TOPIC:

1899 - Battle of Rietfontein. Day 2 of the retreat to Ladysmith.
1900 - Buller sails from Cape Town for England. Philippolis relieved. Methuen defeats Lemmer at Kruisrivier.
1901 - Viljoen attacks blockhouse line near Badfontein.


An account of the engagement


A general view of the battle


Colonel Wilford, Killed at Rietfontein

Colonel Kekewich's diary:

Telegraph line to Barkly West was cut during the night.

The Court of Enquiry as to the evacuation of Fourteen Streams commences to-day. It would appear likely that one great consideration was the fear that owing to superior Boer artillery the position would at once be rendered untenable. Had the detachment been supplied with a couple of modern guns instead of with the two old 7 pounders it would unquestionably have given greater confidence.

It is sad to think of all these retirements of Cape Police from the Posts to North without as far as I know any of them firing a shot or seeing anything of the enemy. It appears to me that in ordinary times the Police have little or no opportunity of systematic drill or military training, being constantly employed on police duty, stationed in small dets scattered over an immense area of country – officers and men of one division seldom coming in touch with officers and men of other divisions of the district.

Again in connection with the present crisis, the force more particularly Dist No 1, has in its ranks a considerable number of men of the Dutch element and with Dutch sympathies and the knowledge of this in present circumstances would not have tended to give confidence to their English comrades, who did not know to what extent they would be supported by Dutch members of the Force. It can be realized what a feeling of uneasiness and distrust this would create.

Reconnaissance took place to-day in direction of McFarlanes siding. Details will be forwarded giving full details as to force engaged, killed, wounded, etc.

Diary of Major Churcher:

We got down the pass through the Biggarsberg luckily without encountering any of the enemy, as it was the most awkward place to be caught in, and a few determined men on the hills round could have played old Harry. We marched till about 10 a.m., but, being rear guard, our progress was very slow, and by the time we had got to Waschbank, where the remainder of the force were halted, the two leading regiments had been in hours and were all bathing in a stream. We are all of us getting very thin and hungry looking, as all there is to eat is bully beef and biscuits with muddy water to drink, and no sleep since the 20th. We were taking our turn at bathing and cleaning up, when the alarm went round that the Boers were coming, so we took up a position to meet them.

No Boers appeared, luckily for us I suppose, although we held an excellent position. The whole morning we have been hearing heavy gun firing in the direction of Ladysmith, but it ceased about 2:30 p.m., and we are wondering how things have gone with Sir George White. About 4 p.m., our scouts came back with the news that no Boers were in sight, so we recrossed the river back to our original camping ground, and had hardly formed up before a terrific thunderstorm broke on us, with pouring rain and hail. The rain was so heavy that the river rose quite 6 feet by 6 p.m., and a piquet of the Dublin Fusiliers, which had been sent to occupy a small knoll on the far side, was cut off and unable to re-join us. The 18 guns took up an extended position on the ridge which commanded the river, and the regiment was ordered to send half a battalion to each end of their line as escort. We moved up at dusk, the rain still falling, and practically everyone wet to the skin. It luckily stopped raining about 7:30 p.m., and we just rested for the rest of the night on the sopping ground. I had an empty biscuit tin box in which I put my head, and so kept the dew off, so I was luckier than the others, but we were hungry and nothing to eat, worse luck!

1899 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Battle of Tinta Inyoni. Roused 1.30 a.m. leaving camp about 2.30, marching towards Dundee. Glorious morning, the sunrise was the grandest I’ve ever seen. Fired upon at 8.30 about 7 miles out. Within 2 hours we were under heavy fire which we returned with interest, the Boers occupying a very strong position. The attack lasted fully 5 hours and we were in the thick of the battle the whole time. Got within 600 yds. of the enemy who had a very strong position, being entrenched amongst the boulders. The artillery dropped some splendid shells which stopped any advance. A B.M.R. was shot dead immediately in front of me. Two others were killed - 1 B.M.R. and one of our men, and some 20 wounded. The firing was incessant, the lead falling amongst us like hail. Had we not taken advantage of all available cover, our loss would have been terrible. The men behaved splendidly, as did some of the Junior Officers. The heat was terrific, which was followed by a thunderstorm drenching us to the skin. On our return to camp, where we arrived at about 6.30, everyone thoroughly knocked up, after roll call turned in, slept without a move until turned out next morning.

Source: Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Tuesday, 24 October 1899

Red flag hoisted at 5 a.m., everybody in the trenches. We can plainly see the enemy fixing up the position and putting into line the big siege gun they promised to shell us with. It is fixed at a place called Jackal Tree about three miles to the south of the town. We can also see them bringing another good size gun from the westward. They started shelling Cannon Kopje with the smaller guns at 10.30, continuing until 11.15. At 2 p.m. they opened fire upon us with a monster siege gun and during the afternoon about 24 large 94-pounders came crashing and banging through the town. This was the first of the big siege gun. But as we were not anxious to see very much of the shells this time, we all very comfortably sat in our dugouts. One struck the building at the back of the hotel, doing considerable damage. It carried away a large iron house, gas machine, etc., another one went through Weil’s roof and remained stuck in cases of road rations, unexploded.

Casualties of today, one of the P.R., one native, and one Indian wounded.

As I am very busy with my ammunition and things my notes just now are very concise, but will be more detailed later on.