THE FALL OF PRETORIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 182, 2 August 1900, Page 2

THE FALL OF PRETORIA.

LORD ROBERTS' MARCH

HOW THE TOWN WAS' TAKEN.

AN INTERESTING STORY

PRETORIA, June 17,

The fall of Pretoria was as sudden and as ignominious as that of Johannesburg. Our friends the enemy must surely be experts by now in the art of evacuating their towns and leaving a few individuals to hand the keys meekly over to Lord Eoberts.' The capital of Oom Paul's land, the fabled fortress almost of the entire globe, fell into our hands after a solitary day's fight. Cecil Rhodes is said to have declared that the strength of the Boer forces was the biggest Ampricked bubble in existence. Next to that biibble must be placed the fortification of Pretoria. A. bigger white elephant would be difficult to imagine than the forts upon which the wily President lavished two millions of money, and which' did not, fire a single shot at us. ' But the usual panic had fallen on the Federals, and they were in no humour to make a stand. The "Volkstein" had made one of its wonted efforts to restore their drooping courage by publishing a mass, pf fabrications about the Klip River fight, where, of course, the British had been repulsed with great slaughter, in its last issue, published the day before we came into Pretoria. It gravely informed its readers that our forces were surrounded at Johannesburg, but "facts are stubborn chiels," and our shells whirling over the town had more powers of persuasion than all the imagination of the Imperial journal.

As a matter of fact, Pretoria was ready to surrender as soon as Johannesburg gave in. People told us here that after the fight at Elandsfontein the Boers streamed through Pretoria in headlong flight in. mortal terror that the "khahis" WERE ON THEIR HEELS. The Government stores were thrown open and all classes of society, rich and poor, men, women and children, whites and blacks, made haste to load themselves with as much loot as they could lay hands on. Some one got together a small party of the special police and rode down the main street shouting ' "THERE COME THE BRITISH," and in a few minutes not a Boer was left in the town. Had we pushed on rapitily from Johannesburg we might have been spared even the resistance that we met with at the "Six Mile Spruit" outside the capital, but, after the of the Golden City, a few days' respite was given to the | weary men and horses.

The forward advance beginning on June 3, Hutton's Brigade of numnted infantry marched 20-miles that day far to the west of Pretoria, coming out .on the Mafeking Road. They fell in with the rear-guard of the Mafe•king- Commando and No. 1-Company of the Second Contingent, under Capt. Hutson, and Lieut. S. Banks and Somanerville was detailed to

OCCUPY A KOPJE, all night, remaining on it ti11..9 o'clock the next morning. Early in the morning a "pom-pom" also took up its position on this kopje, but all were withdrawn to follow the line of march, which. was continued . without any interrutstion for ten miles next day. The column passed within five miles of Pretoria, close to the eastern fort," which was occupied by Canadians and had nothing to do beyond ("receiving the submission of a number of" prisoners who gave themselves up. 7 The only fighting which took place around Pretoria/ was borne by the main column, whose scouts came in contact' with' the enemy's' outposts early on. the morning of June 4th. There was a sharp interchange of riflo shots between the opposing scouts, the enemy rapidly retaliating from some undulating ground into long lines of formidable kopjes. A message was sent'back for the guns, and the jaded horses slowly trotted into position to shell the first of the hills. Had the Eders chosen to defend the first line they would have had us in comparatively level ground but they ; ~ • '

MADE NO EEPLY TO OUR GUNS, and, after a. short, halt, the advance guard pushed on through a narrow pass into "a' valley, off which every vestige of grass had been burnt.

• Air went well until they had' almost reached the summit of the'next rid<>e when" • •

A HEAVY RIFLE FIRE

made'them sweep off to the right and left^ until the valley showed no sign of life. Leaving their horses in shelter, the mounted infantry advanced .to the attack. Again the usual haili of bullets greeted them, but failed to. do any damage, not even the. proverbial horse getting into harm's way. The- rifle iire- continued fiercely, for about ,an hour, myriads of mounted infantry swarming away to the left, disappearing down gullies, and coming ;iiitoi, sight again on the crests' of ridges that faded out of view in the distance. •

At last the enemy.'s fire was silenced, and the long train of waggons, Cape carts and other vehicles movedl ou up the valley. ....

An officers' mess cart was some distance ahead of the procession and had just reached the nek leading into the second valley when a shell.unceremoniously raised a cloud of dust right in front of it. The fall of the shell was a Complete surprise. The Gape cart turned tail and' headed \ quickly down the road, foll'owe/1 closely byshells from the gfiuv, which was carefully trained on. the road.

Then the

SHELLS FELL'QUICK AND FAST over the brow of the hill and caused a speedy retreat, the mounted troops gradually retreating out of

range to the right and left. The array of Cape carts had banked up m the bottom of the valley, and they were very disinclined to move. Our great" anxiety was to- get nito ; Pretoria, and the big crowd in the gully shifted about restlessly and moved back a few steps as an extra long-pitched shell came over the hill, just as a mob anxious to view some show falls back unwillingly before the policeman for a time. The Boers' guns (there were only two of them) had it all their own way, but as long as every one kept out of their line of fire they did not harm

them. The "J" Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery got into position on the brow of the hill, and with a few shots silenced their opponents and the boot was on the other foot.

All day long we kept up A DEAFENING FUSILADE

from eighteen guns, including the two naval 4.7 guns, 5-inch siege guns field artillery and horse artillery, as well as some quick-firing guns. ! The naval gunners threw • shells clean over the top into the suburbs of Sunnyside on the further side of Pretoria, with the object of breaking up the railway line- and preventing the escape of any rolling, stock. Other guns turned their attention to bursting lyddite and shrapnel all over the kopjes in our front. As the enemy were not replying it was a pleasant occupation to lie under a rock on the hill top and watch the effect of the bursting- shells. Soon, however, the correspondents' point of vantage on the highest.kopje in the centre became distinctly unpleasant. A (party of Boer sharp shooters daringly came round to the right of the guns, and began sniping at the naval gunners, and the stray bullets which always appear to do more harm than those directed at particular objects came right across the make-shift press gallery, so the purveyors of news quickly shifted their position and-had just got down behind the hill among the convoy and the ambulances of the bush hospital when the unexpected whirl of

A COMING SHELL was heard, and to the astonishment of us all one of the missiles dropped right into our midst. The Boers had managed to get another gun into position and poured in shells around the giins, and occasionally a little beyond. The descent which caused most consternation seemed called forth by the balloon. This was sent up right at the rear of the convoy, and it had scarcely got properly^ clear of the ground -when a shell whizzing right across the whole length of the valley dropped among a thunderstricken crowd of Cape boys and waggons under the balloon. The Kaffirs scattered at.once, leaving- their teams to look after themselves. An unfortunate mule paid the penalty of death, but nobody suffered from anything worse than perhaps neurasthenia. One correspondent was sitting by his cart having just boiled his billy or "cooked the kettle" as-he preferred to call it. He implored some of the scurrying crowd to help him ■to inspan his team but they all turned a deaf ear,, and he and his "boy" were obliged to perform the -task themselves. They /were in 'mortal terror of another. shell falling in the. same place* linlike a 'Canadian padre who immediately sits down just where a shell has fallen on the principle that that is the safest place. The correspondent and the, Kaffir, both trembling excessively, had a difficulty in getting the harness to go on right, but at last succeeded and drove off at breakneck speed.

The Boer fuse' was speedily silenced. Our pwn batteries- kept xvp an uninterrupted cannonade until dark, -while a strong force of mounted infantry working round to the left had come to within two miles of Pretoria,..

We went to sleep that night with1 visions of a big conflict on the morrow. Near where I was camped night was made hideous for a time by the yells of half a, dozen' Boer women whose houses had been looted during the day's fighting by Kaffirs.' A guard was put over them t for their protection, and (to the unfortunate Tommys, they gabbled volubly, in Dutch, pouring out the tale of •their woes.

Next morning to our surprise brought Jqo renewal of (hostilities, and then all heard thai

THE TOWN HAD SURRENDERED,

The whole column, headed by Lord Roberts, who was cheejed by his men as he passed, moved forward! and soon reached the poort leading into Pretoria. ".■'.. \

A little shooting was heard among the hills, but this was only a parting salute from a few Boers to some West Australians who were taking a morning up to one of the forts.

■The Australians were immediately compensated for this uncivil treatment by the hospitality of a bevy of ladies who came out to meet them with cups of coffee in their hands.,

When- we reaelied a path leading up to one of the forts Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener dismounted and! headed by a donkey -which scrambled up the hillside in front of them, went up to inspect the fort.

A brigade of pressmen pushed on to enter the town, but came to an> abrupt halt in front of the,,artillerybarracks when they heard a shot in the town, and then discovered that there was some uncertainty as to] whether the town had actually surrendered.. Presently, an officer rode' hurriedly past carrying a white flag, and the gang of newspaper men kept close in his wake as he trotted rapidly clown to. the market square. The deserted streets- a,t once. began, to. teem with life, as the townspeople poured out of their houses to- see tlie entfv of the British. "

- The Field' Marshal rode up, followed by Ms s^aff, and took up his position in front of the Raadzaal. There was some delay about hoisting' the fla°and: the few British' spectators made a rather unsuccessful- attempt at the National.. Anthem, At last, a tiny flag fluttered up the flag-pole,*the fife band played Save the Queen," and then Lord Roberts, waving his helmet, led three cheers, which were given with all the lung force of several thousand soldiers. From the. balcony of- a neighbouring: hotel a spectator called for cheers for the Field' Marshal which Lord Roberts acknowledged by raising his helmet. Then began a- ! ■ R-EVlirW; GP V THE • TROOPS; ; which; marched past, to the music of-a' drum ,and. fife band (mostly drum) which 'was relieved at intervals b-y" a bagpipe band and* by brass bands: There was. a v totai absence of "Soldiers of the Queen," with which the colonies enliven the departure of their contingents, _ the regiments marching past to their own marches. There was a

preponderance of infantry and artil- :; lery in the. procession, very few of the mounted infantry corps appearing in the show. Roberts' Horse, Kitchener's Horse, and a good few of tha City Imperial Volunteers were there, y but no Australians were in evidence, as their camps were some miles from the town. New Zealand was represented by Lieutenant Hume, who has been acting as captain with Major Poster's Company of .the Thirty-sixth Southern • Royal Garrison Artillery. These have 5-inch guns, and with the ;- naval guns formed the big-gun train, for the eleventh division. Lieutenant : Hume was formerly attached to the Forty-seventh Brigade, which he left •; at Bloemfontein. S THE RELEASED PRISONERS. : '.{. The prisoners of war—those of ouri . First Contingent who were captured ',- at Santos post—were soon at liberty* but death had already removed Wyldie and Tarrant from the hands of the: ; Boers before we arrived. Quarter- . master Sergeant Berland was called* before a court of inquir}r to account for the surrender of himself and his men, but the story of the waterworks disaster was a well-known and unpalatable incident in the war as soon as it happened. Berland speaks well o« his treatment by the Boers, stating • that Commandant de' Wet gave him '

permission to retain his personal effects, and protected him from a Boer who wanted to "commandeer" hh

watch in prison. He'says that his food V was quite sufficient, in which respect'", he seems to have been more fortOnate than, other prisoners to whom X have spoken. Mr Wood,'the manager. ■ of the Natal Bank in Pretoria,, appears to have exerted himself Considerably in looking after the welfare of the prisoners, especially of the New, Zealanders. Some clays before our arrival tha Boers were obliged to seek the ser« ; , vices of the imprisoned officers'to ;' control the men, who, excited by,the proximity of the* British troops,' and also by the more prosaic fact that the guards had forgotten to feed them all day, were threatening1 to break : out. The men had actually constructed a" tunnel, which was to emerge neafl, the "pompom" which commanded the : prison, and which they meant *td turn on to the guards. The excavated ' earth they used in making fireplaces* The officers agreed to restrain the! ;■ men on condition that they were Hots removed from Waterval, where our troops arrived, but in spite of. • this Vj promise the Boers did remove^ 900, and: intended to shift the whole IoU ' ■' A "COMMANDEERING INCIDENT.'* A queer misfortune befel lavo New! Zealanders., Troopers Edwards and < Tubman, who were in charge of General Hamilton's mess-cart, a brand nevyl, . spick and span turn-out, which they] had commandeered a few days pre* ~; viously. The troopers had come.into town and bought £5 worth of provisions for the general. They left, the / cart "with the mules, inspannecl in the ' yard while they went into a boardinghouse for tea. When they came' out their cart was gone. They made in- inquiries from the proprietor, who fold them that he had helped two' men to drive it out of the yard, as they seemed % ; the owners of it. The troopers hurried along1 in the direction it had taken, and were able to trace it ip- their own >' camp, as the mules took a lot-of swearing and sjamboking to get them t \[ along, and so attracted the attention; of passers-by, but when .the New •Zealanders' discovered" their"eai?t^the ">,, box had. been broken open, andtha stores abstracted. THE NEW ZEALAND CONTIN- i GENTS. The number of men available ■for' service from the three NeAV Zealand ~ contingents is very small, owing* i» the knocked-up condition of tha > horses, while a large number of men have given in their names for enrolment in the Transvaal .Prbvisirinat Police and for service on. the railways* On June 11th 114 New Zealanders, including1 50 from the second contingent, left camp and marched in the direction of the Delagoa Bay line. They were under the command of , Major Cradock, as Major Robin, who went out to join them after they left, had to return owing to illness. They were out for three clays,' and for the( whole of the 11th and 12th were sub* jected to ; A HEAVY FIRE y .;. from pompoms, Maxims and heavy] guns, some-of which were firing front T a range of 4$ miles. The New Zea-< landers -were also used as a reconnoitring party, and came under riflei fire' at close range. None of them, however, received any injuries,' tha only unfortunate being Sergeant Bussell, of the Third Contingent, who fell ill, and was returning to camp ia a Cape cart when he was captured, by, i the Boers, -who had occupied a drift* by which, the force had crossed earlier in the day. On the night of June ISthi the Boers, under Louis Botha," eWcu> ated their strong position, which-they had defended with a gallantry that won expressions of" admiration from Lord Roberts. The New Zealanders ? therefore returned on June 13th,' and, camped- near Pretoria*- ! j A party under Major Cradock was \, sent to Rustenburg ' ■ TO MEET GENERAL BADEISV j ,

POWELL,

»■ . But the general had" pushed 'on affiafl of his force, and met. them about 25 miles from Pretoria. He rode into Pretoria, spurring rapidly along- tiie streets ■with, his small staff as if ta avoid the outbursts o£ enthusiasm which greeted him all aloiig his rouie. He only remained a few hours. wl*l|> Lord Robert^ and then returned to ■; Rustenburg. ,THE WAR CORRESPONDENTS: 1;/ t Communication: ■with the .outsifltS,,'. would was very bad, and when the- cor- . respondents, in despair, interviewed Lord Stanley, the chief censor on the subject, his only consolation was, "Gentlemen, take a holiday." Attha.V post office there was a notice that letters "would be forwarded as! occasion arose.',' gome, of the London correspondents wished to send their des-patch-riders- right back to Kroonstadt with, messages, but Lord Stanley strongly advised them, not to do so. Most of the correspondents have therefore decided to return to London, but 1 a few still intend to remain and "see things, through^" With- one. or two, _ exceptions the colonial correspondents are leaving the front at the first opportunity. The contingents' la which they are- specially interested'are scattered to the four winds of South Africa, broken- up by death and diff^ , '< ease, and! left at various points, on tfie march, through lack of horses. Many are in the ranks of the police in tbo^ ) Free- State, and ..the., Transvaal, or in i the railway service* while those who are still with 4 their s troops are spH* into little parties, and' detailed.,l9 r various expeditions. Few of tnein have had any instructions from their officers since leaving Bldemfonfeini-•, for we have travelled faster than th» military post office waa able to doi