Chapter 21

STRATEGIC EFFECTS OF LORD ROBERTS'S MARCH

>From the moment that Lord Roberts with his army advanced from Ramdam
all the other British forces in South Africa, the Colesberg force, the
Stormberg force, Brabant's force, and the Natal force, had the
pressure relieved in front of them, a tendency which increased with
every fresh success of the main body. A short chapter must be devoted
to following rapidly the fortunes of these various armies, and tracing
the effect of Lord Roberts's strategy upon their movements. They may
be taken in turn from west to east.

The force under General Clements (formerly French's) had, as has
already been told, been denuded of nearly all its cavalry and horse
artillery, and so left in the presence of a very superior body of the
enemy. Under these circumstances Clements had to withdraw his
immensely extended line, and to concentrate at Arundel, closely
followed by the elated enemy. The situation was a more critical one
than has been appreciated by the public, for if the force had been
defeated the Boers would have been in a position to cut Lord Roberts's
line of communications, and the main army would have been in the air.
Much credit is due, not only to General Clements, but to Carter of the
Wiltshires, Hacket Pain of the Worcesters, Butcher of the 4th R.F.A.,
the admirable Australians, and all the other good men and true who
did their best to hold the gap for the Empire.

The Boer idea of a strong attack upon this point was strategically
admirable, but tactically there was not sufficient energy in pushing
home the advance. The British wings succeeded in withdrawing, and the
concentrated force at Arundel was too strong for attack Yet there was
a time of suspense, a time when every man had become of such
importance that even fifty Indian syces were for the first and last
time in the war, to their own supreme gratification, permitted for
twenty-four hours to play their natural part as soldiers.[Footnote:
There was something piteous in the chagrin of these fine Sikhs at
being held back from their natural work as soldiers. A deputation of
them waited upon Lord Roberts at Bloemfontein to ask, with msny
salaams, whether 'his children were not to see one little fight before
they returned.'] But then with the rapid strokes in front the hour of
danger passed, and the Boer advance became first a halt and then a
retreat.

On February 27th, Major Butcher, supported by the Inniskillings and
Australians, attacked Rensburg and shelled the enemy out of it. Next
morning Clements's whole force had advanced from Arundel and took up
its old position. The same afternoon it was clear that the Boers were
retiring, and the British, following them up, marched into Colesherg,