III. their summary powers and make examples, very ugly CHAP. results might have followed. A careful watch was, however, kept, parties sometimes lying out at night, surrounding certain houses and places; but though a latent suspicion was still occasionally entertained, no sufficient proof of guilt could in any case be obtained. Ladies were by no means exempted from suspicion. One, who was said to be engaged to be married to a known Boer sympathiser, was an especial object of distrust, it having been repeatedly averred that she used signalling-lights at nights. Another woman, who might in former days have fared badly as a witch for her predictions—and for that matter would, at this time, if those who had the wish to molest her had had their way-managed by some happy hits, -putting two and two together, as the saying is, or else, really, by earlier information acquired through Boer sources-probably the former, to impress her hearers and gain credit for superior knowledge of what was taking place outside. She was said to have told those who sought her of reverses encountered by our troops before the intelligence reached the authorities, and to have assured them that "Your Colley will never reach Pretoria!" delusions. The curious optical effect sometimes produced by Optical setting or rising stars-like momentary flashes of light, probably from heat-refraction when the stars were rising or sinking in the horizon behind a hill— often led to reports being made that the Boer laager, ten miles away to the west, was answering signals from the camp or town. The same cause gave rise to III. CHAP. similar suspicions at Standerton; while at Potchefstroom1 signals like rockets were noticed, due perhaps to like optical delusions. Spies and traitors in That there were spies and traitors, white and black, the camp. high and low, in and about the camps, is tolerably certain; but they were held in check, and as far as possible prevented from working serious mischief.2 Various dodges were said to have been resorted to to obtain surreptitiously the countersign, so that the cordon of sentries might be passed through; for instance, when the relief or rounds were challenged, the endeavour would be made to approach sufficiently near to overhear the password. It was even surmised that, on occasions, a volunteer had fictitiously placed himself on picket sentry, and boldly challenged and demanded the countersign of any one approaching, or even of an adjoining sentinel; when, having obtained 1 This is alluded to by Major Montague in his account of "The Defence of Standerton," in 'Blackwood's Magazine' for July and August 1881; and in Colonel Winsloe's "Siege of Potchefstroom," in 'Macmillan's Magazine' for April 1883. 2 An officer, who from his position was a good deal thrown amongst the civilians and natives, and had good opportunities for forming a sound opinion, writes: "I do not entertain a particle of doubt that the Boers had received more or less notice of our intended attack at the Red House-12th February-just as they received notice of all that we did. Every expedition was, I found, known and discussed in the volunteers' lines long before the regulars had any idea of it. This was one of the peculiar difficulties against which the chiefs had to contend, for it was incident to the very nature of the circumstances, it being impossible to distinguish, even in the highest social grades, whom of the civilians to trust and whom to distrust. The lines were full of traitors, some who 'ran with the hare while holding with the hounds,' but also III. a knowledge of it, he would be enabled to pass through CHAP. the line of sentries into the town or elsewhere. To prevent an abuse of the countersign, it was sometimes changed in the night, and it was forbidden to utter it in an audible voice to any but the sentry. In such a rough-and-tumble life, with, to many, Accidents. unaccustomed work, as the investment necessarily brought, it is not surprising that accidents occurred with firearms, and in other ways. The wonder rather is that, the men being often so mixed in their nationalities, and placed on guard or picket together-sometimes with outer and inner lines of sentries by night -more mistakes giving rise to casualties were not made. The fact, however, that none originated from these causes, shows how constant must have been the care and supervision exercised by those placed over the civilian levies, especially during the earlier part of the war. juries. Of minor injuries, of course, there were plenty- Minor intoes, fingers, or limbs suffering in felling wood; in working the mowing, forage-cutting, or corn-crushing machines; or in performance of the numerous heavy duties attending erecting fortified positions, moving heavy stores, &c.; but some accidents of a more serious nature may be noted. Assistant sary-Gene Deputy-Assistant Commissary-General Whitley was Deputythrown from his horse, and kicked in the face. His Commis jaw was greatly injured, and it was some time before ral Whitley he was able to resume his duties. Occurring at the outset, when the Commissariat were hard pressed and thrown and kicked by his horse. III. CHAP. overworked in bringing in supplies from the town, and making arrangements for provisioning the civil population, this mishap was felt the more by his department. An artilleryman ly shot. In January, two artillerymen in camp entering into accidental a discussion as to which was the handier to load from, the bandolier or the pouch, proceeded to test the question practically on the spot, with the result that one, in his excitement to gain upon the other, accidentally discharged his carbine, and lodged a bullet in the other's chest. The wounded man lay for some time in a critical condition, but eventually the bullet was extracted and he recovered. A mounted infantry horse drowned. About the same period, one morning, after a very man and heavy downpour of several inches of rain in the night, when the streams had become torrents, one of the mounted troop of the 94th Regiment, on cattle-guard, endeavoured to cross the Aapjes river just below the town, in order, it was supposed, to turn back some oxen, when both horse and man were swept down the stream. The body of the man was recovered the following day. O'Grady injured. Lieutenant At the beginning of February, Lieutenant O'Grady, commanding the mounted troop of the 94th Regiment, met with a bad accident, which laid him up for the rest of the investment, having broken his leg through slipping off the stoep1 of a hut. Mr Hendricks ac A fortnight after, Mr Hendricks, formerly armourercidentally sergeant of the 1st battalion 13th Regiment, but who shot. had taken his discharge and settled as a gunsmith at 1 Raised terrace in front. III. Pretoria, was working for the Ordnance Store Depart- CHAP. ment in camp, when another man, examining the barrel of a rifle, and unaware that it was loaded, exploded it, the bullet striking Mr Hendricks sideways in the stomach, but fortunately passing out again without causing vital injury. Goldie a kick from Near the close of the investment, Sergeant Goldie, Sergeant of Nourse's Horse, was killed by a kick in his chest killed by from his horse. The animal was grazing in a field his horse. in the town, when the sergeant going up behind to saddle him and return to camp, he suddenly lashed out with fatal effect. Sergeant Goldie had previously served with the 17th Lancers, and had been wounded in the Zulu campaign. horses and The dreaded horse-sickness season fortunately set in Losses in unusually late, and cases only began to be noticed at mules. the commencement of February. Every precaution was taken against its spread; but already, on the 14th February, Colonel Bellairs is found remarking that "the daily decreasing number of effective horses, arising from horse-sickness and war casualties, gradually but surely lessens our power for offensive operations."2 The losses after that date rapidly increased, until in one week in March they amounted to about 30 horses. 1 In the News of the Camp' of the 10th February there appeared a paragraph, evidently written by Mr Du-Val, which, after alluding to the appearance of this disease, goes on to say: "If there are to be any further reconnaissances or attacks upon the enemy's position in the neighbourhood, it were well that they were done quickly; but a general spread of this disease leaves our troopers horseless, exclaiming with Richard, 'A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"" 2 See Appendix N*. |