Part 24 (1/2)

(2) General Gatacre wants another battalion and a battery of field artillery.

(3) General French should have the second battery Royal Horse artillery, and eventually three cavalry regiments, and, if possible, one more battalion.

10. With regard to Natal, I propose to send the 6th Dragoon Guards and 10th Hussars, the 63rd, 64th, and 73rd batteries Royal Field artillery, the remainder of General Hart's Brigade, _i.e._, three battalions, as soon as they come in. We must do with them the best we can.

11. I think the Colonial contingents had better go to Natal.

12. In my opinion, so long as General White holds Ladysmith the force able to attack you from the Orange Free State is not likely to be serious, but if Natal goes you will have to concentrate for defence, and you should make up your mind what positions to hold.

Probably the best military positions about Queenstown, Middleburg, and Beaufort West will be found most convenient.

REDVERS BULLER, General.

CHAPTER XII.

ADVANCE FROM THE ORANGE RIVER.

[Sidenote: Lord Methuen's instructions. Nov. 10/99.]

On the 10th of November Lord Methuen, with his staff, left Cape Town for Orange River station, where he arrived two days later. The orders which he had received from Sir Redvers Buller ran as follows:--

November 10th, 1899.

1. You will take command of the troops at De Aar and Orange River stations,[145] with the object of marching on Kimberley as rapidly as possible.

[Footnote 145: See map No. 9.]

2. In addition to the troops now at De Aar, the infantry of which are being formed into the 9th brigade under Colonel Fetherstonhaugh, you will have under your command:--

i. The 1st Infantry Brigade.--Major-Gen. Colvile.

ii. The Highland Brigade.--Major-Gen. Wauchope.

iii. The 9th Lancers.

iv. The Brigade Division, Royal Field Artillery, under Colonel Hall.

v. The Divisional Troops except Cavalry of the Division.

vi. Certain Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps and Medical Details which have been collected at the two stations.

I wish you to march from the Orange river to the Modder river, communicate with Kimberley, and to hold the line De Aar, Modder river, so that we shall be able to bring up stores and heavy guns and pa.s.s them into Kimberley.

3. The half-battalion Loyal North Lancas.h.i.+re regiment, which will form part of the 9th brigade, is to be left in Kimberley.

4. You will afford help to Kimberley to remove such of the natives as they wish to get rid of, and, generally, you will give such advice and a.s.sistance in perfecting the defences as you may be able to afford.

5. You will make the people of Kimberley understand that you have not come to remain charged with its defence, but to afford it better means of maintaining its defence, which will at the same time be a.s.sisted by an advance on Bloemfontein.

REDVERS BULLER, General.

Four days later, the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa addressed the following letter to General Methuen:--