De Wet's Force Was Exceedingly Mobile, Each
Man Having A Led Horse, And The Ammunition Being Carried In Light
Cape Carts.
In the first week of August the British began to thicken round his
lurking-place, and De Wet knew that it was time for him to go.
He
made a great show of fortifying a position, but it was only a ruse
to deceive those who watched him. Travelling as lightly as
possible, he made a dash on August 7th at the drift which bears his
own name, and so won his way across the Vaal River, Kitchener
thundering at his heels with his cavalry and mounted infantry.
Methuen's force was at that time at Potchefstroom, and instant
orders had been sent to him to block the drifts upon the northern
side. It was found as he approached the river that the vanguard of
the enemy was already across and that it was holding the spurs of
the hills which would cover the crossing of their comrades. By the
dash of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the exertions of the
artillery ridge after ridge was carried, but before evening De Wet
with supreme skill had got his convoy across, and had broken away,
first to the eastward and then to the north. On the 9th Methuen was
in touch with him again, and the two savage little armies, Methuen
worrying at the haunch, and De Wet snapping back over his shoulder,
swept northward over the huge plains. Wherever there was ridge or
kopje the Boer riflemen staved off the eager pursuers. Where the
ground lay flat and clear the British guns thundered onwards and
fired into the lines of wagons. Mile after mile the running fight
was sustained, but the other British columns, Broadwood's men and
Kitchener's men, had for some reason not come up. Methuen alone was
numerically inferior to the men he was chasing, but he held on with
admirable energy and spirit. The Boers were hustled off the kopjes
from which they tried to cover their rear. Twenty men of the
Yorkshire Yeomanry carried one hill with the bayonet, though only
twelve of them were left to reach the top.
De Wet trekked onwards during the night of the 9th, shedding wagons
and stores as he went. He was able to replace some of his exhausted
beasts from the farmhouses which he passed. Methuen on the morning
of the 10th struck away to the west, sending messages back to
Broadwood and Kitchener in the rear that they should bear to the
east, and so nurse the Boer column between them. At the same time
he sent on a messenger, who unfortunately never arrived, to warn
Smith-Dorrien at Bank Station to throw himself across De Wet's
path. On the 11th it was realised that De Wet had succeeded, in
spite of great exertions upon the part of Smith-Dorrien's infantry,
in crossing the railway line, and that he had left all his pursuers
to the south of him.
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