Part 6 (2/2)

Arly criticised French for what followed They claim that what should have been a rout, ended in an orderly escape But they forget several factors in the situation

While French'stheir spent horses forward to overtake the enemy, it became obvious that De Wet had very cleverly covered his retreat First from a farmhouse in the rear, and, when it was taken, from a low kopje, a small body ofto take the kopje, the tired cavalry allowed the astute De Wet and Delarey to escape with their guns intact Kruger and Steyn also, who had co as it was to French to see his old eneers like this, the condition of his men and of his horses had to be taken into account; they were dead beat For once theof De Wet proved as successful as when it was practised by French at Colesberg Finally the event of the day is attributable to two of French's best qualities--his caution and his extreme parsiht possibly have captured the Boer guns But it is extremely doubtful whether he would have taken De Wet, Delarey or any other of the well-mounted Boer leaders

From Poplar Grove the eneain drove thehold This accomplished, the army pushed on towards Bloemfontein, which surrendered on March 13 For six weeks the main body halted there to rest, but chiefly to obtain re that time, however, French'scountry, keeping in constant touch with the ene hi: A PAINFUL SITTING]

One unhappy afternoon the General spent in sitting for a painter in Bloen for that retiring soldier ”General French,” wrote the painter's youngest daughter, ”is quite the shyest man in the British army, and looks less like a cavalry officer than you could possibly ih who is there rey ure, and the last personality in the world to help an artist as a sitter

He proh most characteristically he could not for the life of him think what he had done to be of sufficient interest for anyone to want to sketch hiot hi just outside the club at Bloe was the shortest and most disjointed the painter has ever had The General sat bolt upright in a chair, reading his paper upside down through sheer nervousness, and, if he left that chair once, on one excuse or another, he left it a hundred tihly upset and nervous each time, until at last he never ca hi dinner!”[13]

At last the ain, and on May 1 the troops moved out of the fever-stricken town French and his cavalry were the last to leave, but they overtook Lord Roberts and the ain the seat of the Free State Govern ive up the keys of the town Keeping ahead of Lord Roberts and his forces, he crossed the Vaal River and was first at the gates of Johannesburg, which the British entered on May 31

[Page Heading: THE GUNS]

After two days in thecity, Lord Roberts' triumphant forces moved on their way to Pretoria French's next task was to cut the railway co this out he made a wide detour to the west, where his cavalry found the gorges, a type of country erous to mounted men Anxiously he pushed forward to reach open country before nightfall (of June 2) But the Boers were before him A sudden hail of Mauser bullets and shells announced an ambush But French was undismayed ”Quietly, in coave his orders 'Make rooine to the rescue, up dashed a section of horse artillery and a pom-pom”[14] Very quickly the eneue of a thirty-two mile march No further resistance wascountry round Pretoria On June 4, French had co movement, and taken up his position to the north of the town In the afternoon the cavalryrin, that Lord Roberts had already entered Pretoria

When the efforts to negotiate peace with Botha had failed, French was instructed by Lord Roberts to push the Boers east by a turning movement on their flank, which he would follow by the usual frontal attack on foot So energetic were the Boers in harassing Lord Roberts'

force, that drastic action had become necessary It proved to be one of the most difficult enterprises that the cavalry had undertaken

As usually happened the Boers were securely ensconced on ridges, the chief of which was known as Diamond Hill, while our men were condemned to work round from a level plain open to the eneets, the cavalryes on foot For two days they fought gallantly against a steady fire, until the infantry's attack on the eneave French his chance to drive theht of his horses finally forbade his taking full advantage of his success The Boers were driven back, but without being severely punished The ubiquitous De Wet, need one add, showed a clean pair of heels

[Page Heading: A DARING VENTURE]

In July, French was in co in Eastern Transvaal There followed a long and arduous , ended in the surrender of Barberton It was in the beginning of September that French turned his attention to the enemy's forces collected round the latter town He co reports of an intended action in the opposite direction While the Boers prepared to meet this he was able to reach Carolina with comparative ease Here he re ainst Barberton As he must cut himself off entirely from sources of supply, such preparation was very necessary French was about to atte achieve to take mounted men over aBarberton from every direction save one They never supposed for a moment that the British troops would attete Pass For what did it e along narrow ledges of uns

It would have been a difficult task for mountaineers, far less for heavily burdened cavalrymen

French, however, was determined to do the impossible ”once more” He would repeat the ly, after a day's hard fighting, he rested his ht near the entrance to the pass On the followingdisappeared, the advance was sounded Up a narrow path, whose gradient was frequently one in four, the men crawled, often on hands and knees, while their horses stus several hundred feet in height, from which there was sometimes a sheer fall of over a thousand feet In tealed and frequently perished in the atteuns up the fearful incline Only a e would have attele man in the process Perhaps the division's perfect belief in his luck did so the men for the ordeal

The top of the pass once reached, French deter a leaf out of the Boers' book, he left the whole of his baggage behind to lighten the horses, and rushed histhe other side of the pass the soldiers had still to lead their horses, ere as often on their haunches as their feet Barberton and the Boers saw the onco of the British force with blank a in the world they expected The Boer Co, had just time to escape from one end of the town as French entered it at the other

[Page Heading: A WAY WITH SNIPERS]

Enraged at the surprise that had been sprung on thee points in the vicinity But French kne to treat the sniper The following notice was i press and posted all over the town

TO THE INHABITANTS OF BARBERTON

This is to give notice that if any Shooting into the Town or Sniping in its vicinity takes place, the Lieutenant-General Co ithdraw the Troops, and shell the Toithout further notice

By order,

D HAIG, Lt-Col