THROUGH THE FREE STATE WITH ROBERTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12243, 2 July 1900, Page 3

THROUGH THE FREE STATE WITH ROBERTS.

® . ■ ■ THE CHEAT ADVANCE. WORK OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS. THE SECOND CONTINGENT UNDER FIRE. FIGHTING AND COMPLIMENTS. EXPERIENCES OF BOER TREACHERY. [From Oi:r Special Corruspoxiikn't ] SMALLDEEL, May 17. How often, since landing in South Africa has the Second New Zealand -Contingent longed for the experience of au.atmosphere of bullets. It never rains but it pours, and Major Cradock’s troop has not been the exception to prove this rale. Three fights, three addresses of congratulation from the general commanding, and; only one man wounded ccnstitute a. very 'fair record for three consecutive dap. But the cart is getting before the horse, and we must get back to something like chronological order. To begin with the general advance of Lord Roberts’s ponderous lighting machine began on May 1. “ Bobs, ’ the little grizzlj wander, in whom the British nation puts its trust, had long been lying in the capital of what has ceased to be the. Orange Free State. Some impatient bloods, no doubt, chafed at a delay which they could not understand, but the master mind knew what he bad in hand too well to move before the time was ripe. The south-east corner of the Free State had to be cleared of Boers before any further advance northwards could be made.

THE FORWARD MOVEMENT COM-

MENCED

As soon as all the turning movements had been completed so that Lord Roberts could drive the enemy belt re the immense army which stretches from Lord Methuen on the western frontier almost in a. direct line to General Duller, tire forward movement from Bloemfontein commenced. Moving up the middle along the railway lino is Abe eleventh division, under General Pole-Care w, or as he is popularly called, “Polly Cairey,” the most immaculate in personal appearance of all the British generals. There, of course, are the headquarters staff, the veteran of many campaigns, the idol of 'his army and the chivalrous knight to his enemies. Beside him rides his chief of staff, the stern forbidding hero of tbe Soudan. On cur right flank is the 7th division, under General Tucker, flanked by the first and second corps of the mounted infantry, under General lan Hamilton. The left flank is protected by the third and fourth corps of the mounted infantry, commanded by General Hutton, and here are centred the hopes and fears of these whom our second contingent have left behind them in New Zealand. Though it now musters but 120 strong Major Gradock’s command bus already established a reputation which does all honour to the patriotic land that sent it fort! The march to Kenhardt tried its powers of endurance, and the last few days have tested its behaviour under fire. THE SECOND CONTINGENT’S BAPTISM OF FIRE. On May 5 our contingent marched out of camp at Lawton’s farm, a few miles from Bloemfontein. “A long march to-day boys, and a fight to-morrow, ' said General Hutton, as they passed. A long inarch it was, 28 miles, but the promised fight did not come the next day. Instead of a set to they had only to march three miles, waiting for the main body to come on, but on the day after that get their baptism of fire, and a, bob one it was. Their objective was Brandfort, the first place of importance after leaving Bloemfontein. The Boers were here in strong force, holding the centre, a practically impregnable position. They would have liked the British to deliver cue of their frontal attacks so disastrously famous at Magersfontein, Modeler River and Enslin. Lord Roberts played with them in the centre while bis wings closed round and outflanked them. Then they shut up shop and ran. On the right the Boers kept up a heavy cannonade from the tops of some high kcpjss, while our infantry lay sheltered behind a low lying hill. The Boor guns were handled by men that knew their work, but they lost heart as soon as they saw the 14th Brigade working round on their flank. A parting shot came over the ridge behind which our main body was concealed, and killed two of the City Imperial Volunteers. Theoretically, this cccurrenoe is lamented by Tommy Atkins in the phrase “ chummy has had hia lights put out,' 1 but a closer acquaintance with the army soon convinces you that military matters are very different from what yon are told in the story books. A COMMANDEERING EXPEDITION. While this movement was being carried out on the right tbe mounted infantry were conducting a flanking movement on the left. As the brigade moved 1 towards Brandfort a large force of Boers were seen retiring. The main body of General Hutton’s force moved further to the left, leaving the New Zealanders to advance on the town. Lieutenant Somerville, with one section, was sent forward through the firing line to investigate a spruit which was found to be clear af the enemy. The Lieutenant and two men then retired, while the other two. Corporal Dean and Trooper Lund-cu, went on a foraging expedition. Having collected 400 sheep and 116 cattle they began to drive in the spoil, when bullets commenced to ping round them. The enemy’s fire had been drawn by a party of Scouts under Sergeant Kelsall, from a kopje on the left of the town. The scouts returned a few rounds from the plain, and then withdrew to a donga from which they kept up a fire for half an hour. Meanwhile our commondeerers had found matters growing pretty warm. “We had better get out of this,’’ said Lnndon, as the bullets whistled round. “This comer is getting too bet.” “Well, we’re not going without the stock,” replied Dean, so they drove off their booty to sater quarters and sat down to watch, the proceedings. THE CAPTURE OF BRANDFORT.

Lieutenant Crawshaw had by this time led a squad to the right, where he seized a kopje under a very hot fire. This party shot the first Boer killed by our Contingent, and also succeeded in capturing another. Lieutenant Crawshaw than entered Brandfort from the right, but found himself forestalled by another squad under Lieutenant Findlay and Lieutenant Ross, of the Rimington Guides. General Hutton had sent an order that the town was nob to be entered, as he did not consider the Tree strong enough, but the order fortunately did not reach Major Cradock. AN IMPORTANT PRISONER.

Lieutenant Ross said to the eight men with him, “ Who’ll come with me for the town?” All got their horses and raced for the town, Sergeant Kelsail being the first to enter it. Racing down the main street he found a Boer Liking leave of a lady. When the Sergeant took him prisoner he asked, “ To whom he had the honour to surrender,” and on being told, said ‘‘ Well, you’ve made a. good haul. I a.m the acting field-cornet in charge of the town.” He was completely Liken by surprise, as he did.not expect the British to enter the town for another two hours. He had sentries posted on kopjes, to give him timely warnjnn- to escape, but they had enough to do to look after themselves. Sergeant Kelsail was making off with the prisoner’s belongings when the General called him back, and asked him what he had got. The Sergeant told him, and he said, “ You had better keep the lot.” So one of our men is now aimed with a good Mauser irifle, ammunition and revolver, at the Boers’ expense. The bandolier is now in Lieutenant Crawsbaw’s possession. General Hutton showed bis appreciation of the New Zealanders’ services by thanking them for their support. He said that if he had received orders to come through the town, splendid use could have been made of our services. ANOTHER HOT EXPERIENCE. The Contingent that night camped a mile out of Brandfort. Next morning they

moved on to another kopje three miles from the town. Trooper Stoevens, of No. 1 Company, seeing a white flag flying from a house, rode within forty'yards of it, when four Boers opened fire on him, ouo _ shot grazing bis boot. The scout galloped back, and twenty-five men of No. 2 Company dismounted and took shelter in -the ruts of the road. The enemy shelled the horses, which were protected behind kopjes, withouo effect. The enemy were estimated at 200, in a strong position, protected by pompoms, while our handful of men had to advance three-quarters of a milo with very little cover. Major Cradock displayed great coolness in loading on his men under a verv heavy fire. Responding to his “Now then,’boys, a little further-,” they skirmished up from the wheel : inicks on the road-ide to a sod -wall, and then, taking cover behind ant heaps, to the ridge from which the Boers retired before them to a kopje about 800 yards distant, from which they kept up an incessant rifle fire. The New Zea’anders were protected from this under the friendly lee of a, kraal. As soon as the artillery came into play from the open, five, shells, all bursting close to the eneim, made them leave in such a hurry that two horses ready saddled up wo abandoned, and fell into our hands. That afternoon General Hutton addressed the Contingent, complimenting Major Cradock on the way in which he had taken the position, and characterising the exploit us a Most miiliaut charge.” THE COLONIALS CROSS THE VET’ RIVER. The remainder of the afternoon was spent on the nidge, and when dusk came on a return was made to camp three miles back. Scouts were sent out and found the enemy in position on the Vet River. Here the Boers had a very strong natural defence extending over a front of ten miles, and attain the enemy were evicted by a turning movement on the left flank, •carried out by General Hutton’s brigade, in which the Second Contingent of New Zealand, and the Canadians, were most conspicuous, ihe Canadians got into the river at a lower point than our- men, and following its zigzag course, surprised the Boers, who fled at” the sight of their bayonets. Whether the Canadians or New Zealanders crossed first is a moot point between the two, out neither will suffer by comparison with the other The brigade advanced on t-lie river and approached a kopje on their own side. About eleven o’clock in the morning the artillery shelled for two hours, with the idea of leading the enemy to disc.ose their position, but they were too ‘ slim to be drawn. Our men then dismounted and advanced on the river to draw the fire, they had covered 300 yards when a shell burst fifty yards in front of them, hut the advance was continued till the men got cover in a field of mealies. The enemy were lyinrr in the river-bed, with their guns mounted 0 on kopjes on the far side. Meantime, Sergeant Blair’s section, sent out to reconnoitre another point, was met - by such a, fusilade that it had to retire. An artillery duel was kept up for an hour, when the New Zealanders were ordered to advance. This they did under cover of trees, and when they reached the nver-bed they poured in a few volleys, which shifted the Boers to cover, a quarter of a mile mom the river. Major Cradock led his men across, and then the fighting began in reaa earnest. The' New South Welshmen crossed on our right and the Canadians on the left.

A STORM OF LEAD The New Zealanders then passed through an experience that would try the nerves or most seasoned troops. The kopje which we had to take lay across an open piece of country, affording absolutely This was swept by a regular had of bullets from rifles and a Maxim gun and how we escaped without a man being hit is nothing short of a marvel. Everyone lay flat with his nose buried in the ground while the bullets rained around. The Boeis, hov ever, were unable to stand the shebs dropped among them by the artillery, a SS£d decamp. ThC NCW ganders fired some volleys at the horses they could Sbeteg led down the hill, and this led to the capture of the enemy s Maxim gun.

A RACE FOR A GUN. As the Boers were retiring Major‘ Cratook ordered his men to advance, an 1 the movement was earned out in compare tive security, the enemy contenting themselves with a few sniping rimts the *to,w Zealanders, keeping up a deadteav fire ‘ the retreating Boers, advanced on the kopje and caught right of a Maxim gun which the Boers had been obliged to surrender owing to .our fire preventing them from getting their horses to it- A woe for gun took place between tbe New South Welshmen an the Now Zealanders, and our men won, Sergeants Henderson and Overton bcinrr the first to reach it. Seated near the gun, with his back to the foe, was the Pretoria!! artilleryman who had been working the gun. He was wounded through the \£ and was thus taken prisoner. This finished the day’s work for Major Cradock s men, who camped for the night on the battlefield, on which lay a few dead Boers. The Queenslanders, who had retired to a kopje on our right, expired their admiration of the way m which the New Zealanders advanced up the kopje. A HIGH COMPLIMENT.

This morning General Hutton came up while the troop was on the march, shook hands with Major Cradock, and said, “ New Zealanders, lam proud of you,’ Ho again thanked the contingent for its work, and said that he had had a message from Lord Roberts thanking him for the able assistance rendered by bis brigade, and that New Zealand bad largely contributed to its success.

ANOTHER EXCITING EXPERIENCE. While the main body of the New Zealanders was engaged in the passage of the Vet River, a small party of them was undergoing an equally exciting and perhaps more trying experience some miles to the left. Lieutenant Somerville, with about twenty men, went out on a scouting expedition and rode as far as the railway line. Having ascertained that certain kopjes were clear, ho rested his men in a farmhouse, where he found the captain of the West 'Australian Mounted Infantry, some of whom were engaged in scouting in the same place. Suddenly a few shots rang out and some of the scouts rushed in to say that the remainder had been cub off by the Boers. The West Australian captain then ordered all in. the house to go to the assistance of those in trouble. The railway line had to be crossed in Indian file, as the wive fences enclosing the line had to be cut. Lieutenant Somerville ordered the men not to “ bunch,” us they were passing through the fence, and fortunately, they carried out his orders strictly. The Boers, who were in strong force, concentrated a rifle fire on the cap through which they passed, and only a few who got through the opening managed to gallop out of range. The rest took cover at once along the railway line, and for twenty minutes’ or half an hour lay under a sweltering fire which they could make no effort to return. Here, too-, fortune favoured the New Zealanders, for in spite of the downpour of bullets only one man was struck. This was Trooper Smith, who was lying in a slightly exposed 1 position up the railway embankment, and who was wounded severely in the groin and slightly in' the shoulder. Lieutenant Somerville moved along to him to see if anything could ho done, but found him lying as comfortably as was possible. The wounded trooper remained there till he was attended to by the West Australian ambulance. The remainder kept close under cover, Lieutenant. Somerville calling out occasionally to know how his men were faring. DISAPPOINTED BOERS.

At last the Boers grew tired of peppering them with bullets and made an attempt at capture. Five Boers came down along the me, one of them braggingly walking along ,iu full view until lie found it safer to get under cover. The would-be captures were too closely watched and potted at whenever opportunity offered to accom-

piish their object, and soon retired. The sorely-pressed little force continaed their anxious watch until the afternoon, .X™ 1 the scream of a British shell sounded like tho sweetest music in their ears. This was a challenge from Lord Roberts's main force itself, which, leaving Brandfort at six in the morning, came on our men in distress about two o’clock in the afternoon. AN IRRESISTIBLE ADVANCE.

One needs to see the advance of the headquarters column to realise what it means. You in New Zealand may get some idea of it one day by tho aid of science, for a kinematograph man was there taking pictures which in a few weeks will show the people of London liow the gentleman in kharki ” actually looks and works on active service. After all the Boers have provided the best simile for this advancing host. The British army is like a swarm of locusts, say the enemy, and the illustration is very apt. Take your stand on a neighbouring kopje and watch the column move on with the steadiness and precision of a huge machine. Line after line, regiment after regiment, the yellow mass surges over a ridge, a patrol of mounted scouts feel tho way, and assurance is made doubly sure by a regiment in extended order stretching away across the plains. In this advance the front infantiy company is led by a big black dog, which keeps his place just ahead of the line, no matter how, hot the sun or how far his tongue may hang out. Conspicuous in the line of artillery axe the two naval 4.7 in guns drawn by huge spans of oxen, while the sailors trudge along with their unmistakeable roll. THE BLACK DRIVERS.

In the rear come the enormous mass of waggons that carry the supplies for the army, the mules and oxen driven and goaded on by a joyful crowd of blacks. Nothing delights the South African, native so much as to g-et into a military expedition. Give him a pair of military trousers, putties and a forage cap, with a few shillings a week thrown in, and he is filled with childish glee. Armed with a long whip, he marches proudly alongside the team, dropping the lash unmercifully on the straggling ox or mule, generally selecting the animal that is bearing the brunt of tile work. All the time he keeps up a continual yell that is almost unbearable until your ears have become seasoned to it. Then, when a fight begins, tho coloured mam becomes an interested spectator. Yesterday afternoon he had a fine grand stand from which to view the sport. A MODERN FIGHT DESCRIBED.

The Boers had their guns planted on kopjes on the far side of the river, with Lieutenant Somerville’s party lying right under them. Little did I think, as Lord Roberts’s column moved solidly forward over the veldt, that he was about to rescue some of our men from a most precarious situation. It was tho first fight I had seen, and what struck me was the businesslike manner in winch the British guns got to work. There was no preliminary at all. The enemy were over against us in the hills. Convoys halted, the guns galloped forward, and the infantry moved up to sink down in any cover they could find —a field of mealies, a cactus fence, o r a small water-course. In a few minutes the first shell went screaming through the air to burst into a puff of smoke alongside a farmhouse. No reply came from the Boor, guns for a quarter of an horn, when the heavy boom of a “ Long Tom ” burst forth. Now was the time for the navais. An officer rode back to where the sailors were waiting, eager to try their skill once mote against the Continental gunners, who were planking shells with great accuracy round our batteries, and driving the waggons from their places of shelter. “ Bring up the gnus,” he said, quietly. The ■ oxen strained at the yoke, and up the hillside toiled the two huge weapons of destruction, whoso motto “ Ich dien,” is painted on the limber. Seven rounds were all they fired, but the navals shoot to hit. The din of cannonading went on till night drew its pall over the conflict, and the army withdrew to fight the battle over again. “ Tommy Atkins ” becomes extremely loquacious about the day’s doings, especially when he is boiling a good 1 stew composed of a fowl he has looted on the road, and any carrots or other vegetables’he. can secure in a burgher’s garden. This culinary operation takes about two hours, and if it happens to be carried on just behind your tent, you get a surfeit of his accounts of his hairbreadth escapes from sudden death and of his loud admiration of the “Johnny Tare,” of whom the Royal Artillery man does not seem to entertain the slightest jealousy. At last- silence reigned in the camp, but it was early astir, ready to attack tbe Boers agaiu. They, however, had found discretion the better part of valour, and, with their left flank turned by General Hutton’s Brigade, they prudently withdrew. Lieutenant Somerville, under cover of our guns, had effected his retreat, which was marked by a conspicuous act of bravery on the part of Trooper Elmslie. A West Australian was wounded while retiring, and fell from his horse. Trooper Elmslie returned in face of the fire, picked up the wounded man, and carried him off the field.

SOUVENIRS OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

Lieutenant Somerville’s party rejoined Major Cradock that night, and to-day our contingent came on as far as Smaldeel without further adventure. They have now the nucleus of a very respectable museum, including the captured Maxim, a mess tin which was perforated by a bullet while tied to the trooper’s waist, another trooper’s water bottle which a bullet has rendered unfit for further military service. Still another member of the contingent has his narrow escape attested by a scratch on. the handle of his bayonet, caused by a bullet which passed between the handle and the leather guard. Lieutenant Somerville also has a lanoe which he found in a Dutch farmhouse, and which had evidently been captimed by the Boers from some Lancer regiment. BOER METHODS OF WARFARE. Among other things captured by our men on the last kopje they took was a quantity of ammunition, in which the bullets had been split so as to render thSn dum-dums. We have thus already experience of two of the ways in which the Boers disregard the customs of civilised warfare, in the abuse 'of the white flag and the use of explosive bullets. Much of the ammunition captured by our men is covered with a green substance resembling verdigris, but for the sake of the native simplicity of the Boer, it is to be hoped that the explanation of this given to me by an Intelligence officer is correct. He says that the green substance is a coating for the inside of the gun barrel, and has been analysed and found nob to be verdigris. The Boers have done their best in more legitimate ways to impede our progress. Every bridge and culvert on the railway is blown up, but the excellent work of the Royal Engineers soon overcomes these little difficulties, and trains are now running right up to the Vet River. Here a fine bridge is destroyed, and the engineers are constructing a deviation through the bed of the river to serve until the bridge is repaired. Meantime supplies are laboriously pulled through a deep drift, to pass which, the teams of oxen have to be double-banked. Lord Roberts is collecting supplies here, and will probably move in a- few days. Our contingent is to march early to-morrow morning, and will likely come into collision with the enenry within the .next twenty miles. Our men’s early experiences under fire have imbued them with great confidence under fire, and their excellent behaviour in action and the encomiums of General Hutton arc ample proof to the people of New Zealand that

their Second Contingent is not belying the reputation earned by the first representatives of the Britain of the South.