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The Van Rensburg's of Rensburg Siding, Colesberg, Cape part 1
The Anglo-Boer War Introduction part 2
The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding: Boer Leaders part 3
The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding Nov 1899 part 4
The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding Dec 1899 part 5
The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding Jan 1900 part 6
The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding Feb 1900 part 7
The Anglo-Boer War in retrospect part 8
Australian units, persons and casualties part 9
MAIN MAP source http://www.mjvn.co.za/anglo-boer/mainmap1.jpg

The Anglo-Boer War: Australians capture De Wet's artillery gun at Rensburgdrift part 10

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The Anglo-Boer War around Rensburg Siding
February 1900
CONTINUED

General De la Rey devised a plan which was to be implemented on Saturday 10th February 1900, aimed at driving the British troops back to Naauwpoort and then to De Aar.
The plan was to have a simultaneous attack by all the Boer forces around Colesberg, over the whole 60 km front, from Bastards Neck North West of Colesberg to the positions around Slingersfontein. General De la Rey was greatly dissapointed, and had to postpone his attack on Worcester Hill, close to Slingersfontein, because General H Schoeman did not arrive at the scheduled time.

The Boer forces:

West wing under Commandant Grobler
The central main group under Piet de Wet
Central group under Schoeman
East under General De la Rey (under him was General Hermanus Richard Lemmer of the Rustenburg Commando and Celliers) Commandant G.M.J. van Dam of the Johannesburg police (ZARP) were on the extreme eastern position.

On the 10th February at Rensburg Siding Sergeant Neil Grant died from bullet wounds in the chest. Trooper A.H. Willson, quick to go to his aid, was killed instantly as he bent over the wounded man. Grant was shot by a young boy using a sporting rifle, the weight of the Mauser being too much for him. The second shot came from the boy's father who shot Willson in the head. Within full view of the parent a Dragoon then shot the son dead. The immediate reaction of grief and dismay of the father caused him to bound from cover amd rise to his feet completely oblivious to his danger. In a matter of seconds he fell riddled with bullets from every Lee Metford leveled at him. (Identifying this Boer and his son would be interesting). RL Wallace: The Australians at the Boer War (AWM & AGPS: Canberra: 1976) p. 111.

On the same day, Saturday 10 February 1900, the Boers drove British troops back from Maeders Farm, Bastard's Nek, Windmill and Kloof Camps. The British troops were forces to retreat back to Rensburg Siding, abandoning Coleskop, McCracken Hill, Maeders Farm, and Porters Hill.

On Sunday 11th February Celliers heard the artillery guns on both the eastern and western side of Colesberg. In the afternoon the reverend Meiring of Johannesburg led out in the worship service. Jan F. E. Celliers, Oorlogsdagboek 1899 - 1902, p. 68.

Hobkirk's Farm "Pink Hill"
11th February the Boers attacked Pink Hill from Bastard's Nek. Many of the English under the leadership of Colonel MacMullen were cut off. MacMullen was killed and many Australians perished, including five officers. Two companies of the Wiltshire regiment were cut off and 57 died in battle whilst 103 were captured. Furthermore Colonel Cuningham and Major Stubbs were killed while endeavouring to recover the ground which had been lost.

Major Francis Richard MacMullen from the 2nd Wiltshire Regiment Died of wounds at Rensburg Siding on 15th February 1900 at the age of 44. He was born in May 1855.
From the Memorial at Colesburg Cemetery, South Africa - "For King & Empire - In memory of the Officers, NCO's and men who fell in this district in the Anglo-Boer War: 1899-1900... 2nd Wilts. - Major Francis Richard Macmullen (14.2.1900)."

From the Weekly Dispatch, 4th February 1900

When General De la Rey began his advance east of Colesberg on the 12th February 1900, 6000 British troops retreated to Rensburg Siding. Early February 13th General De la Rey attacked the English headquarters at Rensburg Siding. Clements thus had to withdraw back to Arundel on the 14th February. The Boers thus recaptured Rensburg Siding, and operated from Taaiboschlaagte hills.

Bastard's Nek
12th February 1900: At daybreak Boers attacked 200 British north west of Colesberg and Bastard's Nek on the right wing. Big Freek Grobler, with Zoutpansburghers and Waterburghers using pom-poms and a field gun, attacked Windmill Camp and Pinks Hill, as well as part of the British defense line from Coleskop to Maeder's farm, just across from it. The garrison at Pink Hill was held by 50 men of the Inniskillings, plus 50 of the 2nd Wiltshires led by Colonel Carter. Major Eddy commanded 25 Victoria Mounted Rifles and 50 Victoria Mounted Infantry, and Lieutenant J Powell commanded 20 South Australians. Windmill camp, close by, was held by 75 of the Victoria Mounted Rifles, 40 New South Wales Mounted Infantry, and 80 Bedfordshires. The men defended the position strongly but their losses were severe. The South Australians lost six of their seven officers, including Lieutenant Powell and Major Eddy of the Victorians. By 3pm, with the Boers almost on them, the retreat sounded. The South Australians hung on till the last to cover the withdrawal from the two garrisons to Kloof Camp.

From the diary of J Jennings (Vic. Mounted Infantry) he wrote on 12th February:

"Our First Fight: During the night 11 of us were put on a small kopje on the right flank: a very dangerous position. Saw nothing at daybreak and Corp. Lynch and Pve. Wright went within 200 yards of the farm without seeing anything. At 6.30 one of our fellows opened fire on the kopje without effect. About 7 a.m. they sent a few shots in and then began shelling our position with a 40 pounder and a Pom Pom. Being behind rocks - little danger was done. The Wiltshires ( About 40) came to relieve us about 8 am. Hot fire was poured into them while so and the fire poured into us by the big guns and the mousers was terrible. L/C Ordish, Pte Byers and myself were getting around behind some rocks. I started off first for the final rush to the horses and had not got more than a dozen yards when a party of about 50 Boers who had managed to get around our left flank, opened fire on me - bullets whizzing buzzing and spluttering all around me and when I reached the top of the kopje I was exhausted. All this time I was between two fires, one from the rear and the other from the right. Going along the top of the hill I was still being fired on, but thanks to God's most merciful protection I reached the place safely and fell down completely exhausted and laid down and was in a half faint due to lack of sleep and not enough food. I was taken down to the water cart, given a drink of water and laid down beside the cart for a while.

A water cart during the Anglo-Boer War
Photo supplied by Alwyn P Smit

Just then one of the Victorian Mounted Rifles came with the news that a large number of Boers were coming around on our left flank. Major Eddy came up and asked how I felt. Told I felt a little better. The words he used " Well youngster how do you feel now?" He then told me to take charge of the water cart. We then advanced to the ridge to repel the enemy, but they came in overwhelming numbers and we had to retire and no sooner had the Major Eddie given the command to retire when he was shot through the head not 20 yards from me. I retired with the water cart, which was shelled time after time. Many shells and shots passed close to me. Found out 3000 Boers were attacking us. Retired after getting the Wiltshires back to Maeders Farm. The remainder of Victorians stationed at Kloof Camp also retired here in evening with kit etc., though some lost. At Midnight with others retired to Rensburg [Siding]".

"The Wiltshires (about 40) came to relieve us at about 8. a.m. Hot fire was poured into them while doing so and the fire poured into us by the big guns and the Mausers was
terrible".

Corporal Malcolm, also from the VMR at Windmill camp wrote home: "The Boers attacked with big guns - one a Long Tom and also a peculiar gun called a pom pom, which throws a bullet about the size of a turkey egg a distance of 3 miles at a rate of 40 per minute; a very formidable weapon. The Boers were in the hills, behind great rocks whilst we were in the plain without a stick of grass - nothing but burning sand." The Maxim-Nordfeldt was also known as Vickers-Maxim , "pom-pom" or "deaths-clock". The shell was 454 grams in comparison to the guns overall weight of 1372 kg, the gun barrel being 37 mm thick, it was able to shoot the shell 2,743 meters. Refer to Gedenkboek van M.J. de Jager, p. 66, note 68.

English Maxim gun in action in the Colesberg area

The Boers finally secured Pink Hill and Windmill Camp at 3pm and Colonel Carter, who controlled the whole operation, ordered the 6th Dragoons and West Australians to cover the final retreat of all forces under him to Maeder's farm. Also present were the Bedfordshire regiment and Australian forces who retired. Losses were heavy, the half battalions of Wiltshires lost 13 men and Berkshires did not escape unharmed. The loss of Pink Hill and Windmill Camp endangered the important British defense line which included, Kloof Camp, Coleskop and Maeder's farm. This, and the loss of Slingersfontein Camp, left Clements with no choice but to order Carter to retire to Rensburg Siding with the rest of the British troops from the left and right wings. This included the Berkshires on McCracken Hill.

Two companies of 2nd Bedfords only managed to get one 15 pounder field gun down from Coleskop and threw the other over the edge to destroy it. Part of this gun is on display at the Colesberg/Kemper museum.

At the battle of Pink Hill, around Hobkirk's farm on 12th February, a force of 200 British which included Victorians faced a force of several thousand Boer forces. The Victorians were ordered to attack Pink Hill and dislodge the Boers from Hobkirk's farm. The Boers then moved to a higher kopje which overlooked Pink Hill. The Victorians consisted of about 75 men plus 50 Wiltshires and 50 Inniskillings. About 40 percent of the Australian strength were shot in battle, six killed and 23 wounded, including Captain McInerney and Lieutenant Tremaine. Of their five officers, Eddy and two others were killed, the remaining two were severely wounded. Private Charles Edwin Williams was killed at Rensburg Siding on 12 February 1900. His sacrifice is commemorated on a memorial in Violet Town, Victoria. He is pictured in the uniform of the Victorian Mounted Rifle Regiment. http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/slouch_hat3.htm The casualties would have been much higher was it not for the fact that they were able to get supporting fire from Coleskop.

Major George Albert Eddy (1860-1900)
1st Victorian Mounted Rifles
http://users.netconnect.com.au/~ianmac/austregt.html

Lance Corporal Matson writing from Arundel of the loss of officers and men from the First Contingent commented: “We were complaining that we could not find any Boers before, now we are getting enough to satisfy any ordinary mortal” and went on to say that after arriving at Arundel nine days earlier they had been in the saddle almost continuously. http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/136.htm

Pink Hill had a mixed force of 200 from the Inniskillings and Wiltshire Regiments.

2nd Worcesters. Major Eddy killed of the Victorian Rifles http://users.westconnect.com.au/~ianmac/readroom.htm

There was a battle the 12th February on Pinnacle Hill. In this battle, Colonel Stubbs died, his immediate appointed successor Colonel Cuningham was then also killed.

From the beginning of February 1900 General French was starting to reduce the number of his soldiers from Colesberg, in order to assist lord Roberts' force. The Boer forces were to be kept busy so that they would not notice the withdrawal of these troops. The Boers then drove the English from Colesberg back to Rensburg Siding on 12 February 1900.
Die geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899 -1902, IV, pp. 147 -158; Oorlogsdagboek van Jan F. E. Celliers 1899 - 1902, p. 68n.

On the 12th February Celliers records that to their west he could hear the booming of the artillery. In the afternoon they had a rumour that the English abandoned Coleskop and the surrounding area. Celliers and the other Boers climbed an outcrop and in front of them unfolded the drama of endless loaded wagons heading south, they were also able to see lines of dust which must have been mounted soldiers. It was an amazing sight to witness the English force in full flight being pursued by General Grobler. Oorlogsdagboek van Jan F. E. Celliers 1899 - 1902, p. 68.

The next day De la Rey with his extra forces successfully attacked the English and retook Rensburg Siding, the only option for Clements was to retreat to Arundel.

Boer General De la Rey's Commando advancing on Rensburg Siding

Boer forces of Commandant Celliers saddling up near Rensburg Siding c 1900

Celliers diary entry for Tuesday, 13 February 1900, makes mention that the enemy had disappeared. Celliers stated that he was able to see a Boer standing on a kopje which was previously used by the English artillery "katlachter" against the Boers. This Boer was waving a white cloth to indicate that everything was safe. They were also able to Boers waving white scarves from the top of Coleskop. Celliers then went with his youngest brother Isaac to Coleskop to see the action. When he got to where the English used to have their encampment, the whole area was littered with empty cans. They also came across the English telegraphic system which kept the English in touch with one another. Half way up Coleskop they came across the undercarriage and support of an English artillery gun which was partially destroyed by the English. However, the barrel of the artillery gun had been removed by the English.

Celliers also mentioned that at Coleskop on one of the rocks were written by a fleeing soldier: "We are coming back again".

When Celliers got back to the Boer camp, there was not a soul, since all the Boers were chasing the English. When the deputy arrived back with some of his mates, they told them that they came across 6 Englishmen. Two of the Englishmen were shot and the rest were able to escape. The belongings of the dead were brought back to the camp. There was a photo of a young woman and another of a young girl, most probably a child or sister of the deceased. Celliers provides some reflective contemplation when he states: Never would they have realised that they would not see one another again, and little did the people in the photos realise that strangers would be looking at their photo while the man's corpse would be lying in the hot African son, a carcass for vultures and wild animals. Celliers concluded: All I can do is praise the Lord that I am not the guilty one who caused this man's death.
Oorlogsdagboek van Jan F. E. Celliers 1899 - 1902, pp. 68 - 69.

On the 14th February 1900, Celliers could hear the artillery blasting at Rensburg Siding. This was the main camp, which the English were being driven from. Celliers' youngest brother, Isaac, also went hence but on his way found the burghers returning from there. The English were thrashed and had to flee, and 112 English soldiers were captured. Celliers then proclaimed that Rensburg Siding was back in Boer possession, and that they also took possession of plenty of loot. The diary unfolds what took place, the English were then being attacked at Rietfontein and even further south towards Naauwpoort.

When the Worcesters were retiring from Rensburg to Arundel, a sergeant wanted to destroy the Maxim gun. He hurled two heavy boulders at it and was about to damage it more when he was shot dead.

Historians have given very little attention to the Boers succesfuly forcing the English to retreat to Arundel. If the Boers took advantage of the situation and conquered the English, they would have cut off Lord Robert's supply and communication line. The success of the British to withstand the onslaught was mainly due to Carter of the Wiltshires, Hacket Pain of the Worcesters, Butcher of the 4th R.F.A. and the Australians refer to Arthur C. Doyle, The Great Boer War, chp. 21. Doyle also explains how critical it became for the English at Arundel, when the English needed every man to help, even fifty Indian syces were used as full soldiers for twenty four hour period. There were local Indians and overseas Indians used as ambulance carriers. However the group menioned here must have been Gurkas from India, and were fully employed as soldiers due to the critical position the English found themselves.

On returning to Colesberg Cilliers saw the English POW. Celliers commented that never had he seen such a miserable looking bunch, 'Zoo een verzameling achterstraat-gezichten heb ik nog zelden bij elkaar gezien', he wrote. The POW were so thirsty that when they got to the town, they rushed to the water furrows to quench their thirst. The Englishwomen who were residents of Colesberg, were screaming and crying at witnessing so many of their idols being taken captive. The prisoners were also overwhelmed with fruit and other treats by their admirers. Oorlogsdagboek van Jan F. E. Celliers 1899 - 1902, pp. 69 - 70.

Celliers were given instruction that he needed to return to Pretoria. Early morning 15th February they herded the English POW along the road like sheep. On both sides were guards on horses. Thus the march north toward Norvalspont commenced. The POW had to walk. Celliers mentioned that the English were furious towards their own officers who let them down. One even commented that he should have surrendered earlier since they received far better treatment from the Boers. One Englishman said "We have no quarrel why should we kill each other? I assure you it was not our wish to come here". That night they arrived at Norvalspont at 8pm. and taking in consideration that they left at six in the morning, this must have been a long and tiresome march. The sleeping arrangments for POW were provided in one of the big sheds at the railway station buildings at Norvalspont. The Boers slept under the verandah of the station. Celliers was woken up during the night by rain drops falling on his face and they had to grab their blankets and scramble into a railway truck.
Oorlogsdagboek van Jan F. E. Celliers 1899 - 1902, p. 70.

English medical wagons at Rensburg Siding

On 14th February company D & G of the 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiments were attacked north of Rensburg. After heavy fighting the English casualties were 12 killed, 48 wounded and 191 captured. Ian Smith kindly forwarded the writer with a copy of the board of enquiry into the loss of these companies. This report indicates: Major MacMullen when attempting to withdraw from Rensburg Siding was overpowered by the Boers and taken prisoner. The companies were attacked while retreating from Rensburg Siding to Arundel: on the left rear about 350 Boers attacked. The companies tried to gain some high ground on the left flank, since on the right was open Karoo [veldt] with no cover. The English were barred by a force of 600 Boers. On the right flank a third Boer force of about 40 mounted Boers also attacked. At 6:20 am. another force of between 800 and 1,000 Boers appeared from the south. Major MacMullen was wounded and the whole English force was broken up into smaller groups and resistance was no longer possible. This was one of the largest number of English POW that was taken during the Anglo-Boer war.

De la Rey wanted to follow up his success but on 18th February President Steyn of the Orange Free State decided to divert 1,500 burghers from Colesberg to assist General PA Cronje at Paardeberg. In reaction Schoeman advocated a defensive approach, but De la Rey disagreed with him, causing a lot of friction and dissension between the two men. The outcome was that the Boers virtually lost the war in the south and that Schoeman was subsequently replaced by General HR Lemmer on 26th February.

Friendly meeting between General Schoeman of Colesberg and English Colonel Eustace

The mere number of the British forces were so large that it was impossible to halt them. The Boers were inevitably forced to retreat. At the same time the Boer leaders started to undermine and argue amongst themselves. A case in point was the disregard by commandant Preller in following the orders given by General Lemmer.

Major General JP Brabazon was the right hand man of General French,
he served more in the Stormberg area

English Camp at Slingersfontein.
Looking over 12th Brigade Camp and Signal Hill, Slingersfotein,
The first NSW casualty in the ABO occured in January a few km away from here, when they were ambushed

Headquarters of the 12th Brigade at Slingersfontein c 1900

Slingersfontein - English guards a black which was captured from the Boer side

The English made use of Balloons for observation against the Boers. Here at Slingersfontein they are making gas for the balloons
http://www.stereo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Boer.htm

Observation balloon during Anglo-Boer War
http://www.stereo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Boer.htm

He commanded the Carabineers

Aussie letter from Anglo-Boer War

In the Australian War Memorial in Canberra file PR 91/162 are some letters of an Australian, J DUNNE who saw battle at Rensburg Siding. The letter is dated the 19th February 1900. Here are a few extracts:

"Sunday 11 February everything were quiet, the Boers being religious do not fire on Sunday."

"I might mention here that the Boers called on us to surrender whilst we were on that hill but we told them we had bayonets and at once proceeded to fix them. Things had been very rough around Rensburg the day and when we arrived there we found that all the out-post around there were retiring. The mounted Rifles (Vic) and the Vic Rifles had a bad time of it as far as I can learn they lost a good few men including 4 officers. We only remained at Rensburg during the day and that night all the troops retired to this place (Arundel) as it was impossible for us to remain there the Boers being about 10 to one and unfortunate thing happened during our retirement from there. Two companies of Vic Rfs [Victorian Rifles] were cut off and a great many of them were killed the rest were taken prisoners. We tried hard to rescue them but we were unable".

Battle of Rensburg (Hobkirk's Farm "Pink Hill"), 12th February 1900

Account by a Boer prisoner to a correspondent of the The Daily Mail of the trap into which the 2nd/Worcesters had fallen and the attempted rescue of them by the Australians under Major Eddy, at Hobkirk's Farm, near Colesberg, 12th February 1900.

"I saw a long row of their dead and wounded laid out on the slope of a farmhouse that evening - they were all young men, fine big fellows. I could have cried to look at them so cold and still. They had been so brave in the morning, so strong, but in the evening a few hours later they were dead, and we had not hated them nor they us.

It was a cruel fight. We had ambushed a lot of the British troops - the Worcesters, I think they called them. They could neither advance nor retire; we had them penned in like sheep, and our field cornet, Van Leyden, was beseeching them to throw down their rifles to save being slaughtered, for they had no chance. Just then we saw about a hundred Australians come bounding over the rock in the gully behind us. There were two great big men in front cheering them on.

We turned and gave them a volley, but it did not stop them. They rushed over everything, firing as they came, not wildly, but with the quick sharp upward jerk to the shoulder, the rapid sight then the shot. They knocked over a lot of our men, but we had a splendid position. They had to expose themselves in order to get to us, and we shot them as they came at us. They were rushing to the rescue of the English. It was splendid but it was madness.

On they came and we lay behind the boulders, and our rifles snapped and snapped again at pistol range but we did not stop those wild men until they charged right into a little basin which was fringed around all its edges by rocks covered with bushes. Our men lay there as thick as locusts, and the Australians were fairly trapped. They were far worse off than the Worcesters up high in the ravine.

Our field cornet gave the order to cease firing and called on them to throw down their rifles or die. Then one of the big officers -- a great rough-looking man, with a voice like a bull, roared out "forward Australia! no surrender!" These were the last words he ever uttered, for a man on my right put a bullet clean between his eyes and he fell forward dead. We found later that his name was Major Eddy, of the Victorian Rifles. He was as brave as a lion but a Mauser bullet will stop the bravest. His men dashed at the rocks like wolves; it was awful to see them. They smashed at our heads with clubbed rifles or thrust their rifles up against us through the rocks and fired. One after another their leaders fell. The second big man went down early, but he was not killed. He was shot through the groin, but not dangerously. His name was Captain McInerney.

There was another one, a little man named Lieutenant Roberts [James Clarke Roberts- Victorian Mounted Infantry]; he was shot through the heart. Some of the others I forget. The men would not throw down their rifles; they fought like furies. One man I saw climbed right on to the rocky ledge where big Jan Aldrecht was stationed. Just as he got there a bullet took him and he staggered and dropped his rifle. Big Jan jumped forward to catch him before he toppled over the ledge, but the Australian struck Jan in the mouth with his clenched fist and [Jan] fell over into the ravine below and was killed.

We killed and wounded an awful lot of them, but some got away; they fought their way out. I saw a long row of their dead and wounded laid out on the slope of a farmhouse that evening - they were all young men, fine big fellows. I could have cried to look at them so cold and still. They had been so brave in the morning, so strong, but in the evening a few hours later they were dead, and we had not hated them nor they us. Source: The Melbourne Argus, Wednesday May 23rd 1900.

Description of Battle http://www.free-ebooks-uk.netfirms.com/great-boer-war/14-the-colesberg-operations.html
"By gradual reinforcements the force under French had by the end of January attained the respectable figure of ten thousand men, strung over a large extent of country. His infantry consisted of the 2nd Berkshires, 1st Royal Irish, 2nd Wiltshires, 2nd Worcesters, 1st Essex, and 1st Yorkshires; his cavalry, of the 10th Hussars, the 6th Dragoon Guards, the Inniskillings, the New-Zealanders, the N.S.W. Lancers, some Rimington Guides, and the composite Household Regiment; his artillery, the R and 0 batteries of R.H.A., the 4th R.F.A., and a section of the 37th Howitzer Battery. At the risk of tedium I have repeated the units of this force, because there are no operations during the war, with the exception perhaps of those of the Rhodesian Column, concerning which it is so difficult to get a clear impression. The fluctuating forces, the vast range of country covered, and the petty farms which give their names to positions, all tend to make the issue vague and the narrative obscure. The British still lay in a semi-circle extending from Slingersfontein upon the right to Kloof Camp upon the left, and the general scheme of operations continued to be an enveloping movement upon the right. General Clements commanded this section of the forces, while the energetic Porter carried out the successive advances. The lines had gradually stretched until they were nearly fifty miles in length, and something of the obscurity in which the operations have been left is due to the impossibility of any single correspondent having a clear idea of what was occurring over so extended a front"

Wiltshire Regiment,

Reinforcements were still dribbling into the British force, Hoad's Australian Regiment (Photo of him http://users.netconnect.com.au/~ianmac/austregt.html), which had been changed from infantry to cavalry, and J battery R.H.A. from India, being the last arrivals. But very much stronger reinforcements had arrived for the Boers - so strong that they were able to take the offensive. De la Rey had left the Modder River with three thousand men, and their presence infused new life into the defenders of Colesberg.

Colonel John Charles Hoad commander of First Australian Regiment
(1856-1911)

On Tuesday 12th February 1900 east of Colesberg General De la Rey's forces pushed British troops back to Rensburg.

Worcester's on Worcester Hill suffer heavy losses.

Worcesters charging kopje at Norvalpont

Worcester attacking a kopje held by the Boers at Norvalspont

British troops driven off West Australian Hill - Royal Irish Hill - New Zealand Hill - Madocks Hill - Platberg and Jasfontein.

The Boers attacked Rensburg on Wednesday 13th February 1900. The next day 14th February General Clements ordered the British troops to withdraw from Rensburg to Arundel. A position they had advanced to from Naauwpoort almost three months previously.

The British thus on a large scale retreated from positions they held in the Colesberg area. This setback was overshadowed by General French who relieved Kimberley at the same time. Within days, 18th February 1900 Lord Roberts soldiers attacked the Boers at Paardeberg. The result was that De la Rey receives orders from President Steyn to withdraw with 1500 men from Colesberg, they were called on to try and rescue Cronje and the main force of Boers.

23rd Febraury 1900 Arundel (Kuilfontein), Colesberg

On 24th February 1900 there were engagements at Plewman's Farm, Arundel, Colesberg. A Victoria Cross was awarded to Donald Farmer. http://www.victoriacross.net/award.asp?vc=407
The same day Major Cyril Cameron, commander of the Tasmanian Mounted infantry was wounded and captured at Rietfontein. He was abandoned by the Boers on 13th March. Whereas on this day Clements moved out from Arundel and advanced on Colesberg from the west. A Company of Prince Alfred's Volunteer Guard (Cape Colony Volunteers), under Captain Lascelles of the Australian Regiment, attacked near Kuilfontein.

There was an engagement by the two opposing sides on 27th February 1900 at Vaalkop.

With the relief of Kimberley and also the surrender of Cronje, the Boer burghers decided to leave Colesberg for the Free State on the 27 February. The Boers thus retreated from Colesberg across the Orange River, blowing up the Norval's Pont Railway Bridge to slow down any English advance, this was done under the leadership of General H.R. Lemmer, see A.V. Oosthuisen, Rebelle van die Stormberg, p 100. The result was that General Clements' troop marched into Colesberg and retook this town.

English drummer boy, writing letter home after English took Colesberg

Norvalspont bridge destroyed by the retreating Boers 27 February 1900. The bridge was 1,632 feet long

Small Boer Commando 1900 Norvalspont

The British troops began to repair the Norval's Pont Bridge on 5th March 1900. As the war progressed the Colesberg Rebels continued to harass the British stationed in and around Colesberg until the end of the war.

--ooOoo--

Extracts from the memoirs of Clarens de Jager (20.12.1877 – 22.10.1971)
– an attorney at Colesberg during the Anglo-Boer War

(Document made available to Alwyn P Smit by Clarence George de Jager – grandson)

“I got a shock when I went to book my seat for Colesberg and was told that I had to go to the Castle [Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town] to get a permit from the Military before I could leave. I had to state my business ect. and then realised that I was going nearer to the seat of trouble and that I would be subject to Martial Law.

I arrived in Colesberg on a Sunday morning about the 15 June 1900 and the first place in the district I saw was Arundel with the ground white with frost and any number of Tommies [British soldiers] standing about with big coats on. My first impressions of the place was not by any means good, for just opposite the Colesberg Hotel a dead horse was lying at the side of the street. When I past Schutz’s [the attorney] office his canvas signbord was standing on the stoep with a large hole in it.

After breakfast I went for a walk up Fountain Street and spent many hours lying on the stones in the sun and needless to say, I regretted having left Cape Town and made up my mind that I would not stay here longer than the 1st December.

Many of the leading people were in gaol and others were out on bail awaiting charges of High Treason, and to me who had always mixed with both sections [Afrikaans and English] it seemed terrible that there should be all this bad feeling, and that the one section did not even greet the other section. Schutz, by going away after the Boers were driven back, had lost business as many of the people who were in trouble had handed their cases to another attorneys [probably H. van Loen Sluiter and J.R. Will].

It was said that the Boers were invited to come and occupy the town and if this is so I am sure that those who induced them to come were not those who took up arms but that it was left to the young hotheads to do this. When the Boers came they arrested some of the leading people, including the school principal and the Wesleyan parson, and kept them in confinement. If the leading Afrikaans people had only interviewed the Boer Commandant and tried to get these people released things might have been better. This created a great deal of bitterness and when the troop occupied the town the tables were turned.

As far as work was concerned there was very little doing, and nothing for many months of any importance, but as permits had to be obtained for almost everything and even for burning a candle after hours in times of illness and as people would not go near the Commandant’s Office, we had to go and get these permits all day long and that free of charge.

During the war [British] Commandant’s came and went and some were quite nice, not so however Major Tothill and Captain Nelson, who were not liked. At one time two Australians Colonel Smith and Captain White were here, the former as Commandant and the latter as his staff-officer, and they thoroughly understood the farmers positions. They were well-liked and during their stay I do not think that any young man from the district joined any of the Boer Commandos that came into the district. A big crowd attended in front of the present Central Garage to see them off when Mr. H.C. van Zyl made a speech and presented the Colonel with a watch. It must have been a funny thing to the Military and the English section that were present, when we sang the National Anthem with a large proportion of those being classed as second- class rebels in the books of the Military.

We did not have any of the treason trials which took place before a Judge and when the second-class rebels had to appear very few took the trouble to defend as the most that the court could do was to disfranchise them for three years. L. Badenhorst of Meerderwyk was also found guilty but there was some mistake about his conviction and after a great deal of trouble we got a free pardon for him from the Government”.

Once a man by the name of Bezuidenhout and his family were brought in by wagon from the farm Holfaar [Halfaar?] and he asked me to try and do something about his stock as there was no one on the farm. Le Gros, the intelligence-officer gave me a pass to proceed to the farm with the cart and horses, but assured me that they would not be liable if the Boers took the horses.

I went over the mountain road on Rustfontein and put up at Matjesfontein, where I got a man to put in charge – so was able to fill his name in the blank pass. General De Wet [probably Piet de Wet] had just passed there and some of his broken down carts were left there. The stock was running all about the farm and I found a number of [British] troops in the house as there was a small detachment stationed near there. When I saw the officer in charge, he put the homestead out of bounds and gave me a receipt for all the animals that had been killed. It took me two days to collect the sheep, but I could not go near the [Orange] River as the Boers were on the other side and I did not want to take any risk of being shot at.

Bezuidenhout always gave me the impression that the stock and farm were his. While in town we helped him with money, only later to find that when he surrendered his estate, that he was only looking after the farm. The result was that we lost a few hundred pounds”.

Some paragraphs later Clarens de Jager continues: “Farmers were sometimes arrested for the most absurd things and poor P. Pienaar of Slingersfontein was arrested a few times because a few cartridges found on his 8000 morgen farm had not been reported. These cartridges were found where large Military camps had been stationed. On one occasion when he [Pienaar] had been in gaol for some days Schutz wrote the Commandant and referred to the Habeas Corpus Act which had been passed in England providing that no man could be kept in prison without being brought to trial and he was immediately released”.

Fortunately the war was not without its fair share of humor. De Jager writes: “Once a client by the name of Van Tonder was arrested for some trivial offence. He was a man who always used fluent language when addressing one and usually started with the words “Verstaat my wel” [Listen to me very carefully], and so while he was in the gaol, he sent a letter to us addressed to the “Wel Edele Here Schutz and De Jager” [The Honourable Sirs Schutz and De Jager] and he wrote: Wel Edele Here, Meneer Van Tonder is glad nie fris nie en ek het die tronkbewaarder gesê dat as ek in die tronk sterwe wil ek nie deur die bandiete begrawe word nie, maar dat hy my lyk aan my prokureurs Schutz en De Jager moet oorhandig, want hulle sal weet wat om daarmee te maak. [Honourable Sirs, Mister Van Tonder is not well at all and I told the prison warder that if I should die in jail I did not want to be buried by the prisoners, but that my body should be handed to attorneys Schutz and De Jager, as they would know what to do with it]. He was a very big man and his corpse would have taken some handling, but fortunately we obtained his discharge without a trial.

The Military were always commandeering trained horses and the time came when no one had any horses left [according to De Jager horses were even sent as far as Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape to prevent the Boers getting mounts] and people came with scotch carts and wagons drawn by oxen to get their provisions every 14 days, and then on permits allowing a certain quantity according to the number of people on the farm. Those days must have been anxious days for J.F. Baartman, as he had to be sure that nothing was put on any vehicle that was not included in the permit as the carts were liable to be inspected by the guards stationed at the top and bottom of the town. I remember seeing a big horse breeder like Mr. Van Zyl [probably from the farm Hangklip] coming to town with his tent cart drawn by two oxen, with Mrs. Van Zyl in the cart and he walking alongside, and the boy leading the oxen.

One man by the name of Schoeman who lived on Bultfontein, and was a real card, came in one day with a scotch cart drawn by two young bulls as wheelers and two young africander [South African cattle-breed] heifers as leaders. When I spoke to him and asked him why he did not rather inspan two big oxen instead of these young things, his reply was that he moved faster with these as the two young bulls wanted to get to the heifers and the heifers were always in a hurry to get away from the bulls”.

--ooOoo--

At the end of 1900 a concentration camp was established 2 miles south east of Norvalspont. At one stage there were over 2 000 inmates. Captain Wynne laid out the Boer War concentration camp during February 1901 to accommodate women and children from the farms in the region. About 366 people died mainly from measles

Norvalspont Concentration camp set up by the English to try and break the Boer spirit
by interning their women and children

The English accused the Boers of using explosive bullets. They found two NSW Lancers, with the back of their skulls completely blown away. The other had his lower jaw and tongue blown away, he was still alive. He wrote with his finger in the sand, one word, "Water", but he had neither tongue nor mouth to drink and so he died. February 18, 1900 Weekly Dispatch (Newspaper).

It was reported in a British newspaper that Colonel Porter entered into talks under a flag of truce with Commandant Potgieter. (He was either Ferdinand Jacobus Potgieter (Wolmaranstad) who was shot at Rooiwal on 11 April 1902 or Frederik Jacobus Johannes Potgieter of Krugersdorp commando wounded on 23 February 1900, as a result he did not participate in the war for the next eight months) February 18, 1900 Weekly Dispatch (Newspaper).

It was reported in the British newspaper that the English at Slingersfontein shelled the Boers at Theunissenfarm and visa versa. February 18, 1900 Weekly Dispatch

Gutsche, Thelma. The Microcosm (Cape Town; Howard Timmins, 1968.) The microcosm of a small community [Colesberg].

andre@Rensburg.com