THE CHASE OF DE WET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6994, 9 January 1901, Page 4

THE CHASE OF DE WET.

OPERATIONS AGAINST THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. A CORNERING MOVEMENT. KNOX'S DIFFICULTY. [From Our Correspondent.] CAPE TOWN, Dec. 12. The past three weeks of the campaign operations have 'been conducted by theBritish with a vigour that has had an appreciable effect in bringing the "termination of the war within 'sight. Although there the still two active commandos in the field, their area of operation has been very much circumscribed, and the " Flying Dutchman-," De Wet's latest soubriquet, really seems at last to have been cornered beyond hope of escape. The strain of the situation has at last been so far lessened that Lord Roberts has been able to relinquish the command, and leave the completion of his good work iiv the hands of Lord Kitchener, who as now prosecuting the war with all Ms old-tim,e bril- | liance and thoroughness: Under his regime, • however, the distribution of news as to j the operations has been very much restricti ed, and the most meagre accounts of events P filter through. AFTER DE WET. The principal feature of the past three weeks' campaigning has been the steady, dogged determination with which De Wet I has been followed up from point to point, [ and finally driven down between the Cale- \ don and Orange Rivers, almost on the j borders of the Cape Colony. Truth to tell, the movements of the Boer commander are | a little difficult to follow, and this will be | readily understood when it is reported on i the same day from three different quarters, ; separated from each other by hundreds of • miles, that De Wet has been seen in the^ ■ neighbourhood. This sort of thing is of frequent occurrence, but there seems no reason now to doubt that he is fairly hemmed in by General Charles Knox, some- ■. where within the area mentioned above. i THE CAPTURE OF DEWETSDORP. After the desperate action fought at 1 Bothaville, where we captured seven of his guns and killed' some twenty -five Boers, the Boer leader, accompanied by ex-Presi-dent Steyn, turned south, being followed closely by the Colonial Division and two other divisions, one of which was under the command of General Knox. With a commando of some 3000 men, De Wet swooped down on the little township that bears his name (Dewetsdorp), and finding N that the garrison consisted of only some 400 Britishers, managed to capture the place, but only after a desperate resistance on the part ,of the besieged. The siege, if ifc can so be *" called, lasted three days, and in that time the garrison lost fifteen killed and forty-two wounded. They had at last to yield to "force majeure," and 400 of them were taken prisoners, only to be released a week later. j SURPRISED AT BREAKFAST. ) De Wet was not allowed to remain long in possession of the town. General Knox arrived on the scene two days after the j surrender, drove the enemy out, and con- ! tinued the pursuit, De Wet making steady and rapidly southwards. However, he was f overtaken by part of Knox's division under j Colonel Pilcher, and a slight engagement followed. Steyn and De Wet had been breakfasting quite close to the ; scene' of the engagement, and were evidently ■ taken completely by surprise. Thef Boers opened fire upon our men at long •; range, "with a fifteen-pounder, but quite ; • without effect, and after a little skirmish- ; ; ing, they broke away and retreated south. ■ '. General KnoxT^inding that the engagement . had somewhat upset De Wet's calculations, ■j seized' the opportunity of getting between j him and the Orange River, making a very ' rapid march of twenty-six miles. It liad appeared probable that it was the Boer leader's ; intention to make a swoop once more on the j Cape Colony, and to prevent this, troops j were hastily ordered up to hold eveiy drift ' i along the Orange River. i \ A MARCH IN A DELUGE. : ( Meanwhile General Knox continued (his j pursuit, engaging the Boer forces on the Bethlehem-Smithfield Road on Dec. 4. He drove them from all their positions before dark, compelling them to retreat northwards. Here, however-, the enemy were confronted by Colonel Pilcher, and once again doubled south and west, crossing the Caledon River en route, and encountering opposition in this direction also. He turned eastwards early the next morning, during a, terrible downpour of rain, which lasted three j days. General Knox skirted in hot pursuit, ! Colonel Pilcher and Colonel" Herbert being '. detached, in order to make a turning move- ; i ment. i j A CHANGE OF ROUTE. , j I After three hours' marching General Knox j ! learnt that during the night De Wet doubled i back past our right, and that he was head- i 'mg for the Cakdon. He had camped the • , night before at Camel Farm, a> few miles ! . '. north of Snuithfield Road. The news ne- j cessitated a complete change of route. The ;• force turned , about, in spite- of the rain and I wind, and marched once more after the I übiquitous Boer, Colonel Williams leading. ! Colonels Pilcher and Herbert and the Suf- • folks were detached to proceed in other di-

i rections, which, it is indiscreet) now to incate, while General Knox accompanied Colonels Barker and Williamis. Two columns camped at Camel. There was evidence everywhere of Boer laagers. The night was tearible, heavy rains falling, j accompanied 'by a cold wind, and sleeping , was almost impossible. The troops lhad no tents, and all slept ia the open, except afew, who found shelter in the stables. AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE. At 4.30 the next morning the troops started again, pressing forward with the hope of catching De Wet in. the act of negotiating the dtrift of the Galedon River. Colonel Williams, who commanded the advamce guard, had the first mQunted infantry, who surprised a. party of Boers trying (to unload a waggon which had broken down. A few volleys sent them flying, and the capture proved to be most important, the waggon containing 2500 rounds of ammunition, a quantity of dynamite and) twenty rifles. When General Knox arrived he perceived what appeared to be a waggon lying hidden near trees, but/ was found to be a '9pounder Krupp. • A Boer prisoner taken here told his capturers that this gun ihad. been abandoned, but it had every eppearance of- being in position for the defence of the drift. The sights of the gun. were I intact, and it had a supply of a few rounds I of ammunition. I CROSSING 'A DRIFT. J The name of the drift is Kamreepoort. It is certainly one of the most formidable drifts that our men- have beeni called "upon J to cross in South Africa. The south sidte of the track runs straight up, at an angle of 25deg. The mud was at foot deep, I and it looked impossible to dfcag anything through. Generall Knox's position was most difficult. The river already reached the horses' bellies, rising and falling! every hour, and! never falling lower ■tfc.an 4ft. The position was that if we began, crossing, the river might rise whole only a small portion had crossed, and De Wet'a whereabouts not being exactly known there was a possibility of his waiting an ■opportunity to turn the attack durin-g the crossiDg. Colonel Williams, however, guaranteed to get the men, guns and ammunition across, and General Knox gave the ordter to cross. The river was flowing with great rapidity aad 1 swollen by the rains. There was only one safe way across, below the Great Holes. 'The First Mounted Infantry crossed safely, but a party who tried to cross a little higher up could not. A horse fell Eftid his rider was carried down the stream, but he managed to get acroks, in a: greatly exhausted condition. The^ 9th Lancers crossed without accident. ' A FORMIDABLE TASK. Then began the task of dragging through thirty more guns and ammunition. Colonel Williams himself acted 1 as outrider. Each team was used foam*, and sometimes eight times in crossing the river, the ordinary teams being sti-engfclienedi by eight "horses in the heavy ascent. The field guns, Howitzers, Pom-poms and ammunition waggons were all on the south side before midday, : the task requipLuig ' great skill aaid an enormous strom The j water-carts, ambulance and the little J Tonga ambulance carts from India were ] all dragged over. On two occasions the mules got entangled in the harness and fell under the water, but they were di'agged ashore. Not a man or animal was drowned crossing. Two supply waggons, belonging, to Colonel Barker, alsocrossed, after which the river rose, and at four o'clock was impassable. Strathccna's Horse, with the Yeomaairy, still remained on the north side of -tie river. General Knox slept on the south side, being una.Me to cross back. Orders were given that night that Strafchcona's Horse shoufid cross at 3.30 in the monning, if the river permitted, while the Yeomanry remained the baggage guard', with instructions to cross and follow the column, as soon as practicable. ' j MILITARY MARK TAPLEYS. ' The nighit began fine, but endedi in a heavy and continoious downpour. It is marvellous how the men kept their spirits under such uncomfortable and depressing circumstances. The camp was full of jokinig and laughter; for the men. realised that they had done what De Wet considered an impossible task. Strathcona's Horse , crossed without accident, although the river was now higher. Later a report was received that the baggage column attempted the passage, and that two mules were drowned and one man barely escaped. MARCHING WITHOUT SUPPLIES. General Knox therefore sent back word, ordering the baggage and supply columns vat to make any further attempts to cross but to 'inarch back to Smithfield. Henceforth Colonel Barker, as well as Colonel * Williams, will march without supplies. General Knox and staff possessed as baggage only what was carried by their horses. Par-\ tie^s had been detached to bring siheep, corn •a!nd mealies requisitioned for the force. The march was resumed, Colonel Williams leading, and at about eight came in sight of ■Odendaals Drift, where they were delighted to see that the Union Jack was flying over the fort held by the First Coldstreams. De Wet, on the day before, had taken up a position on the ridge north of the river, and the garrison was sniped the whole dfry, a>fc ranges varying from 1500 to 2000 yards. The Boers attempted to obtain possession of the flour mills on the north bank, but failed. A HOT PURSUIT. A short halt was made in front of Odendaal, and the inarch was resumed a-Loiig the river, and the force camped fourteen miles west of Aliwal. Some of De Wet's men had left the camp two hours before out There, is no doubt that De Wet is thoroughly hurried. The line of march is strewn with dead horses, and tfhree carts have been abandoned. Natives report that De: Wet's horses are in. a .very .exhausted condition, and hardly able to walk.. De Wet is now in ; a most dangerous position, strong British forces encircling him, and two swollen bar his passage. The behaviour of our j men, is. simply splendid. What strikes one as j most extraordinary is the good spirits under ' the worst circumstances. Hungry, wet and cold, the men laugh and joke, willing, ready » and keen to- pursue the foe. The hardships ! of the last few days have been sufficient to ! try the hardiest troops in the world, but they really appear to have no effect on our '■ men. PROPHECY INDISCREET. ; So much for De Wet. Since Thursday last no news of any description has been j j received of the operations against him, ■ though, of course, rumour has been busy. It is not wise to prophesy, where prophesy has, in De Wet's case, so often and so lamentably been falsified, but it really seems difficult to imagine how he can escape from j the toils which General Knox has laid with j such brilliant strategy.