A SOUTH AFRICAN FIGHT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 492, 17 August 1912, Page 7

A SOUTH AFRICAN FIGHT.

• 4 CAVALRY IN THE BOER WAR. In the action of the Zand River in May, 1900, during the Boer War, when I ordered a 'brigade which had been dismounted and were being driven back by the Boer riflemen to mount and form for attack, all ranks were at once electrified into .extraordinary" enthusiasm and energy. The Boers realised what was coming. Their fire became wild, and the bullets flew over our heads. Directly the advance began, the Boers hesitated, and many rushed to. their horses ; we pressed forward with all the very 'moderate speed of tired horses, whereupbn the whole- Boei force retired in the utmost confusion and disorder, losing in a quarter of an tiour more ground than they had won during three or four hours cf fighting. A cavalry which could perform service like this ; which held back against great numerical odds, the Dutch forces at Colesburg ; which relieved Kimberley ; which dircetlj made possible the victory of Paardeburg by enclosing Kronje in his en trenchments ; which captured Blocmfontein, Kroonstadt, • and Barberton, and took part successfully in all the phases of the long guerilla war anc in countless drives, can afford to regard with equanimity the attack o! those who have never led, ' trained nor understood the arm to which ] am proud to belong. The successful cavalry fight confers on the victor the> command of ground just in the same way that successful naval action carries with it command at sea.-—From "Cavalry in Peace and War."