THE BOER WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 64, 17 March 1902, Page 8

THE BOER WAR.

THE FIBST DRIVE.

A HUGE MOVEMENT.

ENCLOSING DE WET'S HAUNT.

SWEEPING THE BOERS

WESTWARD

DESPERATELY HAKD MARCHING

(Reuters Special Service.)

EAWLINSON'S CAMP, Wolvehoek, February 8. —The completion of the blockhouse lines at Lindley, Harrismith, Heilbron and Botha's Pass having enclosed a considerable extent of country, which has for long been ths haunt of De Wet and Steyn, Lord Kitchener organised a huge movement for the purpose of absolutely clearing the enclosure. Colonel Rawlinson's march south from Standerton to Harrismith was cleverly designed, and the object to ■drive the Boers westward was thoroughly achieved.

Colonel Kawlinson left Harrismith on the 3rd inst., marching1 north in order again to sweep westward any Boers in that district, but it was j found that the first march had al- j ready done so, as very few .Boers were seen. Lord Kitchener's scheme was the i largest ever carried out in the pros-; ent campaign. It consisted of a con-1 tinuous line of over fifty miles in length, in close touch during the ■ day, and contracted during- the night, leaving no gap for the escape of the; enemy. i Lod Kitchener's plans were only j possible with troops accustomed to. the present style, of wafare. Four columns, commanded by General Elliott. Colonel Eawlinson, Colonel Byng and Colonel Rimington, j j averaging 2500 fighting men each, ', were concentrated at four points, i roughly ten miles apart, on the Lie- j benbergspruit, which runs almost dtiej south from Frankfort. j On the night of the sth inst. the' columns moved forward with a broad; front and in touch with each other,! so that nothing could escape. During the night the same broad front was maintained. Trenches were I dug ryfc every mile, and held by about { two hundred men. j To give an idea of the colossal nature of the task during the night of the 6th fifty-seven mile's were thus 'held. The formation was one long continuous line. In order to make everything absolutely sure the railway blockhouse lines were strongly reinforced. Colonels Holmes and Marshall moved outside the southern blockhouse, while Colonels Keir and Wilsion' moved outside the northern line. In order to be at the appointed place at the proper time, General Elliott marked time on the southern line, while Colonel Ra-wlinson moved on the outer circle, leading himself, his-: force doing desperately hard marching, averaging twenty-five miles per day. On the night of the sth, according to instructions, Colonel Eawlinson | held the western bank oil Liebanbergspruit, south-east, Colonel l^yng' held the line, having Colonel Kim:ijig£on on ibis >left, while General Elliott rested on the southern blockhouse line, forming a magnificent entrenched position of fifty miles. On that night the whole scheme was told to the men, alsto the latest information that De Wet, Steyn and Botha were inside the line. This produced a marvellous effect on the men. All the heavy fatigue of the last few marches was forgotten. The men laboured cheerfully in the trenches in spite of their heavy work-

On the morning of the 6th the. whole line moved forward at 6 o'clock, presenting one of the finest, sights it has ever been my privilege to see.

From different commanding heights along the line dots of blockhouses representing scouts of the main bodies could be seen stretching away over the undulating veld, keeping admirable touch so that it was impossible even for a hare to lie unnoticed, for a distance Jof about twenty-two miles, but General Elliott and Colonel Pdmington must have covered even greater distances as they were pivot.ting on us. That night the right line rested on the blockhouses about 12 miles east of Heiibron, while the left touched Doom Kloof, about 30 miles east of Kroonstaad, leaving a small gap south of the blockhouse line, which was filled by Colonels Holmes and Marshall, whose task was to, sweep up the corner of the square near Kroonstaad to allow General Elliott to swing- straight on the main, railway line

NEXT MOItXING, A FEW MILES J3ELOAV HCWIGSP JttttT-, , : : confirmation of the information arrived that De Wet and Stoyn were inside the lines.

Meanwhile the Boers were beginning to realise that our operations were not an ordinary drive, But something- which threatened their total annihilation.

Be Wet assembled his whole force, except patrols, and discussed the situation. As the result of the conference his force was slit inlo three parts. One part was sent to attempt to break through the northern line, another to break through the south, while De Wet himself, it is stated, declared his intention of attempting to cross west over the railway line. The system adopted by our great entrenched line enabling our pickets to hold the front trenches until night prevented Boer patrols locating our trenches and camps. However, the northern section of the enemy, ' commanded by Van der Merwe and Van Coller, made a desperate attempt to get out of the grim line which encircled then/.

AN INGENIOUS DEVICE'

At about 11 o'clock on the night of the 6th, the enemy, collecting a number of cattle, drove them down our line, which" at that spot was held by the first and second squadrons of the Imperial Light Horse and Mounted Infantry.

The idea was a most ingenious one. Keeping low down on the saddle, the Boers rode among the cattle, making it impossible for our men in the darkness pf th.c Bigfct 1.9. .distißSHisi, ifcem.

However, the picquets immediately opened a terrible fire- The Boers worked along the line trying to -find an opening, but everywhere they met with a relentless hail of bullets. The sound of firing swayed along, the line and then died away. When morning came heaps of dea'a horses, saddles and clothing showed proof of the enemy's disorder- When the line moved forward, one dead Boer, seven wounded and thirty-three prisoners were picked up.

Thei attempt had signally failed. Only a few out of the. two hundred who made the attempt succeeded in crossing in the midst of the cattle. It is estimated that the number was not more than thirty.

The brunt of the attempt fell on the Ist Imperial Light Horse, who behaved, with their usual gallantry, losing four killed. The 2nd Light Horse was also engaged, as well as the Bth Mounted Infantry.

On the moniug of the 7tii the grim Pue of armed men'again moved forward. In spite of a sleepless night a.ad their hard work, the men were in wonderful spirits, realising the intuit ness of the issue. The manoeuvre was again a remarkable sight, the long line diminishing into the dim distance. MADE FOR THE LINE. At about 11 o'clock Colonel De Lisle hehugraphed and / confirmed the I news that De Wet had made for the Early in the afternoon the line was into position, the right on Heilbron, i'aud the left on Potgietersrust, near i M jriugspruit. The net was pulled in, the line being allotted to a male instead of two Lundreu as hitherto, in some places the wire fencing was removed, and trenches dug bemnd. From the experience of the previous ! night, special care was taken of the I wide valleys, which were evidently favourable to attempted evasions. Soon after sunset the advance observation posts were withdrawn, and the camps settled down and were ' cmiet. The watchful men had all been told how much depended upon their I vigilance, aJid they entered heartily 1 into the spirit of the operations. Soon I after nine o'clock a fusillade broke lout on our left, where the 12th and 20th Mounted Infantry were positioned. The Toll of the fire gradually ran up the line reaching to Heilbron, where the blockhouse took it up.

WEIRD SIGHTS AIsD SOUNDS. Then followed the weirdest of sounds and sights possible. Imagine a long line of flame, crackling like buning wood, running up and down the line for nearly thirty miles, the armoured train flashing lights over miles of country, and firing quickfiring guns along the trenched line, the field grins sounding deep amid the sharp crackling of musketry, and the Heilbron forts contributing to the noise with the heavy boom of the naval guns. This lasted for some twenty minutes. Gradually the ratt c died down to the crack of single shots. Then all was again quiet. During the night, up to half-past two in the morning, there was constant heavy firing rippling up and down the line. Thcsn, for the first I time, those not on duty were frequently able to snatch some little sleep Everybody was anxious to learn the. result of the night's work. When day broke the patrols advanced, and found dead horses and five dead Boers.