FROM OFFICIAL DESPATCHES OF LOR ROBERTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2479, 18 September 1901, Page 27

FROM OFFICIAL DESPATCHES OF LOR ROBERTS.

Br Colonel Mokkip. On the Bth and 9th of March the troops halted at Poplar Grove, but on the latter date the Ist Cavalry Biigade and the 6th Division moved eight miles to the eastward, on the load to Abraham's Kraal. On the 10th the forces advanced on Bloemfontein in three columns. The left, that ia, the northern, under General French, was to make circuit to Leuwberg, on the railway line, about 15 miles south of Bloeinfoutein The central column, which Lord Rob Pits accompanied, consisted of the 9th Division, the Guards' Brigade, besides cavalry and artillery, and the reserve ammunition. Supply Park, etc. This column, passing through Driefontein and Asvogel Kop, was also bound for I/envvberg. The right column, under General Tucker, included the 7th Division, cavalry, and mounted infantry, and after passing through Petmsberg and Panfontein, was bound for Venters Vlei, on the west of the railway line, opposite Leuwberg— the distance being covered in each case in four marches. On the 10t?h the movement was begun, and the right column occupied Petrusberg without opposition. The left column, however, found the enemy holding several kopjes near Abraham's Kraal, which they proceeded to turn. The Boers anticipated this manoeuvre by a rapid march to the south, and took up a fresh position on a ridge about four miles long, running north and south, and about two miles east of Driefontein. General French followed them up with his cavalry and the 6th Division, and came into contact with them at 11 a.m. In the meantime the 2nd Ca%alry Brigade, which formed part of the central column, had arrived at Driefontein, and, in conjunction with French's cavalry, endeavoured to turn the rear of th» Boers by operating in the plain behind the ridge they held, but were unable to do much owing to the longer range of the enemy's gun«. They were annoyed more especially by a Creusot gun, which was placed upon a kopje about two miles and a-half east of the northern end of the ridge. The 6th Division reached this end of the ridge about 2 p.m., and pushed back the Boers to the centre, where they made an obstinate stand. At 5 p.m. the 9th Division came up, and Lord Roberts at once ordered the Guards and the 19th Brigade to the assistance of the 6th Division, but before those /einforcfements could arrive the Ist Battalions Essex and Welsh Regiments, supported by the Buffs, gallantly stormed the Boer position. The Boers lost heavily in this engagement, the bodies of 108 Boers being found on the ridge. Our troops also suffered heavily, owing to a gross breach of the recognised usages of war. With regarcl to this, Lord Roberts states: "The enemy held up their hands, and hoistpd a white flag in sign of surrender, but when our troops approached they were fired on at close quarters by a number of Boers posted under cover in rear of their front line, and had to retire until reinforced, when the position was carried at the point of the bayonet. The holding up of the hands on the part of the Boers was observed by me and several officers of my staff through telescopes, and it, as well as the persistent use of flat-nosed expanding bullets by the enemy, has been brought to the notice of the Presidents of the Orange Free State and South African Republic in a telegram dated 11th March." On the 11th of March the combined centre and left columns marched to Aasvovel Kop, meeting no opposition. The 3rd Cavalry Brigade, with two batteries of artillery, proceeded to Venters Vlei. The Ist and 2nd Cavalry Brigades, \inder General French, were pushed on to Brand Dam Kop, about seven miles south of Bloomfontein, instead of to Leewkop, as formerly ordered, for the following reasons : —First, that reinforcements from the north for the Boers were hourly expected, and it was necessary to forestall them (this report was confirmed by a telegram from President Kruger to General Joubert which subsequently fell into Lord Roberts's hands). Secondly, if any delay occurred the Boers would have time to remove the rolling stock, then still in the Bloomfontein railway station. Early on

the morning of the 12th Lord Roberts proceeded to Brand Dam Kon with the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, and found the hills commanding Bloemfontein had already been occupied by our cavalry At noon se\eral of the leading citizens of Bloemfontein, in eluding Mr Frav.cr, drove out to the kopje, aisont a mile fr<-ni the town, where Lord Robeits was, and tendered its submission to the Bntit.li Government. The Field Marshal's report is as follows I entered B'oemfontein v* 1 p. in . meeting with a cordial leceptio; 1 fro'ii the. inhabitants, a number of whom accompanied the troops singing " God t,« f tht Queen,"' "Rule Britannia." etc. By the 14-th the iroop.s had all anived m Bloemfontein, arid Maior-gencral Prrtymaii was appointed Military Governor. On the 12th tho i.uKmiv hue bad been cut both north and bouth of Bloeinfontei.i by Major Huntcr-Weston. R.E. lie al c o cut both telegraph and If-'ephoiif lines north and south : by this gallant action 11 loc omoti\ c-, 20 carriages, ai.d 140 trucks were captured before the Boers were- al>lc to carry them oft". Loid Roberts then issued the following Army Order thanking the troops under his command, and as it shows conclusi\ely what trials and hardships the troops had gone through, and the i exults, they had obtained, I gne it in extenso. — Bloemfontein, Maich I*. It affords the Field Marshal Command ing-in-C.iiet the greatest pleasure in con eiatulating the aimy in South Africa on tho various cnents that have occmred during the past few weeks, and he would specially offer lii-. thanks to that portion of the ;vriny which, under his mimediato command, ha\e taken part in the operations resulting yesterday in the capture of Bloepifontein. On the 12th ot February thi.s force crossed the boundary which ciimclccl the Oiange Frc-f State from Biitish territory. Throe daj s later Kimberley was rehoied. On the fifteenth day the. b\i'lv of the Boer army sn this State, uikW one of their most Uu-lrd generals, were made i»ri«on«j s On the seventeenth day the news ol tiie relief oi Ladysniilh was received, and on t!ie 29th of March, 29 days from the commencement of the march, tho capital of the Orange Free State was occupied. This is a record of which a.ny army may well be proud — a record which could not ha\e been achieved except by earnest, will-disciplined men determined to do their duty and to surmount whatever difficulties or dangers might be encountered. Exposed to extreme heat by day, bivouacking under iua\y iain, marching long distances (not infrequently with reduced lations), the euduxancr, cheerfulness, and gallantry displayed by all ranks aie beyond praise, ami Lord Roberts feels sum that neither her Majesty the Queen nor the British nation will be unmindful of the effort 13 made by this force to uphold the honour of their countrj . The Field Marshal defrires especially lo iffei to tlio forti tud© and heroic -pint with which tho wounded haw borne their bufferings. Owing to the great extent of country over which modern battles have to be fought, it is not always possible to afford immediate aid to those who aro struck down. Many houis have indeed at times elapsed before some of the wounded could be, attended to, but not a murmur or complaint has been uttered — the anxiety ol all, when -iici-our came, was that their comrades should be cared for fiist. In assuring eveiy officer and man how much he appreciates their efforts in the past, Lord Roberts is confident that in the future they will continue to show tlie same i evolution and f-oldierly qualities, and to lay down their lives, if need be (as &o many bravp men have already done), in order to ensure that the war in South Africa may be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. By order. W. F. Keixv , Major general. D. Adj. -gen., for Chief ot the Staff. With regard to the lelief of Ladysmith and the operations in X.ital, they will appear in their proper place when we consider the despatches of the Natal FielJ Army. Turning now to the noi thorn frontier of Cape Colony, General Clements on the 28th of February marched from Reus'ljurg- to Arundel, and, hearing that tlie enemy had evacuated Colesberg, ho al once -Put a force (o occupy the Colesberg railway and himself with the other troops entered the town, where he was given a cordial reception by the loyalists. On the 3rd he made an advance to the railway station at Achtertang, and started to iepair the line. On the sth the enemy that had been holding a position m front of Noivah Pont retired across the river to the north Lank. On the 9th General Clements occupied the Nonals Pont station and all the adjacent drift?, and was waiting for the anival ot the pontoon train, as the Boeis had blown up both the railway and >oad biidgc-. Lord Roberts at once despatched by train from Bloemfontein a force consisting of two battalions of Guards, with four guns-, to Springfontein Junction. He felt sure that the presence of this force in their rear would lead to the withdrawal of any Boer troops that might be north of Norvals Pout. On the sth of March General Gataore telegraphed that he had occupied Stonnberg, the enemy having evacuated it on the 4th. General Brabant's forco from Dordrecht reached Jamestown on the Bth without opposition, and information was received that the lebcls were handing in their arms at Ladygrey. On the 11th General Gatacre wired from Burghersdorp that he had reconnoitred to Bethulie, and found the Boers had blown up the railway budge, and had also attempted to destroy the road bridge. Both Generals Clements and Gataoro wore engaged in repairing the railway line.

In the Prieska, Bntstown, and Carnarvon districts of Cape Colony, west of the railway between De Aar and Oiange Rivciv there. had been for <*omo time signs of organised disaffection. At the end of February a, column under Colonel Adye wa« ordered to Biitstown. Another column, under General Settle, was to assemble at Hopetown. A third column, consisting of three companies of New Zealand Mounted lufantiy, a company of West Australians, with a Canadian field batteir, was ouleicd to march on Car-

narvon from Victoria road stption, and afterwards to Otterpan. On the ord of March Colonel Adyo, from Britstown, and (General Settle, fvoin Hopetown, were to meet at Omdraai A'lei. ami < n operate in an advance on Pue«ka. On tl>e 6t!i Colonel Aclje had lrioijuoiffd toward- Houh water in nmuTu'ieiit strength. The enemy were reinforced, and brought up several g'-n=. the result lic-hii; that In- troops had to re-v-eat to Bi its-town. As mailers wore grow ing serion*. Lord Roberts despatched Lord Kitehenei to De Aar to ensure Mgoron* operation--, to lolkct remfoii p.nents. and take -iklj -t^p* p* might be i:.-cc«ary lo punish tlie irj)el < - and prcient t' p -j/r>\id i.l ctisartcetinr. Tl.e only other eviat to K 1 recorded is the occupation of Kos-Uof, al <nit 30 miles noith-oast of Kimberley, w!ii<"h v-as effected by General Ixird Methuen mi thc12th of M.uch without opposition. Lord Robert 1 ) concludes hi- despatch uateei March 15 with the statement that he proposed halting at Blocmfontem for a few days in order to gi\e the troops. hor-e«, and transport animals a much-needed rest, bring up remounts, repair waggons, and c ol]ect supplies for a further advance At a matter of fu"t. he vras u.iable to advs'iitc before the fiist v. tek in May.