III. CHAP. escaped further serious molestation, though much fatigued, having been thirteen hours under arms with exposure to a hot sun. British losses. During the engagement, six men-three Fusiliers and three Carbineers-were either killed or mortally wounded, and thirteen others wounded, only two of which were slight cases. The improper use made of the white flag,' probably arising from a difference of opinion as to yielding, may have caused more casualties than otherwise would have resulted; but it was during the final charge, when less than twenty of the enemy were left, that most occurred. Captain Sampson was seriously wounded in the neck and shoulder whilst gallantly leading on his men. He was carried out of action and across the river, under heavy fire, by Lance-Corporal Hampton, who had just before been conspicuous for the way in which he headed his small party of Fusiliers detached to 1 District Order by Colonel W. Bellairs, C.B., Commanding Transvaal District:: 66 PRETORIA, 9th January 1881. "During the action of the 6th inst. a white flag of truce was hoisted from the position occupied by the rebels. The officer commanding the troops consequently ordered the cease-firing, and sent forward two white flags from different points in response. The rebels then deliberately reopened fire on the officers carrying the flags and on our men, who, having risen from cover, had exposed themselves. The casualties which occurred to the 2-21st Regiment that day arose solely from this treacherous conduct. "In order to protect the troops against a recurrence of loss of life from such savage proceedings, it becomes necessary to direct that, whenever a flag of truce is displayed from a rebel position, no one from our side should advance to meet it until it has come, unaccompanied by any armed body, close to our line. The troops will be careful to keep under cover on such occasion, although the cease-firing may have sounded, until the officer commanding directs them to rise." reinforce the right. Colour-Sergeant Hardwick was slightly wounded when moving forward in command of the right half-company of the Fusiliers; while Lieutenant Stanuell, although he frequently exposed himself with marked coolness, escaped-his water-bottle, however, receiving two bullets, and his sword-scabbard being indented by another. Colour-Sergeant Finchwho had nearly completed twenty-one years' service— was killed in the final advance of the Fusilier line. CHAP. III. my's losses. A high estimate was formed at the time of the The eneenemy's losses; but besides that of the fifteen prisoners, only five men were known positively, by their bodies having been seen, to have been killed. Many saddles were reported to have been "emptied"; but as the Boer, in order to fire, drops quickly off his saddle under cover, it may be suspected that errors in calculation were made through taking appearance for fact. An example was made of a man of the Pretoria Rifles for misbehaviour before the enemy, by sending him before a court-martial, when he was sentenced to dismissal, and degraded to the performance of menial work. Spruit One of the ambulance-waggons which had been Bronkhorst sent out to Bronkhorst Spruit on the 21st returned on wounded. the 27th December, bringing eight of the less seriously wounded men of the 94th Regiment, together with reports and lists of the killed and wounded. SurgeonMajor Comerford had remained behind to render assistance in the numerous dangerous cases, many of III. CHAP. which required amputation, and did not come in until the 6th January, the same day that the Zwart Kopje Laager was attacked. Owing to this coincidence, the Surgeon-Major was suspected by the Boers-of course wrongfully-of having when passing given useful information regarding the position of the laager, and further communication with the Bronkhorst Spruit party was not permitted. It was gratifying, however, to learn that the men were fairly treated and tolerably well supplied with provisions-extras, such as milk, eggs, fowls, &c., which could be procured on the adjoining farms, being sold to them. Now and then some little information would come in about them. Two messages were received asking for medicines of particular kinds. The first package sent never reached, it having, it was believed, been appropriated on its way, to relieve the wants of some sick or wounded Boers. Funerals. Military funerals were conducted with somewhat less than the honours customary in peace-time. A little while before, two officers - Lieut.-Colonel Hazlerigg and Lieutenant Justice-of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, who had died of enteric fever, were buried with great ceremony, the whole garrison, with many of the Government officials and townspeople, following their remains through the town to the cathedral, and thence to the cemetery. Such occasional impressive displays very likely serve a purpose; but their frequency during a state of siege would certainly have been out of place, when the object should rather be to raise than depress III. the spirits of the inhabitants. Even as it was-dis- CHAP. pensing with the beautiful but sad slow "Dead March " from the band, and the rattle of musketry volleys over the grave-the sight of the funeral cortège winding its way down from the camp to the cemetery, about threequarters of a mile below, with the sad wail-now high, then low-from the bagpipes, as the procession neared its destination, was no doubt depressing enough to many watchers who remained behind, as well as those who accompanied the funeral. The town cemetery, adjoining which was an allot- Cemetery. ment for the garrison, is situated on the flat ground to the west of the town-a desolate, dirty-looking locality, surrounded by brick-kilns, and endangered during the wet season by water-courses. During the investment it was found necessary to enlarge the military portion, and surround it with a more substantial wall; but although left in good order when the troops withdrew, it is to be feared that, from the nature of the soil and surroundings, the place will soon fall into ruin, unless the town authorities find themselves in a position to take charge of the whole cemetery, and expend money in improving it by drainage and planting. There were a considerable number of natives Natives. in the town and camp-between 1300 and 1400 drawing rations-a large portion of whom were located at the mission station, a separate cantonment in the lower part of the town, and the remainder were employed by the Commissariat and Transport Depart CHAP. ment, or as servants, &c., by the civilians. III. The natives belonging to the place were generally inferior in physique and intelligence to the town natives met with in Natal, but were tractable, and, considering the opportunities afforded in a deserted town, not so much given to pilfering as might have been expected. Indeed we heard of cases in which articles of value lost, having been found by natives, were restored to the owners; whilst property left in their charge in vacated houses was usually carefully looked after. The natives not already in the employment of the Commissariat or as servants-one to each family—were formed into labour corps, composed of a medley of Zulus, Swazis, Portugee-men from Delagoa Bay, and a majority of Tongas, ably organised by Assistant Commissary-General Walton-who, from his acquaintance with the Zulu language and the customs of the natives, exercised considerable influence over these men -and sent out daily to carry out different necessary works-improving the water-supply, manufacturing biltong, or fuel, scavengering, &c.,-while some were utilised as scouts, to give warning of any attempt to enter or leave the town or lines by night. By day the latter would sometimes be mounted on mules, trained for this purpose, when action and disease had seriously diminished the number of horses. In order to protect the natives from any disposition to molest or abuse them, a military notice was early published, that— Any soldier, volunteer, or civilian found ill-treating or threatening any native, will be immediately arrested and handed over to the provost-marshal, and be dealt 66 |