in South Africa.\\n404", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0452.jp2"}, "453": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 405\\nIt is 875 miles north of Cape Town, and two\\nhundred miles north of Kimberley, near the border\\nline between Bechuanaland and the Transvaal. It is\\non the main line of railroad from the Cape to Bulwayo.\\nThe town stands on the edge of the great veldt, or\\nopen field, that rolls eastward to the great Kalahari\\nDesert and northward to Bechuanaland. Although but\\na cluster of houses built of corrugated iron, with a\\nfew stores, a small hotel, and a race-track, Mafeking\\nis one of the most important places in South Africa.\\nBefore the war, it was the headquarters of the\\nBechuanaland border police, a distributing point to\\nthe rich Malmani gold-fields, and to the fruitful Marico\\nvalley in Transvaal territory.\\nIt was from Mafeking that Doctor Jameson started\\nbis famous raid into the Transvaal, the forerunner of\\nthe present strife.\\nThe town is a central point between the Cape and\\nMashonaland, and between the Transvaal and Bechu-\\nanaland. Owing to this fact, it was at once recognised\\nas a most important strategic place in the present\\nwar.\\nWhen it was evident that the difference between\\nthe Boers and the British government would be settled\\nonly by resort to arms. Colonel Baden-Powell set about\\npreparations for the defence of the town as if the\\nenemy were well-nigh irresistible. Many there were\\naround him who laughed at the idea that Dutch farm-\\ners were to be feared, and yet more who declared it", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0453.jp2"}, "454": {"fulltext": "406 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwas nothing less than absolute folly to set up a de-\\nfence against Boer artillery, for the very good reason\\nthat the enemy were not supplied with such ordnance.\\nBut Baden-Powell was not the man to be swayed by\\nlaughter or ridicule.\\nI have come here to hold this town, he said.\\nStraightway, before any enemy appeared on the\\nhorizon, he set about marking out the line of his ex-\\nterior defence works, and, with that common sense\\nwhich is the best test of the true soldier, at once\\ndirected the construction of ample shell-proof cover\\nagainst the guns which at that time seemed so chi-\\nmerical to the people of Mafeking.\\nEach one of the breastworks all around the town\\nwas at once provided with underground shell-proof\\naccommodation for the whole of its garrison. The town\\nitself was divided up into three or four sections, each\\nof which had its own arrangements for defence. In\\neach, big mounds of earth have been thrown up, with\\ngood interior apartments, all constructed of the handi-\\nest material, such as wall-supports and roof-cross-\\nbeams of railway metals, with panellings and roofings\\nof corrugated iron.\\nHe then converted the cellars of several houses into\\nsafe retreats of a similar kind, and by means of bank-\\ning huge mounds of deep earth immediately overhead,\\nthey rendered good service to the garrison and in-\\nhabitants on the day when the Boer artillery began\\nto rain shot and shell on the devoted little town.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0454.jp2"}, "455": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 407\\nOne of his first acts was to banish from the town\\nall who were suspected of being friendly to the enemy,\\nand such as could be proven disloyal were confined\\nin close quarters from which escape would be well-\\nnigh impossible. Among this last class were forty\\npronounced Fenians, including the station-master at\\nMaf eking, all of whom were more than suspected\\nof treasonable correspondence with the enemy.\\nOn a certain dark night after the garrison was shut\\noff by the enemy from direct communication with the\\nrest of the colony, a Kaffir stole away from the out-\\nposts of the little beleaguered township. With the\\nsubtle instinct of these children of the veldt which has\\nbeen lost to civilised men, he made his way through\\nthe network of encircling trenches and laagers, and\\nset his face to the north and Bulwayo.\\nHe carried a couple of assegais, a few mealies, and\\na pipe. The latter may have seemed of little impor-\\ntance, but in the stem of that pipe lay the message\\nfrom the cheerful, confident chief, which, after a jour-\\nney to Delagoa Bay, gave to friends at home interest-\\ning details of the resistance offered by the town to\\nthe guns of the Boer siege.\\nThe hero of Mafeking wrote\\nHere I sit in my bomb-proof bureau writing these\\nletters. Around me are telephonic communications with\\neach one of my outposts. At each of these outposts\\na telescope keeps constant watch on the Boer out-\\nposts and guns. As soon as it is seen which way", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0455.jp2"}, "456": {"fulltext": "408 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntheir fire is about to be directed, the wire communi-\\ncations are set to work, and a bell, with which each\\ndefensive quarter is provided, clangs in that part of\\nthe town where the shell is about to fall, and all in\\nthe open at once go to ground like rabbits. Generally\\nspeaking, most of us, unless duty takes us out, keep\\npretty close during the day, but we come out and\\ntake the air at night. The Boers usually finish pound-\\ning us toward evening, or just send us a few shells\\nbefore the sun goes down.\\nThe Boer advance upon Maf eking, under General\\nCronje, was begun October i6th by a succession of\\ntrenches in echelon under cover of heavy fire from\\nfield-guns which worked but little damage, thanks to\\nthe admirable arrangements already made for defence.\\nThe bombardment of the town was continued day\\nafter day, but the defenders made no reply until the\\nenemy were within a distance of five hundred yards.\\nOn the 24th of October the Boers were reinforced by\\na 94-pounder Krupp gun, and no less than three hun-\\ndred and thirty shots were sent from it into the town\\nwithin twenty-four hours after its arrival.\\nThe heaviest bombardment occurred on the 25th,\\nwhen the Boers attempted, under cover of the heavy\\nguns, to approach within rifle range. They were beaten\\nback again and again, apparently with heavy loss, until\\nthe effort was abandoned, and once more the trench\\ndigging was carried on but the shelling of the town\\nwas continued.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0456.jp2"}, "457": {"fulltext": "IN THE TRENCHES AT MAFEKING.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0457.jp2"}, "458": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0458.jp2"}, "459": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 4O9\\nOn the night of the 27th, Colonel Baden-Powell\\nassumed the offensive by sending out Captain Fitz-\\nClarence s squadron of the Protectorate regiment to\\nmake an attack upon the trenches. The sallying party\\ncrept out silently, bent on using the bayonet, and the\\nBoers had no warning of the movement until a line of\\nBritish steel tore through the water-proof coverings\\nof the trenches with irresistible force.\\nThen came the struggle. While one might have\\ncounted twenty the Boers were silent and motionless,\\nsave for the screams of the wounded and the backward\\nleaps of the terrified. After that brief space of time\\nthe surprised men were ready, eager for the conflict,\\nand every weapon was discharged as if at the word of\\ncommand.\\nIt was not the purpose of the British to do more\\nthan worry the enemy, and after firing two volleys\\nthey returned as silently as they had come, bearing with\\nthem the dead and wounded, six men of the Pro-\\ntectorate regiment killed, and nine wounded, including\\nCaptain Fitz-Clarence and Lieutenant Swinton.\\nUnder date of October 30th, Colonel Baden-Powell\\nsent the following despatch to Cape Town\\nAll well here. Enemy apparently shy of attack-\\ning. Now closing to invest us. Are to-day destroying\\nrailway two miles north with dynamite. Shelling con-\\ntinued. Doing very little harm.\\nOn the following day the colonel sent another\\ndespatch", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0459.jp2"}, "460": {"fulltext": "4IO FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nTuesday, October 31st. Enemy attempted assault\\nto-day on Canon Kopje and southeast corner of town.\\nAttack most brilliant, notwithstanding hot shell fire by\\nthe British South Africa police under Walford. Enemy\\nlost heavily. Our casualties five killed and five wounded.\\nThe killed are Capt. D. H. Marshan, 4th Bedfordshire\\nCapt. C. A. Petchell, 3d King s Rifles a sergeant-major\\nand two troopers. Wounded five non-commissioned of-\\nficers and troopers, all British South African pohce.\\nOne of the press correspondents thus supplements\\nColonel Baden-Powell s report\\nGeneral Cronje made his great attack on Mafeking\\nthis morning. At 4.30 his guns, apparently all he had,\\nbegan to concentrate on Canon Kopje, held by Colonel\\nWalford s troops, the British South African Protector-\\nate regiment. When day broke, the Boers were men-\\nacing in force over at Key Down. At 6 o clock there\\nwas a tremendous fire, which poured in from three sides\\nof the kopje. Colonel Baden-Powell ordered the town\\nguns to support Colonel Walford, whose Maxims sent in\\na withering fire, putting the Boers 12-pounder out of\\naction.\\nUnder cover of the artillery, the Boers crept closer\\nand closer to the kopje. The position became very seri-\\nous, but our men showed immense coolness and courage.\\nThe Maxims never ceased firing, and together with care-\\nful, continuous volleys by the entire little force, they\\ngradually wore the Boers down. After five hours fight-\\ning, the enemy retired, being very badly beaten. It was", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0460.jp2"}, "461": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 4II\\nthe hottest day of the siege. The firing was terrific, the\\nBoers evidently recognising that the way into Mafeking\\nis by the kopje. The garrison is jubilant.\\nThe Boers have been hurled back in disorder on\\ntheir laager, with heavy loss. For hours after their\\nfighting line had been rolled back, two wagons went\\nslowly along their position picking up the dead and\\nwounded. Our losses were five killed and five wounded.\\nThe kopje resembled shambles after the fight, showing\\nwhat a desperate struggle had gone on. The whole\\nplace was simply smashed up by the concentrated fire\\nof seven guns and one thousand rifles.\\nA private letter from Mafeking, of earlier date than\\nthe official despatch, contains the following\\nColonel Baden-Powell has been keeping the Boers\\non the move day and night, and has taken every precau-\\ntion, not only to prevent the town being rushed by the\\nBoers, but also to render as small as possible any dam-\\nage resulting from the Boer bombardment. The night\\nattacks of the British appear to have worried the\\nBoers considerably. Although the latter have shelled\\nthe town day by day, but little damage has resulted, the\\nBritish casualties having been but few. Commandant\\nCronje has brought all his guns to bear on the town,\\nand hailed shells in its direction for hours. His pieces,\\nhowever, appear to have been like field-guns, and have\\nproved singularly ineffective. The humour of it is that\\nCommandant Cronje, at a loss what next to do, wrote\\nto Colonel Baden-Powell requesting him to surrender", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0461.jp2"}, "462": {"fulltext": "412 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nMaf eking, to save further bloodshed. In reply, Baden-\\nPowell asked when the bloodshed was to commence, and\\nCronje, greatly annoyed, sent to Pretoria in haste for\\nheavy field-guns, keeping up a light bombardment\\nin the meantime, just to show that he was in the\\nneighbourhood.\\nThe Boers vacated Signal Hill, which they had occu-\\npied evidently under the belief that it was the key to\\nthe town, and laagered two miles northeast. Mafeking s\\ncommandant worried the enemy by sorties at night,\\ngenerally inflicting more injury than he received, and on\\nDecember 26th occurred the grand attack of the siege,\\nwhich is thus described by one of the participants\\nAt dawn to-day Colonel Baden- Powell organised an\\nunsuccessful attack upon a strong position of the enemy\\nat Gametree, two miles from Mafeking, from which the\\nBoers had been maintaining a desultory, but annoying,\\nshell and rifle fire for several weeks. The railway\\nhas recently been reconstructed between the town and\\nGametree, where the Boers had destroyed it, the final\\nrepairs being made in preparation for the sortie.\\nDuring the night the armoured train, with Maxim\\nand Hotchkiss guns, under Captain Williams, and\\ntroops, took up positions for attack from two sides.\\nCaptain Lord Charles Bentinck and a squadron were\\nin reserve upon the left, while the extreme left wing\\nwas occupied by artillery under Major Panzera, and a\\ngalloping Maxim of the Cape Police, the whole being\\nunder Colonel Hore.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0462.jp2"}, "463": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 413\\nEmplacements were thrown up during the night,\\nthe orders being to attack at dawn, and the artillery fire\\nto desist upon prolonged tooting from the armoured\\ntrain. At daybreak the guns opened fire, and rapidly\\ndrew the reply of the enemy, our shells bursting\\nwithin effective range. Captain Vernon gave the sig-\\nnal to cease firing and to advance, his squadron lead-\\ning off.\\nAs our men engaged the position with their rifle\\nfire, it was soon found that the strength of the fort was\\ngreater than we had supposed. The enemy concen-\\ntrated such an exceedingly hot fire that the advance\\nof Captain Vernon was almost impossible but with\\nremarkable heroism and gallantry. Captains Sanford\\nand Vernon, Lieutenant Paton, and Scout Cooke, who\\nguided the squadrons, and a few men, actually reached\\nthe sand-bags within three hundred yards of the area\\nof the fort.\\nBut nothing living could exist there, since the\\nground was swept by mortar and Martini bullets.\\nThe men who charged through this zone of fire suf-\\nfered terribly, and, in following their officers to capture\\nthe fort, twenty men lost their lives. Captain Sanford\\nwas the first to fall, and Captain Vernon, already twice\\nwounded, and Lieutenant Paton were killed at the foot\\nof the fort. These two officers, climbing a ditch which\\nsurrounded the fort, thrust their revolvers through the\\nenemy s loopholes, only to be shot themselves the next\\nmoment.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0463.jp2"}, "464": {"fulltext": "414 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGametree is surrounded with scrub, which con-\\ntains many sharpshooters, and their accuracy of fire\\nstill further confused the men who had followed Cap-\\ntain Vernon, and who saw him and his brother officers\\nkilled. Being without commanders, they were driven\\noff at one point, but they endeavoured to scale the fort\\nat others. They found the position of the Boers, how-\\never, almost impregnable.\\nWhen we retired, under cover of the armoured train,\\nso many men had been wounded that a suspension of\\nhostilities occurred under the auspices of the Red Cross.\\nThe veldt around the Boer position was at once dotted\\nwith flags of mercy, and it was seen that our wounded\\nwere scattered within but a short radius of the fort.\\nWe had almost completely surrounded it, and, had it\\nnot been so extraordinarily well protected, we should\\nhave been in possession.\\nI went with an ambulance to Gametree. The fort\\nitself is circular, with a wide interior and a narrow front-\\nage, between six and seven feet high, pierced with triple\\ntiers of loopholes and surrounded by a ditch.\\nI was permitted to assist in dressing the wounds,\\nthe majority of which appeared to have been caused by\\nexplosive bullets, the point of entry being small, but\\nthe area of injury covering a wide region. While the\\nwounded were being attended, numbers of Boers left\\ntheir entrenchments and gathered around. At the con-\\nclusion of the dressing I spoke to several tattered and\\ndirty, but physically fine men. Many of them were", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0464.jp2"}, "465": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 415\\nundersized, and all wore beards. They referred me to\\nthe field-cornet, who denied the use of explosive bullets.\\nOn being shown the horrible wounds, he admitted that\\nat one time explosive bullets had been served out, but\\nhe said he was certain they had all been previously\\nexpended, and that none could have been used on this\\noccasion. He then produced a bandolier filled with\\ndum-dums, and I pointed out that, so far as Mafeking\\nwas concerned, these had been recalled.\\nLater on I called the attention of the field-cornet to\\nfour of his own men who were rifling dead bodies. He\\nexpressed his regrets to a British officer that, despite\\nhis instructions to respect the dead, the younger Boers\\nwere unruly and beyond his control and he accused\\nthe British soldiers of stripping General Kock and leav-\\ning him naked and wounded on the field, thus indirectly\\ncausing his death.\\nThe writer then describes a scene of angry recrimi-\\nnations between the field-cornet and the Boers regarding\\nthe existence of orders about robbing the dead, and also\\nabout the facts themselves, some of the Boers asserting\\nthat they only took arms, despite the arrival, at that\\nvery moment, of the bodies of five British, under Boer\\nescort, with the pockets of their uniforms turned inside\\nout.\\nHe continues Some of the British wounded flatly\\naccuse the Boers of stealing their money, rings, and\\nother valuables. We had great difficulty in getting\\npermission to use the armoured train to remove our", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0465.jp2"}, "466": {"fulltext": "41 6 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwounded. We believe that spies carried the news of\\nour contemplated sortie to the Boers. The field-comet\\nadmitted that he was reinforced during the night by\\none hundred mounted men, and acknowledged with-\\ndrawing his guns.\\nColonel Baden-Powell reports, officially\\nOur attack only withdrew after six of our officers\\nhad been hit, and a large number of men. Nothing\\ncould have exceeded the courage and dash displayed.\\nThe general situation remains unchanged, and the\\nhealth and spirits of the garrison are very satisfactory.\\nI regret the following casualties\\nKilled Capt. R, J. Harmon, Capt. H. C. Sanford,\\nLieut. H. C. Baton eighteen non-commissioned officers\\nand troopers wounded Capt. Charles Fitz-Clarence,\\ntwenty -three non-commissioned officers and troopers\\nprisoners three troopers.\\nWhile the besieged garrison were making such valiant\\nefforts to beat back the enemy. Colonel Plumer, with a\\nconsiderable force, was moving toward Mafeking with\\na hope of relieving the place.\\nA private soldier of the garrison, writing to a friend\\nin Haverhill, Mass., on December 31st, said:\\nWhen we were closed in by the Boers, we expected\\na speedy relief but when we had been imprisoned for\\nten days and no relief came, and the Boers outside the\\ntowri seemed as determined and as buoyant in spirits as\\never, we became awakened to the necessity of protect-\\ning ourselves from their fire.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0466.jp2"}, "467": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 4 1 7\\nSections of us in cliarge of sergeants were put to\\nwork digging tunnels, in which the women and children\\nwere placed, and then we continued tunnelling until the\\nstreets and fields were a very complicated network of\\ntunnels. Our goods were removed to our peculiar\\ndomiciles.\\nOnce more we felt protected from stray shells\\nand shots, which had a very bad and unpleasant habit\\nof coming along without being asked, and picking a\\nfellow off, sometimes killing him, and sometimes giving\\nhim a pass to the hospital. Our sentries exercise great\\ncare in their rounds, and All s well comes not with a\\ngladsome cry, but in a smothered voice which can be\\nscarcely heard by the next sentinel.\\nOccasionally in the darkness of the night comes an\\nexchange of shots between one of our pickets and one\\nof the enemy, and sometimes the cause for alarm is a\\nskulking animal, prowling about for food. In the\\nmorning, as reveille sounds, the troops are not seen\\nhurrying to fall in, but dodging along to avoid observa-\\ntion. Inspection and guard-mount come every morning\\nat daybreak, and as the guard leaves, many are the hand-\\nshakes given for fear of not meeting again.\\nLady Sarah Wilson, wife of Capt. Gordon Wilson,\\nan officer of the Horse Guards, who is attached to\\nColonel Baden-Powell s staff, followed her husband to\\nAfrica at the outbreak of the war, and entered Mafe-\\nking before the siege.\\nShe interested herself in Red Cross work, and fol-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0467.jp2"}, "468": {"fulltext": "4l8 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nlowed the military operations of Colonel Baden-Powell s\\ncommand very closely. Early in the siege she accom-\\npanied a party of the garrison in a sortie which they\\nmade with the armoured train.\\nAfter a month in Mafeking, she decided that she\\nwould attempt to escape, in order to send full informa-\\ntion of the condition of the garrison to the government,\\nand also to establish communications from the outside\\nwith Colonel Baden-Powell.\\nShe left Mafeking on horseback, accompanied only\\nby a maid, and carrying three days provisions. She\\nrode the first day to a place called Setlagoli, a small\\nstation in British territory which was occupied by the\\nBoers. Here she put up at a hotel.\\nThat night an armoured train, commanded by Captain\\nNesbitt, of the Mashonaland mounted police, which was\\ntrying to run through to Mafeking with ammunition,\\nwas wrecked by the Boers near Setlagoli, the captain\\nand his men being all killed or captured.\\nLady Sarah was also taken by the Boers and held\\nfor two days, after which she was sent to Mochudi, a\\nBoer post near Mafeking. While here she established\\na spy system, supplying Colonel Baden-Powell with\\ninformation as to the Boer situation and plans.\\nIt is said that Lady Sarah, being placed in charge of\\na young Boer farmer, persuaded her keeper to take her\\nto Vryburg, she going disguised as his sister. At Vry-\\nburg she became an object of suspicion, and was\\nobliged to leave the town hurriedly.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0468.jp2"}, "469": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 419\\nOn her arrival at Mochudi she was treated as a spy\\nby Commandant Snyraan. Colonel Baden-Powell de-\\nmanded her release as a non-combatant. The Boer\\ncommandant replied that she was a spy. After nego-\\ntiations she was exchanged for a Boer officer imprisoned\\nat Maf eking, and returned to her husband and Mafe-\\nking, where she lived, during the siege, in an under-\\nground room, or bomb-proof, fitted up with various\\ncomforts and even luxuries.\\nSome of her despatches give graphic descriptions of\\nincidents of the siege. On January 20th, the one hun-\\ndredth day of the siege, she wrote a long letter, which\\nwas received in London early in March, in which she\\ndescribed the horrors attending the constant bombard-\\nment of the town, and the throwing of shells into the\\ncamp set aside for women and children.\\nExtracts from the diary of an officer of the garrison\\ngive some of the lights and shades of the siege\\nJanuary 21 (Sunday). Agricultural and produce\\nshow, including babies. It was a successful and\\nan extraordinary exhibition.\\n^January 22. Rather late shelling to-day. A\\nrumoured attack on Kamr Stadt by Boer friendlies\\ndid not take place. There was a certain amount of\\nfiring from Fort Ayr.\\nColonel Baden-Powell protested the other day\\nagainst firing on our white flag. General Snyman sent\\nin an answer apologising for his Burghers having fired\\non the white flag, and stating, with regard to Colonel", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0469.jp2"}, "470": {"fulltext": "420 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nBaden-Powell s remonstrance to his arming and raising\\nthe natives, that he had merely armed a few cattle\\nguards.\\nIn that case the Boers must have many cattle in\\nclose proximity to our camp, unseen and unknown to\\nus. He further stated that he had noticed us building\\nfortifications on Sunday, to which Colonel Baden-Powell\\nreplied that we had merely taken out and relaid some\\nold mine lines, and that he had been vastly interested,\\nwhile riding around the western outposts on Sunday, to\\nsee the assiduity with which the Boers had been work-\\ning at their new fortifications in that part.\\nJanuary 2\u00c2\u00a7. There was a good deal of firing to-\\nday around the western trenches. In the evening a\\nnative convicted- as a spy was executed.\\nJanuary zj. During my return from a morning ride\\nthe big gun was fired, and I saw the shell burst some-\\nwhat short of the women s laager. The Boers placed\\nlater eight large shells in and close around the laager,\\nand we now understand the reason for the Dutch\\nwomen taking cover as they did. It was a most delib-\\nerate piece of barbarism, but mercifully there were no\\ncasualties.\\nJanuary 28 (Sunday). It is hard to believe, with\\nthe much stronger position we now have and the re-\\nduced number of Boers, that they will attack again\\nbut, on the other hand, it is harder to believe that they\\nwill leave Mafeking without a desperate effort to cap-\\nture it. In any case the garrison are confident. At", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0470.jp2"}, "471": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 42 1\\nthe termination of evening service we sing the national\\nanthem.\\nJanuary zg. Good news has been received of vic-\\ntories from the south. It seems as if the tide had\\nturned. Colonel Baden-Powell issued an order in which\\nhe referred to the execution of the spy, and warned all\\npersons, women included, who might be found treason-\\nably corresponding with the enemy, that on conviction\\nthey would be shot. He regretted having to take such\\na strong measure, but as the enemy chose to fire on the\\nwomen s laager, he should confine the Dutch prisoners\\non the laager, so that if the enemy persisted in their\\nbrutality, they would kill their own friends.\\nFebruary 8. To-day we are informed that we must\\nbe prepared to hold out for another four months, which\\nwe are quite prepared to do. The garrison and in-\\nhabitants received the intelligence with the utmost\\nequanimity, and no earthly doubt as to the result,\\nmerely using expressions of extreme boredom at the\\nprospect of such an extension of this monotonous\\nexistence.\\nFebruary 10. Mr. Dall, town councillor, and com-\\nmander of one of the town guard, was blown to pieces\\nby an early morning shell.\\nFebruary 11. There was a good deal of firing last\\nnight. Two boys were shot going to Kanen, for-\\ntunately not the runners. There is a dance to-night\\nit was postponed owing to Mr. Ball s death.\\nOn the 17th of February the Boers made a severe", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0471.jp2"}, "472": {"fulltext": "422 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand protracted assault upon Mafeking, continuing it\\nthroughout Sunday, the i8th, contrary to their usual\\ncustom of resting on the Sabbath. After most de-\\ntermined fighting on both sides, the assaulters were\\nforced to retire, with a loss of forty, killed and wounded,\\nwhile the defenders, able to take advantage of earth-\\nworks and bomb-proofs, lost only two killed and three\\nwounded.\\nThere was little news from the besieged town until\\na letter, dated March loth, was received at Lorenzo\\nMarquez, containing the following grim information\\nThe garrison is holding its own. We have heard\\nnumerous rumours that the siege will be raised, but so\\nfar that is not the case. We are pegging. away patiently\\non quarter rations, supplemented by the occasional cap-\\nture of cattle. Our home-made gun occasionally bom-\\nbards the Boer trenches. Horrible stories are current\\nthat the Boers are inflicting nameless tortures upon\\ncaptured native runners. These may not be true, but\\nthey are tending to inflame native passions to such an\\nextent that it may soon be impossible to hold the natives\\nin check. Owing to the Boers having deliberately bom-\\nbarded the native stadt, which is full of women. Colonel\\nBaden-Powell has armed the natives, but he has only\\nallowed them to act on the defensive, although they\\nhave clamoured to be allowed to go out and attack at the\\npoint of the assegai. They will be prevented so long\\nas possible from inflicting reprisals on the Boers.\\nThe stress of the siege began to be terribly felt in", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0472.jp2"}, "473": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 423\\nMarch, when the garrison and inhabitants were reduced\\nto the use of horse-flesh, and bread made from horse\\nforage, while the water was contaminated by parasites.\\nWord was given out at that time that the people must\\nprepare themselves to sustain life until the latter part\\nof May.\\nEarly in April, Plumer s cavalry again attacked the\\nBoers, while a sortie was made by the garrison. Both\\nforces were repulsed.\\nAs the siege progressed, sickness from malaria,\\ntyphoid fever, and other diseases, increased.\\nThe defeat of the relieving column had a depressing\\neffect upon the garrison. Up to the end of March,\\n368 people, soldiers and non-combatants, had been\\nkilled or wounded by the enemy s fire, or had died from\\ndisease. Women and children suffered especially.\\nThe following extracts are taken from Lady Sarah\\nWilson s letters\\nApril The pinch of hunger is beginning to be\\nfelt, and relief seems more distant than ever. Since\\nMarch 31st there had been no shelling until to-day.\\nCommandant Snyman having taken his Burghers to bar\\nColonel Plumer s road. Yesterday, however, he re-\\nturned, and the bombardment was renewed to-day with\\nsplendid, high-velocity guns, firing 14-pound shells, such\\nas have not been used since the first days of the siege.\\nThe military authorities say that the British artillery\\nhas nothing to compare with these guns.\\nApril 8. Our bread is now made entirely of oats", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0473.jp2"}, "474": {"fulltext": "424 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nand is full of husks. This causes much illness. There\\nare many cases of nervous prostration and malarial\\ntyphoid among the garrison. The news of the check\\nto the relieving column is a terrible disappointment.\\nLast Friday thirty-three natives issued forth to recover\\nsome cattle which had been looted by the Boers. They\\nwere betrayed by unfriendly natives to the Boers, who\\nsurrounded them while they were sleeping, and shot all\\nbut one, giving no quarter. One escaped to tell the\\ntale. The natives are now mad for revenge, and it will\\nbe very difficult to control them. The bombardment\\ncontinues. Our casualties to combatants, up to the end\\nof March, aggregated 368 in killed and wounded.\\nApril ig. The investment is so close that no run-\\nners have entered or issued forth for ten days. There\\nwas a terrific bombardment on April nth, but, with\\nthe exception of destroying some houses, it was harm-\\nless. The Boers then made a determined attack on the\\nsouthwestern forts, which was successfully repulsed.\\nThe Boers have formed a new laager on the south.\\nMany horses are dying of horse sickness. Trees are\\nbeing cut down for fuel. The garrison is now eating\\nthe ambulance oxen, reserving the mules until the last.\\nThe daily ration is now six ounces of gritty oat\\nbread, a pound of bully beef, and a quart of skilly.\\nApril 20. The Boers have been busy for several\\ndays blowing up the railway southward. There was\\nlittle firing during the past week. The town will\\nrespond cheerfully to Lord Roberts s request to hold", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0474.jp2"}, "475": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 425\\nout another month. Fever is rife, but otherwise the\\nhealth of the garrison is good, and all are well.\\nApril 22. The situation is unchanged. The gar-\\nrison is depressed at there being no signs of relief, but\\nis as determined as ever to deprive the Boers of a\\ncrowning triumph on the western border. A case of\\nwhiskey realised $540 at a raffle, and a pound of flour\\nwas sold at auction for $10.\\nApril 2 The Boers now number forty-five hun-\\ndred, including young Eloff, President Kruger s grand-\\nson, who has sent for six more guns.\\nMay IT. As we near the end of the siege, condi-\\ntions in this little town are perhaps becoming more\\ncheerful. The rainy season is apparently over. The\\nweather is splendid, and, consequently, the fever epi-\\ndemic is diminishing. Rations are still small but it\\nis wonderful how little one needs for existence, and the\\nnew food, from horse and ox hides, is a great success.\\nThis food and porridge, the inventor of which has\\nreceived a five-pound bonus from the government, is\\nthe equivalent of six weeks additional provisions. The\\nnatives prefer it to any other. So that the siege has\\ntaught them a new food.\\nColonel Baden-Powell s hardest blow to the besiegers\\nwas the capture of Commandant Sarel Eloff, President\\nKruger s grandson, and his men, on May 12th. It is\\nthus described in a despatch from Mafeking\\nEloff to-day fell into one of the various traps that\\nhave been left open for months. At 4 a. m. the enemy,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0475.jp2"}, "476": {"fulltext": "426 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwho had been much strengthened during the last few\\ndays, feinted an attack on the eastern side of the town,\\nwhile a large force, which during the night had crept\\nalong the river, guided by native rebels, who had\\nchosen the craftiest detours, managed to enter the\\nBaralong location. This they burned, and the huts of\\nthe natives were blazing fiercely for a distance of nearly\\na mile.\\nThen finding that they were unopposed, the Boers\\nyelled, Come out, you skulkers To-day we take\\nMafeking Suddenly a Boer cried, Run Here\\nare the Rooineks Nearly all fled.\\nCaptain Marsh opened fire from the fort on each\\nside, cutting off and repulsing the main body of the\\nDutch, but driving the vanguard of about one hundred\\nand fifty into the native location, which had been\\nburned.\\nThe enemy broke into two parties, one being\\npenned in the stone cattle kraal, and the other hemmed\\nin a hollow behind a kopje in the outer defences. They\\nhad no water, and but little food.\\nMeanwhile a strong party, estimated at five hun-\\ndred, ran around the native location and reached the\\ncamp close to the railway. There they surprised and,\\nafter sharp fighting, captured Lieutenant-Colonel Hore,\\nCaptain Singleton, and veterinary surgeon Dunlop\\nSmith, who for a time were penned with forty Boers in\\nthe oifices of the British South African Protectorate.\\nThis position was covered by our forts.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0476.jp2"}, "477": {"fulltext": "MAFEKING. 427\\nThe Boers were called upon to surrender, but they\\nrefused, and the fighting was resumed for some hours.\\nThe Boers lost heavily. Finally two parties of the\\nenemy surrendered, one party escaping. The casual-\\nties are not yet fully known. The Boers lost about a\\nhundred and fifty, but our casualties were under twenty.\\nMr. Angus Hamilton, correspondent of the London\\nTillies, is missing.\\nThis is how Mafeking took the relief which finally\\ncame to the weary ones\\nFaintly from the northwest, about 1.30 p.m., May\\ni6th, we heard the sound of artillery. Colonel Baden-\\nPowell went up to the lookout. The women and\\nchildren were on the house-tops, and most of the men\\nwere manning the works.\\nMajor Mackenzie, of the headquarter s staff, tumbled\\ndown-stairs at three o clock with a pigeon in his hand.\\nIn a few seconds the despatch was on the table and the\\ncode books were out.\\nMajor Hanbury-Tracy cried out\\nThey left Masibili this morning, and are coming\\nin!\\nThe fight must have lasted three hours, when,\\nthrough our glasses, the Boers could be seen stretching\\nout in retreat.\\nAt sunset the garrison seized the Standard and\\nDiggers fort, and shelled the Boers as they passed.\\nDarkness was drawing on when Maj. Karri Davis, with\\neight horsemen, entered Market Square.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0477.jp2"}, "478": {"fulltext": "428 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nThe town took the relief quietly. A trooper stopped\\na passer-by, and said\\nHi hi We are the relief column\\n*0h, indeed, said the citizen. We heard you\\nwere outside, and the citizen proceeded on his errand.\\nWell, I m d d said the trooper, but he\\ntakes it pretty coolly, I should say.\\nThe party dismounted at the staff office, where a\\ncrowd gathered and cheered for the first time in seven\\nmonths. Then the troops in the outer forts cheered.\\nWhen the relieving column marched in, at 4 A, m,,\\nthere was plenty of whiskey.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0478.jp2"}, "479": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVIII.\\nIN JUNE.\\n\\\\T ITH General Roberts pushing on toward Pre-\\ntoria, there was but Httle of importance ac-\\ncomplished by the other British forces during the\\nearly part of June. Such news as came to Cape\\nTown only served to show that here and there the\\nqueen s troops were content with holding what had\\nalready been won, while the Boers were gathering\\nthemselves together for what was, apparently, the\\nlast effort.\\nIn the briefest possible compass, the news at Cape\\nTown, during June, was as follows\\nyzme I. General Brabant s Horse have been the\\nsubject of several small captures at the hands of the\\nBoers. Lieutenant Rundle, with twenty men, while\\nsearching a farmhouse in the Fricksburg district, was\\ncaptured, two of the men being wounded. Lieutenant\\nLees and two men were captured while comman-\\ndeering. Another patrol of the border horse, number-\\ning twenty men, while pursuing a small party of\\nBoers, were surrounded and captured. Count Gleichen\\nsent thirteen men of the Provincial Horse, under\\n429", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0479.jp2"}, "480": {"fulltext": "430 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nLieutenant Bowker, with a flag of truce to Senekal\\nto demand the surrender of that place. The Boers\\ncaptured the entire party, and after robbing the men\\nof all but their clothing, sent them to Urede, whence\\nsome of them managed to escape. Most of those\\nwho succeeded in eluding their guards were recap-\\ntured.\\nJune 2. Commandant Botha, of Zoutpansberg, his\\nfield-cornet, and one hundred prisoners, have been\\ntaken in the fighting around Johannesburg.\\nJune A convoy of fifty wagons, under escort\\nof 150 Highlanders, was surrounded by the Boers\\nbetween the Rhenoster River and Heilbron last even-\\ning. Messengers were sent to the nearest post ask-\\ning for assistance, but reinforcements were unable\\nto reach them, and early this morning the Highland-\\ners surrendered to Gen. Christian De Wet.\\nLord Roberts telegraphed from Six Miles Spruit\\nas follows: We started this morning at daybreak\\nand marched ten miles to Six Miles Spruit, both\\nbanks of which were occupied by the enemy. Henry\\nand Ross s mounted infantry, with the West Somer-\\nset, Dorset, Bedford, and Sussex companies of yeo-\\nmanry, quickly dislodged them from the south bank\\nand pursued them nearly a mile, when they found\\nthemselves under a heavy fire from guns which the\\nBoers had placed in a well-concealed, commanding\\nposition. Our heavy guns of the naval and royal\\nartillery, which had purposely been placed in the", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0480.jp2"}, "481": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 431\\nfront part of the column, were hurried to the assist-\\nance of the mounted infantry as fast as oxen and\\nmules could travel over the great, rolling hills sur-\\nrounding Pretoria. The guns were supported by\\nStevenson s brigade of Pole-Carew s division, and,\\nafter a few rounds, drove the enemy from their posi-\\ntion. The Boers then attempted to turn our left\\nflank, in which they were again foiled by the mounted\\ninfantry and yeomanry, supported by Maxwell s bri-\\ngade and Tucker s division. As, however, they still\\nkept pressing our left rear, I sent word to Ian Hamil-\\nton, who was advancing between the two columns.\\nThis finally checked the enemy, who were driven\\nback toward Pretoria. I had hoped we would have\\nbeen able to follow them up, but the days now are\\nvery short in this part of the world, and, after nearly\\ntwo hours marching and fighting, we had to bivouac\\non the ground gained during the day. The Guards\\nBrigade is quite near the southernmost fort by which\\nPretoria is defended and less than four miles from\\nthe town. French, with the 2d and 4th Cavalry\\nbrigades and Hutton s New South Wales mounted\\nrifles, is north of Pretoria. Broadwood s brigade\\nis between French s and Hamilton s columns, and\\nGordon is watching the right flank of the main force,\\nnot far from the railway bridge at Irene station, which\\nwas destroyed by the enemy,\\nJune 5. A telegram from Lord Roberts, dated at\\nnoon to-day, from Pretoria, announces the occupation", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0481.jp2"}, "482": {"fulltext": "432 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nof that city by the British forces. The commander-\\nin-chief telegraphed as follows Just before dark,\\nyesterday, the enemy were beaten back from nearly\\nall the positions they had been holding, and Ian Ham-\\nilton s mounted infantry followed them to within two\\nthousand yards of Pretoria, to which they retreated\\nhastily. De Lisle then sent an officer with a flag of\\ntruce into the town, demanding its surrender in my\\nname. Shortly before midnight I was awakened by\\ntwo officials of the South African Republic, Sand-\\nberg, military secretary to Commandant-General Botha,\\nand a general officer of the Boer army, who brought\\nme a letter from Botha, proposing an armistice for the\\npurpose of settling the terms of surrender. I replied\\nthat I would gladly meet the commandant-general the\\nnext morning, but that I was not prepared to discuss\\nany terms, as the surrender of the town must be un-\\nconditional. I asked for a reply by daybreak, as I had\\nordered the troops to march on the town as soon as\\nit was light. In his reply Botha told me that he had\\ndecided not to defend Pretoria, and that he trusted\\nthe women, children, and property would be protected.\\nAt I A, M. to-day, while on the line of march, I was\\nmet by three of the principal officials with a flag of\\ntruce, stating their wish to surrender the town. It\\nwas arranged that Pretoria should be taken posses-\\nsion of by her Majesty s troops at 2 o clock this\\nafternoon.\\nGeneral BuUer and General Botha met to-day at", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0482.jp2"}, "483": {"fulltext": "PRESIDENT KKUGER.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0483.jp2"}, "484": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0484.jp2"}, "485": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 433\\nLaing s Nek, at Buller s request, when a three days\\narmistice was agreed upon.\\nThe British have evacuated Utrecht.\\nJime 6. Lord Methuen has been fighting to-day to\\nthe north of Vetchkop.\\nAmong the officers of the 13th Imperial Yeomanry\\ncaptured are the Earl of Leitrim, the Earl of Longford,\\nand the Earl of Ennismore.\\nJune y. A force of two thousand Boers cut Lord\\nRoberts s line of communication at Roodeval. The\\n4th Battalion of the Derbyshire regiment was killed,\\nwounded, or captured, with the exception of six men,\\nwho escaped. Thirty-six were killed and 104 wounded.\\nThe Boers returned the wounded to the British. The\\nofficers killed were Lieutenant-Colonel Baird-Douglas\\nand Lieutenant Hawley. The wounded include Colonel\\nWilkinson and Lieutenant Blanchard, of the Canadian\\ninfantry.\\nGeneral Hunter s advance has occupied Ventersdorp,\\none hundred miles southwest of Pretoria. Colonel\\nPlumer s column is on the Elands River, northwest of\\nPretoria. The British are sending detachments right and\\nleft to accept the surrenders of commandoes, horses,\\ncattle, and forage, and to overawe the sparsely settled\\ncountry. General Hunter s immediate objective is\\nPotchefstroom. This town and Rustenburg are the\\nlargest towns west of Johannesburg. It is reported that\\nPotchefstroom is ready to submit. General Hunter\\nhas warned all Burghers that, if the telegraph is cut", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0485.jp2"}, "486": {"fulltext": "434 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nbehind him, he will send back and burn the houses\\nnear the line.\\nThe British lost nine wounded and eleven missing in\\nan action at Vredefort to-day.\\nJune 8. General Buller sends from Yellow Boom\\nFarm the following account of work done during the\\npast two days On June 6th, Gen. Talbot Coke,\\nwith the loth Brigade and the South African light\\nhorse, seized Van Wyke Hill. The enemy made some\\nresistance, and a good deal of sniping occurred. Our\\ncasualties were about four killed and thirteen wounded.\\nDuring that day and the following we got our 4.7 and\\ntwo i2-pounder naval guns on to Van Wyke Hill, and\\ntwo 5-inch guns on to the southwestern spur on Ink-\\newelo. Under cover of their fire General Hildyard to-day\\nassaulted all the spurs of the bergs between Botha s Pass\\nand Inkewelo. The attack, which was well planned by\\nHildyard and carried out with immense dash by the\\ntroops, for whom the mountains were too steep, out-\\nflanked the enemy, who were forced to retire from their\\nvery strong position. Our casualties were one officer\\nwounded, and two men killed and thirteen wounded.\\nThe executive offices of the Transvaal government\\nare in a railway car, which is shunted on a switch at\\nMachadorp station. President Kruger caused the in-\\nterior of the coach to be reconstructed some time ago,\\nwith a view to contingencies that have now arrived.\\nJune g. Klerksdorp has surrendered to an armoured\\nparty sent on by General Hunter.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0486.jp2"}, "487": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 435\\nThe enemy, in three columns, are near Honing. The\\nrailway has been almost completely destroyed between\\nAmerica and Roodeval.\\nGeneral Buller encamped to-night close to the point\\nwhere the frontiers of the Free State, the Transvaal,\\nand Natal meet.\\nJune lo. General Buller made the following official\\nreport this evening: The force concentrated on the\\nKlip River, at its junction with the Jansvlei, last night.\\nWe anticipated at that defile a force of the enemy\\nabout three thousand strong, who had,. I think, intended\\nto occupy it, and who retired as soon as our heavy guns\\nopened, which were very smartly brought into action by\\nMajor May, of the royal artillery, and Captain Jones,\\nof the royal navy. The South African light horse and\\nthe 2d Cavalry Brigade were smartly engaged while\\ncovering our left front. Our casualties were twenty-six\\nkilled, 126 wounded, and two missing.\\nJime II. Another report from General Buller thus\\ntells the story of his work up to to-night We forced\\nAlmond s Nek to-day. It is not marked on the map,\\nbut it is the last deiile to Charleston Flats. The enemy\\nwere in considerable force, with several guns in position.\\nThe brunt of the fighting fell on the 2d Dorsets,\\nwho carried the position at the point of the bayonet,\\nand the 3d Cavalry Brigade, who were heavily at-\\ntacked on our right from very broken country around\\nIketini Mountain.\\nTo-day, at Katsbosch, Lord Methuen s force had a", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0487.jp2"}, "488": {"fulltext": "436 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nbrush with the enemy. British casualties, one killed\\nand eighteen wounded.\\nFifteen hundred Boers surrendered to-day to General\\nBrabant in the Fricksburg district.\\nTwo hundred and fifty Boers surrendered to General\\nHunter at Ventersdorp.\\nJune 12. Lord Roberts has telegraphed as follows\\nto the War Office, from an outpost near Pretoria Pre-\\ntoria and Johannesburg are perfectly quiet, and several\\nof the inhabitants have expressed gratitude for the\\npeace and order which prevails. After surrendering\\nthe city, Botha retired to a place about fifteen miles\\neast, in the Middleburg road. He had a small force\\nat first, but during the last few days his numbers\\nincreased, and his being so near the town kept up\\nthe excitement in the country, prevented the Burghers\\nfrom laying down their arms, and interfered with the\\ncollection of supplies. It therefore became necessary\\nto attack him. This I did yesterday. He held a very\\nstrong position, practically unassailable in front, which\\nenabled him to place the main portion of his troops\\non his flanks, which he knew from former experience\\nwere his vulnerable parts. I sent French, with Porter s\\nand Dickson s cavalry brigades, and Hutton s mounted\\ninfantry, around by our left, and Ian Hamilton, with\\nBroadwood s and Gordon s cavalry brigade, Ridley s\\nmounted infantry, and Bruce Hamilton s infantry bri-\\ngade around by our right. Both columns met with great\\nopposition. At about three in the afternoon I saw twQ", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0488.jp2"}, "489": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 437\\nof Hamilton s infantry battalions advancing to what ap-\\npeared to be the key of the enemy s defence, on the left\\nflank. This was almost gained before dark, and I or-\\ndered the force to bivouac on the ground they had won.\\nPole-Carew, with his division, occupied our centre. As I\\nhave explained, he could not attack, but he gradually ad-\\nvanced so as to support Ian Hamilton, and when I left\\nthe field he was on the line held by the enemy s out-\\nposts in the morning. I hurried back to get news of Me-\\nthuen s movement. On hearing that the Free Staters had\\ntaken advantage of our crossing the Vaal to interrupt our\\nline of communication, I sent Kitchener, with such troops\\nas I could then spare, to Vredefort, with orders to push\\nsouth and communicate with Methuen, who, I knew,\\nhad a very compact force in the vicinity of Heilbron,\\nI also despatched a special messenger to Methuen, in-\\nstructing him to push on at all speed to the main line\\nof railway. These two officers met at Vredefort road\\nstation in the evening of June loth. They marched\\nyesterday to Rhenoster River, where Methuen gained\\na complete victory over De Wet, and took possession\\nof his camp, scattering his troops in all directions.\\nHe and Kitchener marched to-day toward Kroonstad,\\nHunter should be at Potchefstroom to-day. He will\\nthen move on Johannesburg. Our losses yesterday\\nwere not, I trust, serious, but I deplore the death\\nof that gallant soldier, the Earl of Airlie. The only\\nother casualties reported as yet are: i/th Lancers,\\nMajor Hon. Lionel Fortescue and Lieut. Hon. C.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0489.jp2"}, "490": {"fulltext": "438 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nCavendish, both killed. The Boers evacuated their\\nposition last night. They had paid so much atten-\\ntion to strengthening their flanks that the centre was\\nweakly held, and as soon as this became evident I\\ndirected Ian Hamilton to attack to-day. He moved\\nagainst Diamond Hill with the Sussex-Derbyshires\\nand the City Imperial Volunteers, supported on the\\nleft by the Guards Brigade under Inigo Jones. Our\\nseizure of Diamond Hill caused the Boers to feel\\nthat they were practically surrounded, and this re-\\nsulted in their hasty retirement. They are being fol-\\nlowed by some of our mounted corps. Hamilton spoke\\nin highest terms of the troops engaged. Hamilton\\nreceived a contusion from a shrapnel-bullet in the\\nshoulder, but is not, I am happy to say, unable to per-\\nform his duty.\\nFrom General Kelly-Kenny, at Bloemfontein Our\\ntroops from the north are at Honing Spruit, south of\\nRoodeval, where the Boers cut the British lines of com-\\nmunication, having defeated the enemy. They will be\\nat America Siding to-morrow. General Knox moves\\nout from Kroonstad to intercept the enemy.\\nFrom General Buller, who is encamped four miles\\nnorth of Volksrust Laing s Nek and Majuba were\\ncompletely evacuated by the Boers last night. General\\nClery, from Ingogo, is now coming over the Nek. I\\nhave had to camp here for want of water.\\nThe War Office casualty returns, up to to-day, aggre-\\ngate 23,664, besides 792 officers and 12,355 \u00c2\u00a7^P-t", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0490.jp2"}, "491": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 439\\nhome as invalids, but not including the sick in South\\nAfrican hospitals.\\nJune I J. From Lord Roberts, at Pretoria Me-\\nthuen advanced to Honing Spruit yesterday, and found\\nall quiet. Kroonstad is strongly held. Methuen re-\\nturned to-day to Rhenoster River, where the railway\\nis being repaired. We were all engaged yesterday with\\nBotha s army. The enemy fought with considerable\\ndetermination, and held our cavalry on both flanks but\\nIan Hamilton, assisted by the Guards Brigade, of Pole-\\nCarew s division, pushing forward, took the hill in his\\nfront, which caused the enemy to fall back on their\\nsecond position to the eastward. This they are still\\nholding. It is slightly higher than the one we have\\ncaptured. The great extent of country which has to\\nbe covered, under modern conditions of warfare, renders\\nprogress very slow. The enemy evacuated their strong\\nposition during the night, and have retired to the east-\\nward. Buller s force and mine have afforded each other\\nmutual assistance. Our occupation of Pretoria caused\\nnumbers of Boers to withdraw from Laing s Nek, and\\nBuller s advance to Volksrust made them feel their rear\\nwould be shortly endangered.\\nJune i^. General Kitchener reports that the Boers\\nattacked a construction train early this morning a few\\nmiles north of Rhenoster River. He sent mounted\\ntroops and drove off the enemy before they could do\\ndamage. One man was killed, and eleven, including\\ntwo officers, were wounded.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0491.jp2"}, "492": {"fulltext": "440 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nGeneral Lyttleton has received the formal submission\\nof the town and district of Wakkerstroom, which the\\nenemy is believed to have completely evacuated.\\nJune 1 6. From Lord Roberts, at Pretoria Rus-\\ntenburg was occupied yesterday by Baden-Powell. A\\ncolumn starts from this place to-morrow to meet Baden-\\nPowell and repair the telegraph lines between Pretoria\\nand Rustenburg. Hunter is moving from Potchef-\\nstroom. His advance brigade expects to reach Johan-\\nnesburg June 19th. Buller, I hope, is at Standerton.\\nHeidelberg will be occupied from this place shortly,\\nand then the Orange River colony will be completely\\ncut off from the Transvaal. Baden-Powell reports that\\nthe district through which he passed is settling down\\nsatisfactorily. Over one thousand stands of arms were\\nsurrendered, and Hans Eloff and Piet Kruger, sons of\\nthe President, were to make submission to him yester-\\nday, having been previously disarmed on their farms.\\nBotha s army has retired, and is believed to be at Mid-\\ndleburg. His rear-guard was surprised and entirely\\nrouted by Ian Hamilton s mounted infantry.\\nJune ly. The Boers attacked Fricksburg this morn-\\ning, but were driven off.\\nIn an attack on the railway pioneers near the Zand\\nRiver, to-day, the Boers were driven off, but Major Sey-\\nmour, commanding the pioneers, was killed. He was\\nan American, and was formerly employed in the Rand.\\nJu7te 18. General Hunter s advance column occu-\\npied Krugersdorp without opposition.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0492.jp2"}, "493": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 441\\nJune ip. General Methuen, who was escorting a\\nlarge convoy to Heilbron to-day, routed a force under\\nChristian De Wet, who endeavoured to prevent him\\nfrom entering the little town. Methuen had only three\\ncasualties.\\nJtme 20. Sir Charles Warren reports that the re-\\nbellion in Cape Colony, north of the Orange River, is\\nnow over. The last formidable body, under Comman-\\ndant De Villiers, surrendered to-day, consisting of about\\n220 men, 280 horses, eighteen wagons, 260 rifles, and\\n100,000 rounds of ammunition.\\nJme 22. General Rundle had a sharp artillery and\\nrifle skirmish near Senekal to-day with a large force of\\nentrenched Boers. He declined to attack them.\\nGeneral Dundonald, with the 3d Cavalry Brigade,\\noccupied Standerton to-day without opposition. The\\nBurghers left yesterday, after having blown up the rail-\\nroad bridge and doing other damage. The infantry\\nmarched twenty-two miles to-day, and camped at Kaats-\\nbosch Spruit to-night.\\nGeneral Hunter s advance brigade reached Johannes-\\nburg, toward Heidelberg, to-day.\\nJune 2^. General Hamilton occupied Heidelberg\\nto-day. The Boers fled. President Kruger s sons, who\\nsurrendered to General Baden-Powell, are back on their\\nfarms and working peacefully.\\nGeneral De Wet s farmhouses have been burned by\\nthe British,\\nJune 24. From Lord Roberts General Clements", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0493.jp2"}, "494": {"fulltext": "442 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nsuccessfully engaged a body of Boers yesterday, near\\nWynberg, where he had gone to pick up supplies and\\nsome heavy guns, preparatory to acting in combination\\nwith Collins from Lindley, Heilbron, and Heidelberg.\\nHe drove the enemy north of Sandspruit with loss.\\nNo casualties are reported. Hutton s mounted infantry\\nskirmished with the Boers yesterday, a few miles south-\\neast of Pretoria. Captain Anley is reported to have\\nmanaged the little business very well. Lieutenant\\nCrispin and one of the Northumberland Fusiliers were\\nwounded.\\nJiine 26. From Lord Roberts Paget reports\\nfrom Lindley that he was engaged to-day with a body\\nof the enemy who were strongly reinforced during the\\nday. A convoy of stores from the Lindley garrison\\nwas also attacked to-day, but, after a heavy rear-guard\\naction, the convoy reached Lindley in safety. Our\\ncasualties were ten killed, and four officers and about\\nfifty men wounded. A small force of mounted troops,\\nwith two guns, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel\\nGrenfel, was attacked by the enemy under Prefers\\nand Nel, this morning, seven miles north of Senekal.\\nThey beat off the enemy and burned their laager.\\nOur casualties were three killed and twenty-three\\nwounded.\\nVictoria Crosses have been bestowed on Maj. John\\nPhillips Hornby, Sergeant Parker, and Driver Glass-\\ncock, of Q Battery, Royal Artillery, for conspicuous\\nbravery in saving four guns from the convoy disaster at", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0494.jp2"}, "495": {"fulltext": "IN JUNE. 443\\nKorn Spruit, or Karee Siding, Orange Free State,\\nMarch 31st of the present year.\\nJune ^7. From Lord Roberts The enemy attacked\\nour Roodeval Spruit post on the railway yesterday, but\\nwere easily beaten off by a detachment of the Derby-\\nshire light infantry, the West. Australian mounted, a\\n15-pounder, and an armoured train. Baden-Powell re-\\nports the capture of an influential Boer named Ray,\\nwho was endeavouring to raise a commando in the\\nRustenburg district. A patrol brought in over one\\nhundred rifles. More than four thousand rifles and one\\nthousand inferior pieces have been taken during the\\nlast few days.\\nGeneral Botha s force continues encamped east of\\nBronkerspruit. There is an occasional exchange of\\nshots between the patrols.\\nSarel Eloff, President Kruger s grandson, who was\\ncaptured by the British at Mafeking, was landed at\\nSt. Helena to-day, with eleven officers and ninety-eight\\ntroopers, mostly foreigners. The prisoners, who were\\nclean and of respectable appearance, were immediately\\nsent to Deadwood, the prison camp.\\nTwenty-one war correspondents have been killed or\\nhave died of disease during the war. In this respect\\nthe London Daily Mail has been particularly unfortu-\\nnate, ten of its representatives having been put out of\\nservice by death or illness.\\nJtme 28. From Lord Roberts Methuen found\\nto-day that the Boer laager near Vachkop and Spitzkop", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0495.jp2"}, "496": {"fulltext": "444 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nhad been hastily removed in the direction of Lindley.\\nHe followed the enemy twelve miles, and captured\\neight thousand sheep and five hundred head of cattle,\\nwhich the enemy had seized in that neighbourhood.\\nOur casualties were four men wounded. Hunter contin-\\nued his march to-day toward the Vaal River unopposed.\\nA few farmers along the route have surrendered.\\nSprings, the terminus of the railway from Johannes-\\nburg, due east, was attacked early this morning. The\\nCanadian regiment, which garrisons the place, beat off\\nthe enemy. No casualties are reported,\\nCommandant De Wet, with three thousand men and\\nthree guns, is moving northeast in the Orange River\\nColony. It is understood that he and Commandant-\\nGeneral Botha entered into a compact that neither\\nwould surrender so long as the other was in the\\nfield.\\nJune JO. Active guerilla operations are reported\\nfrom half a dozen points in Orange River Colony.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0496.jp2"}, "497": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIX.\\nANNEXATION.\\nA S in the case of the Civil War in the United States,\\nthe end of the Anglo-Boer war could be seen by\\nthose versed in military affairs several months before\\nthe close was officially announced, and the annexation\\nof the Transvaal to the British Empire showed that\\nthe critics were correct as to the staying powers of\\nthe Boers.\\nThe work done by Lord Roberts and his officers dur-\\ning the months of July and August, although arduous,\\nand of a nature to severely try the tempers of the men,\\nwas not marked by any severe battles or decisive en-\\ngagements of a sensational character. It was the steady\\nadvance and the constant blows which caused the sur-\\nrender of commando after commando until there was\\nno longer a force sufficient of the enemy to carry on\\nanything save a guerrilla warfare.\\nThe movements of both armies during the months of\\nJuly and August may be set down briefly, to the advan-\\ntage of both student and casual reader.\\nOn the 1st of July General Hunter arrived at Frank-\\nfort without opposition, and on the following day he\\n445", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0497.jp2"}, "498": {"fulltext": "446 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nwas joined by General MacDonald. July 2d Methuen\\nreported from Paardekraal, on the Heilbron-Kroonstad\\nroad, that he had captured the commander of De Wet s\\nscouts, two other prisoners, and Wessels, the head of\\nthe Afrikander bund.\\nJuly 2. General Clery occupied Greylingstad with-\\nout opposition, but met with a great deal of sniping.\\nCom. Philip Botha released under heavy bail, con-\\nditionally upon his residing at Aliwal North until the\\nconclusion of his preliminary examination.\\nJuly J. General Paget successfully engaged the\\nenemy at Pleisinfontein, and drove them across Leeuw-\\nkop to Bronerifontein. About one o clock in the morn-\\ning of this day the Boers attacked Fricksburg garrison,\\nbut were driven off after forty-five minutes fighting.\\nThe following report was issued by the War Office of\\nBritish casualties in South Africa since the beginning\\nof the war The total losses, exclusive of sick and\\nwounded, have been 29,706, of which the killed in action\\nwere 254 officers and 2,403 non-commissioned officers\\nand men missing and prisoners, 65 officers and 2,624\\nnon-commissioned officers and men died of disease, 133\\nofficers, and 4,204 non-commissioned officers and men\\ninvalided home, 844 officers and 18,433 non-commis-\\nsione:d officers and men.\\nJuly /f.. General Paget, who advanced to Blaaw kopje,\\nfifteen miles northwest of Bethlehem, reported that all\\nof Steyn s government officials, except the treasurer-\\ngeneral, who has gone to Vere, are at Bethlehem, which", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0498.jp2"}, "499": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 447\\nhas been proclaimed the capital. Steyn left Bethlehem,\\non the night of July 4th for Fouriesburg, between Beth-\\nlehem and Fricksburg, accompanied by Christian De Wet\\nand other Free State commanders, with troops reported\\nnumbering 3,000 men.\\nThe Boers made a determined but unsuccessful\\nattempt to retake Fricksburg.\\nJuly 5. General Brabant occupied Boranberg, be-\\ntween Senekal and Winburg, which served as a base\\nfor bands assailing convoy.\\nCommandant Limmer tried to recapture Rustenburg,\\nbut was driven back.\\nJuly 6. Thirty-four of Strathcona s Horse, under\\nLieutenant Anderson, were attacked by two hundred\\nBoers east of Standerton. The British soon took pos-\\nsession of a kopje, upon which they withstood the attack\\nof the enemy.\\nColonel Mahon of General Hutton s mounted troops,\\non July 6th and 7th engaged three thousand Boers\\neast of Broenkerspruit and drove them off. The\\nBritish casualties were thirty-three.\\nJuly 7. Generals Clements and Paget entered Beth-\\nlehem. The former, nearing the town, sent in a flag of\\ntruce demanding its surrender, which was refused by\\nDe Wet, when Paget, making a wide turning movement,\\nsucceeded in getting hold of the enemy s most impor-\\ntant position, covering the town. This was carried be-\\nfore dark, by the Munster fusiliers and Yorkshire light\\ninfantry. The following morning the attack was con-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0499.jp2"}, "500": {"fulltext": "448 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\ntinued, and by noon the town was in possession of the\\nBritish and the enemy in full retreat.\\nA convoy was passing Greylingstad, and before\\nreaching a defile in the hills the Boers shelled the\\nadvancing columns. Colonel Thorneycroft s men occu-\\npied the hills to the right of the narrow pass, keeping\\nthe Boers back on a ridge to the left while the infantry\\ndeployed in plain sight, and the artillery occupied a posi-\\ntion under the ridge. The Boers worked their guns\\nrapidly, but the howitzers replied with effect, and drove\\nthem back over the ridge.\\nJuly 8. Hunter s cavalry, under Broadwood, arrived\\nat Bethlehem, with the main force nine miles away.\\nBaden-Powell arrived at Rustenburg without oppo-\\nsition.\\nGeneral Hutton was attacked by a large force, which\\nhe beat off, sustaining but one casualty.\\nJuly g. At a meeting of the Afrikander women at\\nCape Town, called to protest against the annexation of\\nthe Republics to the British Empire and the punish-\\nment of the rebels, Mrs. Olive Schreiner Cronweight de-\\nnounced the British policy. She said she was ashamed\\nof her British descent, and added If the Republics\\nare annexed, peace is impossible. Every trench of Boer\\ndead is a grave of England s honour. Every bullet mak-\\ning a Boer wound also finds a billet in the hearts of\\nthe Empire.\\nJuly 10. The War Office has issued another casualty\\nlist, showing that, during the week ending July 7th, there", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0500.jp2"}, "501": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 449\\nwere killed, wounded, or captured, fifteen officers and\\n1 80 men accidental, two men died of disease, four\\nofficers, 194 men; invalided home, seventy-two officers\\nand 1,306 men. The total casualties as a result of the\\nwar are 48,188 officers and men.\\nJuly II. Colonel Mahon, reinforced by General\\nFrench s brigade, took all the positions held by the\\nBoers in the neighbourhood of Rietfontein. A number\\nof Boer dead were found. The British casualties were\\ntrifling.\\nJuly 12. From Lord Roberts, dated Pretoria, July\\n1 2th The enemy, having failed in their attack upon\\nour right rear, as mentioned in my telegram of July 9th,\\nmade a determined attack upon our right flank yester-\\nday, and, I regret to say, succeeded in capturing Nitral s\\nNek, which was garrisoned by a squadron of Scots\\nGreys, with two guns of a battery of the Royal artillery,\\nand five companies of the Lincolnshire regiment. The\\nenemy attacked in superior numbers at dawn, and seiz-\\ning the hills commanding the Nek, brought a heavy gun\\nfire to bear upon the small garrison. Nitral s Nek is\\nabout eighteen miles from here, near where the road\\ncrosses the Crocodile River. It was held by us in order\\nto maintain road and telegraphic communication with\\nRustenburg. The fighting lasted more or less through-\\nout the day, and immediately on receiving information\\nearly this morning of the enemy s strength, I despatched\\nreinforcements from here, under Colonel Godfrey, of the\\nKing s Own Scottish Borderers. Before, however, they", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0501.jp2"}, "502": {"fulltext": "450 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nreached the spot, the garrison had been overpowered,\\nand the guns and a greater portion of the squadron of\\nthe Greys had been captured, owing to the horses being\\nshot also about ninety men of the Lincoln regiment.\\nA list of the casualties has not been received, but I fear\\nthey are heavy.\\nSimultaneously, an attack was made on our outposts,\\nnear Burdepoort, north of that town, in which the 7th\\nDragoons were engaged. The regiment was handled\\nwith considerable skill by Lieutenant-Colonel Low, and\\nwould probably have suffered but slight loss had not\\none troop mistaken some Boers for our men.\\nSmith-Dorrien had a successful engagement with\\nthe enemy yesterday, near Krugersdorp, and inflicted\\nheavy loss on them.\\nBuller reports that the Boers who were destroying\\nhis line of railway, near Paardekraal, were driven off\\nyesterday after a short action.\\nHart reports from Heidelberg that the surrendering\\nof Boer guns and ammunition continues in that district.\\nJuly i^. The British engaged the Boers all day near\\nPlatkop. Scouts and mounted infantry, moving north,\\nlocated the Boers, a thousand strong, occupying a ridge.\\nColonel Thorneycroft s men held the ridge facing them.\\nMembers of the Strathcona Horse were driven tempo-\\nrarily from the ridge by the heavy musketry fire. After\\na stubborn resistance, the Boers forced the British to\\nbring the howitzers into action. The infantry deployed\\nfor a general advance under Clery s direction. The", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0502.jp2"}, "503": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 45 1\\nBoers opened fire in all directions, shelling with the guns\\nposted on the British right. The mounted infantry in\\nthe face of the fire attacked the Boers. A gun posted\\non an entrenched kopje, four miles to the east, forced\\nthe Boers from a number of ridges, detached parties\\nretiring on the centre, while a gun on the right was\\nwithdrawn through a ravine toward an entrenched hill.\\nJtily i6. The Boers attacked Carew and Hunter.\\nBritish casualties, seven killed, thirty wounded, twenty-\\none missing.\\nJuly ig. Under this date Lord Roberts telegraphed\\nfrom Pretoria Methuen occupied Heckpoort to-day\\nwithout any opposition to speak of. Ian Hamilton and\\nMahon continued their march along the country north\\nof the Delagoa Bay railroad. Hunter is reconnoitring\\nthe positions occupied by the Free Staters between\\nBethlehem and Fricksburg.\\nOn the same day, General Little, temporarily com-\\nmanding the 3d Brigade, reported that he came in con-\\ntact, near Lindley, with De Wet s force, which broke\\nthrough Hunter s cordon. The fighting lasted until\\ndusk, when De Wet s force, being repulsed, broke into\\ntwo parties. Little s casualties were slight. He buried\\nfive Boers,\\nThe Boers wrecked a hospital train between Kru-\\ngersdorp and Potchefstroom.\\nJuly 21. The Boers made a determined attack to\\ndestroy a post at the rail head, thirteen miles east of\\nHeidelberg, which they attacked with three guns and", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0503.jp2"}, "504": {"fulltext": "452 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\na pom-pom, and surrounded. They were, however,\\nbeaten off, after a sharp engagement, before reinforce-\\nments summoned from Heidelberg had arrived.\\nLord Roberts reports that on this night a train was\\ncaptured between Kroonstad and the Vaal, and that it\\ncontained supplies, two officers, and one hundred men\\nof the Welsh fusiliers.\\nJuly 22. Baden-Powell s report Colonels Arey and\\nLushington, with 450 men, drove one thousand Boers\\nfrom a very strong position and scattered them, with\\nconsiderable loss. Our casualties were six killed and\\nnineteen wounded.\\nGeneral Knox s report Have followed command\\nsince July i6th. Hard, sharp fighting at Palmeitfon-\\ntein, July 19th. Prevented from pursuing by darkness.\\nEight dead Boers found. Our casualties, five killed\\nand seventy-six wounded. Vaalkrantz to-day. Enemy\\ndoubled back in darkness. Shall march to-morrow to\\nRhoode Vaal station. Send supplies for three thou-\\nsand men and horses, also any news of the enemy s\\nmovements. I believe the command consists of two\\nthousand men and four guns, and is accompanied by\\nPresident Steyn and both the De Wets. The wire and\\nmain line of the railway north of Honing Spruit have\\nbeen cut, and also the telegraph to Pretoria via Potchef-\\nstroora. According to my information De Wet crossed\\nthe railway and is going north.\\nKelly-Kenny s report from Bloemfontein The\\nrailway has been cut north of Honing Spruit, and a", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0504.jp2"}, "505": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 453\\nsupply-train and a hundred Highlanders captured by\\nthe enemy. A report was received this morning that\\na large force of the enemy is moving on Honing Spruit.\\nAll communication with Pretoria is cut off. The second\\nand third cavalry brigades are following the enemy.\\nLord Roberts s report Methuen continued his\\nmarch after the occupation of Heckpoort, and engaged\\nthe enemy s rear -guard at Zingsfontein, July 20th.\\nCasualties, one killed and one wounded. Early Satur-\\nday he attacked the enemy again at Oliphant s Nek and\\ncompletely dispersed them, inflicting heavy loss. Our\\ncasualties were slight. By these successes, Rustenburg\\nhas been relieved, and Methuen and Baden-Powell have\\njoined hands. Hunter reports that Bruce Hamilton\\nsecured a strong position on the Spitzray yesterday with\\na battery of the Cameron Highlanders and five hundred\\nmounted men.\\nGeneral Carrington reports that his Rhodesian force\\nhad their first fight at Selons River, carrying the posi-\\ntion after a sharp engagement, in which he lost four\\nkilled and nineteen wounded.\\nJuly 2^. Two despatches from Lord Roberts under\\nthis date\\nVandermerwe Station. We made a general ad-\\nvance yesterday from the position we have been holding,\\neast of Pretoria, since June 12th. Gen. Ian Hamil-\\nton, from the north, reached Rustfontein, seven miles\\nnorth of Bronkhorst Spruit, on July 2 2d. This so com-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0505.jp2"}, "506": {"fulltext": "454 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\npletely surrounded the enemy s line of retreat that they\\nabandoned the strong position they had been occupy-\\ning in front of Pole-Carew. Stephenson s brigade ad-\\nvanced yesterday, unopposed, to Elands River station.\\nOur right was protected by the ist and 4th brigades of\\ncavalry, under French, and Hutton s mounted infantry.\\nThe former crossed east of Wilge River.\\nBronkhorst Spruit. We marched here to-day\\nunopposed, but French s cavalry and Hutton s mounted\\ninfantry, making a wide detour on our right, met bodies\\nof the enemy. These were driven back, leaving several\\ndead and wounded. A good many were also captured.\\nOur casualties were one killed. Broadwood reports that\\nhe captured five of De Wet s wagons to-day. He was\\nwaiting at Vredefort until Little joined him.\\nJuly 2^. Lord Roberts telegraphed from Balmoral,\\nunder this date We marched here yesterday without\\nseeing the enemy. The Boers on July 24th engaged\\nFrench and Hutton six miles south of Balmoral. While\\nAnderson s mounted infantry attacked the Boers right,\\nFrench made a turning movement around their left.\\nSeeing their retreat threatened, the Boers broke and\\nfled. French and Hutton followed and proposed to\\ncross Oliphant s River to-day at Naauwpoort. Our\\ncasualties were one wounded.\\nJuly 26. On this day Lord Roberts reports French\\nand Hutton continued their pursuit on July 25th. The", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0506.jp2"}, "507": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 455\\nformer crossed Oliphant s River and from the high\\nground on the east bank he could see Middleburg,\\nand the enemy retiring in great disorder. The main\\nroad, north, was black for several miles with horsemen\\nand wagons. The enemy s rear was then seven miles\\nnorth. The mounted force were still vilest of the river.\\nNight was closing in, the rain was falling in torrents,\\nand so it was impossible to follow. The night was ter-\\nrible. In addition to the rain, a strong east wind made\\nthe bivouac most uncomfortable. One officer, I regret\\nto say, died of exposure, and the mortality among the\\nmules and oxen was great. The men made light of\\nhardships, and were in famous spirit when I saw them\\nyesterday.\\nHunter has occupied Fouriesburg, and, so far as I\\nknow, did not suffer loss.\\nThe enemy in the Bethlehem Hills are now closed\\nin upon. Basutoland is closed to them. Harrismith is\\nthe only line open and it will not be easy for them to\\nreach there with guns and wagons.\\nBroadwood is still watching Christian De Wet, who\\nhas taken up a position on high hills near Reitzburg,\\nabout seven miles south of the Vaal.\\nP. De Wet, a brother of Christian, surrendered at\\nKroonstad yesterday.\\nMethuen s column, which reached the Krugersdorp-\\nPotchefstroom railway, is now moving on to Potchef-\\nstroom.\\nBuller reports that the railway was opened to", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0507.jp2"}, "508": {"fulltext": "456 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nHeidelberg yesterday, giving us through communica-\\ntion to Natal.\\nJuly 2^. From Pretoria Lord Roberts telegraphed\\nOn July 25th MacDonald fought a rear-guard action\\nwith the enemy, from early morning until dark, nine\\nmiles outside of Naauwpoort, in the Bethlehem Hills,\\nresulting in his effectually blocking Naauwpoort Nek\\nto the Boer wagons.\\nHunter reports that the enemy twice checked his\\nadvance by holding strong positions on two neks, one\\nof which was taken before dark by the Scots, the\\nRoyal Irish, the Wiltshire, and the Leinster regiments.\\nThe second nek was taken during the night by the Scots\\nGuards without opposition. Prisoners taken stated that\\ntwelve hunred Burghers would surrender if guaranteed\\nthat they would be treated as prisoners of war and not as\\nrebels. To this I had assented. As a result of these\\noperations, Prinsloo, commanding the Boers, asked, under\\na flag of truce this morning, a four days armistice for\\npeace negotiations. Hunter replied that the only terms\\nhe could accept were unconditional surrender, and until\\nthese were complied with hostilities could not cease.\\nA later despatch reports that Prinsloo, and 3,348\\nBoers surrendered unconditionally, bringing in 3,046\\nhorses.\\nJuly 2g. General French occupied Middleburg, in\\nthe Transvaal, and General Pole-Carew, with the Guards\\nbrigade arrived at Brug Spruit, twenty miles west of\\nMiddleburg.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0508.jp2"}, "509": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 45 7\\nJuly ^o. Lord Roberts returned to Pretoria. Gen-\\neral Baden-Powell besieged at Rustenburg in western\\nTransvaal. The relief force sent to his succour proved\\ntoo weak to be effective, and returned to Pretoria.\\nJuly J I. Liebeberg s commando attacked General\\nSmith-Dorrien near Potchefstroom, but was easily re-\\npulsed.\\nGen. Ian Hamilton sent to Rustenburg to relieve\\nBaden-Powell s garrison.\\nSeven hundred and fifty additional Boers surrendered\\nto General Hunter.\\nAugust I. Commandant-General Botha sent a mes-\\nsenger to Lord Roberts, asking for confirmation of the\\nreport of the surrender of General Prinsloo, and request-\\ning permission to communicate with Gen. Christian\\nDe Wet.\\nA Boer force was attacked by General Knox, near\\nthe railway, north of Kroonstad.\\nAugust 2. Gen. Ian Hamilton, continuing his\\nmovement toward Rustenburg, engaged the Boers in\\nthe Magallesberg range. The British lost forty-one\\nwounded.\\nA train was derailed and attacked by the Boers twenty\\nmiles south of Kroonstad, four men being killed and\\nthree wounded. Lord Algernon Lennox and forty\\nmen were made prisoners, but were released at the\\nrequest of the American consul, Stowe, who was in\\nthe train.\\nTwelve hundred Boers, with Commandants Rouse,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0509.jp2"}, "510": {"fulltext": "45^ FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nFontanel, Deploy, Potgieter, and Joubert, surrendered.\\nThe Boer general, Olivier, with five guns and fifteen\\nhundred Burghers broke away from Hunter in the\\nHarrismith district.\\nAugust General Pole-Carew occupied Belfast, near\\nMachaddoorp, without opposition.\\nHarrismith surrendered.\\nLord Roberts reports Kitchener is with the force\\nsouth of Vaal River. He was joined yesterday by a\\nstrong detachment of Brabant s horse and the Canadian\\nregiment. The Boers attacked the garrison at Elands\\nRiver this morning.\\nAugust y. From Lord Roberts, dated this day, at\\nPretoria Delarey, hearing of Ian Hamilton s approach\\ntoward Rustenburg, and seeing that he had no chance\\nof capturing Baden-Powell, hurried off to Elands River.\\nHamilton reported that firing in the Eland River direction\\nceased yesterday, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Hoare s\\ngarrison had evidently been captured. Hamilton left\\nRustenburg this morning, bringing Baden-Powell s force\\nwith him. De Wet commenced crossing the Vaal River\\nyesterday. Kitchener is now moving in pursuit.\\nGeneral Buller occupied Amerspoort. The enemy\\nretired before his force about six miles before Amers-\\npoort was reached. The casualties were twenty\\nwounded.\\nGeneral Methuen engaged a portion of De Wet s force\\nnear Benterskroom. He drove the enemy off of a suc-\\ncession of hills, which they held obstinately. The", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0510.jp2"}, "511": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 459\\nBritish casualties were seven men killed or wounded,\\nincluding four officers.\\nHunter reported that he had taken 4,140 prisoners in\\nthe Bethlehem-Harrismith district. Three guns and four\\nthousand horses were captured, and ten wagon-loads of\\nammunition and 195,000 pounds of ammunition were\\ndestroyed.\\nAugust 8. General Kitchener engaged De Wet s rear-\\nguard near Lin deque.\\nAugust g. A rear-guard action was fought by General\\nMethuen, near Buffelshock. The British captured six\\nwagons and two ambulances,\\nA plot to shoot all the British officers, and to make\\nLord Roberts a prisoner, was discovered at Pretoria.\\nTen of the ringleaders were arrested. Everything was\\nprepared. The conspirators numbered about fifteen.\\nThey had planned to set fire to the houses in the ex-\\ntreme western parts of the city, hoping that the troops\\nwould be concentrated there. The plan was that then\\nthe conspirators were forcibly to enter all houses occu-\\npied by British officers, these having been previously\\nmarked, and to kill the occupants.\\nGeneral Methuen engaged a portion of De Wet s\\nforce near Bankerskroom, and lost seven men, including\\nfour officers,\\nAugust 12. Methuen and Kitchener, following\\nDe Wet and Steyn, reached Modderfontein, ten miles\\neast of Ventersdorp, Methuen remaining in touch with\\nDe Wet s rear-sruard.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0511.jp2"}, "512": {"fulltext": "460 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nAugust ij. Kitchener reported from Schoolplaats,\\neight miles east of Ventersdorp, that De Wet blew up\\nthree of his own wagons.\\nLord Roberts telegraphed Six British prisoners,\\nwho escaped from De Wet s camp, state that Mr. Steyn\\nis confined in the camp under surveillance, and that\\nDe Wet was forced to abandon his ammunition and\\nthirty horses. They also confirm the report that\\nMethuen captured one of De Wet s guns and shelled\\nthe main convoy effectively. Ian Hamilton telegraphs\\nthat he hopes to be at Blaauwbank to-day with his\\nmain body. Mahon s mounted troops are pushing on\\nto the westward.\\nAugust 16. A despatch from Pretoria contained the\\nfollowing General De Wet has managed to elude\\nGeneral Kitchener, in spite of the fact that all the\\nBritish wagons had double teams of picked animals.\\nThe Boers evaded the British by marching at night\\nover ground known to them, while their pursuers were\\nobliged to march in the daytime.\\nAugust ly. Ian Hamilton captured two Krupp guns\\nat Oliphant s Nek, losing three men wounded.\\nLord Kitchener, after a forced march, relieved\\nColonel Hoare and the British garrison at Elands\\nRiver.\\nLord Roberts s proclamation, issued to-day, after\\nreciting the fact that many have broken the oath to\\nmaintain neutrality, and that the leniency extended\\nto the Burghers is not appreciated, warns all who break", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0512.jp2"}, "513": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 46 1\\ntheir oaths in the future that they will be punished by\\ndeath, imprisonment, or fine. He declares that all\\nBurghers in districts occupied by the British, except\\nthose who take the oath, will be regarded as prisoners\\nof war and transported, and that buildings on farms\\nwhere the enemy or his scouts are harboured will be\\nliable to be razed.\\nLieutenant Cordua, of the Staats artillery, charged\\nwith being concerned in the plot to kidnap Lord Rob-\\nerts, was put on trial to-day at Pretoria. The prisoner\\nadmitted his implication, but declared that he was over-\\npersuaded to join the conspiracy by a man named\\nGano, who was the originator of the plot, and who\\nclaimed to have been in the British secret service, but\\nwanted to assist the Boers.\\nAugust ig. Rundle reported that 684 Boers had\\nsurrendered in the Harrismith district.\\nHamilton engaged the Boers all day at Roode kopjes\\nand Crocodile River. There were few fatalities.\\nAugust 20. Paget and Baden-Powell engaged the\\ncommandoes protecting De Wet. British loss one\\nofficer and one man killed one officer and six men\\nwounded.\\nLord Roberts confirmed the award of the queen s\\nscarf to trooper Chadwick, of Roberts s Horse, who was\\nchosen by the troopers as most distinguished for\\nbravery. Chadwick is an American he was one of\\nthe boat s crew who cut the cables at Cienfuegos.\\nAugust 21. General Roberts reports Lieutenant", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0513.jp2"}, "514": {"fulltext": "462 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nColonel Sitwell, reconnoitring near Ventersburg, en-\\ngaged the Boers. Two British were wounded. Lieu-\\ntenants Spedding, Davenport, Surtees, and Watson, and\\na medical officer and twenty-four men, are missing.\\nHamilton has crossed the Crocodile River. Buller s\\ndivision marched to Vanwycksvlei, fifteen miles south\\nof Belfast. His casualties were seven killed, twenty-\\ntwo wounded, and five missing.\\nPaget reported from Hammanskraal that Baden-\\nPowell engaged Grobler s rear -guard all day. Grobler\\nwas driven back east of Pienaars River. Baden-Powell\\noccupied the railway station of that name.\\nThe Boers blew up a portion of the railway at\\nKoetze s drift, five miles north of Newcastle, and\\ndamaged the rails at a point thirty miles south of\\nNewcastle.\\nAugust 22. Baden-Powell rescued one hundred\\nBritish prisoners at Warm Baths, and captured twenty-\\nfive Boers and a German artillery officer.\\nWhile reconnoitring in the Komati valley, Rundle\\nfound 140,000 rounds of ammunition buried.\\nAugust 2^. Lord Roberts left Pretoria and fixed his\\nheadquarters at Wonderfontein, the second station west\\nof Machaddoorp, where the bulk of the Boers in arms\\nare supposed to be. Wiring from there, he says Bul-\\nler reports the Boers laid a trap for his cavalry to-day,\\nopening with several guns at fairly short range. The\\nEnglish guns silenced the Boers, but when the firing\\nceased, and the pickets were being placed for the night,", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0514.jp2"}, "515": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 463\\nby some mistake two companies of the Liverpool regi-\\nment advanced fifteen hundred yards into a hollow,\\nout of sight of the main body, where they were\\nsurrounded by Boers, and suffered severely.\\nThe Liverpools lost ten men killed and forty-six\\nwounded- In addition, there were thirty-two missing.\\nGeneral Buller s other casualties to-day were twenty\\nmen killed, wounded, or missing. General French, with\\nfour brigades of cavalry, is moving east of Machad-\\ndoorp.\\nAiigtist 2^. Lieutenant Cordua, of the Staats artil-\\nlery, who was convicted on the 23d of being a ring-\\nleader in the plot to abduct General Roberts and kill\\nBritish officers, was shot at Pretoria.\\nAugust 2^. General Pole-Carew came into touch\\nwith the Boers at their main position at Dalmanutha,\\nand shelled a plantation east of Belfast. The Boers\\nreplied with long-range guns. General French, on\\nGeneral Buller s flank, exchanged shots with the\\nBoers, but no damage was done. An artillery duel\\nalso occurred on the British front.\\nAugust 26. Two despatches from Lord Roberts at\\nBelfast. The first Engaged the enemy the greater\\npart of the day over a perimeter of nearly thirty miles.\\nLyttleton s division and two brigades of cavalry, all\\nunder Buller, operated southwest of Dalmanutha.\\nFrench, with two brigades of cavalry, moVed north-\\nwest of Belfast, driving the enemy to Lekenvly, on\\nthe Belfast-Lydenburg road. As soon as French", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0515.jp2"}, "516": {"fulltext": "464 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nreached Lekenvly, Pole-Carew advanced from Belfast\\nin support. The enemy, in considerable strength, op-\\nposed Buller s and Pole-Carew s advance. He brought\\nthree long-toms and many other guns and pom-poms\\ninto action. The firing, until dark, was hot and per-\\nsistent. The Boers are making a determined stand.\\nThey have a large number of guns, and the country\\nis difficult, and well suited for their tactics, being less\\nfavourable to cavalry than any we have hitherto worked\\nover.\\nThe second despatch The Boers have been beaten\\nback by Bruce Hamilton in Winburg. General Olivier\\nhas been captured. Our casualties to-day were won-\\nderfully few, considering the heavy firing and the num-\\nber of hours we were engaged. Buller estimates his as\\ntwo killed and twenty-four wounded. The casualties\\nof the force operating north of Belfast were three\\nkilled and thirty-four wounded.\\nLord Roberts also announced that three of Olivier s\\nsons were also captured in the attack which the Boers\\nmade on Winburg.\\nAugust 2 Under this date, from Belfast, Lord\\nRoberts telegraphed Our movements are slow on\\naccount of the extent and nature of the country. To-\\nday we made a satisfactory advance, and met with\\ndecided success. The work fell entirely to Buller s\\ntroops, and resulted in the capture of Bergendal, a\\nvery strong position two miles northwest of Dal-\\nmanutha. French advanced on the left to Swartz-", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0516.jp2"}, "517": {"fulltext": "ANNEXATION. 465\\nkop, on the Lydenburg road, and prepared the way\\nfor the movements of Pole-Carew s division to-morrow.\\nBaden-Powell reports that he occupied Nylstroom\\nwithout opposition.\\nAugust 28. From Lord Roberts Buller s advance\\noccupied Machaddoorp this afternoon. The enemy\\nmade a very poor stand, and retired northward followed\\nby Dundonald s mounted troops, who could not pro-\\nceed beyond Helvetia, on account of the difficult nature\\nof the country, and the enemy taking a position too\\nstrong to be dislodged by the mounted troops. French\\ncontinued the movement to-day as far as Elandsfontein,\\nfrom which he turned the enemy out with no difficulty.\\nThe latter retired very rapidly, leaving cooked food\\nbehind.\\nAugust ^i. President Kruger and his chief officials\\nare at Nelspruit, about sixty miles from the Portuguese\\nborder, on the railroad between Pretoria and Delagoa\\nBay.\\nSeptember i. A private despatch from Pretoria con-\\ntained the following Mr. Kruger and Mr. Steyn have\\ngone to Barberton. It is believed that they are pre-\\nparing for flight. The general opinion is that the war\\nis now very near the end, but should the Boers con-\\nstruct strongholds in the bush, or on the veldt, or\\nelsewhere, and begin a system of raids, the British\\nwould require further large supplies of horses.\\nGeneral Buller moved fourteen miles northwestward,\\nalong the Lydenburg road, and crossed Crocodile River", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0517.jp2"}, "518": {"fulltext": "466 FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE.\\nto Badfontein. He found the Boers concentrating in\\nthe Crocodile Mountains,\\nA force of Boers under Commandant Ehron broke\\nthrough the British lines and captured and burned a\\nsupply-train at Klip River station, taking thirty-five\\nprisoners. Brabant s Horse proceeded thither, recap-\\ntured all the prisoners, and drove the Boers into the\\nhills.\\nColonel Plumer dispersed a small commando under\\nCommandant Pretorius, east of Pineaars River, cap-\\nturing twenty-six Boers, a number of wagons, and a\\nquantity of cattle and rifles.\\nAt Belfast, on this first day of September, Lord\\nRoberts formally annexed the Transvaal to the British\\nEmpire, thus bringing an end to the war as it has been\\nconducted. By such an act it became possible to treat\\nthe Boers as traitors rather than belligerents, and Lord\\nRoberts thus gained the power to put to death all who\\nwere found in arms against the British government.\\nTHE END.", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0518.jp2"}, "519": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0519.jp2"}, "520": {"fulltext": ".cut\\nDeacidified using the Bookkeeper process^\\nNeutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide\\nTreatment Date: June 2003\\nPreservationTechnologies\\nCranberry Township, PA 16066", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0520.jp2"}, "521": {"fulltext": "", "height": "2919", "width": "1851", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0521.jp2"}, "522": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3038", "width": "2101", "jp2-path": "fightingforempir00otis_0522.jp2"}}