THE STORMBERG AFFAIR.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3217, 22 March 1900, Page 3

THE STORMBERG AFFAIR.

In view of the recent cablegram, which announced that Lord Roberta had censured Lieutenant-General Gatacre on account of the Stormberg blunder, the following will be of interest:— lt will be ! remembered that m the second week of ! December Sir William Gatacre, then commanding the eastern section of the troops m Cape Colony, sent out a force of some three thousand men for a night march from Molteno, expecting to surprise the Boers at Stormberg Junction. The column consisted of the Second Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the Second Battalion of the Koyal Irish Rifles, 800 mounted infantry, and the 74th and 77th Batteries of Royal Artillery, Through a mistake as to the route made by the quide — who has been stated m some accounts to have been shot by the General for treachery— the column was made to traverse an unnecessarily long route, and at daybreak when quite worn-out by their march, the men were surprised by receiving fire at short range whilst matching m fours m fancied security. On receiving the enemy's fire the companies at hand rushed gallantly against the kopjes from which it proceeded. At this juncture our own artillery, failing m the yet uncertain light to observe the ascent of the infantry, opened fire upon the enemy, and several shellß fell among the assailants, causing some loss. It was soon evident that the attack was hopeless, and General Gatacre ordered the " retire" to be sounded. Some of the companies, however, persisted m the attack, with the result that they were soon overpowered by the enemy, and over 500 were captured unwounded. The other portions of the column retired m excellent order, and eventually reached Molteno. As to their condition at the end of the day's work the correspondent of The Times said :— " lam certain that, say, five miles from Molteno, 300 average good men could easily have rolled up the entire column — all that was needed was to head it and swallow it by driblets as it came along." The same correspondent commented as follows : — "The position to be attacked had not been reconnoitred by any of those to be engaged against it, and even its exact situation was unknown to any of them. The information supplied by the Intelligence Department was complete and accurate, but owing to the misdirection of the march, its value was thrown away. The distance to be marched was nearly doubled. The start was two hours late, so that the moon set long before the journey had been completed to an intermediate halting place, and the men lost the rest that they so much needed. Day broke without the point of attack being reached, and at the same time when the enemy opened fire the column was unsuspiciously ' route marching.' Both battalions were winding along the foot of the hill and were fired on simultaneously ; both consequently became at once engaged In a skirmishers' fight, so that there remained no formed body of troops to interpose by any deliberate action m accordance with any fixed idea. Defeat m such circumstances was the natural consequence. The only marvel is that the force oscaped annihilation ; certainly but for the good work done by the artillery and by the mounted troops not one man could have reached Molteno, although the shooting of the Boer riflemen was contemptible m the extreme." The British losses were stated at the time to be 22 killed and 59 wounded, besides which the Boers claimed to have 542 unwounded prisoners. Lieut.-Oolo-nel Eager, of the Royal Irish Rifles, was left on the field severely wounded; and has since died.