Chapter 23 - Page 2

(Clery's), the
4th (Lyttelton's), and the 5th (Hildyard's, late Warren's), with the
cavalry brigades of Burn-Murdoch, Dundonald, and Brocklehurst. These,
with numerous militia and unbrigaded regiments along the lines of
communication, formed the British army in South Africa. At Mafeking
some 900 irregulars stood at bay, with another force about as large
under Plumer a little to the north, endeavouring to relieve them. At
Beira, a Portuguese port through which we have treaty rights by which
we may pass troops, a curious mixed force of Australians,
New-Zealanders and others was being disembarked and pushed through to
Rhodesia, so as to cut off any trek which the Boers might make in tbat
direction. Carrington, a fierce old soldier with a large experience
of South African warfare, was in command of this picturesque force,
which moved amid tropical forests over crocodile-haunted streams,
while their comrades were shivering in the cold southerly winds of a
Cape winter. Neither our Government, our people, nor the world
understood at the beginning of this campaign how grave was the task
which we had undertaken, but, having once realised it, it must be
acknowledged that it was carried through in no half-hearted way. So
vast was the scene of operations that the Canadian might almost find
his native climate at one end of it and the Queenslander at the other.

To follow in close detail the movements of the Boers and the counter
movements of the British in the southeast portion of the Free State
during this period would tax the industry of the historian and the
patience of the reader. Let it be told with as much general truth and
as little geographical detail as possible. The narrative which is
interrupted by an eternal reference to the map is a narrative spoiled.

The main force of the Freestaters had assembled in the north-eastern
corner of their State, and from this they made their sally southwards,
attacking or avoiding at their pleasure the eastern line of British
outposts. Their first engagement, that of Sanna's Post, was a great
and deserved success. Three days later they secured the five
companies at Reddersberg. Warned in time, the other small British
bodies closed in upon their supports, and the railway line, that
nourishing artery which was necessary for the very existence of the
army, was held too strongly for attack. The Bethulie Bridge was a
particularly important point; but though the Boers approached it, and
even went the length of announcing officially that they had destroyed
it, it was not actually attacked. At Wepener, however, on the
Basutoland border, they found an isolated force, and proceeded at
once, according to their custom, to hem it in and to bombard it, until
one of their three great