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Page 32
The rear-guard of the force was attacked by the Boers on August 21st on
its march from Twyfelaar to Van Wycks Vlei. The Gordon Highlanders lost
nine killed and eight wounded, and the Liverpool Mounted Infantry eight
killed.
On the following morning a force consisting of Devons, Manchesters,
Gordons, South African Light Horse, one field battery, and the
howitzers, advanced from Van Wycks Vlei under General W. Kitchener, for
the purpose of reconnoitring and driving some Boers off the hills east
of General Buller's camp, so that the road for the next day's march
might be cleared of the enemy. A large number of Boers was seen in the
direction of Carolina, and it was supposed that Chris. Botha's force was
opposed to the column. The Manchester Regiment led the advance,
supported by the Devon Regiment. The former, on crossing a nek to a low
underlying hill, came under a heavy rifle fire from the Boers below and
across the valley, and lost two killed and nine wounded. The force
returned to camp at 6 p.m.
On the following day Buller's army advanced to Geluk, some five or six
miles, the battalion with the Gordons and mounted troops of Dundonald's
Brigade, acting as rear-guard. A very difficult spruit, with steep
sides, was crossed, and the high hills on the further side occupied.
These had been held by the Boers in strength, but they had retired on
Buller's approach. As soon as the infantry of the rear-guard had arrived
in camp, the mounted troops of the rear-guard were attacked rather
sharply, but they managed to hold their own and to beat off the Boers.
Two companies of the Liverpool Regiment, who formed part of the advance
guard, fell into an ambush and lost considerably, leaving, it was
reported, some eighty men either killed, wounded, or prisoners in the
hands of the Boers. Shortly after arrival in camp, five companies of the
Regiment were sent out on outpost duty, taking up a short line and
entrenching--two companies were entrenched in front and furnished
sentries, with three companies entrenched in rear in support.
On August 24th and 25th the force stood fast, exchanging occasional big
gun and musketry fire with the Boers. Information was received that Lord
Roberts had entered Belfast on the 24th, thus practically joining hands
with Sir Redvers Buller.
The position taken up by the Boers already referred to, an immensely
powerful one, straddled the Pretoria-Lorenzo railway east of Belfast and
west of Machadodorp. Botha had taken up a front of some fifty miles in
length, and his force numbered about 5000 men. His right rested on the
broken mountainous country of Elandskloof to the north, and his left on
the mountains overlooking the Komati to the south. His centre was at
Bergendal Farm and the rugged and precipitous hills in the rear of the
farm, through which wound the railway and road, his line of retreat,
quite concealed from the fire and view of the British force. On the
extreme left a big gun with two or three smaller pieces were mounted,
but these were useless to give much support to the centre, as they were
too distant. The line of retreat to Komati Poort, which, from the nature
of the country, could not be threatened except by an extended movement
round the north or south, lay along the Belfast-Machadodorp road and the
railway line.
Briefly, the course of the two days' battle may be described as
follows:--
While Pole Carew threatened the centre at Belfast and the position north
of the railway, French was sent with his cavalry division still further
north to threaten the Boer line of retreat towards Pilgrim's Rest, and
their right flank. Buller attacked the Boers' left with the intention of
driving it in and getting behind their centre on their line of retreat.
He on the first day, however, could make no impression on them, and the
two forces held on to the position they were in for the night. On the
morning of the second day Buller, leaving a brigade of infantry and
Dundonald's mounted brigade to watch the Boers' left, moved across their
front under cover of the undulating slopes of ground, and made an attack
at Bergendal Farm and Kopje. After a sharp fight this was carried, and
the Boers retired all along their line in the direction of Machadodorp.
It is necessary to state in detail the part played by the Regiment.
On the morning of Sunday, August 26th, Buller's force was put in motion.
The Regiment was advance guard to the division. When about half a mile
from the camp, the four advanced and extended companies under Captain
Jacson came under fire from some high ground on their right flank,
losing two men. Major Davies, proceeding along this ridge of high ground
with the remainder of the Regiment, forced the Boers posted there off
the hills. The advance guard companies then continued their march with
orders to make Bergendal Farm their point, but not to go beyond it.
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