LORD METHUEN’S OPERATIONS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 6 May 1901, Page 4

LORD METHUEN’S OPERATIONS.

A most successful March

Y/olmaransstad and Hartebeestfontein taken.

SOOO Cattle snd 15,000 Sheep captured.

Battle of Hartebeestfontein Poort

A Stubborn Fight.

Lieutenant Haselden sends us the following account of Lord Methuen’s operations. The account is p fluted at Klerksdorp upon brown paper, there evidently being no white available. As a good number of our West Coast boys are with Methune’s column the report will be all the more interesting. Lord Methuen has just completed one of the most successful expeditions of the war which he has performed in very quick tithe, after a march of a fortnight, and fighting almost every day.

His column left Taungs on the 2nd February, 1901, and fighting commerced almost immediately. On the 3rd a sharp skirmish took place at Uitval’s Ivep in thick bush. The Boers laid in wait in the bush, and tho troops had to clear tho position, which they did in a most gallant manner. The Boers were in front and on the Hanks in force. After some sharp fighting the Boers retired, our loss being one South Australian killed and five Bushmen and two South Australians wounded. Among the latter being Lieut. Dempsey. The wounded were sent to Yryburg, and the column moved on. The next day four Boers were captured by some of tho advance scouts, and during the night the camp was attacked, but the Boers avers beaten off without loss on our side. It is impossible to say what loss the Boers suffered. The next > day the enemy tvas searched with pom-pom fire, driving them out, leaving behind five wagons Avith -women and children who Avere subsequently allowed to go. Later in the day another lot of women and children with Avagons were captured and sent to Vryburg for safe keeping. On the 9th the column reached Doornbult, about 25 miles east of Yryburg, from Avhencc provisions -were obtained. Our pickets Avere sniped all the afternoon, and tATO native scouts were wounded.

From thence the column marched south-east and reached ScliAA-cizer Ecneke on the next day, (10th). The Boers Avere in possession and had gone to some trouble to establish and make themselves comfortable. The telegraph lines to Lichtcnburg and Wolmaransstad had been repaired. A Landdrost and J.P. appointed, and they Avere pursuing the even tenour of their way quite serenely, until our arrival upset matters someAvhat. A small force of ours Avas sent to Avork round to the north-east to co-oporatc with the main column, but unfortunately did not get into tho exact position required to hem the Boers in, and cut off their retreat. The Boers took up a position on the opposite side of the Hart’s river Avhieli Aras flooded, and awaited the attack. Our artillery opened fire and shelled them with considerable effect, their loss being considerable. Among the killed Avas a nephew of Commandant Tolle dc Beer and there Avere a number wounded also. A mounted force and a gun of ours swam the river, and cleared 1 the position, tho Boers flying eastwards.

Next day, the 11th, the colnmi marched 20 miles north-east to Makouw span which was reached without incident

At midnight the column moved on, south-east to Wolmaranstaad thirty miles distant. Our scouts came in contact with a party of Boers on the road before dawn, wounding one Boer and a horse. Commandant de Yilliers was on the left of our line of march, but did not oppose us. Before entering the village the Boer forces worked round our left and tried to get in ahead, but our artillery shelled them vigorously and they cleared, after suffering some loss which, however, could not be ascertained. The Boers in the village cleared out smartly, and the notorious Commandant Pearson narrowly escaped being captured. He was iu a cart, and one of the horses stuck, and our scouts were getting dangerously close, when the jibbing animal moved on, and the horses being fresh lie got away. A pocket-book belonging to him was picked up, in which was written the proclamation purporting to be issued by Lord Roberts offering £50,000 each for the capture of Steyn and Kroger, £30,000 for do Wet, and other rewards for other Boor leaders. The concoction of lies was evidently intended for publication. Four Boers were caught, three of them Griqualand West rebels. We found that the prisons held by the Boers at the place had been sent away the night before, accompanied by the valiant and fire-eating officials, and were out of our reach. Among them was Major Paget, of Paget’s Horse, and six burgher prisoners condemned to death for assisting the British by' the Boer Court recently held there. The convoy with infantry escort arrived at Wolmaransstad during the afternoon of the 13th.

On .the 14th the Boers attacked our outpost with artillery, to which our guns replied. Shelling was kept up till dark with what effect was unknown, but next day as- the column moved out eight dead Boers were picked up. Our casualties were two of the Yeomanry wounded, and several horses.

We learned afterwards that the Boer plan was to hem us in Walmaransstad until General de la Eey’s commando arrived, the intention being to capture the whole lot of us, but their courage failed them completely, and they cleared away to our front. A lot of stock was captured here and a number of undesirables were brought away. Tho column moved out on the loth, skirmishing going on in our front and on the right, and four dead Boers were found in a mealie field, hut it is more than probable that many others were killed, as we had no time to look for dead bodies. We reached Uitral about 15 miles N.N.E. that day. Next day the advance in the same direction was continued, the Boers hanging on to our front and flanks most tenaciously and reached Eictfontein, fifteen miles further, and about 25 miles due west of Klerksdorp. Hero a party of mounted men and a couple of guns made a wide turning movement to the left to intercept some wagons seen in that direction, but they succeeded in getting away. De Villicrs’ commando hung on to our right and there were other parties in front and even round to the roar. Six of our men were wounded during the day’s skirmishing. At 11 p.m., on the IGih the main column left for Paaideplaats, 20 miles north-east thus making a detour to get round Hartebeesifontein where it was known the Boers were assembled in force and had with them a lot of their own prisoners. Here we learned that at Bcakpan about two miles to our left a laager had been established, and the column moved there under cover of a ridge till close to tho laager. Tho whole lot was captured consisting of forty odd prisoners, 40 wagons and carts, 1,500 cattle, 6,000 sheep and I goats.

Camped at Paardeplaats and moved on next morning at 5 o’clock for Hartebeest fontein 12 miles south-east. A little in front of Hartebeestfontein a force of Boers fully 1,500 strong was encountered in a practically impregnable position. We had to descend from a tabeland about 500 feet on to the lower level, and the edge of the high plateau was out up into a series of rocky spurs, ridges, pinnacles androcky ravines, through which the column had to thr:ad its way, exposed to a front and enfilading fire from concealed marksmen all the way. The struggle was a very desperate one and lasted from early morning until midday. The Boers outnumbered our fighting men two to one, and comprised detachments from the commandoes of Liebenberg, Celliors, de Villiers, Vermaas, Potgieter, and Tollie do Beer, and the position is known as Hartebeestfontein Poort. A hot rifle fire at short distance, as close as twenty yards, was kept up by both sides, and the Boers contested every foot of the way. Two of our guns were moved forward and did good service at short rifle range. The Boers had a 7-pounder Creusot gun with which they shelled the column as it advanced. Early in the morning, tljo sth Yeomanry attacked the Boer position on the right of the road, drove out the enemy, and held the position. When the

Boor position on the left was reached by the 10th Imperial Yeomanry and the Victorians the enemy poured in a hail of bullets from ridge, spur, kopje and gorge and the task of clearing them out seemed almost a hopeless one. Our follows showed extraordinary bravery, and stuck to their work, regardless of losses, determined to win the day or die in the attempt. The act ion, commenced at dawn, and at 10 o’clock, very little progress having been made, Lord Methuen ordered up two companies of the Loyal North Laneashircs who formed part of the convoy guard, under Major Murray. They had to advance over an open space during which time several were hit, hut they moved forward grandly as if on parade and got to their positions from which they poured in deadly fire, which soon began to weaken the enemy’s resistance and a little after midday the Boer fire slackened perceptibly and eventually they cleared in all directions. During this action the Lancers lost heavily Lieut. Hewett was killed while directing his men, Lieut. Creek was shot dead about one hundred yards from the enemy’s position and a colour sergeant, corporal, and three men were killed, and seven or eight were wounded. The poort or gorge was then occupied while the convoy and tho large flocks and herds came through.

The Boer loss could not bo ascertained but eighteen dead bodies wore seen and is no doubt they must have lost very heavily. The Boers reckoned that it would be impossible for our force to drive them out and they had counted upon an easy victory. A Boer stated that ho could scarcely believe tUat such a small force of British or in fact any force could have driven them out, the position having been strongly entrenched. The column was greatly encumbered with a largo number of stock, and wagons, but they were all safely got out of the verittble hell’s gate without losing any of them. After forcing tho position large quantities of grain and stock were captured. Ono thousand bags of grain were destroyed and a large quantity of forage. Our casualties wore 34 wounded and 15 killed. Among the killed were Lieut. Creek, and Lieut Hewett, Loyal North Lancashires. Among the wounded were Col. Kelly, A.1.R., wounded in leg severe; Capt. J. Warwick, Div. staff, severely in thigh; Capt Wilson, sth Yeomanry, dangerously in stomach (since dead); Lieut. Mann A.1.R., severely: Lt. Parkin, A.I.R severely; Lieutenant Molloy, 10th Yeomanry, slight. Out of 25 men of the 40th squad of 10 th Yeomanry, fourteen ware hit at Hartcbecstfontcin.

On Tuesday evening tho sad task of burying tho dead was performed. The bodies of tho two officers and thirteen men who had laid down their lives for their country were conveyed to the Klerksdorp cemetary, followed by as many of the troops as could be spared, tho service being read by Chaplain Lieut-Col Simms, Chaplain Capt. Boardman, (N.S.W.) and Lieut Gell, I.Y. Four Boers who were brought in were buried at the same time in a burial plot adjoining, Mr Naude and Chaplain Simms officiating. Lord Methuen and staff remained till the close of the ceremony over the British dead, and were also present at the interment of the Boers.