The Record of a Regiment of the Line by M. Jacson

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

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

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

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

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

[Illustration: Devons Crossing the Sabi River]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHAPTER IV

LYDENBURG

1900-1901

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

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

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

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

The battalion stood to arms daily just before dawn.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post contained a 4.7 naval gun called "Lady Roberts," and this, with
the garrison of three companies of the Liverpool Regiment, was taken,
only one small fort manned by a small contingent of about fifteen men
holding out. General Walter Kitchener left at once with four companies
of the Rifle Brigade, two companies of the Regiment (from Witklip), two
guns, and the mounted troops, in the hope of intercepting the Boers and
recovering the gun. The Boers, however, had made good their retirement
to the hills, and General Kitchener returned to Lydenburg with the
column on the 31st.

The Liverpool Regiment lost at Helvetia 4 killed, 27 wounded, and 200
prisoners.

The Boers about this time attacked all along the line from Lydenburg to
Pretoria. The defences, except at Lydenburg, were of the most meagre
description. In fact, the works constructed by the Rifle Brigade and the
Devons at Lydenburg were the only works of any strength, and these were
as complete as possible. Witklip was being placed in a fortified
condition, but up to the time of the taking of Helvetia Post little had
been done anywhere, except at Lydenburg.

For the next few nights all posts round Lydenburg stood to arms at 1.30
a.m. owing to the activity of the Boers, but it was not till January 4th
that they attacked the Bridge Hill Post. They attempted to capture the
picquet on the bridge over the Spekboom River, but were beaten off.

About this time one company was ordered down from Paardeplaats to
Mission Camp, the garrison at Paardeplaats being thus reduced to one
company; and Witklip garrison was reinforced by the addition of one
company, which was sent there from Mission Camp.

On the early morning of January 8th the Boers made a simultaneous attack
on almost all posts on the line between Belfast and Lydenburg. The
following posts were attacked: Badfontein, Schwarzkop, Helvetia,
Machadodorp, Belfast, Pan, and Noitgedacht. The Badfontein Post was
shelled only, by a big gun mounted on the hills west of the fort, which
failed, however, to reach the post. The result of the general attack was
that two posts only, those at Belfast, were captured by the Boers. These
were not held, and the Boers retired, leaving twenty-four dead upon the
ground. The posts had been well prepared for defence after the disaster
at Helvetia.

A wire bridge over the Lydenburg River, constructed by Lieutenant Green
and the twelve men of the Maxim gun team, was completed about this time,
and as it attracted a good deal of attention a description of it may be
interesting.

The bridge had a span of sixty feet, and was constructed on the system
of the "jhula," or rope bridge, of Cashmere, out of telegraph wire. The
roadway, to admit of one person at a time, was made of two lengths of
twisted wire, each ten strands thick. These being stretched tightly
across the river, and the ends well worked into the ground and pegged
down, were joined together by small laths of wood two inches apart. Two
more lengths, each ten strands thick, were stretched from two uprights
on each bank, at a convenient height above the roadway, to form a
support for it. These were joined on to the roadway by stout sticks,
about one to two feet apart, on either side to give stability. The
bridge was then secured up and down stream by wires to keep it steady.
The height of the bridge above the stream was about twenty feet.

[Illustration: Wire Bridge, Lydenburg]

The chief cause of attraction and interest in the bridge to outsiders
was the fact that it had been constructed entirely by British infantry
without the aid of the Royal Engineers, and that the plan had been
thought out by them alone, and was not "in the book." The idea had been
taken from some photographs of a Cashmere "jhula," and the work had been
carried out from descriptions of the rope bridges furnished by an
officer of the Regiment who had crossed them. All previous bridges had
been washed away, but this bridge was still standing at the end of the
war, and was being utilized then by the Kaffirs at Mission Camp as an
easy access and short cut to their cultivated fields.

On January 12th, as a larger convoy than usual was coming through to
Lydenburg, a small force under Captain Jacson, consisting of two
companies Devons, one company mounted infantry and one gun went out from
Mission Camp to demonstrate towards Schoeman's Laager on the west. No
Boers, however, were seen, and the convoy came safely into Lydenburg
without opposition.

Several changes occurred in the disposition of the companies of the
Regiment during the latter half of January, 1901.

The head-quarters with three companies were stationed at Witklip under
Colonel Park. Two companies proceeded to Badfontein as a garrison under
Major Davies. One company held each of the posts at Bridge Hill and
Paardeplaats respectively. One company was in charge of the Mission
House, whilst one company was left at Mission Camp to commence the
construction of a new work south of the old camp.

[Illustration: Wire Bridge, Lydenburg (General Kitchener and Colonel
Park)]

These changes were made on account of some large convoys going and
coming to and from the railway line, larger escorts having to be
provided owing to the proximity and increased activity of the Boers on
the lines of communication. The convoys came through safely without any
trouble, and on January 30th Major Davies with his two companies
returned to Witklip. The head-quarters of the Regiment, with three
companies, left Witklip the following day and proceeded to Mission Camp.
Further changes were made during February, 1901, the post at
Paardeplaats being given up and the company posted there returning to
Mission Camp.

Towards the latter end of January a flying column was organized by
General Walter Kitchener. The objective of this column was the high
hills south of Lydenburg towards Witpoort and Belfast. It was under the
personal command of the General, and was composed of the following
troops:--

1 squadron 19th Hussars.
1 battery R.F.A.
1 naval 12-pounder.
1 pompom.
1 company Manchester Mounted Infantry.
3 companies Devons under Captain Travers.

The column set out at 1 a.m. in the direction of Elandskloof. It was a
bright night, although a thick white mist hung everywhere. The 19th
Hussars, who knew the difficult country, conducted the advance. After
marching for two hours the column found itself in the hills. A halt was
made whilst the three companies of the Regiment extended and occupied
the high ground which barred the advance, to drive off any Boers who
might be in possession. This manoeuvre was executed without opposition.
It was learnt, however, that a Boer picquet had been on the top, and had
galloped off on the approach of the infantry. Daylight found the column
in possession of Elandskloof, which was reached after a difficult climb
by steep and circuitous paths. Shortly after daylight several Boers were
observed to be driving their cattle into kloofs above the Badfontein
valley for safety. An advance was made shortly afterwards towards
Schwartz Kopjes, which place was reached without much opposition towards
dark. At Schwartz Kopjes camp was formed for the night, the infantry
entrenching themselves in the kopjes round the camp, with one company
posted in a farmhouse about 400 yards west of the main camp.

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