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Page 33
When these companies had proceeded some four or five miles, it was found
that General Buller's main body had changed direction to the right and
had gone east. On retracing their steps, the companies with great
difficulty ascertained the whereabouts of Buller's force. Sir Redvers
was now attacking the Boer left within a mile or two of his former
camping ground. A message was then received stating that the Regiment
was at that time a left flank guard to Buller's army, and that the
former advance guard companies were to join the remainder of the
Regiment.
The Boers, opposed to Buller in very considerable numbers, were sangared
on some low hills about 800 yards distant from and in front of and below
the high ridge over which his force had to advance. Buller made his
dispositions behind this high ridge. The reverse slope was completely
raked by the Boer fire, and no cover except that afforded by some
ant-hills was obtainable. The dropping bullets followed the form and
slope of the hill, so that neither front nor rear was secure.
[Illustration: Trekking with General Buller; 5-Inch Guns on the March]
As soon as the Regiment was formed up, an order was sent to advance.
Captain Emerson with fifteen men extended, rushed down the forward slope
under a heavy fire, and took cover behind some ant-hills. The moment the
men showed over the crest line they were met by a hail of bullets, and
further advance was impossible.
Later, another order was sent to advance, but owing to the want of cover
it was found impossible for the line to make headway in the face of the
fire brought to bear upon it. It was not until the Howitzer Battery was
brought into action late in the day, to cover the retirement of the
advanced companies, that Captain Emerson and his men were able to get
back. This they did under a very heavy fire from rifles and machine
guns.
One company under Lieutenant Harris, which had been moved off to the
right, had advanced and got into an exposed place. The men took cover
behind ant-hills, and remained there for the rest of the day. Three
companies had been moved to the neighbourhood of the guns. These came
under shell fire from the Boer guns and had some casualties, amongst
whom was Colour-Sergeant Burchell, who was shot through the shoulder.
Under General Buller's direct supervision one company was ordered
forward. Immediately their four scouts showed over the crest line a
storm of bullets met them, and they were all hit. The four scouts were
found dead on the second day afterwards by the Liverpool Mounted
Infantry.
Dusk found the companies posted as under: Three companies extended on
the ridge on the left, with two companies extended in support on the
rear side of the hill. One company was extended on the ridge in the
centre, whilst three companies were near the guns, three-quarters of a
mile away on the right. One man was killed and one wounded just at dark
by unaimed fire and by the last shots fired. The companies on the ridge
retired to the crest of the hill after dark and took up an entrenched
outpost line for the night. Rations were then issued for the following
day. It was a pitch-black night, and two cooks' orderlies who had gone
to fetch their company's tea and sugar rations from their wagon, missed
their way in the dark when returning, and walked into the Boer position,
distant only a few hundred yards, and were made prisoners. These two men
were the first prisoners of war lost to the battalion up to this date;
and with the exception of one other prisoner, who was temporarily in the
hands of the Boers in the Badfontein valley in the following year, they
were the only men of the battalion taken prisoners during the war. The
casualties of the battalion for the day were 6 killed, 15 wounded, and 2
prisoners.
Early the following morning the 7th Brigade, with the exception of the
Manchester Regiment, moved off to the left, the Rifle Brigade, whose
turn it was to lead, being in front. The guns accompanied the brigade.
There was little or no opposition till the scouts came under fire from
Bergendal Kopje, or Drie Kraal as it was otherwise known. This rocky
kopje was strongly fortified and held by the Boers. A Field Battery
opened fire on to the kopje at about 3000 yards' range from some rising
ground. Shortly afterwards the remaining guns--5-inch, 4.7's, naval
12-pounders, in all to the number of about thirty-nine--commenced
pouring shells on to this one spot in the Boer position. This shelling
continued for about three hours.
Very early in the morning a train had been seen coming out from
Machadodorp with reinforcements. These, it was ascertained, were the
Johannesburg Police, to the number of about eighty, and they formed the
garrison of the kopje, about a hundred more being in the farm behind the
kopje. This kopje was a small hill covered with large boulders. The
rocks had been connected with large stones to form sangars, behind which
the garrison found cover. A pompom was included in the armament of the
position, which measured about eighty yards by forty yards only. It fell
away abruptly in the rear, the farm and outbuildings lying very close
under the steep rear side of the hill.
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