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Page 9
The battle of Farquhar's Farm was fought on October 30th, 1899.
The whole army was ordered out at 3 a.m.
The battalion formed part of the reserve brigade under Colonel Ian
Hamilton. This reserve brigade took up a position under Limit Hill, and
facing Pepworth Hill from the south.
The plan of the day was to have been as follows, had everything gone as
it was proposed:--
Five regiments of infantry, all the mounted troops, and four batteries
of artillery were to move round the enemy's left up the Helpmakaar road
towards Farquhar's Farm (the direction of the proposed night attack on
the night 27th-28th) to attack and drive in his left.
Two regiments of infantry with one mountain battery were to move off to
the left of the British position to hold the enemy's right (which
comprised the whole of the Free State Army), and prevent him from
getting into Ladysmith.
The main attack was to be made in the centre by Colonel Ian Hamilton's
Brigade by an assault on Pepworth Hill, where the Boer big guns were
located, and which was the key of the position.
The above was the plan; the result and the way in which it was carried
out is told in a few words.
The two infantry battalions and mountain battery, detailed to guard the
left flank, knocked up against the Free State Army under Cronje (which
was seen in the forenoon by the main body of General White's force,
coming over Walker's Hoek) on what is known now as Surprise Hill, and
which place is situated a little above and nearer Ladysmith than
Nicholson's Nek. Cronje attacked them in the dark, scattered the gun
mules which stampeded, and after some hours of hard fighting captured
the lot.
The force on the right, under Sir George White's personal command, ran
prematurely into Joubert's Transvaal Army, which had advanced from its
previous and partly reconnoitred position, and which had formed up ready
to receive them in a position somewhat nearer Ladysmith. It received a
very heavy cross fire from big guns, field guns, machine guns, and
musketry, and was put to confusion, the artillery and the cavalry having
some difficulty in extricating themselves. General White took the
Manchester Regiment and the Gordon Highlanders from Hamilton's Brigade
to cover the retirement, and his force came back into Ladysmith fired
into with wonderful accuracy, at a range of about 7000 yards, by the big
gun on Pepworth. Of the remainder of Hamilton's Brigade, the Rifle
Brigade (which had only arrived in Ladysmith that day) and a half
battalion Devon Regiment were told off to bring up the rear, whilst the
other half battalion of the Devons was left on Limit Hill, two miles
outside Ladysmith, to act as a covering force.
* * * * *
The Naval Brigade under Lambton arrived at Limit Hill with three naval
12-pounders just as the retirement was taking place, and they were at
once ordered back into the town. They returned without coming into
action. As they were retiring down the road past the Piggery by the
Orange Free State Junction Station, a well-aimed shell from Pepworth
Hill upset one of their guns, killing some of the ox-team and a gunner
who was being carried back wounded in an ambulance.
The half battalion of the regiment under Major Curry was ordered to take
up a defensive position on Limit Hill and to stay there for the night.
The Boer force was within 1000 yards, and it was thought probable that
they would follow up their defeated foe. Their patrols were continually
coming to within 300-500 yards of the Devons' outpost line.
As the half battalion was well covered from view, it was deemed
expedient and prudent not to expose their position and weakness by
firing, but rather by lying quiet to trust to the Boer imagination,
allowing them to think there was a larger force in position at Limit
Hill than there really was. This plan was eminently successful, for
except for Boer patrols the position was not threatened.
Orders were received by this half battalion at 9 a.m. on November 2nd to
retire on to Ladysmith. The defenders of Ladysmith being unaware of the
fact that any of their own troops were in front of them, and mistaking
friend for foe, got down on their knees to fire as the companies of the
Devons appeared in sight.
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