TOPIC:

1900 - Mafeking siege day 168 (77%). Action of Karee Siding.
1906 - British Government order postponement of execution of Natal natives. Resignation of Natal Ministry.

In Mafeking:

A quiet day. The Boers gradually evacuating their eastern trendies.

G W Willis was Mayor of Ladysmith between 1898 and 1899. This is a letter written to his brother, William.

Pakenham lists G W Willis as a farmer living near Ladysmith. Wallis owner the farm on which Bulwana sat.


My dear William,

We were all very pleased to get your letter of January 20th enclosed with one from you Edythe of January 17. These reached us on 21st of this month. We could scarcely write to tell anyone how we were getting on during the 120 days the Siege and investment of this town lasted, though Edythe says she was always looking out for a letter. We had to leave you all to guess that we were locked up and hope for the best. Though I was convinced early in the day that this place would be cut off, we came to the decision to stick to our home and make the best of things here rather than become fugitives and refugees among the crowds that were daily arriving from the Transvaal and Free State in thousands seeking asylum in Natal or driven out to take their chances anywhere. And this decision, notwithstanding all the risks, hardships, and privations of four months’ siege, proved the wisest course.

From the newspapers that I sent to you up to the last you would have gleaned sufficient evidence of our position, and I hoped that further progress would have appeared, though somewhat curtailed, in the general news thereafter. I am sending you weekly editions of our Colonial papers received since the relief which contain correspondence and particulars of the Siege operations and continued progress of the war, which will perhaps give you, along with what I have to say, a fair idea of our experiences.

The first shell, from one of the Boer big guns in position, was thrown into Ladysmith on October 30th, and railway communication was cut off a few miles below the town on November 2nd, and from the latter date at any rate the close siege can be reckoned until the first relieving troops made their entry on the 28th February. It has been estimated that 10,000 shells were thrown into the town and defences from guns in position. These were from four 100 Pounders, two 40 lbs. and several smaller guns, all mounted in more or less commanding positions. Our General drew his lines of defence much closer in than, in my opinion, was wise or necessary, and by so doing left the Boers to take up positions that commanded every point in the town, and during four months to acquire by daily practice, the exact range and occupation of every square rood within our defences.

I could forgive many mistakes and errors of judgment but one in the course of this Siege and that was in allowing the Boers to occupy and mount big Siege guns on the Umbolwan hill, which belongs to our farm, and scarcely more than 4 miles of gun range from the town. It is the highest of the hills which surround this town and lies exactly in the line of the railway and communications with the lower parts of the Colony. It was a grevious military blunder, fruitful in damage, loss of life and property, and accountable for most of the Sickness and distress we had to endure. Truly this position is the key and back door together, and in allowing the Boers to occupy, hold and shell us from it daily for three months General White has incurred blame for all the distress which followed. Early in December I strongly advised the capture of the position and pointed out the advantages to accrue, but in vain. Later on, an anonymous and very fiercely worded poster, roused the Military to attempt the Capture of some of the big guns that bombarded the town. The Volunteers were allowed the honour and smashed up two of the guns, but whether by design or mistake (both equally culpable) the big gun on the Umbolwan was left untouched, and the one immediately below it blown up. Had they taken the Umbolwan gun that night the others on the lower ridges would have been within rifle range and easily disposed of afterwards, and it would have been impossible for the Boers to regain any of those positions. Common Sense always shewed that the Umbolwan was of supreme importance to the Dutch in order to close us in and keep our communications fast, and emphasized its equal importance to us. Had we occupied that position and kept it the enemy could never have completely closed us in nor got within range of any of our camps while we should from the first have had ample roving ground for grazing and preserving our slaughter stock, the transport cattle, and Cavalry horses, as well as fresh sites for camps, Hospitals, etc. The excuse for not taking the position is a mere pretence that we had not sufficient forces to hold it. This argument is capable of total destruction, and is only used to excuse a grave military blunder of most fatal consequences, a blunder that would have become apparent the moment it was rectified. I shall not however go further into this question here, as I propose exposing it in another place.

When the siege began no one expected it would last much more than 6 weeks to 8 weeks - allowing that time for the relief forces to land and make their way with supplies up to Ladysmith. Consequently Civilians bought only sparingly of the private food stocks in the Stores, but as time went on the Military suddenly closed all the stores and bought up all remaining food stuffs, liquors and sundries, and undertook to ration all themselves at Govt, expense.

All private cattle were taken, including Cows and young stock, and sent to the Butcher. This soon reduced the milk supply, sickness grew daily worse and worse, droughts set in, grass dried up, and the enemy’s guns drove us closer and closer together. The pipe water was cut off and Supplies had to be drawn at great trouble and risk from the river, carts working day and night under shell fire and in all weathers. In December and January the peach trees afforded us green peaches - a substitute for fruits and vegetables, but did not go far. Meat was terribly lean and small in quantity, beef and mutton were replaced with horse flesh in the latter end of January, mules and donkeys followed suit. All animals for want of forage and grass were terribly emaciated and when handed over to the Butcher yielded very poor diet. Soon the rations fell from full to half, and from half to quarter, and consisted simply of flesh, bread, tea or coffee, and sugar. In these straits tripe, brains, feet and heads, etc. were regarded often as luxuries. The spare flesh of the poorest horses was converted into “Chevril” and served out with rations. Bread and biscuits took daily turns, with an occasional ration of rice, bacon, cheese, pickles etc., even all kinds of oil, starch, etc. were converted into food materials. Fuel ran very short, bush having to be cut and carted into lines during darkness. Mealie meal porridge and cakes was a principal item of diet until it came down to the sweepings. Eggs went up to 4/-each and then became contraband - the Military demanded delivery of all eggs and fowls. Over this question and the seizure of our cows and milk I got to logger heads with them, and though threatened with arrest and imprisonment I compelled them to conditions, by which we kept something for our families. Our fowls and pigeons were a valuable addition to the “Ration” diet as long as they lasted. In the end we all came down to biscuit dust, tea and coffee without milk or sugar, and the horse diet. Spirits became very rare and eventually disappeared altogether, and then tobacco gave out. You would scarcely credit what privation this caused. For the sick, Mellins and Neave’s foods, and as a substitute for opium etc. Mother Seigels and Mr. Winslow’s Syrups were invaluable for cases of diarrhea, dysentery etc.

The bombardment was continued from all sides almost daily, Sundays excepted, and for safety it became necessary to burrow underground, making places of refuge in our gardens and the river banks. Some of the retreats were veritable curiosities. We had two made in the river bank within one hundred yards of our residence, and spent most of our daylight hours therein. Several times we had to take refuge there for the night, and once for five days and nights consecutively. There was always the risk of the river rising and driving us out, but all through this summer there were no very high floods owing to scanty rainfall. Many sketches of these grotto riverside residences were made by some of the Press Correspondents and Artists beleagured with us, and will appear in the Illustrated papers later on. Our retreat was particularly interesting to one of these Artists when he learnt that my little son was heir to the farm on which the Umbolwan hill is situated and the gun there was always in full view of our retreat. Many of the shells from that gun burst within a few yards of our sandbags, sometimes just after sunrise with early coffee, during breakfast, lunch, or afternoon tea. One of those sketches will show us all in more or less dilapidated siege costume.

On the 6th of December, our eighth child and second son was born, at half past 3 in the morning, and within an hour and half thereafter three 100 pounder shells from the “Umbolwan” gun burst within a short distance of our Walls. For seven days mother and son lay together day and night within close proximity to these bursting missels of Kruger, but on the eighth day they came so close that I had both mother and child placed on a stretcher and carried down under fire to our hole in the river bank and there they remained for five days and nights. When it became desirable to have the boy baptised we Christened him Harry Buller Siege, being then daily in expectation that General Buller’s forces would relieve the town. The first name followed that of his Uncle, and one of my wife’s Cousins here, and as we afterwards discovered, is also General Buller’s first Christian name, so the boy is quite remarkably identified with men and events. He is a fine child, and has been almost entirely reared on Mellin’s food. I hope to get his photo taken shortly as a sample baby born in the Siege of Ladysmith and reared on artificial food. He was for a long time affected with convulsive symptoms owing to strain on the nerves due to the shell explosions, but is now seemingly getting over the affection. His mother bore up most bravely and never evinced any nervousness under the pecularly trying time and ordeal she underwent, and the other children showed no fear at any time, and generally looked on the whole business, notwithstanding many ghastly and harrowing sights and experiences, as a time of more or less fun and excitement.
Of course, much damage has been done to public and private property, though but a small total of loss of life. With the exception of several railway employees killed and injured by one shell, not a single civilian has been killed, though a few were injured by shells and bullets. No conflagrations occurred. But a great deal of sickness, enteric, dysentery and diarrhorea, prevailed throughout the Siege and carried off many of all classes, ages and sexes.

In the first days of the Siege it was arranged by General White and General Joubert to place all non-combatants who wished to vacate the town on a neutral site about three miles outside, as well as the sick. About 1,500 civilians moved out there, and all the sick. Supplies were sent daily by rail, and this arrangement, though somewhat humiliating to ourselves, was faithfully respected by the enemy from beginning to end. It would never have been necessary had our General seized and held the “Umbolwan”, which immediately overshadows the neutral ground selected for the sick and non- combatants.

Our boy “Sonny” was laid up with Enteric in January, and I am thankful to say, got safely over the fever. I never left him day or night through incessant shelling for 17 days. It then became so bad that we removed him altogether to the river side retreat, until he was able to walk. He is now quite strong and stout. The long strain, weary waiting, and privations have told more or less severely on all - both Military and Civilians. The last month seemed the worst of all, and brought us all down to depression and exhaustion, so much so that had the Boers made a determined general assault on our defences I very much doubt if we could have driven them back. Had the effort of the 6th of Jan. been repeated at the end of February they would probably have captured the town. Buller’s delays and repeated failures to break through the Boer lines between Ladysmith and Colenso were very disheartening to us and incomprehensible. I am afraid the British Commanders are woefully incompetent and far behind the rank and file as soldiers. The Conduct of this Siege, and the weary failures for our relief over so many months, are features of this war that reflect more disgrace than credit on the Commanders. It may be said a high game was played in order to draw the enemy and justify all our future demands when the time comes for a settlement, but I think this end could have been attained without loss of prestige and all the humiliations we have had to endure. I am very far from approving and endorsing all the frantic eulogies bestowed on White as the “Hero of Ladysmith” and on Buller for taking three months to get over twenty-five miles of country to our relief, neither do I think their brilliant Staffs have earned much glory by any of their exploits. Here and there a good and gallant officer can claim and has deserved equality of credit with the bravery and devotion that so signally had distinguished the rank and file of our regular soldiery, and in every case the Colonial volunteers, officers and men, have shewn more capacity than can be attributed to the regulars.

Not the least among the hardships that have fallen upon civilians during this Siege have been the overcrowding of our houses and gardens by camping regulars and volunteers, Cavalry and infantry up to our very doors and windows, and the sickness and discomforts entailed on all alike by so doing. This would not have been necessary had the General not adopted the plan of drawing his forces so close together and allowing the enemy to take so many commanding positions for their heavy siege guns.

The invasion of Natal and parts of the Cape Colony and other districts of British territory by the Boers, and the wholesale looting and destruction of property they have everywhere perpetrated, deprives them of all sympathy and consideration when the day of reckoning up comes round. The Imperial costs of this war, and the damages to be made good, will be a burden to be borne solely by the two Dutch States who have provoked the war, and must run into millions, it will take many years to liquidate.

We all here greatly admire and most fully appreciate the grand and substantial aid rendered by other British Colonies towards the Mother Country in maintaining and asserting British Supremacy in South Africa, and assisting these Colonies to oust the presumptuous and barbarous invaders who so wantonly surprised and over ran these territories with the object of conquest and plunder. Of course you will easily understand that we are great sufferers publicly and privately, and it may be a long time before business and other occupations can be resumed and losses recovered, so that the relief of beleaguered towns and districts is by no means the end to our distress.

All the Australian and New Zealand contingents appear to have gone to the Cape Colony, so that there is only a remote chance of our meeting anybody from your Islands for a long time at any rate. I think I must now conclude, as I have letters to write to Harry and Rose. None of us are very bright. Baby is ailing a good deal with dysentery which is very obstinate, and his mother and the children have been, as well as myself, a good deal “done down” and tried by the events and trials of the past five months.

All join in love and best wishes. I cabled our Safety to Harry and asked him to cable on to you.

Your affectionate Brother,
G.W. Willis.

1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Thursday, 29 March

Absolutely nothing to write about this evening. Not a single shot fired at the town today, and only a little desultory rifle-firing down the brickfields way. I suppose Mr. Boer is having a rest after his arduous labours of Tuesday last. Not at all a bad idea, he can go on resting as long as he likes.

Completed a batch of 23 £1 notes today after a tedious day’s work.

I hear this evening that some little time ago the Dutch parson living in town got up a petition, and had it signed by all the Dutch men and women, complaining to Snyman about his brutality and cruelty in shelling the women’s laager, and this was sent to Snyman through our lines by permission of the Colonel commanding. I wonder what Snyman thought of it?