THE TRANSVAAL WAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1533, 18 July 1901, Page 32

THE TRANSVAAL WAR

-SURPRISE OF A BOER FORCE. NARROW ESCAPi" OF MR STEYN. LONDON, July 15. The Bloemfontein correspondent of the ‘'Daily News” states tnat MajorGeneral Broadwo-od’s troops, by a forced inarch, surprised the Boers near Reitz *t dawn on the 11th inst. They took twenty-seven prisoners, ineluding General jDionive Wessels, Commandant De Waal, Field-Cornet Piet Steyn, Brain (secretary of the Boer Government), Fraser (a private secretary) and De Villiers (Secretary of Council). Mr Steyn escaped without a coat or boots. it is believed that General De Wet is at present at Reitz. The Pretoria correspondent of the '‘Standard,” in describing the recent mishap to the Victorians, states that it could have been averted if the camp had been better protected against surprise. Major Morris, commanding 250 men, chiefly of the Fourth Victorian Contingent, and 30 of the Royal Artillery, was encamped on the evenihg of June > 11th at Groot Olifant’s River, between Bethel and Middelburg. Although numbers of Boers were seen dnring the afternoon, only four picquets of six men each about 700 yards apart, were posted. At nightfall a mist arose, and between 9 and 10 o’clock 180 Boers, under Commandant Muller, Viljoen’s most trusted lieutenant, attacked from the east, while 350 Boers were kept in reserve. A veldt fire in the west threw the camp into relief, enabling the Beers to se e the Victorians sleeping, and a few standing around the dying camp fire. . Creeping between the pickets the Boers reserved their fire until within twenty yards of the camp. The Victorians and artillerymen rushed for ihe pompoms, hoping to turn the enemy, but were or disabled as fast as they got to the guns. They fought for half an hour, though . making an easy target in the light. , They killed seven Beers and wounded seven. though unable to locate them through the mist. When the captain of the guns was killed the Victorians took refuge in a Kaffir kraal west of the camp, holding J the Boers at bay and making the issue momentarily doubtful. They were even, iually compelled to surrender. The Boers captured 350 rifles, 15,000 rounds of ammunition, two pompoms with a thousand rounds, all the horses and a quantity of foodstuffs. Colonels Seobell, Crewe, Wyndham and Doran have commenced a combined movement against Commandant k.cheeoer, who is located on a mountain thirty miles from Graff Reinet. Colonel Doran ambushed and captured seven Boers who were escorting a small convoy. Brigadier - Generals Kitchener’s, Fetherstone’s and Dixon’s columns have reached Zeerust, after experiencing opposition. The British casualties were twenty-seven men wounded and one killed. The “ Daily News ” states that Lord Kitchener suggests the withdrawal of the greater part of the unmounted "troops, and -applies for many more ' mounted men. Of eight scouts engaged at Smalldeel, -a station on the railway sixty-three miles north of Bloemfontein, in frustrating a Boer cattl e raid, three w're killed and five wounded. The latter lay on the ground firing, until the Royal Scouts came up, and drove off the enemy. A party of Boers attempted to raid a big cattle herd near Pretoria. After a sharp fight at close quarters they were repulsed with loss. « A rebel named Coetzee, a farmer at Mafeking, has been sentenced to be pub liclv nut to death. The accused harbour ed Boers, who surrendered, and then killed a. number of BritiwtL The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Waimate has been chartered to convey remounts to South Africa. BACK FROM THE WAR. RETURNED NEW ZEALAND TROOPERS. The Tagus arrived unexpectedly on Monday morning, and was berthed about, half-past 11. The news of her incoming soon spread through the city, and a large number of people assembled on the* wharf to give the returning troopers a welcome. The Premier and the Mayor of Wellington were prominent figures on the wharf, but for a time the general public was kept back by the insurmountable rope barriers of the Harbour Board. Presently, however, ft occurred to Mr Seddon that it would be a kind thing to allow the v +rnnr>ers to come a little nearer. There* fore ne invoked the officials to “let them come through.” Immediately the whole populace came over the barrier. It was another case of>‘‘Let .em. all nome” i “They feel as if they are all relatives,” was the Premier’s comment .when he saw what had been donfi As the vessel approached the wharf the band of the Fourth and fifth was feearcl-——-1-—'— “THAmfi. Sweet Home, m.

emotion, “Three cheers for Our Boys” was called for by someone on the wharf and heartily given, and respond” ed to with equal enthusiasm from those aboard the ship. When the Tagus eventually came alongside, an amusing dialogue took place between the Premier and Colonel Davies as to whether the men should come ashore to be dismissed, or whether Mr Seddon should go aboard and speak a few words to them there. The latter course having been decided upon, the Premier and the Mayor of Wellington clambered up the gangway and got aboard. The men -were lined up on the starboard side of the upper deck. The larger proportion of them looked the picture of health, but there were many whose faces betoken suffering, and whose wasted forms were eloquent of hardship and disease. However, cheerfulness was the prevailing trait, for it is good to return to the home land. And there were many expectant faces down there on the wharf. The Premier, addressing the men, said : “Let me say how delighted we are to have yoq, back once more in New Zealand, and I daresay you-, are not sorry to be back yourselves. (Applause.) Colonel Davies, of you it may be said that you have seen the longest service whether with the Fourth, First or the other divisions which you have had under your command; and I may say that you have given to this colony and the Government) entire Satisfaction. (Applause). I know from those who have acted in other divisions of the service that your services have been much appreciated; you have been well liked by your men ; and you are one of the officers who have done credit to our country. (Applause). On the 23rd or 24th March last year the Fourth and Fifth Contingents left New Zealand and they got. a send-off which must have been very cheering to them. We told them that when they returned they would get a hearty tvelcome back. Then came the question how best to do it. The Southland people had sent their sons and done their best to help us. They asked as some slight recognition to have the pleasure of welcoming hack the Fourth and Fifth. I could not resist the temptation ; and although it delayed you in coming back, I knew that to give pleasure to the friends of your comrades you would he pleased to do it. (Applause,) Many of those who went away with you are not hack to day. I myself would like to have had a pleasure in this respect which has been denied me (a reference to the speaker’s son), but as long a s he could do any good to his country, as long as the young fellow does his best I am satisfied that he should stay and do it, and I hope he will do it well. . . . Yon have added to the scroll of fame of our colonv, you have demonstrated to the world the stuff New Zealanders are made of. You have heard a good deal of “Sons of the Sea,” and "Soldiers of the O.ueen.” It may safely be said of you, that you are very worthy sons of the Empire and of the colony. We give you a sincere and hearty welcome back and tell you that your services to the colony and the Empire will never be forgotten, and jf it is in our power to show appreciation and help you it will bo a great pleasure to us to do it. As if you were my own sons, I give you a hearty welcome back to New Zealand. (Applause!. The Mayor, on behalf of the citizens, also welcomed the troopers on behalf of the citizens, and invited them to a luncheon on the following day. Colonel Davies said he was anxious to allow the men to be dismissed, and contented himself with briefly thanking the previous speakers for their speeches of welcome. . The men were then dismissed. A large number went to stay with friends in town. The remainder are being accommodated at Mount Cook Barracks. The returned troopers speak very highly cf the accommodation and catering on board the Tagus. ' l/wo Imperial nurses, Sisters Montmorency and Franklin, who were put aborard the Tagus at the Cape, have earned golden opinions from the men for their assiduous and selfsacrificing attention to the sick and wounded. When the vessel was at Dunedin the officers and men presented these ladies with a purse of sovereigns each. Colonel Grey, of the Rhodesia Field Force —one of the leaders of the. famous Jameson Raid and who suffered a term of imprisonment for the part he took therein —commanded Ihe brigade to which the Fourth and Fifth Contingents were attached, and on the brigade being disbandoned, took command at Standerton of a brigade formed in part of the Sixth and Seventh Contingents. Colonel Grey is described as a dashing officer and as being particularly at liome with colonials. Colonel Davies, who came back by the Tagus, in charge of the contingents, accompanied the First Contingent to South Africa with a captain’s commission, and has fought through the campaign with five of the contingents sent from the colony. He joined the Fifth at Manzinwama, on the Tnli road, on the way from Bulawayo. He has proved himself to be -a highly efficient officer and no promotion gained by a New Zealander at the front has been more genuinely deserved. The little black-and-tan terrier which of the “Fignt-

stander as they sailed away from the Auckland Wharf, leaving the owner wildly gesticulating after his lost pet, proved a mascotte. It followed the fortunes of the men right through the campaign, being specially attached to the Fifth New Zealand Battery, which was formed at Marandallas from the Fifth Contingent, being made up principally of Auckland boys. The terrier was at. one time a prisoner, was wounded on another occasion and generally experienced the peculiar joys of campaigning. The question now is what is to be done with the creature —the men don’t want to part with it and they can’t all have it. CHRISTCHURCH, July 15. Returning members of the Fourth and Fifth Contingents and some of the reserves arrived by express to-night. There were 71 Canterbury men and 70 or 80 North Islanders and Blenheim men, who had declined to go on with the Tagus, being dissatisfied with the conditions. There was considerable confusion at the station. The Garrison Band and three companies of Volunteers had assembled to escort the men through the town, and the Mayor was present to officially welcome them. Ihe men were not formed up and were taken charge of by friends, and it was found impossible to complete the programme which had been arranged. The North Island men went on by steamer. Private Harwood, of New Brighton, had to be removed to hospital suffering from pneumonia.