|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 27
At 6.20 p.m. a welcome sight greeted the eyes of the weary garrison, for
suddenly out of the bush appeared two squadrons of mounted men, riding
leisurely in across the plain from the direction of Intombi, and the
truth dawned on the garrison that Ladysmith was at last and in reality
relieved.
The siege had lasted four calendar months to the day.
Frantic cheering greeted them as they crossed the ford and reached the
town.
On the following day a column, consisting of the Devons, Gordon
Highlanders, three batteries of artillery, all the cavalry who had
horses, and the two mounted colonial corps, the whole under the command
of Colonel W.G. Knox, sallied forth at 10 a.m. towards Modder Station to
pursue and to stop the Boers getting their big guns away by train. On
arriving abreast of Pepworth Hill, which the Boer rear-guard had
occupied, the advanced troops, consisting of Devons and the batteries,
came under rather a sharp fire. All further progress was stopped, and
the column returned to camp. The Devons had two men wounded. Camp was
reached at 4.30 p.m. The battalion was met on the way home by Major
Davies, Captains Bols and Vigors, Lieutenants Lafone and Munro, all of
the 2nd Battalion. These had ridden in from their camp, and brought with
them tobacco, whisky, rum, and milk. The companies of the 2nd Battalion
sent in to their corresponding companies tea, sugar, tobacco, matches,
etc. These were all most eagerly accepted.
Sir Redvers Buller and his staff rode into Ladysmith in the afternoon.
Explosions at Modder Station and on the railway could be heard,
signifying that the Boers were making good their retreat by blowing up
the bridges.
On March 3rd General Buller made his public entry into Ladysmith at the
head of his army. The march of Buller's army through Ladysmith was a
pageant which those who took part in the siege will never forget.
The garrison of Ladysmith lined the streets. Sir George White with his
staff took his stand mounted, under the damaged clock tower of the Town
Hall--the Gordons on the one hand, the Devons on the other--the Gordon
pipers facing him on the opposite side of the road.
It was a great sight, and those who had been through the siege and had
heard the words of their leader at the end, "Thank God we have kept the
flag flying," knew it for a great sight.
General Buller rode at the head of his army, and received an immense
ovation, as did all his regiments and artillery as they passed through
the lines of the weedy, sickly-looking garrison. These with their thin,
pale faces cheered to the full bent of their power, but after standing
in the sun for some time they became exhausted, and Sir Redvers sent
back word for them to sit down, which they gladly did, whilst the
relievers, as they passed along, chucked them bits of tobacco, ready cut
up, from their small store, small because they themselves were also hard
put for luxuries.
The tramp! tramp! of these men, who to the weakly garrison appeared as
veritable giants, will never be forgotten, as they hurried past to the
strains of the Gordons' pipes, cheering with the utmost enthusiasm the
figure of Sir George White as they passed him. They were almost to a man
reservists, well covered, hard, and well set up. They were filthy, their
clothes were mended and patched, and most of them had scrubby beards.
Tied on to their belts in almost all cases was a Boer blanket, telling
that they had been busy in some Boer laager; on the top of this a small
bundle of sticks for each man to cook his own tea, and by his side,
attached to his belt, hung his black tin pot. But how well they
looked--the picture of vigour, health, and strength, as they "tramp,
tramp"--"tramp, tramp" through the town.
A corps that came in for a good deal of notice was the Bearer Company.
They were at first taken for Boer prisoners, but when it became known
who they were they were much cheered. Clad in worn-out "slops" they
slouched along, in each man's hand a pot of sorts, enamel or china, and
a bundle of something over each man's shoulder.
The meeting of the two battalions was not quite so emotional as has been
depicted by some authors. The 2nd Battalion, the relievers, came through
late at the rear of Buller's army, and by that time the 1st Battalion,
the relieved, had been in the sun, standing or sitting down on the
curbstone, for some hours, and a great many men had fallen out
exhausted. Still the meeting was very hearty, officers recognizing men
and men old comrades. There was little time to enact the scene so
graphically described by one author "which would make old men weep."
Buller's army was straggled out a good deal and the rear had to catch
up, so if a pal was seen he was gone next moment to give way to another
pal. Most of the reservists had been through the ranks of the 1st
Battalion, and with it through the Tirah Campaign; almost all were
hurriedly recognized, and a hearty and hasty shake of the hand was all
the greeting exchanged. Old jokes came to the fore, and were bandied
from one to the other as the 2nd Battalion hurried along. There was no
time for more--one battalion was in a hurry and the other exhausted.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|