Scheepers Turned In
The Direction Of Cape Town, But Swerved Aside At Montagu, And Moved
Northwards Towards Touws River.
So far the British had succeeded in driving and injuring, but never
in destroying, the Boer bands.
It was a new departure therefore
when, upon September 4th, the commando of Lotter was entirely
destroyed by the column of Scobell. This column consisted of some
of the Cape Mounted Rifles and of the indefatigable 9th Lancers. It
marked the enemy down in a valley to the west of Cradock and
attacked them in the morning, after having secured all the
approaches. The result was a complete success. The Boers threw
themselves into a building and held out valiantly, but their
position was impossible, and after enduring considerable punishment
they were forced to hoist the white flag. Eleven had been killed,
forty-six wounded, and fifty-six surrendered - figures which are in
themselves a proof of the tenacity of their defence. Lotter was
among the prisoners, 260 horses were taken, and a good supply of
ammunition, with some dynamite. A few days later, on September
10th, a similar blow, less final in its character, was dealt by
Colonel Crabbe to the commando of Van der Merve, which was an
offshoot of that of Scheepers. The action was fought near
Laingsburg, which is on the main line, just north of Matjesfontein,
and it ended in the scattering of the Boer band, the death of their
boy leader (he was only eighteen years of age), and the capture of
thirty-seven prisoners.
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