TOPIC:

1900 - Cronje stopped at Paardeberg. Action at Bird River. Colonial Division occupy Dordrecht. Dundonald seizes Cingolo. Third New Zealand contingent sails for South Africa. Lord Roberts ill at Jacobsdal.
1902 - Judge Kock captured in Cape Colony.

In Kimberley:

During the night (16th and 17t) General French and a Brigade of Cavalry suddenly left, and Colonel Porter of the Carbineers was left in command. Undr his orders I was appointed to command the troops that formerly formed the garrison of Kimberley.

I sent out or left parties as follows:

Intermediate P S - 15 Mounted men.
Dronfield - 50 Mounted men.
Alexandersfontein - 50 Men Beaconsfield T G
Wimbledon - 50 Kimberley Regt
Carters - 25 Kimberley Regt
KAmpersdam - 45 Town Guard

During the day the following were sent on special duty:

Escort for General French baggage - 25 men
Escort for Tel Section - 25 men

and late in the evening Col Peakman left with 50 Mounted men for Riverton Pumping Station which is said to have been evacuated by the enemy. It is reported that the enemy’s 6 inch gun may possibly have been left on this side of the Vaal or sunk in the river.

We are beginning to be terribly broken up and I have no transport to take food to so many outlying places. The 3rd Cavalry Brigade under Col Gordon is to start for the East at 4 am to-morrow. Owing to want of transport and forage. Major Gorle has had great difficulty in supplying them with food and forage.

All the horses both of Cavalry, Artillery and MI are terribly knocked up and to-day over 100 of the Kimberley Mt Troops have been taken by Col Porter’s orders for the 3rd Cavalry Brigade. Even then the whole Brigade will I believe be under 600 strong. I am dreadfully afraid that so much has been taken out of the horses that good work cannot again be got out of them, and in my opinion the loss in horse flesh now will seriously affect the success of the expedition on this border.

In Mafeking:

Very little firing till the evening, and then usual performance.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, February 1900:

Another Miss Carbutt, has just died of fever. One more victim to Gladstone’s cowardice, and England’s dilatoriness. — At 3 o’clock this morning, the word was, “boot and Saddle.” all the troops were roused out. The pickets had sent in word, the town was likely to be attacked.

1900 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

Another very hot day. A little shelling into the town. We had none very near us though. Another of the Carbutt girls died of enteric fever today, that is two during this Siege, only one of the unmarried ones left. A young Pinkney boy died next door at the Horsley's today of enteric, another is very bad, delirious. This sickness is cruel and no medicines or proper food to give them. Buller has had to retreat again, so when will he be here? Upon this diet I am afraid Mama and Wilfrid will get weaker.

I hear it - rumoured they are going to cut down rations again.

1900 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Came to town immediately after breakfast. Just as I was leaving Corp. Tanner handed me 1/4 of a pumpkin which he had won for me at a raffle. I was so pleased that I gave him half. Went with Norton Smith to “Treadwells” where he had his photograph taken on horseback. The pony, which belongs to Mr. Goldmann (of Johannesburg fame) behaved so well that I decided to have mine taken, and I think it will be a success as the pony again stood superbly. Capt. Fred. Tatham and Dunn called during the evening for a game of whist, but as Major Elliott was laid up, we couldn’t make up the usual party of expert players. I was very glad as they discussed the situation in which I could join.

1900 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

We have just got news of the relief of Kimberley (why, oh! why, doesn’t our own come?) and the rout of Cronje’s army and capture of five laagers by General French, and of Roberts being at Jacobsdaal; all of which is splendid and very cheering, as it is the first heavy defeat the Boers have had, and with hardly any loss on our side, excepting, perhaps, Elandslaagte, and the numbers engaged there were too small to make a crushing defeat of it.

I hope it will have the effect of drawing off the Boers from here, though it may only make them hang on the harder, as they see that Buller apparently cannot break through. The news makes one feel a little sick when one thinks that Roberts landed only a month ago or less, and has already relieved a garrison, captured Colesberg, and routed a Boer army.

There was a good deal of firing this morning, but it seemed a long way off. There has been firing so many days and nothing happens and there seems to be no result, and still we sit here manning all our defences daily at 4.30 a.m. and listening for guns and watching for signals which never come all day, and gnawing our horse beef and biscuit, and getting through the long hot days as best we can; but it is oh! so wearisome. Forgive this growl. I don’t know why, but I feel particularly low and depressed today, and I can’t growl to anyone here; it would be bad form, and one must keep up a cheerful demeanour, so you get the benefit.

I sent a scrap of letter to you last night, which I hope will get through and reach you some time (It did). I only had a few minutes to write it, and was limited to half-a sheet, and as it had to go open and be read and passed by the Intelligence people I couldn’t say any of the nice things I wanted to, nor give you any news beyond the fact that I was well. It was to go through with several others by a Kaffir runner to Buller’s force, and then be posted. The arrangement was made by a friend of Jacson’s in the Natal Carbineers Volunteers, who wrote and said they were sending a man through, and we could send one or two letters if they were sent down to him at once, at a subscription of from 2s.6d. to 10s. a letter, according to the number sent. If the man gets through safely we shall hear in a week or less. If not, we shall hear nothing, as the Boers will keep him. I don’t know why I feel despondent today, as things are, if anything, better, and certainly not worse, than yesterday, and after all I hardly expected relief much before the end of the month, and that is eleven days off. I think being so limp and weak has a bad effect, and I shan’t be able to get up muscle and strength till I get more food and regular exercise.

I think that is an unfortunate point of view, moreover, misleading too, Watson's use of that particular phrase suggests deliberate intent by the General Staff, I certainly do not think there was any intent, but, there very clearly had been a great deal of sheer incompetence.

djb wrote: From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, February 1900:

Another Miss Carbutt, has just died of fever. One more victim to Gladstone’s cowardice, and England’s dilatoriness. — At 3 o’clock this morning, the word was, “boot and Saddle.” all the troops were roused out. The pickets had sent in word, the town was likely to be attacked.