CHAPTER V.

THE SIEGE OF RUSTENBURG FORT.

V.

Town.

CHAP. RUSTENBURG, a very small town, with the usual Dutch churches, Government offices, and school, hotel, sundry stores, and even a few buildings of two storeysnot often met with in the Transvaal-lies about seventy miles west of Pretoria, and the same distance north of Potchefstroom. The warmer climate and fertility of the district produces most sorts of tropical as well as many of the European kinds of fruit and plants. Its inhabitants, mostly of Dutch extraction, had shown a kindly disposition towards the military. A few months before hostilities, when the garrison was relieved, its commanding officer-Captain Willoughby of the 2d Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers-had presented to him an engrossed parchment address, signed by the principal people, highly complimentary to the officers and men, and showing how well they had ingratiated themselves with all classes, and the excellent feeling which had subsisted between all parties.

Fort and

garrison.

The fort-an earthwork of about 25 yards square -was placed between 600 and 700 yards from the

town. In November 1880, in order to strengthen the field column, then sent from Pretoria to Potchefstroom, the garrison had been reduced by one company, and, at the time hostilities commenced, only consisted of a company of sixty-two men of the 2d Battalion 21st Royal Scots Fusiliers, with a few men of the Commissariat and Hospital Corps, under the command of Captain Auchinleck, the other officers present being Second Lieutenant Despard and Surgeon Ritchie.

CHAP.
V.

hostilities.

When hostilities seemed imminent, the fort was Opening of further strengthened, sand-bags being placed on the parapets, and small mines laid. To give greater scope to the defence, some military huts were also thrown down. On the 24th December, information reached the officer commanding that a force of 600 Boers had assembled ten miles off. The following day six of the Rustenburg Rifle Volunteers joined the troops in the fort, the remainder of the inhabitants staying in the town; and on the 27th December the Boers entered and took possession of the latter. A flag of truce was sent demanding the surrender of the fort within an hour. Firing then commenced from the town at 1.30 P.M., ceasing at 6.30 P.M. The only damage which resulted was the loss of all the slaughter-cattle belonging to the garrison, together with six horses and two transport-oxen killed. As it became evident that the transport - oxen could no longer be retained, they, together with two horses, were turned loose at midnight. When effecting this

V.

CHAP. the enemy offered some interruption, and volleys were exchanged. The civilian officer in charge of the volunteers had formerly suffered from sunstroke, and the excitement now caused by the siege operations proved too much for him. He went completely out of his mind, and remained a raving lunatic—a grievous encumbrance to the small garrison-to the end of the siege, when, with his wife and family, who had remained in the town, he was removed to Pretoria.

Progress of the siege.

On the 28th December the enemy commenced a trench between the town and fort, 120 yards in front of the former, and about 550 yards from the latter. Walls were also loopholed, and houses placed in a state of defence. The fort was surrounded by vedettes, and communication with the exterior cut off. During the three following days the trenches were increased, and firing came from the direction of the town and a hill to the right of the fort, the garrison of which returned the fire on the 27th and 28th, but were afterwards content with reserving their ammunition for men or horses when good opportunities offered. Captain On the 29th, Captain Auchinleck received a severe wounded. rifle-shot wound in the face, which necessitated his relinquishing the command of the fort, then taken over by Lieutenant Despard, until his partial recovery on the 10th January.

Auchinleck

Surrender demanded a second time.

On the 1st January, a letter from Mr H. P. Malan, Heidelberg, was sent in under a flag of truce, again demanding surrender, which, however, met with no

different result from the previous one.

For the next

CHAP.

V.

six days a dropping fire was continued from the town and the hill on the right of the fort.

brought

On the 8th January a new feature was introduced A cannon into the enemy's attack-a gun of very rough and into action. primitive construction, made of coils of iron by an ingenious Dutch blacksmith, throwing a shot of about 6 lb. weight. This was first placed on a hill 2000 yards away, and opened fire at 6 A.M. The result not proving satisfactory, it was, two hours afterwards, moved by oxen to a small hill 800 yards nearer to the fort. Forty-five rounds were fired from these two positions. At 11 A.M., the fire still proving ineffectual, the gun was dragged to within 600 yards' distance, when the fire from the fort silenced it after fourteen rounds. The enemy were then allowed to carry away three men who had been hit, under a flag of truce. A brisk fire was kept up from the town. while the gun was in action. Several quiet days, with but few rifle-shots, followed.

mand for

On the 12th, three civilians, carrying a white flag, Third deapproached the fort, and delivered a letter, again de- surrender. manding surrender. They begged for protection, asserting that, were they to return unsuccessful from their mission, they would be shot. They were then received into the fort. From them it was ascertained that the Boer force at that time numbered 220 men; that their losses were kept quiet, but that one man was known to have been killed and several wounded, while many horses also had been killed. Besides the military, there were now in the fort nine civilians and

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V.

Despatches from Pretoria.

February.

one civil conductor, with seven natives attached to the transport department. Two more civilians, who had arrived from a farm seven hours' ride off, were likewise received into the fort on the 21st; but three others from the town, who, the same day, sought to enter, were refused admittance.

After the withdrawal of the Boer gun on the 8th, the enemy's rifle-fire continued for the remainder of the month intermittently, some days with only occasional shots, followed by others with a pretty constant fire.

The weather had been wet during the first three weeks, but the last fortnight in January was fine. The health of the garrison remained good, and the spirits of the troops excellent, notwithstanding the drawback of only half rations from the commence

ment.

Several despatches had been received from Pretoria -one dated 20th December, then news to the 9th, and again on the 25th January. The first received from Rustenburg at Pretoria had been sent on the 20th January, and the account given of the defence elicited some complimentary remarks from the Colonel commanding the district.1

During February the enemy's fire continued to be of the same desultory character as before, and the

1 "I congratulate and thank Captain Auchinleck and the troops under his command upon the energetic and successful defence made to the 20th instant of the fort at Rustenburg, against the largely preponderating force of rebels investing it.

"From indirect sources it is reported that seven rebels had been