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# •

•

LUMSDEN'S HORSE

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•«• • • •• <

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• • • • •

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" • • • ••

THE HISTORY

LUMSDEN'S HORSE

A COMPLETE RECORD OF THE (JORl'S FROM ny,
FORMATION TO ITS DISBANDMENT

EDITED BY

HENRY H. S. PEARSE

(WAR CORRESPONDENT)

AUTHOR OK * POUR MONTHS BESIEGED — ^THE STORY OF LADYSMITII ' K TC.

WITH MANY PORTRAITS AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS
AND A MAP

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO,

39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON

NEW YORK AND BOMBAY

1903

1^-

PEEFACE

Although this History of Lumsden's Horse embraces a period
in the South African campaign that was crowded with great
issues, it makes no pretence to rank among the many able and
comprehensive works dealing with those events. Elaborate
descriptions and criticisms of operations as a whole have been
purposely avoided, except so far as they serve to explain and
emphasise actions in which the corps took part.

First of all, the book is intended to be no more than a
regimental record, enlivened by the personal experiences of men
who helped to make history at a time when the whole British
Empire was moved by one impulse. India's part in that
movement is the inspiring theme, and one object has been to
show how the idea of organising an Indian Volunteer Contingent
for service in South Africa passed from inception to accomplish-
ment, through the eflEorts of a Committee in Calcutta which
made itself responsible for every financial liability in connection
with the corps from its formation to its disbandment.

The cost of publication is being defrayed out of a balance
of funds remaining in the hands of the Committee, and each
member of the corps will receive a copy as a souvenir of his
interesting experiences and a proof that his services are still
remembered. Pubhcation, however, is not restricted to members
of the corps, and the Editor ventures to think that this book will
suggest to general readers many points worthy of consideration,

463083

vi THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

It illustrates the facility with which British subjects in India
are able to band themselves together, and affords yet another
instance of many in which the Indian Government has shown
itself capable of utilising instantly its resources for the Empire's
benefit. And, more than this, it will stand as a proof of the
cordiaUty with which the Indian public — British and Native —
came forward at a time of Imperial need w4th offers of personal
service or liberal subscriptions, which enabled the Committee to
raise and despatch a Mounted Contingent completely equipped
in every detail.

Among those w^ho have assisted the Editor with information
that has enabled him to produce this History, he has especially
to thank the Committee, the Adjutant of the Eegirnent (Major
Neville Taylor, 14th Bengal Lancers), whose sketch-map of the
positions at Houtnek was made from personal reconnaissance,
and Messrs. D. S. Eraser, Graves, Burn-Murdoch, Kirwan, and
Preston. He is also indebted to Major Ross, C.B., Durham
Light Infantry, for interesting material. Acknowledgment is due
to Messrs. Johnston & Hoffmann, Messrs. F. Kapp & Co., Messrs.
Bourne & Shepherd, and Messrs. Harrington & Co., of Calcutta,
and others, who have kindly placed photographs at the Editor's
disposal; and to the proprietors of the ' Englishman,' * Pioneer,'
' Indian Daily News,' ' Statesman,' ' Times of India,' and
* Madras Daily Mail,' for permission to reproduce from their
columns the personal narratives that brighten many pages of
this book.

H. h. s. p.

Arts Club, London : January 1903.

CONTENTS

CHAPTEU PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

1. HOW TlIK CORPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED . . . 7

II. PREP.VRING FOR THE FRONT — DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA . 40

III. OUTWARD BOUND 68

IV. NEARING THE GOAL — DISEMBARKATION AT CAPE TOWN AND

EAST LONDON 85

V. AN INTERLUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA's POST . . . 96

VI. BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN . 109

VII. IMPRESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN — JOIN THE 8TH MOUNTED

INFANTRY REGIMENT ON OUTPOST 127

VIII. THE BAITISM OF FIRE — LUMSDEN'S HORSE AT OSPRUIT

(HOUTNEK) 144

IX. AFTER OSPRUIT SOME TRIBUTES TO MAJOR SHOWERS AND

OTHER HEROES 176

X. PRISONERS OF WAR 191

XI. TOWARDS PRETORIA — LUMSDEN'S HORSE SCOUTING AHEAD

OF THE ARMY FROM BLOEMFONTEIN TO THE VAAL RIVER 308

XII. JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS . . .230

XIII. ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION AT IRENE, KALFONTEIN,

ZURFONTEIN, AND SPRINGS — THE PRETORIA PAPER-CHASE 248

XIV. ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS — BOER SCOUTING — A RECONNAIS-

SANCE TO (CROCODILE RIVER — FAREWELL TO COLONEL ROSS 270

XV. A MxVRCH UNDER MAHON OF MAFEKING TO RUSTENBURG

AND WARMBATHS — IN PURSUIT OF DE WET . . . 286

VUl

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

CHAPTER PAGE

XVI. EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BAUBEKTON UNDER GENERALS

FRENCH AND MAHON 313

XVII. MARCHING AND FIGHTING — FROM MACHADODORP TO
HEIDELBERG AND PRETORIA UNDER GENERALS FRENCH
AND DICKSON 340

XVIII. HOMEWARD BOUND — APPROBATION FROM LORD ROBERTS —
CAPE TOWN'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS — FAREWELL TO SOUTH
AFRICA 369

XIX. THE RETURN TO INDIA — WELCOME HOME — HONOURS AND

ORATIONS — DISBANDMENT . . . . . . 877

XX. A STIRRING SEQUEL — ^THE STORY OF THOSE WHO STAYED

— MEMORIAL TRIBUTES TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE . 409

APPENDICES

I. ROLL OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE, INCLUDING TRANSPORT . . A'27

II. MOBILISATION SCHEME FOR LUMSDEN'S HORSE . . 437

III. THE adjutant's NOTE-BOOK 446

IV. LIST OF OFFICERS, N.C.O.S, AND MEN WHO HAVE BEEN

AWARDED DECORATIONS, COMMISSIONS, OR CIVIL AP-
POINTMENTS 4/54

V. HONOURS AND PROMOTIONS 4o6

VI. HONORARY RANK IN THE ARMY 461

VII. LUMSDEN'S HORSE EQUIPMENT FUND 462

VIII. FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE CORl^S . .476

IX. LUMSDEN'S HORSE RECEFnON COMMITTEE . . . . 480

X. THE FINAL ACCOUNTS 483

XI. REPORT OF TRANSPORT SERGEANT 486

XII. TOPICAL SONG BY A TROOPER 490

INDEX 491

LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS

PLATES

From Drawings t and from Photographs by Messrs. Johnston & Hoffmann, Kapp & Co.,
Bourne & Shephebd, and Habrington <k Co., Calcutta ; Messrs. Elliott A Fry, Ijondon,
and otJiers.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL D. M. LUMSDEN, C.J3. (Photogravure)

SIR PATRICK PLAYFAIR, CLE

HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON, VICEROY OF INDIA
BEHAR CONTINGENT OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE .
MYSORE AND COORG CONTINGENT .
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ....

COLONEL LUHSDBN, C.B., SIR PATRICK PLAYFAIR, C.I.E., COLONEL
MONEY, MAJOR BDDIS, MR. HARRY STUART

OFFICERS OF THE CORPS ,

COLONEL LUMSDEN, MAJOR SHOWERS, CAPTAINS TAYLOR, BERE8-
FORD, NOBLETT, RUTHERFOORD, CHAMNEY, CUFFORD, AND
STEVENSON, LIEUTENANTS CRANE, NEVILLE, SIDEY, AND PUOH

MESSING AT CALCUTTA

HORSES IN CAMP AT CALCUTTA

ON PARADE, CALCUTTA

T.\KING HORSES ON BOARD TRANSPORT 28
EMBARKATION AT CALCUTTA ....
H.E. THE VICEROY ADDRESSING THE CORPS .
B COMPANY LUMSDEN'S HORSE LEAVING CALCUTTA
THE REGIMENT IN CALCUTTA.
^UXIM-GUN CONTINGENT

CAPTAIN HOLMES, SERGEANT DALE, C. V. S. DICKENS, N. J. BOLST,
P. T. CORBETT

SURMA VALLEY LIGHT HORSE. CONTINGENT OF

lumsden's b company

Frontispiece
facing page 1

18
2«

,. 30

X THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

MAJOR (local COLOXEL) W. C. ROSS, C.H. . . . facing page 117

TRANSPORT kSD WATER CUiTS „ 132

Ol'TLVING PICKET TAKING UP POSITION . . . ,, 136

HOUTNEK, SHOWING POSITIONS OF BRITISH AND BOER

TROOPS „ 144

N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS „ 166

SERGEANT F. S. McNAMARA, LANCE-SERGEANT J. 8. ELLIOTT,
CORPORAL A. MACGILLIVRAY, R. U. CASE, C. A. WALTON, A. F.
FRANKS, J. S. SAUNDERS, R. N. MACDONALD. L. GWATKIN
WILLIAMS

BRINGING HALF-RATIONS LP TO NORMAL . . . „ 213

N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS ,, 214

H. J. MOORHOUSE, A. K. MEARBS, W. K. MEARES, H. W. PUCKRIDGE,
R. G. DAGGE, R. P. WILLIAMS, R. C. NOLAN, T. G. PETERSEN,
S. DUCAT

N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS „ 230

CORPORAL L. E. KIRWAN, J. S. CAMPBELL, C. £. TURNER, E. S. CHAP-
MAN, G. INNES WATSON, C. E. STUART, C. CARY-BARNARD,

E. S, CLIFFORD, H. GOUGH

INVALIDED HOME AFTER THE SURRENDER OF PRETORIA ,. 248

J. SKELTON, R. P. HAINES, H. W. THELWALL, C. K. MARTIN, H. S.
CHESHIRE, H. B. OLDHAM, M. H. LOGAN, J. V. JAMESON, H. HOWES

NIGHT IN CAMP ,, 296

PHILIP Stanley' ,. 306

TRANSPORT DRIVERS „ 320

T. HARE SCOTT, H. G. PHILLIPS, R. P. ESTABROOKE, J. BRAINE,
R. PRINGLE, W. BURNAND

TRANSPORT DRIVERS ,, 324

L. DAVIS, LEO H. BRADFORD, C. W. LOVEGROVE, S. W. CULLEN,

F. C. MANVILLE, F. C. THOMPSON

THE LAUNDRY „ 328

H. P. BROWN, A TYPICAL TROOPER „ 340

N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS ...... „ 346

SERGEANT A. H. LUARD, CORPORAL G. LAWRIE, F. G. BATEMAN,
L. KINGCHURCH, IAN SINCLAIR. PERCY COBB, HARVEY DAVIES,
C. E, CONSTERDINE, D. ROBERTSON

N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS „ 360

SERGEANT G. E. THESIGER, CORPORAL W. T. SMITH, E. B. MOIR-
BYRES, J. A. BROWN, H. EVETTS, J. L. STEWART, H. N. SHAW,
E. S. CLARKE, B. E. JONES

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

G.\ZKTTED TO THK REGULAR ARMY ....

CORPORAL F. S. MONTAGU BATES, H. S. N. WRIGHT, J. I>. L.
ARATHOON, S. L. INNES, F. W. WRIGHT, R, O. COLLINS, A. E.
NORTON, W. DOUGLAS-JONES, T. B. NICHOLSON

RECEIVING THE MAYOR OF CAPK TOWX'ft FAREWELL
ADDRESS OX THE SOUTH ARM

CHEERING IN RESPONSE

HOME FROM SOUTH AFRICA — N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS

SERGEANTS STOWELL, DONALD, RUTHERFOORD, FOX, FARRIER-
SERGE.ANT EDWARDS, LANCE-CORPORAL GODDEN, S. C. GORDON,
E. A. THELW^ALL, A. P. COURTENAY

HOME FROM SOUTH AFRICA — N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS

SERGEANT J. BRENNAN, H, NICOLAY, A. ATKINSON, C. H. JOHNSTONE,
G. SMITH, N. V. REID, W. R. WINDER, R. M. CRUX, L. K. ZORAB

MEMBERS OF LUMSDENS HORSE WHO JOINED THE
JOHANNESBURG POLICE, DECEMBER 1900 . . .

SILVER STATUETTE, PRESENTED TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL
LUMSDEN

TABLET IN ST. PAUL's CATHEDRAL, CALCUTTA . . .

facing page 366

372

372
37«

384

410

418
424

(nilER ILLUSTRATfOXS

CAITAIN NOBLETT (MAJOR ROYAL IRLSH RlFLES), COMMANDING
B COMPANY LUMSDENS HORSI?

CAPTAIN H. CHAMNEY

CAPTAIN NEVILLE C. TAYLOR

H. C. LUMSDEN (KILLED IN ACTION, HOUTNEK, APRIL 30, 1900)

LIEUTENANT C. E. CRANE

J. H. BURN-MURDOCH

HERBERT N. BETTS, D.C.M

MAJOR EDEN C. SHOWERS (KILLED AT HOUTNEK) .

BUGLER R. H. MACKENZIE

E. B. PARKES

DAVID STEWART TOASER

WATERVAL PRISON, PRETORIA

PAOK

142
152
156
159
162
163
167
175
187
187
193
206

xii THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

PAOE

PKRCY JONES, D.C.M. » 228

LIEUTENANT G. A. NEVILLE 234

LIEUTENANT H. O. PUGH, D.S.O. 242

WALTER DEXTER, D.C.M., CUTTING THE TELEGRAPH WIRES AT

ELANDSFONTEIN 243

P. C. PRESTON, D.C.M 244

(CAPTAIN RUTHERFOORD, D.S.O 263

CAITAIN W. STEVENSON, VETERINARY SURGEON . . . .268

SERGEANT ERNEST DAWSON 269

A TYPICAL BOER 275

CAPTAIN CLIFFORD . . • 277

J. A. GRAHAM, D.C.M 278

BERNARD CAYLEY 279

L. C. BEARNE 280

A HALT ON THE MARCH TO BARBERTON : GENERAL MAHON AND

COLONEL WOOLLS-SAMPSON 339

SERGEANT STEPHENS 346

CAPTAIN C. LYON SIDEY 352

D. MORISON 354

(CORPORAL J. GRAVES 356

LANCE-CORPORAL JOHN CHARLES 376

J, S. COWEN 382

SWORD OF HONOUR PRESENTED TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL LUMSDEN 407

A. NICHOLSON 414

(J. D. NICOLAY 416

II. KELLY 417

K. BOILEAU 418

MAP

PART OP SOUTH AFRICA, SHOWING THE ROUTES TAKEN

BY LUMSDEN's horse facing i)age 490

Photo: Elliott <t Frp

SIR PATRICK PLAYFAIR, CLE.

THE

HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Errata ig T©-

L far-

"-^^ X; 'r ;^:;:S:u:ir.^.^;v::,«ntee. Rifle. WE-tlna^^ Oiate.

*' Volunteer Rifles. S^illCa

267, „ 25,/ar Thompson, T.««/ Thompson, F.C.

;; , ;; jai/orHenry.a E.^arfHenry.J. JTS in

^6ii !! 4. A»r Burnett rftwf Bennett ^If i.

'• ^ *• 10 /i^ Campbell. L. C. r.a^ Campbell, J. S. ^^^ ^

" 3&4, !! i3',/arJol^ns^one.E.J.r^John8tone,C. H. UJ ifcs

'/, .,' r. IS. >r Ritchie mw/Richey Other

20, fyr Bagge f«<«/ Dagge

" 395, r, 35,>rRustomjee«fl^/Rustomji Only

ed in

History or Lumsdbh's Hobse Were

bound together by no other ties than sentiment. Selfish interests
were merged in combined efforts for the common weal, and,
while the necessity for action lasted, few cared to reckon the
price they were paying for an idea.

Even the long-looked-for advent of Peace has hardly brought
home to us a knowledge of all that War in South Africa meant,
not only in a military sense, but also in its greater imperial
significance. The men who fought and bled for the noble
sentiment of British brotherhood never dreamed that they were
doing more than duty demanded, though they had perhaps
given up every chance of success in life to answer the call of
patriotism ; and among those who stayed at home there are
millions untouched by the bitterness of personal bereavement
who can have no conception of the sacrifices that were made to

Photo: Elliott 4t Fry

SIR PATRICK PLAYFAIR, CLE.

THE

HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

INTEODUCTION

To Lumsden's Horse belongs the high honour of having re-
presented all India in a movement the magnitude and far-
reaching effects of which we are only beginning to appreciate.
While the stubborn struggle for supremacy in South Africa
lasted, no true sons of the Empire allowed themselves to count
the cost. Some were prepared to pay it in blood, others in
treasure, to make success certain, and none allowed himself to
harbour even the shadow of a thought that failure, with all its
inevitable disasters, could befall us so long as the Mother
Country and her offshoots held together. At the outset only
those blessed with exceptional foresight could have believed in
the completeness of a federation the elements of which were
bound together by no other ties than sentiment. Selfish interests
were merged in combined efforts for the common weal, and,
while the necessity for action lasted, few cared to reckon the
price they were paying for an idea.

Even the long-looked-for advent of Peace has hardly brought
home to us a knowledge of all that War in South Africa meant,
not only in a military sense, but also in its greater imperial
significance. The men who fought and bled for the noble
sentiment of British brotherhood never dreamed that they were
doing more than duty demanded, though they had perhaps
given up every chance of success in life to answer the call of
patriotism; and among those who stayed at home there are
miUions untouched by the bitterness of personal bereavement
who can have no conception of the sacrifices that were made to

• •• • *

• . • . t , • ••

2*- •• •*• THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

keep our Empire whole. Casualty lists, with all their details of
killed and wounded, do not tell half the story. To know it all
we must dip deep into the private records of every contingent,
British and Colonial, that volunteered for active service, and
deeper still to fathom the motives of men who, when their
country seemed to need them, threw aside all other considera-
tions and rallied to her standard.

Continental critics may sneer at us for making much of this
idea, but none know better than they do the difEerence between
loyalty expressed in such a noble form and the mere instinct of
self-preservation that too often passes current for patriotism.
They tell us that it is every citizen's duty to be a soldier and
every soldier's duty to die, if necessary, for his country; but
when they see self-governing nations from every quarter of
the world coming into line by their own free will and all welded
together by one sentiment, they have no better name for it than
lust of empire. Nevertheless, they know it for what it is, a
thing of which they had previously no conception, and they
recognise in the impulses that led to this mighty manifestation
the secret of Great Britain's world-wide power. Let envious
rivals say what they will. Let them magnify our reverses and
minimise our triumphs, if the process pleases them. In spite of
everything, the South African War stands a great epoch of an
age that will some day come to be reckoned among the greatest
in British History, and all who have helped towards the shaping
of events at this memorable time can at least claim to have
earned the gratitude of posterity.

And India may weU be proud of her share in the work.
Measured by the mere number of men whom she sent to the war,
her contribution seems perhaps comparatively small ; but when
we remember the sources from which that contingent was drawn,
the munificence of gifts from Europeans and natives alike for its
€quipment and maintenance, and all the sacrifices that war-
service involved for every member of the little force, we cannot
but admire the spirit that called it into being. A great crisis
was not necessary to convince us that British residents in India
would fight, if called upon, with all the valour that distinguished
Outram's Volunteers of old. Few, however, would have been
bold enough to predict that for any conceivable cause hundreds

INTRODUCTION 3

of men would readily relinquish all that they had struggled for,
give up the fruits of half a life's labour, and calmly face the
certainty of irreparable losses, without asking for anything in
return except the opportunity of serving their country on a
soldier's meagre pay. Still less could anybody have imagined
that a time might come when Indian natives, debarred from
the chance of proving their loyalty by personal service, would
give without stint towards a fund for equipping a force to fight
in a distant land against the enemies of the British Raj. If
Indian princes had been permitted to raise troops for the war in
South Africa, our Eastern contingent would have numbered
thousands instead of hundreds. What natives were not allowed
to give in men they gave in cash and in substance, according to
their means, thereby showing that they were with us in a desire
to defend the Empire against any assailant. In reality this
meant more than an offer of armed forces, and to that extent it
was worthy to rank with the self-sacrifice of Anglo-Indians who
gave personal service, and thereby took upon themselves a
burden the weight of which cannot be readily estimated. It
must not be forgotten that raising a corps of Volunteers in India
is a very different matter from the enrolment of a similar force
at home, or wherever there are dense populations and * leisured
classes ' to be drawn upon. There are no idle men in India,
everyone having gone there to fill an appointment and eani his
livelihood. When the call came, therefore, it could only be
answered by sacrifices or not at all, and nobody is more con-
scious of this fact than the man whose laconic appeal for
Volunteers brought three or four times more offers than he
could possibly accept. In his opinion 'the men who vacated
appointments worth from 300 to 500 rupees a month and went
to fight for their country on Is. 2d. a day have given a much
larger contribution to the War Fund than they could afford.'
As an instance he mentions three members of the medical
profession, Doctors Charteris, Moorhouse, and WooUright,
each of whom threw up a lucrative practice and joined the
ranks as a trooper. These are not exceptional but simply
typical cases. Scores of other men gave up equally remunera-
tive appointments with the same noble unselfishness to enrol
themselves in Lumsden's Horse.

n 2

4 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

To Colonel Lumsden alone belongs the honour of having
evoked this splendid manifestation of patriotic feeling. The idea
of forming a corps of Indian Volunteers was his ; and though
similar thoughts may have been in many minds at the same
moment, nobody had given a practical turn to them until his
message — electric in every sense — startled all Anglo-Indians
into active and cordial co-operation. How all that came about
wiU be told with fuller circumstances in its proper place, but
some reference must be made here to the man whose firm faith
in the patriotism and soldierly qualities of Indian Volunteers
led him to the inception of a scheme which events have so
abundantly justified.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dugald McTavish Lumsden, C.B., needs
no introduction to the East, where the best, and perhaps the
happiest, years of his life have been spent. Without some details
concerning him, however, completeness could not be claimed for
any record of the corps which is now identified with his name.
The eldest son of the late Mr. James Lumsden, of Peterhead,
Aberdeenshire, he was born in 1851. At the age of twenty- two
he obtained an appointment on the Borelli Tea Estate, in the
Tezpur District of Assam, and sailed for India. Consciously or
unconsciously, he must have taken with him some military
ambitions imbibed through intimate association with leaders of
the Volunteer movement in Scotland. At any rate, he soon
became known as a keen Volunteer in the land of his adoption,
and when in 1887 the Durrung Mounted Eifles was formed, he
was given a captaincy. A year later that corps lost its identity,
as other local units did, in the territorial title of Assam Valley
Light Horse, with Colonel Buckingham, C.I.E., as commandant,
while Captain Lumsden got his majority and took command of
F Squadron in the Durrung District. Subsequently he com-
manded the regiment for a time, and, though he left India in
1893, he did not lose touch with his old comrades. Every year
he returned to spend the cold weather among his friends in
Assam, showing always undiminished interest in the welfare of
his old regiment. Thus, when the time came for a call to active
service, he had no sort of doubt what the response would be from
the hardy, sport-loving planters of Northern Bengal. Himself
an enthusiastic shikari and first-rate shot, he knew how to value

INTRODUCTION 5

the qualities that are developed in hunting and stalking wild
game. And his experience of Indian Volunteers was not con-
fined to his own district. He knew every corps in Bengal by
reputation, and could thus gauge with an approach to accuracy
the numbers on which he would be able to draw for the forma-
tion of an Indian contingent. Much travel in many lands had
also made him a good judge of men, as evidenced by the first
thing he did when the idea of calling upon India to take up her
share of the Imperial burden came to him.

At that time he was travelling in Australia, and had no
means of knowing how deeply the feelings of British residents
and natives of the East had been stirred by news of the reverses
to our arms in South Africa. The dark days of Stormberg and
Magersfontein had thrown their shadow over Australia as over
England, chilling the hearts of people who until then had refused
to believe that British troops could be baulked by any foes,
notwithstanding the stern lesson of Ladysmith's investment.
Through that darkness they were groping sullenly towards the
light, and wondering what national sacrifices would have to be
made before the humiliation could be wiped out. It is in such
moments of emergency that natural leaders come to the front.
Among the few in England or the Colonies who realised the
military value of Volunteers was Colonel Lumsden. Though
thousands of miles away from the scenes of early associations, his
thoughts turned at once to the bold riders and skilful marksmen
with whom he had so often shared the exciting incidents of
the chase. He made up his mind at once that the planters, on
whose spirit he could rely, were the very men wanted for South
African fighting. On the parade ground they might not be all
that soldiers whose minds are fettered by rules and traditions
would desire, but he knew how long days of exercise in the open
air at their ordinary avocations, varied by polo, pig-sticking,
and big-game hunting, had toughened their fibre and hardened
their nerves. He could count on every one of them also for
keen intelligence, which he rightly regarded as more important
than mere obedience to orders, where every man might be called
upon to think and act for himself. Colonel Lumsden would be
the last to depreciate Kegular soldiers, or undervalue their disci-
pline, but experience had taught him that men who can exercise

6 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

self-restraint and develop powers of endurance for the mere
pleasure of excelling in manly sports, adapt themselves readily
enough to mihtary duties. To them, at any rate, the prospect
of hardships or privations would be no deterrent, the imminence
of danger only an additional incentive. On December 15, 1899
— a day to be afterwards borne in mournful memory — Colonel
Lumsden made up his mind that the time for action had come to
every Briton who could see his way to giving the Mother Country
a helpful hand. He cabled at once to his friend Sir Patrick
Playfair in Calcutta his proposal to raise a corps of European
Mounted Infantry for service in South Africa, and backed it
with an offer, not only to take the field himself, but to contribute
a princely sum in aid of a fund for equipping any force the
Government might sanction. Then, without waiting to know
whether his services had been accepted, he took passage by the
next steamer for India.

CHAPTEE I

HOW THE COBPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED

Oflfer Government fifty thousand rupees and my services any capacity
towards raising European Mounted Infantry Contingent, India, service
Cape. Wire Melbourne Club, Melbourne. — Leaving nineteenth, due
Calcutta January 9. Do not divulge name until my arrival. — Lumsdbn.

These were the stirring words of Colonel Lumsden's laconic
message flashed by cable from Australia to Calcutta at a time
when all India was ripe for any movement in aid of the Empire,
and only waiting for a lead in the course it should take. No
wonder that the spirit of a man whose enthusiastic confidence
was expressed in an offer so munificent communicated itself to
all whom Sir Patrick Playfair consulted on the subject. Still,
official susceptibilities, ever prone to look askance at anything
that seems like civilian interference with military prerogatives,
had to be considered. Tact was necessary at the very outset
to avoid all possibility of friction. Colonel Lumsden had
evidently foreseen this when he selected as the recipient of his
cable message an Anglo-Indian of diplomatic temperament, great
social influence, and varied experience. Few men, if any, could
have been better qualified for the delicate negotiations, or
could have appealed to the Indian public, Native and European,
with more certainty of success than Sir Patrick Playfair, whose
services then and for months afterwards entitle him to a niche
in India's Walhalla beside the founder of Lumsden's Horse.
Even at the sacrifice of continuity, it is appropriate to quote
here an appreciative comment by one who knew how much Sir
Patrick Playfair did towards the formation and equipment of a
thoroughly representative force. From the moment of receiving
Colonel Lumsden's telegram he displayed the keenest interest

8 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

in its object, and endeavoured to ensure a successful issue with
all the energy that has characterised him in his advocacy and
support of many public enterprises during a brilliant career.
He was the prime mover in every social function organised in
honour of Lumsden's Horse, and in everything done for their
benefit apart from military details while they remained in India.
After their departure for the front he never lost an opportunity
of identifying himself with them in every way, and none would
have been keener than he to share their dangers and hardships
if his position had enabled him to accompany them. In this
connection Sir Patrick had an entertaining dialogue one day
with General Patterson, of the United States army, who said,
^What I have been wondering about is why you did not go
yourself, Sir Patrick.' To this the knight replied, *Well, you
know, I am a busy man. Of course I should have liked to go
above all things, but with my engagements it was impossible.'
^ Ah, yes ! ' said the General ; ' I guess you're like Artemus
Ward's friend, the Baldinsville editor, who would "delight to
wade in gore," but whose country bade him stay at home and
announce week by week the measures taken by Government, or,
like Artemus himself, who, having given two cousins to the war,
was ready to sacrifice his wife's brother and shed the blood of all
his able-bodied relations " rather'n not see the rebellyin krusht." '
As it was, Sir Patrick took the pains to pubUsh every item of
interest sent to him by the oflBcer commanding throughout the
campaign. When, after twelve months of honourable service,
the corps turned homewards again, he took the initiative in pre-
paring a welcome worthy of them, and after Lumsden's Horse
had been disbanded he showed a kindly interest in the men by
endeavouring to procure appointments for all who needed assist-
ance of that kind, and thereby won their gratitude as he had
long before gained their esteem. This is anticipating events,
but, hke the prologue to a play, it may help to give some idea of
a character whose influence on the whole story is potent though
not often in evidence.

Sir Patrick Playfair's first step was to approach General
P. T. Maitland, C.B., Military Secretary to the Government of
India, to whom he made known Colonel Lumsden's oflEer and
explained something of its probable scope. General Maitland,

rhoto: Elliott A Fry

^ UA/Py^^'^<:>

■ • • • •

HOW THE COEPS WAS EAISED AND EQUIPPED 11

who warmly supported the proposal, said he would place it before
His Excellency the Viceroy, but intimated that the matter
would then have to be referred to the War Office, without whose
consent the Government of India could do nothing in connec-
tion with the war. At that time Colonel Lumsden was on his way
to Calcutta, and had telegraphed again from Albany to find out
what progress was being made, but got no answer. Sir Patrick,
knowing his man, had no misgivings that he might turn back
discouraged by the prospect of an official cold shoulder. Lord
Curzon was still absent from Calcutta on tour, and the Com-
mander-in-Chief, the late Sir William Lockhart, had not re-
turned from his official round of inspection in Burma, so that no
immediate opportunity occurred for placing the proposal before
either of them at a personal interview. General Maitland, how-
ever, did more than he had promised by so urging the case in
a communication to the Viceroy that His Excellency took it up,
and immediately on his arrival in Calcutta telegraphed to the
Commander-in-Chief, who thereupon gave his approval promptly.
The headquarters authorities asked how many men were to go,
and Sir Patrick said he thought from two hundred and fifty to
three hundred. That suggestion was embodied in a telegram to
the War Office, which, as usual, took time to consider it. Again
Colonel Lumsden, who had then reached Colombo, cabled for
information as to the state of affairs, but again no reply was
vouchsafed. So he came on, fully prepared to meet disappoint-
ment at the end of his journey. When he got within sight of
land, however, all India knew of his splendid offer and its accept-
ance by the Home Government. The whole story had been
published in every newspaper two days before Colonel Lumsden
steamed up the Hooghly to find himself a hero. Crowds of his
friends and admirers were there to welcome him as chief of
a corps that had neither a local habitation nor a name, nor even
a substantial existence at the moment. With characteristic
abnegation of self, he had offered his services in any capacity,
but nobody doubted from the hour of his arrival in Calcutta
that whatever force India might send to the front would have
Lumsden for its leader. The newspapers even began to give
his name to the contingent before it had assumed bodily shape
or anybody knew exactly how it was to be raised. Some days

12 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

later the popular choice was confirmed by publication of a War
Office order couched in the following words :

Her Majesty's Government having accepted the offer of the Govern-
ment of India to provide a force of Mounted Volunteers for service in
South Africa, two companies of Mounted Infantry, to be called the
Indian Mounted Infantry Corps (Lumsden*B Horse), will be raised
immediately at Calcutta under the command of Lieut.-Colonel D. McT.
Lumsden, of the Volunteer Force of India, Supernumerary List, Assam
Valley Light Horse.'

With this order, giving unqualified approval of the project,
came a mobilisation scheme in which the Government under-
took to provide the necessary sea-kit for use on board ship only,
the transport, the daily rations as for other soldiers, the weapons,
the munitions of war, and pay at the rate of Is. 2d. a day,
but nothing else. The rest was left to private enterprise
working on popular enthusiasm and the loyal sentiments of a
great community. Towards the sum requisite for the complete
equipment and maintenance of a mounted force in the field,
even half a lakh of rupees would not go very far. The spirit
that had prompted one man to offer that sum and his own
services to boot proved contagious, however, and Colonel
Lumsden had so little doubt what the result would be that he
immediately announced his readiness to receive applications
from men who might be willing to serve in South Africa for a
year, or ' for not less than the period of the war.' That call
was published by Indian newspapers on January 10, 1900, and
in response Volunteers sent their names from every district far
and near, until Colonel Lumsden might have enrolled a thousand
as easily as the two or three hundred sanctioned by Government.
His one difficulty, indeed, was that of selection, and there the
experience he had gained from studying character closely under
many different conditions came in. He was assisted by sugges-
tions from officers commanding the Calcutta Light Horse, the
Assam Valley Light Horse, the Surma Valley Light Horse, the
Behar Light Horse, the Punjab, the Mysore, and the Eangoon
Volunteer Corps. Authorities at home had by that time learned
a very important lesson, the outcome of which was expressed
in a phrase very different from the unlucky telegram that gave

HOW THE CORPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 13

SO much offence to Australians a few weeks earlier. Colonel
Lumsden was told * preference will be given to Volunteers from
mounted Volunteer Corps, but Volunteers belonging to Infantry
corps who may possess the requisite qualifications will also be
eligible.' One of the qualifications laid down was that they
should be * good riders ' before joining Lumsden's Horse. Here
the value of previous training in military duties and of some-
thing more than haphazard horsemanship was recognised ; and
happily Colonel Lumsden knew exactly the sort of men who
would meet both requirements, especially as the limits of age
(between twenty and forty) brought the best of those who had
the riding and shooting experiences incidental to a planter's life
into the category. It is not surprising if he showed a partiality
for them when rival claims had to be decided upon. The fact
that many of them offered to bring their own horses weighed
nothing with him, though he knew that the companies would
have to be mounted somehow and that the Government had
explicitly declined to provide horses for that purpose. Either
by private contributions in kind or by public subscription toward
the necessary funds for purchasing, a horse for each trooper had
to be furnished; but this consideration did not weigh for a
moment against the chances of a man who could only give
himself to the Empire's service, so long as he had in essential
points better qualifications than other candidates could boast.
The wife of a prominent and popular soldier — now a general —
asked, as a great favour, that her brother might be allowed to
serve as a trooper in the corps. To such a pleader Sir Patrick
could not say * no,' so he arranged a little dinner at which the
fascinating lady was to sit beside Colonel Lumsden. Whether
her gentle persuasions prevailed or the brother's merits were too
obvious to be disregarded, it is certain that he joined the ranks
of Lumsden's Horse, and so completely justified the choice that
he is now an officer of the Eegular army and a Companion of the
Distinguished Service Order. Naturally, the selection of two
hundred and fifty men to represent all India from among a
thousand who were anxious for the opportunity of seeing active
service gave rise to much jealousy and heart-burning on the part
of the rejected. Beading some of their vituperations, one might
imagine that they had been aspirants to posts of high distinction,

14 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

or at least to lucrative sinecures, rather than candidates for the
khaki jackets of privates in a regiment about to share the hard-
ships of a perilous campaign. One disappointed applicant, whose
martial ardour was not to be quenched by rejection, wrote
angrily to the ' Englishman,' suggesting that there was gross
favouritism in the preference shown for planters over townsmen.
His letter is worth quoting at length as typical of the fighting
spirit that had been aroused everywhere by Colonel Lumsden's
patriotic manifesto. Thus he wrote :

To the Editor of the ^Englishman,'

Sir, — I hope I am in time to draw the attention of the Government to
the Bahadur ^ style in which the selection to the * Indian Yeomanry Corps *
of Volunteers is being conducted. Because a man is the son of his father,
and owns a few ponies and a few hundred rupees, is he to be given the
preference as a fighting unit ?

There are to-day in India, even in the city of Calcutta, men of
unquestionable merit, men who are sons and the recipients of a heritage
of blood shed in England's and her Most Gracious Majesty's cause from
fathers who had bled and died for England and England's prestige, and
I beg to ask you, Sir, are these men to be shelved to suit the convenience
of a few planters ? I am not a planter, and, as an outsider, I put my
claims forward as a test of merit. I am wilHng to shoot a match up the
range with the best man selected from Behar, run him a given distance,
ride him on strange nags (catch weights), and in the end with my weight
and other recommendations beat him.

There is quite a ring of mediaeval chivalry about that chaT
lenge to * shoot up the range.' One cannot mistake its blood-
thirsty significance, and perhaps it is lucky for the Champion of
Behar that he did not take up the gauntlet thus ruthlessly
thrown down. It will be noticed that this duel, after the manner
suggested by one of Bret Harte's heroes, was to precede all other
events in the prolonged ordeal ; and imagination shudders at the
picture of awful slaughter that would have been wrought, as the
picked marksmen of Behar and Hyderabad and Oudh and Assam
went down one by one, if they had dared to face the deadly rifle
of that truculent citizen of Calcutta, without getting a chance to

' Hindustani for • cavalier.*— Ed.

HOW THE COEPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 17

prove whether he could run or ride. Happily, the selected two
hundred and fifty kept their heads, so that the trial by single
combat never came off; but one must hope that a place was
found in Lumsden's Horse for the self-confident challenger, and
that he proved as formidable on the field as in a printed column.
Eeaders may scan the names of troopers, whose occupations
before enlistment are all given in the Appendix, and yet be left
speculating whether or not the writer of that letter was among
the chosen after all. He will not be found in the first or
second section of Company A, composed almost to a man of
indigo-planters, or in the third section, whose tea-planters,
mainly from Assam, have not a townsman among them ; and the
planters who make up an overwhelming majority of three
section^ in Company B would equally disclaim all knowledge of
the fire-eating citizen. Can it be that he figures in the more
casual fourth section of either company, under the vague desig-
nation of a * gentleman ' or a ^ journalist ' ? A little levity may
be pardoned now in reference to a matter which, at the time,
aroused some acrimony. All that, however, was swept away by
the wave of enthusiasm, leaving no bitterness behind it, even in
the minds of those who at first thought themselves humiliated
by rejection. If Lumsden's Horse were almost entirely a corps
of planters, few questioned the care and discretion with which
Colonel Lumsden had chosen his men, and none could deny that
they made a goodly show at manoeuvres on the Maidan, where
their camp was pitched within easy reach of the city. Though
quartered there for six weeks in circumstances that exposed
them to many temptations, those troopers behaved in a manner
that would have been considered exemplary for the best regiment
of disciplined Eegulars. This is not surprising 'when we con-
sider that in civil life they had been accustomed to exercise,
command, and to exact obedience from others, even at the risk
of their own lives. At the outset Colonel Lumsden made it a
condition that he would have none but unmarried men in the
ranks, and to this rule there were few known exceptions, though
some Benedicts crept in undeclared. As a regiment, Lumsden's
Horse had an esprit de corps to maintain from the day of its birth
under auspices that made the occasion imperial, and every man
of it was tacitly pledged to prove himself a worthy recipient

18 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

of the honour conferred upon him as one of India's chosen
representatives. How that feeling prevailed over all other
considerations in the moment when Lumsden's Horse played
their manful part in battle for the first time, and how it held
them together in a comradeship that was akin to brotherhood
through after-months of hard campaigning, will appear as the
narrative unfolds itself. It began to have an influence while
the corps was as yet but an invertebrate skeleton, and it helps
to explain the anxiety of Indian Volunteers to join the ranks
of a force that was destined by the nature of things to become
historical. One can understand, therefore, the alternations of
hope and depression that passed over certain districts where
men who had offered their services waited anxiously for the
decision on which their chances of distinction hung. Some
gUmpses of this may be got through the letters received by
Colonel Lumsden from all parts of India at that time, and from
the diaries in which thoughts as well as actions are recorded by
the men themselves. One begins his notes — two days after
Colonel Lumsden's call for Volunteers had been published — with

the entry : * An express came from to say he had sent in

the names of twenty men from C Company.' After waiting im-
patiently several days for news that did not come, the diarist got
his friend to send two telegrams, one to Colonel Lumsden, the
other direct to the Adjutant-General at Calcutta, offering a com-
plete company. The next day somebody turned up with news
that they had been accepted. Jubilation on this score, however,
lasted no longer than twenty-four hours, when it gave place to
dejection caused by rumours that they * were not accepted after
all.' This wave of depression passed away as speedily in its turn,
dispelled by the rays of hope that burst out radiantly on receipt

of a chit from ^ asking me to come in at once.' Under the

next day's date comes the crowning triumph of that anxious
time, told very simply but in a way that makes one feel the
nerves of those men throbbing through every word. ' Started

for Chick,' runs the entry ; * met , who told me we really

were accepted. Then we met dashing along on his bike.

He had already upset a woman.' A week later, after many
festive farewells, that contingent was on its way to Calcutta
and foregathering with other contingents, whose experiences had

o
o
o

o
o

0 2

HOW THE CORPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 21

all been the same, for every man of them was buoyant at the
prospect of seeing active service, and would have regarded it as
a personal slight, if not an indelible stigma on his reputation
for courage, if he had been left behind.

So day by day the ranks of Lumsden's Horse gained strength
until their numbers were complete and recruiting had to be
stopped ; while many candidates whom the Colonel would
gladly have taken tried in vain for admission. It was a regi-
ment of which any commanding officer might be proud, whether
judged by physical or mental standards. A corps of planters it
might have been justly called, for they outnumbered all of
other occupations ; but it represented many classes, and nearly
every district in India where sport-loving Britishers are to
be found. In its ranks were fifty-five indigo-planters, sixty-one
tea-planters, thirty-one cofifee-planters, and five of similar occu-
pation not specifically designated. Beside these, the sixteen
Civil Service men of various grades, three bank assistants, twelve
railway officials, including civil engineers, three medical men
from the planting districts, one inspector of mounted pohce, a
brewer, a tutor, a journalist, and a few others whose peaceful
days until then had been devoted to commerce, form a com-
paratively small proportion. Thus considerably more than half
the fighting strength were planters. Among the remainder,
townsmen must have been fairly represented, to say nothing of
artificers who formed the Maxim Gun detachment under com-
mand of Captain Bernard Willoughby Holmes, whose services
had been placed at Colonel Lumsden's disposal by consent of
the East India Eailway Company. The Mercantile Marine
also furnished its quota in the persons of a captain, a chief officer,
a second officer, and two engineers of the British India Steam
Navigation Company's fleet, and a chief officer of the Hajee
Cassim Line. A veterinary surgeon, police inspectors, policemen,
clerks in the Military Accounts Department, travelhng agents,
hotel assistants, a photographer, a theatrical agent, and a super-
intendent of the Kangoon Boating Club joined the Transport,
from which two very smart fellows were drawn into the ranks as
troopers during the campaign, and one of them was subsequently
gazetted to the West India Kegiment as second lieutenant.
Counting all these, the enrolled strength was just 300.

22 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Then I 'came the difficult and delicate task of appointing
company officers and section commanders — a difficulty enhanced
by the fact that many Volunteer officers had enlisted as troopers.
I have said that the Government had given its unqualified
approval to Colonel Lumsden's project. This statement, how-
ever, applies only to the general scheme. It must be remem-
bered that he had made no stipulation as to his own rank, or
the right of selecting officers, and it was not in the nature of
a British War Office to let the prerogative of veto slip entirely
out of its hands. Colonel Lumsden's own appointment as
commanding officer came directly from headquarters, on the
suggestion probably of Lord Curzon. Two other conditions, not
very irksome, the military authorities made at Colonel Lumsden's
urgent request. These were that captains commanding com-
panies should be Regular officers on active service, and that the
adjutant, who would also act as quartermaster, should be
appointed from the Stafif Corps or have graduated in it. These
nominations were left to the Commander-in-Chief in India, and
in the ordinary course of things they involved the appointment
of Regular non-commissioned officers as quartermaster-sergeants
and company sergeant-majors. Other subordinate posts for
which military experience or special training is necessary were
also filled by Regulars, who thus relieved the Volunteer troopers
of some laborious duties. An officer second in command, four
captains acting as senior subalterns, four lieutenants, a medical
officer, and a veterinary surgeon had still to be selected, and the
choice must have involved many anxious moments, seeing how
much depended on the unknown qualities that are hidden in all
men and may lie dormant for years, only to be developed for
good or ill in the crisis of an emergency. How Colonel Lumsden
succeeded in this, as in every other preliminary task that he
imposed upon himself, is now a matter of history to be dealt
with in proper sequence. The wisdom of his selections could
only be proved by events, and to these, as narrated by men
who were best able to judge, appeal may be confidently made.
Naturally, some who had held commissioned rank previously,
and thought their claims to consideration indisputable, felt sore
at being passed over in favour of others who were junior to them
in the Volunteer service. But this irritation was not allowed to

HOW THE CORPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 23

show itself or interfere with loyal subordination in all military
duties.

To the inviolable pages of his diary one, whose merits were
not at the time so well known as they ought to have been, con-
fides the pregnant sentence : ' Heard to-day that was to be

a captain^ I a corporal.' There the entry ends, leaving a blank
more eloquent than any scathing comment could have been.
For all that, the captain and the corporal remained on the best of
terms, and, though they ceased for discipline's sake to call each
other by their Christian names, there is reason to believe that
both soon came to the conclusion that no very serious mistake
had been made in estimating their relative fitness for command.
At any rate, after a little friction they shaped themselves like
round pegs to round holes. But that is the habit of Britishers,
who, however unaccustomed to discipline, are not slow in
recognising its inevitable necessity and its inestimable value.
They come to see that without it no concerted movement,
whether big or small, is certain of success. You cannot conduct
military operations to a definite end, any more than you can
navigate a ship or rule a family, if individuality is allowed to take
the form of insubordination. These lessons Colonel Lumsden
began to inculcate in his pecuharly persuasive way directly he
had got his men together and placed officers in authority over
them.

Men and officers, however, are not the only things necessary
to keep a fighting unit going when once it has been formed and
organised. Sir Patrick Playfair found the full equipment of
such a force no less costly than he had estimated. Fortunately,
however, he had foreseen all difficulties in this connection and
provided for them. After consultation with General Maitland,
General Wace (Director-General of Ordnance), Sir Alfred Gaselee
(then Quartermaster-General), Sir E. K. Elles (Adjutant-General),
and the late Surgeon-General Harvey, it was decided that nearly
a thousand rupees per man would be necessary for equipping the
force, buying horses in addition to those brought in by troopers
themselves, and establishing a reserve fund sufficient for all emer-
gencies that might arise while the men remained on active service.
This meant that a sum amounting to two and a half lakhs of
rupees, or about sixteen thousand five hundred pounds sterling,

•04

24 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

would have to be got together by public subscription. Until this
campaign proved the depth and sincerity of Imperial sentiments
among nearly all classes of the community, few people, even
in England, beUeved that such a sum would be given to send
a mere handful of Volunteers on active service far from their
home. And most people, having but a superficial knowledge of
Indian affairs, would have ridiculed the suggestion that native
princes or merchants would contribute in proportion little less
than Johannesburg millionaires to uphold British supremacy in
South Africa.

Sir Patrick Playfair, however, knowing by experience how
liberal had been the response of those people to all calls on
their generosity, and gauging with remarkable insight the
genuineness of their loyal devotion in a time of possible peril to
the Empire, had no doubt what the result would be. But even
he was not prepared for anything like the unanimity of enthu-
siasm that his appeal evoked. It took simply the form of a
general invitation to subscribe. The marvellous rapidity with
which the subscription list filled may therefore be taken as
a voluntary expression by Europeans and natives alike of
staunch fidelity to the cause for which Lumsden's Horse were
being enrolled as a fighting unit. The contributors included
His Excellency the Viceroy (Lord Curzon of Kedleston), His
Excellency the Governor of Bombay (Lord Sandhurst), His
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief in India (the late Sir
William Lockhart), their Honours the Lieutenant-Governor of
Bengal (Sir John Woodburn), the Lieutenant-Governor of the
Punjab (Sir W. Mackworth Young), the Lieutenant-Governor
of the North-West Provinces and Oudh (the Eight Honourable
Sir A. P. MacDonnell, P.C), and the Lieutenant-Governor of
Burma (Sir F. W. E. Fryer). Princes, rajahs, landowners,
mercantile firms, and European residents almost without
exception, came forward, subscribing munificently, until the sum
of 227,000 rupees had been promised and received in cash, besides
contributions from tradesmen in kind amounting to another
100,000 rupees.

No single subscription rivalled Colonel Lumsden's splendid
offer, or came anywhere near it in amount ; but Sir Seymour
King, K.C.I.E., M.P., on account of Messrs. Henry S. King & Co.,

HOW THE CORPS WAS EAISED AND EQUIPPED 26

London, and two allied firms in Bombay and Calcutta, gave a
lump sum of 10,000 rupees, while Maharajah Sir Jotendro
Mohun Tagore, K.C.S.I., Kajah Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore,
Knt., CLE., Nawab Sir Sidi Ahmed Khan, K.C.S.L, Mr. F.
Verner, Messrs. Apoar & Co., and Kumar Eada Prosad Koy sent
5,000 rupees each. The last named, a zemindar, or landed pro-
prietor, was quite diffident and doubtful whether he ought to
subscribe without being asked directly, but he expressed a hope
that his contribution would be accepted. A great many mer-
chants and others who were only known to Sir Patrick Playfair
by name sent cheques for amounts varying from fifty to 2,600
rupees. No fewer than twenty-eight mercantile firms in Calcutta
subscribed 1,000 rupees each, and among the most liberal donors
were native princes of nearly every State in the three Presi-
dencies.

His Highness the Maharajah of Bhownagar, whose palace
is 2,500 miles distant from Calcutta, sent fifty Arab chargers
and saddlery; the Maharani Eegent of Mysore, twenty-
two country-bred and Arab horses; and other potentates,
hke the Maharajah Bahadur of Soubarsa and the Eajah of
Mearsa, gave handsome presents of a similar kind according
to the resources of their studs. The natives of Aligarh, club-
bing together, sent twenty-seven horses and one mule ; while
one, Mohammed MazamuUah Khan, gave two horses, a mule,
a donkey, and two small sleeping tents, accompanied by a
touchingly simple letter saying, ^ They are all I have to help to
conquer the enemies of the Great White Queen.' Other
contributions in kind ranged from tents sufficient for the whole
force presented by the Elgin cotton mills of Cawnpore, rough
serge cloth for all coats requisite from the Egerton woollen mills
at Cawnpore, puttees from Kashmir and Cawnpore, gaiters,
Cardigan jackets, hats, horseshoes and nails, forage, tea, coffee,
beer, whisky, and cigars, down to matches, of which no fewer
than 7,000 boxes were sent by one thoughtful gentleman. The
India General Steam Navigation Company, the Eiver Steam
Navigation Company, the East India Kailway, and the Eastern
Bengal State Kailway combined to carry men and horses free of
charge from all parts of India to Calcutta.

A small executive committee was formed by Colonel Lumsden

26 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

to carry out the arrangements for the equipment and despatch
of the corps. Its members were :

Colonel LuMSDEN, President.

Sir Patrick Playfair, CLE.

Colonel George Money.

The Hon. Colonel Buckingham, C.I.E.

Major Eddis.

IVrr. Harry Stuart.

The work of organising naturally fell to Colonel Lumsden,
who was also busily engaged in selecting officers and enrolling
men ; while Sir Patrick Playfair undertook the entire management
of the collection of subscriptions in cash and in kind, assisted by
Mr. Shirley Tremearne, Editor of ' Capital,' whose local knowledge
enabled him to render valuable aid in appealing to the mercantile
community where personal appeals were necessary, and in col-
lecting the promised subscriptions for which personal application
had to be made in accordance with traditional etiquette. Mr.
Harry Stuart, formerly executive manager of the Bengal State
Railway, took charge of all arrangements for receiving and
messing the different detachments on their arrival in Calcutta
from distant districts until a camp could be formed.

Though the mobilisation scheme — drawn up by the Indian
Headquarters Staff and sent to Colonel Lumsden after approval
by the War OflBce in London — promised no more substantial
assistance than the provision of arms, ammunition, rations, and
transport to South Africa, it furnished many suggestions of the
greatest importance, and, as a model for use on any similar
occasion hereafter, it is reproduced at length in the Appendix.
This document will be found of interest also as giving a compre-
hensive idea of the many requirements for which provision had
to be made by Colonel Lumsden and his colleagues. Their
labours were lightened by the cordial co-operation of military
officials, who went out of their way to render every possible
assistance. Without the advice and practical aid thus given by
heads of departments of the Government of India, it would have
been impossible for Colonel Lumsden, or any other commanding
officer in his position, to have carried out all the War Office con-
ditions economically. Major-General Wace, C.B., as head of

o
o

HOW THE COEPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 29

the Ordnance Department, gave every facility for Colonel
Lumsden to indent on Government stores for clothing and
accoutrements at regulation prices, and not only so, but he and
Colonel Buckland, the Superintendent of Army Clothing, with
Major-General T. F. Hobday, Commissary-General, and Surgeon-
General Kobert Harvey, C.B., were ready to place the fruits of
their long experience and special knowledge of various details at
the service of Colonel Lumsden whenever he felt the need of
advice in such matters ; and Captain A. L. Phillips, an officer
on the Staff of Sir Alfred Gaselee, Q.M.G., was untiring in his
efforts to make the movement a success so far as his personal
e5orts and influence could avail. So everything went well from
the beginning, thanks in great measure to the lively interest
taken in the corps by Lord Curzon, who was pleased to become
its Honorary Colonel, and by all officers of his personal Staff.
Her Excellency Lady Curzon was equally zealous and lent her
influence to every good work by which the ladies of Calcutta
sought to express their admiration, and perhaps their tender
regard, for the heroes who were going forth to fight. What form
that expression should take was a subject much debated and
long in doubt. Of course Sir Patrick Playfair had to be con-
sulted by a deputation of charming damsels. He thought a
bazaar might give them the opportunity they wanted. Yes!
that was just the thing ; but then — and then came a string of
fatal objections. A smoking-concert was next suggested, and
the young ladies thought that idea splendid, only — well, in
short, it wouldn't do. Then, as if it were the last resource to be
thought of — a sort of forlorn hope — Sir Patrick hinted that a dance
might meet the case. To that his fair interviewers demurred
most effusively ; but then and without any hypnotic suggestion,
so Sir Patrick avers, they began to see that something might be
urged in favour of it, and at last, with a unanimity that was won-
derful, they decided that a dance was the only means of fitly cele-
brating the occasion. Having come to that conclusion, all their
coy objections vanished in a moment. Sir Patrick saw his
opportunity and seized it to persuade them that, as it was to be
a ladies' enterprise, they must manage it entirely themselves.
Thereupon they formed a committee, of which Miss Pugh was
elected Honorary Secretary, invited Lady Curzon of Kedleston

30 THE HISTOEY OP LUMSDEN'S HOESE

to become patroness, and set to work with an energy which no
mere man could hope to rival. They had of course to enlist
masculine services for subordinate duties. This they did with a
sweet despotism that made revolt impossible. The men had to
accept without a murmur the positions assigned to them as
stewards, and obeyed every mandate like the willing slaves we
all should be in similar circumstances. The committee of
ladies showed a business-like promptitude in settling every detail
and a faculty for organisation which won from a military admirer
the approving comment that they could conduct a campaign if
they would only give their minds to it. This or some other
feminine attribute had such an effect on the wine merchants of
Calcutta that they sent champagne for the ball-supper and
gallantly refused to accept payment. So the Calcutta Ball in
honour of Lumsden's Horse became an assured success almost
from the moment of its happy inception. Brilliant beyond the
dreams of a dihutante^ it left on many a susceptible heart im-
pressions which neither time nor the changing scenes of warfare
could dim, as the secret archives, to which an editor alone has
access, attest ; and in a less romantic way it proved the unselfish
devotion of those ladies, who, after paying all expenses, handed
over a balance of 6,000 rupees to the war-chest of Lumsden's
Horse.

Such financial aids came not amiss at the moment.
Government transports chartered by the Koyal Indian Marine
for taking troops to Natal were delayed on the return, and,
one vessel having broken down. Colonel Lumsden found that he
would have to encamp his men on the Maidan for two or three
weeks longer than he had anticipated, and this entailed an
additional expenditure of nearly 1,000Z. for extra rations and
comforts. To soldiers of Spartan mould, who pride themselves
on discarding luxuries at the first call to arms, this might have
seemed hke pampering the Volunteer troopers ; but it must be
remembered that in India men cannot give up the habits of a
lifetime all at once and come down to bare soldier's rations with-
out danger to their health. And Colonel Lumsden's first object
after getting his men was to keep them fit. His care in this
respect was justified by events no less than his judgment in
the selection of men for mental and physical attributes. At the

o
o

HOW THE CORPS WAS RAISED AND EQUIPPED 33

end of a year's campaigning he was able to boast that his
losses from sickness were proportionately less than in any other
regiment. This delay had its advantages in so far as it gave
Colonel Lumsden and his officers a chance of training the
troopers for their duties and accustoming them to their horses
before the day of embarkation. The postponement, we may be
sure, was no disappointment to the people of Calcutta, who felt
that the Maidan would be a cheerless blank without Lumsden' s
Horse. It will be well to give here a few details of organisation.
By War Office order the corps was to consist of two companies,
each commanded by a Eegular officer, and the Government also
appointed a Kegular adjutant to assist Colonel Lumsden in
executive work ; while Colonel Eden C. Showers, Commandant
of the Surma Valley Light Horse, offered to serve as Major, and
was gazetted with that rank as second in command. When
other officers had been selected, chiefly on the recommendation
of commandants under whom they had served in Volunteer
Corps, they were posted in the following order :

Staff. — Lieutenant-Colonel Dugald McTavish Lumsden,
Commandant.

Major Eden C. Showers, Second in Command.

Captain Neville C. Taylor, 14th Bengal Lancers, Adjutant
and Quartermaster.

Captain Samuel Arthur Powell, Medical Officer.

Veterinary Captain William Stevenson, M.K.C.V.S., Veteri-
nary Surgeon.

A Company. — Captain James Hugh Brownlow Beresford, 3rd
Sikhs (commanding). Captain John Brownley Eutherfoord, Lieu-
tenants Charles Edward Crane and George Augustus Neville.

B Company. — Captain Louis Hemington Noblett, Eoyal
Irish Eifles (commanding). Captain Henry Chamney, Captain
Frank CUfiford, Lieutenants Charles Lyon Sidey and Herbert
Owain Pugh.

Maxim Gun Detachment. — Captain Bernard Willoughby
Holmes (commanding).

Each company had a Eegular non-commissioned officer as
Company Sergeant-Major and another Eegular as Company
Quartermaster-Sergeant for office duties under the Eegimental

34 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Quartermaster- Sergeant. Eegulars from the Artillery, Cavalry,
and Infantry were also attached as Farrier- Sergeants, Saddlers,
and Signallers, and from the Indian Commissariat as Transport
Sergeant. The Maxim Gun Contingent, under Captain Holmes
was raised and equipped by the East India Eailway Company,
who offered its services to Colonel Lumsden. The Calcutta
Committee had decided, with the sanction of the Government,
that Lumsden's Horse should not want for adequate regimental
transport in the field, but, on the contrary, should leave India as
a thoroughly organised unit in that respect, with a complete
train of transport carts, ponies, and pack mules, all properly
equipped. It is hardly necessary to say that the grant of trans-
port, saddlery, and draught harness, for which provision was
made in the mobilisation order, did not comprise all that the
committee desired ; but the inexhaustible Ordnance Stores were
again open to be requisitioned ^on payment,' and carts of the
Indian Army Transport pattern were drawn in a similar way
from the Commissariat Department. The ponies and mules, how-
ever, had to be collected by agents in the hill districts of Assam
and Thibet, a distance of 1,000 miles from Calcutta. When
all this was done, the corps could justly be considered fit for
active service, and it is certain that no contingent, Volunteer
or Eegular, landed in South Africa with a more efficient
transport than Lumsden's Horse. It came near being upset,
however, by a War Office decision. Almost at the last minute
Colonel Lumsden was told that the native drivers would not be
permitted to accompany the corps, and that no natives could go
except one personal servant for each officer and a limited number
of syces, or grooms, in the proportion of one to each charger, as
laid down in the mobilisation scheme. This allowance of three
native attendants to every officer was on a sufficiently liberal
scale, but it did not meet the requirements for transport purposes.
Therefore Colonel Lumsden had to enlist European drivers, of
whom twenty-six were needed for each company. In ordinary
circumstances Anglo-Indian prejudices would have combined to
make this an insuperable difficulty ; but so keen was the anxiety
of men to see war service in South Africa that they volunteered
to go in any capacity not necessarily menial, and so Colonel
Lumsden got the full complement of drivers together just as

D 2

• • • « •

HOW THE COEPS WAS EAISED AND EQUIPPED 37

readily as he had filled the ranks with fighting men. War Office
conditions stipulated that officers and troopers of the corps must
provide their own horses and saddlery, though nearly all of the
latter might be drawn from Ordnance Stores at cost price.
Naturally the supply of suitable animals for Mounted Infantry
work had to be made a corps afiEair from the outset. Very few
of the enlisted troopers owned horses of a class that they would
have cared to ride through the rough work of a campaign, even
if they could be always sure of having their own ; and Colonel
Lumsden was not likely to countenance any claims of private
ownership when once horses were numbered as of the troop. He
therefore informed every man who brought a horse with him
that it must be considered corps property, and might not be
appropriated by its owner without the commanding officer's
sanction. No other arrangement could have worked satisfac-
torily. In consideration of this understanding Colonel Lumsden
promised that he would endeavour to obtain from Government
a scale of compensation for horses thus appropriated, and in the
event of being successful the sums obtained under this head
would be returned pro rata to the owners of horses. It may be
mentioned in passing that Colonel Lumsden's efforts to this end
were ultimately successful, the Government consenting to allow
an average of 30Z. per horse to the corps, so that every man who
brought his own charger was compensated at last.

The men having drawn their Lee-Metford rifles with short
bayonets and an abundant supply of -303 ball cartridges, both
for practice and the sterner work to come, were duly clothed
and equipped, much to their satisfaction.

Not many of these things, in addition to rifles and ammu-
nition, were free gifts from Government, whose contributions in
kind had to be supplemented by purchases out of store at the cost
of corps funds and by gifts from the appreciative public to whom
no appeals were made in vain. The troopers, at any rate, were
troubled not a whit about these things, being quite satisfied with
the completeness of their personal outfit, even before Mrs. Pugh
and the ladies of Calcutta bethought them to work woollen
comforters for presentation to every man of Lumsden's Horse
on the day of embarkation. They did not, however, take so
kindly at first to the Lee-Metford rifle. It was a new weapon

88 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

to most of the men, who had never handled anything more com-
plicated than the old Martini carbine. So batches of men went
to the ranges every morning to practise and accustom themselves
to the peculiarities of a firearm that made no more noise than
the crack of a whip and * had no kick in it.' This was a time
of gradual but sometimes painful initiation to the hardships
and discomforts inseparable from camp life. Lessons, how-
ever distasteful, had to be learned, and it must be said that
Lumsden's Horse took the rough with the smooth cheerily
enough, enlivening their daily routine with many pleasantries.
They were always ready to laugh at a comrade or with him in .
a merry jest at their own expense. Some literary contributions
from the ranks to local papers were amusing in their fanciful
exaggerations, which nobody enjoyed more than did the troopers
whose foibles were thus humorously railed at. For sanitary
reasons they were one day ordered, by medical authority, to
strike their camp and pitch it on fresh ground, whereupon one of
them wrote :

Like a bolt from the blue has fallen upon this camp the iEsculapian
decree that we must go hence I It happened to-day that the medical eye
of Lumsden's Horse opened wide, and beheld strange sights. What the
vision was has not been recorded owing to no ink being found in camp
capable of expressing its blackness, but it is no secret that microbes as
big as mastodons were observed freely gambolling in the inamediate
vicinity of the commissariat tent. The marvel is that a number of men
can have lived on such a spot for ten days without coming to more
serious harm.

The green sward on the banks of the Tolly's Nullah has presented an
animated appearance within the last few days, for every train arriving in
Calcutta has brought its quota to swell the corps. A number of men
from the Assam Valley Light Horse are now in camp. The Mysore
contingent is also established, while the Behar lads are expected
to-morrow by 10 o'clock. These will number a few over fifty, and will
prove no doubt the crime de la crime of the corps. In a day or two the
Maxim gun will come into quarters, and Oakley, of Kooch Behar and Tirah
fame, has gone to some up-country sequestered spot whence comes a
particularly quiet jat of pony, where he will choose animals of gentle
temperament and so small that falling ofif them won't hurt — for Maxim
gun men scorn to ride.

This question of riding is no small one, and many gallant sportsmen
may be seen tearing down the lines trying to get there before their

HOW THE OOBPS WAS BAISED AND EQUIPPED 39

horses. One like this was advised by a real Tommy Atkins to sit further
back and so enjoy a longer ride. Not the least pleasmrable sight in the
camp is when bold Volunteers begin grooming their own horses. Some
never do more than the neck, because of the risk attached to venturing
within range of hind feet, with which country -bred horses are notoriously
handy — if it may be so said of feet. Then saddling troubles others,
because of the difficulty in distinguishing between cantle and pommel
when a saddle hasn't a horse inside to illustrate the difference.

There is a touch of boyish imagination about that sketch,
but it is not altogether fanciful. Some of the Volunteers who
joined first were by no means experienced horse-masters, and, to
nearly all, the equipments for Mounted Infantry in full cam-
paigning kit were not less strange than military technicalities.
There was a rich fund of amusement for Lumsden's Horse in the
unauthorised version of ordinary commands as one trooper con-
strued them. When sections in line were crowding too much
upon him he would say, * Fall off, man ! Fall off to the left.'
The comrade thus admonished would murmur, * Hang it all,
man, that is just what I am trying not to do.' Still, young
Malaprop would repeat, in defiance of the Sergeant-Major's
peremptory request for silence in the ranks, * Fall off ! fall off ! '
meaning all the time ' Ease off.' These simple incidents of every
day gave a piquancy to camp * gup,' and were the cause of more
mirth than the elaborate jokes concocted by literary troopers
could arouse. One civilian, in a playfully prophetic mood, devised
a new coat of arms for Lumsden's Horse, which was published
in the * Indian Daily News ' as a clever play upon the cant of
Heraldry ; though the Earl Marshal and all the Kings-at-Arms
and all the learned pursuivants of Heralds' College might have
been puzzled if called upon to emblazon the quaint conceit with
its complicated quarterings, its proper shield of pretence, and its
lurid crest of augmentation.

40 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

CHAPTEE II

PBEPABING FOB THE FBONT—DEPABTUBE FBOM CALCUTTA

Life in camp on the Maidan was becoming somewhat monotonous
to men whose ardent spirits panted for opportunities of distinc-
tion in the Empire's service, and for freer movement on the vast
South African veldt. For traces of this yearning one may search
in vain through pages of diaries, to which men do not commit all
their secret thoughts. Perhaps they regarded a parade of war-
like sentiments as bad form even in the written impressions that
were intended only for private perusal. So they contented
themselves with noting briefly the minor events of listless days
and the mild excitements of evenings that passed swiftly enough
in such social pleasures as dining, theatre-going, or listening to
the latest London melodies at a smoking-concert organised in
aid of the war fund. Even a flower-show was regarded by some
as an amusement. We come across frequent references to baths
at the Swimming Club, tiffin at Pelit6's, and luxurious little
dinners at the Bristol, the Continental, or the Grand ; but only
by inference, from the sudden importance given to these every-
day incidents of civiHan life, can we gather what a contrast they
were to the coarser fare and rougher surroundings of meals in
camp. There is not a hint of discontent at being reduced for
the first time in their lives to soldiers' rations or at the hard
fatigue work they were put to as a necessary part of the daily
routine. These manly young troopers were beginning to learn
the soldier's lessons of subjection to discipline and endurance of
discomforts that must have seemed sufficiently like hardships to
most of them, but they had not acquired the habit of grumbling
which is Tommy's cherished privilege. The visits of crowds to
that camp on the Maidan every Sunday were evidence enough
of the great interest taken by all classes of citizens in Lumsden's

PREPARING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE PROM CALCUTTA 43

Horse, who were properly appreciative of those attentions, and
not quite insensible to the sweet flattery of admiring glances
from pretty eyes. The motto that * None but the brave deserve
the fair' is one in which gallant soldiers from all time have
found encouragement, and Lumsden's Horse were beginning to
appropriate it with other soldierly attributes, for were they not
all brave and resolved to prove it ? Their only fear was that
the chance of doing knightly deeds might not come to them,
and that they would land in South Africa only in time to learn
that the war had been finished before the tardy transports could
get there. Nevertheless, we know that they relaxed no efforts
to make themselves fit for the fray. From contributions by
troopers to the Indian papers we may learn how zealous they
were to master the least attractive duties of military life, and
Staff ofl&cers bear witness to the sincerity and success of these
endeavours. Mere forms of discipline might have been lacking,
and one cannot wonder that men who had lived similar lives,
sharing the same sports and social pleasures, found it difficult at
first to fall into their relative positions, some as officers, others
as troopers, and to keep each his own proper groove, ignoring old
associations. But the right spirit of subordination was there,
and a commander of Irregulars does not ask for more if he has the
true capacity for leadership. The daily routine of duties in
camp on the Maidan was designed to foster this spirit without
making the yoke of essential disciphne too gaUing. A descrip-
tion of it as given by one in the ranks will show that Lumsden's
Horse were by no means pampered Sybarites even at that
early stage of their soldiering :

At 6 the ' rouse ' sounds, and, some minutes later, men clad in khaki
breeches, putti gaiters, and flannel shirts issue from the little bell tents
into the clammy mist of early morning, and after obtaining a cup of tea
at the mess, remove the jhools — which are a most necessary protection
against the heavy dew — from their horses, and give them a rub down.
At 7 we hear the bugle call * Saddle up,' and at 7.30 the men are all fallen
in on the Maidan in column of sections, and go through the various
evolutions, special attention being given to mountiag and dismounting on
saddles packed with full kit, and the leading of horses, the correct and
rapid performance of which is so important in Mounted Infantry work.
The regiment is divided into two companies, each company consisting of
120 men formed into four sections, and these again divided into permanent

44 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

sub-sections of four men each. As a rule the sections work indepen-
dently, each under its own commander. Blank ammunition is liberally
expended in order to accustom the horses to the rattle of musketry.
Most of the men are mounted on country-breds ; but several ride shapely
walers averaging 14.2. Considering that 50 per cent, of the horses are
quite untrained as chargers, they are astonishingly quiet and well-behaved ;
the C. B.s — with the exception of an occasional kicker, which plays
havoc in the ranks, and is a source of some danger to his unfortunate
companions, both men and horses — are quick, handy little brutes, and
already they have learnt to lead steadily and well. There are, of course,
a good number of trained horses in the ranks ; the Mysore men, for
instance, being almost without exception mounted on Silidar horses,
which are proving most satisfactory chargers and are expected to do well
in Africa. After parade the horses are watered, fed, and groomed by
their respective owners, and then, as Mr. Pepys would have said, * to
breakfast,' under a large shamiana placed at one end of the camp in the
shade of sycamore-fig trees. The morning passes quickly while men are
drawing and marking kit, cleaning rifles, or doing fatigue duty at pitching
tents and other healthy exercises. At noon we water and feed the horses,
and 1 o'clock is the tiflSn hour. At 4.30 there is an afternoon parade,
sometimes by companies, and sometimes the whole regiment parading
under the Colonel or Major, after which water, feed and bed-down, and
then dinner, and an early retirement to bed. But not for all is this
happy rest. There are two guard tents, at opposite ends of the camp,
each company providing a sergeant and three men for guard every
twenty-four hours, while a man from each company is on sentry through-
out the night, his duty being to see that the horses are properly secured
— head and heel — and be on hand in case of sickness.

They were not all tyros in war. Burma ribbons on the breasts
of some Surma Valley Volunteers who were at Manipur told of
previous service in the field, though against enemies very different
from the *slim/ evasive Boer. Others who wore no badges of dis-
tinction were believed to have fought in more than one campaign ;
at least, the fair visitors declared that such a martial mien as some
men bore could only have been acquired on active service : it
bespoke a consciousness of great deeds gallantly done. The heroes
of these flattering tributes lived up to their reputations by
putting on an air of mystery, which the Colonel alone could have
dispelled, for none but he knew the history of every man in
the regiment. Still, nobody would have thought of looking for
suspected Boers or Boer spies in the ranks of Lumsden's

PEEPARING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 47

Horse. A good story, however, is told in this connection at the
expense of an ofl&cer who overheard two men in the uniform of
Lumsden's Horse talking, in a tongue that was not English, at
one of the hotel bars. The officer, not recognising either of them,
listened curiously, and caught a few phrases which he declared
to be German by the sound (and he claimed familiarity with that,
though he did not know enough of the language to repeat the
words he had heard). * It was German, and no mistake,' he said,
*and those two men in our uniform were talking it fluently.
What could they be but Boer spies ? ' One had a distinctly
Boer face, he thought, and, deciding that something ought to be
done at once, he assumed his most nonchalant air and asked the
two men poUtely for their names. In reply they gave names so
common in England that he could only regard them as aliases.
His suspicions being thus seemingly confirmed, he took into his con-
fidence two brother-ofl&cers, who, when the two * spies ' were pointed
out to them, saw the possibility of playing off a joke on the amateur
detective, for they recognised in the one with a * distinctly Boer
face ' a young planter from Behar whose fresh, bojdsh appearance
had won for him the nickname of * Baby.' He looked innocent
enough to be capable of anything. Admitting that both these
men had come with them from up country, the two mischievous
friends added, *But we don't know much about them.' That
was enough for the investigator, who rose at dawn next morning
to prepare a circumstantial report for submission to the Colonel.
He declared this to be * his duty,' and announced a stem deter-
mination to go through with it in spite of pretended protestations
from many comrades who had somehow got wind of the story.
Their pleadings and wily persuasions only served to goad him on.
The responsibility of silence, which they sought to impose upon
him, was too much for one in his position to bear, so he hurried
off towards the Colonel's tent, eager to make his startling dis-
closures. On the way, however, he met a trooper, who unwittingly
* gave the whole show away' ; and the crestfallen officer learned that
the men whom he was going to denounce as Boer spies had been
coffee-planting for several years in Coorg, and that the language
they talked when exchanging confidences in a public place was
not German but Canarese. Such incidents as these helped to
while away the tedium of Ufe in camp when the iron hand of

48 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

discipline was beginning to make itself felt lightly but firmly. A
very little humour provokes much mirth when other entertainments
are scarce. By that time even the sing-songs in camp were
being out short, and the only note of revolt that Lumsden's
Horse were ever known to have sounded arose on that account.
It did not grow loud enough to reach the commanding officer's
ears, but is recorded in the diary of a trooper who, after describing
a very pleasant httle camp-fire concert, says : * We were all
packed off to bed at 9.30 by the Sergeant-Major, to our indig-
nation.'

Public efforts for their amusement, however, did not flag, nor
were camp regulations always enforced so strictly. These facts
we may gather from an entry that would have delighted the
methodical Samuel Pepys. * After dinner drove to the Grand.
Played snookers and won. Afterwards to the Biograph, to which
we were invited for nothing. Kather a noise cheering for the
Queen, Colonel Lumsden, &c. Marched back singing, though
someone tried to stop us.. The Colonel came too and bade us
sing. Had supper and more songs, and three cheers for the
Colonel, and to bed at two.' These frank revelations are worth
whole columns of detailed description as giving an insight into
the character of the men who formed Lumsden's Horse and their
adaptability to circumstances that marked the later days of their
camp life on the Maidan. The time for such festivities was drawing
rapidly to a close, and none bat Puritanical moralists would blame
them for making the most of it after the manner of light-hearted
youth. They had serious thoughts on occasion, however, and
all their letters show how deeply impressed they were by one
ceremony. The date of embarkation was still uncertain when
on Wednesday, February 14, some two hundred officers and
men under Colonel Lumsden's command, headed by the band of
the Koyal Irish Eifles, marched from their camp to the Cathedral
in Calcutta, where a special evening service of farewell was to
be celebrated. The Viceroy and Lady Curzon, Sir John Wood-
burn, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, nearly every officer of the
Viceregal and District Staffs, with regimental commandants and
representatives of other Presidencies, attended, and a sympathetic
congregation filled every part of the building. Soldiers and
civilians joined in singing the Processional hymn, * Onward,

PREPAEING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 49

Christian soldiers,' their voices mingling with an effect never to
be forgotten by anybody who took part in that devotional service.
The Lieutenant-Governor read the First Lesson and Colonel
Lumsden the Second. The choir sang * Fight the good fight/
and a deep silence fell on the congregation when Bishop
Welldon began his address to the contingent that numbered in
its ranks many men whose course in life had been guided by the
high principles instilled by him when he was master and they
schoolboys at Tonbridge and Harrow. In a clear strong voice,
the ring of which they knew so well, he spoke to them and their
comrades, saying :

This is a service of unique interest in the history of our city, and of our
cathedral. It is one of those occasions which make us realise, amid many
differences, the essential fact of our national spiritual unity. All who
are loyal, all who are patriotic in Calcutta, are gathered or would have
gladly gathered within this cathedral to-night. There is not in all this
congregation — there is not, I think, in all Calcutta — a British heart that
is not moved with sympathy and admiration for you, my brethren, who
are going forth to the war in South Africa. And surely there is not a
British heart but feels how just it is, how wise and how truly consonant
with the best traditions of our race, that it should be your wish on the
eve of your departure to seek the protection of, invite the benediction of,
and to consecrate yourselves to the name and service of the Most High
God. For if it has been possible at other times and in other places within
the last few weeks to strike a note of felicity and festivity — I do not say
that they have been unduly prominent, but who has not heard them ? — if
there has been excitement, merriment, and applause on your behalf, it is
a note that I would not sound this evening. You are going, I know, with
deep solemnity and resolution, and you are going as men who have under-
taken a noble duty from which you might have held aloof without reproach,
in the full consciousness of its cost and peril, and in the sure conviction that
the part you are playing is not unworthy, as indeed it is not, of the British
race and the British Empire. You are proud, then, of your self-chosen
mission, but it may well be that someone who looks forward with eager
anticipation to the future is yet, in his heart, possessed with the not
ignoble anxiety that warfare is no child's play. It is stern and awful.
He who enters upon it with a light heart is no true soldier of God or man.
You are assembled now within the sanctuary of religion. In a few hours
or days you will set sail for a distant land. It is certain that you all will
be exposed to the strain and danger of the battlefield, and it is by no
means certain that all will return to their homes in safety. Some who
hear me now will probably yield their lives for the Empire. Can I forget

60 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

how, on the 24th day of last September, I shook hands at the Kidderpore
Docks with the gallant officer commanding the Gloucestershire Regiment,
and how within a few weeks from that day he had fallen — shot dead at
the head of his regiment ? As his fate was, so may be yours. That is the
nobility and dignity of your service. The people of Calcutta would not
throng into this cathedral to pray for you, with you, if it were not im-
pressed upon their minds that you are inspired with the brave ambition
that makes great Empires great. When they shall bid you farewell, as
the troopship slowly passes into the distance, it will be with full hearts,
and believing that you will be true even to death, that they will one and
all say, * God bless yoa.' You go for the conservation of the Empire.
I look upon the British Empire as the highest of human institutions, and
realise that the Empire appeals to the spirit of chivalry, magnanimity,
unselfishness, and devotion in all its members. Nobly, indeed, has India,
European and Native, responded of late to that inspiring appeal. Who is
there that has not felt his pride of Empire to be quickened by the generous
loyalty not of Englishmen only but of the princes and nobles of India to
her Majesty the Queen-Empress ? For that loyalty, unexampled as it
is in the history of other peoples, is itself a witness to the beneficence
of British rule. May I venture, if only in passing, to express the hope
that such an exhibition of loyalty may bring comfort to the sick-bed of
that illustrious soldier, the Commander-in-Chief, who in a retrospect of
his life can recall many a battle in which Europeans and Indians have
fought side by side for the Empire ? But if to the princes and nobles —
may I not add to the people of India ? — the thought of the Empire makes
a paramount appeal, how much more to every man and woman of us.

The Imperial spirit is in the air, it has passed from the chamber of
philosophical thinkers to the common life of the nation. We are all
Imperialists now, and it may be said in the sacred language, of our country
in relation to her colonies and dependencies, that * her children have
risen up and called her blessed.' So in the hour of her stress and
suffering there is not one colony that has failed to render her aid with the
resources of its wealth, strength, and its armed. men. Well is it, then,
that Englishmen, Scotchmen, and Irishmen resident in India should take
their stand with the colonists, not of South Africa only, but of Australia
and Canada, in a cause which makes them one, for the Empire means
not conquest alone. It means the principles upon which the modem
Christian world is broadly based — justice, equality, freedom of thought
and speech, intellectual progress, pure religion, and the sense of personal
responsibility to God. You go forth, and by your going you assert that
all the constituent members of the Empire are one. As the Apostle said of
old, * We are members one of another ' ; and again, * If one member suffer
all the members suffer with it.' It is not nothing to you, and it is a

PREPARING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 61

matter which vitally and personally touches your interest, that to your
fellow-subjects in South Africa should have been denied the elementary
rights of citizenship and the common privileges of humanity. The injury
that has been done to them is done to you. That you should go forth in
a right and reverent spirit is the prayer of all who worship with you in
this cathedral. Is it possible — I hardly like to suggest the reflection —
but is it possible that we have lately thought too little of Almighty God ?
Is it possible that we have entered upon the war with something like
levity in the reliance upon our army and upon our pecuniary military
resources rather than upon Him who has made and sanctified our Empire ?
Is it possible that we have forgotten that even if the * horse is prepared
against the day of battle ' yet victory is of the Lord ? If so, let us return
to Him in penitence and prayer.

Let us confess our many failings and shortcomings, our imperfect
sense of responsibility to Providence, and our disloyalty, if such there has
been, to Has commands. May you go forth, brethren, as trusting in Him,
for you believe that your cause is just. If it were not just, if it were the
cause of oppression or aggrandisement, may He Himself forbid that it
should prosper ; but if it be His will to use you in His service, to make you
the instrument of His providence in the subjugation and pacification of
the country which has flouted the majesty of the British Empire, if He
has called you, and you have responded to His call, then His blessing will
abide with you always. It is in this spirit that we bid you an honourable
farewell. It may be that when you are severed by thousands of miles
of ocean from the country of your birth or of your adoption, the memory of
this service shall not wholly fade from your hearts. Here, in India, where
the majesty of the Empire was most fiercely assailed and most successfully
vindicated — here in this cathedral, where many monuments eloquently
remind you of the courage, faith, and heroism of your race down to the
memorial of those young Englishmen who laid their lives down for
their country saying that they were not the last English — here, in the
presence of the Power which controls the destinies of nations, we invoke
the Divine blessing upon your arms. One last word, one inspiring motto,
we will offer you. It is the watchword of our race : it is * Duty.* * I thank
God,' said Nelson to Captain Blackwood, on the morning of Trafalgar,
'for this great opportunity of doing my duty.' 'Whatever happens,
Uxbridge,' said the Duke of Welhngton on the morning of Waterloo, ' you
and I will do our duty.' That the thought of ' duty,* inspired and sanctified
by Heaven, may dwell in your hearts is our prayer for you all — the highest
prayer that man may offer for man. May the God of our fathers be with
you always, and help you to be brave, generous, and merciful, and vouch-
safe to you safety ; and if it be His will may victory and peace restore you
to those who love you so well at home or in India, and grant you in life

B 2

62 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

or in death to prove yourselves worthy citizens of the Empire, faithful
servants and fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

The choir next sang

' Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armour on,*

and this was folloveed by two special prayers. Then came the
National Anthem, in the singing of which the whole congregation
joined, and then the Kecessional hymn, ' For all the saints who
from their labours rest.' The service over, Lumsden's Horse
marched back to camp through roads that were thronged vdth
enthusiastic spectators.

The next ten days were crowded with necessary preparations
that left the men little leisure for enjoyment of social entertain-
ments arranged in their honour, yet they found time for a pleasant
gathering as spectators at an amateur performance in the Calcutta
Theatre, and possibly for some tender leave-takings of which no
note was made. They were not, at any rate, allowed to go away
vnthout many manifestations of good-will from all classes and
abundant proofs of appreciation and care for their welfare by the
Government of India. It has already been said that his Excel-
lency Lord Curzon accepted readily the rank of Honorary Colonel
of the corps, while both he and Lady Curzon took every possible
opportunity of identifying themselves with a force in which they
continued to show the liveliest personal interest throughout its
career of active service. Sir William Lockhart, then Commander-
in-Chief, was lying in Fort William, Calcutta, dangerously ill of
the malady from which he died not long afterwards, and was
therefore unable to see the corps, but he sent to Colonel Lumsden
and the executive committee several messages of kindly encourage-
ment. The contingent was inspected on its parade-ground by
General Leach, C.B., commanding the troops in the Presidency
District. Sir John Woodburn, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal
and Honorary Colonel of the Behar Light Horse, also paid an
official visit to Colonel Lumsden and made a farewell speech to
the corps on parade the Sunday before its first company embarked.

Orders for the front had come at last, but one of the trans-
ports had not. So it was necessary for Lumsden's Horse to go
off in detachments. The * Lindula ' was alongside the wharves

PEBPAEING POE THE FEONT— DEPAETUEE FEOM CALCUTTA 65

in Kidderpore Docks, but she had no room to spare for more than
a hundred and fifty troopers, with their oflSoers and the necessary
number of horses. Colonel Lumsden and the headquarters were
to go in her with A Company and the Maxim Gun detachment,
leaving B Company still camped on the Maidan, where Major
Showers would take over the command. Delays and alterations
of dates with regard to troopships, for which nobody in India was
responsible, would have been still more serious but for the
resourceful energy of Captain Goodridge, E.N., Director-General
of Marine to the Government of India, and Captain Gwynne,
K.N., the executive transport officer at Calcutta, who did all in
their power to expedite matters and to meet the wishes of
Colonel Lumsden, whose one anxiety was for the comfort and
well-being of his men on the voyage.

Before daybreak on Monday, January 26, 1900, bugles were
sounding the reveill6 for A. Company, and from that moment its
camp was a scene of liveliest activity. Though the men whose
turn to embark might not come for a week or two longer went
about their ordinary duties with assumed unconcern, they oast
many wistful glances at the busy preparations of their envied
comrades. Life in Calcutta had been pleasant enough to make
parting ^ such sweet sorrow ' for many that they would fain have
prolonged it at the last, but none gave a thought to such things
in the dawn of the day so long desired. For them all. South
Africa was then the goal of hope, and naturally the troops to go
first were deemed most fortunate. An old campaigner might
have told them of the days to come, when, in the weariness
of a realisation more hollow than their dreams, they would be
haunted by the music of that last waltz in Calcutta, and longing
to hear once more the rustle of palm fronds under soft Indian
skies, to breathe the sweet fragrance of oleanders and roses.
These thoughts, however, were unspoken, and if anybody had
ventured to hint at them he would have been rightly scouted as
a sickly sentimentalist by Lumsden's Horse, who were going
forth to do the work of men. Yes ; but somehow they were not
all adamant when they heard the cheers of thousands greeting
them as they marched through streets crowded with Europeans
and natives. The service company, in full campaigning kit,
took the lead, proudly conscious that all this was meant as

66 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

an enthusiastic farewell to them and for the gallant Colonel
at their head ; and B Company followed, wearing simple drill
order, with becoming modesty. An escort of ladies and gentle-
men on horseback accompanied the marching contingent. So
uncontrollable did the excitement of spectators become that they
broke in upon and mingled with the ranks, a confused mass from
which it was diflScult for Lumsden's Horse to disentangle them-
selves and pass in any semblance of military formation through
the dock gates, within which they dismounted. Embarkation
of their horses would in ordinary circumstances have occupied
a whole day if the slow system of hoisting by slings had been
adhered to. Major Taylor, however, suggested the use of zig-
zag gangways, ascending by easy inclines stage above stage.
To this arrangement the broad wharves of Kidderpore Docks
were admirably adapted. Captain Gwynne, with a seaman's ready
appreciation of common-sense proposals, consented to this depar-
ture from former methods. The gangways were rigged accordingly,
and so the horses walked quietly up the slopes to their berths on
different decks instead of being slung on board in the barbarous
old fashion. The whole operation thus took an hour instead of
a day, and not a single horse was injured or had its temper
upset. While horses were being got on board the companies
drew up to await the Viceroy's coming, where burning sunlight
fell full on the white helmets that were not to be worn again for
many a day. All their march from the Maidan had been like
a triumphal procession, to the accompaniment of cheers and
waving handkerchiefs ; but a scene even more inspiring awaited
them at the docks, where a great crowd had assembled, making
the grimy wharves bright with the colours of dainty costumes.
People lined the parapets of surrounding houses in masses
uncomfortably dense, and a multitude thronged the jetty, along-
side which the transport * Lindula ' lay waiting to receive her
full complement of troops. Enclosures reserved for favoured
spectators were filled to overflowing, and at least 2,000 of the
number assembled there had to stand, the 3,000 chairs being
mostly occupied by ladies.

Judges of the High Courts and senior officials of all depart-
ments were present. Lumsden's Horse lined one side of a great
quadrangle facing the flower-fringed dais from which Lord Curzon

I
I

PREPARING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 69

was to deliver his farewell speech. Behind them, stretching
from end to end of the line, were gay streamers bearing the
time-honoured mottoes that served to inspire Koman legions
when they set out in galleys to conquer the world. ' Dulce et
decorum est pro patria mori ' and ' Fortes fortuna juvat ' are
sentiments that have happily not lost their meaning or their
power to influence the actions of men even in our unromantic
age. The crowds had gathered there to bid * God speed ' to the
first contingent of Volunteers that had ever left India to fight
for their Queen and country. And each unit of that assemblage
seemed eager to do or say something that might emphasise the
heartiness of the farewell. So general and earnest was this
desire that the police had great difficulty to keep the pressing
spectators within bounds.

On arrival at the dock gates, their Excellencies the Viceroy
and Lady Curzon were met by his Honour the Lieutenant-
Governor and officers in attendance, who conducted them to the
Viceregal platform, above which the royal standard was hoisted.
Lord Curzon then inspected the ranks of Lumsden's Horse, chat-
ting with their Colonel the while. This inspection over, his
Excellency returned to the dais, and, in a voice that carried far
among the silently attentive spectators, addressed the corps in
these words ;

Colonel Lumsden, Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and men of
Lumsden's Light Horse : In bidding you good-bye this afternoon, I feel
that I may claim to speak for others besides myself. I do not appear
here merely as the Honorary Colonel of your corps, proud as I am to fill
that position. Nor am I merely the spokesman of the citizens of Calcutta^
European and Native, among whom you have spent the past few weeks,
and who desire to wish you all success in your patriotic enterprise.
I feel that I am more than that, and that I may consider myself the
mouthpiece of public opinion throughout India, which has watched the
formation of this corps with admiration, which has contributed to its equip-
ment and comfort with no illiberal hand, and which now sends you forth
with an almost parental interest in your fortunes. At a time when the
stress of a common anxiety has revealed to the British Empire its almost
unsuspected unity, and its illimitable resources in loyalty and men, it
would have been disappointing to all of us if India had lagged behind —
India which, even if it is only peopled by a smaU minority of our own
race, is yet the noblest field of British activity and energy and devotion

60 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

that the world can show. Already the British regiments that we have
sent from this country have helped to save Natal, and many a brave
native follower has borne his part in the struggle. But as soon as the
electric call for volunteer help to the mother land ran round, India
responded to the summons. She has given us from the small civil
population of British birth the 250 gallant men whom I am now
addressing, and she would have given us as many more as Government
would have been prepared to accept. I doubt not that had we been
willing to enrol 1,000 instead of 250, they would have been forthcoming ;
and that had not one thousand but many thousand volunteers been called
for from the native races, who vie with us in fervent loyalty to the
same Sovereign, they would have sprung joyfully to arms, from the
Hindu or Mussulman chief of ancient lineage and great possessions to
the martial Sikh or the fighting Pathan.

You, however, are the 260 who have been chosen, the first body of
Volunteers from India that have ever had the chance of fighting for the
Queen outside their shores ; and you. Colonel Lumsden, to whose
patriotic initiative this corps owes its being, and from whom it most
befittingly takes its name, are the officer who is privileged to command this
pioneer body of Indian soldiers of the Empire. Officers and men, you
carry a great responsibiUty with you ; for it will fall to you in the face of
great danger, perhaps even in the face of death, to sustain the honour of
the country that is now sending you forth and of the race from which you
are sprung. But you will have this consolation. You are engaged on a
glorious, and as I believe a righteous, mission, not to aggrandise an
Empire, not merely to repel an unscrupulous invasion of the Queen's
territories, but to plant liberty and justice and equal rights upon the soil
of a South Africa henceforward to be united under the British and no
other flag. You go out at a dramatic moment in the contest, when,
owing to the skilful generalship of an old Indian soldier and Com-
mander-in-Chief, and to the indomitable gallantry of our men, the
tide of fortune, which has too long flowed against us, seems at last
to have turned in our favour. May it carry you on its forward crest to
Pretoria itself ! All India applauds your bravery in going. We shall
watch your deeds on the battlefield and on the march. We wish you
God speed in your undertaking; and may Providence in His mercy
protect you through the perils and vicissitudes of your first contact with
the dread realities of war, and bring you safely back again to this country
and to your homes.

Colonel Lumsden and men, on behalf of your fellow-countrymen and
your fellow-subjects throughout India, I bid you farewell.

There is ample evidence from the letters of troopers them-
selves to prove that Lord Curzon's eloquent words inspired them

Fhcto: F,KappJt Co.

H^. THE VICEROY ADDRESSING THE CORPS
February 26» 1900

•• " • -

PEEPAKING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 63

with an ideal which they determined at all hazards to live up to,
and perhaps it is not too much to say that the conspicuous
gallantry everywhere and at all times displayed by all ranks of
Lumsden's Horse is directly traceable to the high conception of
their duty breathed in every sentence of the Viceroy's speech,
though they paraphrased it in more homely language, taking for
their regimental motto ' Play the game.' For a while after Lord
Curzon had finished speaking the troops were silent. Then they
raised lusty cheers for his Excellency and Lady Curzon and
the people of Calcutta, who in their turn cheered Lumsden's
Horse again and again. The Viceroy and his suite, accompanied
by Colonel Lumsden, Sir Patrick Playfair, and other members of
the executive committee, then went on board the ' Lindula ' for
a final inspection of the arrangements made for the comfort of the
corps, whose horses had already been shipped. Meanwhile Mrs.
Pugh had presented each officer and trooper with a Prayer-book,
and in giving it she said a few simple words that touched all
hearts. Some tender scenes of leave-taking had been enacted,
and men came back to their places in the ranks with faces not
quite so hard as they thought. There may have been sobs in
the sweet voices that whispered ' Good-bye ! ' but if so they
were lost in the loud chorus that rang out from comrades
cheering each other. Then the band struck up * The Girl I Left
Behind Me,' and the troopers of A Company marched on board
the ' Lindula.' As she cast off from her moorings amid many
touching demonstrations and more enthusiastic cheers, the
strains of music changed to ' Auld Lang Syne.' The sun had
set then, but crowds lingered, cheering still and waving handker-
chiefs until the transport disappeared in the gathering darkness.
She dropped down to her anchorage in Garden Keach that night,
and when Calcutta awoke next morning she had gone, bearing
the first contingent of Lumsden's Horse towards South Africa.
Colonel Lumsden's appreciation of all that had been done for
the corps was expressed in the following letter :

To the Editor of the * Englishman,*

Sir, — On the eve of leaving India for South Africa with the corps
which I have the honour to command there is one pleasant duty which
I have to fulfil. This is to convey, in the most public manner, to all who

64 THE HISTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

have helped me in raising 'Lumsden's Horse/ my grateful thanks for
their sympathy and support. To the Viceroy, who has accepted the
Honorary Colonelcy of the corps, I owe more than can be stated in this
letter, for his Excellency removed all diflficulties which lay in the way of
sending an Indian Volunteer Contingent to the seat of war. To his
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal and his Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief I am indebted for their support and sympathy.
Sir Edwin Collen, Military Member ; Sir Edmund EUes, Adjutant-General ;
Major-Generals Maitland and Wace; Surgeon-General Harvey; Briga-
dier-General Leach ; Colonel Money and Captain Drake-Brockman ;
Colonels Buckland and Spenser, Army Clothing Department ; Captain
Gwyn, Royal Indian Marine; Captain Philipps; Colonel Mansfield,
Commissariat Transport Department; the Commissariat Staff in the
Presidency District ; one and all gave me the benefit of their experience
in military matters in addition to official assistance which was of the
highest value. There were many occasions when their personal influence
smoothed over difficulties connected with organisation and equipment,
and made my task much easier than it would otherwise have been. I wish
gratefully to acknowledge the special kindness of Major Pilgrim, I.M.S.,
who medically examined the members of the corps. To the executive
committee— Sir Patrick Playfair, Colonel Buckingham, Colonel Money,
Major Eddis, Major Dolby, and Mr. Harry Stuart — I am most deeply
indebted, for they have all worked hard from first to last ; to the general
public who responded so handsomely to the appeal for subscriptions ; to the
Press, who gave full publication to the movement ; to the donors of camp
equipment, kit, and things in kind ; to the railways for their assistance ;
and to the India General and Biver Steam Navigation Companies, who
carried the Assam Volunteers free of cost ; to these I must express the
wannest thanks, not merely on my own part, but on behalf of every officer
and man of the corps. They, indeed, rendered it possible for my scheme
as a whole to be carried out. To Mrs. Pugh and the ladies of Calcutta
we can only say that their labour of love will never be forgotten by
' Lumsden's Horse.'

D. M. LUMSDEN.
February 26.

Four days later welcome orders came for B Company to be
ready for embarkation, and, early in the morning of March 3,
Major Showers, in command of all that remained of Lumsden's
Horse on the Maidan, marched out of camp, escorted by Euro-
peans and natives principally on horseback. For them the
enthusiasm that had marked the departure of their comrades
was revived with even greater fervour, and though this second

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PREPARING FOR THE FRONT— DEPARTURE FROM CALCUTTA 67

leave-taking was less ceremonious than the first, it lacked
nothing of the heart-stirring eloquence that rings through the
voices of people when they are moved by great impulses. The
Viceroy, when he addressed Colonel Lumsden and A Company,
had spoken his farewell to the whole regiment. This second
demonstration, though accompanied by many signs of official
interest, was in all essential characteristics a popular movement
in which all classes joined with the more impressive warmth
because it was the last tribute they could pay to Lumsden 's
Horse before the corps might be called upon to take its place in
the fighting line. The Lieutenant-Governor (Sir John Wood-
burn) and the Bishop of Calcutta made eloquent speeches that
were emphasised by repeated cheering ; and with many cordial
words of farewell ringing in their ears, to the musical accom-
paniment of * Auld Lang Syne,' Major Showers and his hundred
troopers embarked on board the ' Ujina.' After she had steamed
down the Hugli there was no more work to be done by the
committee, whose members had laboured with patriotic self-
sacrifice to raise and equip Lumsden's Horse and send the
contingent forth a perfectly organised force in all respects. The
executive committee then practically handed over all its autho-
rity to Sir Patrick Playfair, who never ceased for a moment to
watch over the interests of the Contingent, for which he had
already done so much. The following letter shows how greatly
Lumsden's Horse were indebted for their rapid and complete
organisation to the business capacity and indefatigable industry
of Sir Patrick Playfair :

S.S. * Lindala,* en route for South Afrioa : March 12, 1900.

My dear Playfair, — I have felt ever since leaving Calcutta that I never
half thanked you for what you did for Lumsden's Horse, and no one
knows so well as myself, or appreciates more to the full, the work you
did on its behalf. Now, when I have time to think calmly over the
events of the past two months, I can see plainly that the successful issue
things were brought to, financially and otherwise, was entirely due to your
energy and guidance ; and this vnthout in the slightest degree depreciating
the valuable services of your fellow-workers on the committee, as I
feel confident one aud all of them would coincide heartily with my
sentiments. . . . Yours always,

D. M. Lumsden.

F 2

68 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEE III

OUTWARD BOUND

Life on board a troopship does not offer much material for
graphic description, and none but a Kipling could give to ita
ordinary incidents an absorbing interest for general readers.
Nevertheless, it has charms for those who look at it with eyes
fresh to such scenes, and for Lumsden's Horse, at any rate, there
was a novelty in the situation not wholly unpleasant in spite of
the many discomforts they had to endure and the distasteful
duties necessarily imposed upon them. They were learning
there a harder lesson than any of which their experiences in
camp on the Maidan could have given the slightest conception. It
is one thing to go a long voyage on board a liner as first-, second-^
or even third-class passenger, but quite another to be penned up
between decks in a crowded transport with native servants and
Lascars, eating coarse Government rations served in the roughest
fashion, doing the work of grooms and lackeys, and sleeping on
bare planks in an atmosphere odorous with exhalations from
stables and galleys. They had enlisted for a soldier's life, how-
ever, prepared to take the rough with the smooth, and, being in
for it, they made the best of their circumstances after the first
rude shock of feeling what military service really means had
worn o£E. Discipline may become a property of easiness any-
where else, but on board ship the line that separates rank from
rank must be sharply drawn even in the case of a Volunteer com-
pany. Comradeship and interchange of friendly greetings between
oflficers and men may still go on as of old ; but they cannot make
a trooper forget for a moment that certain pri^'ileges follow rank^
and disabilities cling to those who have it not, while these facts
are thrust upon him insistently at every turn and dinned into-
his ears by every bugle call to duty or to meals. It is well that

OUTWARD BOUND 69

we also should remember these things in estimating the sacri-
fices that Volunteers make when they give up the comforts, if not
luxuries, of home life and go forth to fight for country and for
empire as private soldiers. The privations, the rough fare, the
hard marches in all weather, exposure to rapid alternations of
heat and cold, fierce sunshine where there is no shelter by day,
and pitiless rain from which there is no escape at night, hunger,
wounds, and sickness — all these may be cheerfully borne because
they are the lot of all ranks alike. Not so, however, with the
petty humiliations and drudgery inseparable from many duties on
board a transport, where the mere trooper finds that a soldier's
uniform is a badge of distinction truly, but the distinction at
times brings with it something closely akin to a sense of humili-
ation. The company or regimental ofl&cers may do all they can
to take the keen point off this goading sentiment, but it will
wound where there is the least protection against it and rankle too.
One must say to the credit of Lumsden's Horse that they did not
allow such considerations to trouble. There is no trace of dis-
content in their published contributions to Indian papers, of
which some extracts from the ' Englishman ' may be made by
way of giving a picture of the voyage as troopers looked at it.
We left the ' Lindula ' steaming down the Hugh apparently
well on her way towards South Africa. Though lost to the view
of interested crowds who looked for her soon after dawn on
the morning of February 27, she did not pursue an uninterrupted
course. At this point a trooper of A Company takes up the story
in a lively narrative, writing thus :

The absurd antics which the river Hugli thinks it necessary to go
through ere flowing to rest in the bosom of its old mammy Ocean compel
mariners to sail on it by day alone, and then to go as cannily as a cat on
hot bricks. On Tuesday morning we dashed off letters and telegrams,
and with a sigh of relief despatched them by the post boat, thinking we
were fairly off for Afric's sandy shores. But no ! We had not reckoned
with the lead line, which recorded much the same number of feet
and inches that the good ship * Lindula ' drew, so with a Heave ! Ho !
Holly ! the anchor fell overboard, and then we were stuck for a whole
day.

Fancy getting up at 4.30 in the pitch dark ! And no chance of shirking
either, for the decks are swabbed down and clean as a child's plate after

70 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

a penny dinner by 5 a.m. of the clock. Five-thirty heralds a cup of tea,
and 6 o'clock sets every nag aboard neighing and whinnying, for do they
not know it to be feeding time, better even than the Sergeant-Major,
who marches about with a little stick marking time ? Then stables — ^a
pleasant job for the deaf and dumb, but trying to a man who wishes to
retain the lily-white unstained purity of his mind. Nine o'clock is the
signal for the bugler to tootle ' Mary ! come to the cook-house door,* and
before he gets to the ' y ' in Mary, A Company is tumbling head over
heels down the fore companion.

Spinning down the river with the banks gradually receding from sight
raises everybody's spirits, and a merry lot we are when from the Sandheads
comes a telegram announcing the capitulation of Cronj6 — ^news greeted by
loud and continuous cheers. A little way more and the pilot brig heaves
in sight, and soon we lie to in her neighbourhood, listening to round after
round of hoarse cheering from the white-hatted figures aboard. Our pilot
drops over the side, accompanied by a great sheaf of our last messages to
friends, and we get up steam, waving good-bye to India, and begin our
voyage, never a man of us for whom the future does not loom big '^'ith
adventurous hopes ; never a man of us reckoning of the toil or peril.
Young British blood, hot and eager, keen to flow more swiftly, keen to
taste of the life that has given the world so many great names, so many
great deeds. India, au revoir t

The gentle reader must not imagine that we have nothing to do.
Breakfast finished at 10 o'clock, the bugles wax busy, and call after call
resounds through the ship, summoning sections to various tasks. One of
the earliest parades of the voyage was that to practise the fire alarm and
' boats.' Every man has his appointed place, and lest any should hurry
unduly for the boats, sentries have been told off to guard these, having
their rifles loaded with ball cartridges, and orders to shoot the first man
who may attempt a rush. This extremely important matter has been
thoroughly impressed on our minds by practice, and should the alarm be
given in stem reality we all know where to make for.

Needless to say, rifle exercise is one of the chief things to which we
must pay attention, and morning and afternoon the words of command
ring through the ship as squad after squad is put through its facings.
Fatigues are innumerable. Bringing forage and stores on deck is a daily
task ; oiling and packing away saddlery ; cleaning spare arms ; painting
side arms ; marking eqaipment and a dozen other things. Then a
signalling class is terribly busy, and a row of otherwise inteUigent-looking
lads wave their arms wildly to the accompaniment of strange sounds
bellowed by the signalling instructor.

When the rifle exercises have sunk into the minds of men, they are
allowed to practise shooting. Every day, at 12 and 2, parties assemble

OUTWARD BOUND 71

on the quarter-deck and shoot at wine cases, biscuit boxes, bits of paper,
anything that affords a mark. In spite of the rolling and pitching
of the ship, and, what is worse, the vibration caused by the screw,
wonderful practice is made. A. bit of paper a few inches square is hit
several times at 200 yards, and as the larger obstacles recede they are
repeatedly struck. Men firing have to judge their own distances, and the
practice on the whole has been marvellously good. The Maxim gun has
had a turn, too, and a very terrible weapon it is. In spite of the extreme
disadvantage under which it labours when placed on a moving platform,
excellent shooting has been made with it. An ordinary beer barrel at
800 and 1,000 yards was douched with spray, and then struck after three
or four shots had been fired. The noise is atrocious, but it is grand to see
the bullets striking the water, one ! two ! three ! four ! ever nearing the
mark, and then, five ! Plump in.

Though we have lots of work to do we don*t forget to play, and many
are the tasks indulged in. One of the favourite amusements is boxing,
and morning and evening a ring is formed wherein all may enter for
a round or two. A few matches have been got up, and desperate battles
have been fought betwixt champions of the various sections. Naturally
party feeling runs high on these occasions, and everybody in the ship,
from the Colonel and the Captain down to Carpenter Chinaman John,
takes up a plstce outside the ring, watching the fray with bated breath.
The end is usually a black eye or blood drawn, neither of which temporary
inconveniences prevents furious and friendly handshakings at the finish.
Singlestick has supporters, but none so many as the gentle art of boxing.
Cockfighting has many votaries, and wrestling a few, for both of these
elegant diversions may be partaken of in the comparative dark. Duty
and pleasure are combined in tubbing. A sail bath four feet deep and
some six square is slung and filled with sea water. The bather, dressed
* altogether,' stands well back and runs at the bath, rolling in head over
heels. Number one is followed quickly by more, one on top of the other,
until the bath is nothing but a struggling mass of arms and legs. Then
the hose is turned on, and every man must take his turn or pay the
penalty of being thrust underneath.

On our first Saturday night at sea the skipper — Captain Steuart — was
kind enough to permit a smoking-concert to be held on the quarter-deck,
where the saloon piano had been comfortably ensconced on a raised stage
ornamented vnth flags. Corporal Blair took the public fancy tremendously
with some of the comic songs that soldiers delight in. Corporal Skelton's
recitation about the Volunteer Instructor who complains of his squad that
'They Largifies,' fairly brought the house down. Among others who
gave us pleasure were the brothers Wright and Private Woods, who, a
troisy drew much melody from the banjo. The following morning

72 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

(Sunday) we had service on deck, the Colonel and the Captain reading
the Lessons. The little book so thoughtfully presented to every man by
Mrs. Pugh was used.

Crossing the Une was a most unexciting experience, for no Father
Neptune came on board, nor did any of the other time-honoured things
befall us. Alas ! for the merchant navy ! We did not see Ceylon
at all, but during the night we passed, in the distance, a light which
shone out from somewhere on its coast. That was our last sight of the
outside world until we had crossed the great Indian Ocean.

On the whole, the horses have had a good time, very different from
that endured by shiploads coming over from Australia. Most of them
get a grooming of sorts every day, and many get an hour's walking
exercise round a small circle once or twice in the week. It is
wonderful to behold an animal with legs puffed out like tea cosies
begin his little tour and finish up with extremities clean cut as those of
a racehorse.

Still, there is a good deal of sickness among them in various forms of
fever and colic. First, Private Case, from Behar, lost a very clever little
horse. Since then two more have died, one a valuable mare, the
property of Lieutenant Crane, of Behar, and the other the charger of
Private Atkinson, from Mussoorie.

The fifth officer of the ship, a braw lad frae Glescae, finds it very
trying to hear us miscall the different parts — 'pairts,* he says — of his
beloved she. * A ship's no like a house, wi' upstairs an' doonstairs,' he
plaintively remonstrates. And when any of us join him in a cigar and
throw the stump out of the * window ' instead of the ' scuttle,' the poor
man almost cries. One continually finds him gravely pointing out to
little knots of men the absurdity of referring to the back or the front of
a ship. He explains how it ought to be * forrard ' and * aft,' and * above '
and * below.' Then someone will mildly query where * astam ' comes in,
and how it is possible to distinguish between port and starboard. And he
tells. But, all the same, we continue to search for each other upstairs
and down ; we lie on the floor, forgetting it is deck, and it still passes
our comprehension how * loo'ard * can be at one side of the ship one day
and the opposite to-morrow. This fifth officer is a bit of a humourist, too,
and, finding an appreciative audience, plays off a rich fund of nautical
yams that have gathered raciness in the course of long centuries since
they were translated from the Portuguese of Vasco da Gama. The
narrator evidently thinks that Lumsden's Horse are as credulous as ' the
Marines.' Perhaps he takes them to be a mounted variety of that species,
and, being a naturalist among other things, he has a scientific motive for
studying their peculiarities.

Colonel Lumsden confirmed the following non-commisaioned appoint-

OUTWARD BOUND 75

ments in A Company, some of which were provisionally made before
leaving Calcutta :

Eegimental Sergeant-Major : C. M. Marsham (Behar L.H.) ; Company
Sergeant-Major E. N. Mansfield (Pmijaub L.H.) ; Sergeants : H. Fox
(Behar L.H.), E. M. S. McNamara (Behar L.H.), E. S. Stowell (Poona
V.E.), and W. Walker (Assam V.L.H.) ; Lance-Sergeants : F. L. Elliott
(Assam V.L.H.), D. S. Fraser (Oudh L.H.), J. Lee Stewart (Coorg and
Mysore E.), and E. E. Dale (E.I.E.V.C.) ; Corporals : Percy Jones
(Behar L.H.), G. Lawrie (Oudh L.H.), E. Llewhellin (Behar L.H.), and
H. Marsham (Behar L.H.) ; Lance-Corporals : A. M. Firth (Behar L.H.) ,
A. C. Walker (Assam Valley L.H.), E. J. Ballard (Punjaub L.H.),
H. F. Blair (Behar L.H.), D. J. Keating (Calcutta Port Defence), W. S.
Lemon (Calcutta V.E.), A. Macgillivray (Behar L.H.), and J. W. A.
Skelton (Assam V.L.H.) .

Transport Establishment : Lance-Corporals E. P. Estabrook, C. T.
Power, J. Charles, S. W. CuUen, and G. W. Palmer.

It could not be expected that 150 men would be together on board ship
for three weeks without a certain proportion going sick. Lance-Sergeant
Lee Stewart, of the Coorg and Mysore Eifles, was struck down with
pneumonia. Shortly afterwards Private H. H. J. Hickley, of the Behar
Light Horse, was attacked by the same illness aggravated by pleurisy.
About this time a large number were bowled over. Blame was laid on
the tinned provisions, but, probably, if men had worn the mufiSers, so
tenderly knitted for us by Calcutta ladies, about their waists instead of
round their necks much pain and trouble would have been avoided. The
decks at night were covered with sleeping figures, clad and unclad in every
degree. At turning in, a gentle zephyr that wouldn't disturb the ringlets
on a fair lady's neck might be blowing, and in an hour a sharp breeze
laden with heavy rain would sweep down and drench the unconscious-
sleepers. Then one of the immediate results of an order for men to go
about barefooted was that Private Clayton-Daubney, of the Behar Light
Horse, took a fall when turning a slippery corner and broke his collar-
bone.

To Sir Patrick Playfair Colonel Lumsden wrote while at sea
a letter that is interesting as a proof of his interest in and care
for the men under his command. They paid many glovdng
tributes to him afterwards, but none that gives a better key to the
hold he had on their respect than his own simple words as they
appear in the following extract :

I regret to say Hickley, from Behar, is in a very bad way. He had
fever and pneumonia to start with, and has now gone clean * pagal,* ^ and,

' Hindustani for * off his head.'

76 TBE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

though quite quiet and harmless, has to have two men in close attendance
day and night. I had him taken into the saloon yesterday, in a cabm
near my own. I am intensely sorry for the poor chap, as, unless a
sudden recovery takes place, we shall have to make arrangement for the
authorities to look after him when we land. We have one more case on
board, which I was in hopes it might not be necessary to mention.
Stewart, the planter from Mysore, had an attack of pneumonia which has
taken a chronic form, and I fear there is small chajace of immediate re-
covery. He may have to go into hospital at Durban — whether we land
there or not — and I much doubt his ever being able to join us again.
You will remember my telling you about him, a man of independent
means (married, with a family), who came for the love of the game. He
was a most useful man, knowing a lot about horses, and was made an
acting sergeant almost as soon as he arrived, and put on to help
Veterinary-Captain Stevenson. He did excellent work on board until
he got ill, and I shall miss him much. It is his own wish to land if he is
not better.

Beyond this we have had a most delightful voyage, simply perfect
weather, and a sea like glass. The men act up to our corps motto
* Play the game ' like the good chaps they are. You should see them at
stable work in the morning, with nothing on but trousers rolled up to
their thighs, or pyjamas ditto, and later in the day, washing their kit or
making up puddings and cakes of sorts — some of the latter are works of
art ! We have a lot of musical talent on board, and have had a couple of
excellent concerts. Captain Steuart added to the enjoyment of the last
by giving a magic-lantern show. He is a very good sort, and has done
everything in his power to ensure the comfort of the men. After finishing
our daily inspection to-day he confided to me that he had never seen a
troopship better kept, as regards order and cleanliness. The men are
being practised daily in the use of the rifle, dropping boxes and wisps of
straw overboard for targets, and I am more than pleased with the way
they are shooting, at a moving target from a moving ship. You might
also mention to my friend General Wace that Holmes is making excellent
practice with his Maxim gun.

This is one picture of life in a troopship under the happiest
conditions. There is another side to the picture, of which we
may get glimpses in the experiences of men in Company B, to
whom Calcutta's citizens gave a hearty * God speed ' when they
embarked in the ' CJjina ' at Kidderpore Docks on March 3. Before
she had cast oflE from her moorings the troopers had been called
to dinner, and that feast was a revelation to them of all they were
leaving behind. One corporal described it as ' a sort of stew in

p. T. CORBETT SERGT. DALE

MAXIMGUN CONTINGENT

OUTWARD BOUND 79

stable-buckets, too filthy for anything ' ; but that may have been
merely a little ebullition of aristocratic prejudice. Nevertheless,
he and two comrades hurried on shore, and drove as fast as they
could to Madan's in the town, where they invested 200 rupees in
sundry things which they regarded as necessaries for their
sustenance during the voyage. They were back in time to hear
the Lieutenant-Governor's and Bishop Welldon's speeches, and
then to join in a parting cheer for their old adjutant. Captain
Martin, who only left them to go on shore as the * Ujina ' cast off.
The subsequent proceedings of that day are not recorded in the
corporal's diary, who contents himself with noting that he ' had
some tea — no milk, and awfully sweet.' When he awoke next
morning, after a restless night on bare planks between decks, the
thought of creature-comforts must have been uppermost still, for
he was aware of * gnawing pains — result of nothing to eat,' and
his morning reflections begin with the disjointed phrases : ' No
knives and forks. No salt. Those who had penknives were
lucky. Fortunately we all had fingers.' Was there in those last
words a prophetic suggestion that some of them might not
even have fingers for such uses after a while ? If so, the gloomy
foreboding passed without record, giving place to action, for at
6 o'clock that morning the corporal whose notes throw a
glimmer of light on much of the darker side that is too often
ignored, found himself in charge of a stable fatigue, wading at
the heels of the horses in a foul, dark, unventilated drain about
thirty inches wide, from which nothing ran off. He mentions in-
cidentally that the four unfortunate men who had to clear away
this accumulated filth were ' very indignant ' ; and from this we
may gather that they used adjectives to express their opinion of
that first stable fatigue on board ship. It does not read like the
best possible means of promoting a healthy appetite, but when
called to breakfast three hours later they looked with dismay at
a loaf that was to last each of them the whole day, and when
one small tin of brawn was put before them for division among
sixteen men at a table, they came to the conclusion that it
* seemed very short commons indeed.' Some of the men found
that their carefully-arranged kits had been thrown aside in a con-
fused heap to make room for native followers, and they ventured
on a mild remonstrance, but were told, 'You must look after

80 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

your own things ; you don't have your bearers here.' That
obvious truth had impressed itself upon them very forcibly some
hours earlier, while they were doing stable fatigue, and it needed
no rubbing in. Other trials followed, as we gather from a brief
but expressive note : ^ Dinner at 1.0. Soup and a messy stew in
buckets, as before. Tried to get some salt unsuccessfully, and,
returning, found the stew all gone. Beer was served out, which
I didn't drink. Gave my bottle away and drank water, hot and
cloudy, out of a bath-tin. No knives or forks yet. Through our
mess-room, while we feed, files a long procession of syces, trans-
port wallahs, servants, Candaharis ; sometimes a herd of goats,
and always Lascars, carrying ropes, hoses, or buckets. Now they
have kicked us out from where we were making ourselves
comfortable below, and I miss much a comer, even such as my
horse has, where I could put my things in safety. At night we
throw our straw mattresses wherever we can find a vacant space,
and scramble in confusion for our kits out of a heap of exactly
similar ones. We would gladly have paid our own expenses for a
httle more comfort. The last straw came at 7.30, when the " cook-
house " bugle went again, but the chef said, " No orders to cook
anything more," and shut the door in the faces of orderlies. The
N.C.O.s then went in a body and complained. Eesult — bread and
beer were served out. It was bread and water for me. Lay my
mattress down among the horses, and was comfortable in spite of
the stufiEy smell and stamping about all night.' Still, his thoughts
seem to have dwelt on the idea that there was much to complain
of — the coarse tin pots, the tea extremely sweet and without
milk, the hot and dirty water — not even a dry canteen from which
to supplement the scanty fare, and so on until he dropped into
sweet sleep. That sleep must have been very refreshing, or a
considerable change had come upon the ship by the next
morning, when the food had improved greatly, and at supper the
' men were merry enough, with great singing of songs.' Later
entries in this diary show that the first highly-coloured outbursts
of discontent were due mainly, if not wholly, to a sudden change
from the luxury and plenty of a planter's manage to the compara-
tive coarseness of a simple soldier's fare— otherwise Government
rations — in necessarily rough circumstances. The additional
comforts thoughtfully provided by the Calcutta Committee

• • •

• • ••

• • •,*

OUTWAED BOUND 83

for consumption on the voyage were by mistake stowed away
with baggage and other stores below. Thenceforward matters
mended day by day, and, though there were still some discom-
forts to be endured, they seem to have been relieved by more
amusements than appear in the letters sent for publication
to the Indian newspapers. On the whole, however, a fairly com-
prehensive idea of the way in which B Company passed its days
on board the * Ujina ' may be formed from the following letter,
parts of which were published in the ^ Indian Daily News ' :

Hard work and plenty of it has been the order of the day ever since
we came on board. The greater part of this is in connection with the
horses. It is, of course, of very great importance that we should be in a
position to move forward as soon as possible after landing, and, bearing
this in mind, Major Showers and his ofl&cers are doing their utmost to
keep the animals fit. For the first day or two bran mashes were given
the horses, with as much hay as they could eat. This has been gradually
augmented, until they are now getting a mixture of bran and gram or
linseed three times a day. The watering and feeding are carried out with
the greatest regularity, each section officer personally superintending the
work. Our daily routine may prove interesting to the uninitiated in
these matters. Awakened by reveille at 4.30, we have time to put our kits
in order before getting a cup of tea at 5.30. Half an hour later the bugle
sounds * stables,* and the men immediately assemble on the lower deck,
each section separately, to answer the roll. Absentees who are not on
the sick-list, or engaged in fatigue or other duties, have their names noted
down, and are dealt with afterwards. Each horse is taken out of his stall
and thoroughly groomed, and the stall itself cleaned and disinfected daily.
The horses are then watered, a certain number of men being told oflf for
this duty ; the rest are occupied in drawing and mixing the feeds, which
they place in tin troughs, one in front of each horse. As soon as word is
passed that watering is completed, the command ' Feed ' is given, and the
troughs are immediately hfted and fixed on the breast-boards attached to
each stall. The hay is then served out in bundles, each horse getting six.
These are opened and put in the bags hung over the horses' heads.

The stable picket, consisting of three men from each section, is
posted at 7 o'clock in the evening, and is on duty for twenty-four
hours — till seven the following evening. Each man takes his turn as
stable sentry for eight hours altogether out of the twenty-four — two hours
on and four hours ofit A non-commissioned officer is in charge of all
four section pickets, and he also is on duty for twenty-four hours until
relieved when the guard is changed next evening. He is expected to go
round the pickets two or three times during the night, and see that the

6 2

84 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

sentries are at their posts all right. The orderly officer also visits the
pickets twice during the night. The duties of each sentry are to see that
the horses do not get loose, or injure themselves, or * savage ' each other,
and that they are fed properly.

After breakfast, at 8 o'clock, the men's time is generally taken up in
cleaning rifles and accoutrements, and washing and dressing themselves
for a general parade at half-past 10.

The men are then kept busy at the manual and firing exercise for
about an hour, and also bayonet exercise occasionally. The inspection of
the steamer by the Captain, accompanied by Major Showers and
officers, including the doctor and veterinary officer, also takes place at this
hour, and Major Showers afterwards inspects the company. For the next
hour or two we have little to do bar fatigues until the time comes for
watering and feeding horses at midday stables.

During the afternoon the men usually employ themselves in playing
cricket, boxing, wresthng, football, and tugs-of-war, until the bugles sound
for evening stables at 5.30. Sunday is a day of rest, as far as possible,
only necessary work, such as * stables/ being done, and church parade is
held at 10.30, the service lasting about half an hour. There are almost
daily calls for fatigue parties, a few men being taken from each section to
bring up stores or forage from the hold, and this is pretty hot and dirty
work. At 9 o'clock every night the * last post ' sounds, and half an hour
later ' lights out.' After that * there is naught but the sound of the lone
sentry's tread ' or the squeal of an angry horse to disturb the peaceful
slumbers of snoring troopers on board the * Ujina,' until the notes of
reveille, shrill if not always clear, wake them at dawn to another day of
similar routine.

CHAPTEE IV

NEARING THE GOAL— DISEMBARKATION AT CAPE TOWN AND

EAST LONDON

Though something went wrong with the * Ujina's ' engines, which
had to be stopped twice for repairs in the Bay of Bengal, she
covered the remaining fifteen hundred leagues or so in very good
time, and, passing Madagascar during the misty night of March 18,
was within sight of the South African coast by daybreak of the
24th, and at midday she anchored oflE Durban, being unable to
get nearer that port than the troubled roadstead two miles from
shore. Thus her time from the Hugli to Port Natal was just
three weeks, and those on board had the satisfaction of hearing
that the ' Lindula,' with A Company, must be still at sea, having
left Durban for Cape Town only thiree days before the ' Ujina's '
arrival. The man who brought that good news had evidently
acquired a Kaffir or Oriental habit of saying the things that are
pleasant whether true or not. In sober fact, the ^ Lindiila ' had
gone a week earUer, and was by that time landing her troops at
Cape Town. As nobody was allowed to land, Lumsden's Horse
did not get the exciting experience of being lowered in a cage
from the troopship's gangway to a tug plunging and tossing and
wriggling among the * rollers ' twenty feet below. But they had
an opportunity of seeing how the thing was done when a Trans-
port ofl&cer came on board that way with an order for the troops
under Major Showers's command to disembark at East London.
This ofl&cer was accompanied by three of the Natal Carbineers,
who had been with Sir Eedvers Buller's force to the relief of Lady-
smith, and whose thrilling tales of adventure were as welcome
as a newly-discovered series of Arabian Nights' stories might have
been to men who had heard no news for twenty-one days. The
general situation was not quite as those Carbineers described it.

86 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

but their account of Boer resistance in Natal did not by any means
convey the idea that war was nearly at an end, although rumour
magnified Lord Koberts's successes to the extent of placing him
within a march or so of Kroonstadt at a time when his troops
were still himg up at Bloemfontein waiting for food and trans-
port. As B Company had heard of Cronje's surrender and the
relief of Ladysmith before leaving Calcutta, it would hardly have
surprised them to learn that the Union Jack was floating over
Pretoria. To them the mere occupation of Bloemfontein seemed
a comparatively small matter, so they at once turned and began
to rend with keen sarcasm the croakers who had predicted that
B Company at least would be too late for anything. Too late !
Why, their orders were to disembark at East London, and did not
that mean an immediate start for the front? One sanguine
trooper in the gladness of his heart wrote, ^ We go on shore at
11.30 to-day, leaving for Bloemfontein by- train about the same
hour to-night, and expect to arrive in forty-eight hours. We
shall probably train to Bethulie and march from there to Bloem-
fontein, about 120 miles.' His faith in the marching powers of
Lumsden's Horse must have been great indeed if he thought
they could trek 120 miles across unknown veldt after tra-
velling from East London to Bethulie by rail, and all in the
space of forty-eight hours. There is something very fascinating
about that picture of troopers so eager to be at the taking of
Ejroonstadt Q which, it would seem, will be a big aflEair ') that
they would perform superhuman feats to be there in time. No
admirer of Lumsden's Horse would venture to suggest that a
march of forty leagues in less than two days was beyond the
compass of their powers, but the man must be brimful of hope
who could believe that there would be any time left for marchings
or any inclination to march left in the men, after a South
African railway, working under war pressure, had done with them.
But in fact there was no such need for haste. B Company was
quite in time for the ' big aflEair ' at Kroonstadt, though it took more
than twenty times forty-eight hours in the getting there. Colonel
Lumsden, going ahead with A Company to land in Cape Town, had
still more reason for entertaining sanguine views, though in his
case they were modified by a fuller knowledge of events. When
in sight of Table Mountain he added a postscript to his letter :

HEARING THE GOAL 87

' Off Cape. Just got orders. May be in for Pretoria. Hope so.'
The two companies, however, were not fortunate enough to
come together under one command until nearly a month later.
Their fortunes as separated units must therefore be dealt with in
somewhat disjointed form still. How A Company fared after
casting anchor off Durban may be told in the words of a special
correspondent of the * Englishman ' who had joined the corps
for active service :

As we came in sight of Durban everybody was expecting that some
official would dash on board directly he knew it was Lumsden's Horse,
to order us off down the coast, and that in a minute we should be steam-
ing hard for our destination. But it happened otherwise. When fairly
close in we signalled to the Coastguard station what ship we were and
what she contained. Then a deep silence settled over things. Lots of
shipping lay at anchor there, and every ship except ours had a steam
launch calling upon it. But we, waiting with beating hearts, had no one
to pay us a visit until a great puffing, rolling, important-looking tug bore
alongside, churned up the blue water into white foam, dropped a tiny
boat, and in a jiffy a blue-suited, gold-braided gentleman was on board and
the tug had gone away over the waters. So we thought that meant
orders to bring us ashore. But, alas ! it was only a pilot come aboard
to have a buck with the captain. Then, while we waited and waited,
our signalling class set to work, and an energetic waving of arms and
little flags elicited the reply from neighbouring ships that Ladysmith had
been relieved. They also confirmed the news, which we had received at
the Sandheads, of Cronj6*s surrender. Close by lay H.M.S. * Terrible,'
from which a naval contingent had been sent with her big guns to
reinforce Sir Bedvers Buller on the Tugela, and our first sight of one of
the consequences of war was a launch full of wounded Bluejackets re-
turning to their ship after reUeving Ladysmith. While we lay peacefully
swinging at anchor a great white ship flying the Stars and Stripes and
Union Jack steamed slowly out of the harbour, and swung off to the left.
As she passed a big transport the troops on board broke into ringing cheers,
and when she neared us those with glasses read her name. It was the
* Maine * full of wounded soldiers from Sir George White's gallant
garrison. She went right round the harbour, visiting all the ships with
troops. Last of all she came to us, and as she passed by, and we could
see the white-aproned nurses and the bandaged figures with pale faces
we gave them three times three, and still cheered again for the plucky
ladies who had come all the way from America to care for our wounded.
The poor chaps aboard did their best to answer our cheers, and then the
' Maine * steamed away down the coast on her way home to England.

88 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

However, the long-delayed hookum ^ came at last, and a great shout
broke forth when it was announced that we were ordered to proceed to
Cape Town. We sat down to dinner at 7.30, and as we toasted
Ould Oireland because *twas St. Patrick's Day, the * Lindula's * anchor
heaved, and the screw that for twenty days had toiled without ceasing
began its unremitting task again. When morning broke we had steamed
well down the coast, passing the lights of East London in the night.
Ten miles away was the seashore, bare, and uninteresting, but still the
Africa that we had come some six thousand miles to argue about with
the redoubtable Boers. And now we had to reckon with a foe that used
no weapons nor fought with hands. This was Mother Ocean, who must
have been troubled in her mind, for her breast heaved and tossed, and our
good ship rolled until — well, better change the subject. The coast shpped
by, and on the forenoon of the 20th we sighted afar off the flat top of Table
Mountain. Steaming across the wide mouth of Simon's Bay we saw
hundreds of sharks — brown brutes that scooted away, showing a black fin,
88 the steamer ploughed her way through the waves. Then rounding the
Point we sailed into Table Bay, and dropped anchor with a grand feeUng
of satisfaction that the voyage had ended. Journeying by sea is
pleasant enough when you do it first class by P. and 0., but when you
go no class at all, and sleep on the deck, and get turned out before 5,
and spend a big part of the day clearing out horse stalls or cooking
your own food, and enduring lots of other discomforts, it's no catch at all ;
and it was with intense relief we took our place among the lines of
troopships in Cape Town harbour. And what a sight it was ! Ships ! ships !
ships ! And everywhere more ships ! And most of them transports.
From great 10,000-ton White Star Atlantic liners down to little coasters
like our own * Lindula.' All around us were vessels full of troops.
Every hour or two a new one came in, or one weighed her anchor and
steamed slowly by into the dock to disembark her living freight. Other
ships were crammed from stem to stem with cattle, sheep, horses, leaving
barely enough room on deck to turn the wheel. Vessels were packed
like herrings in the harbour : so thick did they lie in places you could
hardly see the water for ships. There we waited, and next morning the
Health Officer came on board and gave us pratique, which meant a clean
bill of health and freedom to land. Another day of waiting for the pilot.
Then after a great rush and scurry collecting kit we slowly slid into
harbour. And, lo and behold ! it was Cape Town — Africa at last.

Disembarking is not a pleasant pastime, especially when 150 men
have had three weeks in a ship during which to lose and mix up their
belongings. But the order to clear out and make room for another
ship was given, and had to be obeyed in a hurry. So we said good-bye

* Hindastani for * order.*

NEARING THE GOAL 89

to the * Lindula.' Poor thing, she had done her hest for us, though in her
we lost four of our chargers and two transport ponies, a big proportion of
our total of 180 animals, but nothing like the number that died on some
other ships. A transport Ijdng near us with Imperial Yeomanry lost 39
out of 450 in a three weeks' voyage — nearly all from pneumonia.

Our orders were to proceed to Maitland Camp, some four miles to the
north of Cape Town, and thither we marched, leading the horses, which of
course were hardly in a fit state to ride. However, the walk seemed to
do them good, and after a week in camp, with good feeding and gentle
exercise, they picked up condition rapidly.

The men have little that is good to say of Maitland Camp. It is
a place stale, flat, improfitable, and altogether accursed. When we
arrived the wind blew a hurricane, and setting up the tents was a task
to try a Stoic. Once they were up the sand crept in at every crevice and
lay thickly on everything, especially butter and food of every sort. Men
went to sleep, or tried to, with the feeling that the bit of the earth on
which they lay must surely be swept into the next world ere morning
broke. But day dawned and we were still in Maitland Camp, with the
rain pouring in torrents and turning the sand and earth into mud puddings,
which clogged and wetted and dirtied every scrap that belonged to us.
However, the third day recompensed us, for the sun shone hot and bright,
and a gentle breeze wafted delicious scents from the woods of eucalyptus
and fir trees all around. Boys came to us with dehcious grapes, great
bunches weighing one to two pounds apiece, each grape being as large
as a pigeon's egg and as full of juice and flavour as fruit can be.

Of Cape Town we saw very little, but liked that little much ; only
the price of things is terrible, and it seems much more serious parting
with shilUngs than with rupees. Lumsden's Horse had many eyes for
the beautiful, and while declining to play the part of Paris in deciding on
rival charms, they wax eloquent when their theme is the sex which, as
one gallant trooper says, has done much to make this world the habitable
place it is. In Cape Town the ladies are charming to look at. They dress
just as they do at home in summer, and their cheeks are rosy, and they are
altogether delightful to look upon. But still it matters little whether the
cheeks be pale or rosy, we are all ready to back our ladies of India against
any in the wide world for kindness and every other feminine attribute.

Having inspected our transport, the Army Service Corps officers at Cape
Town approved of our carts, and reported favourably on them to Lord
Boberts ; but at the same time stated that they considered a team of two
ponies inadequate to draw the load we had designed through sandy
tracts, and suggested two leaders to each cart, an increase of 200 lb. in
the load, and a decrease in the number of carts. The Chief of the Staff
having approved of this suggestion, we handed over to the military autho-
rities twenty ponies (not our best) and ten carts, and harness complete.

90 THE HISTOEY OF LDMSDEN'S HOESE

receiving in exchange seventy-six mules, with haarness, and twelve Cape boys
to assist as drivers, so that when B Company arrives onr united transport
establishment will consist of thirty-six carts and two water-carts, with two
mules as wheelers and two ponies as leaders to each cart, and there is little
doubt that we are as well provided with transport as any troops in the
field — indeed, much better than most. The Eemount Department in Cape
Town were very good to us, and replaced not only our losses on the voyage,
but a number of horses which on landing appeared unfit for service,
giving us in all twenty-four chargers. The animals cast in Cape
Town were old and unlikely to get into condition for a long time, if
ever they did so. Our Calcutta purchases and horses brought by troopers
themselves are nearly all doing well. In place of those we had lost on
the voyage — six or seven altogether — Government gave us thirteen fine
Austrahan cobs, which were told oflf as remounts for the Ceylon Con-
tingent. But, the latter having been mounted in the meantime by the
military authorities and sent to the front, their horses were very properly
handed over to us. In Cape Town we found it necessary to make several
purchases to supplement equipment and replace losses. These consisted of
grass nets and picketing pegs for the horses, and veUschoen and canvas water-
bags for the men ; besides stores amounting in all to about 150Z. worth.

Unfortunately, we have to leave four men in hospital. Sergeant Lee
Stewart, whose illness was mentioned in the last letter, is much better, but
greatly debilitated from the trying time he has had. He has hopes of
joining us later. Another bad case is that of K. Boileau, from Behar,
who was attacked with pneumonia and was very ill indeed at one time.
However, we have good reports of him, and hope to hear in a few days
that he is all right again. Shaw, of the Assam Contingent, and Doyle, of
the Transport, are also in hospital from trifling ailments, and they ought
soon to be able to join us. Many of the men are suffering from cuts and
sores on hands and feet, which do not seem to heal up as fast as they
ought. Hickley, who was pretty bad when the last letter went, is now
all right again, but Daubney has still to be careful of his broken collar-bone.
When we arrived at Cape Town we at once heard we were to proceed to
Bloemfontein, to join Lord Eoberts, as speedily as possible. But the
movement of large bodies of troops with supplies caused a block on the
railway, and we were delayed eight days. The wait, however, did the
horses good, and they picked up hand over fist at Maitland Camp.

All these details, when looked at in the long perspective
where noiore recent events show up sharply and perhaps a little
out of focus, may seenoi insignificant as objects seen through the
wrong end of a telescope. At the time of occurrence, however,
they had an importance that impressed itself on the minds of

HEARING THE GOAL 91

men to whom nearly every incident of active service was then a
novelty. And the historian's duty in such a case is rather to
reproduce impressions than to preserve an exact proportion.
Moreover, some incidents that may appear trivial by comparison
with great episodes, or with decisive actions on which the fate
of an army hung, were potent in shaping the fortunes of
Lumsden's Horse as one small unit of a mighty whole, and in
this respect, if for no other reason, they are worthy to be
chronicled. It is the story of Voltaire's miller and the King of
Prussia. What a division is to the general in chief of an army
corps a company is to the regimental commander, and, for
Lumsden's Horse, the smallest adventures of their own comrades
had an interest which the civilian reader may perhaps begin to
share when he comes to know more of them.

At Cape Town Colonel Lumsden got the first news of B Company
since leaving Calcutta. They had been ordered to East London to dis-
embark there, and entrain at once for Bethulie, * right in the Orange Free
State/ as Colonel Lumsden remarked, adding, * So they bade fair to get
there before us, despite our week's start. But our latest news of them is
that they have stopped at Queen's Town, and we know no more of them
except that they had a most successful voyage.'

A corporal of the Surma Valley Light Horse, however, supplies
the necessary information. He tells how he went with an ambu-
lance fatigue party, to which, among others, Dr. Woollright had
been told oflE as an orderly, in charge of Trooper Seymour Sladden,
who was very bad and had to be taken on shore at East London
before the company knew its probable destination. From a little
jetty that juts out from the wooded banks of the Buffalo Eiver they
drove in an ambulance with the sick man up those steep wind-
ing roads past the luxuriant Queen's Park, with its odorous gum-
tree groves, to the hill top. There they carried Sladden * into a
nice clean hospital and left him in charge of kindly nurses, where
everything looked very comfortable.' Then, somehow, they
managed to miss their oflBlcer and made inquiries for him in
vain at Deel's Hotel, with the result that when the corporal and
his comrades reached the landing-stage they found to their
* extreme joy the crew gone and no way of getting off to the
ship, so returned to the hotel and had dinner. Afterwards very
sleepy and went straight to bed, and slept Uke a hog. First time

92 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

in bed for many weeks, and found it comfortable indeed.' Other
non-commissioned officers and troopers of B Company carry on
the narrative in notes that diverge frequently and wander oflE to
alien topics, so that for the sake of coherence they must be
dovetailed together here in proper order, each chronicler in turn
taking up the story. When those troopers who had not begun
to realise the enormity of breaking leave returned to their ship
early in the morning of March 27, they met with quite an ovation,
which does not seem to have been disinterested, seeing that they
were supposed to have brought oflE with them fruit, cigarettes, and
other delicacies much in request. What they had would not have
gone far to satisfy the cravings of a whole company for some change
from bare rations. News that orders had come for Lumsden's
Horse to disembark, however, put everybody in high spirits at
the prospect of being allowed to go on shore with freedom to
forage for himself. But they reckoned without their host — the
military commander — whose instructions brooked no delay. Kits
had to be packed in a hurry while the * Ujina ' was being towed on
a flowing tide across the troubled bar into port, where she moored
alongside the railway wharf. Horses were then got on shore, but
only to exchange cramped stalls for cattle-trucks, where they had
still less room for movement. At this task the troopers toiled
and sweated all through the fiercest heat of a summer noon,
learning another lesson and not liking it much. Unaccustomed
to such w^ork, many got their toes trodden on by horses rushing
down the steep gangway or narrowly escaped more serious injury
before every fretful animal could be coaxed or lifted into the
crow^ded trucks. Then there were saddles, kits, heavy baggage,
and ammunition to be landed, and so without leisure for a single
meal the troopers worked on far into the night. It was nearly
11 o'clock before the last section took its place in the train.
* Something attempted, something done, had earned a night's
repose ' ; but there was little chance of getting that, packed to-
gether as they were nine or ten in a carriage. Time must have
softened the impressions of these discomforts on the mind of one
trooper, who, some days later, wrote :

We left East London on March 28 by rail en route for Bethulie, where
it was intended we should quit the railway, mount our horses, and trek to
Bloemfontein.

NEAEING THE GOAL 93

East London turned out in force to see us oflf. Little boys and girls
(some of the latter not so very little, after all) were very keen to get hold
of our shoulder badges as mementoes, and, needless to say, the suscep-
tible ones of our corps were unable to resist the entreaties of the fair
ones, and daylight showed a vacant place on many a shoulder-strap.
This badge-collecting seems to be a great hobby out here just now ; one
boy showed me a belt simply covered with badges, which he had secured
from the men of the different regiments that had passed through. We
travelled in second- and third-class carriages, ten men in each, but it being
quite cool we were not uncomfortable.

Another correspondent, whose experiences were evidently not
so pleasant, takes a less roseate view. He says hard words about
the South African war method of standing men, some forty-five
or so in a cattle-truck, encumbered with heavy coats, rifles, and
other baggage — a leaky roof, and no sides.

This may be economical, as the Major said, but on a wet blustry night,
when buckets of rain, mixed with soot from the engine, are falling, it is
not a style of travelling that conduces to comfort. Then there is still
another African style — namely, ten men with rifles, &c., in a third-class car-
riage meant to hold eight only. Both of these methods we sampled on our
way up to Bloemf ontein. And right glad I was when we had done with it,
and took to the saddle. Some, however, confessed to having slept very well
that first night in such strange circumstances, tired out as they were by
hours of previous toil, though they woke next morning very cold, with
nothing to eat but one loaf, which ten men divided between them.

They had eyes for the picturesque as well as for the agricul-
tural possibilities of a country where Nature does much and
man apparently very little, except to stroll about watching the
cattle graze and the crops grow, unless he happens to be a
KaflSr, which makes all the difference. Chiefly, however,
Lumsden's Horse must have been struck by the barren, rocky
kopjes that seemed to spring suddenly in the midst of fertility
and rise range behind range, stretching away to the mountains,
which looked so near that it was impossible for imagination to
measure the breadth of intervening plains. As one of them
wrote, acquaintance with this- country for the first time ' made
us realise the fearful odds that Buller had to tackle ' ; and no
doubt many other troopers went on fighting fanciful battles
against a wily enemy who, driven from one position, would

94 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

gallop off to occupy another kopje still more formidable, and
so prolong that imaginary fight, while the train, like a
British column, wound its slow way through tortuous defiles.
Lumsden's Horse, however, had eyes for other things also, as a
candid chronicler admits in his simple narrative, which may now
be allowed to run its uninterrupted course :

At several stations on our way there was the usual crowd of
* loyal ' ladies of mature age, and the still larger crowd of schoolgirls.
The people seemed very glad to see us. There was a lot of cheering
and waving of handkerchiefs and pleasant greetings at every station.
They gave us cigarettes and cheroots, and some men were seen to be
sporting bows of red, white, and blue when we left — little attentions from
some fair hands in return perhaps for Lumsden's badges, of which many
shoulder-straps were by that time bereft.

Early next morning saw us at Cathcart, where we stopped about two
hours, and took the opportunity to water and feed our horses. There is a
nice little inn here, and we went down in a body and indulged in delicious
bread, butter, and milk. Oh, such a contrast to the same articles of
diet in India ! The weather at this time of the year is nearly perfect,
the air being fine, dry, and invigorating ; to the eye wearied by the flat-
ness of the plains of India the undulating country, small hills and green
valleys between, is very refreshing ; but what strikes one, more especially
in the Free State, which we marched through later, is the desolateness
of the country, miles and miles of veldt dotted here and there with small
houses. Cattle-farming seems to be the principal thing they go in for
here, but the farmers say that, what with rinderpest and drought, it is very
disheartening work. The cattle are very fine, and strike us especially
coming from India, where one sees such miserable specimens. About
midday we arrived at Queen's Town, and were very much disgusted to hear
that Lord Roberts had wired down that we were to detrain and go into
camp, as he needed all the horse-waggons and cattle-trucks for carrying
remounts (several thousands of which were collected at Queen's Town) to
troops at the front. The camp is situated about two miles from the railway
station, but they have run a siding into it, so that the carriages containing
ourselves and our horses were simply detached from the rest of the train
and we were run into the camp. We did not take long in detraining and
picketing our horses ; the poor brutes were simply delighted to get on
firm ground again, and when let loose indulged in all sorts of antics —
rolling on the grass, kicking up their heels, and larking like colts, to show
appreciation of their freedom. As our tents had not arrived yet, we
were obliged to sleep out in the open ; but, knowing ihis would be
a matter of course sooner or later, we made no bones about it. Unfor-
tunately it came on to rain at night, and this made things generally

NEAEING THE GOAL 95

uncomfortable. The mufflers so kindly knitted for us by the ladies of
Calcutta proved simply invaluable ; with these, Balaclava caps, and
greatcoats on, we made ourselves perfectly comfortable. There were
about twelve men of the Army Service Corps stationed here, and, with
the proverbial hospitality of Tommy Atkins, they very kindly supplied us
with hot cocoa and coflfee, and offered to put up as many as possible of us
in their tents. We found several of the Queensland Mounted Volunteers
encamped here, also a part of the Militia Battalion of the Chesh ires awaiting
marching orders like ourselves. Next day our tents arrived, and we were
soon quite settled down, ten men in a tent — a bit of a squash, but all right
when one gets accustomed to it.

There they may be left for a time chuckling over the good
story of a Militia regiment whose officers complained to Major
Showers that they could not stand the language of which
Lumsden's Horse made such free and frequent use at * stables '
and other daily duties. Of course that language was only the
mildest of mild Hindustani put into terms of endearment with
certain genealogical references that sounded mysterious to the
uninitiated.

96 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEE V

AN INTERLUDE— THE BESULTS OF SANNA'S POST

At Maitland Camp and Queen's Town the two companies of
Lumsden's Horse would probably have remained many weary
weeks, eating their hearts out with the fever of impatience, but
for circumstances which must necessarily be explained at some
length in order to give a clear view of the general situation.
With events leading up to that situation Lumsden's Horse had
nothing to do, but incidentally the crisis had a great deal to do
with them as influencing their movements immediately after-
wards. It will be remembered that Lord Eoberts had found it
necessary to halt at Bloemfontein a fortnight earlier, his
victorious advance beyond that point being checked by the
loss of a very valuable convoy which had fallen into the hands
of the Boers at Waterval Drift. With characteristic cheerful-
ness he made light of a mishap that would have been regarded
by many generals as almost disastrous in the circumstances,
seeing that the convoy contained supplies without which no
forward movement of troops beyond Bloemfontein would be
possible pending the repair of railways and the opening up of
communications with a secure base. In his despatches Lord
Eoberts makes but a passing reference to the Waterval Drift
affair, as if it were of comparatively little importance, yet he
knew perfectly well that its consequences would be a temporary
paralysis of his whole force and heart-breaking delay at a time
when energetic action might have brought the campaign to
a decisive issue.

The relief of Ladysmith, far from improving matters in this
respect, had simply set free a number of Boer commandos, whose
leaders, baulked in their ambitious schemes for the conquest of
Natal, were burning with desire to achieve successes in the

AN INTERLUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 97

Orange Free State. From their point of view it was still
possible to retrieve the disaster of Paardeberg, and they knew
that a severe blow struck at the British lines of communication
would bring them many adherents from Cape Colony who were
only waiting for such an opportunity. It would also inevitably
prolong the campaign by cutting ofiE sources of supply, on which
Lord Eoberts was dependent ; and it might even turn the scale
in their favour by bringing about European intervention. To
that hope they clung always, as their State documents and corre-
spondence prove abundantly. Therefore it was of the first
importance that they should assume the offensive before Lord
Eoberts could strengthen his lines of communication and bring
up ample supplies to form an advanced base at Bloemfontein.
If circumstances had permitted him to push on at once, the
moral effect on enemies already disorganised and disheartened
would have been enormous. As it was, his inaction revived the
drooping spirits of Boers who were previously on the point of
accepting defeat as inevitable. They saw the inherent weakness
of a force that could not move far in any direction until the
means of feeding itself had been secured, and their thoughts
turned at once to the possibility of frustrating that object by
vigorous raids at every vulnerable point. In such an emergency
the presence of men like Louis Botha and Christian De Wet was
worth more than a thousand rifles. They had the brain to plan and
the intrepidity to attempt any enterprise that might bring them
an advantage by embarrassing their adversaries, and every day's
delay on our side was an opportunity given to them for more
complete concentration. This last word must not be misunder-
stood. When appUed to Boer strategy or tactics it does not
necessarily mean a gathering of units into one great force, but
rather a concentration of efforts on one object which they often
secure while seeming to aim at something entirely different by
a distribution of their commandos in many directions. Neces-
sarily such distracting operations can never bring about decisive
results, but they served the Boer purpose admirably then, and
De Wet got the opportunity he wanted to prove himself an ideal
leader for work of that kind.

From some points of view this may be regarded as the most
important phase of the whole campaign; it taught the Boers

98 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

how to harass our forces with the greatest effect while exposing
themselves to comparatively little danger. First of all, however,
they set themselves to the task of showing that there was life
and power for mischief in them yet, their object evidently being to
effect surprises that might create panic among our troops and so
render raids less difficult of accomplishment. In the development
of that idea we recognise the peculiar craft of Christian De Wet,
who at that time had less respect for the courage of * rooineks '
than he began to entertain soon afterwards. Sauna's Post was a
lesson to him not less than to us. With the exaggeration which
characterised a great deal that was written in those days some
critics at home described this affair as a ' black disaster/ thereby
meaning apparently that it was something rather disgraceful and
a stain on our miUtary reputation. A disaster it was in the
literal sense, for the stars in their courses seemed to be turned
against us ; but they were certainly not blotted out, and they
never shone on soldiers whose deeds could better bear the light.
The story of Sauna's Post or Koorn Spruit is worth telling again,
not only because it marks emphatically the revival of Boer hopes,
after Ladysmith and Paardeberg and Kimberley had done much
to shatter their self-confidence, but because it furnishes a splendid
example of British valour, defiant in the moment of defeat, and all
the brighter by contrast with the gloom through which it shines.
In details the following version of what happened may not be
more accurate than others, and it lacks the completeness that
subsequent access to oflBcial documents might have given ; but
at least it has the merit of having been written at the time, and
of showing what was the impression conveyed to the minds of
people who were in the midst of those stirring events and could
gauge their significance without exaggeration. This description
by the Editor, who, as War Correspondent of ' The Daily News,'
was then at Bloemfontein, may be given almost in its original
form.

We knew that Colonel Pilcher, in attacking Ladybrand, had
roused a hornet's nest, and that Brigadier-General Broadwood,
in command of a small mixed column, was retiring along that
road from Thaba 'Nchu, hard pressed by Boers, whom he could
only keep at a distance by the skilful disposition of his forces in
successive rearguard actions. His movements were hampered

AN INTERLUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 99

by the slow progess of a convoy. He was falling back on a post
at Sanna's near the waterworks from which Bloemfontein draws
its main supply, and expected to be there some time during the
night of Friday. He had made application for reinforcements
when the Boers, gathering strength as they came, began to
overlap him on each flank, in spite of anything that his men
could do to check every move of that kind. Thereupon Lord
Eoberts sent General Colvile's Division, with artillery, and
Colonel Martyr's brigade of Mounted Infantry and Irregular
Horse eastward by a forced march. They left Bloemfontein
hours before daybreak on Friday, but even then it was too late.
Colonel Martyr, pushing on as fast as the condition of over-
worked horses would permit, only reached Boesman's (or Bush-
man's) Kop with his leading troops about 7 o'clock. There
was still six miles of veldt between him and the scene of
disaster. Before he could cross that in force suflBcient to be of
any use, the worst had happened, and nothing remained for him
but to cover the retreat of detachments that had already got
through the Boer lines before going to help those who were still
beset.

What were the causes leading to disaster we did not know
then — we do not know with absolute certainty even now. No
special correspondents were with General Broadwood's column
when sudden misfortune fell upon it. All details had to be
gathered at second hand, and many of the combatants who were
best quaUfied to give an impartial account of the trap in which
our troops were caught were either dead or prisoners in the hands
of the enemy. In the excitement following that swift surprise
those who had to fight hard for their lives could not see much
on either side of their immediate front. They were mainly
concerned with the necessity for shooting quick and straight.
It is therefore not surprising that stories of the fight, as seen
from many different points of view, should vary so that it
becomes a little diflScult to follow the exact sequence of events.

Two or three points, however, seem tolerably clear. When
Brigadier-General Broadwood halted his troops to bivouac at
4 o'clock on Saturday morning, March 31, after crossing the
Modder Eiver, they were worn out by a long night march that
had entailed incessant watchfulness. He was then in touch

100 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

with the small force of Mounted Infantry holding the waterworks,
and, naturally supposing that their commander had taken all
precautions to safeguard the drift across Koorn Spruit, he did
not call upon his weary column to furnish additional patrols for
duty in that direction, but formed a chain of outposts along
ridges in rear towards the known enemy, who had been harassing
his march all the way from Thaba 'Nchu.

It is known that the officer who was in command at Sauna's
Post did take more than ordinary precautions before dawn that
morning by sending a company of Mounted Infantry westward
across the drift near Pretorius's Farm, and, if a Boer prisoner
may be trusted, that very precaution contributed to the disaster.
According to his story, a party of three hundred Boers, who had
been cut off from the main Brandfort body by General French's
Cavalry, on Thursday, were making their way across country to
join Grobelaar's (or, rather, as it had then become, De Wet's)
command on the Ladybrand side. Nearing Koorn Spruit, this
party saw the Mounted Infantry patrol, and, the first principle
of Boers in warfare being to hide themselves from the enemy,
they at once took shelter between the high banks of a water-
course which is, in places, nearly as dry as a khor in the
Soudan. Then they began to plan an ambush, with the object
of cutting oflE that isolated Mounted Infantry company. Until
that moment they had not thought of laying a trap for the
convoy, about which, indeed, they knew nothing. Such is the
story told by a Boer prisoner. If true, it proves that the capture
of Broadwood's convoy was by a force entirely independent of
the one against which he had been fighting his rearguard
actions, and therefore unpremeditated, or, at any rate, not the
calculated result of skilful tactics.

At first it was hastily assumed that one of the ablest scouts in
the British Army had been out-manoeuvred, and allowed himself
to be surrounded by Boers. That the officer who gained distinc-
tion for boldness, dash, and caution when reconnoitring succes-
sive Dervish positions in the Soudan, should allow himself to be
caught in a trap by Boer farmers was almost inconceivable. It
now seems as if the enemy had merely stumbled on an oppor-
tunity, of which they took advantage, not quite realising what
it meant.

AN INTEELUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 101

Against this, however, was the evidence of a civilian refugee
who declared that there were many more than three hundred
Boers concealed in Koorn Spruit, and believed that secret
information must have been given to them of the fact, that no
force had been posted to guard the drift by which Broadwood's
column must cross. On Pretorius's Farm he met a burgher
who had given up his arms, and received a pass from our military
authorities permitting him to return to his home and settle down
in peace, secure from all fear of molestation at the hands of
British troops. This disarmed burgher, who had been fighting
against us up to the occupation of Bloemfontein by Lord Eoberts,
showed such an accurate knowledge of the Boer movements that
he must have watched them very closely. He could tell the
exact position from which every gun would open fire on the
EngUsh column before it came into action. This knowledge he
imparted without reserve, and yet, apparently, he had no appre-
hensions of ill-treatment from his former comrades as the penalty
for deserting them. The incident, whatever interpretation may
be put upon it, is curious, and will, perhaps, help to explain
many things that happened when submissions were accepted and
passes granted with too lavish leniency.

It is more than probable that a Boer attack on the water-
works in order to destroy the pumping machinery there was part
of a plan conceived directly after the occupation of Bloemfontein
by our troops, but it could not be carried out before the column
holding Thaba 'Nchu had been forced to retire. The artillery
positions may therefore have been selected some time previously
for the purpose of shelling out any force that might make a
stand at the waterworks, and it is all consistent with the Boer
prisoner's statement that no deliberate attempt was made by
General Broadwood's pursuers to surround him until they found
that his convoy had been accidentally headed off and partly
destroyed at the drift across Koorn Spruit by a comparatively
small body lying in ambush there for another purpose. Such a
combination of accidents seems improbable, but certainly not
more so than the assumption that a Boer commander, calculating
all the chances to a nicety, had ventured to detach such a small
force and send it round by a wide (Utour across some miles of
open plain with the object of intercepting, by an ambush, a

•- ••• •

» • • • •

102-*'. THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

: .'•*. •••

column that had been able to hold its own against odds for some

time. If so, he gave more hostages to fortune than the Boers

have risked elsewhere.

Whatever may be the truth in this respect, it is clear that
neither the officer in charge of communications, whose Mounted
Infantry held Sauna's Post, nor Brigadier-General Broadwood,
had reason to suspect the presence of any hostile force in that
immediate neighbourhood.

When the retiring column got touch of its friends near the
waterworks, bivouac was immediately formed, and tired men no
sooner lay down, with saddles for pillows, and rifles by their
sides, than they were sound asleep, leaving the duty of watchful-
ness to their rearguard, which, in outpost line, occupied a range
of rojigh hills southward, overlooking the road by which they
had retired from Thaba 'Nchu. It was then 4 o'clock. Little
time could be given to rest, for the column had to start again
in two hours. Just before 6 o'clock the convoy of a hundred
waggons with mule-teams began to move off towards Koom
Spruit Drift. Such was the false sense of security that no
armed body w^ent ahead. Some dismounted men, whose horses
had been shot or otherwise used up, marched as a baggage-
guard, but most of them had stowed their rifles on the waggons
while helping to get the column in marching order. Nothing
warned them that danger w^as near as they approached the drift.
Not a movement was to be seen across the broad veldt but dark
shadows of hills creeping backwards as the sun rose.

At that moment, from a distant hill in rear, overtopping the
outpost ridge, darted the flash of a Boer gun, then another and
another from different positions, followed by the shriek of shells
and the crash of bursting charges. Every shot, well aimed,
struck with a dull thud, and threw up columns of earth among
or near the masses of men who were saddling up or inspanning
teams for the march, but did no damage beyond frightening mules
and increasing the confusion, where Cape boys, in their haste to
obey a peremptory order, got harness entangled and themselves
bewildered. Our Horse Artillery, being in a hollow, and masked
by the movement of troops about them, did not reply, but
Umbered up and followed the transport waggons, which by that
time had begun to cross the drift. Nearly half of them had

AN INTEELUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 103

cleared it, when from behind steep banks in the winding spruit
on each side Boers galloped forward in dense troops, and, halting
with rifles at the present, summoned everybody to surrender.

Some men of the baggage guard got to their arms, and, lying
between waggon wheels, opened fire, but they were few, and the
Boers many. The others, unarmed, could do nothing but obey
the stern mandate : ' Hold up your hands ; come this way and
give us your bandoliers.'

Then U Battery of the Eoyal Horse Artillery, following close
upon the waggons, was surrounded before a gun could be wheeled
about for * Action front,' and the drivers were ordered to dis-
mount and outspan. Gunners, however, do not yield without
a struggle, even when their eyes look into the barrel of an
enemy's levelled rifle. Hands were on revolvers in an instant,
but before these could be drawn shooting had begun, and many
a gallant fellow fell. Horses, too, were shot down, or, being
wounded, plunged madly over the traces. One team, startled by
the din about it, stampeded, and galloped off with gun and
limber, but no drivers. Thus one gun was saved. The other
five fell into Boer hands, their gunners being either killed,
wounded, or taken prisoners.

Sergeant-Major Martin escaped and ran back to warn Major
Hornby, who, in command of Q Battery, was then scarcely a
hundred yards from the scene of disaster. That oflBcer gave the
order to unlimber and come into action, but could not open fire
while our men and the enemy were mixed up together among
baggage-waggons, and at the same time his own gunners were
being shot down. A small body of Eemington's Scouts made
one plucky effort to get near the captured battery, but suffered
heavily. Then two troops of Eoberts's Horse, acting as escort for
the convoy, dashed forward to cross the spruit and take the
Boers in flank, but they were confronted by enemies from
another ambush, who, at a distance of only a few yards, had
them covered and called upon them to surrender. Their only
answer was ' Fours about — gallop ' ; but it came too late, and
before they could get out of range nearly every saddle was
emptied. Only five men got away, and of these four were
wounded. Among the missing, nine officers had either been
killed or fallen into the enemy's hands.

104 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Emboldened by success, the Boers came into the open, as
they had never done before. They galloped up to groups of men
who were fighting shoulder to shoulder, reined in, and shot as
they sat in the saddle, reckless of the bullets that whistled about
them. One body charged close up to a Maxim gun that was
pouring out a deadly torrent of bullets, and silenced it for a time
by shooting down the detachment, but whether they got away or
fell victims to their own bravery could not be seen as the struggle
surged round them. Three New Zealanders whom I met coming
out of the fight told the story, and spoke with admiration of the
daring displayed by many of their foes, but still more enthusias-
tically of the splendid courage of our Horse Artillery. Of these
three, one was a fine type of the half-caste Maori, the others
hardy Colonists, who looked as if they had faced death more
than once— cold-eyed and calm. They had evidently taken
mental note of all that passed within sight of them, while they
with others held a group of buildings, keeping the enemy in check
by steady shooting.

Major Hornby, finding that he could not bring his guns to
bear at short range without shooting down friend as well as foe,
limbered up tp get clear of the close mSUe. In wheeling round
on rough ground one gun capsized, bringing all the team down
with it — horses and drivers together in a confused mass. The
Boers saw their chance, and brought a withering rifle fire to bear,
so that every attempt to right the gun failed. Under this fire
the two wheelers of another team fell. The leaders struggled on
for a time, dragging their maimed comrades, then came to a stand-
still, and that gun also had to be left behind. Marksmen of the
Durham Light Infantry did their best to keep down the enemy's
fire, while volunteers ran out to help the distressed gunners, who,
managing to escape, went off for fresh horses.

Captain Gore Anley, commanding the Essex Eegiment's
Mounted Infantry, aided by two of his men, brought a wounded
gunner from under that terrific fire to safety, and then went out
with a brother-officer to help at the guns. Time after time the
artillerymen brought up fresh teams, which were shot down
before they could be hooked to the limbers. One driver had
nine horses killed or wounded before he gave up the attempt as
hopeless.

AN INTERLUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 106

Meanwhile Major Hornby, with four guns of his own command,
and the only one remaining of U Battery, which had been re-
captured after stampeding, moved southward to a position twelve
hundred yards from Koorn Spruit Drift. There he brought them
into action with a cool audacity and effect that paralysed the
enemy. Though he could not save the guns that had been left
behind, he could cover the retirement of Cavalry and Mounted
Infantry of the rearguard, who, unable longer to hold the low
ridge against heavy odds, were being forced back from the water-
works, fighting stubbornly, though threatened in flank by the
force that had captured our convoy. Shelled at from right and
left, smitten by storms of rifle bullets, the gunners of Q Battery
never budged. Coolly, as if at target practice, they loaded and
aimed. The shells burst among the Boers, checking more than
one attempt at a rush, and then the remnants of a shattered
brigade were enabled to retire upon their supports, who had
ralhed for a stand at the station buildings.

All the time officers and men of the Army Medical Corps
were covering themselves with honour by brilliant .services
rendered to stricken soldiers, who lay helpless where the ground
was torn by bullets. The coolest deed of all, however, was done
by an American named Todd, a trooper in Eoberts's Horse.
With a comrade he had first volunteered to go out and bring in
some stray horses for the disabled guns. Before they had ridden
fifty yards the second trooper was shot dead, but Todd galloped on
straight towards the Boers, rounded up both horses, and had
nearly brought them back when one was killed. When he rejoined
his detachment Todd heard an oflBcer asking for volunteers to go
out in search of their doctor, who was lying wounded in a donga.
Without waiting to hear more the trooper turned his horse's head
towards the Boer Unes again and galloped off. Twenty minutes
later he rode back slowly, bearing a heavy burden on his arms.
' I couldn't see the doctor anywhere,' he said, * but 1 have
brought back the only wounded man that I found alive there.'
If ever a man earned the right to wear the grim badge of Koberts's
Horse it is Trooper Todd. Deeds of heroism, however, were not
rare that day. They could not avert disaster, but they shed a
Ught upon it that dispels the shadow of humiliation.

Our men had still hard fighting to do before they could hope

106 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

to extricate themselves. Brigadier-General Broadwood's retire-
ment upon the station buildings was not effected without diffi-
culty, and it is wonderful that he should have been able to keep
the remnants of so many broken squadrons in hand, while they
were weakened by further losses every minute, and the on-coming
enemy gathered strength. Several horsemen, escaping, got
away across the veldt, and then, forming groups, headed towards
Boesman's Kop, Boers pursuing for some distance. But the
main body made a stand at the station buildings, and fought it
out for two weary hours, so fiercely that the enemy did not dare
to come to closer quarters. The company of Burmese Mounted
Infantry that had been on outpost duty west of Koorn Spruit,
when they found themselves cut off by Boers in ambush, made
an attempt to rejoin the main body, but were in turn surrounded.
Having some advantage of ground, though outnumbered, they
were enabled to hold their assailants off until 7 o'clock.

Then the scene changed. Troops appeared on Boesman's
Kop. They were the advanced guard of Colonel Martyr's
Mounted Infantry brigade, which had made a forced march to
relieve the beleaguered column. Their commander halted only
long enough to let the main body close up, and then * Queens-
landers to the rescue ' came sweeping across the veldt as fast as
their jaded horses could move. But the Boers were at their old
tactics again, and the Queensland Mounted Infantry fell into a
trap skilfully laid for them. Before the enemy could reap much
advantage, however. Colonel Henry was at them with all his
companies of Eegular Mounted Infantry, which the astute
Brigadier had ordered forward when he saw the Queensland men
in difficulties. The young officer, who has spent many years
with Egyptian Camel Corps, chasing Dervish raiders and scout-
ing about their strongholds, was not to be caught by a Boer
ambush. He advanced upon them in a formation too flexible
even for their mobiUty, and gradually drove them before him
until the Burmese and Queensland Mounted Infantry were
enabled to fight their way through the weakened cordon.

This timely diversion gave General Broadwood his opportunity.
Major Hornby's battery fell back to another position, covering
the retirement, and then the column, leaving its wounded under
care of our own surgeons, retired slowly to join the welcome

AN INTEELUDE— THE RESULTS OF SANNA'S POST 107

reinforcements. They had to turn again and again to face the
foe, who still hung on their heels, and all the way they were
shelled by Boer guns, until a final stand was made near the
waterworks, where the enemy dared not attack, though the
artillery fire continued for nearly two hours longer.

Late that afternoon the Highland Brigade, under General
Hector MacDonald, passed Boesman's Kop, and advanced to get
touch of the enemy, near Modder River ; but except for a few
shells and sputtering rifle fire, no attempt was made by the Boers
to resist this advance. When General Smith-Dorrien's brigade,
and other troops of the Ninth Division, joined MacDonald, the
column that had fought so well after disaster fell upon it, dis-
persed into scattered remnants once more, each unit making for
the appointed bivouac in any want of formation best adapted to
the needs of weary men who had to walk because their horses
were more tired than themselves.

What a roll-call it would have been if the Brigadier had not
in mercy spared them that melancholy ordeal ! When the losses
came to be counted, they numbered, in dead, wounded, and
prisoners, nearly a third of the force that had marched out of
Thaba 'Nchu forty hours earher. Of U Battery, Royal Horse
Artillery, only a mere handful remained, and Q Battery had
suffered heavily too. Seven out of twelve guns had been left in
the enemy's hands, with some eighty baggage waggons full of
stores. Household Cavalry, 10th Hussars, and Mounted
Infantry had losses to mourn, and Roberts's Horse the most of
all. Unhappily, it was too late to hope that either guns or
convoy could be recaptured. They had all been taken off during
the afternoon towards Thaba 'Nchu, and Boers were in posses-
sion of the waterworks, with artillery on heights behind, covering
the road.

Next day a demonstration of the whole force under General
Colvile's command was made, as if to drive every Boer from the
waterworks, where mischief had been done by the destruction of
pumping engines ; but it ended in nothing, and then we gradually
drew in our forces. The Boers assumed the offensive again, and
began to threaten our line of communications at several points.

These were the conditions that made Lord Roberts anxious
to secure the services of every mounted corps on which he could

108 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

rely for meeting the new Boer tactics by swift counter-strokes.
Most of them he had foreseen when orders were sent for
Lumsden's Horse to be supplied with all the remounts necessary
for repairing losses and pushed on to the front. Sanna's Post
with all its consequences had not been counted on ; but it made
the need for mounted troops all the more urgent in order that
pressure round about Wepener might be relieved and lines of com-
munication cleared. That action, lamentable because of the
sacrifices it entailed, but glorious in its heroic incidents, gave to
Lumsden's Horse not only an opportunity, but an example ; and
we may be sure that, when the news reached them at Maitland
Camp and at Queen's Town, every trooper made up his mind to
be a worthy comrade of the men who had risked their lives so
nobly and fought with such stubborn valour in vain attempts to
save the guns at Sanna's Post.

109

CHAPTEE VI
BY BAIL AND BOUTE MABCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN

A WEEK was more than enough in which to exhaust all the
charms that A Company could find round about its dusty camp
at Maitland. The fragrance from woodland belts of pine and
eucalyptus trees soon began to pall ; there was little to refresh the
eye in that changeless view across unbroken flats, where a grey
haze hung morning, noon, and eve, veiling the distant mountains
northward ; the beauty of Table Mountain, as seen from there,
with kloof -fretted steeps towering up to the clouds, is not a joy
for ever ; and Cape Town shows its least attractive side towards
Maitland, which in itself is the embodiment of suburban
dreariness, having but two places of entertainment — a swimming
bath and an observatory. As admission to the latter can only
be gained by a special permit from the Astronomer Eoyal,
Lumsden's Horse had few opportunities to appreciate the wild
dissipation of ascending its quaint old tower, which, indeed,
most of them mistook for a dismantled windmill. And the
amusements that Cape Town offers to soldiers of less than com-
missioned rank had few temptations for troopers of Lumsden's
Horse. Mount Nelson, with its gay crowd of fair women and
maimed heroes, was to them but a vision of the Hfe that had
been. How those dainty damsels would have been shocked to
see a trooper in weather-stained khaki and ammunition boots
treading the glades and terraced heights of that South African
Olympus ! But not more shocked than a man of Lumsden's
Horse would have felt at finding himself in such a situation.
Ridiculous prejudice, of course, and to be condemned by all right-
thinking people in whose opinion the soldier's uniform is a badge
of honour. Yes ! but Uke many other badges it has to be worn
with a difference ; and nobody knows better than those who have

110 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

tried the experiment of putting it on that a private soldier's service
kit is not the garb in which one would choose to appear where
fashion and beauty congregate. A man may have served through
a whole campaign in the lowest ranks, obedient to every com-
mand, however humiliating or distasteful, and not have felt the
yoke gall him half so sorely as it does when he first realises the
social inferiority that it implies. Let us have done with cant
and confess at once that a man who puts on the common soldier's
unifonn for active service, whether he be Volunteer or Regular,
thereby renounces all claims to the rights and privileges of a
gentleman. The gay haunts of a city are not for him then, if he
cherishes his self-respect, and the troopers of Lumsden's Horse
had that truth impressed upon them long before their week of rest
at Cape Town came to an end. They were no more squeamish
than others, and their experiences in this direction have been
shared by every Yeomanry corps and Volunteer detachment,
after the first burst of enthusiasm on their account exhausted
itself. Cheerful endurance of these things may be counted not
least among the merits of men who gave up much to serve their
country in her hour of need, and to ignore them would be to
misunderstand the nature of many sacrifices made by the rank-
and-file of a regiment like Lumsden's Horse. In times more
propitious they would have appreciated fully all the charms that
Cape Town can offer ; but, as it was, the parting had no great
pang for them, and A Company hailed with unalloyed dehght the
order for an advance northward into the land of infinite possi-
bilities. There was to be no route marching for that detachment,
the Cape Colony lines being comparatively clear of troop traflSc ;
so that the prospect of reaching Bloemfontein by rail without
serious interruption seemed almost a certainty. It was on Friday,
March 30, that Colonel Lumsden received, direct from head-
quarters, the welcome intimation that he and his two companies
were wanted at the front. Colonel Lumsden naturally felt
himself very fortunate in receiving orders by which his corps
was chosen for active service while Regular regiments and
Yeomanry companies waited impatiently at the base in Cape
Town; but Lord Roberts needed mounted troops more than
infantry just then. Everybody accepted this as the first real
step of the great march on which their hearts were set, and its

BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 111

crowning triumph at Pretoria. They were not to be out of it
after all. And we may be sure that they wanted no second call
when the warning came for them to get their kits packed and be
ready for a start by train the next morning. This was glad
news for all except four unfortunate troopers who, much to their
sorrow, had to be left in hospital at Cape Town. These were
James Lee- Stewart, of whose case Colonel Lumsden wrote a week
or so earlier ; Knyvitt Boileau, of Tyrhoot ; Hubert Noel Shaw, of
Palumpur ; and John Canute Doyle, of the Transport Detachment.
Of others, who were invalids on the voyage, Howard Hiokley had
quite recovered, and Clayton-Daubeny, pleading hard that he was
quite fit to ride and shoot, in spite of a broken collar-bone, got
permission to rejoin his section for duty. So keen were the men
to be near the fighting line that they have hardly recorded their
impressions of the strange country through which they passed ;
and but for an incidental note here and there, like the opening
paragraph of the following letter, we might almost imagine that
profound peace reigned throughout the country. Yet the letter
was dated only three days after our troops had suffered so
heavily at Sauna's Post. Writing on the morning of April 3, a
trooper whose letters were sent to the * Englishman ' said : —

It is wonderful to think that this very afternoon we shall be in
Bloemfontein, and may see the great old man whose masterly tactics have
so completely turned the tide of war.

On Friday we heard the line was clear, and this news was quickly
followed by a warning to hold ourselves in readiness. Immediately on
top came the order to be at the railway station the following day by
1 o'clock, A mighty packing up of kit and piling up of supplies resulted
in a successful transference of our goods and chattels to the station by the
appointed time, and at 6 o'clock we steamed out of Cape Town in two
trains, one following the other. When we left camp ammunition was
served out, fifty rounds a man, and the weight of it has not added to our
comfort.

The railway journey has proved very pleasant so far. However, some
slight description of how we are packed aboard may be interesting. We
heard, with no little misgiving, that we were to be eight in a compartment,
for we expected nothing but the ordinary straight-backed wooden
carriage, and no chance of lying down at all during the three days to be
occupied in journeying to the Free State capital. So it was a pleasant
surprise to find first-class corridor carriages comfortably upholstered in

112 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

leather, with sleeping accommodation in each compartment for four men
at a time. There were one or two second-class carriages equally comfort-
able, with the additional advantage of an extra tier of berths, accommo-
dating six sleepers, one on the floor and one in the passage, and the
whole boiling of us slept the sleep of the just the whole night through.
Eations consisted of tinned corned beef and biscuits, suspiciously like dog
biscuits, but good to eat nevertheless — for people with sharks* teeth and
stomachs of brass. But nearly everywhere we stopped there were coflfee-
shops, where you paid sixpence for everything, and an ordinary chota
hazri sort of meal ran up to about half-a-crown. As we travel up country
we find everything very dear, and we wonder Government does not
make some effort to arrange that the troops should be supplied with
tinned goods at reasonable prices. If private contractors can get stuff
up, certainly Government, which has first call on the railways, can too.

The horses — poor devils! — are packed ten, eleven, and twelve in a
cattle-truck, and the way they kick at times is a caution. All along the
train the trucks are broken and splintered. Oh ! for the luxury of our
Indian horseboxes. However, three times a day we manage to feed and
water the poor brutes, and though their meals are somewhat scratch
they don't do so badly. Forage is of the best — splendid compressed hay,
and English oats and bran.

De Aar was the first place of real interest we came to, and there we
beheld a battered armoured train, covered with bullet marks. Then we
touched at Naauwpoort, which was crowded with soldiers. The train stopped
just opposite Rensburg, so we got out and had a game of football, with an
empty tin for ball and broken saddles for goal -posts, right on the place
where the battle of Rensburg had been fought a few months previously.
From there we could see the flat-topped broken cone of Cole's Kop rising
from a rock-roughened plain like a huge step-pyramid, with sheer escarp-
ments, up which the Naval Brigade hauled two fifteen-pounders by means
of a wire rope, and struck terror into the Boers at Colesberg when those
guns opened fire from that apparently inaccessible height. Afterwards
came Norval's Pont, where we prepared to cross the Orange River.
Unluckily, we crossed at 1 in the morning, when very little could be
seen. It is wonderful how the Sappers have repaired the bridge. We
spun across in pontoons with the water swirling within two feet of us.
Shortly after crossing the river we were halted and ordered to draw another
fifty rounds of ammunition per man, and to post two sentries to each
carriage ; every man to wear his bandolier, have his rifle handy, and
be ready to turn out at a moment's notice. Firing had been heard that
evening, and there was no doubt Boers were in the vicinity. Later, some
thirty miles south of Bloemfontein, we heard that the troops stationed to
protect the railway line had been out in the surrounding kopjes during

BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 113

the night, and that a Boer commando, 600 strong, had been seen travelling
south. So we are bang in the thick of it now, and ere many more hours
have passed we shall be within sound of the firing, for we hear fighting is
going on steadily to the north of Bloemfontein. The men are in splendid
spirits and health, and wild to get a turn at the enemy. Altogether we
have eveiy reason to congratulate ourselves on the comfortable and speedy
journey we have made to the front.

The man who could regard De Aar — sun-scorched, arid, dust-
stifled De Aar — as the first place of interest on that long railway
journey, simply because an armoured train * covered with bullet
marks ' was standing in the station, must have been in a very
warlike frame of mind indeed. But perhaps the comfortable
railway travelling, so conducive to the ' sleep of the just,' may
account for much. Probably the slumberous heat of afternoon
had caused him to doze before the train slowed down at Stellen-
bosch, which was a place of much notoriety at the time ; and
picturesque, too, with its great oak avenues, dating from a day
when Commandant Van der Stel, the planter of them, was there
with his young wife in the very foreposts of Dutch civilisation,
not much more than thirty miles from Cape Town ; and more
picturesque still because of its quaint thatched houses as old as
the oaks. Stellenbosch is a great centre of education, and,
according to the guide-books, it has a home for the training of a
limited number of poor whites. We know the * poor whites ' for
whose training a home was provided at Stellenbosch about the
time when A Company of Lumsden's Horse passed that way and
afterwards. They were mostly officers of high rank who had
not distinguished themselves, and for whom a refuge had to be
found where they could do no greater mischief than send useless
remounts from that dep6t to the front. So Stellenbosch grew in
repute, and visits to it (without return tickets) were so frequent,
that an expressive verb had to be coined for use in everyday
conversation. The phrase ^ I'll be Stellenbosched if I do,'
became quite familiar, and many a gallant officer knew to his
cost what it meant. Kustication in that old Dutch settlement
under leafy arcades, where, in ordinary times, ' the stillness of
the cloisters reigns,' was not the only penalty. These, however,
were things not known to recent arrivals like Lumsden's Horse,
who might have met and hobnobbed with the latest candidate

114 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

for Stellenbosch and have been none the wiser. So they went
on their way thinking nothing of the old Dutch town and its
new notoriety, and in the darkness of night, when the new moon
showed no more than a crescent thread of silver, were winding
by sharp curves and steep gradients up the kloofs of Hex Eiver
Mountains towards the Great Karroo. Lumsden's troopers saw
little of the glorious landscape that is opened up at that height.
Those who were not asleep had no light to see it by but the cold
light of the stars, and that seemed to be swallowed up in the
depths of impenetrable shadow, except where the lamps of
Worcester Town, in the plains 2,500 feet below, twinkled like
feeble reflections on a wine-dark sea. Then the swift dawn
came, and when the sun rose they were crossing the Great
Karroo, which at that time of year — the true winter of Cape
Colony — wore its least attractive garb. Bare patches of sandy
soil gaped between scattered clumps of blue-green scrub, where
a month or so later it would be glowing with the purple and gold
and scarlet flowers of lilies and asters innumerable, and the
gorgeous crowns of mesembryanthemums of every conceivable
shade, from white through primrose and orange to the deepest
crimson. In its winter state the Great Karroo brings back to
travellers of wide African experience clear memories of the
Northern Soudan. In all chief physical features the two regions,
so widely separated, are curiously alike. Here are pyramidal
mountains with flat-topped crowns rising wall-like above the
conical base exactly resembling the * Jebels ' on which one has
looked with weary eyes, day after day, through the rippling heat
of the Soudan deserts. In some parts of the Karroo these
mountains close upon narrow gorges, along which the railway
winds, and its sudden turns round rocky buttresses seem so
familiar to one who knows the old military line above Wady
Haifa that he can imagine himself travelling once more through
the desolate Batn el Hagar towards Khartoum. To men for
whom the ragged Karroo had no such associations with the land
of mysterious fascination, there may well have been a wearisome
monotony in the unvarying repetition of similar forms — the vast
plains whereon no tree bigger than the Acacia liorrida grows,
and where the houses, if any, are so widely separated that they
only serve to deepen the impression of melancholy solitude;

Photo: Dickinson

MAJOR (LOCAL COLONEL) W. C. ROSS, C.B

BY BAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 117

the waterless rivers, the bare brown kops. For full appreciation
of the Karroo one must have breathed its invigorating air from
childhood, and seen it in seasons of beauty with all the glory of
its summer raiment on. De Aar Junction is no more than a huge
collection of railway sheds and equally hideous houses set in the
most barren plain of the Great Karroo ; but Lumsden's Horse
saw it busy with many signs of military preparation for a forward
movement, and so it seemed to them the very gateway of the
fateful future, in the shaping of which they were to have a hand.
That night they crossed the Orange Eiver at Nerval's Pont,
where Kailway Pioneers, mostly skilled artificers from the
Johannesburg mines, under Major Seymour — 'the greatest of
mechanical engineers,' as Colonel Girouard styled him — were
hard at work, night and day, repairing the broken bridge, while
baggage was being transferred by the wire trolly high overhead.
Lumsden's Horse crossed the pontoon ' deviation ' to a train on
the farther side, and when morning dawned they were journey-
ing slowly — with many precautions against possible surprises
by marauding Boers — to the goal of their hopes. Bloemfontein
was reached by A Company in the afternoon of April 3, when
they went into camp at Eustfontein, two miles from the town,
and became part of the 8th M.I. Kegiment, under the command
of that very able leader. Colonel ' Watty ' Eoss, whose portrait
appears on the opposite page. Of him Colonel Lumsden writes :
'No better man could have been chosen to command a body
of Irregular Horse. Capable, tactful, with a keen eye for a
country, and a man hard to beat in the saddle, he was in fact
an ideal leader at the game he had to play. We were under his
command from the time the 8th M.I. was formed at Bloem-
fontein, early in April 1900, taking part in every action of that
eventful march to Pretoria, and the 8th M.I. had the honour of
scouting in front of headquarters throughout.' After the memo-
rable June 5, when the capital of the South African EepubHc fell
into our hands, Lumsden's Horse were placed for some time on
communications at Irene and Kalfontein, but their Colonel,
tiring of this inaction, applied to General Smith-Dorrien for
more congenial employment. His wish was shortly afterwards
gi&tified, and Lumsden's Horse, with mutual regrets on both
sides, were transferred to another column, thus severing their

118 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

connection with the 8th M.I. and the leader whose soldierly
qualities had endeared hiin to all ranks. Their respect for him
found appropriate expression long afterwards, when every man
of the corps, from Colonel Lumsden downwards, subscribed for a
badge, the regimental * L H ' in diamonds, and this they presented
to Mrs. Eoss in token of their admiration for her husband as a
commander and in • appreciation of the considerate kindness he
had shown to all ranks while they served under him. That the
admiration was not all on one side may be gathered from an
incident that occurred some time after Lumsden's Horse were
embodied with the 8th Mounted Infantry Corps, and Colonel
Lumsden thinks justly that no better proof could be given of the
able and smart class of men he had in his command than the
following remark from Colonel Koss : ' Lumsden, whenever I
ask you to send me an A.D.C. or galloper, never mind sending
me one of your officers ; your troopers are just the class I
want.'

Some months after the severance of associations that had
been so pleasant for commander and commanded, when Lumsden' s
Horse had seen their last of South African fighting, Colonel
Ross had the lower part of his face shattered by a bullet while
attacking a Boer position at Bothaville with the gallant dash
which his old comrades remember so well. In that fight De Wet's
forces were completely routed, and lost nearly all their artillery ;
but the victory was not achieved without heavy sacrifices on our
side. Colonel Le Gallais, who commanded the Mounted Infantry,
and also Captain Williams, formerly Staff-Officer of the 8th M.I.
Corps under Colonel Ross, were killed, while going to the assist-
ance of their brother-officer ; and, in the 'same fight, Lieutenant
Percy Smith, who had gained honours as a trooper of Lumsden's
Horse at Ospruit when he went out with his Colonel to bring in
a helpless comrade, was wounded in the performance of a gallant
action by which he won the D.S.O.

For the sake of finishing a story events have been somewhat
anticipated, and B Company may resent the interpolation, at this
stage, of a flattering comment that belongs properly to a later
period. In the actions from which Colonel Ross formed his
high opinion of Lumsden's troopers, B Company had taken its
full share. Before resuming touch with the movements of that

BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 119

body, however, reference must be made to another incident in
which A Company had the proud distinction of representing the
whole corps. The occasion was a visit on April 4 by Lord
Eoberts, who, after inspecting the company, called out and
shook hands with Trooper Hugh Blair, whose brother, an
officer of the Royal Engineers, had been badly wounded in the
Candahar campaign. The Commander-in-Chief then made a brief
speech to Colonel Lumsden and his troopers. Of this no shorthand
note or transcription from mental tablets seems to have been
made, but its meaning is probably expressed in the following
letter which Lord Eoberts wrote to Sir P. Playfair, C.I.E.,
Chairman of the Executive Committee of Lumsden's Horse :
' Dear Sir Patrick, — Many thanks for your letter of February 26.
A few evenings ago I had great pleasure in inspecting Lumsden's
Horse immediately after their arrival here. I sent a telegram to
the Viceroy to inform him that I had done so. They are a
workmanUke, useful lot. I am sure they will do splendidly in
whatever position they may be placed. It is most gratifying to
hear the way in which the corps was raised. The sum sub-
scribed by the pubhc generally is the proof of the patriotism of
the subscribers, especially Colonel Lumsden himself. You will
have seen in the papers that we are detained here for a while
until we can refit, but when this is done we shall move north-
ward. I am confident that during our advance Lumsden's Horse
will do credit to themselves and to India. Believe me, yours
very truly, (Signed) Eoberts.'

A few days after that inspection the Commander-in-Chief
sent to Colonel Lumsden a telegram he had received from the
Viceroy. Lord Eoberts's secretary wrote as follows : ' Dear
Colonel Lumsden, — The Field-Marshal asks me to send you the
enclosed telegram from the Viceroy, and to say that he fully
agrees with the last sentence of it. — Yours sincerely, H. V.
Cowan, Colonel, Military Secretary.' Lord Curzon's telegram
said ; * Lord Eoberts, Bloemfontein. — We are delighted to hear
of your kind reception of our Indian Volunteer contingent, and
hope that they may have a chance of going to the front, where
we are confident of their ability to distinguish themselves, —

ViCEBOY.'

Carrying on the narrative from this point, but leaving the

120 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

lighter incidents of life in Bloemfontein for other pens to chronicle,
Colonel Lumsden deals briefly in his diary with the remaining
period of A Company's isolation, and brings it down to the day
when the corps was to be reunited under his command. With
natural gratification at the position assigned to him, he says :

General Ian Hamilton is to command a division of 10,000 Mounted
Infantry, of which Colonel Kidley's brigade forms nearly a half, consist-
ing of four corps of about 1,200 strong each. "We are embodied with
the 8th Mounted Infantry Corps, consisting of Loch*s Horse, ourselves,
and various companies of Mounted Infantry from Kegular battalions,
under the command of Colonel Boss. Both Colonels Kidley and Boss are
well known in India, and we are fortunate in being under their command
and in having such a dashing divisional commander as General Ian
Hamilton. Our first camp in Bloemfontein proved a sickly one, water
being scarce owing to the Boers having blown up the waterworks and
cut off the main supply. This, no doubt, has been the cause of numerous
cases of dysentery, and our camp was shifted yesterday to a healthier
locality, with a more plentiful water supply. Strange to say, we have
had an attack of mumps among the men, emanating, we believe, from
a native servant who developed that disease on board ship. I regret to
say that Captain Beresford had to be taken to hospital yesterday, suffering
from an acute attack of dysentery ; but a few days of careful dieting will
enable him to rejoin us, I hope. B Company, owing to the congested
state of the railway traffic from Cape Town to Bloemfontein, was landed
at East London, to proceed thence by rail to join us. Transport, how-
ever, was found to be equally difficult by that route, and in consequence
the company had to march the greater part of the way.

What meanwhile had befallen that force under the command
of Major Showers may be told in the words of a trooper whose
lively contributions to the * Indian Daily News ' do not seem to
have been regarded as an infringement of a rule laid down in
the mobilisation scheme by which volunteers for Lumsden's
Horse were warned that they would on no account be allowed to
act as special correspondents for newspapers. This regulation,
like many others, seems to have been more honoured in the
breach than the observance. Taking up the broken thread
where it was dropped some pages back, he writes :

At Queen's Town we had a fairly pleasant time, except on nights when
it simply rained cats and dogs and hailed as well. Most of our tents leaked
badly, so we were rendered thoroughly uncomfortable. The horses and

BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 121

the unfortunate stable pickets (I was one, and speak from personal expe-
rience) were in a wretched plight, without shelter of any kind. When
the storms were at their worst, and picketing pegs would not hold in
the soft ground, we may have used words that were not endearing to
horses that got loose. On April 2 we were told that the company would
start on the 4th, marching to Bethulie, waggons for our horses not being
available then, but that we should probably entrain a few stations further
up. We were informed that all superfluous clothing, &c., would have to
be packed up and returned to East London, and each man would only be
allowed to take one kit bag, weight not to exceed thirty pounds. We
therefore set to work, and cudgelled our brains trying to decide what to
take and what to leave behind — no easy task, I can tell you. However,
the die was cast at last, and we were ready for kit-bag weighing next
morning. Several of the men had evidently rather vague ideas on this
point, and, after filling their bags to a weight of forty or fifty pounds each,
had to repack them, much to their disgust. We left next day, our
destination being Baileytown, a small place about thirteen miles distant.
We were all, of course, in full marching order — supplied with water-
bottles, haversacks, bandoliers, rifles, and corn-bag. The first three were
hung round our shoulders, the rifles in the bucket on the oflf side of the
saddle, and the corn-bag slung to the saddle. I was not accustomed
to it ; the strain on the shoulders is pretty severe ; and we were all glad
when Baileytown drew in sight. This march gave us a very good oppor-
timity of examining the country, and as we passed kopje after kopje it
was very easy to realise how difficult a task it is to dislodge the Boers from
their veritable strongholds. Arriving at Baileytown about 5 p.m., and
finding no tents there, we bivouacked, and found the bare veldt no such
uncomfortable bed after all. We spent the whole of the next day there,
and as very good grass was plentiful on the slope of the hills the oppor-
tunity was taken of knee-haltering and grazing the horses. Besumed
our march next day ; did about twenty-two miles by 3 o'clock in the after-
noon, when a halt was made at a place called Sterkstroom. Here, to our
delight, orders came for us to be sent off at once by train. We spent a
very busy afternoon unloading kits from the transport carts and reload-
ing them into railway waggons, and entraining horses. The animals seem
to be getting reconciled to this constant training and detraining, and
behaved very well indeed. By 8.30 we were all ready to board the train.
No more luxurious second- and third-class carriages for us poor privates
now. We were packed like sardines in a box into three covered trucks,
about forty or fifty men in each. It was quite dark, and no lanterns were
given us, or, rather, there was an apology for a lantern in our truck, but
it hardly made darkness visible ; kits and men all over the place, and little,
if any, room to sleep — a very weary night indeed for most of us. We

122 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

arrived at Burghersdorp at 11 a.m. next day, and stayed there about two
hours. All sorts of rumours were current about the close proximity of
the Boers. We were informed that fighting was expected at a station
north of Bethulie. At this latter place the troops had slept in the trenches
all night in momentary expectation of an attack. There were said to be
three or four thousand Boers hovering round in the hills adjacent to these
places, having been cut off in an attempt to retreat beyond Bloemfontein.
We did not reach Bethulie till 8 o'clock that evening, having to wait at
various sidings for down trains, of which there were a good many. Not
expecting to detrain till the following morning, we had made ourselves as
comfortable as circumstances permitted for the night when orders were
issued to get out and encamp close by at once. In a moment all was
excitement, orders ringing out constantly, and men hurriedly getting their
kit together — an almost hopeless task in the darkness.

However, it was not long before all the men, horses, and kit were out
and on their way to camp. Arrived there, we picketed the animals, and
by 2 A.M. had quite settled down for the night. No peace for us, however,
as orders went round that we must be ready saddled by 4.30, in case our
services should be required. It turned out to be a false alarm, however, so
after waiting till 8 o'clock we took the horses out to exercise. Bethulie,
straggling along the northern bank of Orange Eiver, is just on the borders
of the Free State. The railway bridge, an eight-span one, has been
completely destroyed by Boers, and I must say they have done their work
very cleanly ; five out of the eight spans have been cut right through by
charges of dynamite. Fortunately, however, there is a waggon bridge here
also, which reinforcements, coming up in time, were enabled to save from
destruction, and, lines having been placed across this, one truck at a time
is taken over. This important point of communication is now very
strongly guarded by regiments of Infantry on each side of the river.
Nearly all of us took the opportunity of having a glorious bath in the
river, and did a little amateur clothes-washing. Practice will make
perfect, no doubt, but at present we don't take very kindly to it. At
3 in the afternoon we got orders to saddle up in readiness to march
as an escort to 600 transport mules for Bloemfontein. The rearguard
came on with our own transport, and, as the latter only move very slowly,
they marched all night and did not arrive at Spytfontein — the halting-
place, nineteen miles distant — till about 3 a.m. Fortunately, there was
brilliant light from the new moon ; otherwise the slow progress with re-
fractory mules would have been dreary indeed. As it was, we marched
along as silently as possible, and had the feehng that we might be attacked
at any moment. The Kaffir drivers, however, could not be restrained
from shouting in shrillest notes and cracking their long rhinoceros-hide
thongs with sounds like rifle-shots as they ran to head oflf wayward

BY RAIL AND ROUTE MARCH TO BLOEMFONTEIN 123

stragglers. All night long the red dust rose from the hoofs of those 600
mules in stifling clouds.

This is a most desolate-looking country, miles beyond miles without
passing a single human habitation. Towards the end of the march,
whether through sheer exhaustion or from the effects of the moonbeams
(one of our sages started this theory next day), half the men went to
sleep in their saddles. I was one of the somnolent ones, and my horse
took me several yards in front of the main body, and I awoke with a start
to hear my companions silently chuckling at the situation. The only
remedy was to get off and march alongside our horses, and several of
us did this. Natives told us afterwards that Boers had been hanging on
our flanks all through that march, and the only thing that saved us was
our water-cart, which they mistook for a gun-carriage. The Boers must
have changed a good deal since then if they could be so easily deceived.

We left Spytfontein about 7 o'clock that morning and arrived at
Springfontein at 3 in the afternoon. Here the orders were for us to
start again next morning, escorting a Maxim battery of four guns to
Bloemfontein, in addition to the 600 mules we already had under convoy.
I may mention that one section of our company always acted as advance
guard, throwing out scouts in front and on the flanks ; the duty of these
scouts being to search the kopjes on either side of the road, and com-
municate with the main body by hand signals should any enemy appear
in sight. Starting from Springfontein early on April 10, we did a
march of fifteen miles to Jagersfontein. Here Jim, having pity for my
lameness, took my horse to water while I, in return, prowled round and
found a little house where the womenfolk agreed to let us have tea.
I was shown into the drawing-room, which looked very cosy by comparison
with the dreary veldt. Ordered tea for six and went to gather my pals
for the feast. After I had groomed my horse, fed him, and put his jhool
on, we went off to the small house. But, alas ! the tea was all gone. Six
other men had been there and declared that I had ordered it for them.
This is the first example of * slimness ' recorded to the credit or otherwise
of Lumsden's Horse. At 4 o'clock next morning a party of us went out
on patrol duty among the surrounding hills. We had our magazines
loaded and in the dim morning light it was rather exciting work march-
ing silently along with the chance of meeting the enemy at any moment.
We stayed out till about 7 o'clock, having thoroughly examined the sur-
rounding country from the top of a high kopje, without discovering any
traces of Boers. After half an hour for breakfast, we started on the day's
march, which it was intended would be a short one of fifteen miles ; but
it rained so heavily about noon, and for an hour or two afterwards, that
on arrival at the camping-place we found it to be a mass of liquid mud
and grass, and the Major decided to keep marching on for Edenburg, about

124 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

eight miles distant, in the hope that it would be drier there. But it con-
tinued to pour steadily all the afternoon, and we arrived to find our camping
ground at Edenburg inches deep in water. We had no tents, so simply
wrapped ourselves in our blankets and slept where we could. Many of
us woke an hour or two afterwards, and found ourselves wet to the bone,
and in preference to trying to sleep again we made a good fire and
sat round this all night. There were a few men of one of the New Zealand
Volunteer regiments encamped here also, in charge of sick horses, and
they very kindly supplied us with hot cocoa — a most grateful and com-
forting drink on such a night. They gave us very graphic descriptions of
hard times in the field. They had seen lots of fighting, being used mainly,
if not entirely, as scouts. They told us how difl&cult it was to find the
enemy, who kept hidden among rocks on the kopjes and never fired till
our men were within about a hundred yards. As soon as the first shot
was fired, the scouts turned and galloped for their lives, and the artillery
then began to shell the kopjes. Next morning we saw several Boer
prisoners, among them being a lad of about eighteen, who had killed
a Major in one of our regiments while coming towards him with a flag
of truce in his hand. Near the place where we had bivouacked quantities
of buried Boer ammunition and guns were discovered. We continued
our march at about 1 a.m., and encamped in the afternoon at a small
place called Bethany. Here a night attack was expected, a Boer com-
mando of several thousand men being reported in the vicinity. The
men of the Maxim battery stood to their guns all night on a kopje
close by, and about thirty of us accompanied them as an extra precau-
tion. Cossack posts were also thrown out. Locusts, of which we had
already met several swarms on our march up, literally covered the hill-
sides here, and, getting down our backs and up our sleeves, took some
dislodging. No alarm was given, so we passed the night in peace. We
resumed our march on Good Friday, and, reaching Kaffir Kiver in the
afternoon, encamped there for the night with Eegular regiments — Guards,
Highlanders, and several others. Camps were fairly far apart, and after
picketing horses, drawing forage, and eating our frugal meals, we had
no time for exchanging visits or getting any news from the various
regiments we met at our stopping-places. However, there was consola-
tion for us when we received our first budget of home and Indian letters,
one of the men from A Company, then at Bloemfontein, having been
sent down with them.

Up to this point the march had been across monotonous veldt, mostly
flat, treeless, and uninteresting. Here and there, where the ground held
moisture, little pink flowers of a wood sorrel showed, and nearly every mile
one came across some fresh variety of aster or daisy-like flower with
composite crown shining brightly in the coarse grass. Occasionally the

BY BAIL AND BOUTE MABCH TO BLOEMPONTEIN 125

ridges were rich with clumps of heath, scarlet, yellow, and white, but not
enough to relieve the general dreariness of distances across which one
often looked in vain for any sign of cultivation. Ant-hills and the
burrows of ant-bears were on all the veldt, and we had to wind our way
among them, following no well-defined road, but only a track, the genial
direction of which was marked by a browner thread running across the
tawny veldt. Several horses blundered into the bear-holes and brought their
riders to grief, much to the general amusement. One trooper who rode
ahead waving his hand and warning those who followed by frequent cries
of * 'Ware hole ! 'Ware hole ! ' suddenly disappeared, and we heard him
groan as his horse rolled over on top of him, * Here's one, and I'm into
it.' It was nearly dark then ; but dead horses, mules, and dying oxen
marked the track by which other convoys had gone. We felt glad that
our transport ponies were not to share their fate. They had proved
quite useless for drawing the heavy loads in this country, so we left them
behind at Sterkstroom, sending all our baggage-carts on by train, while we
marched and bivouacked with only the blankets and supplies that could
be carried on our own horses. It was at Edenburg, I think, that after
a wet march we got leave to go into the town, hoping it might be possible
to get something better than the perpetual ' bully beef ' and biscuits, but
the only room we could find in the only decent hotel was wanted for
officers. However, a little man of the Derby Militia came and showed us
a small Boer ' Winkel,' where we got excellent tea, bread, and jam. The
Derby man said he knew where he could buy some butter, which was all

we wanted to make us happy. C gave him 2s, to go and get it.

We finished our meal without that butter, and the Derby man didn't
return. So we went back to find everj^hing in camp wet, muddy, and
beastly. To add to our misery, a thunderstorm came on, and while we
wallowed in slush there were empty houses with roofs to them not half a
mile off. From Kaffir Eiver we might easily have done the distance to
Bloemfontein in one march, as it was only nineteen miles ; but there was
apparently no reason for hurrying, so we spent one more night in bivouac
at Kaalspruit, and on Easter Sunday, in the afternoon, marched through
Bloemfontein to our camp, which was three miles beyond. We only got a
glimpse of the town in passing through its central square and along the
main street, but, considering it was the capital of the Free State, I don't
think any of us were very much struck with it at first sight. Colonel
Lumsden and A Company welcomed us very warmly. Our tents were
already pitched and food prepared, so we soon settled down in our new
quarters, A Company's men receiving us as their guests and treating us
most hospitably.

There the trooper's narrative ends, and Colonel Lumsden

126 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

follows with a well-deserved tribute to Major Showers and the
men of B Company, saying :

They made a very plucky march up, the officers and men carrying
nothing but their greatcoats and blankets, and sleeping out every night
in the rain. It was too much of a trial for the ponies to pull their carts
over the hilly and heavy going ; and, as I said before, this method of
transport had to be abandoned, and their carts and baggage railed up.

Considering the long and trying marches they had undergone, I con-
sider both men and horses looking wonderfully fit. A certain proportion
of them, however, were not in condition to resume immediate work.
Therefore, to replace these and in lieu of thirteen casualties on board ship
and en route, I have procured from Prince Francis of Teck, the remount
officer, twenty-six Argentine cobs, which, although not up to the standard
of oar Indian mounts, are nevertheless a boon to us in the circum-
stances, in a situation where horseflesh is at a premium. A certain amount
of kit and necessaries had been lost by both companies during our journey
here ; but, it being cur first demand on the military authorities for such,
we had no difficulty in getting our requirements satisfied.

We are now (April 18) under orders to move to-morrow for Spyt-
fontein, five miles to the east of Karree Siding station, halting for the night
at Glen. There has been heavy rain for the past four days, and it will
be bad travelling, especially crossing the drift at Modder Biver. I have
been fortunate in being able to retain the whole of our transport, which
privilege has not been granted to any other unit, and shall to-morrow
be complete in every respect. The men are in keen spirits, as our post is
to be an advanced one and within range of the Boer outposts.

I regret to say that Captain Beresford is no better, and will, I fear,
have to be invalided home.

127

CHAPTER VII

IMPBESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN—JOIN THE 8th MOUNTED
INFANTBY BEGIMENT ON OUTPOST

Long streets, ill-paved and deep in mud or dust ; a low stoep-
shaded cottage with vines trailing about its posts here and there
between long rows of featureless shops ; a large market square
where no farm produce is displayed ; a club frequented by British
officers who have little time to lounge ; several churches of
the primmest Dutch type, with tall steeples that cut sharply
against the clear sky in lines uncompromisingly straight ; some
public buildings, pretentious without grace or beauty ; on one
side a steep hill terraced with houses of which little but the
corrugated iron roofs can be seen ; on the other, roads that
straggle off to level outskirts, where villas painfully new stand
in the midst of flowerless gardens surrounded by barbed wire.
These were the first impressions of Bloemfontein gathered by
Lumsden's Horse, and few troopers had any opportunity to modify
these impressions in more favourable circumstances afterwards.
The camp to which A Company went originally at Eietfontein
was within two miles of the town, and might have been pleasant
enough if thousands of hoofs had not cut up its turf, and the
ground had not been used as a dumping-place for rubbish which
Boer commandos could not turn to any use. Some of them
had been there before Lumsden's Horse, and several British
regiments also. So many tens of thousands of soldiers were
camped round about the town that they may have interrupted
the currents of salubrious air which made Bloemfontein famous
in other days as a resort for invalids. There were plenty of
invalids to be seen there in the early weeks of April 1900, but
they did not regard it as the best type of sanatorium, and men
who had to sleep in small tents on the reeking ground of Eiet-

128 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

fontein would not willingly go there again in search of health.
They had hardly begun to realise how serious was the stoppage
of a fresh water supply which the Boers had cut off from the
main at Modder River. Hundreds of old wells existed in the
town and its outskirts, and by opening these enough water
could be drawn for immediate wants. But, alas ! the water had
been undisturbed since Bloemfontein began to draw its supply
from the distant waterworks some six or seven years earlier.
What impurities had drained into the wells during all that time
nobody knew until hospitals filled rapidly with patients suffering
from enteric and dysentery. Eietfontein was showing symptoms
of an outbreak, and so, after a week under canvas there,
Lumsden's Horse got the welcome order to strike camp and form
a new one some three miles farther north, by Deel's Farm, where
a clear spruit flows over its bed of white gravel between banks
that are shaded by tall eucalyptus trees and drooping sallows.

After days on duty, in which they were not allowed to be
slack, troopers felt little inclination for walking the four or
five miles to Bloemfontein, which did not become more cheerful as
the number of troops increased, except for the traders, who were
rapidly getting back all they had lost by the war and a great
deal more. OflBcers had always the chance, whenever they
could get away from camp for an hour or two, of pleasant social
meetings at the Bloemfontein Club, where generals, regimental
commanders, and company oflBcers from other brigades came
together for a little while at lunch or afternoon tea and ex-
changed all the rumours that could be told in a few minutes — and
they were many. It was a place of strange meetings. Men
from the uttermost corners of the earth, who had perhaps not
seen each other for years, foregathered there, only to separate a
little later and go on their ways with different columns, none
knew whither. Troopers had similar experiences in the streets
and inns of Bloemfontein, where nearly every regimental badge
of the British Army and every distinguishing plume adopted by
Irregulars who had come to fight as ' soldiers of the Queen '
were to be seen in a variety that seemed endless. Brothers
whose paths in life had parted when they left school, one going
east, another west or south, came face to face in the streets of
that little Free State town or rubbed shoulders in a motley

IMPEESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN 129

crowd of khaki-clad soldiers, sometimes without recognising
each other, until accident gave them some clue. A rough word
or two of careless greeting, a tight hand-grip, a steadfast look
into eyes that remind the boys of father or mother, a light laugh
on lips that might otherwise betray too much feeling, a drink
together (if it is to be had), for ' Auld Lang Syne,' and then with
a jaunty * So long, old chap,' they part again. It is a super-
stition, or at any rate a recognised custom, not to say ' Good-bye '
in such circumstances. But if men only thought of its literal
meaning, what better wish could there be ? Yet, for all its stir
and bustle and dramatic incidents, Bloemfontein was a dull
place in those days for any man who entered it and found no
intimate friends there to greet him. Comrades they all were,
but in a rough-and-ready sort of comradeship that needed the
jELre of the battlefield to try it and perchance anneal it into some-
thing stronger than the ties of mere kinship. But this is a
thing which only soldiers understand, and seldom even they.
Lumsden's Horse knew it not then, but for some of them the secret
was to be disclosed before many days had passed, and in a form that
will never fade from their memory. Meanwhile, they went about
their duties methodically enough in camp or took their pleasures
sadly in streets where thousands of soldiers wandered daily,
finding no entertainment, no place of resort except dingy bars,
where liquors of more than alcoholic potency were sold, and very
Httle change from campaign fare except at a price that made
even the necessaries of life prohibited luxuries for a man who had
no more than his shilling a day to spend. One of Lumsden's
Horse who was sent into Bloemfontein on orderly duty gives a
vivid sketch of all this in a few touches that are the more
graphic because they only pretend to note passing impressions.
Writing a day after B Company's arrival at Deel's Farm, he
shows how the men had to rub their horses down while standing
inches deep in mud. So much rain was out of season, but
South Africa is, like other places, occasionally fickle in this
respect. To troopers it did not seem an ideal way of spending
Easter Monday, and the whistle, of which officers made free
use, must have been irritating to nerves already overstrained, for
it is never mentioned without a forcible prefix. However, when
rain ceased and sunshine appeared for an hour in the after-

130 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

noon, these men were merry enough at a game of cricket,
which, by violating all the higher rules, must have reminded
them of similar sports in England when they were boys and
welcomed Easter Monday as the day of all others appropriate
to cricket. The next morning a great cheer rolled from camp
to camp, and Lumsden's Horse, responding lustily, passed it on
to the next without asking what the unusual excitement meant.
When they heard afterwards that troops were cheering because
' Kruger had surrendered,' a strange depression took hold of them.
At that moment all the discomforts and drudgery of a soldier's
life were forgotten in the humiliating thought that the corps
would have to go back to India without a chance of proving
itself in battle. It turned out, however, to be all mere rumour,
though not so baseless as some of which Lumsden's Horse had
after-experience. The Transvaal President's offer to negotiate
for peace on terms all in his own favour must have been known
in England then, and in some mysterious way a reflex of it came
to camps on the veldt, where troops, who had seen plenty of
the fighting that Lumsden's Horse were eager for, welcomed
the illusive tidings with a cheer. In its train, however, came
something nearly as good — a post bringing letters from * England,
home, and beauty,' and for one non-commissioned officer at least

* a parcel full of excellent things.' Before he had time to enjoy
these he was under orders for Bloemfontein, and after a ride
through pouring rain he got there in time to hear another
disconcerting rumour, and to find some of his comrades selling
their kit because *they had been ordered back.' Wisely resolving
not to act on anything but definite orders, and, taking the advice
of a corporal in the City Imperial Volunteers, who persuaded him

* to sit tight,' he waited, making the best of circumstances that
were by no means bright according to his own brief record, which
runs, * No dinner to be had at the station. Got tea sixpence a
cup, bread and jam sixpence.' Hungry and dispirited, he turned
in and went to bed at the station, which means something very
different from the untravelled civilian's idea of a bed. Then
next morning * bought a bob's worth of oat straw for horse —
groomed and fed him. Put my wet things out to dry, and
sallied forth to the station. Had an excellent breakfast : porridge,
haddock, chops, and two cups of coffee, for three shillings. Went

IMPEESSIONS OP BLOEMFONTEIN 131

to the hospital to try and get my leg dressed, but couldn't find
anybody to speak to. Thence to a most pleasant chemist — a
Dutchman. Went to the station for lunch — another three bob.'
Not a profitable day's work for a corporal on Cavalry pay without
* colonial allowances.' After that came tea and dinner, so that
he was evidently doing his best to prove the wisdom of Mark
Tapley's philosophy. Having found circumstances in which it was
a credit to be jolly, he made the most of them. It is not every
soldier, however, who, having indulged in a little extravagance
of that kind, could write, ' Afterwards to the bank, and had an
agreeable interview with the manager ' ; nor every man, with a
balance to his credit, who would have turned cheerfully again
towards the rough hfe of a camp and the unknown hardships
that were to follow. When orders came next day for all Lumsden's
Horse to rejoin their corps in readiness for an immediate advance,
this non-commissioned officer paid another visit to his friend
the chemist and asked how much he owed. * The chemist
refused to take anything. Pretty good that for a Dutchman
and evidently a pro-Boer.' With that pleasant experience
blotting out all unfavourable impressions of Bloemfontein, the
corporal rode back to camp at Deel's Farm to find all the tents
being struck.

So they had to spend a miserable night by the bivouac fire
and get what amusement they could out of good stories. One,
suggested perhaps by talk of chemists and surgical operations,
is worthy to be preserved. To appreciate the point of the
joke you must know that a lieutenant-general's badges of rank
are a sword and bS^ton crossed, with the crown above them.

A man of the Yeomanry, then quartered in Bloemfontein,

was suflEering agonies from toothache, and, Uke our friend the
corporal, had searched every hospital in vain for a surgeon who
might have leisure to extract it. As he crossed the Market
Square, a general of division whose kindness of heart is as
notorious as his strength of language, was coming out of the
Club. To him the yeoman advanced, and, after a hesitating
preface, asked the General whether he would mind drawing a
tooth. For a moment the General was dumbfounded, but then
his powers of expression came back to him. * What the devil
do you mean?' he roared, thinking the yeoman was unpardonably

132 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

familiar. The man's face fell. ' I'm very sorry, sir,' he said,

' but our doctor's on leave, and * ' But,' said the officer,

smiling at the man's mistake, ' I'm not a doctor ; I'm General

' The yeoman stammered, 'But— but — your badge, sir! '

The General good-humouredly turned his shoulder to the abashed
trooper. * Here you are, my lad ; what's the matter with the
badge ? " Crossed swords, baton, and crown." ' ' Good heavens ! '
said the man, ' I hope you'll forgive me, sir. I thought it was
the skull and cross-bones ! '

Before daybreak in the morning of A.pril 21, Lumsden's
Horse were roused to pack kits and saddle up for their march.
Impartial observers said they were very smart about it, but a
story went round that the Colonel had expressed himself as
much disappointed with B Company, saying that the others
would have saddled up and walked round them three times.
This was apparently only a playful invention, but it so angered
one trooper that he could only express his feelings in choice
Hindustani. He was mollified afterwards on learning that A
Company had really admired the soldierly way in which B
Company got ready, and then he excused his strong language by
writing, * I understand now the expression " Swear like a trooper."
We hear and do more of it every day.' It was a painful confession
for one of Lumsden's Horse to make, but the incident, apparently
trivial, shows that a wholesome spirit of emulation in deeds was
animating the men, and that would always be regarded by
soldiers as ample atonement for unnecessary rivalry in linguistic
attainments. The time was close at hand, too, when Lumsden's
Horse would have more serious things to think about than these.
Yet nobody knows better than old campaigners how little things
occupy the thoughts of men even when they are doing great
deeds. No opportunity for achieving greatness came to the
corps during its first day's march through a country where the
enemy's appearance might be looked for at any moment, but in
another way the men showed their fitness for a soldier's work — by
helping the transport out of difficulties. It was in crossing a
drift at the Little Modder River that carts stuck with wheels
jammed tightly in deep holes between slippery boulders, and
teams floundered in fruitless attempts to recover their footing.
The Editor, having been in one of those holes, horse and all, has

IMPEESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN 136

reason to remember the place and the swirl of water where it
rushes over rocky ledges into a deeper pool. By dint of manful
work, Lumsden's Horse got their carts clear of the drift, only to
find them axle deep in the treacherous soil of a neighbouring
vlei some minutes later. Then ammunition had to be taken out
and carried to firm ground and carts hfted bodily out of the mire.
It was an experience by which the transport drivers learned not to
trust appearances and to beware of grass that looked unusually
green. Still, as Sergeant Stephens, of the Transport, wrote in
relating his experiences, * If anything ever frightened our drivers
it was the word " drift " ; you should have seen the worried looks
when they heard there was a drift ahead.' That night the corps
bivouacked beyond Glen, where General Tucker's division had
been in touch with the enemy for nearly a month and warding oflE
frequent attempts to interfere with Engineers who were hard at
work on a * deviation ' near the ruined railway bridge. There they
had to bivouac with nothing but blankets to protect them from the
bitterly cold wind, and they went to sleep supperless because the
transport, delayed by many causes, had not come up. No alarms
or excursions disturbed their rest that night, but their march next
morning was to the accompaniment of distant pom-poms and
heavier guns and the sounds of fighting not far oflE. They did not
know the meaning of it all then. It seemed to them but a local
skirmish, and not the penultimate phase of a great movement in
which Ian Hamilton, French, and Eundle had been sweeping the
Boers before them from Wepener to Thaba 'Nchu and thence
eastward and northward, clearing the country for a still greater
movement. No shots came near the marching column. The
screen of outposts holding inquisitive Boers in check was miles
away from the drift where Lumsden's Horse crossed the main
Modder Kiver, and, for all they could see, it might have been still
miles off when they marched up a steep track and bivouacked on
the pleasant hillside, relieving some New South Wales Mounted
Eifles, whose horses had been used up by incessant patrolling.
They were, however, in the outpost line there as part of the 8th
Mounted Infantry, commanded by Colonel Eoss, to whom Colonel
Lumsden reported himself that afternoon. Some oflBcers of
Eegular regiments whose pickets were near at hand came to
have a look at these Indian Volunteers, who were quite gratified

136 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

afterwards to hear that the Colonel of the Norfolks thought them
* a very fine set of men, but undisciplined.' It was true enough
they had not much discipline of the parade-ground type, but
they were held together by bonds stronger than any rules or
regulations can weld, and inspired by a sentiment that would
have made them ' play the game ' wherever fortune might place
them. And part of that game was for them to be soldiers in
deed as well as in spirit, though they might lack the mere out-
ward show of subordination. Spytfontein, which formed the
centre of a position held by Lumsden's Horse, is an outwork of
the rugged range that sweeps from east to west in an irregular
curve just north of Karree Siding, and from which General
Tucker's division, aided by a turning movement of Cavalry and
Mounted Infantry under General French, dislodged the Boers a
month earlier. Though they had made several attempts to
reoccupy that range in the hope of being able to shell us out of
Glen, they lost ground each time, and finally retired to an
entrenched position in front of Brandfort, to which Spytfontein
was our nearest approach. Trooper Bum-Murdoch in one of his
clever letters to the * Englishman ' gave an admirable sketch of
outpost work when it was a new experience to Lumsden's Horse :

Spytfontein consists of several kopjes with rocks between and, so far
as I could see, only one farmhouse, so you will not find it marked on the
map. We took the place of some Australians, as they had been pretty
busy and their horses were all knocked up. To the north of us were
Loch's Horse about 500 yards off, and quite close to our southern flank
were some companies of East Lancashire Mounted Infantry. What with
outlying pickets, guards, horse pickets, and such like, we did not find
time hang heavy on our hands. And, as our nearest neighbours over the
kopjes were large bodies of Boers with heavy guns and other arms, we
had, as the saying is, to sleep with one eye open, and that one well
skinned. I have many a time steered my way by Old Crux away down
south. But I found that gazing at it over the icy-cold muzzle of a Lee-
Metford was, though possibly just as profitable and useful a job, very
much less romantic.

One reads in Olive Schreiner and in other African authors' books of
the never-to-be-forgotten pleasure of sleeping out on the great South
African veldt, the pale calm moon overhead, and only the shade of the
waggon for covering, around which the trek oxen rest after their day's
toil, the monotonous crunch, crunch of their jaws as they chew the cud

IMPKESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN 139

being the only sound that breaks the awe-inspiring silence. My personal
experience was vile — cold winds, little or no moon, wet grass and rocks to
lie upon, soaking wet feet and clothes, one wet blanket and ditto coat, the
only change to this being two hours' sentry-go every four hours.

We were not allowed to walk about as on ordinary sentry-go, but had
to keep quiet and sit or lie down for the most of the time, with our eyes
straining out into the dark north, where every piece of scrub or large stone
rapidly grew into a slouch-hatted Boer, as our brains became hypnotised
with ceaseless gazing. And on our keen sense of hearing and sight
depended the lives of all the corps !

One afternoon the alarm was given, and we promptly 'stood to arms '
in excited expectation of an attack. But it proved to be a false alarm ;
and I was not surprised that it was so, as our valiant signaller standing
on the sky-line of a neighbouring kopje flagged the news down to us, and
of course all the Boers between our pickets and Kroonstad at once knew
that Lumsden's Horse were awake and there — so they thought better of
it. Some few days afterwards we got orders to parade at 2.30 a.m. to
take part in an attack on a Boer force which had been ' located * on some
hills to the south-west of us and skirting the Modder Eiver. I was horse
sentry that night, so got practically no sleep. At 2.30, however, amid a
thundercloud of English and Hindustani, Lumsden's Horse awoke and
managed to saddle up in the darkness ; and then, by dint of shouting out
each other's names, we managed to wriggle into our proper subsections.
As one man put it, ' the bundabust was shocking.'

From the midst of this noisy dark chaos emerging, away we marched.
Bitterly cold and cheerless was that morning, every second man's teeth
chattering like so many castanets, while one's feet felt en masse with the
stirrup irons. In a short time we were joined by Loch's Horse, the
Victorian Mounted Eifles, the Artillery, and Lancashire Mounted Infantry,
and silence was the strict order of the march ; and silence it was pretty
well, until one of Loch's Horse, with his cut-ofif open, let bang two shots —
phew ! phew ! went the two nickels over the lot of us, and half of us
* bowed our heads * reverently. I believe Mr. Loch got fourteen days' for
that, and served him jolly well right.

The sun coming out, our spirits rose somewhat, and our fingers became
warm enough to pull out bits of biscuit from our haversacks and so have
a sumptuous breakfast on horseback. An hour and a half's march brought
us to a deep creek with a good drift over it, and this we crossed in safety.
On the other side we found a long and broad expanse of plain gradually
sloping up to a ridge of high kopjes some four miles in front of us. On
these kopjes our friends the Boers were supposed to be waiting for us, so
we spread out into extended single ranks with about eleven yards interval.
A kind friend having given me a cheroot, I lit up and enjoyed a peaceful

140 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

smoke, while at the same time I could not help wondering how many more
smokes the Boers would allow me to have. Shortly afterwards we got
the order to advance at the canter, which we did ; eis our scouts were
barely 1,500 yards ahead and had not had time to * search ' the kopjes
properly, this was, in my opinion, a risky order. However, we got there.
Firing had meanwhile commenced on our left, and two of our
Victorian scouts were bagged. Our pom-poms and guns then tuned up ;
boom ! pom-pom-pom, pom-pom ! boom — and after a little of this double-
bass tune the Boers bolted and left us in possession. Skirting along the
scrub-covered banks of the Modder Kiver, we at length reached Waggon
Bridge, over which my subsection took the lead as scouts ; and about
midday arrived at a Boer farm some two and a half miles further on.
Here we stayed the night, camping out on some commanding kopjes. A
strict watch was, of course, kept up all night. Next day we duly received
some nice compliments from the General in command on our rapid march
and successful capture of Waggon Bridge ; and then, like the celebrated
Duke of York's Army, we marched back again to our camp.

An officer of the corps, writing to friends at Calcutta, adds
some interesting details :

We are right up at the front now holding a line of kopjes overlooking
a large plain all round. There is nothing in the plain except one or two
small kopjes occupied by the Boers between here and Brandfort. They
come close in every night, and often do a little sniping at our outposts,
but they disappear at daybreak. The other morning four Australians
went out to a farm about three miles off ; there were supposed to be only
women there, and they had a couple of white flags up ; but as soon as
the first man got into the yard several Boers jumped out of the pigsty,
shot his horse, wounded him and took him prisoner — the others had to
clear. They say about a dozen Boers come there every night. The
Australians have a picket a mile ofl^, but they have not succeeded in
catching anybody. The General won't allow firing into the farm, because
he says the women can't help the Boers coming for supplies and things.
The farm where we get our milk and stuflf is owned by a Boer who has
given up his arms ; he fought against us, and bucks that he shot a Gordon
Highlander oflBcer at ten paces at Magersfontein. This Boer was in an
awful funk lest his old friends should reach his farm and shoot him ; at
least, he said so. The night before last our sentries on one of the pickets
were quite certain they saw our Boer friend lamp-signalling, and our
signallers on the kopje noticed it also. Twenty Boers were seen in the
distance in the afternoon, and he was evidently signalling to them.
To-day there was a quantity of ammunition found in one of his kraals,
so he will probably find himself in chokee. The day before I rejoined

IMPKESSIONS OP BLOEMFONTEIN 141

from hospital we attacked, or, rather, the Boers attacked us, but were
shelled out of their position. Two of our ofl&cers who were left in camp
saw from one kopje a shell burst in the middle of five men, and saw
them all go down.

On the 23rd, when our men were sent away to the right with some
other M.I. and the Cheshires to seize a bridge and to drive Boer raiders
from some kopjes, they did not apparently wait to be turned out, but
cleared and trekked across the plain to Brandfort. Our men never fired a
shot, though Loch's Horse on their left had a little shooting and lost one
man, an advance scout. TThe Boers let him walk right into their midst,
and as he turned round to bolt his horse came down and they took him
prisoner. Our position is about, as far as I can make out, the centre of a
half circle from Karree Siding to the Glen. One quarter circle is held by the
7th Division, two batteries, and various M.I. The o*her afternoon some
Boers started sniping at our signal-post, but came nowhere near hitting ; we
all stood to arms, and when thirty men were sent out they cleared. They
generally amuse themselves sniping at our outposts at something like
2,000 yards with no effect. We have to furnish three night pickets —
three oflBcers, five non-commissioned, and sixty men every night ; it falls
rather hard on the section olBficers, as one is sick, and the company com-
manders and the staflf, of course, don't do it, so it means three of the
seven are out every night. There is not very much to do on picket
except post the sentries, visit them two or three times in the night, and
get them in again a little before sunrise, when they return to camp. There
is also a day outpost of twenty men and two non-commissioned officers,
and generally a convoy of similar size into Karree Siding ; so the men,
too, have enough to do.

There was a fight expected to-day (29th), but it has not come off,
only a few shots on our left. The order has just come for us to go out
to-morrow, leaving a sufficient guard to strike our tents and bring them on
if necessary. We hope it is the real advance this time.

Douglas Jones proved himself such an excellent Assistant-Quarter-
master that, as B Company's appointments were all probationary, he
has been made Company Quartermaster-Sergeant, We lost poor old
Eoger at Kruger Siding on the way up. He had quite turned into a
regimental dog, and on the march used generally to come along with
the rearguard. We halted to feed there one march, and he may have
stopped with the Eoyal Scots. It is quite possible he went back to
Jagersfontein, and made up to the Gloucester Yeomanry. They are
bringing in two of our lame horses, so if he did we may get him again.

Another correspondent who was kept in camp by a slight
ailment while his comrades were away on patrol or some more
exciting expedition records how he got out kits and collected

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

firewood, ^ a thing I never did before/ and how when others
of his section came back they lay by the dying embers to
keep themselves warm and occasionally made the fire flicker
up by throwing more wood on it, reckless of danger from snipers,
who were always on the prowl. While the main body of
Lumsden's Horse were away on that dash for Waggon Bridge the
Boers made a counter demonstration from Brandfort, supported
by pom-poms, and got within a thousand yards of the Red
House Farm, but did no damage beyond interfering with the

domestic arrangements of a
Regular regiment, whose oflS-
cers, being too far from the point
of attack to see what really
happened, thought their position
was being seriously threatened
and wanted 28,000 rounds of
ammunition brought up from
Karree Siding for emergencies.
The orderly corporal who sent
that request on got jeered at as
an alarmist, when nothing hap-
pened except a retirement of
the Boers. The next day Lee
Stewart, who had been left be-
hind in hospital at Cape Town,
rejoined, and got a cordial wel-
come from all his comrades
when they marched back from
their first little expedition. The
section mess was enabled to
regale him at dinner that night on ' chicken cooked by N-

PAo/o: Bourne d: Shepherd

CAPTAIN NOBLETT (Majob Royal Irish
Rifles)

(Commanding B Company Lumsden's Horse)

and beefsteaks,' so that one hardly wonders to find in the next
day's record the melancholy note, ' There little was to eat ; sat
round the cook-house — two tins on the open veldt — and talked.'
In his official report Colonel Lumsden sums up all this in a
few brief sentences, having matters of more serious weight on
his mind at the moment :

Our departure for Spytfontein was delayed from 19th to 21st ult. — on
which date we left Bloemfontein, halting at the Glen en route, arriving at

IMPRESSIONS OF BLOEMFONTEIN

143

Spytfontein midday on the 22nd ult. There I reported to Colonel E088,
who commands our corps, consisting of the following units, of which the
approximate strength is given : *

Lumsden's Horse 240

Loch's Horse (a squadron) 220

West Riding and Oxford L.I. Companies of M.I. 220

8th Battalion M.I 420

Total 1,106

Late that evening I received orders to hold myself in readiness at
4.30 A.M. for jE^anz Kraal, whither we marched in company with the 14th
Brigade, our object being to protect a bridge about eight miles distant
on the main road to Bloemfontein, which the Boers intended to destroy.
We were only just in time to prevent them carrying out their object,
by getting there before them, with only a couple of casualties among the
Australian contingent. We spent the night at the bridge, returning the
next day to Spytfontein. While at the latter place we were fortunate in
securing a few more Government remounts to replace several unfit horses.
I may mention that at Spytfontein we were in easy sight of the Boer
outposts, being only eight miles distant from Brandfort. A long flat
plain separated the Boer boundary from our own, and their scouts were
distinctly visible to us every morning. Nothing eventful occurred during
the next few days, but on the 30th we received our baptism of fire as far
as we are personally concerned.

* The Suffolk Company M.I., numbering 120, joined later. — Ed.

144 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEE VITI

THE BAPTISM OF FIRE—LUMSDEN'S HORSE AT
OSPBUIT {HOUTNEK)

How often ignorant critics have sneered at that phrase ' the
baptism of fire,' which expresses finely, with literary completeness
and force, a truth of which men who have never been in the
front line of battle can know nothing! However much the
phrase may have been degraded by melodramatic application,
it is a gem in its clearness of thought and perfection of finish.
The soldier's first fight is a plunge from which he emerges a new
being. Whether the change may be for better or worse depends
probably on temperament and previous associations. The fire
of battle does not purify a sinner or sear the soul of a saint, but
neither is quite the same after as he was before passing through
it. He has seen things which, in some subtle way, unfelt, per-
haps, and certainly unacknowledged, will influence the remaining
years of his life. It is not only because he has looked death in
the face — that is a common enough experience elsewhere and
leaves no perceptible trace — but he has stood where dear comrades
fell beside him in the midst of scenes that at other times would
be heartrending, and, as if in a state of complete detachment
from himself, he has passed callous through it all. The braver
a man is, the more surely some consciousness of that strange state
clings to him. To call it selfish indifference or the numbness
of fear, as some insolent ignoramus might, would be to falsify the
history of war. Selfish men and cowards do not walk with eyes
open into the very jaws of death to help a wounded comrade,
nor would dazed brains be capable of the swift thought that
characterises soldiers in the direst danger. Yet men who at
such times have done deeds worthy of the Cross for Valour will

BAPTISM OP FIRE 147

ilot be able to tell you what sensations possessed them, simply
because feeling in the ordinary sense was for a moment, or for an
hour it may be, dead. The mental faculties were clear enough —
so clear, indeed, that they took impressions, photographic in
sharpness and detail, of every immediate surrounding, yet with
no power of communicating those impressions in any sentient
form. They knew, but did not feel. There are people who will
tell you gravely that the Victoria Cross is an evil because it
inspires men to do reckless things out of sheer desire for the
glory of that decoration. It is all nonsense. I have known a
great many Victoria Cross heroes, but not one who gained that
high distinction because he tried to or was conscious at the
moment of deserving it. There are soldiers of some countries
in the world to whom glory and the lust of fame are incentives
to valorous deeds. They love to think that the eyes of the world,
and especially of its fairer half, are on them as they march to
battle, and for the sake of these things they will volunteer to
lead forlorn hopes ; but once in the fight they behave as Nature
or Fate decrees. The mere outward trappings of gallantry avail
nothing then.

Of the curious duality that can only be described as detach-
ment of mind from body, memory recalls two conspicuous
examples which occurred within my knowledge, if not both
within my actual range of vision, on the battlefield of Elands-
laagte. One was w^hen the Imperial Light Horse were rushing
up the last slope to that wonderful ralljdng cry of theirs in an
onslaught that rolled like a resistless wave across the shot-torn
crest and crowned the day with victory. One trooper dropped
out of the ranks as if a bullet had struck him, yet he knew that
only his legs had given way, suddenly refusing to carry him any
further. Speaking frankly of this incident afterwards, he said
that at the moment no thought in his mind was so strong as the
desire to be with those who were charging up the stony heights,
waved on by their intrepid Colonel, Chisholm. He had no
sensation that could be akin to fear, and yet he was powerless to
move a limb. Then suddenly a strange thing happened. A
Mauser bullet ploughed along his cheek and stung him. In
another moment mind and body were leaping together up that

L 2

148 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

hill, each striving to be first in the race, and behaving with a
gallantry at which even brave men wondered. But for that
accidental shot the trooper might have stopped where he fell
and been branded as a coward. The other illustration occurred
almost simultaneously, but in a different way. Some wounded
men of the same dauntless corps were lying on an opposite slope
exposed to a heavy fire from some Boers who had crept back
to a rocky ledge from which they were raking the whole of that
ground with a shower of nickel. John Stuart, of the ^ Morning
Post,' and I went to help two or three who were too badly hit to
move, and succeeded in getting them from the bare veldt to
comparative safety behind small boulders. One of them told me
afterwards that his mind was full of nothing but profound
gratitude and admiration when he saw us tucking a comrade
into one little sheltered nook, and yet the words that his tongue
all the while hurled at us for our folly in not taking cover were
quite unfit for publication. No man can pass through expe-
riences of that kind and be in all things the same again. The
' baptism of fire ' has changed him, though he may never admit it
to himself or betray it to his friends.

And the time was at hand when Lumsden's Horse were to
take their plunge and emerge from it with the reputation of soldiers
in whom trust could be placed from that day forward. The
share they had in operations that extended over a front of nearly
thirty miles, from Thaba 'Nchu to Ospruit, was comparatively
small. But for them it was the most eventful episode of the
campaign — their first fight, their passing of the threshold beyond
which was the secret of more of human life than they had ever
known. In that one day they were to look death in the face, to
see comrades, the friends of their youth, fall beside them, to
have thoughts of sorrow in their minds but no pang in their
hearts. Grief was to come days, perhaps months afterwards,
when a chance word or the touch of a hand might set the pent-up
currents flowing in channels that war had closed. Above all,
they were to know the British soldier as he is in fight — a
creature of strange impulses, of wonderful tenderness, when he
might be expected to show the roughest qualities with which
habit has endowed him, and of sublime endurance. Writing

BAPTISM OF FIRE 149

after the plunge, one of Lumsden's Horse thanks God that he
had seen it all :

For such is the British Tommy — taken from the lowest classes, so
our sixth-class paper editors take care to blazen forth. Drunken louts
in the streets, not allowed into a decent theatre, knocked about if
a bit drunk by an oflBcious policeman — everything that is bad, in
fact. Change the scene, and what do we see ? Mile after mile of ' the
thin red line,' now changed to * the dirty khaki rag * ; the battered
khaki helmet, Tommy's only pillow at night ; the coarse, hard ammuni-
tion boots. Dirt and vermin cover him from head to foot — no water to
drink, much less to wash with— a heavy marching kit, rifle, and cartridges,
and as for food, why, not enough to feed a dog. Ay ! Many and many
are the dogs that would have refused Tommy's South African menu with
tumed-up noses. Overhead at times a scorching sun ; at others a blinding,
cold, blustering rain ; and at night always the bleak, cold, north-west wind.
March ! March ! March ! On they go, bravely, truly, sturdily, hardly
a grumble, while safely at home you have your coUar-and-tie renegade
telling us of the atrocities these brave men are committing. Lies ! all
lies, I say. I've met some of those people since I came back, and my
one wish has been to have them out against a brick wall with six good
brave Tommies to fire a volley. Yes. I am glad, ay, more than glad,
spite of wounds and hardships, that I have seen our good brothers of the
khaki as they ought to be seen — no swell uniforms there, no pipeclay, no
shining cuirasses and polished helmets to ' catch on ' with a non-military
public. Ye gods, no I all khaki, khaki ; all one great army, be it a
Colonial, be it a London slum, or a Highland bracken born lot of men.
They are all brothers in arms, one in object, one in deeds of bravery and
devotion to an Empire.

That eloquent passage, written by Trooper Bum-Murdoch,
gentleman and tea-planter, should be enough to silence the
tongue of calumny and convince any unprejudiced mind that
whatever war may do it does not brutalise. In illustration of
that truth many other instances will have to be given before this
narrative runs its course to an end.

Now, however, it is necessary to describe briefly the general
scope of operations whereby Lumsden's Horse were drawn, much
sooner than they had any hope of, into their first fight.
Attempts had been made by Generals Bundle, Ian Hamilton,
and French to surround Boer forces that were retiring sullenly

150 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

from their futile siege of Wepener. But De Wet was in
command there, and his mobile ' slimness/ aided by secret
information from Free State burghers, who, having taken the oath
of neutrality, were allowed to live on their farms or to move about
freely without any watch being kept on them, frustrated every
attempt to hem in the commandos. General Brabant's Colonial
division, following Sir Leslie Bundle's, was still some distance
off, and General Pole-Care w's retirement to Bloemfontein for
fresh orders at this juncture unfortunately left a gap open between
General French's left and the force under Sir Ian Hamilton, which
was by that time extended along the Modder valley near Sauna's
Post, facing north-east. Through this opening the Boers slipped
back to the high ground round about Thaba 'Nchu. Pressed hard
by French, they were driven from the southern and western spurs
of these hills, but still clung to the commanding mountain itself,
where they gathered reinforcements day by day. Then French
ceased to press, and the turn came for Ian Hamilton to strike, in
the hope that he might drive a wedge across the lower ridges
between Thaba 'Nchu and Brandfort, which would not only tear
the chain of Boer positions asunder, but also open the way for a
combined movement by which their left wing, under De Wet,
should be enveloped if he attempted to prolong his stand in. the
Thaba 'Nchu range. It was cleverly designed ; but we all know
what often happens with the best-laid plans, especially when
there are spies free to move about without danger to themselves.
It was at this phase of the extended operations that Sir Ian
Hamilton began to advance towards Houtnek, where he found
himself confronted by a formidable gathering of commandos
under General Louis Botha, and they were being reinforced from
all directions, the Boers having regained hope and courage from
the presence of a leader whose reputation then stood incompa-
rably high among them. Though the numerical strength and
boldness of his enemies were something of a surprise to General
Hamilton, he had in some measure prepared for the unforeseen by
calling upon General Tucker to make a diversion by which
the Boers under De la Eey's command in Brandfort might be
discouraged from sending reinforcements to Houtnek. With the
Seventh Division, or rather in advance of it as a covering screen,
the Mounted Infantry brigade under Colonel Henry was ordered

BAPTISM OF FIKE 151

to co-operate, supported by General Maxwell's brigade of Infantry.
Of the Mounted Infantry, to which a post of honour was thus
assigned, the 8th Battalion, commanded by Colonel Ross, was to
form the advance guard. Thus Lumsden's Horse were destined in
their first fight to bear the brunt of the attack if it should come ;
and, in high spirits at the prospect, they looked with an interest
they had never felt before towards the rugged line of low kopjes
far away across the broad plain with light from the setting sun
full upon them. That the orders were thus made known to all
ranks twelve hours before they could be acted on is a proof that
they had not been drawn up on the spur of sudden emergency,
and, indeed. Sir Ian Hamilton was only then feeling for his enemy
in the direction of Houtnek. At this point the picturesque pen
of the ' Englishman's ' correspondent goes on with the narrative :

On April 29 we got warning to be ready to take part in a general
attack early the next morning. So we bustled round and got everything
ready. At 5 p.m. I and two other men of my sub-section were ordered
out on outlying picket, leaving Trooper Thelwall to saddle our three
horses before daybreak as well as his own, when we were to march into
camp again and get mounted and ready to start with the rest. So, just
having time to get half a pint of tea and some dry bread, we hurried out
on picket for the night. And that was, practically speaking, the last food
I tasted until 8 o'clock the next night. Not what you could call * 'igh
livinV is it? It was bitterly cold, and, what with the everlasting night
wind and only one blanket, we pickets were not much troubled with sleep
that night. However, at 5 o'clock in the morning of the 30th we rolled
up our blankets and marched into camp, and at once set to work at
tightening up girths, adjusting saddles and kits. I had just time to put
some bread into my haversack, and half fill my horse's nosebag with
cartridges and also two or three priceless 'smokes,' when we had to
mount. So away went all chances of breakfast that morning. Alas !
some of us had no need for food and drink in the evening. Just as old
Sol began to rise up over the kopjes we marched out of camp, up over
the ridge, and down the other side towards the open veldt. Here we
paused for a while to allow the other troops to join us. Taking advan-
tage of this short halt, we got into our proper sub-sections, dismounted,
and had a last look at our girths, and tightened up curbs, &c. Poor old
mokes ! How many of them, my own included, were fated never to see
another day dawn ! Colonel Lumsden now rode up to us and gave us a
rough idea of what we were to do, and informed us that our B Troop was
to have the place of honour, and that we were to take the lead. And,

152

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

knowing us as he did, he had not the sHghtest doubt that we would
not fail to distinguish ourselves, &c. To which our gallant * Oirish '
Captain Chamney began to reply in his usual Indian after-dinner style,
that he felt proud of his troop, and fully conscious of the great honour
that was bestowed upon us in being allowed to take the lead ; and he
sincerely hoped that we would do justice to the confidence bestowed on us.
He would no doubt have continued in this style for some time had not
our good old Major chipped in with his usual * down-in-his-boots ' aside :
* Oh, that's all right, Chamney ; damn it, man, of course you will.' And
these were the last words I ever heard the good old man utter in this life.

Good old Showers, gruff as
they make *em, but a true white
man's heart inside for all that.
Never afraid to jump on an officer
for all you were worth if you
thought he deserved it ; and after
those long hot Indian parades,
how many times have we heard
your hearty laugh at the head of
the camp mess- table ! For seven
years our Colonel, and the man
who made the Surma Valley
Light Horse second to none in
India.

All the attacking forces being
now mustered, we made a start
and away we marched. For
some part of the time our route
lay alongside a pretty little lagoon,
and then the road gradually lost
itself in the great open veldt.
How peaceful it all seemed that
morning ! The few cattle and sheep that were quietly grazing here
and there on the scanty tussocks would casually lift up their heads and
gaze at us, and, seeing that there were no strange dogs with us, would go
on cropping the grass, though possibly a sheep or two would scuttle out
of the way with a contemptuous wriggle of their tails. Time of war !
one says — humbug ! one could not believe it on that quiet morning. The
fresh ozonised air, the soft, steady breeze, now pleasantly tempered by
the bright morning sun ; and there, by the doorway of the quiet little
farmhouse, the farmer's wife standing with her milk-pails all ready, while
she laughingly makes passing remarks to her departing * guests.'

The only signs of war, maybe, are those few fences with their wires

CAPTAIN H. CHAMNEY

BAPTISM OF FIEE 153

cut down ; and these you would suppose had been broken down by some
restless calves or light-hearted foal. From our ranks could be seen and
smelt the little clouds of tobacco-smoke which rose up in the clear air like
so many stray wandering bits of cumulus clouds, while back in the rear
could be heard the quaintly sad airs of * Bearer Ganga Din * and * Who's
dat a-callin* ? * as some of our musically inclined troopers gave vent un-
consciously to their feelings. What a lovely, jolly morning that was !
All those dire hardships, cold, hunger, and wet, we had known only too
well ; but to-day — light, warmth, and the indescribable freshness of the
open veldt, while under us were our plucky Indians, Arabs, and Walers,
fresh as English daisies and keen as the air we breathed.

Some miles ahead of us — though seemingly quite close, owing to the
intensely clear atmosphere — lay a long range of low-lying hills all lighted
up with various shades of colouring, the hues of which kept ever changing
from moment to moment as the sun rose higher in the heavens. Still
further on, and filling up the whole background of this typically African
landscape, lay the razor-backs and table-topped peaks of the Basuto hills,
from the tops of which soft filmy wisps of cloud drifted silently away into
that great blue * nothingness.' All peace ! Peace on earth, it seemed to
us that fair mom. Nor could we poor troopers realise that ere God's
life-giving sun should set that night great Mars would look down on
many of us poor mortals writhing in the agonies of cruel death-dealing
wounds and the tortures of the surgeon's knife and probe, while some
poor souls, like these vanishing vapoury clouds, would have left this little
world for the infinite beyond. Nor could the mind of our well-loved
Major, as he rode at the head of those men he had known for long, long
years, have realised that in a few short hours his true British heart would
have ceased to beat, and his life's blood would be mingled with the dust
of that great continent where so many good men and true had already
given up their lives for an Empire's cause. Thank God for the im-
penetrable veil that He casts over our future! One scene especially
struck me by its beauty, and that was when a battery of Artillery toiled
over a tussocky ridge right into the blazing disc of the sun". As gun after
gun topped the ridge the whole team, horses and men, were shut out from
our sight by the powerful blaze of light in a most curious way ; while here
and there a khaki-clad helmeted Artilleryman stood silhouetted against
the sky-line, over which the khaki gun-carriages disappeared into a
glaring sea of gold.

As we were now approaching some suspicious-looking kopjes, we
opened out into extended order as usual, and Lumsden's Horse were told
off to take, and hold, a certain line of kopjes some two miles off. So we
promptly set to work, approaching them very * cannily,' with scouts well
out in advance.

154 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Arriving at the base of the kopjes without opposition, we dismounted
and skinnished up to the tops, but found that the Boers had cleared out,
though, judging by the several * sangars * built of rocks, these must have
been held in force. Our scouts in the meantime had advanced along the
plain on the other side of the kopjes, and just as we arrived on top the
enemy opened on them with a continuous rattle of rifle fire, and I saw
several of the poor beggars limping back over the plain pulling their
wounded horses after them, while all around them, to use whaler's
language, the sandy plain kept * spouting ' as the deadly bullets struck
and ricocheted. From where we were it was utterly impossible to tell
from what direction the bullets were coming, so we could do little in the
way of keeping down the Boer fire. However, we did our best. But as
the enemy soon ceased firing we reserved our ammunition for later use.

Away to our left the Artillery were now having a great duel, while the
pom-poms on both sides were making things generally cruel for the
Mounted Infantry, and also for those who were holding their horses.
Pom-pom-pom ! pom-pom ! and immediately whack, whack, whack !
would echo the vile bursting shells. Then boo-m-m came the big hidden
Creusot — and oh, the sound of its messenger, wo-o-o-o-ough ! It would
come soaring up with a dreadfully mournful sound, while the whole
atmosphere seemed to vibrate with its spinning. Wugh ! it would
sound, as it burst far out of harm's way, and then one could staird up in
the * Who's afraid ? ' style, to lie down again promptly as No. 2 came
along. How did I feel ? you ask. Well, to be strictly honest, I didn't
hke it. I don't believe any man really does, if it comes to that. After-
wards a wounded man described his feelings very well to me ; he said,
' Do you know, I just felt as if I were outside the headmaster's room,
in for a dashed good caning.* And I think that hits off the sensation
exactly.

But now the picturesquely vague must give place to the
explicit, and it would be impossible to summarise the position at
this stage more clearly than in the terse words of Colonel
Lumsden's oflScial despatch :

On the evening of the 29th Colonel Boss received orders that the
corps was to make a demonstration next morning at daylight on the right
flank of the Boer lines for the purpose of drawing them from their
position and enabling the 14th Brigade, under General Maxwell, which
was to have come up on our right, to get behind and cut them off.

The Mounted Infantry portion of General Tucker's division, under
Colonel Henry, joined hands with us at 5 a.m., half a mile from our camp.
A portion of my corps was ordered to occupy Gun Kopje, a position

BAPTISM OF FIRE 155

believed to be held by the Boers, about four miles distant on our right
front, the remainder extending and taking up positions on our left.
I went forward with the right flank. Major Showers accompanying
me. This portion consisted of the Adjutant, Captain Taylor, Captains
Rutherfoord, Clifford, and Chamney, Lieutenants Sidey and Pugh,
and four sections, the others having been detached by order of Colonel
Ross to hold various points. Mr. Pugh was sent out in advance with
the scouts, and it was when on this duty that Private Franks was shot.
Mr. Pugh very pluckily assisted him in getting on his horse and
endeavoured to take him out of the fire ; but Franks was unable to stay
on his horse, and, dropping to the ground, had to be left. Mr. Pugh
and the remaining scouts were only just able to save themselves by
galloping up and joining us on the kopje at the extreme right, to which
we had just advanced, and which we held from 7 a.m. until ordered to
retire at about 1 o'clock.

Early in the morning I ordered Corporal Chartres with eight men to
occupy a kopje about 800 yards to our right and prevent the Boers turning
our flank. There they held their ground until ordered to fall back. It was
a small party for this important position, but in the circumstances no
more could be spared, I having only about sixty men with me, twenty of
whom, under Lieutenant Sidey, were detached by Colonel Ross to protect
the Vickers-Maxim (commonly styled * pom-pom ') in the centre of the
position.

The following was then the general disposition :

There were four ridges diverging northerly towards the enemy.
The extreme spur of the right ridge was held by myself with four
sections Lumsden*s Horse as described ; the second held by Lieutenant
Crane and one section, he being directed there at the outset by Colonel
Ross ; the third and fourth by the rest of the brigade, the two pom-poms
and our Maxim being at the head of the re-entrant between the second
and third ridges, with Captain Noblett and three sections on its left.

Shortly after our arrival the Boers took up a position on a kopje about
1,500 yards directly in front, and quickly opened rifle fire on our position.
Fortunately the men had time to ensconce themselves behind rocks, and,
consequently, though bullets fell fast about them, they were able to main-
tain a steady fire on the enemy without exposing themselves. It was
here, I deeply regret to say, that Major Showers met his death. He was
at the extreme right of the firing hue and under a hot flanking fire from
the Boers, who had moved a party into a donga some 300 or 400 yards
to their left.

I personally begged him not to expose himself, as also did Captains
Chamney and Rutherfoord; but he would stand erect, using his field
glasses and presenting a most conspicuous mark for the enemy's fire.

156

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

which resulted fatally to him shortly after noon, a Mauser bullet entering
his right side half way down and coming out through his left arm above
the elbow. In risking his own life he had drawn a heavy fire on the spot
where he fell, and it was with much danger and diflBculty that Captain
Powell, with Captain Chamney and others, succeeded in removing him
from the summit of the hill to a place of safety about thirty yards down.
I should like to take this opportunity of adding a few words by way of
tribute to the memory of Major Showers. When he heard of the corps
being raised, he was in command of the Surma Valley Light Horse in
Cachar, with the rank of Colonel, and was looked upon as one of the

smartest commanders of Volunteer
Cavalry in India. He wrote me
and said, * If you will take me as
your second in command, I will
gladly forfeit my rank and come
as Major.' I may have made many
fortunate selections in choosing
my officers, but I never made a
wiser one than in selecting Colonel
Showers. A better or a braver
man never breathed, and his loss
to me so early in the campaign
was irreparable.

Shortly after the commence-
ment of the Boer attack the whole
of the left were forced to retire
owing to their flank being turned,
taking one pom-pom and our
Maxim with them. Captain Nob-
lett was consequently obliged, at
about 11 A.M., to conform to this
movement, having no support, and
took his men out of the shell fire with great difficulty but had only a
few casualties.

Lieutenant Crane, receiving no orders to retire, and being detached
from me and unable to communicate with me or I with him, deemed it
his duty to retain his position as long as possible, which resulted in close
fighting and the loss of nearly half his section.

One pom-pom and Lieutenant Sidey had been sent to the neck of
the right ridge to support us, we having been instructed to hold our
position until further orders. This pom-pom retired at about 12.30, and
at 1 o'clock Lieutenant Sidey and I both received our orders to retire.
This was carried out very deliberately, and the last of our men got out of

CAPTAIN NEVILLE C TAYLOR

L.-SERGT. J. S. ELLIOTT R. U. CASE (Killed) SERGT. F. S. McNAMARA

C. A. WALTON

A. F. FRANKS
(Killed at Houtnek)

J. S. SAUNDERS

R. N. MACDONALD L. GWATKIN WILLIAMS CORPL. A. McGILLIVRAY

N.C.O.S AND TROOPEES

BAPTISM OF FIEE

159

a most trying position within twenty minutes of having received our
orders, by moving away under cover of the ridge.

As we had kept up a decreasing fire until the men got mounted,
the Boers, fortunately for us, did not discover our retirement before we
were out of range, otherwise we should have suffered heavily. While
retiring, Private Bum-Murdoch's horse was brought down by a stray
bullet, causing him a heavy fall and a nasty woimd in his head.
Captain Chamney, who was near by at the time, with some assistance
got Murdoch on to his own horse and pluckily rode with him oflf the
field.

Captain Taylor, with much gal-
lantry and coolness, remained with
the led horses, and saw the last of
the men mounted and clear away
before he himself left, bringing up
the rear with Captain Clifford and
some late stragglers, including one
man who would stay for a last shot.

The whole brigade rendezvoused
at 2 P.M. behind a kopje about three
miles in rear and waited till 3, w^hen
we returned to our various camps.

For some reason the main at-
tack on our right under General
Maxwell had not been delivered,
and the object of the day was not
achieved. My corps alone had the
regrettable number of eighteen
casualties out of about 180 engaged.
This was mainly accounted for by
the position we held. The Maxim
under Captain Holmes did good
service, coming into action at 1,000
yards at a critical moment and checking the Boer advance for some time.
The enemy's * Long Tom/ however, soon found the Maxim out, and, as
the shells were bursting among the men with the gun horses, they were
ordered to retire only just in time, all the team being more or less wounded.

I cannot speak too highly of the gallant behaviour of my officers
and men throughout the day. Individual instances of heroism were
numerous, and I much fear that, especially in Mr. Crane's section, many
of the casualties were caused by men endeavouring to assist their wounded
comrades. Mr. Crane himself was wounded in the groin, and I under-
stand Private Daubney's and Private Case's deaths were due to their

Photo: Hughes <C- Mullins

H. C. LUMSDEN (Killed in Action,
HouTNEK, April 80, 1900)

160 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

declining to leave their wounded officer. Judging from the number of
empty cartridge cases found beside them, they must have kept up a fire
on the advancing Boers to the last. Here Corporal Angus McGilhvray,
Privates Leslie Gwatkin Williams, Firth, and K. N. Macdonald were
taken prisoners, along with Lieutenant Crane. Here fell Private
H. C. Lumsden.

The same evening about 4 o'clock Dr. Powell, with the ambulance
tonga, and Private Godden went out under the Eed Cross flag to search for
the wounded, but in the gathering darkness were only able to reach the
body of Major Showers, who died previous to the retirement from our
position on the right where he fell. Captain Powell, in endeavouring to
return to camp, lost his way and had to remain during the night on the
veldt, reaching camp soon after daylight next morning. Shortly after his
arrival he returned with another search party, but found that the Boers
had already buried the bodies of Privates Case, Daubney, and Lumsden,
after having read the burial service over them. A stone had been put
over the head of Private Lumsden with his name scratched on it. The
reiM»on for this, as narrated by Transport-Sergeant Stephens, is interesting.
When drivers were sent out with carts the following day, they met
several English-speaking Boers, * who would not talk much about the
fight, but said they were sorry our Colonel was killed. They had found
some papers in the pockets of young Lumsden, whom they took to be the
Colonel.* The remains of Major Showers, being found still unburied,
were brought back and interred with military honours at the foot of the
kopje behind our camp. Private Franks, whose wounds had been dressed
by Captain Powell, had to be left on the hill near the body of Major
Showers, where he was found by the Boers shortly afterwards and re-
ceived every attention, but died during the night and was buried by them
in the morning. The Boers, subsequent to the fight, were most courteous
in their attentions, and returned papers, rings, watches, money, &c., found
on the bodies.

I wdsh specially to mention a very plucky action done by Private
C. A. Walton, who is wounded and a prisoner in Pretoria. He was one
of the men in charge of the led horses in the No. 3 Section of A Company
when Sergeant Walker took temporary command of the section in Lieu-
tenant Neville's absence on sick leave. On the order to retire Sergeant
Walker had to run some distance to his horse, and came back much
exhausted. The enemy being quite close on them, and Sergeant Walker's
horse having been lost. Private Walton insisted on giving up his own
horse to the Sergeant, saying that he could run. While doing so he was
shot twice, and had to be left on the ground, although Sergeant Walker
did his utmost to take him along with him.

After our return to camp I was much gratified to receive from

BAPTISM OF FIKE 161

Colonel Boss, the Corps Commander, and Colonel Henry, the Brigade
Commander, congratulations on the behaviour of my ofl&cers and men
throughout the day, and on the morning following General Tucker,
the Divisional Commander, came over in person for a similar purpose ;
but at the same time read me a lecture on the inadvisability of allowing
my men to attempt to bring oflf their wounded comrades when under fire.
He pointed out that it only drew fire on the wounded men and en-
dangered their own lives for no adequate result, as the Boers were a
very humane foe, who treated the wounded carefully. The troopers, he
said, must remember that their first duty as soldiers was id their Queen
and country.

With deep regret I append a list of the casualties :

Killed : Major Eden C. Showers — buried at Spytfontein ; Privates
K. J. Clayton Daubeny, H. C. Lumsden, E. N. Case, Alfred F. Franks
— buried by the Boers.

Wounded : Lieutenant Crane ; Paymaster David S. Fraser ; Ser-
geant-Major Cyril M. C. Marsham, bullet " wounds through shoulders
and thigh ; Lance-Sergeant J. S. Elliott, shell wound of right foot ;
Sergeant F. S. McNamara, bullet wound in thigh ; Private J. H. Burn-
Murdoch, fracture of frontal bone by fall from his horse, which was shot
under him during retirement.

Of these Sergeant- Major Marsham, Lance- Sergeant Elliott, and Private
Bum-Murdoch are in hospital at Karree Siding, and Sergeant McNamara
rejoined for duty at Kroonstad.

Though General Tucker was constrained, by the wisest military
considerations, to rebuke men who, while displaying magnificent
qualities of courage and self-sacrifice in attempts to save their
wounded comrades, might have endangered the lives of others, we
may be sure that he made a mental reservation and wished in
his heart that he might have regiments of such men to lead. If
the records of his own gallant career have been truthfully kept, he
won promotion in the Bhootan expedition of 1866 and in fights
against the Zulus twelve years later, and paved the way to a
Knight Commandership of the Bath, not so much by obeying the
dictates of caution as by brilliant leadership and by conspicuous
valour that was almost reckless in its disregard of personal
danger. But he knew, with the intuition of a soldier's quick
sympathies, that the corps to whose Colonel his words were
addressed wanted no incentive to boldness, but rather a lesson
in self-restraint. He had seen a great deal of their gallantry

162

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

in that action for himself, and his brigadiers had told him
more. Lumsden's Horse, at any rate, had no reason to be
ashamed of the way in which they had taken their ' baptism
of fire.'

The devotion of Corporal Firth in sticking to his wounded
ofiicer, Lieutenant Crane, under a withering fire was a deed of
valour that should be famous throughout the Empire.

All the men with Lieutenant Crane behaved very well. Two
non-commissioned officers and eleven troopers went with him
to hold the isolated kopje on the right flank. Of this gallant

party of fourteen, three were
killed, four were wounded and
taken prisoners, four escaped
with their clothes riddled with
bullet-holes but otherwise un-
hurt; one. Corporal Firth,
could have escaped, but pre-
ferred to remain with his
wounded officer, to bind up his
wounds if possible, to go with
him into captivity perhaps, to
share death with him if need
be. Troopers Reginald Mac-
donald and Leslie Gwatkin
Williams also performed deeds
of splendid self-sacrifice. Of
those who escaped, Sergeant-
Major Marsham (wounded).
Bugler McKenzie, Sergeant
Walker, Lance- Sergeant J. S. Elliott (wounded), and Trooper
Radford, whose parting shot while he sat in the saddle brought
a Boer down, are deserving of the highest praise for the way in
which they stuck to the led horses and rode off with them under
heavy fire.

These men were not tried veterans ; they were taking their
parts in the first battle of their first campaign. But several of
them had been friends from their youth up, and all of them were
Anglo-Indians — men whose exile from the land of their birth
serves but to intensify their love for England and her greatness.

LIEUTENANT C. E. CRANE

BAPTISM OF FIRE

163

Loyalty to friend and country ! This is the magic touchstone
of the soldier's discipline and heroism.

Should any cynic dare to say that the men who did these
deeds were thirsting for glory, or inspired by a hope of winning
the Cross for Valour, or even conscious of doing more than a
common soldier's duty demanded, let him read the narrative of
their actions, as told by themselves or their comrades, and
be answered ! In the whole literature of war I know nothing
more realistic than Trooper Burn-Murdoch's description of the
incident in which he was a
half -unconscious participator ;
when lying wounded he was
taken from under fire by Cap-
tain Chamney, and finally car-
ried out of action on horseback
in that officer's arms. The
story is too characteristic of
the battlefield to bear mutila-
tion. For the sake of space,
though with reluctance, some
picturesque passages must be
sacrificed ; but, for the rest, as
Trooper Burn-Murdoch told it
originally in his letters to the
'Englishman,' he shall tell it
again here :

I'hoio : J. Charlestrorlh

The kopje which we had to hold J- H. burn-murdoch

looked down on a sloping plain, and

at a distance varying from 700 to 1,100 yards oflF, and running nearly
parallel with our kopjes, was a deep dry river bed or donga. This donga
ran right up towards the Boer position.' In my humble opinion we
should have done better to have placed some dismounted men in
this donga, and so prevented the enemy using it as a zigzag trench
or covered way towards our position. Instead of this, we literally
stuck to the kopje. And in the early part of the fight I noticed,
and drew my mates* attention to the fact, that a lot of Boers were
riding towards this river bed, but never seemed to cross it.

As the day wore on our position on these kopjes became somewhat
too warm to be pleasant. And, judging by the whistle of the bullets, we

164 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

seemed to have the enemy on our left flank as well as in front. It was
about this time that our gallant Major, who scorned to take cover, got two
mortal bullet wounds through his lungs ; our doctor very pluckily set to
and cut oflf his tunic and plugged the bullet-holes, quite regardless of the
heavy fire he was subjected to. But it was of no use ; in a few moments
the brave old soldier breathed his last. All he said was, ' Ah, well, I'm
done for . . . it's not so bad as I should have expected.' But there was
no time now to think of him^or any other poor wounded comrade.

On we went, blazing away for dear life at the well-hidden enemy.
Flat on our empty stomachs, wriggling from one stone to another, never
daring to raise one's head above a few inches from the ground. Whish !
whish ! phew ! phew ! came those deadly nickels, then ping-r-r-r would
sound the ricocheting shots as they struck the stones and rocks a few
inches from our faces, and shot up into the clear blue sky behind us with
a shriek of unquenched bloodthirstiness. Thicker and thicker they came
— and now we saw that the enemy were straight in front of us, having,
as I had expected, ridden up under the cover of the river bed. Orders
now came for us to retreat slowly from the right. So as soon as my turn
came I let blaze a few rapid parting shots, and then * sniped * back over
the ridge to where Trooper Ducat was holding my sub-section's horses.
I can tell you that was an exciting little bit of a sprint, and the bullets
striking all around me did not tend to retard my movements. However,
I got back all right, and a few seconds later Trooper Stevenson turned
up. As Trooper Thelwall had not joined us, I waited a few minutes
with his horse. And rather an anxious wait that was. As he did not,
however, arrive, I presumed that some Boer bullet had found him out.
But I tied his horse to a stump in case he did come, and then, mounting,
I galloped after the rest. It was uncommonly lucky that I did tie up
his horse, as he afterwards, during a slight lull in ths firing, managed to
make a bolt over the kopje and down to his horse. One often hears it
said that Mounted Infantry do not need to be much of riders so long
as they can shoot straight. All I can say is, let a bad rider try to
mount a fresh horse, with a large kit on the saddle and a heavy
rifle in his left hand, and bullets and pom-pom shells whistling and
cracking around, and he will agree with me in saying that every Mounted
Infantryman ought to be a very fair rider before he can be of much use
in a fight.

Gathering up my reins, I kept up a good gallop towards our next
kopje, and was just congratulating myself that I was too skinny a target
for any Boer bullets when poor old Demon came down with a fearful
crash, shot by a Mauser bullet. I suppose I must have been stunned
by the fall, as I have no recollection of seeing him again. When I came
to, I found that my neck was fearfully stiff and sore, likewise all the left

BAPTISM OF FIEE 165

side of my head. And pain — by Jove I pain was no word for it. I lay
there cursing and crawling about for some time, and was momentarily
expecting to have a * sighting shot ' into me, when, bang ! and I remem-
bered no more. I have since heard that after this two of our chaps came
along and, dismounting, turned me over and left me as a * green
*un.' I remember dimly wondering what time of day it was, as all
things seemingly were so dim and dark that I could not see. I then
thought of tying up my head with my field dressing ; but whether I did
so or not I could not swear, as I was more or less * silly.* It must have
been a pom-pom or some other kind of shell bursting near me that
did the damage. Kecovering a certain amount of sensibility, I was
endeavouring to get under some cover when Captain Chamney rode up.
He shouted out to me apparently from a long distance oflf, as I could just
hear him, * Hello, Mud'ook, what the tivil are you doing here ? Badly
hurt are ye? Come on, then, get a hold of my stirrup an' I'll take ye
along wi' me; ye'r far and away too good a man to leave behind.'
I told him, of course, to go on, as I was all right and would get behind a
rock and have a rest ; but the good old ' Oirishman ' told me to get up at
once as he ordered. And a good job it was, too, he did order me to
do so, or I'd have been resting there now. Just then Trooper Ducat
came galloping up, and the two of them got me between them and
trotted me along some hundreds of yards — it seemed miles to me.
At last I got nearly unconscious, merely rolling along in a sort of
mechanical style. But, try as much as I could, what with loss of
blood and giddiness I could go no further, and as I was a mere dead
weight on my two companions they halted, and I next remember
myself sitting behind Captain Chamney with my blood sopping down his
neck and khaki tunic, my head resting on his shoulder, and my hands
locked round his body. How I got there I don't know. I suppose they
lifted me up somehow. Anyhow, there I was, and the good old com-
mandeered Free Stater carried us well. I don't remember much of that
ride. Somebody else rode up alongside of me — I think it was Trooper
Stevenson — and he, being Scotch, and therefore ' economical,' had pluckily
picked up my rifle. So, with Ducat on one side and Stevenson on the
other, alternately digging me in the ribs, I managed to hold on until we
got to cover ; and here Ducat, who, luckily for me, was a doctor, bound
me up and gave me a drink. Gad ! I was thirsty. Shortly afterwards
one of Danjeboy's Nepaulese ambulance tongas, which we had brought
over from India with us, galloped up, and I was put inside. I don't
think that worthy Ghoorka driver liked the sound of Mausers any better
than I did, for he simply galloped the whole way. Over stones, over
scrub, over ruts. I shall never forget that ride. However, I got to the
camp all right, and willing hands carried me to my tent, where I lay till

166 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

dark with only a greatcoat for a pillow and a good solid piece of natural
veldt for a bed. Towards evening Ducat came in, and with great kindness
went and made me some cornflour, which I was able to eat. This was
the first food I had had, barring three or four mouthfuls of stale bread,
since 5 o'clock the night before.

Dr. Powell came back from the fight later. He had been tending the
wounded and dying there. Tired and weary as he was, he at once set to
and tied my head up, first shaving off some of my hair. I don't remem-
ber much after this. I remember Sergeant Elliott (of Edinburgh) was
brought into the tent with his foot shattered by a pom-pom, and we
groaned out a duet throughout that night. In the fight Elliott was
holding some horses when a pom-pom shell burst in their midst, shatter-
ing Elliott's foot and finishing off several horses, including his own.
Managing to get hold of another mount, he rode up and reported himself
to Captain Noblett, by whom he was of course ordered to the rear. So,
badly wounded as he was, Elliott rode those five miles back to camp
unaided. Next day or the day after — I do not remember exactly, as I was
unconscious for two or three days, off and on — the ambulance waggons
drove up, and into them we were shoved. Colonel Lumsden, Captain
Noblett, Captain Chamney, and Sergeant Hewitt, I think, all were there,
seeing us off and helping us to * keep our peckers up.' My one complaint
was that Captain Chamney wanted to shave off my moustache when he
was doing the V.C. trick on the veldt. I asked him why he wanted to.
He was much surprised at the question, and told me in answer that
* there were too many Boers doing the shaving for him to think of it
himself.' I must have imagined the whole thing, I suppose, when I was
lying * silly.'

Another incident which was referred to briefly by Colonel
Lumsden, who for obvious reasons did not make much of it, is
thus described in detail by Trooper Preston :

Lumsden's Horse was to do the work of advance guard and scouts.
No. 2 Section, B Company, was chosen for the scouting, and imme-
diately sent out, and very soon the whole of the 8th Mounted Infantry
was sp]*ead over the plain. One sub-section (Troopers Franks, Were,
Powis, and myself) were scouting ahead of everyone else. For the first
three or four miles the ground was fairly level, with a few small kopjes
with trees on them. Then there was a ridge of kopjes with a steep valley
behind, and then another ridge. The scouts got to the first ridge of
kopjes before seeing anyone, then two shots were heard in the distance,
and a man on a big roan horse was seen galloping away. As the scouts
rode between two kopjes on the first ridge, about sixteen men were seen
to come out from the top of the ridge; immediately the scouts halted,

BAPTISM OF FIEE

167

looked at them through their field-glasses, and saw they were dressed in
khaki. Before the scouts started they had been told to look out for some
of General French's men on their right. One of the officers coming up
then (Lieutenant H. 0. Pugh) looked at them, and saw the same as the
others — that they were dressed in khaki. The scouts then rode round
the kopje, intending to meet them. By this time the sixteen men had
got down into the valley, and were making up the steep hill on the
other side to the top of the kopje. Trooper Franks and I then went
down the valley, intending to see who they were, while the other
two went on to the right. The men had by this time got on to the
sky-line, some dismounting and
others sitting still. We rode half
way down the valley (which was
about two hundred yards across),
and then halted and looked through
our glasses. The men on the top
then shouted out something and
began to fire at us, so we turned and
galloped for our lives. Trooper
Franks, after riding about three
hundred yards, began reeling in his
saddle and tumbled oflf. Lieutenant
Pugh and a few men then galloped
up to him and found he was shot
through the back and stomach.
The bullets meanwhile were raining
about them. Franks begged us to
leave him, saying that as soon as we
were gone the Boers would stop fir-
ing ; so Lieutenant Pugh gave the
order to leave him and return to the
others, who by this time were lining

the ridge behind, Lumsden's Horse having the highest kopje to hold. As
soon as our Colonel heard Franks was wounded he started oflf on foot, with
Troopers Betts, Percy Smith, and Chapman, to fetch him. The Boers
immediately advanced down their side of the valley, and began firing at the
Colonel and his party. However, they were prepared for this, and after
a few shots the Boers retired, the Colonel bringing Franks in on his own
horse and walking beside.^ Then we got the word passed to retire from the
right. Perfect order was maintained, the men retiring one by one, the
others keeping up a continuous fire until their turn came. At last every-

* Franks was left afterwards on the kopje, where he had been placed by Colonel Lumsden, and
the Boers took him to hospital, where he died at midnight. — Ed.

Photo : Harrington

HERBERT N. BETTS, D.C.M.

168 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

one had got away except Lieutenant Crane and three or four more, whom
the order to retire never reached. The Colonel and Adjutant were
among the last to go away. The behaviour of the men was just as if
they had been accustomed to that kind of thing all their lives, smoking,
and firing at the same time, others lying behind rocks and writing letters
to their relations and sweethearts. The Bo6rs did not follow us up, and
we reached camp safely, but very sad for the losses we had sustained.

Another version of these incidents, with such minor differ-
ences as help to give a clear conception of the whole scene, is
furnished by the Special Correspondent of the 'Indian Daily
News,' who, after describing the lucky escape of one scout,
writes :

Trooper A. F. Franks, of the same sub-section, the very best of
fellows and liked by everyone, was not so lucky, poor fellow. He
accompanied Lieutenant H. 0. Pugh in advance, but, seeing nothing,
Franks suggested that he should go forward to the top of the donga
or nullah in which they were standing ; but on reaching the top he
was confronted by thirty or forty of the enemy about three hundred
yards away. They beckoned to him and spoke to him in Dutch,
presumably inquiring who he was; without waiting for a reply, how-
ever, they opened fire, and Franks then turned and retired. He had not
gone far before he was struck, the bullet going through his back and
coming out just below the heart. He managed to stick on his saddle till
he reached Lieutenant Pugh, who caught his horse by the head and led
him towards the kopje above mentioned as occupied by us. Franks was
in such pain that he was unable to bear the jolting of the horse, and so
he had to be laid down on the plain for the time being. Lieutenant Pugh
and other-men who had come up in the meantime then retired to the
kopje to report the state of affairs to Colonel Lumsden. All this time,
of course, the bullets were whistling about, and the wonder is that
not more of us were shot. Two men were then sent in search of
our doctor, and Colonel Lumsden, as soon as he heard what had hap-
pened, immediately ordered his horse and, accompanied by his orderly,
Percy Smith, of A Company, and Private H. N. Betts, of B Company,
on horseback — Private Chapman, of B Company, having previously gone
down on foot on the same errand of mercy — rode forward to the spot. On
reaching it our gallant Colonel insisted on dismounting and placing
Franks on his horse, saying the animal was a quiet one, and, notwith-
standing the urgent requests of the others that he would allow them to
give up one of their horses to him, he insisted on walking the whole dis-
tance, quite regardless of the hail of bullets round him. Progress was

BAPTISM OF FIRE 169

naturally slow, as Franks complained of severe pain, but at last the kopje
was reached, none of the party getting a scratch. They had a narrow
escape ; the Boers had evidently got the range to a nicety. They
•then started a brisk rifle fire on the kopje we were on, which we returned
at every opportunity, but they kept themselves so well under cover that
we had very poor chances of doing them any serious damage from our
side. They gradually crept up closer and closer, coming down by twos
and threes from a kopje about two thousand yards away, and taking up
their position eventually behind a slope eight to nine hundred yards distant.
A regular artillery duel, several of their shells bursting among the pom-
poms and our own Maxim, but not doing much damage. I fancy our
guns did a bit of killing, though the Boers afterwards acknowledged to
four woimded only ; our Maxim gave a very good account of itself.
I understand our only casualties in this direction were two or three
wounded horses. We were told afterwards that the day's operations
were only intended to be a reconnaissance in force to find out the enemy's
strength and position, after which large forces from the left and right
would attempt to surround them. This being the case, at about 12
(we had been under fire for about four hours) a general retirement
was ordered from the right. The Boers, seeing us retiring, were
evidently emboldened to throw aside their usual cautious tactics, and
advanced on us rapidly, very nearly rushing the kopje on which we
were before we could get away. The writer's horse, which had been tied
to a tree, got away, and he would have been badly left, as in the hasty
retreat we were obliged to make it was impossible to say who had
gone on and who was left behind, but fortunately * Molly Riley,' Mrs.
Barrow's well-known paper-chaser, was standing near a bush close by, and
Private Were, who was just going ofif, stopped behind and helped to get
hold of * Molly Eiley.' We then started to gallop off, but just then
another man came running towards us much exhausted with scram-
bling down the kopje, and Were, saying he was quite fresh, pluckily got
off and lent him his horse. Fortunately at that moment Captain Taylor,
our Adjutant, galloped up with a spare horse, and. Were getting mounted,
we all made away for our lives. We halted at a place some distance off,
and it was only then we heard of our long tale of casualties. A Company
suffered very heavily on the left flank,where part of them were lying in an
exposed position. Besides this, there were several men missing, and it was
not till we got into camp in the evening after roll-call was taken that the
exact extent of our loss was known. Franks was left on the kopje with
an orderly, as it was impossible to move him, and we heard next day that
he was taken to the Boer hospital, and died there at 12 o'clock the same
night. Among the wounded was Paymaster- Sergeant D. S. Fraser, well
known in sporting circles in Calcutta. He had his horse shot under him,

170 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

and was himself wounded in the thigh and captured by the Boers. Our
ambulance went out next day and found that the Boers had buried all
the dead, except Major Showers, whose body was brought back to camp
and buried there. The service was a very impressive one, and was con-
ducted by the Military Chaplain attached to the regiment camped close
by. It was calculated to bring home to us all the stem reahties of war.

Yet in a trooper's diary immediately after the most pathetic
entry we find it recorded that when rations were to be distri-
buted by a process of division and subdivision ' B argued

at great length that one-fourth of two-thirds could not be the
same as two-thirds of one-fourth,' and the discussion took a
heated turn. Such are the trifles that seem important to men
who have just come out of a battle in which perhaps they were
more than once close to the jaws of death. * Linesman/ in those
brilliant impressions of the war in Natal — always truthful in fact,
but not invariably just in deduction — has recorded a very similar
incident at Vaal Krantz, when, from a fire that was deafening,
bewildering in its intensity of concentration on the British front,

some died, some were carried away on dripping stretchers before they
could learn the full gamut. And the survivors ? The few within the
writer's ken — quarrelled! During a lucid interval in the shelling, the
regimental cooks had contrived to make and distribute tea to the men
lying prone in their shelters. The distribution was not perhaps impartial.
The menace of a 94-lb. shrapnel would make a liquor-measure uncertain
with the eyes of a hundred Government inspectors glued upon it ! So
there arose a bickering. Tom down below must obviously have taken
more than his share, else how came it that Mick above had to content
himself with less ? * Peace ! ' yelled the monstrous shrapnel at the
height of the argument ; * Shut up ! * snapped the pom-pom shells ;
* Silence ! ' boomed the far-off 40-pounder. Not a bit of it. No foreign-
made projectile ever fired shall stop a Briton well under way with a
grievance. That argument flourished amazingly under the shower, and
only died away when the glaring sun overhead began to induce an
unforgiving slumber.

Eidiculous, of course, such a scene must seem to civilians who
have been fed on the heroics of a melodramatic school, or
on the still falser * revelations ' of writers who, having never
seen a battle, mix their own pusillanimous imaginings with
so-called ' psychological ' studies and ironically brand that

BAPTISM OP FIRE 171

mixture with the ' red badge of courage ' ; but it is true to the
nature of soldiers who are not always thinking great things while
they do them, and who have often a laugh or an oath on their
lips when their thoughts take a flight too serious for words.
Bum- Murdoch has told us how, in the midst of a duel that was
practically for life or death between some Boers and Lumsden's
Horse in this fight at Ospruit, men laughed outright at some-
thing that seemed to them * tearfully funny, coming as it did
hke the comedian's joke in the middle of a tragedy.' A soldier
should make the best of valets because he is never a hero to
himself. Yet he has a firm and never-to-be-shaken faith in the
heroism of others. Lumsden's Horse, many of them in imminent
peril at the moment, watched their Colonel's action in going out
to bring the wounded Trooper Franks from a shot-withered slope
to some place of comparative safety, and they afterwards declared
it to be a valorous deed well worthy of the Victoria Cross. To
that conclusion Sir Patrick Playfair also came when the story
was told to him, and he said so. Thereupon Colonel Lumsden
was much upset lest somebody might say that he, too, had been
trying to win the coveted distinction. So he hastened to write
a * disclaimer ' in these words :

What Sir Patrick really means, and heard about from some of my
men, referred to the death of poor Franks, who was lying wounded on the
veldt about 800 yards from the point we held on the extreme right of the
fighting line. We could see him plainly through our glasses writhing
evidently in great pain ; and, as I asked for some volunteers to ride down
and bring him in, I did not care to request them to do a thing I would
not do myself, so rode down with my galloper, Trooper Percy Smith, now
a captain in the Middlesex Begiment and a D.S.O., and Trooper Betts and
Trooper Chapman, the latter of whom afterwards obtained a commission
in the Johannesburg Police.

On reaching the spot we found Franks lying in great danger and pain.
Having a quiet pony, * Harry Stuart,' I dismounted, and we placed the
wounded man on my horse, and while he was held by two of his comrades
we walked back to camp under a pretty heavy fire from some Boers who
were galloping on our left rear and firing at us. It was a foolish thing
on my part to have done, but, as I said, we were all new to the game
together, and I did not care to ask my men to risk their lives in an action in
which I would not chance my own. That is all. There was nothing in it.

Yes, that is all ! But let England, mother of nations, thank

172 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

God for the sons who, doing such a deed, can say and think
' there was nothing in it ' !

Cold reason may bid us approve General Charles Tucker's
words of wise caution, but all the time our hearts will be beating
time to a noble refrain, the notes of which have thrilled the
nerves of British soldiers in all ages, urging them to risk their
own lives rather than forsake a stricken comrade, and to die like
gentlemen before they would let the stain of dishonour rest on
them or their regiment. People who talk glibly of the necessity
for encouraging initiative among junior officers may hold that
Lieutenant Crane should have conformed to the general retire-
ment, instead of holding his isolated post with untimely reso-
lution, waiting for the orders that could not reach him, when
the Boers began to close in on his front and flanks. Apparently
no blame attaches to anybody for neglecting to recall Lieutenant
Crane and his party at a time when they might have extricated
themselves without serious loss. Colonel Eoss says that the orderly
whom he sent with the message was either killed or wounded, and
so the recall never reached Lieutenant Crane. That it was sent
both Colonel Eoss and his StafE officer. Captain Williams (who has
since been killed), were quite positive. In justice to Lieutenant
Crane, it must be remembered that a company officer can know
very little of what is going on at other points of a fighting line
beyond the immediate limits assigned to him, and the privilege of
initiative might be strained to a dangerous extent if every section-
leader should consider it discreet to retire directly he found him-
self pressed sorely or somebody else giving way on either flank.
In Colonel Lumsden's words— so eloquent because of their
undemonstrative simplicity — Lieutenant Crane ' deemed it his
duty to hold his position as long as possible.' How many
thousands of times in the course of our ' rough island story ' has
the Empire had cause to be thankful to the men who could thus
interpret duty as a thing above all personal considerations,
calling for self-sacrifice to the end ! It was part of the white
man's burden which Lieutenant Crane and his comrades of No. 2
Section had taken upon them long ago, when they settled as
indigo-planters in the wilds of Behar, MozufEerpore, and Saran,
where Europeans are few and natives many. In such districts
the Sahib's lot may be to face a riotous multitude of frenzied

BAPTISM OF FIRE 173

fanatics at any moment, and he must fight it out single-handed,
dying if need be under cruel torture, but never showing fear. That
was the training-school from which No. 2 Section of A Company
came. They were indigo-planters to a man, self-reliant and
imbued with a high sense of the Sahib's responsibihty to the
race from which he springs. Knowing this, we cannot wonder
that the leader deemed it his duty to fight for the ground he had
been ordered to hold rather than give way an inch, no matter
what odds were against him ; or that, when he fell wounded, with
Clayton Daubney, Henry Lumsden, and Upton Case dead beside
him, others chose to share his fate instead of leaving him to the
tender mercies of their enemies. To such men no thought of sur-
render could have come. Corporal Firth had a chance of getting
away, but he went back to where his wounded oflBcer and some
old comrades from Mozufferpore were lying under heavy fire, and
elected to stay with them as they held the Boers in check until
nearly every cartridge was expended. Not before Daubney,
Case, and Lumsden had been killed, Cyril Marsham, Stewart
McNamara, Helme Firth, Gwatkin Williams, McGillivray, and
Macdonald wounded did the Boers succeed in making any
prisoners among the little band of indigo-planters, whom they
had by that time practically surrounded within point-blank range.
No white flag was hoisted and there were no ^ hands up,' but
rifles dropped from the nerveless grip of men who had fought till
they were faint with loss of blood and there was no power in the
numb fingers to press a trigger. Others laid down the weapons
that were useless when their last cartridge had been fired ; and
then the Boers, closing in upon them, made prisoners of all who
survived. If anybody blundered, the mistake was nobly atoned
for. It is a story of which Lumsden's Horse and the whole
Empire may be proud.

An early version of this incident,- not quite accurate in some
details, furnished a noble theme for the pen of Sir A. Conan Doyle,
who, in his history of 'The Great Boer War,' writes, with a
patriot's enthusiasm and an enthusiast's glorious disregard of
fettering figures, as follows :

Before entering upon a description of that great and decisive move-
ment (the advance on Pretoria), one small action calls for comment.

174

THE HISTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

This was the cutting oflf of twenty * men of Lunisden's Horse in a
reconnaissance at Karree. The small post under Lieutenant Crane found
themselves by some misunderstanding isolated in the midst of the enemy.
Refusing to hoist the flag of shame, they fought their way out, losing
half 2 their number, while of the other half it is said that there was not
one who could not show bullet marks upon his clothes or person. The
men of this corps, Volunteer Anglo-Indians, had abandoned the ease and
even luxury of Eastern life for the hard fare and rough fighting of this most
trying campaign. In coming they had set the whole Empire an object-
lesson in spirit, and now on their first field they set the Army an example
of military virtue. The proud traditions of Outram's Volunteers have
been upheld by the men of Lumsden's Horse.

Really fourteen. — Ed.

* More than two-thirds. — Ed.

175

CHAPTEE IX

AFTER OSFBUIT—SOME TRIBUTES TO MAJOR SHOWERS
AND OTHER HEROES

Unsympathetic critics may discover a lack of due proportion in
the space that has been devoted to this affair at Ospruit, seeing
that it was but an episode in a long chain of operations, the
whole of which are dealt with in a single paragraph of the
Commander - in - Chief s de-

spatches. But the same argu-
ment might be urged against
any enlargement in monograph
on the oflBcial version of
Brigadier - General Mahon's
brilliant march for relieving
Mafeking, to which no writer
has done full justice yet,
though there is evidence that
the Boers regarded it as the
first ' slim thing ' achieved by
a British commander, and as
a stroke of daring leadership
by which they were completely
outwitted. Many similar
examples, not so conspicuous
perhaps, but all material in
their bearing on the greater
issues of a campaign, and there-
fore worthy of elaborate treatment in detail, might be quoted.
The Editor can at any rate plead that this is a history of
Lumsden's Horse, and not an essay in perspective. For that
reason he has chosen to reproduce impressions of the different
incidents, not as they might have presented themselves to the

MAJOR EDEN C. SHOWERS
(Killed at Houtnek)

176 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

mind of a divisional general or an unemotional spectator, but as
they burnt themselves in upon the brains of men actually fighting
for their lives, and to use as nearly as possible each writer's own
words. It may seem strange that through all these narratives,
from the Colonel's purposely restrained and undemonstrative
summary to the details that are told with most convincing force,
we can trace no signs of depression resulting from the fact that
Lumsden's Horse in their first fight were forced to retire instead
of taking part in a victorious advance. This is a touch happily
characteristic of British soldiers. Conscious of having done
their duty manfully, they were content to let the issue be what
it might, so long as they had not lost confidence in themselves
or in their leaders. There was nothing of the beaten soldier
about them; no demoralisation, no sullen discontent, no sham
heroics covering a sense of discomfiture. Whether they had to
come back from their sacrifices because the enemy was in
superior force, or simply because the object of a reconnaissance
* had been achieved,' mattered little to them. As Tommy would
have phrased it in his expressive way, * it was all in the day's
work.' Victory is sweet, no doubt, and men from whose lips
that cup has been dashed cannot but feel a little bitterness in
their hearts, but it is only the bitterness of a wholesome tonic.
For soldiers who have suffered so there is always consolation in
the knowledge that their sacrifices were not borne in vain. And
Lumsden's Horse may take satisfaction from the thought that
their first fight, with all its sad and glorious consequence, was
not brought about by any useless demonstration without plan or
purpose. Though none of them could know it at the time, they
had been engaged with De la Eey's force, by which General Ian
Hamilton's left flank was being seriously threatened along the
Brandfort ridges, and their action, which seemed to them in-
decisive, had so far relieved the pressure that Sir Ian was able
the next day to deliver his attack on Houtnek and drive the
Boers from it in some confusion. The apparent failure of
General Maxwell's brigade to carry out the mission assigned to it
in the flanking movement mentioned by Colonel Lumsden may
be accounted for by the fact that some of the Brandfort com-
mandos, finding themselves in danger of being cut off, had
drawn back from the contemplated movement against Ian

AFTER OSPRUIT 177

Hamilton and thrown themselves into the fight that was then
raging about the spurs and kopjes of the range from which
Ospruit springs. Thus they outnumbered many times the
mounted troops under Colonel Henry, who, having achieved his
object, wisely retired from the left, leaving the Boers in occupation
of the ground they had won, but leaving them also held firmly in
check there by Infantry brigades, whose presence prevented any
further demonstration from Brandfort against Ian Hamilton's
left. When Lumsden's Horse marched back to their camp that
night, therefore, they might have congratulated themselves —
though they didn't — on having done remarkably good service by
something more than a reconnaissance in force. The immediate
result may be summed up in a few words. General Hamilton,
reinforced by another Infantry brigade and by General Broad-
wood's Cavalry, who rejoined him from Thaba 'Nchu way during
the night, was enabled to advance early on May 1 and strike a
strong blow by which, as Lord Eoberts said in his despatch,
* the enemy was signally defeated at Houtnek with comparatively
small loss on our side, thanks to the admirable dispositions made
by Major-General Ian Hamilton.' To this comment Lord
Eoberts adds an expression of regret that the troops employed at
Dewetsdorp and Wepener had been unable to cut oflE the enemy's
retreat and capture his guns ; but during these operations the
Boers, being evidently prepared for retreat whenever their
safety might be threatened, moved with very little baggage, each
fighting man carrying his blankets and food on a led horse. It
followed, therefore, that they could escape without suflEering any
loss beyond that inflicted by our troops in dislodging them from
their positions. This was practically the official explanation, to
which one may add that Cavalry alone could not follow up
eflfectivelj^ the retreat of Mounted Infantry every man of which
knew the country and how to utilise its peculiarities for checking
pursuit. By his masterly stroke at Houtnek, however. General
Hamilton had achieved something more than the capture of a
Boer stronghold. At the end of that action his troops were
astride of the most formidable defensive position between Blbem-
fontein and Vaal Eiver, and an unopposed advance two days
later to Isabellafontein not only took the enemy's entrenchments
on that side of Brandfort completely in reverse, but also

178 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

effectually prevented De Wet from co-operatiDg with De la Rey
or Botha, and thus opened a way for the general movement
towards Pretoria. Thus the fight at Ospruit, though it ended
in a retirement against which some of the more adventurous
spirits chafed, was a demonstration that helped materially
towards the development of more important schemes; and to
Lumsden's Horse belongs the honour of having given to this
affair an imperishable distinction by sacrifices that may have
been unnecessary but were certainly not inglorious. The men
who risked their lives and liberty, as Firth, Macdonald, and
Wilhams did, in gallant efforts to rescue their wounded officer
from a position which he had attempted to hold too long, are as
worthy to be remembered as those who met their deaths in the
fighting line. To the fallen, monuments have already been
raised. Above the grave of young Harry Lumsden, who was
buried beside Daubney and Case on the battlefield, a cross was
put up by the Boers themselves, who, finding letters in his
pocket, mistook him for the Colonel commanding Lumsden's
Horse, and buried him with the respect that they considered due
to a brave enemy and leader of men. In the old camp at Spyt-
fontein, to which the body of Major Showers was borne the next
day, another simple memorial, pathetically distinguished by its
loneliness, was raised by the comrades who paid their sorrowing
tribute to him there, but brought away memories of his soldierly
qualities, which they have honoured since by a more sumptuous
monument in Bengal. The old soldier would probably have
wished for no higher honour than the esteem of comrades whom
he had trained in times of peace, and among whom he fell in
their first fight. How sincere that esteem was may be gathered
from simple narratives sent home by officers and men of
Lumsden's Horse, whose letters give incidental ghmpses of
heroic actions that might otherwise have passed into oblivion.

Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Walker, officiating commandant,
issued the following regimental order from the headquarters of
the Surma Valley Light Horse, Silchar, dated July 10, 1900 :

As everybody connected with the corps will no doubt wish to hear
details of the death in action of our late Commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel
Eden C. Showers, I publish for information below particulars from a letter
receivea by the Adjutant from Captain Chamney, of Lumsden's Horse,
written the day after the action in which Colonel Showers lost his life.

AFTER OSPRUIT 179

Captain Chamney says : Our corps were given the honour of the
advance, the S.V.L.H. the honour of the first of that, and with Lumsden
and old Showers at our head we occupied the kopje that was said to be the
key of the whole position, but were instantly subjected to a heavy musketry
fire. We lost one man and horse scouting, and then got settled down
among some sangars, but the old Major scorned all cover, watching,
absolutely regardless of the bullets, the enemy's advance up a spruit on
our right flank. Everyone had asked him to get down, but he always said,
* Oh, I'm all right,' and walked from one end of the line to the other. When
all the rest had begun to retire, and we got no word, the Boers worked up
closer and closer. I had only just said to him (he was but three or four
yards behind me), * For God's sake. Major, get under cover,' when I heard
the sing of bullets over my head and *plint,' and, looking round, I saw he
was hit. I said, * Are you hit, Major ? ' and he replied, * Oh, nothing much,
only my arm ; send back for Dr. Powell.' I crawled back on my belly to
him and got his belts and things opened, and found also a big hole, just
above the heart, which was bleeding copiously. Then Dr. Powell and two
assistants came up, and we bandaged him as well as we could for bullets
flying around, and, still on our bellies, pulled and Ufted the old chap out
of the range of fire. He was suffering evidently a good deal from suffoca-
tion ; blood in his lungs, I suppose. I stayed with him as long as he was
conscious — not many minutes — and had then to return to the men. I found
him as we retired a little later there under the tree where we had laid him, and
where we had to leave him and another man to the Boers. The * Retire '
came before he died, and Dr. Powell, making up his mind to stay with him,
fixed his handkerchief to a stick to get what protection he could from it.
However, the old chap dropped off, and, covering him with a blanket and
closing his eyes, the Doctor left him to his rest and bolted, but, look-
ing back, he saw the white flag, and saying, * What would the old man say
if he knew he was taken, even dead, with a white flag over him?' returned
and took it down, and so we left him. The Boers took nothing but his
spurs and badges. Dr. Powell returned at night under a Red Cross and
got permission to remove the body to-day and we bury the old man this
afternoon. It is a terrible loss to the corps, and all 90 utterly sad.

There is something almost Homeric in that incident of the
vsrhite flag being taken from beside the dead warrior's body under
fire.

The * Times of India ' of May 9, 1900, contains the following
appreciation of the gallant Major Showers :

Among those of Lumsden's Horse killed in the fighting in the Orange
Free State on the 30th ult. was Major Eden Showers. He wa^ until
recently the Commandant of the Surma Valley Light Horse, and by his

180 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

example exercised a wonderful inflaence over all ranks. He was a son
of General Showers, who did splendid work in the Mutiny days, and made
his name famous by his courageous leading of the assault at Delhi
on September 13, 1857. Major Showers was educated at Wellington
College, and entered the Army through Sandhurst in 1865. He served
in the Dublin Fusiliers, the two battalions of which are now in Natal, one
having been in Ladysmith and the oth^ with the relieving force under
General Buller. After serving with the regiment for nearly seven years
the deceased officer left it with the rank of Adjutant, and joined the
•2nd Life Guards, with which he remained for three years. After ten
years' service he left the army to take up tea-planting. He worked for
some years at Katalguri under Messrs. MacnieU & Co., but at the close
of the season 1881-82 joined Messrs. Octavius Steel & Co., and was
Superintendent of their Cherra Gardens up to the time he resigned to
join Lumsden's Horse. He was elected by his brother planters to com-
mand the Surma Valley Light Horse in March 1895, in succession to
Colonel Milne, CLE., and his nomination was ratified by the Government.
The selection proved that the Government had put the right man in
the right place. While in command he worked the Light Horse up to a
high degree of efficiency, as was shown by the approval of General Sir
George Luck, who at the inspection in December last gave them un-
stinted praise. Among other things, the General stated that he could
honestly say that the regiment could hold its own with the best Yeomanry
corps at home, which was saying a great deal. Shortly after his resigna-
tion of the command of the Surma Valley Light Horse, Colonel Showers
joined Lumsden's Horse as Second-in-Command, with the rank of Major,
serving under his old friend and former subordinate, Colonel Lumsden.
His death is a severe loss to the corps, and is deeply deplored by a very large
circle of friends, who found in him a man of sterling merit, splendid cha-
racter, and a credit to the military profession he was so keen in following.

The following appears in the ' Assam Gazette ' :

The Officiating Chief Commissioner expresses the general feeling of
the Province in deploring the death in action of Major E. C. Showers,
Second-in-Command of the Indian Mounted Infantry Corps (Lumsden's
Horse) now serving in South Africa. As Commandant of the Surma
Valley Light Horse for nearly five years he brought that body to a high
state of efficiency by his soldierly qualities, his untiring devotion to the
interests of the corps, and by his personal popularity among its mencjbers.
His untimely death is a serious loss to Assam, and will be mourned by
the officers and men of the corps. He was loved by all who knew him.

The Hon. H. J. S. Cotton, Chief Commissioner of Assam (now
Sir Henry Cotton, K.C.S.I.), presiding at the Assam Dinner in
London in June 1900, paid the following tribute to Major Showers :

AFTEB OSPBUIT 181

Another gentleman had been pathetically alluded to both by Colonel
Eirwan and Colonel MacLaughlin, and the mention of his name recalled
a recent public dinner at Cachar, given as a send-ofif to Colonel Showers
and other Volunteers. The admiration which all the Volunteers of
Assam had for Colonel Showers was, indeed, a thing to have witnessed.
When he rose to propose Colonel Showers's health the cheering was
vociferous and so continuous that it was at least ten minutes before he
could get any hearing. He had never been present at a scene of such
extraordinary enthusiasm, and he believed it was thoroughly well deserved.
Colonel Showers was an exceptional man; thoroughly straightforward
and practical, and a bom leader of men. ^Tiat was said of Jim Bludso
might with equal truth be said of Colonel Showers :

' A keerless man in his talk was Jim,

And an awkward hand in a row ;
But he never funked and he never lied :
I reckon he never know'd how.'

That was the type of man that Colonel Showers was — a simple-minded
Englishman, true and staunch as steel, and courageous to the backbone.
As Colonel Kirwan had told them, he died, as he would have wished to
die, a soldier's death. He was a soldier in his youth and became a
soldier in his prime, and died for Queen and country. They were all
proud of Lumsden's Horse and of Colonel Showers, who died at the head
of his men in the first battle in which they were engaged.

From these extracts, and especially from the episode in which
Dr. Powell played such a gallant part, we may know that the
Surma Valley Light Horse were worthy of the Colonel who had
volunteered to serve in a subordinate capacity that he might be
vdth them in their first campaign and whose memory they still
revere. That all Assam may bear in mind how he had endeared
himself to those who served with him, the men of that corps have
caused a handsome monument to be wrought in red Aberdeen
granite for erection in the country where they first enlisted as
Volunteers under his command. Its gabled base forms a Gothic
cross surmounted by an octagonal spire, and in one panel under
a cusped arch is the following inscription:

TO THE MEMORY

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL EDEN CUEKIE SHOWEKS,

Late Commandant Surma Valley Light Horse ; Killed at
HouTNEK, South Africa, 30th April, 1900.

Erected by the Members of his Corps.

182 THE HISTORY OF LDMSDEN'S HORSE

Before this monument was shipped from Glasgow to
Calcutta in September 1902 a sketch of it was sent by
Mr. Peters, who had taken charge of all arrangements, to
Lord Roberts- In acknowledgment the Commander-in-Chief
wrote :

I have received with much pleasure your letter of the 16th instant,
enclosing a drawing of the obelisk that is being erected by the members
of the Surma Valley Light Horse in memory of their late gallant
commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel Showers, and I am much obliged to
you for sending it to me. I am glad the memorial is being erected, as
I feel sure it will go far towards preserving and promoting that esprit de
corps which is so important a factor in all units of the forces of the
British Empire.

It was esprit de corps, as Colonel Lumsden expressed it in
the regimental motto, ' Play the Game,' that brought officers and
troopers with distinction through their first fight, and the
firmness with which it had taken hold of all ranks may be traced
in tributes that show the finest spirit of comradeship.

The following letter, received by Colonel A. W. KendeU,
commanding the East Indian Railway Volunteer Rifles, from
Captain B. W. Holmes, who went with the Maxim gun of the
E.I.R.V. Rifles attached to Lumsden's Horse, is full of the
sentiment from which mutual confidence springs :

Spytlontein, May 1.

Dear Colonel Eendell, — I am writing to give you an account of
the first action the gun has been in, and to tell you how admirably the
men behaved in what were really very trying circumstances. When we
left Calcutta I had the gun arranged to go on pack saddles on horses ;
but when we arrived here we found this would not do, as our animals
were not properly trained, and in jumping about they were always
knocking pieces of skin oflf and otherwise damaging themselves. We
therefore fitted up one of our transport carts as a carriage, and with two
mules as wheelers and four horses in front we get along pretty well.
The first day we went out to fight we saw nothing, although there was
a little firing about two miles from us. On the way we came to a very
nasty piece of ground, and we succeeded in turning the gun head over
heels down the side of a kopje. By a miracle it was not injured in the
least, and I felt sure it must be going to do some work. Yesterday we
went out again, and had only gone about four miles when firing began all
along the line. We were on the right, next to a pom-pom ; the Boer guns

AFTEE OSPRUIT 183

very soon foimd out the latter, and it had to be moved out of action. In
the meanwhile I had been having a go at the Boer gunners at about 3,000
yards. No sooner had the pom-pom gone than a shell missed my head
by about a foot, fell twenty yards behind me and burst, wounding four of
my horses slightly. This wasn't quite good enough and I got out of
action as soon as I could, but not before they had sent two more shells
right among us, or too close to be pleasant; the last one killed two
horses and blew a trooper's foot to pieces.

The Boers outnumbered us by about four to one, and shortly after this
we received an order to retire with the rest, which we did. We had gone
about half a mile, with rifle bullets sprinkling around us, when I was
ordered to come into action behind a few stones that were lying on the
plain. There wasn't an atom of cover for my horses or the men holding
them, although the gun was partly protected. I opened fire on the Boers
at 1,000 yards, had fired about 250 rounds of rapid traversing fire when
they began to retire. I fired about another 230, when the gun jammed,
and at the same moment an officer came dashing up to tell me to retire
immediately. We did so under a perfect hail of bullets, and although
I had six horses wounded out of ten, not one of them was so badly
injured as to be unable to go on, and not a single man of us was touched.
After going about half a mile I gave my horse to Corbett to lead, and got
into the cart and managed to get the gun into action again. We lost
three belts and boxes in our hasty retirement, but that of course could
not be helped. The men with me were Sergeant Dale, of Jubbulpur ;
Private Booth, of Howrah ; Privates Dowd, Dickens, Corbett, and Bumand,
of Jamalpur; and Private Bolst, of Asonsole; Private Bumand is my
driver. There was one other man of Lumsden's Horse with me, named
Mercer, who was helping to hold horses. Sergeant Dale, Privates Booth,
Corbett, and Bolst, and myself were on the gun. Colonel Eoss, who was
in charge of our brigade, expressed pleasure at the work done by the gun,
and said that we knocked over several of the enemy, which was distinctly
satisfactory. Our casualties were heavy. We lost our Second-in -Command
(Major Showers) killed. Lieutenant Crane missing and wounded, and one
private known to be killed, and probably one or two others of the wounded
have since died, our killed, wounded, and missing being seventeen in all.

How our team escaped injury is to me little short of a miracle. The
men behaved splendidly, and if ever we get into as tight a place again
I have perfect confidence in their standing by me and the gun. Our
ambulance is out now looking for wounded, but the Boers have probably
attended to them long ago — at any rate, I hope so. Our men have
certainly had their baptism of fire, and I for one should not object if we
never got it as hot again.

You would hardly recognise the gun now, I fancy ; it is a dirty khaki
colour, with the paint knocked oflf it in places and smothered with dirt

184 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

and stuff outside. But the inside is, I think, quite as clean as when at
Jamalpur ; anyhow, it still knows how to work.

Yours very sincerely,

B. W. Holmes

From the personal experiences of a non-commissioned officer
who was wounded and captured by the Boers we get side-lights
that help more than anything else towards a clear understanding
of the temper and actions of men on the battlefield. To some
extent this story touches on ground that has already been covered
by previous descriptions. Partly for that reason, but mainly
because it is a complete picture of one incident the nobility of
which would have been lost if woven into the continuous
narrative, it has been kept distinct, so that the writer's
impressions may be reproduced here with all the minor touches
and bits of local colour that made them vivid at the time of
occurrence. He begins with the march out of camp at 3 o'clock
that memorable morning :

We fell in punctually and moved off to the rendezvous, the moon
shining brightly and making wonderful black shadows among the
surrounding kopjes — pronounced * koppies,' by the way. The cold was
intense, and numbed our fingers so that our jeins could scarce be felt.
The order to trot was received with satisfaction, for we were all
shivering, men and horses alike. A few minutes later we joined
company with a pom-pom battery of two guns, and a body of Mounted
Infantry composed of Australians and details from various regiments.
Our strength in all was, we have since heard, some 800, while the
opposing Boers numbered three or four thousand, with several big guns.
When our little band was complete, the order was given to trot, and
we proceeded at a sharp pace for about a mile. Daylight was then
breaking and a halt was called, the order being given to dismount and
charge magazines — a sign of business received with much satisfaction.
Thereafter we moved forward in extended order, with scouts in advance
for three or four miles, when stray shots in front showed us that we were
coming into touch with the enemy.

Before us the country lay in ridges running parallel with each other,
and at right angles to our line of advance. As we surmounted each
rising we expected to view the enemy, but the order to dismount came
without our being vouchsafed any visible sign of their presence. Before us
lay some 800 yards of rising ground, and we swarmed up in a long open
line, fully expecting a volley ere we reached the top. However, our hour
of trial had not yet come, though the scattered shots heard to our front

AETEE OSPEUIT 185

as we advanced had increased to a sharp fusillade on our left front. The
order then came to extend away into a narrow valley running at right
angles and crossing the ends of the succession of ridges we had covered.
Thus, lying on the slope, we could see behind for a mile or so, and in the
opposite direction, up the valley, right into the country which the enemy
were knovm to occupy.

Shortly afterwards the music began in earnest. A mile up the valley
a Boer big gun appeared and opened fire on troops advancing on
the hill from our left rear. Then out came one of our pom-poms
and, galloping into position, replied from the opposite end of the valley at
a range of some 3,000 yards. The duel between the two lasted for
about ten minutes, the pom-pom firing briskly as is its wont, the more
ponderous Boer gun replying every two minutes. Lying on the slope as
we were, in full view of the valley and vrithin a hundred yards of the line
of fire of the opposing guns, we had a splendid, not to say realistic,
illustration of artillery fire. The singing of the big shells as they tore
through the air was magnificent to our unaccustomed ears. It was
curious, too, to observe the sequence in which indications of discharge and
report reached us. The first sign that the Boer big gun had been fired
was the little cloud of smoke floating near the muzzle. Next we heard
the singing of the shell passing up the valley. This was followed by the
dust raised by the explosion of the shell in bursting, and not until
these evidences of a shot having been fired did we hear the actual
report, which was closely followed by that of the bursting shell itself.

For some five minutes the duel proceeded, no evidence of the effect
of the pom-pom fire being visible to our eyes, though it became evident
that the Boers were finding the range, for each shell seemed to land
nearer, until, as it seemed to us, one burst right in the middle of our gun.
At that moment those of us on the slope heard rifle fire immediately behind.
It proved to be our own regiment's Maxim taking sighting shots at the
Boer gun. This certainly made things livelier, but there was no comfort
in realising that we lay right in the line of fire, and that replies from the
enemy would probably land among us. However, the Boers took no
notice of the Maxim, though it spat out bullets at a tremendous rate,
but continued to devote their attention to the pom-pom. The greater
weight of the Boer metal soon made matters too hot for Captain Eotton's ^
little gun, and it shortly afterwards retired behind the hill, having lost
several horses. Then our turn came, and the oflScious Uttle Maxim,
which had been kicking up a great shindy in our rear, drew the Boer fire.
The first shot whizzed unpleasantly close to our heads and burst between
us and the Maxim, which, undismayed, continued to pour out a hot fire.
Number two was aimed slightly higher and travelled beyond the gun, kill-
ing two horses and wounding one man. The Maxim stuck it out pluckily

* Now Brevet-Major. — Ed.

186 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

for one more shell, but that fell so close that to have delayed any longer
would have only been folly. On the retreat of our machine gun the
Boer gun retired behind a kopje, and we were left in peace for a time,
though the firing on our left had now greatly increased, and showed that
a brisk fight was going on.

About 10 o'clock orders were received for part of my section to extend
to the right, and six of us, in command of Sergeant Walter Walker, went
right down into the valley. In our new position we were sheltered by a
low rocky ridge on the left, but the ground was open in every other
direction. The ridge referred to cut us off entirely from what was going
on on our left, and this accounts for the misfortunes which followed.

Meanwhile the firing that had begun on our left earlier in the morn-
ing had increased tremendously. Bullets began to come our way very
frequently, but as we were under the lee of a ridge they passed over our
heads, evidently nearly spent, for the sharp ping of a newly-sped shot had
changed with them into the melancholy wail of spirits that had lived and
lived in vain. So great had the noise become that shouting to each other
was ineffectual, not a word reaching even one*s next neighbour. So we
lay and waited.

Suddenly it struck us that the chain of fire extending in a line to our
left seemed to be swinging towards our left rear, and a few minutes' atten-
tion confirmed an idea that the position of the opposing forces must have
altered considerably. As we listened the firing seemed to increase in
fierceness and sounded still further to the rear. The position had become
uncomfortable, for our horses were 800 yards in our direct rear. To
lose them would be fatal to our safety ; the six of us, therefore, got up
and began to retire slowly, wondering that no orders had reached us.

A shower of bullets swept past, singing in our ears with spiteful
distinctness. Looking round I saw, barely fifty yards away, two-score
Boers kneeling and firing away for all they were worth. A second look
was unnecessary, and we ran like deer, the bullets whizzing by thick as hail.
It was amazing that none of us was hit. Bullets seemed to me to be
pouring between my legs and under my feet. A little rising gave us
momentary protection, but the Boers came on again until within fifty
yards, and poured a hot fire into us. Two hundred yards away we could
see our horses and near them the rest of the section, which had got
earlier notice of the repulse of our troops, galloping away. Each man
got to his horse, but they shouted to me that mine had been killed by a
shell. It was not a pleasant predicament, but before I had time to
realise that the Boers must either shoot or capture me. Bugler Mackenzie
galloped up and offered me a lift behind him. I was dead beat with
running and quite unequal to violent effort. I put my foot in the
stirrup he released, and tried to climb up. But my bandolier, haversack,

AFTER OSPRUIT

187

BUGLER R. H.
MACKENZIE

and water-bottle all bunched in front and caught the blanket tied on at

the pommel of the high military saddle. Back I flopped on to the ground.

Another effort, and I nearly pulled Mackenzie,

who was a light boy, out of the saddle. The

firing all the time was very hot, and, fearing to

bring disaster on all of us, I ordered Mackenzie

off. But he would not budge until Saunders and

Parkes between them helped me up behind the

first-named. What a relief it was to feel the

ground slipping past and to know we were getting

out of such a desperate scrape ! The Boer fire

had slackened for a little, but the reason was

that they had mounted and galloped up to within

close range. Again they opened, and once more

the ground all around was dusted up and the air

alive with singing bullets. It was too much to

hope for escape a second time, and sure enough,

before we had gone a hundred yards, the gallant gee with his double

load fell heavily to earth, a bullet having struck him. Being perched

high up, I reached the ground first with a thud I hope never to experience

again. Saunders then fell on top of me, and the horse crashed heavily

across both of us, kicking me on the shoulder as he rolled over.

I must have been stunned for a moment, but soon recovered my
senses and realised that I had broken nothing nor been hit by a bullet.
Saunders lay very still within ten feet of me, and I feared he was dead.
But cautious inquiry elicited a reply. He was all right, but complained
of being unable to move one arm, and we assumed it was broken. All
this time the firing continued, evidently directed at our retreating section.
Judge of my astonishment, on looking up to see
why it should suddenly have increased in our
immediate neighbourhood, to observe Parkes riding
back to us. He had pulled up as quickly as he
could when he noticed our disaster. Seeing
Saunders lying quiet, he offered to take me on his
horse, but I shouted to him to clear off, as he
was endangering his own life as well as drawing
the fire on us. I could not have left Saunders
after his having stopped to take me up, and for
Parkes and myself to have helped him away in the
midst of such a murderous fire would have been
folly. Very reluctantly Parkes galloped off. His horse shortly afterw^ards
was shot under him, but he managed to get away by running. As for
myself, I was so shaken I could not have gone far on foot, besides which

E. B. PARKES

188 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

I was already exhausted by running. In any case, to have got up and
attempted escape with the enemy in such force and at such close range
would have been madness. I accordingly lay very still and called to
Saunders to do likewise. Immediately afterwards a party of Boers some
300 strong swept past us on horseback, evidently in pursuit of our retiring
troops, and then began a very trpng part of our experience. The Boers
were some hundreds of yards in front lying on the face of a slope, and we
got the full benefit of a very hot fire directed against them. Three shells
from our own guns burst all around, and the fire of a pom-pom sighted a
little too high tore up the ground close on our left. Bullets fell all
around us and between us; so embarrassing was the situation that I
began to look about for cover. But turning round I saw a Boer some
hundred yards away steadily looking at us from under the lee of a rock.
Whenever he saw me turn he dropped on to his knee and levelled his
rifle. Quickly I lay like one dead, and whispered hoarsely to Saunders not
to move for his life. It was an anxious wait. No bullet came, and the
Boer, seeing us remain still, stole cautiously up to where he could see our
faces. Realising we were helpless, he dropped his rifle and came up,
assuring us he would not harm us. He rolled Saunders round, took a
valuable set of glasses from him, as well as belt, purse, knife, water-bottle,
and everything worth having. He was about to commence operations on
me, and I was wondering if it would be worth while to make a dash for
his rifle, when he got up and cleared off. The cause was the approach
of a Boer doctor, who came up and most kindly inquired if we were
wounded. Finding nothing seriously the matter with us, he explained
that he must move on to more dangerous cases, but promised to come
back and attend to us later on. Then a large party of Boers suddenly
surrounded us. They stripped me of my belt, to which was attached a
fine knife and a good compass ; also bandolier, ammunition, and water-
bottle, the latter evidently a much appreciated prize. I begged to have
my knife back, as it was a present from a dear friend. To my astonish-
ment, it was handed back to me. Then one offered to buy it, but was
quashed by the others, who said it was a shame to want from me what I
valued so much. Then we were helped up and marched off towards the
ambulance, Saunders suffering considerably from his arm, I feeling sound
enough but verj^ sick and giddy. Eound the ambulance cart was a large
crowd of Boers, evidently enjoying the shelter of the Eed Cross. They
looked curiously at us, and the bolder asked for our spurs and badges.
We parted with these, but protested at a request to give up our leathern
gaiters. A doctor bound up Saunders's arm, and we were sent off in charge
of three guards to the Boer laager which lay over the hill to the north.
After a bit one of the Boers, observing me to move very groggily, put me
on his horse. But Saunders, though his arm pained him a good deal, had
to walk.

AFTER OSPRUIT 189

In their first fight, and on many occasions afterwards,
Lumsden's Horse bore testimony to the sportsmanlike qualities
and humanity of their enemies, especially towards men who were
lying wounded and helpless on the field. Writing many months
afterwards. Colonel Lumsden gave some affecting instances byway
of illustration, and several of these were connected with the affair
at Houtnek, though their interesting sequels were not known in
some cases until near the close of the campaign. These may
be given in Colonel Lumsden's words. He writes :

* One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin.' Many kindly
actions on the part of the Boers have gone unrecorded in the present
campaign. I cannot, however, allow one or two which came under my
special notice to pass without mention.

On April 30, 1900, when we were engaged with that clever General
De la Key, my scouts, while reconnoitiring under Lieutenant Pugh,
far in advance of the main body, came suddenly upon a well-concealed
Boer outpost, who opened fire on them, wounding poor Franks severely.
Pugh stuck to him gallantly, making for where he considered our leading
column would be. Franks, however, got so weak that Lieutenant Pugh
and the other two scouts had to dismount him and leave him on the
veldt. Later in the day, when the enemy's fire slackened, some friends of
Franks were able to go out and carry him in and place him in the hands
of Dr. Powell, who did all that was possible for him in the circumstances.
We were holding an untenable position, and when the order came to
retire early in the afternoon, poor Franks had to be left until an ambu-
lance might be got to carry him back to our headquarters camp at Spyt-
fontein. Shortly after our retirement from the spot where he lay the Boers
occupied the ground we had left, and, finding Franks, treated him with
every kindness and attention. It was the last we saw of him. Some
five days later, at the fight near Brandfort, a Boer ambulance containing
several wounded Boers and with Doctor Everard in charge fell into our
hands. On my riding up to interview the latter, he asked if we were not
Lumsden's Horse, and on my replying in the affirmative he said, * One of
your men, named Franks, fell into our hands on April 30, and was under
my care. I did all I could for him, but the poor fellow died.' Then pro-
ducing a small note-book from his pocket he said, ' In this I have noted
when and where he was buried. I also found on his person two sovereigns
and two rings.' These the doctor handed to me with a request that I
would be good enough to forward them to the boy's mother. I thanked
him most gratefully for what he had done on behalf of my late comrade,
and in due course was able to forward, through Trooper Preston, the

190 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

relics handed to me to Mrs. Franks, of The Chase, Clapham Common,
London.

On the same day (April 30), Lieutenant Crane, with a small detach-
ment of my corps, was sent by Colonel Boss, our commanding officer, to
occupy a low-lying kopje on our left front. They were attacked by an
overwhelming number of the enemy, and nearly the whole of the little lot
were either killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, as they maintained their
position to the last. Lieutenant Crane himself, being badly shot in the
groin, was lying in an exposed position unseen by us, and under i&re of our
own Maxim gun, which was playing on the kopje now occupied by the
Boers, and in imminent risk of being killed by our own fire. Suddenly one
of the Boers came forward amidst a hail of bullets, lifted up Lieutenant
Crane, and carried him to a place of safety. Many a V.C. has been
gained by doing a similar action. This story was subsequently corrobo-
rated by Lieutenant Crane, who told me that the man who behaved so
gallantly towards him was named Meyers.

Strange to relate, in the following September when that ideal Cavalry
leader, General French, made his brilliant dash on Barberton — a feature of
the campaign on which I think too little has been said, and not sufficient
credit given to the leadership and pluck of the gallant General — Lumsden*s
Horse comprised his rearguard, under the command of General Mahon, of
Maf eking fame. As we rode up the heights prior to following General
French's force into the Barberton Valley, we came across several Boer
families living in tents and grazing their cattle on the veldt. I rode up
to one of the tents and was chatting with a stalwart Boer and his family.
He immediately spotted what corps we were and said, * Oh, we fought
against you at Houtnek.* I asked his name, and he said Meyers. I then
shook hands with him gratefully and said, * You are the man who carried
my subaltern. Crane, at the risk of your life into a place of safety on that
day.* He brought me a cup of coffee, and while I was chatting pleasantly
with his wife and family he said, * Have you got a man with you of the
name of McGillivray ? I remember him well, a big Scotchman. We
took him prisoner that day, and on our way to Pretoria I had the pleasure
of dividing a couple of bottles of whisky between him and one or two of
his comrades also in our hands.* As this Boer was living quietly on the
veldt, and not in the fighting line, 1 had the pleasure of getting a pass for
himself and his family by way of showing some practical gratitude for his
kind and plucky treatment of my comrades.

191

CHAPTEE X

PRISONEBS OF WAB

To be carried oflE captive after the first hot skirmish into which
one has gone full of confidence and hope is a trying experience
for any soldier, and especially for those who are conscious of
having done manful deeds deserving a better fate. In these
circumstances, however, it implies no humiliation, but only a
feeling of rebellious resentment against the fortunes of war that
have, at one fell stroke, swept away all hopes of further dis-
tinction, dashed every ambitious plan, and severed for a time at
least all pleasant associations with comrades whose friendship is
never so truly appreciated under other conditions as it is amid the
rough campaigning experiences that try the temper and the
mettle of all men. The full sense of everything that has been lost
comes upon war-prisoners in the first hours of their captivity with
the crushing force of a hopeless defeat, so that they cannot even
find it in their hearts to be thankful for the Uves that have been
spared to them. If this is so in the case of men to whom loss of
liberty means no reproach and who have the proud consciousness
that they did not purchase safety by unfaithfulness to their trust,
how much sharper must the sting be to those who by pusil-
lanimous surrender have brought the dark shadow of dishonour
on themselves and stained the proud blazonry of regimental
distinctions ! Happily, British soldiers have not often gone
into captivity with that stigma resting on them; and, though
critics at home were ungenerously prone to assume that the ' flag
of shame ' had been hoisted too readily in some fights against
the Boers, they would have told a different story if it had
been their lot to lie on the bare veldt within rifle-range of hidden
enemies under whose deadly fire it is even more dangerous to go
back than to go forward. The idea of wresting victory by a rush

192 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

or wriggling up to it through zone after zone of haihng bullets
across four or five hundred yards of open ground could only have
commended itself to tacticians comfortably ensconced in arm-
chairs far from the buzz and boom of war. Hemmed in by a
girdle of fire that cannot possibly be broken by a charge across
such distances, men must either lie down like sheep to be
slaughtered, or walk to their deaths with eyes open, making
useless sacrifices, or surrender ; and none but a braggart who
had never been under fire would dare to hurl the poisoned arrows
of reproach at brave men upon whom the last alternative has
been forced. Every soldier knows how unjust is that journalistic
phrase *an easy surrender.' Nobody could have written it if
he had thought for a monent of the bitterness that is in the
hearts of men who have to yield under the white flag ; yet it is
not necessarily an emblem of shame for all that. Lumsden's
Horse did not hoist it in their direst extremity, but they would be
the last to jeer at men who have passed through such an ordeal.
If ever captives had the right to hold up their heads in the presence
of triumphant enemies, those men were the troopers of Lumsden's
Horse who had sacrificed themselves rather than abandon ^a
wounded comrade. One of them. Corporal Firth, a prisoner in
the hands of the Boers, wrote to his parents from Waterval on
May 7, 1900 :

You will by this time have seen that I am now a prisoner of war
from the published lists in the papers. I will just give you an outline of
what happened on the 30th ult. An oflScer, two non-commissioned
officers, and eleven men were told off to hold a hill as a guard against an
attack on the right of a body advancing from our centre ; this centre body
had to retire, and we, receiving no orders, held on as long as possible
until forced to retire, which we did, having five killed, our officer wounded,
and four taken prisoners, leaving only four who escaped to tell the
tale. I could have got away, only went back to the assistance of our
officer, who was wounded about ten yards behind me. I bound him up
under a heavy fire, and Providence must have watched over me that day,
as bullets in hundreds were flying all round me. I am in good health and
received very kind treatment from the hands of my captors, of which I
will write more on another occasion, as I am not yet settled down in my
new surroundings.

How he and his fellow-prisoners fared after they had fallen
into the power of their enemies is a story told with graphic

PRISONERS OF WAR

193

picturesqueness in the following letters from Sergeant Fraser,
who was surrounded by Boers w^hen he lay bruised by a heavy
fall in company with Trooper Saunders, who had gallantly risked
his own life in an attempt to bring Fraser out from under fire :

We had imagined that our destination was comparatively close, but
we covered mile after mile without any more satisfaction from our guards
than that it was over the next kopje. The column wound in and out among
many hills ere a halt was called. Though we had started about 11 in
the morning, it was not until 4 o'clock in the afternoon that our escort
stopped at an ambulance tent, which was in charge of a hospitable Swiss
doctor. We had had nothing to eat all day. In the hurry of getting
ready so early in the morning neither
of us had time to think of food, and
our day's rations were in our saddles,
now in the hands of the Boers. So the
good Swiss fed us plentifully with
soup, meat, and coffee. He examined
me and found only bruises. Saunders's
arm was much swollen, and the surgeon
could not ascertain what the damage
was. It afterwards turned out that the
muscles were lacerated and one of the
bones in the forearm cracked.

In the doctor's tent was a wounded
ofl&cer. Lieutenant and Adjutant Lilley,
of the Victorian Mounted Rifles. He,
poor chap, had been shot through the
head during the same engagement, and
had been brought in a waggon from the
field. He recognised us in so far as to
repeat the name of our regiment, but
seemed woefully wounded and repeat-
edly broke out in delirium. The doctor who had been so kind to us seemed
assiduous in his attentions, and I am sure everything possible was done
for the poor Australian. We heard afterwards that he had been left in
hospital at Brandfort by the Boers, and found by our troops a few days
afterwards, when they took possession of that place. He subsequently
died from the wound, which was caused by a bullet passing through his
brain. Marching for another mile we came to the Boer laager at dusk.
Those in camp met us kindly, more particularly as the news given by our
guards was that their own commando had apparently scored a victory.
They gave us coffee at once, and a place to lie down and rest. And thus
began our captivity.

Photo: Johnston and Ho^mann.
SERGEANT DAVm S. FRASER

IW THE HI8T0EY OF LCMSDEN'S HORSE

While Saunders and myself were recovering from onr exertions,
discussing the events of the day, and generally commiserating each other
upon our misfortunes, we were much cheered to perceive the approach of
two men attired in khaki and helmets. These proved to be Sergeant-
Major Healy, of the Victorian Kifles, and Private Sinmions, of the Duke
of Cornwall's Regiment's Mounted Infantry. Both had fearful things to
relate of the morning's action. They had been through all the heavy
fighting preceding the occupation of Bloemfontein, and agreed that never
had they experienced such hot fire as on this particular morning. About
8 o'clock our guards supplied us with bread and coffee, and pieces of
biltong, stuck on a wire, that had been thrust into a fire. They then
accommodated us with a tent, a blanket apiece, and an empty sack or
two — for we had no coats, and the cold was intense. In such comfort
as we could make for ourselves with these limited resources we lay down,
and soon slept the sleep of the weary. It seemed but a few minutes
since we had turned in when we were awakened with rough kindliness,
and turned out of our tent. The bulk of the commando had returned
to camp after a successful but wearisome day, and the owners of the
tent wanted their own. So out we got into the bitter cold. They
placed us between two tents, and we arranged ourselves a second time
as best we could. Despite the lack of warmth and comfort, we slept
heavily, .and the sun was high in the heavens next morning ere we
awoke.

Bread and coffee formed our breakfast, and this meagre meal was
welcome enough. Our guards themselves had no more, so we could
not complain. As the morning wore on, the sun became rather trying,
and once again we were accommodated with a tent, wherein we dis-
cussed at length the events of yesterday. As this conversation turned
inevitably to our own capture, needless to say we gradually began to
despond. But we were shortly to have our hearts lightened by the
discovery of fellow sufferers — how company in trouble eases one ! In
marched Firth, McGillivray, Macdonald, Petersen, and Williams, of our
own corps, followed by Coghlan, of Sergeant-Major Healy's regiment.
Coghlan had a broken leg, done up in plaster of Paris, and lay on an
ambulance pallet. Needless to say, we had much to tell each other,
and Saunders and myself then heard how Franks, Case, Daubney, and
H. C. Lumsden had been killed, and Lieutenant Crane wounded and
a prisoner. It was not imtil afterwards we heard that Major Showers
had been killed and several others wounded on the same day.

The frugal fare of the morning was repeated in the afternoon, except
in the case of the bread. Of it the Boers had none, but they furnished
us with a plentiful supply of a kind of rusk. This appeared to be simply
broken bread dried in an oven. It made a very good meal, but tried

PEISONERS OF WAR 195

those of us whose teeth had been somewhat worn down by eating
moorghis * in India.

To march forth in the morning with a gun in your hand to fight your
country's battles; to endanger your life that you may return to your
female relatives, decorated and a hero ; to hear the vicious ping of bullets,
the shrieking of shells, and know yourself alarmed but undismayed, are
fine things. But to sit at night in the enemy's laager with wings clipped,
no gun, and a sinking stomach is so untoward a thing that a man who
suffers it may well question the reason of his birth and entertain hopes
that the world is about to end.

Six of us sat in the dusky light of a tent in a Boer laager near Brand-
fort, and our own mothers could not have comforted us. It wasn't as if
we had had a bellyful of fighting, like others who had begun the campaign
in Cape Colony, or as if after a tremendous struggle we had been over-
powered. Without practically a chance to retaUate, we had been deluged
with bullets that went by in such numbers you could hear them rattle
against each other in their flight. Then instead of the bullets came the
Boers, and we were prisoners — hands up, pockets empty, hopes vanished ! —
this in our first fight !

When night had fallen, the sentries — there were two of them, with
loaded rifles and revolvers — passed us in a big kettle in which had been
boiled water and, they said, coffee.

One of us sadly asked if they had put in sugar as well, and on receiving
a reply in the affirmative, murmured, * What good hot water ! ' Then we
munched away at rusks, of which light and tasteless provender they
chucked us in a quantity in the bottom of a sack, and I wondered if the
nourishment contained therein would compensate for the energy expended
in chewing them. I know I registered a mental vow never to feed my
horses on bran alone if ever I got back to India. A few of us had pipes,
and there was no difficulty about Boer tobacco ; but here, again, one was
reminded of bran, for although the colour was not quite the same the
taste was nearly identical with what I imagine bran would give if smoked.
As it grew late the cold increased, and by 9 o'clock we were shivering.
Those of us who had managed to retain their greatcoats were not so
badly off, but others, who had nothing but thin khaki tunics, suffered
considerably. On representing matters to the sentries, they procured for
us a few blankets and empty sacks, and, huddled together, each man
endeavoured to sleep to the chatter of his neighbour's teeth.

The laager next morning showed signs of great activity. A large
patrol was about to start in the direction of the British lines, and the
two hundred or so composing this body shook hands, every man of them,
with half a dozen of their comrades, who, it afterwards turned out, were
to form our escort to Pretoria. According to our preconceived ideas of

^ Hindustani for * fowls.' — Ed.

0 2

196 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

how troops should move out of camp the behaviour of the Boers seemed
absurd. No word of command appeared to be given, but in a moment
the aspect of the camp that had been full of men loUing about, talking
and skylarking, was changed. Horses were saddled, bridled, and mounted
in a matter of seconds, the ceremony of hand-shaking gone through, and
in less than five minutes from the first impulse which set them getting
ready the patrol had disappeared over the skyline. Some were trotting,
some cantering, and there was no attempt at formation ; but none the
less their method, or want of it, was effective, and one could not help
being impressed with the individual independence of each man, combined,
as it was, with complete unanimity of object in the whole body.

Our turn came next, and we made our little preparations to start.
-These consisted mostly of buttoning up, and, indeed, there was a charming
sense of irresponsibility in having no arrangements to make, no packing to
do, no hookums ^ to give. For our conveyance was prepared a buck- waggon,
with the appearance of which the illustrated papers have made all the
world familiar. Twelve mules were stuck in front, the driver cracked his
whip, and the caravan was ready. Down the centre of the waggon, on a
mattress, and propped about with rolled-up blankets, was placed the
wounded Victorian. The rest of us sat round, with our legs dangling
over the side. A KaflBr held the reins from a raised seat in front, and two
Boers sat alongside of him with loaded rifles on their knees. But they
had their backs to the mules and the points of their guns towards poor
us. At the tail end of the waggon sat two more Boers, also armed. A
fifth Boer, unarmed, barring a whip as long as Chowringhi, marched
alongside to curse the mules and pick holes in their hides when the
cursing failed.

As we stood ready the Boers near shook hands all round with us,
hoped the war would soon be over and we be back in our ain countrees
and themselves restored to the bosoms of their families. We moved off
with a jolt that made the poor Victorian groan, and they shouted good-byes
after us and congratulations that we were going to that wonderful place
Pretoria. Soon a rising hid the laager, and around we could see nothing
but veldt —not a tree, not a house, not a Boer. And now, we thought, is
our chance. We only had to lay hold of our guards by the throats, wrest
their rifles away, and so turn the tables completely — a poor return for
their hearty kindness, but then we did not cherish the same feelings for
Pretoria that they did. These ideas of escape were rippling round cheer-
fully but guardedly, when our hopes flopped to the ground, for over the
skyline came cantering a couple of Boers, and we soon found their busi-
ness was to trot behind. We might easily overpower the guards in the
waggon ; but what profit would there be in that if one mounted man
galloped for assistance while the other kept watch on our movements ?

* Hlndastani for • orders.' — Ed.

PRISONERS OF WAR 197

Without the mounted men we might have bagged our guards and got
clear away, as no warning of our escape could then have reached the Boer
lines for at least twenty-four hours. But it was not to be, and we resigned
ourselves to the inevitable.

When there's nothing to see, almost as much to eat, and the Devil's
own pother to think about, travelling is wearisome. Add to these condi-
tions a place to sit upon as hard as the heart of Pharaoh and the ever-present
gun to keep you on it, and travelling becomes well-nigh unendurable.

If it wasn't for the antics of Brother Boer we should have succumbed
to jaundice, occasioned by nausea of the situation, or some other fell
disease. But the Boer brother, to beguile the tedium of the way, showed
us a thing or two in bullying, in quarrelling, and in shooting — the last
named, to our disappointment, not being a consequence of the first
two. Hanging on to a projection of our waggon was an attendant to
look after the mules, a KaiSfir boy about fifteen years old. His face
was unadorned with beard, whisker, or moustache. One of the Boers
snatched the boy's cap from him, held him tight by the scruff of the
neck, and then chucked the cap into the road. Meanwhile the waggon
proceeded, and soon the cap was a dim speck half a mile behind. Then the
owner of the cap was loosed off, and away he sped back to his lost property.
When he reached it we were a clear mile away. Thereupon the Boers
waxed mighty cheerful, and the waggoner, loudly chuckling, whipped up
his mules into a fast trot, the little nigger running like a good 'un far in the
rear. The going was too bad for continuous trotting, so in two or three
miles the boy had overhauled us, and, though very blown, he showed his
teeth with pleasure at catching us, apparently bearing no malice for the
trick that had been played on him. But his troubles were not over.
As he laid hold of the waggon to jump on, a great Boer hand was sprawled
in his face and he went down on the road like a thousand of bricks at the
unexpected assault. Loud guffaws from the brethren greeted this perfor-
mance. It was repeated again and again till the poor devil was hopelessly
beaten, and unable to continue the game. Then, when allowed to hang on
again, hejhad to put up with brutal horseplay. His ears were pulled, his
faice contorted into extraordinary shapes, and tufts of wool, bleeding, jerked
out of his head. At this point we deemed it our business to interfere, and,
appealing to the man who appeared to be in command of our guard, and
who spoke English well, we asked if it was usual for the Boers to treat
Kafl&rs in this way. And if so, we told him, it was high time every Boer in
South Africa was shut up in St. Helena. This touched him up, and he
ordered the two bullies to drop it. Then ensued a pretty quarrel. Some
of us felt sure there were Hindustani words used — and dreadful they
sounded in Dutch mouths. We fondly hoped there would be shooting, or
at least fisticuffs. But the Boer is like the Bengali—a leviathan in words

198 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

and a mouse in deeds. Behind a stone his heart is Hke that which
protects him, and in the open his heart becomes just like the atmosphere
which affords him no protection.

When cheerfulness was more or less restored somebody espied a herd
of buck about a mile away. The keen sight of the Boers is astonishing,
and the way they detected the movements of the buck at that distance
was a revelation. Some of us could see nothing at all, but the keenest
thought they could spot a little bit of colour which the Boers said was a
herd of about twenty buck. In a minute three of them were blazing
away with their Mausers, but the herd cleared without casualty. Through-
out the rest of the way the Boers blazed away without intermission
at anything and everything that suggested itself as a target. There
certainly was no idea among them then that it would be well to husband
ammunition. I see by the papers that their commandants are said to be
exhorting the Boers now in the field to save their cartridges for ofl&cers,
and not to waste any on the Tommies, but at the date of which
I am writing they behaved as if their supply of ammunition was
inexhaustible.

About midday a halt was called, the niggers did something to the
harness, which dropped on the ground, and the mules, freed, were quickly
up to their knees in an adjacent dam, and soon after that busily engaged
with the veldt grass. Only once a day were they supposed to get a feed
of corn, and from all we could hear that day only came round about
once a week. In the meantime the Boers had fished out an empty wine
case, smashed it up, lighted a fire, and placed a great kettle on top. While
that was boiling the carcass of a sheep was produced from a sack, and all
and sundry hacked a piece off. When the kettle had boiled and the
coffee was made, the fire was heaped up afresh with wood, and every man
had his bit of meat on the end of a stick, held it in the flames, where it
fizzled and cracked and spurted as merrily as any steak on a grill in
London town. There was a dish of salt to dip into when you judged
the cooking complete. Our rusk sack was still partially filled, and wasn't
the dam full of water within a few yards of us ? * What more could the

Englishman want ? ' said Brother Boer, as he lapped up all the coffee I

In the newspapers the Boer is made to speak of the verdomde rooinek, but
my experience of the Boer is that he prefers Tommy's pet adjective before
all others.

Our rustic repast over, the Kafl&rs began to collect the mules. This
they did not by running round them, but by sitting still and emitting
sounds into the tenor of which God forbid that any civilised human
being should inquire. SuiBQcient to say that they were weird enough to
* kid * the mules into leaving their feed and travelling half a mile to the
waggon, there to be yoked again in slavery. Thereafter our journey was

PEISONERS OF WAR 199

uneventful until we struck the railway, where we fondly hoped to find a
train. But the advance of the British from Bloemf ontein had begun, and
the Boers, to prevent a sudden descent on the railway within their own
lines, had taken the precaution of blowing up every bridge and culvert
for many miles inside their own outposts. So we had to traverse six
more weary miles, witnessing for diversion the destruction that dynamite
can bring upon the handiwork of man. Great iron bridges broken and
tossed aside, huge embankments shattered, railway stations annihilated.
Cruel signs, but the inevitable consequences of war. At dark we reached
Smaldeel, a little station sixty miles north of Bloemf ontein, and at that
time the southernmost dep6t of the Boer forces on the railway. Three
days later the British were in possession of Smaldeel and fired on the last
Boer train steaming out of the station. But knowing that afterwards did
not comfort us a bit when they locked us up that night.

Smaldeel is not an attractive place. We were dumped down in the
most unattractive part of it ! Imagine a four-roomed house built of
wood and corrugated iron, one window per room and each one of them
nailed down, as it had been for a long time. Imagine in one of these
rooms Boer lumber— old clothes, empties, forgotten bedding ; remember
the boarded window, call for a glass of brandy, and think with sympathy
of us poor sinners condemned to such a place for a livelong night.

What a ghastly night it was ! They passed us in a small kettleful
of coflfee that ran to about half a mug per man. We were dreadfully
thirsty, but the only water was a single water-bottleful between the
crowd of us— they said there was no more available. For solids we had
the remains of the rusks. On this slender nourishment we had to recoup
our jaded bodies and revive our flagging spirits. Needless to say, in the
morning we looked and felt but sorry representatives of Queen and
country. At daylight we were cleared out of that room, the taste of
which will remain with me until the day I die. The effect on us of the
cold clean air outside was indescribable. We blew ourselves out with
it like pouter pigeons, and nearly dropped down from shock to the
system. We breathed the good air till we forgot to be hungry, thirsty,
or even ashamed of our lamentable plight. The surging of it through
our corrupted lungs was better than— but that would be departing from
the plain unvarnished style with which the soldier man is allowed to
embellish his narrative in lieu of literary grace.

We were popped into a waiting train the carriages of which for
narrowness and hardness were like coffins without the compensating
immunity from pain and trouble so characteristic of the ordinary coffin.
That we might fit in easily they gave us nothing to eat or drink, and
when the train started we rattled about our compartment like dried
peas in a drum. To see us off the station was crowded with all sorts

200 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

and conditions of the human race. It was astonishing to realise that the
throat of man was so constituted that it could be used to emit sounds
which were nothing hke anything we had ever heard before. I heard
a hundred High Court chaprassies hold the concert in which their
champion sang a solo in so raucous a voice that it caused the great
crack which now ornaments the Calcutta High Court building. But it
was nothing to Smaldeel station ! Take a Boer who has lived on the
high veldt of the Transvaal with his next-door neighbour four miles off,
and bring him into a space where his conversation has to carry for feet
instead of miles, and you are overwhelmed by his voice.

Three hundred of that sort endeavoured to hold converse with us,
wanting to know where we had come from, why we had come, and what
we thought of our chances in the hereafter — no Bo6r thinks anybody
who has taken up arms against the Lord's anointed people has a milhon-
to-one chance of salvation. We told them as much as we could, some of
it with regard to the truth, but mostly without. They plainly said we
were liars when we informed them we came from India. They knew all
about Indian coolies, so weren't to be taken in. They were of opinion
that several of us who were clean-shaven were mere children, and
deplored the sinfulness of a Government that could send such lambs to
the slaughter. The clean-shaven ones cordially concurred, and ventured
to hope the Boer Government would do the right thing and ship the
little pets straight away to their mammas. That was another story, said
they — one that Com Paul would know how to deal equitably with.
Pretoria! Pretoria! It was always Pretoria, as if that ghastly little
village was the hub of the universe.

I may be allowed here to point out that the Dutch pronunciation of
the name of the late President of the Transvaal differs slightly from that
commonly used in India. Of course, our Indian way is the soundest,
but it may give this feeble narrative a touch of realism to have included
the fact that in South Africa * Kruger * is pronounced * Cree-yer,' with the
accent on the * Cree.' ' Paul ' is pronounced like * towel,* with a * p ' in-
stead of a ' t.* The Burgher General Botha, in his native land, is called
' Beau-ta,' both syllables of equal value and spoken rather quickly — like
our Indian word * lotah,* with which word, in fact, ' Botha ' rhymes. Many
other words appertaining to South Africa are pronounced not at all in
the way that we have accepted as fit and proper. Swears, however, find
Boer and Briton unanimous both in pronunciation and frequency of use.

When we had left the babel of Smaldeel far behind we settled down
to a critical examination of the country we were spinning through. We
had to occupy ourselves with a subject of absorbing interest so as to
divert our minds from dwelling on the vacuity of that part of our
anatomies which it is not considered polite to mention out of a church or

PBISONEES OF WAR 201

a nursery. But m the matter of country — we found it consoling to see
nothing but rolling downs with never a kopje in sight, right or left,
nearly all the way through the northern part of the Free State. Surely
Bobs and his army would waltz along such easy going and speedily
rescue us from the clutches of the wicked Boer ! So far as Kroonstad
there was nothing to stop the British. There a river forming a deep
spruit meandered by, and would certainly give trouble were our troops
to confine themselves to a frontal attack. But by this time the uses of
flanking movements had been thoroughly grasped by our army, and it
could only be a question of a day or two for our fellows to slip up on
either side and squeeze the enemy out.

Steaming into Kroonstad it was comforting to think what a favourable
country the British army would have to operate in, but the feeling was
as naught compared with that aroused in us when we heard we were to
be fed at Kroonstad. Psychologists evolve wonderful things from the
mind of the intellectual man. But let them starve him. Then see
how his inner consciousness changes its base of operations. Thoughts
emanating from the brain lack the vigour and inventiveness of those
prompted by the working of the more humble organ. The war in South
Africa proves this conclusively. Wherever our troops and Generals have
been well fed the tendency has been to make a mull of things. But
they have never been starved without doing grand work : vide the defence
of Ladysmith, the relief of Kimberley, the brilliant marches of Lord
Eoberts's army, where for days on end whole divisions had nothing but a
biscuit or two to crunch per man.

We rushed into Kroonstad station with the familiar feeling of dashing
importance that everybody knows about who travels by rail. We pulled
up with the old jerk, only more so, that we so joyously used to anticipate
when children. We sniffed the refreshment-room, caught a glimpse
of the coloured papers in the bookstall, and everything seemed just the
same as in old England — as if we were only waking up to pleasant reality
after a horrid dream. But when we tried to get out the grimness of the
truth was brought home to us : loaded rifles barred our way.

However, the grub came, and our sorrows were forgotten in the
pleasure of exercising our fast stiffening jaws. It was great sandwiches
of bully beef, no butter, no trimmings, but mighty good, and bowls of
steaming coffee. There was a fair whack for each man, and none of us
thought of giving half to the poor or saving up any for a rainy day.
Every man ate up all he got and never emitted a sound, other than that
of mastication, until the grunt of interrogation which denoted finished,
and was there any more ? There wasn't, and we got no more that day,
barring what we bought and paid for at extortionate rates.

At any game in the world the Briton can beat the Boer if the

202 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

conditions are such that the Briton has any chance at all. This may
seem a reckless statement in view of the fact that 16,000 Boers are still
holding the field against ten times their number. But I make it with a
knowledge of the circumstances, and am willing to demonstrate the truth
of my statement to any unbeliever who has the pluck to call on me
expressing his doubt. At any rate, by night time, when we crossed the
Vaal Eiver and had reached Vereeniging, the first station in the Transvaal,
we had so * kidded ' our guards into a belief in our desire to reach Pretoria
that they trusted us on to the platform, from which we gravitated into
the refreshment-bar with a celerity that would have astonished Sir Isaac
Newton. We found it crowded with people who didn't seem to think we
were particularly remarkable— at any rate, they did not offer us drinks :
these we had to pay for at the rate of 25. a peg— cheap enough, considering
everything. Hard-boiled eggs 6d. each, sandwiches I5., cigars none
under Is. The last-named we could not run to, so set about looking for
pipes and 'bacca. Boer tobacco is sold in glazed paper bags, about the
size of 14 lb. of sugar, for Is. a time. You can use it either for smoking
or as bedding for horses and cattle — they won't eat it. Pipes like those
you get at home for i\d. were half a crown, so there is no need to dissert
on the fiscal methods of the Boer : there's no free trade about him. He
represents McKinley at about two stone in the matter of Protection. I
coveted a pipe for 3s. 6d. and told the barman I was very sorry I only
had 2s. 6d., and wouldn't he give it to a poor broken-hearted prisoner
at a reduction ? It was true about the 2s. 6d., for I was afraid to produce
a sovereign lest some of them should take a fancy to it, as they had done
to so many of our little valuables. The beast said he'd see me damned
first, and I called him something in Hindustani which attracted more
attention than I liked, when I felt a hand twitching my tunic and saw
a little Jew man winking portentously. I put my hand down, and he
slipped a coin into it — a shilling it was, to enable me buy the pipe. This
is one of the few sporting things I have seen done in the Transvaal, and
it was not a Boer who did it. I don't think Boers understand sport.
They never do anything imtil they have got six to four the best of their
neighbour. Every Boer who plays billiards carries a bit of soap, and the
few that are not afraid to play football are adepts at tripping. They
have stopped playing cards entirely, for they invariably found after a few
hands were dealt in a game that nothing but the rags of the pack
remained to be played with, all the good cards having gone up the
sleeves of the players.

However, I bought the pipe, and refunded the kindly little Jew his
bob. Leaving the bar, I passed a little bunch of Boers who had rather
enjoyed my rebuff at the hands of the barman.

I gravely congratulated the Boers on their brother behind the bar, and

PRISONERS OF WAR 203

asked if they had many other Boers as good looking. Discretion may
sometimes be a branch of valour, but there was very little valour about
the discretion I exercised when I left that refreshment-bar.

The rest of the night in the train was tedious and uncomfortable to a
degree, and cold beyond words. At 3 or 4 in the morning we landed
at Pretoria, and our guards, all South African Kepublic Police — the
hated Z.A.E.P. — belonging to Pretoria, instead of leaving us in the
train until daylight, hauled us out and marched us oflf. After a mile or
so we came to a building. We entered by a gate, and found ourselves in
a courtyard with high walls. We were there delivered over to another
lot of rufiSans, the first lot clearing off to their homes in high jubilation at
the prospect of rejoining wives and families after many months in the
field. They had not been unkind to us on the whole, and we found them
simple enough, but imbued with considerable contempt of the Britisher
and an unchangeable belief in the ultimate success of their own cause.

Sitting on the cold stone pavement of the courtyard, chewing the cud of
our misfortunes, we waited for the only friend we*d got — the sun. Mean-
while strange sounds came from the high walls surrounding us — heavy
sighs, deep gruntings, weird moanings, harsh cries, and loud beatings. We
wondered what manner of place we were in. Daylight revealed the truth.
We were in the Pretoria Gaol, and all around us were the drunks and
incapables, the vagrants and vagabonds, black and white, that had been
scraped out of the gutter the night before. Mostly they were Kaffir
women — huge, unwieldy, hideously ugly creatures, reminding one of those
depicted by Hogarth in his scenes of low life in London nearly two
centuries ago. When the sun rose the doors of the cells were opened and
we saw strange sights. The gaoler prodded the sulky ones with a long
stick and made them come out.

Standing about in the fresh morning light, dirty, frowzled, altogether
abominable to look at, they seemed a blot on creation, and the knowledge
of their mere existence hung heavily on one's mind. It was not a pleasant
awakening to the splendours of the Boer capital.

For about the tenth time we gave in our full names, and all we could
think of in the way of description, down to red hair, for which the Boer
has a pecuhar regard. A Boer with red hair can be a Mormon a dozen
times. Nearly all their clergymen have red hair. In among the drunks
and incapables we found one cell containing representatives of the British
Army, lately free fighting men, but now confined against their own
wishes. One of these, to my astonishment — for his appearance did not
suggest the soldier in the very least — addressed me by name, and I recog-
nised in him a saddler sergeant who had built me a very excellent saddle
some years before, when his regiment, the 18th Hussars, was in India.
He and a pal had been taken prisoners at the very beginning of the war

204 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

in Natal, and so had done six months in durance vile. They had been so
bored with their experiences that they had escaped and endeavoured to
get to Portuguese territory, but unluckily the ubiquitous Boer had been
too many for them, and they were now being restored to their status quo
ante, as political paragraphists describe it. Another was a Yeoman lad
from county Notts, with a very much worn pair of boots to his feet, and
it showed fine public spirit in him that he seemed to deplore this fact
more than his being made prisoner.

In the corner of the courtyard was a tap, and we all did a bit of wash-
ing. The absence of silver-topped scent-bottles, ebony hair-brushes.
Pears' soap, &c., was rather a drawback, but it did not prevent us creating
at least a zone of cleanliness. We were then paraded, and in as martial
array as was possible, without guns or swords and incommoded with
blankets and empty sacks, we marched forth with a loud cheer. To be a
prisoner of war was a fate that might overcome the best soldier that ever
stepped, but to be herded with police mud-scrapings injured the dignity
of every one of us,.

Half-an-hour's walk past cottages, bakers* shops, where smiling lassies
stood at doorways, and all the signs of a little country town at home, we
came to a great enclosed spsbce at one comer of which was inscribed the
legend * Polo Ground.' We immediately began arguing about who was to
play in the first chukker, and whether we'd have a ten-minute chukker, with
a change of pony half-time, or chukkers of six minutes straight away.
Two known cracks were agreed upon, and they, to save unseemly fighting,
picked up sides. Then each side began backing itself for large sums (on
the nod), while the unselected ones scoffed and offered 5 to 4 against either
team. Needless to say, while diverting ourselves in this manner we were
girt about by armed horsemen, who conducted themselves with much
dignity and secret spurrings, especially when passing where comely
lassies stood at the doors. In this respect I have observed the Boer does
not differ from the Briton, nor has he any scruples about endeavouring to
attract the admiration of another Boer's girl as well as his own. March-
ing along one side of the enclosure, we came to a great entrance, and
realised of a sudden that we had arrived at the racecourse, rendered classic
by the experiences of our imprisoned troops within its gates. We entered
and found all the ofiices so familiar to racegoers — grand stand, paddock,
weighing-room, jockeys' room, horse-boxes — but no equine wonders. It
filled our hearts with sorrow to see such waste — not even a booky to trill
forth the odds.

But there was a desolation over the scene very different from the stir
and bustle of a racecourse. Our troops had been penned up in a barbed-
wire enclosure that included the paddock, stands, and a bit of the course
itself. Most of the buildings had been utilised as hospitals, and where or

PEISONERS OF WAR 205

how the poor devils who hadn't enteric or dysentery or pleurisy or rheumatic
fever existed, Heaven alone knows. The N.C.O.s had the privilege of
sleeping on the steps of the grand stand, and I suppose the others had to
be content with the ground. Very quickly the accommodation at the race-
course had become inadequate, and the camp at Waterval was established,
leaving only a hospital and a staff of orderlies. The result was a most woe-
begone place, littered with empty tins, rags, paper, and refuse of all sorts.
We elected to occupy a row of horse-boxes facing the paddock. I'm sure
no owner of racehorses would have allowed any of his string to enter these
boxes, but we were only too glad to find a place wherein to lay our heads.
After a long delay they brought us rations of sorts — the potatoes, I re-
member well, being little round things about the size of marbles and every-
one gaily sprouting. For the rest we had ^ lb. of meat and a loaf of bread
apiece, plenty of cold water, and the consolation of being told we had a
great deal to be thankful for. While our troops had been confined at the
racecourse some of the residents of Pretoria had been exceedingly kind in
supplying them with what, to them, were great luxuries to help out the
meagre fare allowed by the Boer Government. A much-appreciated but
sticky delicacy was a considerable supply of golden syrup. In one little
hut occupied by a mess of sergeants, twelve men used to sleep every night,
packed as close as herrings. The morning following the day on which
they had received their share of the golden syrup they found themselves
all stuck together, and had to rise up in one piece like a row of toy
soldiers.

Lieutenant Crane was taken off to the newly formed camp
for prisoners on a barren hillside north of Pretoria, where nearly
all officers had been confined within triple fences of barbed wire
since their removal from the Model School. Non-commissioned
officers and troopers of Lumsden's Horse had to share the fate of
other captive soldiers at Waterval on the high veldt outside the
Magaliesberg, but luckily they were not among the number hurried
away by retreating Boer commandos to distant Nooitgedacht
when our troops entered Pretoria. At Waterval the daily
rations were scanty enough, though luxurious by comparison
wdth the meagre fare served out at a later date to prisoners in
that place away eastwards with a name that bespeaks desolation.
And by the kindness of the American Consul, Sergeant D. S.
Fraser was able to obtain funds from India for himself and his
fellow-sufferers. This enabled them to supplement the rough
rations issued to them during their imprisonment at Waterval.
To cover the advances made for this purpose Colonel Lumsden

206

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

authorised a grant of 51. each to the prisoners, being at the rate
of 11. per man per week for the period of their captivity. Thus
the value of such a fund as had been raised in Calcutta before
the corps left was demonstrated in an unforeseen way. By means
of it Colonel Lumsden had been able to start with a treasure-
chest of IjOOOZ. and a sufficient credit in the Standard Bank of
South Africa to meet all emergencies.

Of the uneventful dulness of their life in the prisoners' camp,
where few visitors ever came, and none whose presence could
be considered very cheerful, we may judge by the fact that

WATERVAL PRISON, NEAR PRETORIA

hardly anything has been written about it. The poor fellows
who had neither money nor friends to procure it for them must
have fared ill indeed on nothing but Government rations issued
according to the following scale, which cannot be impugned,
seeing that the Editor found it written in choicest official
Dutch among other documents at Pretoria bearing the seal of
the Z.A.E. On this scale the officers were to receive 1 lb. of
meat and an undefined ration of meal, rice, or peas, per head
per day, with a weekly allowance of groceries amounting to 2 oz.
of coffee, 2 oz. of tea, and one candle per head. In practice the

PRISONERS OF WAR 207

meat ration dwindled down at times to as little as 1^ lb. a week
for each officer, and the meal, rice, or peas being d discretion ^ not
of the consumer but of the burgher in charge, were occasionally off
the bill of fare altogether. The rank-and-file were each to receive
7 lb. of flour, 31b. of meal, 3 lb. of rice, 3 lb. of dried French beans,
21 oz. of sugar, 2 oz. of salt, 3^ oz. of raw coffee beans, and 2 lbs. of
meat per week, and had to see that they got it, as the Boers, being
rather short of luxuries themselves, claimed the right to make
reductions frequently on the plea that there had been an
excessive issue for some previous day. Actually at one time the
prisoners at Nooitgedacht, to whom the same scale applied, did
not receive more than an average of 3 lb. of flour and ^ lb. of
meat per head per week, and the beans, which formed their only
vegetable diet, were useless. The captives among whom a few of
Lumsden's Horse found their lot cast at Waterval were not so
badly off as that, but still there was so much monotony, both in
food and in the featureless routine of daily life, that they must
have been very glad to hear the booming of British guns outside
Pretoria and to know that the hour of their deliverance from
bondage was at hand. A few days after the entry of our
troops into the capital. Colonel Lumsden had the gratification
of writing :

Lieutenant Crane's many friends in India will be pleased to hear that
he is once more with us and in command of his section, looking stout
and well, none the worse for his wound or his enforced stay in Pretoria.

Sergeant Fraser, Corporal Angus McGillivray, Privates E. N. Mac-
donald, Peterson and Leslie Williams are also back with us, all looking fit
and strong.

Lance-Corporal Firth is at present employed in the Financial Adviser's
ofl&ce in Pretoria, and has made himself so useful that I cannot persuade
General Maxwell, the Military Governor, to dispense with his services.

208 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEK XI

TOWABDS PBETOBIA—LUMSDEN'S HOBSE SCOUTING AHEAD
OF THE ABMY FBOM BLOEMFONTEIN TO THE VAAL BIVEB

Lord Egberts was so well satisfied with the results achieved by
General Ian Hamilton's division and the other columns operating
south of Thaba 'Nchu on May 1 that he regarded all the strategical
points in that direction as being securely held, and was therefore
no longer anxious for the safety of the railway, on which future
supplies for his army might be dependent after the exhaustion of
those already collected at Bloemfontein. In these circumstances
he determined on an immediate advance the day after Hamilton
had cut the Boer chain in two at Houtnek. He accordingly
sent General Pole-Carew's division from Bloemfontein to Karree
Siding, where their arrival was hailed by Lumsden's Horse as
significant of great things to follow, seeing that General Tucker's
brigade had been pushed forward to occupy the ground over
which Mounted Infantry corps fought two days earlier. General
Hutton's brigade of mounted troops was ten miles west of the
railway at Brakpan by Doom Spruit, and General Ian Hamilton's
division had advanced from Houtnek to Isabellafontein, out-
flanking the Brandfort range of kopjes. Thus, on the morning
of May 3 De la Key found his position seriously menaced, and
after-events proved that he had no intention of making a stand
there longer than was necessary for a rearguard action, by which
he might delay the British advance and give his own main body
time to withdraw all heavy artillery and stores. Threatened on
the left by Ian Hamilton, and finding his right flank in danger
of being turned by Hutton's Mounted Infantry, De la Key
retired, and our troops entered Brandfort that afternoon. The
Boers, however, had fallen back to a second position, being
neither disorganised nor beaten, but only disinclined for close

TOWARDS PRETORIA 209

fighting, and until dusk they continued to show such a firm
front that the mounted troops could do little against them.
Colonel Lumsden sums up the situation briefly by the following
entry in his official diary :

On the morning of the 3rd we left Spy tfontein at daybreak with Colonel
Henry's brigade, and joined General MaxwelFs brigade (14th) at the
foot of Gun Kopje, the place where Major Showers was killed. The
Mounted Infantry, covering a front of some three miles, swept the country
towards Brandfort, Infantry and guns following. A little desultory fighting
occurred, driving in the enemy*s advance parties on to their first position,
which we found at about 11 a.m. The guns and Infantry then came up
and cleared the position in about an hour. During the action we were
exposed to a good deal of shell fire, which fortunately did no harm, owing
to the ground being soft and the shells burying themselves before
bursting, if they burst at all.

At 12 the advance was made on their second and main position,
about two miles off, and lying some five miles north-east of Brandfort.
The enemy offered little resistance, confining themselves chiefly to long-
range artillery fire. When the position was practically taken the Mounted
Infantry were sent away to the right flank to make a wide turning move-
ment with a view to cutting off the retreat of * Long Tom,' who, however,
catching them on a wide open plain, forced them to dismount for the
attack. The dismounted men advanced some two miles in his direction,
but dusk setting in it became evident that it was impossible to reach that
position with daylight, and we were ordered to rejoin our horses and
return to camp. This we reached about 8 p.m., having been in the saddle
fifteen hours and covered quite forty miles. There had been no time
during the day to feed the horses, which consequently felt the work very
much. Our casualties were nil ; but ten horses died from exhavistion.

To troopers in the ranks, however, it seemed a much more
serious affair, as well it might, for on them fell the burden of an
advance that tried their powers of endurance if it did not put a
very severe strain on their nerves. One of them, writing rather
for his own gratification than with the idea of helping to make
history, gives a graphic picture of the movement out of camp in
the darkest hour before dawn to join other troops, and then trot
on through the ' pitch blackness ' over ground on which stones
seemed to have cropped up suddenly where no stones had been
before, so that horses stumbled at every stride. Then, as it grew
lighter, they saw that a whole army was with them, .extending

210 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

along a front that stretched for miles. Lumsden's Horse halted
under a hill near Ospruit, and British guns opened fire from its
crest. At this point the trooper's hasty notes become ruggedly
picturesque as he describes the sequence of events :

The Boer artillery replied, and it became rather a hot comer. Shells
burst all round us and over our heads. We were retired and lay down.
Then moved to the right, gave over our horses to the even numbers, and
moved forward on foot, extending to some ten paces apart. So we
advanced, sometimes mounted, sometimes on foot — always extended.
Then lay down, then advanced again, and lay down — all in long parallel
lines, Lumsden's Horse being on the extreme right, or nearly so. The
Infantry marched in beautifully regular and even straight lines, apparently
quite indifferent to the Boer guns that now opened on them and made
good shooting too. The shell fell all amongst those Infantry, but when
the dust cleared nobody seemed to be down, and the line went on un-
moved. Then some shells came in our direction, but either fell short or
whistled over our heads doing no harm ; yet we were retired a bit.
Then a pom-pom of ours came into action and silenced the Boer guns.
This was all straight ahead. Meanwhile a gun opened across our front
at some Boers, whom we could see plainly retreating on the right. They
replied until the pom-poms behind us opened on them. Then they
bolted and were chased by some Mounted Infantry who came up on our
flank. Again we advanced on foot and got near the big kopje. Then
Colonel Lumsden rode up, called for the horses, and ordered us to advance
and join other corps of the 8th Mounted Infantry in a flank attack. Off
we went at a trot, and then, extending to intervals of ten paces, advanced
towards the kopje in front of us at a walk, but still mounted. Suddenly
there was a bang, and a few seconds later a shell burst dead on for our
centre, but some 200 yards short. After a brief pause a second shell
burst 100 yards nearer, and then another, the fragments of which
kicked up the dust all round us. This we discovered was what Cavalry
called ' being out to draw fire.* Still we advanced. Bang went the
gun again, and there was a cloud of dust followed by a tremendous
report not twenty yards from Clifford, Cayley, and me. Iron whizzed
over our heads, but nobgdy was hit. Our horses plunged and wheeled
round, and, seeing everyone was off, we did not stop either. Halted and
dismounted at a farmhouse lower down near a stream, where the company
assembled. Then handed over our horses, and, advancing again, with lots
of others on foot, trudged a weary two miles, when a Boer Maxim opened
on us ; but though the bullets swept ground between the front line and
ourselves, they did no harm. When darkness began to fall the order
came for us to retire, and, our horses being brought up, we rode back

p 2

TOWAEDS PBETORIA 213

over dykes and sluits and boggy places in the pitch black. Nobody
knew the way, but, seeing lights on our right, we made for them, and got
into camp about 7 o'clock. Not a bad day's wprk, having started at
3 A.M. with nothing whatever in the way of food to start on. Tied our
nags up. Everybody too tired to boil a kettle, or even light a fire. Ate
half a biscuit and some buUy-beef and turned in. The left half-company
having come back to camp comparatively early, got into a hen-roost and
made great store of fowls, turkeys, and ducks. Heard that two foreign
ofl&cers had been taken — one German and one Russian— who said it was
useless going on, as the Boers would not stand and would not fight. So
ended the Battle of Brandfort.

Colonel Lumsden takes up the narrative at this point in an
official report to the executive committee, and without attempt-
ing to describe the general operations he gives a clear outline of
events in which his corps took a prominent part, leaving details
to be filled in by troopers according to their various views, and
they give some realistic sketches, not only of the actions but
also of the men under fire. In Colonel Lumsden's epitome of a
day when the troops were supposed to rest and gain fresh vigour
for a forward movement, there is a meaning that could not have
been better expressed than it is in this short sentence :

On the 4th we halted, with no food for horses and only biscuit for the
men.

On the 5th, when the enemy were driven from a strong position on
the banks of Vet River, we had a long dragging day, most of the march
being done on foot to ease our tired horses, and with little hope of finding
any enemy in front of us, though away on our flank the artillery on both
sides were hotly engaged. At about 2 p.m. we suddenly got the order to
change direction to the left and head for Vet railway station, which
the enemy held in force. We crossed the Vet river, where Boer com-
mandos had been making a stubborn stand, and soon found ourselves
among our Infantry. Shortly afterwards our guns opened fire and our
Infantry came into action, while the Mounted Infantry were sent round
by our right — northwards — to intercept, if possible, the retreating enemy.
It was a race for the same drift again among the Mounted Infantry, and
we got there first. Crossing the river, we were told to push. forward
as fast as possible and seize a kopje two miles off which commanded a
somewhat deep valley on the left, up which the enemy were retiring
As it was supposed to be a race between us and the enemy for the kopje,
we had not the time to make a thorough reconnaissance before approach-
ing, with the result that our scouts arrived at the kopje only some 600

214 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

to 700 yards before us, and the enemy had a charge at us at 800 yards.
We immediately opened out and took cover behind the bund of a tank
fifty yards in rear, and, dismounting, opened fire on the kopje and silenced
it. We were unable to stay there, as the enemy from the valley were
galloping up on our left under the cover of the kopje, so 1 gave the order
to my sixty men to mount and retire on our supports, who were now
coming up a quarter-mile in rear. We were only just in time, for, as we
were mounting, the Boer pom-pom treated us to a * belt ' the shells of
which came fair into the middle of us.

The supports now opened fire with two pom-poms and 200 men, and
the enemy retired, leaving us free to return to camp, which we reached at
7 P.M. — another long day of quite thirty miles. Our casualties were only
one scout killed when reconnoitring this kopje. This was Private
A. K. Meares, who was shot through the heart, and whom we buried the
following morning.

One of the scouts who was with young Meares w^hen they
reconnoitred the kopje describes that episode with convincing
directness, and incidentally records a very gallant action on the
part of Lieutenant Pugh, as if it were the most commonplace
occurrence. Following is his version of the affair given in
extracts from a private letter :

By 2 in the afternoon we were fairly in touch with the enemy,
and an artillery duel commenced. After some time our fire grew too hot
for the Boers, and they retired with their guns. We had been sent
forward to try to turn the Boer flank, and our section. No. 4 B, was
ordered to seize a kopje which was supposed to be unoccupied. We, of
the advanced party, cantered up to within 250 yards of the enemy's
sangar, and then they opened on us, but I must say they made very bad
shooting ; we had got within 200 yards of them before turning to retire,
and yet only one man was hit. We were all in line, about twelve of us,
in skirmishing order, when the Boers opened fire, and when the order
to retire reached us we went back as fast as we could. Meares — the
man who was killed — and I were going in the same direction, and as his
horse was dead done, and had already fallen once during the day, I
reined up so as to get near him in case of need. 1 was just a httle ahead
of him and kept glancing round to see how he was doing. In looking
after him I quite forgot my own horse, and then I don't know what
happened. All I know is that half an hour afterwards I found myself
breathless, holding one of our officer's stirrup-leathers and running for
dear life. My horse, it seems, got into a hole and came down an awful
crash on top of me. The others thought both the horse and I had been

H. J. MOORHOUSE

A. K. MEARES
(Killed in Action)

W. K. MEARES

H. W. PUCKRIDGE

R. G. DAGGE

R. P. WILLIAMS

R. C. NOLAN T. G. PETERSEN S. DUCAT

N.CO.S AND TROOPERS

TOWARDS PRETORIA 217

shot. Almost immediately after this Meares went down, shot through
the heart from the back. Both our horses righted themselves, and
galloped back to the section. I lay stunned for half an hour, and then,
as I have told you, I staggered up to No. 2 section, who were covering
our retreat. I beUeve I was making straight for the Boer line of fire,
when one of our officers shouted out to me and gave me his stirrup-leather
to hold as I came up to him. I was so completely done after a short run
that he got off his horse and gave me a lift on it. Lieutenant Pugh
was the man. It was dark by this time, and as we had driven the
Boers oflf we retired to our camp. I picked up my section again, and
found my horse, who was badly cut about the head. My face was in a
lovely condition — one eye closed, and my cheek, forehead, and nose one
big bruise, and my head was splitting with pain. It was a providential
escape, and if I had not fallen I should surely have shared Meares's fate.

In the simple phrases of another trooper who relates wdth
more fulness the circumstances in which Trooper A. K. Meares
met his death there are some pathetic touches :

We had several severe engagements, in one of which I am sorry to
say young Meares was shot dead while his company (B) were retiring
from a very large force of Boers with a few guns. It was altogether a
sad affair, as his brother Willie was riding next him. Being in extended
order, however, they were fifty yards or so apart, and Willie knew
nothing about his brother being hit till he got into camp and found
who was missing. It was then some men said they had seen him fall off
his nag, but could tell no more. Willie went with a party next morning
and found his brother dead. The bullet-wound was right over his heart.
He was buried there. What makes it all the more pathetic is that young
Meares was the only man hit that day, no one else getting a scratch.

Though the Boers made a brave show up to the last, disputing
every position a hold of which gave them any advantage, the
resistance offered by them to Lumsden's Horse was only an ex-
piring effort. Their right flank had by that time been turned by
other corps of Mounted Infantry, among whom the Colonials vied
vnth each other for distinction, and at nightfall, when Australians
vnth a machine gun had come up to relieve Lumsden's Horse,
the enemy retired, leaving a Maxim gun and twenty-six prisoners
in our hands. Again, however, they had carried off all their
heavy artillery and equipage, although General Ian Hamilton
had that afternoon got possession of Winburg and was threatening

218 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE •

their rear. The events of following days are summarised briefly
by Colonel Lumsden in his official report :

Next morning, the 6th, saw us away at daybreak back for the
yesterday's battlefield and towards the rising sun. We could see clearly
how clever had been the Boer plan of attack and how nearly they had
caught some of us. We followed up their tracks for many miles, halted
at noon for an hour, continued scouring the country — this time north —
and eventually headed west, arriving at dusk at our new camp near
Smaldeel, having advanced only three and a half miles after marching
thirty.

Away at dawn on the 7th, and, heading north, tramped many a mile
on foot, striking the railway between Vet and Winburg a few miles
from Vet, and continuing north some distance. We halted for two or
three hours, and then retraced our steps to a camp near the railway,
reaching it after dusk.

On the 8th our regiment did flank guard for the Infantry during a
march of twenty miles, saw innumerable buck, and commandeered twenty
remounts on payment.

With the incident thus delicately touched upon by Colonel
Lumsden an irresponsible trooper deals more at large in a way
that enables us to understand the troubles by which some com-
manding officers were beset when their men, unUke Lumsden's
Horse, did not think it necessary to go through the formaUty of
paying for what they took. Writing from Smaldeel, the trooper
says:

Yesterday we went fairly straight, but about two or three miles too
far, and had to come back ; but we caught a young Boer leaving his farm
with a rifle and ammunition, and we got another at the farm. The farm
was looted of all its live-stock. The Colonel stopped it when he came up,
but all the poultry was taken. Our men paid for everything. Kruger has
told all these people that their farms will be burned and all the women taken
prisoners. I think they were rather reUeved when we left. One woman
said her husband had come back three weeks ago and died of wounds, and
they said the Free-Staters had lost terribly. They never hear oflicially,
as they keep the deaths dark, but almost every farm has lost at least one
man. In one we passed there were three widows. They are rather nice
people and can nearly all speak English, and are rather nice-looking.
We have fifty-one horses sick— about half with pink-eye and the other half
sore backs and lame — but we make it up by degrees. Yesterday we col-
lected eleven and the day before about the same, but in the night they got
away. We also brought along 200 sheep and some cows ; the sheep we

TOWAEDS PEETOEIA 219

have given over to the brigade, except about twenty for our own use. We
carry with us to-morrow two days' rations and four on the carts in case
the transport don't come up. McMinn and Francis, of my section, got lost
leading sick horses. McMinn has attached himself to another brigade,
but nothing has been heard of Francis.

The' self-restraint exercised by soldiers who left untouched
the stores and paid for all the live-stock they took at every farm
where women and children had been left by the retreating Boers
will be appreciated by all who know what it is to march and fight
day after day on short rations. Though Lumsden's Horse laid
in that store of supplies, it did not last them many days, as we
gather from a continuation of the Coloners diary :

On the 9th the usual daybreak start, our men with two days' biscuits
and one day's feed for horses, but the ofl&cers with only some chocolate,
as we relied on our mess cart being up. We were with the main body
this day, till we neared the crossing of the Zand River at the Virginia
Siding railway bridge, which had been blown up the day before, and at
this point our companies were detached on each side of the drift to
prevent a surprise. We heard General Hamilton having an artillery duel
with the foe some miles off on our right, while on the left we saw the
Mounted Infantry dislodging the enemy's advance parties, the war
balloon with Lord Roberts and Staff being near the drift itself. We
received orders to concentrate and move away to the left, and on the
far side of the river to join our corps— the 8th Mounted Infantry — on
doing which we were immediately sent into action dismounted, firing at
1,500 yards, while the enemy's pom-pom shells flew whistUng over our
heads as they aimed at our guns behind us. Our corps here got ics first
definite order, and that was, 'Keep touch with the enemy at any cost.'
As this came from Lord Roberts direct, we proceeded to obey it to the
letter, with the result that we were under shell and rifle fire for the re-
mainder of the day. Having got well ahead of the rest of our brigade,
in following up ' Long Tom,' which halted and fired on us at intervals,
we kept running into the enemy's supporting Infantry, whom we only
managed to discomfit thoroughly when we got at them with our Maxim
on the open hillside. Our losses were only two horses wounded. We
were severely shelled several times, but we escaped casualties through
being widely extended and also through the faulty bursting of the
enemy's shells. On one occasion ten shells burst among us within five
minutes. About 3 p.m., in company with Colonel Ross, I went to en-
deavour to get some support, and brought up one company of Loch's
Horse, one company Tasmanians, and one company South Austrahan

220 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Rifles, afterwards meeting General Hutton with a battery Field Artillery,
which promptly went into action on our left flank and shelled the Boers,
who were then retiring. Unfortunately, our force was much too weak
to attempt to follow them in the open. Had it not been so it was the
opinion of General Hutton and Colonel Ross that we might have cap-
tured the whole of them— some 1,500, with a couple of guns. Dusk
had then drawn on, and, having lost touch with our brigade, we
marched under General Hutton's orders to a camping ground seven miles
ofif in the direction of Kroonstad, arriving about 9 p.m., without food
for men or horses, and there was no firewood within miles.

The troopers had each little else but dry biscuit, the ofl&cers faring
hardly any better.

Another correspondent writes of this affair :

We had a very pretty fight at the Zand River, and were within an
ace of taking two of the enemy's big gims. To begin at the beginning.
We had marched the previous day from our camp near Smaldeel to
within about five miles of the Zand River. On our arrival there we
heard that the Australians and Oxfords had been having a skirmish with
some Boers at the bridge, and had seized a train of stores, but were
forced to retire. Starting at daybreak in the second line of Mounted
Infantry, we got across the drift all right, and drove the Boer outposts
back. We sat on the further side of the river for about an hour, watch-
ing them bring up two big guns on to a kopje about three miles off, and
wondering when we should be shelled. Presently we were ordered off on
a flank movement, and after trotting some miles came in touch with
the enemy. We dismounted, and moved up a valley with good cover,
the pom-poms following. They drove back the Boer riflemen and
presently silenced a gun, which had been amusing itself by shelling our
led horses, but luckily without effect. We mounted again and started for
a two-mile gallop to get up with their gun, but it had disappeared.
Making a flank movement round the shoulder of the position they had
occupied, and pushing on some distance, we found them again, or rather
they found us first. Their gun got our range beautifully, but every
shell seemed to fall and burst between the horses. Of course we were
widely extended. Retiring, we dismounted and then advanced on foot,
but their rifle fire and shell fire was too hot ; so again we tried to out-
flank their position. A Company and half of B Company advanced,
and we climbed a small kopje with a deserted Kafl&r kraal on top ;
Loch's Horse, some of the Australians, and the West Riding Mounted
Infantry went round and took up a position further along the ridge.
We sat there for nearly two hours under a terrific shell fire, till it
dawned on us to move below the brow. For the first half-hour they

TOWARDS PRETORIA 221

landed shell after shell (40-pouiiders) right into the middle of us;
luckily, very few burst properly. If they had fired shrapnel, which
bursts in the air, or lyddifce, we should all have been blown pfif the
top. They then let our horses have a few shots, and killed two and
wounded three. In the meantime urgent messages were being sent
for our artillery, or at least the pom-poms that generally come with us,
but unfortunately they could get nothing but a walk out of their horses,
and the Boers quietly trekked away. We ought to have had them with
the greatest of ease, as we were well round them on two sides and a
brigade was moving somewhere on the third. If the Artillery had got up
in time we could easily have moved round the fourth side. We tried to
keep in touch with the Boers when they retired, but it soon got dark and
we had to stop.

No stirring episodes or dramatic incidents marked the army's
further advance towards a stronghold which the Free State
Boers had declared that they would defend to the last. Colonel
Lumsden deals vsdth this part of the operations briefly in the
following notes :

Dawn on the 10th saw us in the saddle again on the move for
Kroonstad. The leading sections were constantly in touch with the
enemy, and sometimes under heavy shell fire, from which Corporal
Kirwan received a scalp wound not very serious. After a long and
weary march we halted at nightfall near a farm, where we were lucky
enough to get some Indian corn for the horses and a few sheep for
the men.

We made an early start on the 11 th for the expected big fight at
Kroonstad, it having been reported on the previous evening that the
enemy were strongly posted five miles on our side of the town.

We advanced for ten miles with the utmost military precaution, only to
find that the enemy had vacated the position, leaving Kroonstad unde-
fended. Lord Eoberts marched in at 3 p.m., followed by the Guards and
the rest of the Infantry, the mounted troops flanking both sides of the
town. We occupied heights on the left, and halted there for the night,
changing ground next morning to our present camping ground, a mile
distant, where, with the rest of the army, we are waiting for supplies for
horses and men, before a forward movement towards Pretoria can be
made.

The halt has been a welcome one, as our horses are fairly done, and I
doubt if I could mount 150 men to-morrow, and a few more weeks' work
like that of the last would reduce the numbers to 100. We are leaving a
dozen horses to-day as unfit to march, and shot six yesterday. Cast

222 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

horses wander about all over the veldt and lie dead in the river or any
other quiet place, and fatigue parties are ceaselessly at work burying the
bodies.

You can form no idea of the condition of our horses, and, but for the
fact that we have been able to commandeer and get remounts en route,
we should have half our corps dismounted. We have lost quite seventy-
five horses already. I have stated officially that we require immediately
seventy-five remounts more, and these we expect to get this afternoon.
Mrs. Barrow's ' Molly Eiley ' looks like a bathing-machine horse, and I
fear is on her latst' march.

The men are all verj' well and in good spirits, are most efficient cooks,
and if allowed would rank high as looters ; but orders against this are very
strict, and our men pay liberally for anything in the shape of foodstuffs
wherever procurable.

The office department has been rather upset by the loss of Sergeant
Fraser, of the Bank of Bengal, who was Paymaster and Secretary, but I
have replaced him by Graves, of the same bank, who is working up arrears
as quickly as possible. He is a very willing and intelligent young fellow,
and will soon have things straight again when he gets a few days' halt,
but it is impossible to do much on the line of march.

The troops were not all so punctilious as Lumsden's Horse
in the matter of prompt payment for things commandeered, and
a good story was told of One brigade at Kroonstad, whose com-
mander, in despair of being able to check irregularities, issued
an order that loot was 'not to be carried openly on the saddle.'
Our soldiers, however, had not then been reduced by hardships
and scant fare to the necessity of providing for themselves at all
costs. Some pitiful cases of unauthorised commandeering were
reported in connection with later operations, when columns
moving rapidly through several districts had to draw supplies
from Boer farms and give receipts for them in lieu of cash pay-
ments. Detached parties driven to straits for want of food did
not hesitate to adopt the means they had seen employed by
responsible ofl&cers, but took care to leave no trace by which they
could be identified. An ofl&cer who had to investigate these
cases told me of one receipt given to a Boer wadow. It ran
thus : * Being without rations and hungry, we have taken all
this poor woman had of live-stock and food. She asks for a
receipt. I give it. God help her ! — Ally Sloper.' To the credit
of British military administration, it must be said that this

TOWARDS PRETORIA 223

document, though irregular, was accepted as genuine, and duly
honoured by payment in full.

Lurasden's Horse had their share of the privations that made
commandeering a necessity, and even looting pardonable ; and it
is not to be wondered at if some among them regarded cam-
paigning in anything but the roseate light that imagination had
shed upon it before they left India. Yet, even at this time, their
conduct in circumstances that tried the character of men in-
dividually and collectively won approval from such a soldier as
Colonel Ward, C.B. (now Sir Edward Ward, K.C.B., Permanent
Under-Secretary of State for War). Singling them out on the
line of march, he asked what regiment they were, and seemed
astonished to learn that they were Volunteers. In a letter to
the Editor he says : ' I was much struck with Lumsden's Horse.
They were very keen and excellent soldiers.' After an exception-
ally hard day one of them wrote :

We were in the saddle at 5 a.m., and did not bivouac till 8 p.m., and
were under shell fire the greater portion of the day. We had two men
and several horses wounded^ and two or three horses killed. It seemed
to me that our task always was to find where the enemy's guns were
posted, as we invariably drew their fire on us. It was a fearfully long
day, and after fighting for ten hours we had to march for five, and when
we bivouacked we had nothing but a few dry biscuits and a little jam
to eat, but we were making coflee till midnight. We were up again
at 6 A.M., and did an easy march to Kroonstad, where we commandeered
two fowls, and, having been served out with fresh mutton, we did our-
selves very well indeed. Some potatoes had been left in the farmhouse
garden, and these fried in dripping made a feast for epicures. Next
day we marched again, and, after skirmishing about the hills above
Kroonstad, camped outside the town. It had been evacuated by Boer
commandos the day before, and surrendered without a shot being fired.

Lord Roberts received quite an ovation as he marched in, but we
only heard the cheers, as our corps was not in the town, but above it.
We have now marched right across the Orange State from Bethulie to
Kroonstad, and are wondering how much farther we shall go. There are all
sorts of rumours about camp — some say Lumsden's Horse are to garrison
Kroonstad, others that we go on east to Harrismith, and others, again,
that we accompany Lord Eoberts to Pretoria. There have been days
when but two men were left in the lines; all the rest have been on
fatigue or duty of some sort. Our horses, it is true, have been over-
worked and underfed, but you will be able to form some idea of the

224 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN*S HOESE

effects of * pink-eye * and other African diseases when I tell you that of
the thirty men in our section alone who were well mounted when we
started from India there are about five of us riding our own horses now,
all the others have remounts ; and our section is not the worst in this
respect. My horse is doing me splendidly ; except for a sore back for a
few days, he has never been sick or sorry.

We have learnt to cook now, and can serve up chops, steaks, stews, and
curries as well as any cook — when we can get the meat. We have been
lucky lately in bivouacking near farmhouses, as we can commandeer
chickens and sheep, paying for them when we are caught ! We have, for
the last few days, been getting to our camps after sundown, and by the
time the fires are lighted and the meat ready to cook it is quite 9 o'clock.
It takes an hour or so to cook, and the eating lasts longer, as the meat
stands a deal of masticating. We seldom get to bed before 12, and are
always ready by 5 o'clock, so you can imagine how invigorating the
climate of this place is. It is bitterly cold at night and hot in the day,
yet verj*^ few of our men are down with fever. It is a fine climate, but a
fearful country. For miles and miles you see nothing but immense, undu-
lating, treeless, waterless tracts of poor pasture-land. Here and there you
find small ponds of dirty water, but whether it is rain-water dammed up
or whether these are springs I have not yet been able to ascertain. The
farmers here make their living by breeding cattle, and not by cultivation
at all. We have marched from one end of the Orange State to the other,
and I don't suppose all the cultivation I have seen would cover ten acres.
A year of drought or disease, I should thmk, would tell very heavily on
farmers here.

Queen's Town is the only town in Africa that I can really say I have
seen ; we either camped outside the other towns or merely passed
through without having time to see them. We rode through Bloem-
fontein, and from what I could see of it it seems to be a large town built
on the slopes of two or three converging hills, and fairly dirty.

Several of the towns we have passed consisted of half-a-dozen zinc
houses, two at least of which are bound to be churches ; of the remaining
four, one will be a store and the rest dwelling-houses. But each dwelling-
house is a township in itself. Even the * mild Hindu ' marvels at the
number of people who live in one house, no matter how small it may be.
There was a farmhouse near our camp at Bloemfontein, where we used to
go sometimes to get a cup of coflfee. This house had two rooms, each
one about twenty-five feet square. It contained the following permanent
residents — they said they had visitors sometimes too — one old woman and
three young ones and three young men and six children of sorts and sizes.
One of the rooms was used as a kitchen and larder, so there was only one
for general use. Needless to say, these people were Boers !

TOWAEDS PRETORIA 225

One trooper of A Company, writing to friends in Calcutta,
has nothing but expressions of admiration for the behaviour of
British Bluejackets, to whom he pays appreciative tribute in the
following extract :

At Zand River, on the 10th, I was with the naval guns in action.
It was simply grand to see the sailors work them. They were drawn
up a drift in the Zand River by teams of thirty bullocks per gun, and
opened fire from the top of the left bank on the enemy's position at
7,200 yards range, and in five shots had blown up one Boer gun and
knocked the whole shoot down about their ears. When the first gun was
fired I happened to be quite near, although at one side of it, and the
force of the explosion made me stagger as if a man were in a strong
north-wester trying to make headway.

Even the novelty of such things, however, soon began to
wear off, and under the depressing influences of life in a rest
camp outside Kroonstad the trooper took a more gloomy view
of things military, writing :

This place is Uke most of the so-called towns in South Africa, a
mere cluster of tin huts with hardly a stone building in the lot. We,
as usual, are not within a mile and a half of the town, and only one
man per section of twenty-eight is allowed into it at a time. When
you do get there, there is nothing much to buy or see, and prices are
extremely high. Thank goodness, the climate at this time of year is
just grand ; at night it is very cold, and in the day warm, but never too
warm unless one happens to be very hard at work. We seldom have any
time to ourselves ; even now, though 1 am writing letters, I am on duty
with forty other men grazing the horses, about a couple of miles from
camp. We are in a bad way for nags now, and very few of the Calcutta
horses are left. It's fun going out to commandeer things from the Boer
farms, and it would make a person roar to see the different things different
people choose to take. We are generally in a bad way for firewood, as this
is practically a treeless country ; so we break up chairs, beds, floors, doors,
posts, rafters, and every blessed piece of wood to be got. Here as I sit on
the side of a kopje I have a loaded rifle and cartridge bandolier on, and we
are warned to stand to arms at any moment, as there are some wandering
Boers about on the war-path who have cut the wires and played Old
Nick with the railway and bridges. It*s wonderful what good health men
keep, considering the hardships they go through ; we have not got a tent
among the lot of us, barring those small servants' tents used by the ofl&cers.

226 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Many among ub have not even a change of clothes, on account of a golmal ^
made in regard to our kit bags, which got left behind at a camp near
Bloemfontein. Goodness knows if we shall ever see those bags again. At
present I have only the clothes on my back and one extra pair of socks to
my name. Many of us have started growing long beards, and I have a
beauty, but it wants a little trimming. I had a bath about four days ago,
the first for weeks, and please goodness I will have a swim before leaving
this place, as there is a river here which, though rather full of dead
mules and horses, is better than nothing at all. Yesterday three horses
got stuck in the river and were drowned, and this morning when watering
horses I saw three mules and another nag which belonged to our Maxim
gun team panklaggedy and I fear that they also have been lost. There
is most awful * pank ' in some of the rivers and ponds, and on more than
one occasion we have all but lost men when crossing or watering. I have
had about enough of it, and so has everyone else. It does make a man
feel creepy when he has shells bursting about all round, and Bder shells do
burst, for all that is said otherwise. They make a noise in the air like a
huge flock of ducks when they take a dive downwards in their flight ; and
the rifle bullets going past sound like a breeze playing in the branches of
a tree. I have now been in three engagements, and I*m perfectly satisfied !
I don't mind it where there is some cover, and you can see your enemy ;
but when the bullets come from Lord knows where, it's real tough bread
and butter to chew. The day we lost so heavily the Boers were rifle
firing at over 2,000 yards, and as they use smokeless powder it was
impossible to see them.

In those closing sentences there is a realistic touch that tells
of the weariness and heart-sickness from which soldiers in-
variably suffer in days of rest following a succession of hard
marches and heavy fighting. When there is stem work to be
done, or a foe to be faced, these men may succumb to sheer
exhaustion without a word of complaint. It is only after a day
or two of comparative inaction, when supposed, by a pleasant
fiction, to be resting in camp, that they will confess to being
tired of the whole thing, or, as Tommy expresses it, ' fair fed up.'
A total change comes with the order for a fresh advance, and
■everybody welcomes it except, perhaps, the regimental com-
manding officer, who knows that his horses would be all the
better if given more time to regain condition, and his men more
happy if there were a chance of re-clothing them. But what do

' Hindustani for * blunder.* — Ed.

TOWARDS PRETORIA 227

rags and tatters matter when days have to be spent in marching
through clouds of red dust and night blots out all distinction
between weather-stained khaki and the soil on which it is laid ?
Colonel Lumsden must have felt the care for such things heavy
on him, but he gave no sign of it in the notes by which he
summarised the renewal of operations and of haM work that
was in inverse ratio to the number of words employed in
describing it :

We halted at Eroonstad till the 22nd, and then moved out some
four and a half miles to a fresh camp clear of the town ready to join
Colonel Henry's brigade, and to start marching early next morning.
Nothing of interest occurred at Kroonstad, except that we were able
to leave behind a number of worn-out horses. These were replaced by
fifty-six Argentines, which arrived the day before we left in a sorry con-
dition, suffering from the effects of forced marches made without food,
except what they could pick up on the veldt.

The next three days were spent in long weary marches, reconnoitring
the country in front of the main advance, for we had been transferred at
Kroonstad from General Hamilton's column to the troops selected to
march with Lord Eoberts. Just after the men had settled down in
camp at sunset on the 24th, bugles sounded a single G, and, on hearing
this signal, all troops joined in singing * God Save the Queen.*

We were expecting to be in action every day, but nothing was seen of
the enemy till the 26th, when we came upon him at about 9 a.m. in the
railway station near Viljoen's Drift, half a mile from the Vaal River.
There some time was spent in reconnoitring to find out the enemy's
strength, and when a few shells had been put into the station, turning
out only a hundred Boers, we were too late to stop the train which had
apparently been loading up there. It steamed unhurt over the Vaal
bridge, which was immediately blown up.

A general advance of the 8th Corps was made dismounted, and the
enemy driven back, so that at noon the whole brigade was over the Vaal,
much to the delight of the manager of the mines, who had been in a state
of great anxiety. He treated all officers to breakfast, and told us that the
Boers had not expected our force for two days, and that the party just
ejected by us had arrived that very morning with the intention of blowing
up his mines. He estimated that one million sterling had been saved by
our unexpected arrival.

Our only casualty during the day was Sergeant H. A. Campbell,
slightly wounded.

At 5 P.M. we moved off to our new camp, guarding the Vaal bridge,
with the promise of a sorely-needed halt next day.

228

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

From this brief chronicle nobody would suppose that the
honour of reconnoitring and drawing Boers out from their hiding-
places among the sheds and shanties of corrugated iron at
Viljoen's Drift Station had fallen to Lumsden's Horse. Lieu-
tenant Pugh, however, supplies the missing links in a private
letter :

It was my section's turn to do the scouting, and they did very well,
getting information that there was a train and fifty men in the station
this side of the Vaal. Two other regiments of Mounted Infantry each
sent out an officer's patrol of about fifty men, and each came back full

split. One of their officers told my
scouts that if they did not wish to
be shot they had better clear,
but Peddie thought this was not
business; he, being in charge of
the advanced scouts, went on till
they were fired on and then halted.
We had to wait for orders to
advance for about half an hour,
and saw the train steam out of
the station and over the bridge
and presently blow up one span.
With a dash we could have caught
the men and train, and probably
saved the bridge, as we had two
Maxims, and we could easily have
driven the Boers ofif. We then
crossed the river and drove their
rearguard out of Vereeniging.
They took the opportunity of
burning a large store of mealies at
the station. Our guns got into
them well as they bolted across the plain. We had a very nice fight, and
everyone is much pleased, even the Chief of the Staff.

Through all this advance, in which Lurasden's Horse, with
other corps of the 8th Mounted Infantry, reconnoitred ahead of
the army, troopers who had been trained to field sports proved
invaluable, and sometimes at least a match for the wily Boer.
Nobody distinguished himself more by skill at this work than
Corporal Percy Jones, whom Colonel Lumsden regarded as one
of his best scouts, a man of great self-reliance, unfailing in

SERGEANT PERCY JONES, D.C.M.

TOWAEDS PEETORIA 229

resources, and with a very keen eye for a country, so that he
never allowed the section of which he was leader to be entrapped
or surprised. For repeated acts of daring enterprise he was pro-
moted to the rank of sergeant and given the * Distinguished
Conduct ' Medal. Others who, being selected for some specially
difficult or dangerous duty, had on occasion distinguished them-
selves as scouts, or who, by actions of individual gallantry, won
mention in despatches, with subsequent honours, were Trooper
Preston (D.C.M.), Trooper H. N. Betts (D.C.M.), Trooper W. B.
Dexter (D.C.M.), and Corporal G. Peddie. Trooper H. E. Parks,
Sergeant Dale, Sergeant Llewhellin, and Corporal C. E. Turner
also performed meritorious actions, for which they were mentioned
in despatches.^

Though little has been said of the privations endured by our
soldiers during their forced marches from Kroonstad to reach the
Vaal Kiver before its steep sandy banks could be made formid-
able by entrenchments, as the Modder was, some troops suffered
severely from want of sufficient food, and nearly all were on
short rations. It is certain, however, that not many could have
been so near the ravenous stage of starvation as a private in one
colonial corps, of whose act a trooper of Lumsden's Horse writes :

The day we crossed the Vaal Kiver a very interesting thing happened ;
we were very hungry, and when we got to Vereeniging a dog was seen
running away with half a loaf of bread in his mouth. Immediately a
private darted out of the ranks and rode the dog down, took the bread out
of his mouth, and ate it.

At last Lumsden's Horse were on Transvaal territory.
Another vaunted stronghold, which the Boers had declared they
would defend to the last extremity, was in our hands, without
even the semblance of a struggle for it. Generals French and
Hutton had crossed the Vaal at important strategic points west
of Vereeniging. All the most important drifts were thus held by
us, and the ways open for British columns to enter the Trans-
vaal without opposition. On the following day Lord Koberts,
with his headquarters, moved across Viljoen's Drift and issued
a proclamation declaring that the Orange Free State had ceased
to exist, and had become from that moment an integral part of the
British Empire, to be known henceforth as Orange Kiver Colony.

• See Appendix IV.— Ed.

230 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTER XII

JOHANNESBUBG AND PBETORIA IN OUR HANDS

In all operations up to this point Lumsden's Horse, with Loch's
Horse and companies of the West Riding and Oxfordshire Light
Infantry, forming the 8th Mounted Infantry Regiment, under
Colonel Ross, had, with other corps of Colonel Henry's brigade,
been so actively engaged scouting ahead of the main column
with which Lord Roberts moved, that they had neither time nor
opportunity to know what was being done by other divisions of
the army. It is necessary, therefore, to explain briefly here the
general dispositions for an advance on Pretoria at the moment
when Lord Roberts crossed Vaal River into Transvaal territory.
Since they marched out of Kroonstad the troops, whose advance
was most direct — following the line of railway with slight
divergences — had covered just a hundred miles in four days.
Mounted troops, being employed to reconnoitre on each flank
and keep up communications along their front, almost doubled
that distance. In face of such a rapid advance the Boer com-
mandos which had dispersed after their evacuation of Kroonstad
found a difficulty in concentrating for the defence of any strategic
points. They were evidently puzzled by the sudden mobility of
British forces, and, what with Methuen marching for the west,
French's Cavalry making a dash for the drifts at Parys and
Reitzburg, as if Potchefstroom were their objective, the main
column pushing along beside the railway for Viljoen's Drift, and
Ian Hamilton marching as if for Engelbrecht's Drift on the
Heilbron-Heidelberg road, the Boer commandants could not
agree as to which point would most likely be threatened first or
at which they might make a stand with the greatest chance of
success. Hasty preparations were made by them with a view to
checking General Ian Hamilton, whom they credited with a design

J. S. CAMPBELL

C. E. TURNER

E. S. CHAPMAN

G. INNES WATSON

C. E. STUART

C. CARY-BARNARD

E. 8. CLIFFORD CORPORAL KIRWAN H. GOUGH

N.C.O. AND TROOPERS

JOHANNESBUKG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 233

on Heidelberg and the Eastern railways. Possibly that,
. combined with a great movement in force upon the junctions
outside Johannesburg, might have been the shortest way to end
the war, because, as we know now, the Boer Generals attached
very little importance to the defence of their big towns, while
they realised fully all the strategical advantages of free communi-
cation between Pretoria and the eastern districts ; and President
Kruger especially was anxious to keep open a line by which
prominent members of his Administration might be able to get
away with a sufficient store of bullion for private and political
uses at the last moment. The defenders of Engelbrecht's Drift,
however, waited in vain watching the trap they had laid for
General Ian Hamilton. His hne of march had been suddenly
changed by orders from Lord Eoberts, and, instead of crossing
the Vaal where he was expected, east of Vereeniging, he had
made a rapid march westward to strike the river between General
French's Cavalry and the main body, leaving our right flank to
be guarded by General Gordon with the 3rd Cavalry Brigade.
With regard to all this and the ceremony at Viljoen's Drift,
when Lord Eoberts proclaimed the annexation of Orange Free
State to the British Crown, Lumsden's Horse knew nothing at
the time. Content with their own share of the good work that
had been accomplished, they were consoling themselves by the
prospect of at least one day's well-earned rest for men and horses.
But that good fortune was not to be theirs after all. Colonel
Lumsden, continuing his official record, explains how these
pleasant hopes were dashed :

The 27th dawned, the horses were turned out to graze, leave was given
for men to go into town, and general cleaning up began, when suddenly
at 10.30 A.M. we had an order to move at once to help the 3rd Cavalry
Brigade under General Gordon, who was reported to be in a tight corner
to the north-east. Horses were caught, saddles put on, and we were
away by 11, with no rations for man or horse. The rest of the brigade
joined in four miles further on. All proceeded with every precaution
through a difficult bit of trappy country, arriving about 4.30 p.m. at the
drift where General Gordon was supposed to be stuck up. There no
signs of him could be seen, so we made tracks back to a point four
miles north of Vereeniging, where we were to have joined our column,
when it camped there that night. We struggled on until, our horses
giving out, the whole brigade bivouacked at 8 p.m., having put behind

234

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

us some seven miles of om- retmn journey, and having done quite twenty-
five miles. Lieutenant Neville, with a guide, was sent in to headquarters
for instructions, and returned at 3 a.m. with the order that our brigade
was to come on at once and resume its position in front of the head-
quarters, leading the army. By 4 a.m. we were away again in the
bitter frosty cold, leading our starved horses, the sim rising as we waded
a nasty drift over the Klip. We reached our place in the advance guard
at 7, in the nick of time, just as all had begun to move off, and were at
once pushed on three miles at a trot ahead of everything, fighting being
expected at the notorious Klip Kiver position. No Boers, however, were
seen. The country was ablaze with the burning veldt, which the Boers
had set fire to systematically as they went, and the Klip Eiver was gained

without a shot. There were sounds
of heavy fighting, however, in the
hills on our left, where French
and Hamilton were forcing back
the enemy on Johannesburg.

With an editorial desire to
link the separate operations
into one chain, I may here
describe from personal expe-
rience what happened away on
that left flank where French
and Hamilton were hotly en-
gaged with the outposts of a
Boer force, whose object in
holding the high kopjes be-
tween Gatsrand and Klip-
riviersberg was obviously to
force upon us a wider flank-
ing movement, by which the
western columns would be further separated from the main body
and thus unable to co-operate with it effectively. It is improbable
that Louis Botha had any hope of being able to defeat the British
forces in detail by delivering a counter-stroke on each column in
turn. It is far more likely that his idea even at that period was
to lengthen out the British line of communications as far as
possible, thus weakening it by attenuation and making it more
vulnerable to attacks by small raiding parties. Co-operating with
him was Christian De Wet, to whom such a plan would have

LIEUTENANT G. A. NEVILLE.

JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 235

been sure to commend itself as offering a chance for numbers
of Free- Staters to slip through the girdle that was gradually
closing about them, re-cross the Vaal, and harass their enemies
on ground where local knowledge would give them every ad-
vantage.

On this supposition the resistance offered to General French
some twenty-five miles north-west of Vereeniging had pecuhar
interest for me, because I watched the operations there with
some foreknowledge of the probable Boer tactics gained in a
curious way. Four days earlier I had breakfasted at a farm
next to Christian De Wet's, not far from Eodewal station. The
farmer invited myself and a companion into his house, above
which a white flag was flying, and when told that this was our
Queen's birthday he produced a bottle of whisky with which to
drink to Her Majesty's health, which we did readily enough,
although he declined to join us. There was no imfriendliness
or want of hospitahty in that, and, indeed, we should have mis-
trusted the man if he had put on a pretence of loyalty because
he had been induced to hoist the white flag as an emblem of
neutrahty. There were no troops at that moment nearer than
Lumsden's Horse, who could be seen on the sky-hne about four
miles westward, moving towards Vredefort Koad Station.

From that direction presently came a young Boer well
mounted but unarmed. His wary movements at first seemed to
indicate that he had no desire to be seen by our troops, but our
host explained that the road took many turns and twists which
might puzzle a stranger. The horseman was evidently not well
pleased to find Englishmen at the farm, but this we, being some-
what vain, attributed to jealousy, seeing that the youth and our
host's comely daughter were exchanging glances in which there
might have been a world of other meaning, though we suspected
it not. We knew instinctively that they were not quite
strangers, but there were no signs of friendly recognition in our
presence. After a brief conversation, carried on between the
young man and the farmer aside, though neither of us could
have understood the taal they talked, our host came forward
and explained that his neighbour was simply riding from one
farm to another, where the family had all surrendered and
obtained their permits to live in peace. There was nothing to

236 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

be done then except shake hands and part, but the next day my
Basuto servant, who, having lived in Johannesburg, had a whole-
some dread of Boer sjamboks, gave me a full interpretation of
what he had overheard the young man say in that neighbourly
talk with our burgher friend. The burden of it was that this
guileless youth, Ferreira by name, had been sent by Christian De
Wet to let everybody know why the Free State commandos
were retiring with Botha's Transvaalers instead of defending
their own homesteads. It was only to lure the Enghsh on to
destruction, and Christian De Wet promised that he would slip
back again in a day or two to Eodewal and play Old Harry with
the invaders.

Up to the time of joining General French's force in the
afternoon of May 28 I had regarded this as a vain boast. A
closer study of Boer tactics, however, was enough to show what
they were playing for, and I watched with some apprehension
our Cavalry moving westward in vain attempts to outflank the
mobile Boers, who were galloping from kopje to kopje on one
side of a vast dam fringed by treacherous mires which French's
squadrons could not cross. Ian Hamilton meanwhile conformed
to this movement without getting touch of the enemy or drawing
near to their stronghold, which was obviously on the frowning
crest of Klipriviersberg (shortened by the Boers colloquially to
Eiviersberg).

Being alone, and far from my supplies, I slept supperless
that night in a deserted Boer store, for the sake of such
shelter as a wall and roof might give from a keen icy wind
that swept in gusts through the broken windows. I had neither
overcoat nor blanket, and saw nothing to lie on but a filthy floor
or the bare laths of a rickety iron bedstead. I chose the latter.
Having been in the saddle from 6 in the morning until 10 at
night, with the exception of necessary halts for my horse to
graze, I was soon oblivious to the discomfort of that rude couch,
and, for all I knew, my pillow might have been softest down
instead of hard saddle-flaps. But long before daybreak the
cravings of a hunger that had only been tantalised by coffee and
biscuit twenty-four hours earlier awoke me to a consciousness
that my limbs were aching with cold and sore from the chafing
of those sharp-edged laths. Striking a light, I looked at the

JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 237

little thermometer attached to my wallet, and found that it
registered ten degrees of frost. More sleep was not to be
thought of, so I groped through the darkness to a stall only-
less draughty than the store I had slept in, found my horse
shivering there, rubbed him down with a wisp of straw, by way
of restoring his circulation and my own, and waited for the
dawn. Then I found my way across vleis and spruits to where
General Ian Hamilton's force was moving oflE through dense mists
from Cyferfontein to attack the Boer position on Eiviersberg.
When the rising sun dispelled those mists the Gordons and City
Imperial Volunteers were spread out in thin lines stretching
fan-like across a segment of the veldt, and so they went on hour
after hour without finding any sign of Boers. The pangs of
hunger being all-potent, I rode off in search of a farm, hoping
also to come across another British column within a few miles.
After an hour or more I was gladdened by the sight of Haarte-
beestefontein Farm standing in the midst of green meaUe-
patches and belted about by eucalyptus trees — the very picture
of peace. At that moment four Boers drove out from the farm-
yard in a well-horsed Cape cart, but made no sign at sight of me
except by driving the faster. They needn't have been in such a
hurry to get away from an unarmed and famished Englishman,
who had not one comrade within miles. But luckily they didn't
know.

Though French's Cavalry had been at the farm a day before
me and ransacked the Veldt-Comet's deserted house, in search of
any documents that might have been left there, ducks were
swimming in a pond close by and fowls cackling about the sheds
from which some Kaffirs presently appeared. To my request, for
bread or eggs or milk they had but one answer, * Ikona.' The
sight of a loaded revolver might have produced some effect, but,
having none, I dismounted and made a systematic search. If food
in any shape was there it must have been very cleverly hidden.
Finding not so much as a bundle of oat-hay for my horse to
nibble at, I rode on across ridge and hollow another five miles or
so, and then came upon a little dorp or hamlet, from which all
the inhabitants except a Dutch schoolmaster and his wife had
disappeared. They declared that not a scrap of food had been
left behind. But the good vrau gave me a cup of excellent

238 THE HTSTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

coflfee, and with thanks for the best of hospitality, which gives all
it can, I jogged along another league or two, following the straight
road towards Johannesburg and expecting every minute to fall in
with the rearguard of a column going that way. All the while
I had not seen a single soldier or the trace of an iron-shod
hoof that was not at least a day old. The unmistakable marks
of 'ammunition' boots were not there, and neither horse nor
man had left footprints on tracks where the morning's thaw had
softened them. At last from a rugged ridge I saw smoke curhng
up from houses among the trees that marked the course of a river
some two miles ahead. Not caring much by that time whether
Britons or Boers might be in those houses, I rode straight for the
nearest of them, which turned out to be a farm in the bam of
which I saw much forage.

Evidently none of our mounted troops had been there, but it
was too late to think of turning back. That, in all probability,
would have brought a Mauser bullet whistling about my ears.
* BluflE ' was the only game to play in such circumstances, so I
called to a Kaffir servant, told him to fetch forage for my horse,
and then swaggered towards the house as if I had been a Staff officer
with a whole regiment at my back. On the stoep a bearded Boer
met me. He had been lying prone on ground where rhenoster
bushes grew. Their burrs were still sticking to his serge jacket,
the left elbow of which was stained by the red earth on which it
had rested, and his right thumb was black with a coating of
burnt melinite. I saw it all as he raised one hand in a sort of
half-military salute, and extended the other to welcome me, and
in that moment I knew he had just come down from Riviersberg
heights for lunch in the intervals of fighting. So, still playing
an assumed part, I asked what weapons he had, and he brought
me a well-worn Martini-Henry ; but that was not what I wanted.
After some show of misunderstanding the Boer brought his wife,
who talked English fluently enough, and when I had explained to
her the awful consequences of concealing arms or ammunition
from a British officer, holding plenary powers of punishment, there
was no necessity for saying any more. Without even waiting
for my words to be interpreted, her husband went out and came
back with a Mauser rifle, the fouling of which was still moist
round its breech- chamber, and a bandolier haK full of cartridges.

JOHANNESBUKG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 239

These I took charge of, not knowing what I should do with them if
a Boer commando happened to come that way. As to British
troops — well, at any rate, I had no hesitation in assuring the
Boer that his household would be safe from them. I did not think
it necessary to add that none would be likely to come anywhere
near him. In return for my leniency (save the mark !) he
suggested something that had been in my mind all the while,
and thereupon his good wife brought a deliciously white loaf and
milk that was fragrant in its freshness. She was sorry that they
* had nothing better to offer.' Nothing better ! Heavens,
how sweet it tasted ! Yet I was restrained from eating or drink-
ing much by the thought that any show of my famished state
would give me away. It was difficult to parry all questions con-
cerning the number of troops I had with me, so I said that my
men must have found a lot of arms to collect or they would have
been there sooner. Upon that the Boer volunteered information
as to the number of rifles which could possibly be in farms or
cottages round about. All this information I noted down osten-
tatiously, wondering as I did so how on earth I should get
out of the hole into which circumstances were thrusting me
deeper and deeper.

At that moment, as luck would have it, two West Australians
of the 4th Eegiment M.I. turned up, and, leaving them to collect
the arms of which such careful note had been made, and to eat
the remnants of my unfinished meal I mounted to ride off in quest
of their main body, taking care, however, to command proper
protection for the house in which I had been so hospitably
entertained. * Well played,' said one, with much outward show of
respect, as he produced a bottle of brandy from the ample
pocket of his * coat British warm,' and offered me a nip. I saw
that he, at any rate, understood the game. At Eikenhof Drift I
found the main body which turned out to be no more than a
patrol. Its appearance drew fire from the Boers, who were
apparently holding that road into Johannesburg strongly. They
began to show in groups of twenty and thirty on kopjes where
no sign of them had been seen before, and were evidently medi-
tating a movement by which the drift might have been out-
flanked. To prevent this Major Pilkington, who was in
command, detached some men from his scanty force to hold two

240 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

smaller fords, and in a short time there were several casualties
from rifle fire at short range. Just then we could hear the roar
of guns where General Ian Hamilton was attacking miles away
on the left. Hard pressed, yet determined to hold on where he
was, Major Pilkington had not a galloper whom he could send
with a message to his divisional General, Pole-Carew. I volun-
teered to carry it, and started for a ride of twenty miles across
unknown country, ma king sure that I should hit off some column
within that distance. But all the troops under the immediate
command of Lord Eoberts had been following the line of railway —
where their front was cleared by the 8th Mounted Infantry, with
which were Lumsden's Horse and other regiments of Colonel
Henry's brigade — in a turning movement, the extent of which
will be appreciated after perusal of the preceding narrative.
I had ridden a distance that would have measured nearly thirty
miles from point to point without seeing more than a small
patrol of British troops. That night, or early the next morning,
when Major Pilkington had withdrawn his small force, a thousand
Free State Boers crossed Eikenhof Drift and got in rear of the
British columns to rejoin De Wet. Meanwhile, with French or
Hamilton on the west, and in advance of the main body on the
east, deeds were being done that sealed the fate of Johannesburg
and Pretoria. Lumsden's Horse took a full share of honours
that day, though their Colonel does not descant upon these at
great length in his official report, but contents himself with the
following record :

On the 29th we marched at 5.30, expecting to arrive after ten miles at
Natal Spruit, where fighting was certain. Our maps and information
were, however, wrong, for we found ourselves most unexpectedly in sight
of the place with the smoke of the train leaving the station.

We were sent to endeavour to cut it off as it wound about the
kopjes, and had a very exciting gallop of three miles, blowing up the
railway behind the train. Again we pushed on to try and cut her off at
the next big bend, but again were too late, and ran into the fire of a party
covering the retreat of the train.

We then took up a position commanding the railroad, while imder
Colonel Ross's orders a party of five men was sent to block the line at
any cost. This very dangerous task was given to Lieutenant Pugh and
the undermentioned men, who carried it out with great determina-
tion and coolness : Privates Turner, Were, Dagge, and Parks.

JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 241

An officer of high rank, whose opportunities of knowing what
happened give especial value to his testimony, says :

On May 29 the 8fch Mounted Infantry were ordered to move from
Klip Drift to cut the Natal Railway line, the Springs line (the main line
north of Elandsfontein), and the telegraph wires at important points.
When near the junction of Natal and Free State lines we saw a train-
load of burghers from Natal passing northwards to where, beyond the
junction, the railway runs from a broad valley into one of several con-
verging kopjes through a deep cutting in the steep and rugged hillside.
With the object of heading off that train as it slackened speed on a stiff
gradient, Lumsden*s Horse made a great gallop up the valley towards a
point where it narrows to a neck, from which the hills rise abruptly on
each side. Their course for two or three miles was over rough ground
parallel to the railway and nearly midway between it and a branch of
Natal Spruit. They were unable, however, to arrive in time, and the
Boers, detraining, occupied a kopje just above the railway cutting, the
gorge and banks of which they could command from the ridge above and
from a ganger's hut, which they also held in force. Thus they had the
railway between them and Limisden's Horse, and seemed in a good posi-
tion for sweeping all approaches to it by an effective rifle fire. Lumsden's
Horse dismounted in the hollow and advanced against that kopje.

It was, however, necessary to destroy the line, and the Engineer
ofl&cer who accompanied the force for the purpose of blowing up the line
was not handy. Lieutenant Pugh, with four men, then volunteered to get
into the cutting at its deepest point and either block or break it. As the
Boers were holding the ganger's hut close to this point, it was a warm
corner ! However, Pugh and his party reached the line. The four men
covered his further advance from the edge of the embankment whilst he
descended into the cutting. Having nothing wherewith to break the line,
he effectually blocked it with a number of huge boulders — quite sufficient
to stop any train passing through. This occupied some time, and his
covering party were pretty busy with the Boers at the hut, who were
at first inclined to run in on him. But as one or two of them paid
dearly for their temerity, their efforts ceased, so that Pugh and his party
were enabled to retreat from their little picnic without loss. Pugh is
now a D.S.O.

It was a long and hard day that 29th of May; the 8th Mounted
Infantry were under fire from 7 a.m. till 9 p.m. Lumsden's Horse were
among the few troops in at the finish on the hill north of Elandsfontein,
where the parting duel was fought with the Boers as they retreated.
All the lines were cut. The consequent bag was fourteen engines and
over 400 waggons — not a bad day's work. Even Lord Kitchener is
reported to have * smiled * when he heard the news.

242

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

This incident is described with further detail in a private
letter by Lieutenant Pugh, who, modestly minimising his own
share in a very hazardous enterprise, writes :

Yesterday our orders were to take Elandsfontein, cut the wires and
blow up the railway, and to do the same at Germiston. The first excitement
began at Elsburg, where we saw a train going out of the station.
Seeing it was on the move, we sent some men to try to cut it oflf, but
it went back up an angle like the Darjiling train. There was another
angle, and we galloped about three miles to that part, but the train was
too fast and went round a kopje, where its occupants evidently got out
and opened fire on us. If we had known the line we would have got

that train easily by going to the
left instead of to the right. While
we were dismounted and firing an
order came for six men to rush for
the line and try to block it. The
Colonel passed on for the six men
at the end to go. It happened to
be partly my section and partly
No. 4. One man could not find
his horse, so I went oflf with four
men and galloped right up to the
railway and under the embank-
ment. It was held by a fairly
strong picket, who luckily did not
fire till we were under cover. I put
two men on to fire at that picket,
of which three were hit — the range
was only about fifty yards — and the
other two on to about 100 on our
left front 200 or 300 yards oflf.
We were also fired at from a kopje
on our right. The picket presently cleared, and I made a rush for the
line : it was in a cutting and out of the fire. I rolled some boulders on
the lines, and on getting back found a pretty hot fire had opened on us
from behind : it turned out to be one of our own Maxims. We mounted
and galloped back without a scratch.

Colonel Boss's orders then were to push on and support the 4th
Mounted Infantry, who held a kopje on our right. Here we lay for two
hours, our position overlooking the Boksburg railway station, supported
by two Colt guns from Boss's Battery, which kept up a steady fire in
answer to the enemy's shells and bullets until their retirement. We then
continued the turning movement to the right and took possession of the

Photo : Harrington A Co.

LIEUTENANT H. 0. PUGH, D.8.0.

JOHANNESBURG AND PBETORIA IN OUR HANDS

243

station, halting there for a few minutes to re-form, while the Eoyal Engineer
Company attached to us for the purpose blew up the line at this point.
One of our sailors, Private Dexter, swarming up the telegraph post, cut
all communication with Springs. At the time we and a company of
Compton's Horse were the only troops up, and, being reinforced by two
companies of the 4th Mounted Infantry, which were placed under my
orders, we were told to proceed with all speed due west to blow up the
Pretoria line, which we should find
four miles on. We succeeded in
doing this, but too late to cut off one
train, which just evaded us, our
horses being too done to go faster
than a modest trot. We again
halted a few minutes, facing a long
kopje in front of us.

Colonel Lumsden adds :

While the Eoyal Engineer
Company were busy blowing up the
railway at this point, Captain
Eutherfoord on the left, with our
scouts, with his usual keenness soon
came in touch with those of the
enemy, and a brisk fire ensued on
both sides. Captain Eutherfoord
holding his position until I was able
to reinforce him on his right flank.
Colonel Eoss soon hurried up further
reinforcements on his left, which
enabled us to hold the kopje and
forced the enemy to fall back on
the convoy they were covering. As
night was approaching, pursuit with
our tired horses was utterly hope-
less, and we were ordered to move
to our left and encamp at Germiston, which lay in the hollow behind us.
This, being the junction of railway lines that branch oflf in several direc-
tions, was the key of the Boer position. Our day*s movements had,
however, been very successful, and Colonel Henry issued a brigade order
next morning saying he had been coqgratulated by the Commander-in-
Chief on the day's work ; while Colonel Eoss was also congratulated on
the prominent part taken by his corps, which resulted in the capture of
fourteen engines and a large quantity of rolling-stock. This was very
pleasant news to us, but the work was telling its tale on the horses, who

WALTER DEXTER, D.C.M., B Company,

cutting the telegraph wires at Elandafontein

{From a sketch bf J. S. Co wen)

244

THE HISTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HOKSE

were dead beat and fast tumbling to pieces from overwork and want of
food. Our casualty was fortunately only one during the day — namely,
Private J. D. Bewsher, who was shot through the knee while we were
engaging the enemy opposite Boksburg.

Owing to the pace we had travelled and the hilly nature of the country,
our Maxim gun imder Captain Holmes, with its escort, had not come into
camp when we retired to bed. The men, as on many previous occasions,
had to turn in without food, and their horses were in the same plight.

In another action, on the 30th, north of Germiston, Trooper
Elwes, son of the Archdeacon of Madras, was wounded by a

bullet through the ankle and
Trooper Kadford had his horse
shot in two places.

Describing Trooper Preston's
adventurous ride with despatches
and his readiness of resource in
a difficult situation, another
correspondent writes :

Eight men of Lumsden's Horse
in charge of Sergeant Macnamara
were sent out in a big patrol under
Captain Harris, 1st West Eiding
M.I., with orders to take the
Johannesburg Waterworks. Captain
Harris paraded his sixty men, and
chose two of Lumsd6n*s Horse as
his orderlies. We then rode down
the kopjes to the plain below,
Compton's Horse firing over our
heads at the Boers all the time.
As we went down we met Trooper Elwes, No. 2 Section, B Company,
being brought in wounded through the ankle when on patrol with
Lieutenant Pugh. About a mile away there was a farmhouse under the
kopje which was held by the Boers ; some Australians with us rushed
the place, and captured three Boers and a waggon of ammunition. After
marching about an hour, firing every now and then and being fired at, we
got to the Waterworks on a hill towering above Johannesburg. The fort
is on another hill half a mile away. It seemed as if trenches had been
dug for us round the Waterworks, high banks of gravel perfectly pro-
tecting us. Trooper Preston, of Lumsden's Horse, was sent back to
Germiston with a despatch saying the Waterworks were occupied; he
was to make the shortest possible cut, and gallop all the way. This

Photo : D. Brounsteorth

P. C. PRESTON, D.C.M.

JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 245

orderly had a very exciting adventure. His shortest road lay through
the outskirts of Johannesburg. When riding through these streets he
saw several Boers peeping out of their houses, and at one place they
actually tried to stop him. He galloped through them, however ; they then
shouted out to know if the English were in Johannesburg yet, and he
answered that they were, knowing that if he said no he would as Hkely
as not be shot at. They then asked where he was going to, and he said
Pretoria. Thus it was that a man of Lumsden's Horse was the first, or one
of the first, to enter Johannesburg. A little further the orderly met two
Kaffirs who could talk English, and who told him that among the rocks
on a small kopje on the left of the road was an armed Boer waiting to
shoot him. The orderly was puzzled what to do, as he could see no Boer
behind the rocks ; however, he dismounted and advanced on foot towards
the kopje, leading his horse behind him. Having got within speaking
distance of the rocks and still seeing no Boer, he put his rifle to his
shoulder and pointed it at the biggest rock, shouting out, ' Hands up, or I
fire ! * Immediately two arms were seen above the rock, the order * Hold up
your rifle ' was obeyed at once, and the orderly f oimd he had captured the
Boer. About a mile further on he met some Australians, and having to
gallop with the despatch he handed the prisoner over to them, taking
with him the rifle and ammunition. Alas ! at the door of the Colonel's
tent whom should he meet but Lord Kitchener himself, who, seeing the
orderly had two rifles, commandeered one. Meanwhile the Boers kept
up a continuous fire at the Waterworks. However, several English-
men and young ladies had climbed up the hill at the back and
brought food and drink for the first of their countrymen whom they had
seen — several of them, while Tommy ate and drank, firing away with the
soldiers' rifles at the fort. In the evening Preston brought the message
to retire to camp, which was done in a very orderly fashion, the patrol
arriving back soon after dark with the total casualties of three men
wounded, having spent the most or one of the most exciting and agree-
able days in the whole campaign.

Colonel Lumsden describes other incidents in the following
passage :

A party of West Eiding Eegiment's Mounted Infantry scouting on
our left did not get off so easily, for seeing some men in khaki and
helmets to their front they mistook them for friends, and, getting within
speaking distance, were much surprised to find their morning's greet-
ings met with a summons to surrender. Their immediate attempt
at flight resulted in two casualties — one wounded and taken prisoner,
the other, although wounded, getting back to camp. Firing then
became general on our right, where the 3rd Cavalry Brigade was on

246 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

outpost duty, and we were hastily summoned to saddle up ahd reinforce
them. We arrived in time to witness an artillery duel, the Boers
retiring slowly under the fire of the Cavalrj^ pom-poms. The morning's
work, however, resulted badly for them, they having had sixteen casual-
ties, which were attended to by our medical officer, Captain Powell, who
was luckily on the spot.

We then returned to camp, and shortly afterwards Captain Holmes
came in with his Maxim gun, reporting that he had lost two of his
scouting party, Privates Cary-Bamard and G. I. Watson, whom he had
sent out in advance while journeying to rejoin us in the early morning.
A few hours afterwards the missing men came into camp, stating that
having been informed that our men were in front they had ridden
confidingly into a body of about fifty men dressed like our own troops in
khaki, thinking they were friends, but were suddenly disillusioned by
being ordered to surrender. Under ^he conditions attempting to escape
on their worn-out horses was out of the question, and they had no option
but to deliver up their arms. They were cross-questioned as to our
strength and the likely duration of the war. Private Watson, in reply
to the latter question, told the General that he considered fighting would
be over in a few days, a reply that seemed to cause much amusement.
They were then offered the choice of remaining as prisoners or giving
their word of honour that they would fight no more during this war.
They chose the latter, thinking the end was very near.

Next morning, June 1, our orders were to march on Johannesburg,
six miles distant, which we reached unopposed in time to see the Union
Jack hoisted over the Fort, which had been divested of all its guns
except a few rendered useless. We then marched some five miles north
of the city, and camped for two days. On the morning of the 3rd we
marched twelve miles towards Pretoria, meeting no resistance, but again
losing touch with our Maxim, which, being unable to follow us across
country, had to stick to the road, and which we were destined not to
see for several days.

So Lumsden's Horse had gratified one desire on which their
hearts were set for many months. Their brigade had led the
fighting line practically into Johannesburg, and when the Union
Jack was hoisted over its public buildings they cared nothing
for the ceremonial parades, but were only anxious to take the
lead again in a march on Pretoria. With soldier-like brevity
Colonel Lumsden's chronicle sums up the operations of an
eventful day :

On June 4 we advanced to Six Mile Spruit, again being the foremost
corps of the leading brigade, all anticipating a heavy fight in front of

JOHANNESBDEG AND PRETORIA IN OUR HANDS 247

us, as the spruit was said to be our enemy's last position and likely
therefore to be desperately contested. These prognostications were not,
however, realised. Careful reconnaissance showed that there were no
Boers at the spruit. We then proceeded leisurely up the chain of hills
beyond it, concluding they were not held, but with every precaution
against the unexpected. It was not until midday that we came in touch
with the enemy, who opened on the 4th Mounted Infantry on our right
with shell fire. We were then pushed forward to take a commanding
kopje, and got a smart peppering from a few snipers hidden in the rocks
on our left flank, but had no casualties, though the bullets were falling
thickly among us as we crossed the open.

It now became evident that the enemy's main position was on our
left, and I was ordered to occupy a ridge about one mile distant in that
direction, opposite a steep kopje about 1,000 yards off held by the Boers.
Here they were beautifully entrenched and kept up a steady fire on our
line, which we returned with interest, until aid arrived in the shape of
three fifteen-pounders on the right, two pom-poms on our left, and three
Colt guns in the centre. These searched the ridge for some hours
without dislodging the Boers, whose trenches must have been admirably
constructed, as a move on our part from one rock to another was suflScient
to draw a hail of bullets, while we were unable to spot a single Boer.

Here Private Charles E. Stuart was wounded by a bullet through
the ankle, but was unable to be removed from the firing line until the fire
slackened late in the afternoon, when a kind friend carried him down on
his back to the ambulance tonga at the foot of the hill.

At about 4 P.M. the enemy's fire began to dwindle, and eventually
ceased altogether, and just as we meditated leaving our ridge to cross
over to theirs our Infantry became visible, advancing from westward
along the ridge which the enemy had occupied, while to our right front,
some two miles off, more British Infantry appeared on the sky line,
showing that the Boer position had been quitted. At this period our
Brigadier's orders came for us to retire from the kopje and make onr
bivouac for the night somewhere on the plain below.

June 5 was the day on which we reached the goal we had been
struggling for. Pretoria at last, not fighting our way in, as anticipated
by everybody, but forming a peaceful procession, with our baggage
behind us, news having arrived that the Governor had surrendered the
town late the previous night.

We were not allowed to halt, but just passed through the city and out
to Irene, a station ten miles south of Pretoria and on the Johannesburg
line, which we at present occupy, the whole corps protecting the rail from
Pretoria to Johannesburg.

248 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEK XIII

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION AT IRENE, KALFONTEIN,
ZUBFONTEIN, AND SPBINGS—THE PBETOBIA PAPEB-CRASE

That march through Pretoria, marked by none of the pomp and
pageantry which imagination conjures up as essential features of
a great triumph, must have seemed a lame and impotent con-
clusion to the stirring drama of real life in which Lumsden's
Horse had played their manful part, cheered always by the pro-
spect of a glorious reward for all their struggles, hardships, and
sacrifices in the final downfall of Boer power when the Trans-
vaal capital should be in our hands. They were not the only
people who entertained such sanguine hopes and felt proportion-
ally disappointed at the inadequate realisation. For nearly
every soldier at that time in South Africa, from Lord Koberts
downwards, Pretoria had been the goal, and its conquest the
climax beyond which no operations of serious importance could
possibly be called for. Few people, if any, realised then how little
value Boers attach to great towns as strategical bases. With the
capture of Johannesburg and Pretoria we had theoretically all
their arsenals and main lines of communication in our hands, and
according to all hard-and-fast rules of warfare the campaign
should have ended then. That impression was certainly strong
on the Commander-in-Chief's mind shortly before dusk of
June 4, when Colonel De Lisle, whose Mounted Infantry had
followed the enemy to within 2,000 yards of Pretoria, sent an
officer under a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the town.
The end might possibly have come then, if, instead of waiting
five hours for a reply to that summons and seven hours longer
for the unconditional surrender which Lord Roberts insisted upon
when Commandant-General Botha's tardy message reached him,
we had risked everything in a night attack on the town. But

J. SKELTON

R. P. HAINES

H. W. THELWALL

H. S. CHESHIRE

H. B. OLDHAM

M. H. LOGAN

J. V. JAMESON

H. HOWES

INVALIDED HOME AFTEE THE SUREENDER OF PRETORIA.

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 251

at dawn the next morning Botha sent a simple message to say
that he was not prepared to defend Pretoria further, and there-
fore he entrusted the women, children, and property to his
enemy's protection. In other words, we were quite at liberty to
march into a town from which every fighting commando, all
treasure, and nearly every munition of war had by that time
been safely removed. One big gun was still in the station on a
train that waited to take British prisoners away, but they had
risen in mutiny at the last moment and refused to go, wherefore
the train went without them, its movements being hastened by
the sight of British troops coming over the hills. To Colonel
Henry's Mounted Infantry, of which Lumsden's Horse formed a
part, was given the honour of being first to enter Pretoria by the
Eustenburg Eoad, as the Guards Brigade of General Pole-Carew's
division marched in on another side, without firing a shot. So
the goal was reached ; but we found it to all intents and purposes
a hollow triumph. There had been no surrender of the Boer
army or of anything that could weaken its power for further
resistance. The cage was in our hands, but the hawk had gone
with wings unpinioned. Every soldier probably felt, as Lumsden's
Horse did, that any show of triumph would have been out of
place in the circumstances. They took no part even in the
ceremonial parade when Lord Roberts made his formal entry
and the Union Jack was hoisted on the Eaadzaal that afternoon,
but had at least the satisfaction of knowing that their services of
the previous day were appreciated by the Commander-in-Chief,
who, in his despatches, wrote :

I marched with Henry's Mounted Infantry, four companies Imperial
Yeomanry, Pole-Carew*s division, Maxwell's brigade, and the naval and
siege guns, to Six-mile Spruit, both banks of which were occupied by the
enemy. The Boers were quickly dislodged from the south bank by the
Mounted Infantry and Imperial Yeomanry, and pursued for nearly a
mile, when our troops came under artillery fire. The enemy then moved
along a series of ridges parallel to our main line of advance, with the
object of turning our left flank ; but in this they were checked by
the Mounted Infantry and Imperial Yeomanry, supported by Maxwell's
brigade.

Seeing that Louis Botha, with all the main body of Boers,
had retired eastward, Lord Eoberts realised the importance of

252 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

making his line of communications secure in that direction, and
he therefore paid a high compliment to the troops under Colonel
Eoss in selecting them for that duty. A few days after taking
up the positions assigned to him, Colonel Lumsden wrote from
Irene a letter in which he expressed his opinion of the work that
had been done by all ranks in the corps under his command :

We have been told off to hold the line of communications from
Pretoria to Johannesburg, A Company and Headquarters taking the first
ten miles, B Company the second, and the remainder of the 8th Corps
in detachments all down the line. We are here for an indefinite time,
awaiting events.

Our Maxim gun under Captain Holmes has rejoined us here, having
been with General French's columns.

This is a much needed rest for all, and especially for our horses, as they
are utterly unfit to do more than a couple of days' hard marching, and I
can only put ninety mounted men, including officers, into the field.

This, considering the corps landed with a full complement of 250
horses and has since received nearly 150 remounts, will give you an idea
of what we have gone through, and the wear and tear our horses have had
through hard marching and short feeding.

Taking it as a whole, officers and men have kept excellent health, the
only prevalent disease being dysentery. The days are bright and sunny,
without being hot ; at times it is even cold. The nights, however, are
always bitterly cold, and it is quite a usual occurrence, on awaking, to
find the grass covered with frost an(i the water in the hand-basin frozen
over. This will give you some idea of the pleasure of sleeping out with
only the sky for a roof.

Our total casualties have amounted to twenty-five — just ten per cent,
of the force we landed with, and a very large proportion of our ordinary
fighting strength, considering that the most we have ever put in the field
was 186, and we are now reduced to under a hundred mounted men.

We have heard of the release of our prisoners, and expect them to join
us in a few days. Our only casualties in this shape were the seven taken
on April 30 at Ospruit.

I cannot say too much in praise of the conduct of my officers and
men from first to last, under many hardships and in very trjdng cir-
cumstances, and I feel sure they have gained a name for themselves
which their many friends both in England and in India have just cause
to be proud of.

I am confident that my meed of praise will be fully endorsed by
those under whom I and my corps have had the honour to serve.

It is considered that the war is virtually over, and, at any rate, I
fancy all Volunteer corps will be disbanded within a short time.

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 263

I have kept our accounts as nearly as possible up to date, but we
are unaware if any pay already claimed has yet been placed to our credit
in Cape Town, and in the meantime troopers are receiving advances
through this ofl&ce out of the funds brought by me from India.
Fortunately, I have been able to cash cheques in the towns we have
passed through, and I hope I may succeed in doing so at Pretoria to-
morrow, as our cash in the box is reduced to four sovereigns.

We have received no mails, either from England or India, for the
past six weeks, and we are all anxiously awaiting news.

The Special Correspondent of the * Englishman/ whose close
association with the corps in all circumstances can be traced
through every letter, does not take his banishment to lines of
communication with the Stoical philosophy that characterises
Colonel Lumsden. After the freshness of it has gone he
writes :

Irene — that's where Lumsden's Horse have been putting in time since
Lord Eoberts supplanted Paul Kruger in the jurisdiction of the town
and in the hearts of the people of Pretoria. Irene is not so called
because of any resemblance it bears to the Irene of the classics. For of
all the forsaken places which it has pleased Providence to dot down
on this earth of ours Irene is the most forsaken. Perhaps the Boers, in
their cunning, calculated that by giving it a name like music its reproa-ch
in the land might be less. The predominating feature of the scenery in
Irene is the railway. That, with rare persistence for a Transvaal railway,
runs right through the place in a straight line. The late Government of
this country knew a lot about railways. A crow might have done the
distance between, say, Bloemfontein and Pretoria in 250 miles, but it
takes the railway 500 miles. And each mile cost as many hundred pounds
to build. The Government fell in with the contractor's miscalculation.
The railway is full of curves, elegant but unnecessary, and the Govern-
ment— garib admi, sahib I Huzoor, bucksheesh !

Near the station stood a culvert so big that it deserved to be called a
bridge. There the Boers had placed a charge of dynamite. The dynamite
went off pop, and the bridge, the embankment, a section of the river, and a
large slice of the scenery became as naught. Then as Lord Eoberts swept
north he dropped a Sapper or two — no orders, no need of any. But in
three days trains as long as Chowringhee skipped over where the bridge
had been, and only the two Sappers trembled for the safety of their bag
o' tricks. No Tonuny ever doubts the inventions of a Sapper. And,
despite the absent-mindedness attributed to him, Tommy is a man ever
suspicious of the doings of his neighbour. But everybody knows about
Sappers and their wonderful works.

254 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Hence it was that Lumsden's Horse went to Irene. The powers that
had newly begun to be in Pretoria said we were to do steady Horatio,
without any theatrical business, to that bridge, while the Sappers slung
things about and made it pucca. After three weeks of guarding this babe
of the Boyal Engineers the truth dawned upon Lumsden's Horse that
they were on lines of communication. 'Twas no place for them, thought
they, but the authorities had their own designs, and Lumsden's Horse
were spread out to such places as Zurfontein, KAlfontein, Oliphantfon-
tein, Springs, &c., where the railway had been foolish enough to risk itself
in the air and endanger its existence thereby, for the Boers are death and
dynamite on everything in the shape of a bridge. However, while
Lumsden's Horse took care of those places no Boers ventured to disturb
the peace, though they played the devil with them when we had gone.

Troopers who had not been spoilt by luxurious idleness as
prisoners of war in Pretoria took a less cynical view of their
situation at Irene until the monotony of it began to depress them.
Notwithstanding their disappointment at having to leave
Pretoria behind them before they had a chance of discovering
how illusive was its outward show of plenty, they soon became
reconciled to the fate that deprived them of a share in the
garrison duties which would have seemed but a dull substitute
for the festivities and celebrations that imagination had con-
jured up as a natural sequence of a triumphal entry into the Boer
capital. On discovering that the surrender of Pretoria had not
brought peace appreciably nearer, the correspondent of the
' Indian Daily News ' v^ote quite cheerfully :

We saw very little of the town, as, after waiting near the racecoxurse
for about two hours, we were, much to our disgust, marched off to a
station called Irene, about ten miles down the line, where we were to be
put on lines of communication. Our hopes of a bit of a spin in the town
after the toilsome march up were therefore blasted, and growling was
more or less general, naturally enough. I think our tempers were not
improved by the fact that the road out was a mass of dust, which kept
going down our throats and into our eyes till one could hardly speak or
see. Once in camp and settled down, things wore a very different appear-
ance, however. Irene is a nicely wooded place, with a beautiful stream
of water running just handy — in fact, a perfect camping ground ; just
close by is situated the model farm of the Transvaal. The grounds are
very extensive, and fruit and vegetables of all sorts are grown. There
is also a large fenced-in enclosure, where deer, hartebeeste, and other
animals run wild. We stayed at Irene two days, and then the 8th Mounted

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 265

Infantry, accompanied by three sections of B Company, went on to
Kalfontein, a station about ten miles further south, leaving A Company
and No. 3 Section B Company to garrison Irene. Arriving at Kal-
fontein late in the evening, we camped about a couple of miles from the
railway station till next day, when om: company moved into the station
compound. We parted with the 8th Mounted Infantry here, they being
sent to various stations down the line, and sorry we were to lose our old
friends. Kaalfpntein railway station is surrounded by nice trees, under
which we kept our horses and made ourselves at home. Knowing that
this would be our station for some time, we laid in a stock of pots and
pans collected from the empty farmhouses, of which there were several
in the vicinity, and did our cooking in piccca style. Ducks, geese, and
turkeys, to say nothing of cocks and hens, besides our rations of mutton
and beef, kept us going merrily, and groceries, &c., were obtainable from
a few storekeepers, who paid us visits once a week. It was not sxu:-
prising, therefore, that after a month of this sort of thing, with com-
paratively light work, after the rough time we had been having on the
march up, the appearance of the men all round improved considerably,
chubby rosy cheeks and well-filled-out bodies taking the place of hollow
sunken-in features and more or less meagre frames. The weather,
though bitterly cold in the nights and early mornings, and very warm as
a rule during the days, was thoroughly enjoyable, and accounted in a
great measure, no doubt, for the improved state of most of the men's
health. Our work consists in patrolling the line south of Irene, and also
the country round on every side, and we also supply men daily for obser-
vation posts in various directions.

The life we lead is, for the most part, a peaceful one, though in
examining farms and scouring the country round, which we do in parties
of six, under an officer as a rule, there is always the chance of being
potted by the wily Boer. This has happened on three occasions during our
stay, our men being fired upon at close range, and having to flee for their
lives. None of us was touched, but the bullets came pretty close most
times. These small patrols, by the way, are, I think, the most unsatisfac-
tory part of one's work, looked at from a personal point of view. One
stands every chance of being shot, and knows that immediately one is
fired at it is a case of turning and riding for dear life, without a chance
of retaliation, or at any rate immediate retaliation, as the Boers always
outnumber us and hold the positions on these occasions.

Most of the farms round about Kalfontein are unoccupied, the
farmers and their families evidently having left in haste, only carrying
away a few necessaries with them ; but some of their houses have been
left in charge of the Boer Memsahibs, the Sahibs having gone on a man-
shooting expedition with the nearest commando, or, perhaps, being
Commandants themselves. A ease in point is that of Commandant

266 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

IJrasmus, who has a large farm about seven miles from here, where
he has left his wife and five or six comely daughters. Needless to
say, this is a favourite patrol, though the girls are shy and retiring,
and the old lady waxes very wroth when approached with a view to
doing a deal in sheep, saying she has only enough to keep herself and
family going, doubtless including papa when he pays them his periodical
visit by stealth during the night*

Another trooper takes up the narrative with a sigh of regret
for the things that cannot be got at Boer farms for love or
money :

We are all languishing for an iced whisky peg and a decent meal, and
often wonder whether we shall enjoy either again. Our work has
been no picnic, and, though we are all as enthusiastic over it as ever, I
must admit our experiences have been many and hard. We have
dwindled down in numbers, too, through casualties and sickness, and our
clothing is showing signs of wear and tear. The spick-and-span stage
has long since vanished, and a wash once a week is a luxury. Some had
grown quite respectable— disrespectable I might say — beards, but the
Colonel has a rooted antipathy to hirsute growth on the chin. We have
also had some changes. Trooper Percy Smith has obtained a commission
in the Berkshires, but pro tern, is doing duty with the 8th Mounted
Infantry ; Trooper Huddleston (a cousin of Lady Roberts and brother to
the E.I.E. Traffic Manager) has been appointed Assistant-Commissioner
of Police in Kroonstad, while Lieutenant Pugh fills a similar office at
Heilbron.

We have been cut off from our mails for more than a month, and are
very anxious to see the letters that have accumulated somewhere for us.
Our doings, I expect, have been telegraphed to India as they occurred, for
there is a plethora of newspaper correspondents following in the wake of
the army and with Headquarters — Lionel James represents the * Times,'
and has been to see his Indian friends.

The Kaffir we have come in contact with here is a bad lot, and he
has harassed the Boer farmers terribly during the war, being a perfect
Pindaree in his depredations. He loots anything and everything he can
lay hands on, and shifts his allegiance from Boer to British directly our
troops enter his province. In this respect the excuse he makes is that
since the outbreak of the war the Boers have not troubled to pay their
native servants any wages, while keeping them at work as usual.

All the Volunteers (Colonial and Imperial) receive 55. and as much as
75. 6cZ. per day, while Kaffirs earn on an average 4Z. IO5. per mensem in
our employ. It comes a bit rough on us to find our remuneration fixed
at I5. 2(i. plus M, for rations per diem. Considering that we mainly

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 257

exist on private purchases of stores, the want of ready money is a great
hardship. Some of our troopers have spent from lOZ. to 20/. a month on
groceries and smokes since our arrival in Africa. Ten shillings for a
packet of cigarettes has often been willingly given, while nobody would
think two shillings for a loaf of bread exorbitant. The reason for
these prices is always that the Boers have commandeered all they could
lay hands on in their retreat. Since our departure from Bloemfontein we-
have not seen our tents. Our nightly shelter has been the frosty canopy of
heaven, and our couch the African veldt (pronounced * felt ').

A letter to the ' Indian Daily News ' gives some interesting^
personal details :

At Irene and Kaalfontein several of our men who had been prisoners-
at Pretoria and Waterval, and others who had been left behind at various
places sick, rejoined, and we were very glad to have them back among us
again. Some of oxu: number have had their services requisitioned by
Government, among them being Lieutenant H. 0. Pugh, who has been
appointed Assistant Commissioner at Heilbron ; Sergeant P. P. Warburton,.
Secretary to the Irish Hospital at Pretoria ; Sergeant W. C. Conduit
to the Engineering Department of the railway near Johannesburg ;
Private J. E. Cubitt, Assistant Traffic Manager on the railway at Johan^
nesburg ; Private F. M. Clifford, Mounted Orderly to General Ian
Hamilton ; Private Huddleston, Assistant Commissioner at Kroonstad ;
and Private Firth, to the Financial Department at Pretoria. Sergeant
D. S. Eraser was also appointed to the Financial Department at Pretoria,
and worked there for about a month, but has now rejoined the regiment
and resumed his duties as Paymaster ; and Sergeant Thesiger and
Privates Moir-Byres, Lytle, Thelwall, and Thornton worked in th&
Remount Department at Johannesburg until the Dep6t there was.
closed.

Among those who had been prisoners from April 30 until our
entry into Pretoria, and about whose fate some doubt existed
for a time, was Trooper Clarence Walton. His gallantry in
sacrificing himself while attempting to save a wounded comrade
was mentioned by Colonel Lumsden as an act of conspicuous,
devotion on a day when the corps gained high credit and a.
reluctant rebuke for many brave deeds. Like others who fell
into the hands of enemies that day, he experienced nothing but
kindness from his captors. To this he bears willing testimony
in the following letter :

Starting from the time of our first action of April 30, when I had
the misfortune to be slightly wounded and taken prisoner, it might be

268 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

interesting to add my experience of the treatment I received to that of the
other prisoners. After our fighting line retired from my direction a Boer
came down to me and asked if I was wounded. I told him I was hit in the
foot, and he offered to take my boot and gaiter ofif for me, which I accepted.
He then got a small pony and helped me on, and took me to a farm about
half a mile distant, where an English doctor (on the Boer side) attended to
my case immediately, and then gave me a jolly good meal, better than I
had had for some time. The following night I was taken to Brandfort
Hospital, where I received every kindness possible, the nurses being
exceedingly attentive, and the Boers themselves, far from showing any
ill-feeling, came and talked and gave me tobacco. One lady cycled to
her home with the object of getting some books for me to read; but
unfortunately she arrived back just too late, as we were being placed in
the waggon to go to Smaldeel and entrain there for Pretoria Lieutenant
Crane, who was also a prisoner, travelled most of the way in the same
waggons and train as myself. He was kind enough to allow me to share
the little tobacco he had got, for which I was exceedingly grateful. After
reaching Pretoria I was handed over to our own people at the hospital
on the racecourse, where, although I did not have quite such a comfort-
able time as I had had with the Boer ambulances, I had nothing to com-
plain of, as the British residents at Pretoria did everything they could
for us, and we have to thank them for all the little luxuries they gave us.
The food we received from the Boers was sufficient to keep one alive, and
that is about all.

After Pretoria was taken I found myself a prisoner of the E.A.M.C.,
which I found to be very irksome, although at Pretoria the Major
in charge allowed us our liberty to a great extent. When I got to
Bloemfontein I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Eoe, late doctor in
Assam, who treated Saunders and myself with great kindness, and did
everything he could to make us comfortable.

Life at Irene was not all unpleasant. Several lively incidents
brightened existence there, and some reflex of them comes to us
through the cheery words of Captain Neville Taylor, whose
arduous duties as Adjutant did not prevent him from garnering
a fund of merry anecdotes. Here is one :

After Pretoria had been taken A Company and Headquarters remained
at Irene, and B Company went to Kalfontein, ten miles south on the
line. The duties at both places were similar, in that they had to patrol
the line and the neighbourhood. One of the Irene regular patrols was to
Pretoria and back daily.

On one of the usual patrols into that town Captain Eutherfoord passed
a German ambulance proceeding south, who explained that they had been

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 259

allowed to do so, but carried no pass. Arriving at Pretoria, he reported
the fact to the authorities, and also that he had stopped the ambulance
until he could get orders concerning it. On inquiry, having ascertained
that nothing was known about it, he obtained a letter to the Commandant
at Irene, who was told to ascertain that the ambulance people were
carrying no papers for the use of the enemy, and, if satisfied, to allow
them to proceed. The Commandant, bsing a man of high ideals, did not
see his way to thoroughly searching the ambulance, which contained
four German nurses, in addition to the four doctors, and he therefore
allowed them to pass on having taken the senior doctor's word of
honour that they had with them nothing of any use to the enemy in the
way of papers. The ambulance then went on its way, but stopped the
night at Kalfontein, ten miles beyond Irene. In the evening a wire
came to us for an oflBcer's patrol to bring all those people back to Pretoria.
Captain Eutherfoord was accordingly sent to Kalfontein for the purpose,
and returned in the evening with the party.

Colonel Lumsden and all of us felt so sorry for the prisoners that we
decided to ask them to dinner, which invitation being accepted, in due
course we all sat down together in our little mess-house.

During oxu: stay at Irene, as it was bitterly cold, we had run up a
small hut: walls of piled-up stones, a tin roof, and a most cunningly
contrived fireplsrce which did not smoke. We decorated the place with
flowers, had a tip-top dinner, and drank crime de menthe as our only
beverage. The dinner went ofif in the wonderful way dinners do. None
of us could talk German, and none of them English, and yet we conversed
freely and had the greatest fun. The show concluded with songs, and the
last remembrance I have of it was that the Colonel and the prettiest
' sister ' were taking down one another's addresses and betting gloves about
something in the quietest comer. Rutherfoord had been hiding as much
as possible, as he felt himself to blame for being the cause of all their
trouble, but we gave him away at the end, and though they all pretended
to be very angry with him, we unanimously allowed that he had beaten
all but the Colonel in winning the favours of the fair sex.

At about 2 A.M. we escorted them back to their caravan and said
good-night, first of all pointing out that a sentry was posted over them,
with orders to shoot at sight if anyone left the waggons during the night.
They started for Pretoria at daybreak, but most of the oflBcers were there
to see them ofif, while one met them a few miles up the road. The Colonel
was late for breakfast that morning. We heard afterwards that on arrival
at Pretoria they were searched, and the result was that the doctors went
to gaol, and the dear ladies were sent under supervision out of the country.
We all, however, are quite certain that they were innocent victims of
Boer duplicity.

8 2

260 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Another story is very characteristic of Tommy's smartness :

At one of the camps — I think Elandsfontein — a party of us got leave
to go into the town for dinner. We had come in late, and either had not
been given or had forgotten the countersign. Near the town we came
upon a sentry, who challenged in the usual way, and who let us through
after making certain that we were ofl&cers of Lumsden's Horse. After
going a few yards we heard him say to his pal that it was all right, as we

were only * some of those d d Volunteers,' this being meant in all

politeness and only Tommy's patois. One oflBcer of ours, however, half-
jokingly threatened to report him if he talked like that again. After a
good dinner we were returning to camp and came upon the same sentry.
' Halt ! Who goes there ? ' * Friend.' * Advance one and give the

countersign.' One oflScer, advancing, said, * D d Volunteer.' Tommy

shouldered with a slap and roared out, * Pass, D d Volunteer, and all's

well ! * He had the best of us, and we laughed as much as the guard.

About this time the Boers in Pretoria were also making
merry over an incident associated with countersigns in which one
who played a sentry's part had the laugh on his side at the
expense of British officers. It happened at a crisis w^hen Botha
was known to have secret emissaries in the capital warning him
of every preparation for a fresh movement, and it illustrates
perfectly the aptitude of Boers as spies, and the easy-going in-
efficiency of our ow^n precaution against traitors. A young Boer,
speaking English fluently, came from Botha's force just after
Lord Eoberts was supposed to have dispersed it in the neigh-
bourhood of Diamond Hill. He reached our outposts not far
from the limits patrolled by Lumsden's Horse, and, being armed
with one of the passes that have been lavishly distributed and
frequently abused, he had no difficulty in getting through the
British lines. Once inside them, he was free to move about
anywhere and ascertain that nearly all available troops, except
one division, had been withdrawn from Pretoria for concentra-
tion elsewhere. He even loitered about to hear the talk at a club
frequented by officers and by * friendly ' civilians, whose privileges
of membership nobody assumed the right to question. There and
in hotel halls or billiard-rooms, where officers, regardless of
attentive listeners, incautiously spoke of their own probable
movements, this young Boer picked up much entertaining
gossip and useful information. But he also learned, to his

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 261

dismay, that nobody could move about the town or leave it after
nightfall without the countersign. His idea was to get out
again under cover of darkness, with all the news that he could
gather for General Botha, but he heard that provisional police
would by that time be patrolling all the streets, alert and zealous
in the performance of their new duties, and also that every outlet
by which a horseman could pass would have double sentries
posted after sunset. A wary Boer never tries rash experiments
if he can avoid them, and this young man, having no unpatriotic
wish to run his head into a noose, adopted other measures.

Going to a friend's house, in which some British uniforms
were kept as trophies until the police discovered and appropriated
them, he dressed in khaki, donned a greatcoat, and armed
himself with a Mauser carbine. All this may seem impossible
in a town under martial law, but arms and ammunition w^ere
found in private houses long after the date of this incident, and
nobody ever heard of exemplary punishment being meted out to
offenders, who generally got off scot free on a plea of ignorance.
At any rate, the young Boer, thus equipped to counterfeit a
provisional policeman, salhed forth at night, when a high collar,
turned well up for protection against the icy north wind, and a
hat slouched over the^ eyes, would not have attracted any
attention. Making use of mental notes previously taken, he
placed himself near the corner of a street so much frequented by
officers on their way to or from the club that special police
seldom troubled to look after it. There he had not long to wait
for a chance of challenging, and in response the countersign was
given as a matter of course without the least suspicion. Safe
in the possession of this password, the ingenious young Boer
mounted his horse, and, claiming to be the bearer of despatches,
rode past our outlying pickets and off into the darkness on his
w ay to the nearest Boer commando. Some officers of Lumsden's
Horse were in the Pretoria Club that night, but it was not they
who gave away the countersign. Occasional visits to Pretoria
in the vain hope of finding that some articles of luxury or much-
needed outfit could be bought there became great events in the
hves of both officers and men during their banishment to lines
of communication. Somehow a goodly number of them, for
whom sport was an irresistible attraction, managed to assemble

'262 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

on ground a mile outside the racecourse when three score of
competitors started for the first military steeplechase ever ridden
near Pretoria. After this event Colonel Lumsden wrote with
pardonable pride :

Beharis will be pleased to hear that Captain Rutherfoord, of ours, won
the first paper-chase in Pretoria. There were sixty starters over a stiff
country, with the result that grief was plentiful.

But that view of the result, though entertained by nearly
every spectator who was near enough to watch an exciting finish,
did not commend itself to the official whose decision none could
question. How it all came about may be told by an eye-witness,
who was also a competitor until, finding himself hopelessly
out of the race, he took to ' skirting,' and finally joined a crowd
of onlookers at the winning-post.

The German Staff officer who said that English soldiers went
into qi fight as if it were sport and took their sport seriously as
training for battle, must have been thinking of some scene like
that in which British officers and Volunteers of all ranks figured
on Pretoria Eacecourse that last Saturday in June 1900. There
we were in the midst of war with an active enemy not many
miles off, yet nobody seemed to concern himself much about
what the Boers might be doing at that moment. All were intent
upon the important business in hand. A paper-chase had to be
run, and every man meant to do his best, whether mounted on a
Basuto pony that had never jumped any obstacle more formidable
than a boggy spruit before, or on a raking Waler or clever
English hunter. Lord Eoberts had given permission for a paper-
chase and theoretically the sport took that form. There were no
prizes for winners, no clerk of the scales, no weighlng-in, no
penalties for infringement of Hunt Club rules. All who cared to
start might enjoy that privilege. But practically the thing
resolved itself into a steeple-chase under regulations that forbade
riding from point to point at discretion ; a course being marked
by flags round which every starter was compelled to go or lose
his chance of distinction. Paper-hunting would have been
child's play in a country like this unless it had led us over rough
kopjes and away across the veldt, where there might have been a
chance of Boer patrols chipping in. So to add some touch of

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION

263

excitement, and the spice of danger, without which no British
sport is worthy of that name, artificial fences were made more
difficult to negotiate than torrent-filled spruits or boggy water-
courses. Two stone walls enclosing a mealie patch came handy,
and suggested themselves as most appropriate for a start where
spectators might see some fun at the outset if veldt ponies tried
to tumble over, as they generally do, without jumping. A run
without hound-music as an accompaniment did not commend
itself to the immortal Jorrocks, whose eulogy of ' 'unting, the
image of war without its guilt and only 25 per cent, of its
danger,' would have been con-
siderably modified in applica-
tion to such sport as ours of
that day, if that genial M.F.H.
could have seen the horses some
men chose to risk their necks
on. They were of all sizes,
shapes, and breeds. As for the
fences, an Irish hunter would
have larked over every one in
his stride; but it is quite an-
other thing with horses that
have never been trained to leap.

Pretoria did not give itself
away all at once to the tempta-
tions of a novel spectacle ; but
there were ladies in carriages
among the little crowd of sight-
seers, and some stolid burghers
looked on with approval, while others took part in the chase, for
Boers have a bond of sympathy with us in love of horse-racing
and field sports. The Commander-in-Chief came, sitting his
shapely chestnut with a firmer and more workmanlike ease than
half the horsemen present could boast of, and looking as if he
could still show them all the way over a stiflE hunting country.
His appearance at the starting-point was a signal for marshalling
the forces into line.

Then a StaflE officer gave the word to go, and away went
the motley field, more than half a hundred strong, spurring,

Photo:Bowme A Shepherd

CAPTAIN RUTHERPOORD, D.S.O.

264 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

hustling, charging like a Cavalry squadron for all they were
worth. A light-weight, who served with distinction in Her
Majesty's Navy years ago, was quickest oflE, and led them over
the two stone walls, closely followed by Captain Cox, of the New
South Wales Lancers. Then came the second flight, riding for
the walls knee to knee. Thanks to bold hearts and resolute
riding, they all got over. A fall in that dense formation with
another rank rushing close behind would have brought more than
one rider to unutterable grief. But the ranks began to thin
where a spruit had to be crossed, with steep banks into and out
of the drift. There the ' Skipper's ' pony, with speed unchecked,
gained a good lead, but he came down at the next made-up
fence and gave his rider a nasty fall. The active light-weight,
however, nipped into the saddle and went on cheery as ever.
Then in clouds of dust, through which the fences could scarcely
be seen, leggy horses and diminutive ponies rushed onward,
jostling for a lead as before. Captain McNeil, of Montmorency's
Scouts, came down and broke his collar-bone, and Gibbs, of the
Somerset Yeomanry, falling with his horse on top of him, had two
ribs broken. But still * the chase went sweeping heedless by '
over a wide dug-out, with a hurdle to screen it and a trappy
ditch where the road had to be crossed. Then they spread out
to gallop over stony ground for the spruit, into which many
floundered. The pace was beginning to tell on horses out of
condition as they struggled up hill to go for a formidable bank
of sandbags topped with loose earth that had been dug out of
the ditch in front. Down-hill again to a hollow, where the little
stream meandering between boggy ground had to be crossed
three times. There several jaded steeds came to a standstill,
having shot their bolts, and only a select few went up the next
hill to the trappiest fence of all, where water flowed between deep
banks. There the * Skipper ' got his third fall, but he mounted
again and followed the leaders as they rounded the flag and rode
for home. Captain Cox had also been left behind, and the
running was taken up by Captain Kutherfoord, of Lumsden's
Horse, with Major Kenna, V.C., of the 21st Lancers, in close
attendance. Flanks were heaving and pipes wheezing before
the next boulder-strewn ridge had been crossed. 'A run is
nothing without music,' said a subaltern as he roused his pant-

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION 265

ing steed for another effort. He nearly blundered, as many
others did, over the next little fence, and they were being left
hopelessly behind. Kenna and Eutherfoord charged the last
stone wall side by side, and rose together at it. Eutherfoord
landed first, and had the race in hand, but, mistaking the post,
eased his horse too soon. So Kenna, V.C., got a neck ahead
in the straight run home, and thus won his right to claim the
brush or whatever may be a substitute for it in paper-chasing.
That was the oflBcial verdict, but Lumsden's Horse still hold that
their champion was first past the post.

One day a pleasant incident enlivened Colonel Lumsden's
ordinarily uneventful round of inspections. He had been visiting
posts south of Irene, and was hurrying back to headquarters on
an affair of urgent importance, when a train stopped at one of the
sidings. Before he had time to realise that it was a special, or
to make any inquiries, the train began to move again. So he
jumped on to the nearest platform, and presently found himself
in a corridor, cleaner and more carefully looked after than any
he had seen on a Transvaal railway up to that time. Not
knowing what to make of it, and half-expecting to meet an ajagry
Chief of the Staff face to face, he refrained from exploring further.
Presently a lady passed and said, ' Won't you come in ? ' Colonel
Lumsden was smoking at the time, and declined for that reason.
' But mother wishes you to come,' was the reply. So the gallant
Colonel yielded with ready grace, and found himself in the pre-
sence of Lady Koberts, who, with her daughters, was on the way
to Pretoria. They were just then nearing Irene, and Colonel
Lumsden drew attention to the camp of his Indian Volunteers,
in whom he thought Lady Eoberts would naturally be much
interested. To his surprise he saw a huge bonfire burning, and
in silhouette against it were the words, ' Welcome to Lady
Eoberts ! ' Sergeant-Ma j or Stephens had hit upon this happy
idea, and put it into execution just at •the right moment. One
of the daughters, seeing it, said, ' Oh, mother, there is a warm
welcome for you, at any rate ! ' Lady Eoberts frequently
referred to this impromptu welcome in conversation with
Colonel Lumsden afterwards, and spoke appreciatively of the
pleasure it had given her.

For nearly two months — from the fall of Pretoria on June 6 to

266 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

July 29 — Lumsden's Horse were scattered up and down the
railway lines between Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Colonel Lumsden gives the following official account of this
period in a letter to the executive committee of his corps :

My headquarters are still at Irene, while my corps is stationed Id
detachments along the railway from here to Springs. I am daily expect-
ing an order to concentrate either here or at the latter point, having
received oflBcial information that we are to be relieved by Mounted
Infantry from the Eegulars.

Beyond Uving in a constant state of alarm, standing to arms at all
hours of the night, and our patrols shooting and being shot at, there is
little or nothing of interest to record.

Scouting parties have had several narrow escapes, but nothing of a
serious nature occurred until yesterday (July 13), when I heard by wire
from Captain Beresford at Springs that Private Claude F. Walton, of the
Mysore detachment, had been wounded rather severely while out on patrol
with Captain Cliflford, but without, I understand, endangering his life.
The shot was fired from a farmhouse, which has since, I am glad to say,
been burnt to the ground. Two days previously, when I was on a visit to
Springs, Captain Chamney and his patrol had rather a narrow squeak, but
got safely away under a pelting fire.

The Boer outposts are within four to five miles of our position at
Springs, where Colonel Boss and part of his corps are stationed, but they
are too weak to take the initiative.

The weather is still bitterly cold at night, but the men have now had
time to rig up temporary shelters of sorts, while the detachments at
Zurfontein and Springs have been fortunate in obtaining iron-roofed
shelters to live in.

I much regret to have to inform you of the death of Private
M. B. FoUett, of the Mysore detachment, from enteric fever in hospital
at Johannesburg on the 7th inst., and that the undernamed have been
left at various hospitals on the march up sick, or sent down from here.

Some may return to headquarters, but I anticipate that most of them
will proceed to England or to India, invalided or convalescent.

Young FoUett's brother was fortunately with him at the last, and it
is gratifying to note that the rites usually accorded to an oflScer were
observed at his interment.

The men in the attached list have mostly received their regimental pay
up to date, and I have done my best to see that any balance due to them
in this respect will be paid before they leave Cape Town.

I have also given in such cases five pounds to each man for necessaries
on the voyage. This responsibility I have taken on myself, having ample

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION

267

funds in hand, and I feel sure the committee will approve my action, more
especially as many men are utterly unable to get into communication with
their friends and are entirely without money.

I understand Government intends to grant this amount to each soldier
as a war gratuity at the close of the campaign ; the sums thus given will
therefore be recoverable.

List of Men in Hospital

Private D. 0. AUardice

o E. Adiam
Lance-Corporal Hugh Blair
Private E. N. Bankes

„ H. C. Bennett

„ C. J. D. Bewsher

„ W. R. Birch
Lanoe-Corporal Butler (A. D.)
Private W. B. Brown

„ Baldwin

„ J. S. Campbell

„ Cheshire

„ H. Cooper
Sergeant E. Dawson
Lance-Sergeant J. S. Elliott
Private A. H. Francis

„ E. H. Gough

„ G. A. Gowenlock

„ R. P. Haines

„ C. C. Harvey

„ W. H. Hohne

„ J. V. Jameson

„ R. Tait Innes

„ Jackman
G. E. Henry

„ D. J. Keating

„ H. M. Logan

Private J. H. A. Burn-Murdoch
R. G. H. Muskett

„ C. MqMinn

„ A. Martin
Sergeant-Major E. H. Mansfield
Private R. C. Nolan

„ H. B. Oldham

„ H. W. Puckridge

E. B. Parkes
„ P. W. Pryce
„ N. J. V. Reid

J. W. A. Skelton
H J. S. Saunders
S. Sladden

B. C. A. A. Steuart
„ H. W. ThelwaU

W. Turnbull
„ T. Thompson
„ A. N. Woods

C. A. Walton

F. W. Wright
C. F. Walton

„ L. H. Zorab
„ W. S. Lemon

C. E. Stuart
„ A. C. Walker

Eegimental Sergeant-Major Marsham's friends in Behar wiJl regret to
hear that bad luck has again overtaken him. On the way up to rejoin
after recovering from his wounds, he was so unfortunate as to be in
company with the Derbyshire Militia when they met with their disaster,
and is believed to have been taken prisoner with them. So far I have no
official communication as to this, but, not having heard from or of him,
conclude it is only too true.

Private Percy Smith and Lance-Gorporal Hugh Blair have received
commissions in the Begular forces and are no longer with the corps,
although the former is for a time attached to the Oxford M.I. — part of

268

THE HISTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

our own regiment under Colonel Koss. Blair is among the sick men
mentioned and at present in Cape Town.

Lord Eoberts has also been good enough to grant commissions to
Private Douglas Jones— in the Army Service Corps— Privates J. A. Fraser,
Collins, T. B. Nicholson, J. S. Biscoe, and Corporal Bates. Several of
the latter are for the West India Eegiments. All these remain with me
for the present.

Lieutenant Pugh and Private Huddleston have been appointed Assis-
tant Commissioners at Heilbron and Kroonstad respectively.

The names of several other applicants are still before His Excellency,
and I hope to advise you soon of their having received commissions also.

At the same time I do not expect
any of these will leave the corps
until its disbandment. Young
Maurice Clifford has been taken on
by General Ian Hamilton as orderly,
and is also likely to receive a com-
mission, as well as Leslie Williams,
son of the late popular Gwatkin
Williams.

Captain Kutherfoord, Lieutenant
Crane, and Sergeant Macnamara
have been offered commissions in
the Transvaal Mounted Police, and
will probably remain in this country,
as I believe will a good many
others.

Captain Stevenson is likely to
obtain an important veterinary ap-
pointment out here, and Dr. (Cap-
tain) Powell is also in the running
for a high medical post should he
prefer this to returning to India.
All the above, added to the continued requisitions for men of my corps
for various offices, point to the esteem in which they are held by the
authorities apart from their fighting qualities. In fact, were it not for
strong remonstrances on my part to official requests, I should be in a fair
way to lose a big percentage of my men before the work for which they
came out has been completed.

In my previous letter I mentioned the sad plight to which our horses
had been reduced, and that at the time of writing I doubted my ability to
place ninety mounted men in the field fit for a two-days' march. You will
now be pleased to hear that in this respect things have improved, and that

Photo: P. Klier
CAPTAIN W. STEVENSON, Vet. Subg.

ON LINES OF COMMUNICATION

269

I can now mount 180 officers and men on fairly serviceable animals, few,
however, remaining of our original Indian chargers. In this connection
I may also mention that out of sixty Argentine remounts received at
Kroonstad, only one is alive.

Now comes the important question of finance.

I have been spending various sums on comforts for the men, the
largest item being 50L for a much-needed supply of tobacco.

The men are very badly in want of clothes, especially breeches, tunics,
and boots. I have indented on the Government Stores at Bloemfontein
for a complete outfit, and hope to receive it shortly. This, of course, will
be issued to us gratis. Nothing in the shape of clothing can be got for
money.

I am enclosing a statement showing roughly the financial position of
the corps. From this you will see that, provided the w^ar is not prolonged
beyond our present anticipations, there vsrill be an ample balance left to
admit of the payments estimated for in Calcutta.

Photo: Johuiton d: Hoffmann

SERGEANT ERNEST DAWSON

270 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTER XIV

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS --BOEB SCOUTING— A RECONNAIS-
SANCE TO CROCODILE RIVER— FAREWELL TO COLONEL
ROSS

Lumsden's Horse found their duties on lines of communication
not all uneventful, and had on occasions some adventures more
exciting than the incidents of a patrol to Pretoria or Elandsfon-
tein or Johannesburg, though that had to be conducted with proper
precautions against possible surprises from Boer raiders who
were always on the prowl within a few miles of our outpost lines,
but rarely to be seen. Emboldened by the inaction of British
troops in Pretoria and by some successes which Christian De Wet
had achieved down Rodewal way, where he captured and burnt
a train containing mail-bags with precious letters for Lumsden's
Horse, the enemy began to press on every weak point they could
find. They evinced especially a desire to get possession of the
mines near Springs, being not only bent on wanton destruction,
but also impelled thereto by the fact that Supply officers there
had been gathering stores of forage from the country round
about. Apart from its position in the centre of a district richly
mineralised, Springs was of considerable strategic importance as
a stronghold for the protection of the railway junction at Elands-
fontein, to which its commanding kopjes, if strongly held, were a
formidable flanking defence. Nothing but the belief that Botha's
forces had been so scattered and demoralised by defeat at Diamond
Hill as to be incapable of great offensive movements could have
induced the military authorities to neglect an adequate defence of
Springs. The Boers seemed to realise its importance more than
we did, and if they had brought artillery to bear upon it the safety
of Johannesburg might have been seriously threatened. Fortu-
nately, however, either Botha's irresolution or divided counsels

ALABMS AND EXCURSIONS 271

among his colleagues led to the abandonment of such enterprises
after one or two attempts which were frustrated by General
Hutton and Colonel Henry, whose Mounted Infantry reconnais-
sances at this juncture were characterised by great skill. Never-
theless, some strong Boer commandos were persistent in their
attempts to get a footing at Springs, so that Lumsden's Horse
had to reinforce other corps of the 8th Mounted Infantry and
take their full share of outpost work, in which they w^ere
frequently harassed by the enemy. Some interesting details of
this phase are furnished by troopers whose letters were published
in the Indian newspapers. One correspondent writes to the
' Indian Daily News,' dating from Springs, July 14 :

You will see from the above that we have been moved again, and 1
fancy we shall be kept on the go now for some time to come, as both we
and our horses have had a long rest and are quite fit again.

It was rather a bore getting shifted out of our comfortable quarters at
Kalfontein, but now that the wrench is over I fancy most of us are glad
to be on the march once more, as life there was beginning to get just a
trifle monotonous and humdrum.

About a week previous to our leaving Kalfontein No. 3 Section B
Company, who had been left at Irene with A Company, were sent to
girrison Ziurfontein, a few miles down the line, and we joined them
there, the whole of us then marching to this place, which is the terminus
of a branch of the main line running eastward, and is situated about
twenty-five miles from Johannesburg. I should have mentioned that we
left a few of our men at Kalfontein to help to garrison the place until
further orders. We stayed at Elandsfontein and Boksburg on the way
here, and the men who had been through such exciting scenes so recently
in these places naturally took a great interest in them and * fought their
battles o'er again.'

We have had rather an exciting time of it on two occasions since
being quartered here. On the 11th inst. we sent out a patrol of six
men under Captain Chamney, and just as they got to the top of a bit of
rising ground they found themselves within a few hundred yards of an
approaching body of the enemy, who no sooner saw our men than they
let 'em have it with their Mausers. There was nothing for it but to turn
and get away as quickly as possible, and this the patrol did, managing once
again to elude the bullets. The Boers followed, but soon gave up the
game, as it was only a few miles from the town, and they evidently did
not consider it good enough to venture too close. On getting out of range
and up to the next rise our patrol halted and sent a man back to report
matters to Colonel Boss, and, after staying out about an hour to see

272 THE HISTOEY OP LUMSDEN'S HOESE

if there were any more signs of the enemy, they returned to camp.
A larger patrol was sent out during the day, but saw no signs of Boers,
these gentry evidently having returned to the adjacent hills. A small
farmhouse, from behind which our men were shot at, was biunt down ;
but this did not have much effect, as another of our patrols was fired on
two days afterwards near the same place, and this time we were not so
fortunate, as Private Walton, of No. 3 Section B Company, was shot
through the right thigh and got another bullet through his hat, just
shaving his skull. He managed to ride into camp with the others, but
will have a long spell in hospital, I fancy. His wound was dressed as
soon as he got into camp, and next day he was sent on to Johannesburg.
This is one of the coldest places we have struck so far, and early
morning patrols and night pickets are consequently more unpopular than
ever. There is one great consolation, however, and that is we can get
good and cheap draught beer here ; this is a luxury we have not indulged
in for ages, so, needless to say, the thirsty ones are having a great time.

The special correspondent of the ' Englishman ' treats one of
the incidents above referred to in a lighter vein :

In the middle of July our detachment at Springs, where there had
been a good deal of desultory fighting, had some fun for their money.
They went out patrolling one day, a dozen or so strong. A farmhouse
loomed in the distance, and as the magnetic pole draws the needle so did
this innocent, nestling farm draw the patrol. If you live on biscuits for
a month you develop a craving for bread. Same with everybody, from
General down to mule-drivers. It would be side on the part of
Lumsden's Horse to hold aloof from any popular taste, and as one leary-
nosed tea planter said he smelt dough, the patrol rode for that farmhouse,
animated by the noble sentiment that the devil might take the hindmost.
But this time the devil nearly copped the leader, for the Boers opened at
short range from stone walls near the farmhouse. A patrol's duty being
to locate the enemy, and not to die valorously or otherwise, oiu: men turned
tail, thought of their misdeeds, and streaked for home. Unluckily C. F.
Walton, of B Company, bestrode an Argentine which feared neither Boer
nor bullet. The brute wouldn't budge under the fire, and Walton received
a hail of lead all to himself. One bullet struck his hat, cutting the bottom
of the crack — our squashed Cashmere ones — clean away, shedding his
hair in a way that no brushing will alter, for it shaved a line clean along
his scalp. Just as he got his horse on the move he was struck again, in
the thigh, but managed to gallop away without further mishap. Exami-
nation proved that the bullet had gone right through the upper part of
his leg, inflicting a severe but not dangerous wound. Walton is now in
hospital and doing well.

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS— BOER SCOUTING 273

Fuller details and a more consecutive narrative of other
events are given by a correspondent of the ' Madras Daily Mail,'
who writes :

Our duties are not only to guard the station and railway line and
patrol the country, but also to furnish observation posts, whose duty it
is to report the movements of any bodies of men they may see ; the
patrols also demanding the production of passes from anyone — native or
white man — whom they may meet. The Boers are not far off, and life
is not without its excitement; for on two occasions our patrols have
been fired on, once getting a particularly hot reception and being chased
for a considerable distance. One man in particular had a narrow escape
when the enemy — who were lying in wait for the patrol — suddenly
charged down over the top of a neighbouring ridge. He was in the
middle of a small copse ahead of his companions and did not see the
Boers, who galloped round on each flank of the wood, and, dismounting
just this side of it, commenced firing at the rest of the patrol. Hearing
the rifles so close, he attemped to return, and found, on getting to the
edge of the wood, that he was cut off by a line of men along a wire
fence, who fortunately were so busy firing that they did not see him.
He eventually made a dash for it from the upper end of the wood,
coming out behind the Boers and making a long detour. Of course,
directly he got clear of the wood he was seen and became a target for
all their rifles, but he got safely away.

During a prolonged stay in a place like this we manage to make
ourselves very comfortable. In the vicinity of Kaalfontein the farm-
houses were for the most part deserted and had been left just as they
stood. From these farmhouses we are always allowed to help ourselves
to useful and non-valuable articles, such as cooking utensils and eatables ;
so what with chickens, ducks, &c., while the live-stock held out, and
most excellent mutton issued as rations, not to mention an occasional
porker (bought from the Kaffirs) or haunch of venison (shot by one of
the officers), our larder was well stocked, while extras in the way of
groceries could be obtained from an enterprising Jew storekeeper, who
would drive round with his stores. Then, too, bivouacs and shelters of
all sorts can be rigged up, and very welcome they were at the time, as
during June and the beginning of July the cold was intense.

At Springs, the terminus of a branch line from Elandsfontein Junction
through Boksburg, together with four companies of the 8th Mounted
Infantry and the Canadians, we remained six days. Here the Boers
were rather closer than they had been at Kaalfontein, and it was the rule
rather than the exception for the patrols to be fired on. One morning
our patrol was shot at from a farmhouse flying a white flag, the
advance scouts being only 150 yards distant ; one of them, Trooper

274 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Walton (Mysore and Coorg Eifles), received a bullet through his thigh
and another right through the crown of his hat, actually cutting the hair
along the top of his head, but he managed to get away without further
injury. On receiving the news Colonel Boss immediately sent out a strong
patrol with a pom-pom and burnt the house to the ground, but saw nothing
of the enemy, who are always careful not to interfere with a strong
patrol, their plan being to allow a small party to approach their ambush
and then suddenly open fire, hoping to empty a few saddles. Fortunately,
however, it is not easy to hit a man on horseback at an unknown range
or else the Boers are uncommonly bad shots, for our patrols have now
been fired upon on seven or eight different occasions at comparatively
close range and only one man has been hit. One afternoon a party of Boers,
about thirty in number, were seen by the look-out man coming down to a
Kaffir kraal, about three miles out. Lumsden's Horse were ordered to
saddle up immediately and give chase. The Boers, however, did not wait.
They had evidently come down to get mealies from the Kaffirs, as we
found some bags they had dropped in their haste.

In these operations Lumsden's Horse learned a great deal
about the tricks and methods of Boer scouts, and soon began
to realise that these could best be met by bringing all a
shikarri's varied experiences into play. In reality the wily
Boers do not send out patrols, according to our interpretation of
that word. When any considerable number of them are seen
together, it may be taken for granted that their scouts have
previously done all the work expected of them, or that they
are oflE somewhere in £i,nother direction, acting as a screen for
some more important movement. When watching a hostile
force, with a view to aggressive tactics or defensive measures,
the Boers hardly ever show themselves. If caught by chance
on the move, they either halt where they are and lie down or
steal away one by one to the nearest cover, knowing perfectly
well that any large body moving can be seen a long distance off,
while separate figures become almost invisible dots on the vast
plain and attract no attention from people whose eyesight is less
keen than a Kaffir's. Once concealed from view, they are
careful not to show themselves again on the sky-line, or on a
sunlit slope, where their shadow^s would betray them. From
hunting wild game they have learned to pursue the tactics of
an antelope or a haartebeeste in eluding a vigilant enemy. As
a herd of deer, browsing peacefully in some hollow, leaves a

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS -BOER SCOUTING

275

trusty sentinel on the nearest hill to keep watch, so Boers tell
ofiE one of their number for a similar duty, and he, like the
sentinel buck, remains motionless beside a tree or stone, in-
visible himself, but allowing no movement on the plain to escape
his watchful eye. The man on whom this task falls is generally
a veteran trained by long experience to a knowledge of the veldt
and the habits of every being, man or beast, frequenting it. By

A TYPICAL BOER
(From a sketch bf J. S. Coiren)

the actions of horses or cattle on the pastures, not less than by
the hurried movement of more timid wild animals or birds, he
knows whether they have been disturbed by anything unusual.
Then he stoops down to listen, and his ears are so sensitive by long
practice that he can distinguish the rumble of wheels or tread of
marching men miles off, though the sound comes to him no
louder than the whisper of wind among dry grass. And a bird

T 2

276 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

on the wing, or animal scuttling through the undergrowth, will
warn him at once of approaching foes.

If the Boers want to lay an ambush they do not set about
it in a clumsy fashion, but with due foresight, calculating all
the chances. Far in advance of the trap thus prepared they
will probably have posted some men among the rocks of a kopje,
or preferably in a dry donga between high banks that effectually
conceal any movement. These advanced scouts never show
themselves or fire a shot when the prey for which their comrades
are waiting approaches. They simply allow it to pass, and then
perhaps will be heard a whistle like that of some wild bird, the
lowing of cattle that cannot be seen, or other sound familiar
enough but conveying no particular meaning at the moment.
Yet in all probability it is a preconcerted signal from the foremost
scouts to others within hearing, who pass on the message, so that
every movement of the coming patrol or column is known to the
Boers waiting in ambush for it. Thus many mishaps have
occurred in a way that nobody could account for, and by practis-
ing similar methods Lumsden's Horse at length became a match
for their enemy at the same game. Other lessons than those
learned at Springs were, however, needed to perfect them in the
craft on which the safety of an army may sometimes depend.
One such experience fell to their share in a reconnaissance
towards Crocodile Eiver, which Colonel Lumsden describes in a
letter to the executive committee of Lumsden's Horse :

A few days after the despatch of my previous letter, Colonel Eoss,
with a detachment of my own corps and the greater part of the 8th
Mounted Infantry, collected at Irene under instructions to proceed to
Pretoria. While we were still in camp there orders came from head-
quarters to patrol the country to the west and north-west as far as the
Crocodile Eiver. On receiving the above orders, Colonel Eoss, accompanied
by myself, Captain Taylor, and a small patrol of the Oxfords under
Lieut. Percy Smith, went out to reconnoitre the country. Captain
Clifford, of ours, had already proceeded early in the day (July 20) with a
patrol of fifteen men in the same direction. Overtaking this party about
noon, Colonel Eoss ordered Captain Clifford to push on and ascertain that
the ground was clear of the enemy as far as the river. Colonel Eoss's party
then returned to Irene. Late in the evening Captain Clifford's patrol came
back and reported that his party had been ambuscaded before reaching
the river, and had had to make the best of their way out of a tight place on

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS— BOER SCOUTING

277

jaded horses at the best speed they could, leaving two of their number,
Privates Bearne and Cayley, in the hands of the enemy. Captain Clifford
estimated the enemy's strength at 300, and reported that as far as he
could ascertain they were laagered in a strong natural position near Six
Mile Spruit, commanding a perfect view of its valley. Not being quite
satisfied with the information. Colonel Eoss ordered him to proceed again
next day with a patrol of thirty. Captain Sidey accompanied him. The
task was a difficult and dangerous one, for, although the first twelve miles
were clear of the enemy and comparatively open, the last eight miles
of the journey led down the valley
of Six Mile Spruit, with high
hills to the right and lower ones to
the left, the enemy's laager being
situated about half-way down on
the right. The Boers had thus the
option of stopping the patrol on the
way down, or cutting it ofif on the
return journey. The reconnoitring
party could reach the Crocodile
Eiver in comparative safety by
advancing along the higher ground
to the left of the valley and holding
the commanding posts as far as
numbers permitted. But as this
course failed to draw out the Boers,
it was useless as a method of dis-
covering their strength and where-
abouts. Captain Clifford therefore
effected a compromise, reached the
river as above described, and when
about haJf-way through the valley on the return journey turned off in the
direction of the Boer laager, leaving Sergeant Mitchell and four men in
observation on high ground to cover his advance. As soon as he and his
party were well down to the Spruit, the Boers rushed out in large
numbers, forcing them to retreat in haste towards the covering party, who
were unable to fire, as they could not distinguish friend from foe. The
whole patrol, being outnumbered by ten to one, with their line of retreat
threatened, had no choice but to escape as best they could in an easterly
direction. Three men were taken prisoners through their horses being
exhausted. Sergeant MitchelFs party, finding itself cut off, escaped in a
southerly direction, and reached Johannesburg in safety next day. The
patrol that night came back nine short. It turned out that three had
been taken prisoners, and the remaining six arrived in camp from various

CAPTAIN CLIFFORD

278

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

directions the following day. The three prisoners returned three days
later, having been treated with great kindness by the Boers, who only took
their horses, rifles, and accoutrements, and were evidently much amused by
the way in which our patrols were sent out every day to face almost certain
capture or death in accordance with orders. They considered this patrol
as very useful to supply them with the necessaries of warfare, and treated the

whole thing as a huge joke. During
the retreat on the first of these
two patrols Private Graham did very
good work. When Cayley's horse
had fallen and then run away,
Graham made him hold his stirrup
to expedite his flight on foot, and
offered to take turn and turn about
riding and running with him. It
became evident that they could not
both get away, so Graham, taking
Cayley's rifle and catching his horse
afterwards, brought both animals
and rifles out of action, saving them
from the hands of the enemy and
earning the commendation of the
Colonel on his arrival in camp.
On the 22nd Colonel Eoss's Irene
command was ordered to start at
two hours' notice for Pretoria vid
Swartzkop. He complied, camping
at Swartzkop for the night, and
reaching the camp by the Pretoria Kacecourse next day.

Captain Clifford, in an official report of the incident to
Colonel Lumsden, does full justice to Trooper Graham's conduct
in the following words :

When about two miles from Crocodile Kiver, while I was questioning
a falrmer, the enemy suddenly opened fire on us from a ridge in front,
between 300 and 400 yards distant. I was with the scouts when this
happened. We galloped back to the rest of the patrol, which only con-
sisted of a total of nine troopers, and before we could take up any position
the fire began to come from three sides, so I gave the order to retire as
fast as possible to avoid being surrounded. In the retreat, under a heavy
fire, Trooper Cayley, one of the scouts, was thrown from his horse, where-
upon Trooper Graham, with great gallantry, stayed behind and gave
Cayley a ride on his own horse, running by his side, and then mounting

Photo: Elliott <t Frt

J. A. GRAHAM, D.C.M.

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS— BOER SCOUTING

279

and Cayley running. The rest of the patrol being scattered, and the
ground much broken, these two were not missed for some time. After
some distance had been traversed, the Boers were getting so close, and the
fire so hot, that it would have been impossible for both to escape. Trooper
Cayley thereupon flung himself into a small ditch and Trooper Graham
made off, not, however, without bringing Cayley's rifle. On the way to
rejoin the patrol, and still under fire, he came across a riderless horse of
another of the party, and brought it safely back with Cayley's rifle. The
patrol then, observing him coming, turned to his support, and the Boers
discontinued the pursuit.

For his gallant behaviour on this occasion Trooper Graham
was recommended by Colonel Lumsden for the Victoria Cross ;
but instead of that coveted decoration he subsequently received
the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

The talented correspondent of the * Englishman' writes as
follows of the same affair :

One morning a patrol set forth to spy the land, an officer and eleven
men. They rode west for fifteen miles and entered the hills aforesaid,
their object being to reach the junc-
tion of Six Mile Spruit with the
Crocodile Biver. The way being
purely cross-country it was a diffi-
cult matter to locate their destina-
tion, and seeing a farmhouse at the
top of a valley the patrol made for
it with the object of being directed.
The valley traversed was some
thousand yards wide from ridge to
ridge. At the far end was the farm-
house, and beyond a low hill. Down
the middle of the valley ran a spruit
between high banks, forming a
donga deep and wide enough to cover
mounted men. The path running
up the valley crossed the donga
600 yards from the farmhouse. Our
fellows trotted up to the farmhouse,
some tackling the lady of the house,
and the others the Boer himself,
who was spotted on the road a little

way off. The good lady was a bit nervous, and rather hastily volunteered the
information that the Boers had all gone away. Though never dreaming

Photo: C. O.Brown

BERNARD CAYLEY

280

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

of their presence so near, this aroosed the suspicions of the man to whom
the remark was made, and he went up to the farmer, and roughly
demanded where the Boers were. The question rather startled him, and
from his manner it became evident that Boers were about, though he
swore they had left the night before.

Thereupon the patrol, in open order, advanced across the rising to the
right, with Beame, Graham, and Cayley in front. A wire fence obstructed
the way, and it was a moot point whether to go round by a gate to the
left or to use the wire-cutters. This fence was eighty yards from the top
of the ridge, to which it ran paraUel. The cutting of the fence saved the
lives of the men mentioned. Hardly were they through the opening than
a heavy fire was opened on them at a range of fifty yards. The rest of
the party being a hundred yards behind, not yet up to the fence, Cayley,
Beame, and Graham whipped round, and made for the cutting, which was
luckily immediately behind them. If they had gone round by the gate to
the left they would have had to stand fire getting to the gate, and then
run the gauntlet all the way back. As it was they got safely through the
cutting and legged it after the rest, the party making straight down
the valley for the donga already described. As the distance between the
Boers and the donga was only 800 yards, it can be imagined how hot the
fire was. Extraordinary to relate, not a man was touched during the brief
but dangerous interval which elapsed between leaving the wire fence and
reaching the donga. Arrived there a new foe sprang upon the unlucky
patrol.

From the left of the hill behind the farmhouse, and at the point

where the left ridge forming the valley joined this hill, another lot of

Boers opened a heavy enfilade fire at a thousand

yards' range. Their sanctuary was a sanctuary no

longer, and again the patrol fled, this time straight

for the opening in the hills by which they had

entered. Meantime the second lot of Boers kept up

a brisk fusillade, many of them mounting horses and

galloping along the ridge parallel with the flying

patrol. As our men had travelled some twenty

miles, their horses were pretty beaten, so that the

Boers, in light order, had no diflBculty in catching

up and taking pot shots at short range. Shortly

after leaving the donga, Cayley 's horse fell heavily,

and got away from his fallen rider. Thereupon

Graham pulled up, gave Cayley his stirrup, and the latter ran until

exhausted. Graham then very gallantly insisted upon Cayley riding

while Graham ran. When beaten, Graham mounted again and Cayley ran.

At this point the Boers had got close up and were pouring in a hot fire.

L. C. BEARNE

ALAEMS AND EXCUKSIONS— BOER SCOUTING 281

and, the situation endangering both men, Cay ley, who was much
exhausted, let go, insisting on Graham leaving him, hoping himself to
escape the Boers by hiding among the rocks. Near the same place
Beame's horse stopped, dead beat. Beame got off and ran until done,
when he, too, took cover from the Boers, who were close at his heels
peppering for all they were worth.

By this time the remainder of the patrol, headed by Captain Clifford, who
was in charge, had got well away, and they eventually returned to camp
late at night, having had to walk most of the way back, as their horses
were too done to carry them. But Cayley and Bearne never had a chance,
for the Boers had never lost sight of them. They were quickly routed
out of their cover, and having dropped their arms when running, defence-
less, they had to surrender to overwhelming numbers. The Boers
explained to them what had happened on their side, and it would seem to
be only by a bit of luck that the whole patrol was not captured. Eight
behind the low hill at the back of the farmhouse was a laager, where a
number of Boers were encamped. Five, they said, though there must
have been quadruple the number, Boers had gone over to the farmhouse
already mentioned half an hour before the patrol appeared. Failing to
find forage there, they had proceeded up the hill with the intention of
crossing into the next valley to visit another farmhouse. When on the
sky line they spotted our patrol advancing. The Boers immediately lay
low to watch what happened. Eealising that the patrol was riding into
the lion's mouth, they meant to keep doggo until the party was close up,
and consequently far away from the only point of escape — viz., the road by
which it had come. When close up they would open fire, warning at
the same time their own camp over the hill scarce a mile away. Luckily
for us, their camp proved slow to hear, else the main body of Boers would
have rushed for the donga and regularly trapped the crowd. As it was
our men had reached the donga before the laager had awakened to the
situation.

Cayley and Beame were kindly treated but marched about unmercifully,
eventually reaching the main Boer laager at Commando Nek, where a
short time previously the Lincolns and Scots Greys had come to such
terrible grief. There the unhappy pair were released to struggle twenty
miles into Pretoria as best they might.

Shortly after the adventurous descent on the Crocodile Kiver fast-
nesses, which I have already described, a second and larger patrol, with
Captain Clifford again in command, set forth to avenge the disasters of
the first. As I have a particular regard for my personal safety, and
believing the neighbourhood accursed, I found it convenient to be other-
wise occupied at the moment when patrol No. 2 started. And subsequent
events proved me wiser than my generation. Not being present at what

282 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

happened, I cannot, of course, tell exactly how it came about. Nor could
I piece the twenty different accounts given me into a satisfactory whole,
for the very good reason that no two of the stories afterwards told me
would fit in. However, it would appear that it happened somewhat
thus.

The party started out at daybreak, and reached the scene of the
previous disaster in good time in the morning. Needless to say, the Boers
were on the look-out this time, and so soon as the patrol hove in sight
made their dispositions. With a wariness born of experience there was
no venturing into the valley. The party spread over the ridge along
which the Boers had followed them on the first occasion, and advanced
in skirmishing order with scouts in front smelling out every nook and
cranny. And so they came, as they say in racing parlance, right along
the ridge until close up to the farmhouse. All the time the Boers in
force were happily contemplating these operations from the opposite ridge,
which they had selected as being the one not likely to be scouted. As
the ridge ran into the hill behind the farmhouse it became necessary, if any
act of retribution was to be performed on the farmer, to diverge from that
line of advance and make for the farmhouse. This was done, and of course
brought the patrol into closer order. At the farmhouse one of its occupants
handed a note to Captain Clifford. It was from the farmer, and ran, * Am
going down the road to kill a pig for a neighbour. Will be back in a few
minutes.' And then the band began to play. From the hill in front and
the ridge on the right the Mausers spoke out their unwelcome messages
in a continuous stream, till it seemed as if the blue sky above must crack
for the noise. Round whipped the patrol and in went the spurs. Captain
Clifford leading his men down the valley that seemed as if it must spell
death for the whole party. There were 200 Boers in all firing at an
average range of 800 yards for a distance of two miles. Several horses
were shot, several fell, some stopped from exhaustion ; but there was no
way of getting out except along the road which ran parallel to the ridge
occupied by the enemy. The rocky going on the other ridge precluded a
retreat over its inhospitable sides^ besides which it was commanded on
both slopes from the hill behind the farmhouse.

That night at Irene the return of the patrol was anxiously awaited.
It seemed a strange thing, to many marvellous, that no man had a
mark on him, and this shows again what extraordinarily bad shooting
the Boers are capable of at moving bodies, and particularly when they are
not certain if another and concealed movement is not being conducted on
their rear. Of the party sent on the expedition one by one continued to
arrive back, some late the same night, some during the next day, some
even the day after, until at last the lot were accounted for. Three of the
unlucky patrol had trekked for Johannesburg, and advised us by telegraph

ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS— BOER SCOUTING 283

of their safety. Another struck the railway at Kaalfontein. And so
they straggled in, weary, hungry, and dirty. Several were taken prisoners,
but treated kindly enough, one attention in particular being much
appreciated. That was a stomach warmer of peach brandy before they
were set free for their march back to Irene. Bather an insulting message
given the released ones was to the effect that the Boers would have
coffee ready next time we came.

After these events Colonel Lumsden's request for more
active employment than his corps could find on lines of com-
munication was granted, and the sequel is described by a corre-
spondent of the * Madras Mail ' :

We left Springs on July 16th, expecting to join General Hutton, who,
we heard, had had a severe engagement with heavy casualties, and was in
want of more mounted troops. However, after a night at Kaalfontein we
moved on to Irene, which place is the headquarters of the 8th Mounted
Infantry, now on communications between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
We remained at Irene a week, during which time we had some half-
dozen men taken prisoners owing to their horses giving out when being
pursued by the Boers, who were always lying in wait for our patrols.
We were exceedingly fortunate in having nobody hit on these occasions.
The prisoners were in every case released, their rifles and horses, of
course, being taken from them. Apparently the Boers now find prisoners
an encumbrance.

On the 22nd we moved to Pretoria, camping three miles outside the
town. Pretoria is prettily situated in a hollow surrounded by hills.
These hills to the south-west, and about ten miles out, sheltered a
number of Boers, and on the 27th we set out on a reconnaissance to find
out something about them. The force, under Brigadier-General Hickman,
consisted of the 2nd, 6th, 7th, and 8th Mounted Infantry Eegiments, a
battery of Field Artillery, and a battalion of Infantry (the Comwalls).
We saw nothing of the enemy until evening, when the advance guard
came into touch and exchanged shots with the enemy's scouts, who retired.
The next morning we had scarcely started when we heard the now familiar
double thud of the Mauser, and found that the Oxford Company of the
8th Mounted Infantry were engaged. It was a very different country from
what we had been used to, and it did not suit us nearly so well. We
were in a valley with steep hills on either side, the slopes of which were
covered with loose stones and rocks of every size and shape, which made
the going almost impossible for horses and very trying for the men.
The pom-poms came into action close on our left and shelled a steep
kopje opposite for some time ; meanwhile, a brisk rifle fire was being kept
up by the Mounted Infantry on our left. At the end of about an hour

284 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

the General had apparently found out all he wanted to know, for the
order to retire came, the 8th Mounted Infantry to act as rearguard.
Lumsden's were deputed to guard the left flank, which we did, retiring
by alternate companies along the top of the range of kopjes, while the
Infantry and guns moved along the valley. The enemy followed in a
half-hearted way, but were easily kept in check by the pom-poms, which
dropped shells into them whenever they showed themselves in any
numbers. Beyond firing at a few of their scouts, we {i.e., Lumsden's)
saw nothing of them. The casualties had been slight, the Oxford
Company 8th Mounted Infantry having one man killed and one wounded.
An oflficer's charger hit was all the damage done to Lumsden's Horse.
On the 27th General Ian Hamilton's division, consisting of General
Bruce Hamilton's, General Mahon's, and General Hickman's brigades,
marched into Pretoria. Lord Eoberts and his Staflf, with General Ian
Hamilton on his right and Lord Kitchener on his left, took up his
position in the market square while the troops marched past, cheering
him as they went. The same day we heard the good news that 5,000 of
the enemy had surrendered to General Hunter.

More active service, however, meant for Lumsden's Horse a
transfer to some other column, and the time had thus come when
they were to bid farewell to Colonel Eoss, under whom they had
served for four months, and from their comrades of the
8th Mounted Infantry, with whom they had marched and fought
in many actions. Colonel Lumsden expressed the feeling of all
ranks in his parting words to Colonel Eoss, which were full of
appreciation for the many kindnesses shown by that gallant
commander towards Lumsden's Horse. What Colonel Eoss
thought of the corps and its officers may be gathered from the
regimental order acknowledging their services, and from a letter
in which Colonel Eoss writes as follows :

Lumsden's Horse joined the 8th Corps M.I. about the middle of April
1900, and served with the corps till the end of July, when they were
transferred to General Mahon's command. This was probably the most
completely equipped * imit ' that joined the forces in South Africa during
the war — a well-organised regimental transport, of Indian pattern, a
complete regimental hospital and veterinary establishment, and every
* necessary ' of life for man and beast for a campaign in almost any
country.

The personnel of the corps was in keeping with everything else.
Colonel Liunsden, though not an experienced campaigner when he first
arrived on active service, was a capable organiser, and had the natural

ALAEMS AND EXCURSIONS— BOER SCOUTING 285

gift of commanding the respect and cheerful obedience of all who served
under him, and he soon qualified as a competent leader under fire. He was
ably supported by a well-selected body of olBScers and non-commissioned
officers ; and there was an evident determination among all ranks that the
representatives of the Indian Auxiliary Forces should justify their selection
by the Indian public. The * rank-and-file ' was composed of gentlemen
who had been used to the comparative luxury of an Indian planter's life,
and who were untrained in cooking for themselves and attending to their
horses. But they soon adapted themselves to the situation, and cheer-
fully took their share of all the work of Begular soldiers, and with such
success that an experienced officer like Genera] Hutton expressed his
admiration of the manner in which they did it.

The * fighting ' capacity of Lumsden's Horse cannot be entirely
estimated from the gaps in their ranks. They were, as a result of their
training in civil life, more * self-reliant ' than the rank-and-file of our
Regular Army, and the looser formations they were consequently able to
adopt account in a great measure for their comparatively small losses.
The opinion formed of the corps by the Commander-in-Chief can be
gathered from the great number of distinctions, promotions, and com-
missions in the Eegular Army which were conferred on those who
remained. The time-honoured maxim, * Blood will tell,* was never better
exemplified than in this corps, and, should it be my lot ever again to
command troops in the field, I ask for no better fortune than to have a
similar body to Lumsden's Horse. W. Ross,

Late Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding 8th Corps M.I.

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDBN'S HOESB

CHAPTEK XV

A MABGH UNDEB MAHON OF MAFEKING TO BUSTENBUBG
AND WABMBATHS—IN PUB SUIT OF DE WET

To have served under two leaders of high reputation for abihty
in handling Irregular troops was a stroke of good fortune that
did not fall to the lot of many Volunteer Corps in South Africa.
Lumsden's Horse had every reason to be thankful that the lot
was theirs, and they appreciated it fully. In exchanging from
the 8th Mounted Infantry Kegiment to another column, of which
Colonel Bryan Mahon was Brigadier, they did not forget the
commander under whom they had served so long ; but affection
for him was happily consistent with out-and-out admiration for
the ofl&cer to whose force they were transferred after leaving Irene.
Both were thorough soldiers, having strong sympathies with
Volunteers and a complete understanding of the pecuharities that
distinguish them from Eegulars. In other words, both were
born leaders of men. Colonel Mahon, or General as he then
was by local rank, had proved himself to be a commander of
great dash and resourcefulness in his conduct of operations by
which he won not only the affectionate confidence of his own
troops, but also the respect of enemies who still speak with
admiration of the young Cavalry oflScer who beat them at their
own game by rapid flank movements on the way to Mafeking,
and effected the relief of that beleaguered garrison in spite of all
De la Eey could do to prevent him. In ten days he marched a
distance of iiSO miles through country destitute of supplies, where
no other forces had disputed possession with the Boers since war
began. He outwitted the cleverest of De la Eey's lieutenants
at Kraaipan by a night march which won his adversary's admira-
tion, and he took a great convoy of Cape carts and heavier
transport full of provisions into Mafeking without having lost a

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 287

single waggon. Describing that surprise at Kraaipan, when,
after waiting in expectation of an attack by which Mahon should
fall into the trap laid for him, the Boers suddenly reahsed that
the British column had disappeared, one of their scouts said,
' We did not get much rest, as somebody had to be on the look-
out all night. Your laager was quite near to us, but we did not
see or hear anything move. In the morning, however, the
whole had vanished, and when it was too late to stop them we
heard they were trekking away north-west towards a desert
where nobody but Boers or natives would expect to find water.
Your General must have had somebody with him who knew that
country well or he would never have ventured there.' The
^ somebody ' in this case may have been Colonel Frank Rhodes,
the bearer of a name which is one to conjure with still among
the native tribes of Bechuanaland. He was Mahon's Intelli-
gence oflficer, and information gleaned by him made the night
march possible ; but it was the young Brigadier who planned and
carried it into execution at a time when his enemies thought
they had him surely trapped. When a complete history of the
campaign comes to be written, that march of Mahon's for the
relief of Mafeking will rank high among the most daring and
successful operations. All this story was known weeks before
the General himself arrived at Pretoria with the Imperial Light
Horse, who had won fresh honours in that enterprise under a
leader whose praises they never tired of singing. No expecta-
tion of being brigaded with such a famous corps under such
a brigadier had occurred to Lumsden's Horse when they left
Irene. Indeed, they seem to have regarded themselves as an
integral unit of the 8th Mounted Infantry up to the day when
Colonel Ross, receiving orders for a movement southwards, went
ofE with other corps of his command, leaving Lumsden's Horse
behind. Meanwhile, however, they had been placed for a time
at tho disposal of Colonel Hickman, under whom they took
part in the brief operations already described towards Crocodile
River, which were merely a reconnaissance for the more
important enterprise to follow.

It will be remembered that Lord Roberts, about this time,
had both hands fully occupied in keeping Botha at arm's length
in the east and stretching out his left with considerable force

288 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

westward to ward ofE attacks by De la Eey and others who were
causing General Baden-Powell much anxiety for the safety of
Eustenburg, which he held with a very small number of troops.
It would never have done to let the newly emancipated hero of
Maf eking be subjected to another siege. Therefore, when he
reported that a strong force was again threatening Eustenburg
Lord Eoberts determined to withdraw that garrison to Commando
Nek, while the small force holding Lichtenburg was to retire
upon Zeerust. Accordingly, General Ian Hamilton received
orders to march to Eustenburg and bring Baden-Powell's force
back with him. At the same time Sir Frederick Carrington was
directed to advance from Mafeking with his mounted troops to
the assistance of Colonel Hore, who, with 140 Bushmen, 80 men
of the Ehodesian Eegiment, and 80 Ehodesian Volunteers, was
at Eland's Eiver with a convoy of supphes for the Eustenburg
garrison, and held up there by an intercepting body of Boers.
This brief summary of the general situation is necessary to a
clear understanding of the exigencies that necessitated General
Ian Hamilton's movement eastward along the Magaliesberg, and
the reconnaissance immediately preceding it, in all of which
important operations Lumsden's Horse were actively engaged
from start to finish. The force marched in three columns.
Colonel Hickman's being on the left. General Ian Hamilton's
in the centre, and Brigader-General Mahon's on the right, each
being separated from the other by a rough range of hills which
in places became quite mountainous.

All this range, sweeping round the hollow in which Pretoria
lies, and then stretching away westward by irregular curves past
Eustenburg to Eland's Eiver, is known as the Magaliesberg, and
famed for the fertility of valleys that broaden out at its feet from
many rugged kloofs. In peace-time it is the great tobacco-
producing district of the Transvaal — a veritable garden, where
orange groves, flourishing in wild luxuriance, sweeten the air
with their fragrance, and brighten the landscape with the rich-
ness of their golden fruit. In war-time its commanding crests
and narrow defiles formed a series of strongholds for the com-
mandos that rallied round General De la Eey and by their daring
raids gained a reputation as the best fighters of all Boers then in
the field. Every Kaffir path by which scouts could move unseen

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 289

was familiar to them. They knew every point from which wide
views could be obtained in all directions, and every nook in
which men might hide secure from observation, ready for a
sudden attack if occasion should serve, yet having more than
one way open for escape from any danger that might threaten
them. General Baden-Powell with the relieved garrison from
Mafeking had marched through a mountainous country and
crossed the Magaliesberg to Rustenburg, meeting no opposition.
The Boer forces belonging to that district had then more serious
affairs to occupy them elsewhere. But after the fight at Diamond
Hill, when General Botha retired to the Eastern Transvaal,
De la Rey came back to his old haunts on the Magaliesberg,
surprised a British post near 2Jilikat's Nek, and began a series of
operations by which he threatened to cut ofiE all supplies from
Eustenburg.

Colonel Lumsden continues his diary :

Two days after our return to Pretoria from the reconnaissance under
Colonel Hickman the 8th Mounted Infantry received orders to entrain
at 4 A.M. for Wolve Hoek, the station next south of Vereeniging ; but at
the station the order as far as we were concerned was countermanded,
and we were told to return and report to General Mahon. His
instructions were that we should remain in our present camp and fall in
as rearguard when his column marched oflf for Eustenburg on August 1.
The morning of that day, therefore, found us in rear of the baggage
of his column, which was moving to Rustenburg, north of the Magalies-
berg Range, to the relief of Baden-Powell, while General Hamilton
proceeded up the valley south of the Magaliesberg. Mahon's brigade was
unique in its composition, consisting almost entirely of Volunteer
Mounted Infantry — viz., Imperial Light Horse, Lumsden's Horse, New
Zealand Mounted Infantry, Queensland Mounted Infantry, a regiment
of Yeomanry, two squadrons 18th Hussars (the squadrons that were
captured after the battle of Talana), and the M Battery R.H.A. — in all
about 1,500 strong.

Firing began two miles out of Pretoria, and pom-poms and guns
played merrily all day, clearing the range which divided the two columns.
We camped twelve miles out. The plan for next day subsequently
transpired to have been that General Hamilton should make a frontal
attack and drive the enemy ofif the high ground, where they had taken up
a position, near Zilikat's Nek, while our brigade, making a wide movement,
to the right, was to cut oflf the retiring foe from the Schwartz and Roode
Kopjes, to which they were expected to retreat. Apparently something

290 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

went wrong with the arrangements, for Hamilton, attacking before we
got into position, lost some twenty men and the Boers escaped.

The point at which General Hamilton made his attack was
from the south side of the Magaliesberg range near Uitval
Nek, which the enemy held strongly. As General Mahon's
brigade was moving along the north side of those precipitous
ridges through a country thick with scrub, no communication
could be kept up between the two forces, and Hamilton, w'hose
march was unimpeded by natural difficulties, had not allowed suffi-
cient time for his colleague to cover the treacherous ground
through which many tributaries of the Crocodile River run their
devious courses. On getting touch with the enemy,'who8e position
he had located, Ian Hamilton went for them at once, a portion of
Cunningham's brigade making as if for a frontal attack, while
two companies of the Berkshire Eegiment, led by Major Elmhirst
Rhodes, gallantly escaladed the steep cliff overlooking the pass
from its eastern side. Hamilton's losses in this fight amounted
to forty killed and wounded before the Boers could be dislodged ;
but as soon as they found that their position w^as under fire from
above, where the Berkshires had gained a footing, the enemy fled,
abandoning their waggons and horses. Unfortunately, delayed
by the obstacles already mentioned, Mahon's mounted troops did
not come up in time to take any part, otherwise but few^ of the
enemy could have escaped. A correspondent of the ' Times of
India,' taking up the story a day after this fight, when General
Mahon's force had got through the denser bush country into a
more smiling region only to find that the enemy had disappeared,
whites :

The valley we were passing through was well watered and cultivated,
and in some places fairly thickly wooded ; much pleasanter country for
travelling through than the bare monotonous veldt of which we had seen so
much in the Free State. We passed many snug farmhouses, also several
flourishing orange groves. At one place there were acres of orange trees
simply laden with fruit, and as they were going to waste we were allowed
to help ourselves. The oranges were very fine and beautifully ripe ; one
man from each sub-section was allowed to go and gather them, and in a
few minutes came back literally bulging with them — haversacks, nose-
bags, pockets, &c., overflowing, the little tangerines being especially
appreciated. Some of the Australians were so enchanted by this valley

WITH MAHON— IN PUKSUIT OF DE WET 291

that they doubted whether there could be another such in all the world.
That night we were all aroused to assist in putting out a veldt fire, which
had approached uncomfortably close to the camp ; owing to a high wind
and the fact that the grass was particularly long and dry, it was much
fiercer than is usually the case. However, we set to w-ork with blankets-
and beat it out where it was too threatening, and then burnt a ring round
the camp, effectually stopping its progress. A Boer spy was caught in
camp that night. He had a pass on him showing that he had taken the
oath of neutrality, and ha had expansive bullets in his bandolier. He wa&
shot next morning.

Progress was naturally very slow, owing to the difficult nature of the
country and the fact that the hills had to be very carefully scouted. We
were rearguard that day and saw no fighting ourselves, but the scouts in
front evidently soon put up the Boers, as we heard rifle shots being
exchanged constantly, and every now and then our guns shelled the
retreating enemy

I may mention here that the Imperial Light Horse formed part of
the Mounted Infantry in General Mahon's brigade. This was the first
time we had come across this famous corps, which had done such splendid
work during the war, and a very fine body of men we thought them.
Possessing a knowledge of the language and in many cases of the country,
they are most useful as scouts, and General Mahon fully recognised that
fact during the whole march, as he gave them plenty of work to do.
Besides this, they were old friends of his, having been under his command
with the Mafeking Relief Column, and they have been with him ever
since. Ian Hamilton, we heard afterwards, had met with a pretty
stubborn resistance from the Boers in his valley, where, as had been
anticipated, their main body was opposed to him, and he had several
casualties. We only advanced about twelve miles that day. Next day
the driving process recommenced, Lumsden's Horse during the greater
part of the time occupying a very high kopje, from which we were ordered
to keep a bright look-out and to hold it if attacked. It was a devil of a
climb (the horses were kept below), but the view from the top almost
compensated us for our trouble. This part of the country was certainly
the best we had been through so far ; beautifully wooded in many places,
and dotted all over with farms and orange groves. The oranges were
simply delicious, especially the tangerine variety, and we took full
advantage of the opportunity afforded us of having our fill of them, each
man eating as many as he could on the. spot, and carrying away a nose>
bagful with him.

Evidently the Generals had orders to a^opt strong measures in cas€&
of farms harbouring Boers, or from which any sniping might be done,
or in which ammunition imght be stared, as it was a daily occurrence for

V 2

292 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

two or three of them to be fired and rased to the ground. Looking into
the next valley from our high perch we saw a huge camp below which
we at first took to be a Boer laager, but we found out afterwards it was
Ian Hamilton's force, which had advanced quicker than we had, and
had encamped for the day.

We had got to Commando Nek that night, and heard that the Boers
from the centre valley had already slipped through. This was unfortunate,
but could not be helped, as we could not push on farther than we did
without risking the sacrifice of many valuable lives. I think we were
informed that the enemy numbered about 600, and that their main body
had got away some time before, leaving behind a few snipers to keep us
in check. This is their usual method of proceeding, and a very sound
one it is.

One has to see the country oneself to realise what an easy thing
it is for a few men well placed to keep a large body back. We send
out our scouts, and immediately they are fired on. We shell the places
from which they have been shot at. After this has gone on for some
little time we advance again, and so on. Progress is very slow, and
meantime the bird has flown. As I say, one has to be out in the
country to understand properly what difliculties the attacking party has
to contend against. With the numberless examples before them of our
men blundering into traps and being slaughtered and having to surrender
through going at things baldheaded, as they say, our Generals have
learned caution. Then, on the other hand, the slow progress enables
the enemy to get away. * What can do ? * * Horns of dilemma ! ' as our
Babu friends would say.

Then, again, the Boers know the country thoroughly, and when hard
pressed the Commandant simply tells his men to scatter and appoints
some meeting place further on. His convoy scatters likewise, and all,
travelling by three or four different routes, arrive at the rendezvous in due
course. We, on the other hand, have to follow the beaten path, and
are always being hung up for hours by our convoys getting stuck in
drifts, &c. It is not to be wondered at that the Boers, possessing these
advantages, so often elude us.

General Ian Hamilton's column came through the Nek next day,
and, joining hands with General Mahon, proceeded towards Rustenburg,
in which direction the Boers had fled, and where Baden-Powell was said
to be surrounded and unable to get away. Horses and men fared very
well just then, the former getting plenty of oat-hay commandeered from
the hostile farms we passed, and green barley and oat-grass in the fields at
the midday halts ; and the latter securing fowls, geese^ sucking-pigs, &c.,
which were very plentiful in KaflSr kraals and farmhouses. During the
two days it took us to reach Rustenburg we expected to get in touch

WITH MAHON-IN PUBSUIT OF DE WET 293

with the enemy at any moment, but they did not come up to the scratch,
and we entered the town unopposed on August 5.

It appears that, hearing of Ian Hamilton's approach, the Boers
abandoned the kopjes surrounding Eustenburg and relieved the pressure
on Baden-Powell, who, having heard in the meantime that General
Carrington, working with a small force in the country between Eusten-
burg and Mafeking, was in danger of losing his convoy, had moved out
to his assistance.

The actual position was that Colonel Hore, marching with
a convoy of supplies from Zeerust to Eustenburg, and, finding
his way barred by a greater force than he could hope to cope
with, and his retreat also cut off, had entrenched himself at
Eland's River. There he waited for the relieving force under
General Carrington, which never came nearer than within sound
of the Boer guns, and unfortunately the Eustenburg column
also stopped short in its attempt to relieve Colonel Hore, who
had to fight it out for a week or so longer against enormous
odds that might have overwhelmed his force but for the magni-
ficent determination displayed by Australian Bushmen and
Ehodesian Volunteers. The failure of that attempt at relief is
briefly described by Colonel Lumsden, whose diary also sum-
marises subsequent operations in pursuit of De Wet in the
following passages :

Next day we expected a well-earned rest, but Mahon's brigade was
lent to strengthen General Baden-Powell's force, which was to move at
daybreak next morning to assist Colonel Hore, who was known to be in
difficulties in the direction of or beyond Eland's Eiver (one of the many
streams bearing that name in the colony). This entailed a sharp ride of
fifteen miles, which brought us to Eland's Eiver and within hearing of
the cannonading^ but no further. On the bank of the river was a small
group of officers, prominent among them being General Baden-Powell,
and by his side were Colonel Plumer and Major Baden-Powell. We
found the great man seated on a rock, surrounded by his Staff, and sketch-
ing hard with both hands ! Most of us had not seen him before, so it
can be imagined how glad we were to have the opportunity of getting
a good look at England's popular hero at the moment. We were also
delighted at the idea of being under his command, if only for a short
time. We had a better view of him on the way back, and he appeared
to be very fit and none the worse for his Mafeking experiences.

While waiting here to rest and water the horses we heard big guns

294 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

firing in the direction in which Carrington*s force was situated, and
expected momentarily to be ordered to advance ; but after some time we
were told that Baden-Powell had tapped the telegraph wire and learned
from Carrington that he had repulsed the Boers and had got his convoy
away safely, and that he did not require our assistance. I am afraid,
however, that the wrong source must have been tapped, and that a
false message, intended to deceive, must then have come, not from
Carrington, but from the wily Boers. After two hours' rest we returned
to Eustenburg for the night, having apparently accomplished nothing
in particular, except a march of thirty miles all told. Eustenburg
was then evacuated, and the whole of General Hamilton's division
concentrated near Commando Nek, resting there one day. We then
went to join the De Wet hunt with Mahon's brigade in front, and
in spite of only a little skirmishing advanced somewhat slowly. On the
15th we came into touch with the eight Generals who were pursuing De
Wet on an organised plan from the south towards Oliphant's Nek. We
were supposed to have been in time to cut off De Wet and prevent him
going north to Oliphant's Nek, but were unfortunately too late, and
all we could do was to join the others and follow him up. The next
evening we were in touch with the rearguard and in sight of the Nek.

The following morning we escorted the big guns to within range of
the Nek, took our position on the hills on the right, and watched the
Infantry make the attack. It was a very pretty sight from our position,
but the resistance was slight, so, going through the Nek, we reached
Eustenburg for the third time and spent the night there, our laager being
well supplied by way of a change with turkeys and fowls poached from
local preserves. Away again next morning Pretoria- wards, reaching Sterk-
stroom at 4 p.m. the next day. Hardly had we off-saddled, with visions
of a raid on a field of sweet potatoes in view, before we received orders to
again saddle up and march at 5 p.m. after De Wet, who was reported just
in front of us. From 5 till 11 our weary horses struggled on through the
darkness. We bivouacked for the night within three miles of Commando
Nek, hoping, as we had often hoped before, to get De Wet next morning.
Long ere day broke we were up and away again, only to find that De
Wet's force had gone north along the river towards Eoode Kopjes,
which we reached at daybreak with still no signs of the enemy. On the
right bank of the river and a mile off were some low rocky kopjes covered
with scrub, on the left a series of high but broken hills. We, as advance
guard, took up our position on the latter as the Boer convoy was
trekking away in full view across the open from the shelter of the former,
and just out of range of the twelve pom-poms. The temptation was great
to push on in pursuit, but our General was luckily wiser and preferred to
reconnoitre across the river before implicating the guns and main body

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 295

in what turned out to be a most diflScult drift. We from our position
looked on while the New Zealanders on the right crossed the drift and,
spreading out, advanced to the broken ground. We had just made up our
mind that all was clear, and that the General had been culpably slow,
when a frightful fusillade burst out on the unfortunate reconnoitrers
from a range of fifty yards. There was nothing for it but to race back
as hard as they could, leaving six casualties behind, two of which resulted
fatally. The coup having failed, and horse and man being incapable of
more, we all returned to the previous night's camp. At 6 a.m. on the
20th we reoccupied the same kopjes, forced the passage of the river, and
with little further resistance got into the open country five miles beyond.
We then marched through bushveldt to Zoutpans, Warmbaths, and
Waterval, back to Pretoria, with very little to record in the ten days
so occupied, the only interesting feature being the peculiar country
known as bushveldt, best described as a sea of stunted thorn trees
(familiarly known as toothpick trees), with an undergrowth of coarse
grass, no roads, but tracks of heavy sand which delayed the Transport very
much. Scouting was practically impossible, as it was very difficult to get
horses through the formidable thorny scrub, while vision was limited to
thirty yards.

The operations are described in fuller detail by correspondents
of Indian papers, whose interesting records of events in which
they took part need to be dovetailed together for the sake of a
connected narrative. It is necessary, however, to say here by way
of introduction that after accomplishing its mission in the relief
of Rustenburg and the withdrawal of that garrison General Ian
Hamilton's column became involved by force of circumstances
in a series of intricate operations with other columns moving
from east, west, and south with the object of catching the wily
Ue Wet between them. One correspondent thus describes the
march out of Eustenburg :

It having been decided to abandon the town, the night was spent in
destroying a lot of Boer ammunition and rifles of every description which
had been stored in the gaol. There was a constant succession of reports
as the cartridges exploded, and it sounded exactly as if a smart general
engagement was taking place. The next day, the 7th, Rustenburg was
completely evacuated, and the four brigades marched back on their way
towards the Crocodile River. Those of the inhabitants who had claimed
British protection also moved out with our convoy, in addition to whom
were forty Boer prisoners, including Piet Kruger, Oom Paul's son, under
escort. As our progress was considerably retarded by the large convoy

296 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

it was despatched at night on the 8th to a situation of safety. Each
brigade was then operating separately, though supporting each other, with
Mahon's as a flying column. The next morning the Australians had a
brush with some sixty Boer snipers, but the main body made a dash for
Uitval Nek, only to find that the enemy had again anticipated our arrival
and had bolted. Getting through Commando Nek on August 9, we re-
joined Ian Hamilton, who was encamped on the other side. This was the
largest camp we had been in so far. There must have been quite 15,000
men there, including troops from many parts of the world. All General
Baden-Powell's as well as General Mahon's column were Irregulars,
so that with General Ian Hamilton's liegulars we were perhaps as
representative a gathering as has ever camped together. Englishmen,
Highlanders, Welshmen, and Irishmen, Australians (of all sorts), Canadians,
New Zealand er8,Tasmanians, Imperial Yeomanry, 'Lumsden's 'from India,
and Colonials from all parts of South Africa, the Imperial Light Horse,
the Rhodesian Regiment, some of Montmorency's Scouts, &c., were
present.

The New Zealanders gave a sing-song that night, the visitors sitting
or standing round a huge log fire and the performers occupying the
centre. It was an excellent show, several very good men taking the
boards, or rather the veldt. The finale was a march round by some of
the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders with pipes and drums playing.
Our entertainers, I must not forget to mention, supplied the crowd libe-
rally with rum, a much-appreciated drink among Tommies and Volrm-
teers alike. Mixed with sugar and water and taken hot it is hard to
beat, and has kept ofif many a fever, I am sure, in wet weather. I may
mention that rum was only rationed out very occasionally, except in
extremely bad weather, when we generally got it daily. Rum nights,
needless to say, were hailed with delight, and shouts of * Roll up for your
rum * would be heard all round the camp.

Here the sequence of events may be appropriately inter-
rupted for the sake of some amusing incidents and ancedotes
told by another correspondent, Avho, in connection wdth this
great gathering of troops in our camp near Commando Nek,
writes :

After considerable practice the amateur cooks could make a savoury
repast out of very little. If there was a garden about we grubbed up
some vegetables, with which even the trek-ox served out in Government
rations made an excellent stew. It was our fortune this night, however,
to be better provided for by a lucky chance. While engaged in drawing
the meagre rations and arguing with the Quartermaster-Sergeant over

P4 i

< CQ

5 s

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 299

details of ounces and pennyweights, that had come to be regarded by us as
very important matters, we suddenly espied a great scurry going on about
a mile away, crowds of men rushing after what we at last made out to be
a small deer. In and out it went among patrol tents, horses, saddles, carts,
and guns. Frantic efforts were made in vain to catch it ; men left what-
ever they were doing to join in the chase, rolling over in their endeavours
to be first. Everybody threw something, and many dangerous missiles
came hurtling through the air. But the deer ran on and suddenly
turned our way. We also missed it by yards, and the shouting crowd
swept by, losing sight of their quarry presently, and not knowing whither
it had gone. A man of ours happened to be lying rolled up in his
blanket asleep. The din roused him, and just as he was beginning to move
the buck rose for a leap over his body. He caught it in the outspread
blanket and kept it there. So the game came to our mess after all by
sheer luck. On the strength of it we invited our very good friends and
next-door neighbours, the Bushmen (Queensland Mounted Infantry) to
dine with us that night, and soon after sunset they came round to our
fire. Very good fellows they were, and a very genial dinner we had. Our
guests brought their own stew, which was excellent, and their coffee too,
with which to eke out our supplies. One of our men produced some good
cheroots afterwards, and we sat on into the night, smoking, sipping coffee,
and telling stories, the hills all around being lighted up with lines of
veldt fires and the sky illuminated by a glorious full moon. Some of the
Bushmen's stories against themselves were most amusing. They had as
good a name as anybody for horse-stealing and cattle-lifting. One of
them told us gravely that when he was walking one day through another
regiment's lines a sergeant spotted him and gave the order * Stand to
your horses.' He said he was so overcome by the * compliment,' that he
could hardly acknowledge it. On another occasion, at a midday halt,
when the * cow-gun ' teams were brought back from watering, the dis-
tracted oflScer in charge found one of the fattest and best oxen was
missing. He only just discovered it in time to save its life and deprive the
Bushmen of a feast. They told us many tricks for changing a horse's
marks, brands, colour, and general appearance, so that no man might know
his own horse thus transformed, and I looked anxiously towards my own
chestnut quite expecting to find that he had either been taken away to
the camp of our neighbours or * faked ' practically before my own eyes.
Others joined our circle as the moon rose higher. The whole camp seemed
in excellent spirits. Sounds of revelry, wafted on the still night air,
reached us from many a camp-fire ; snatches of song, broken anon by
outbursts of cheering ; elsewhere uprose the strains of the Highland
pipes. Eumour is busy that we are to join in the chase after De Wet,
who is breaking away north. We wonder as we roll into our blankets
when will be our next day of rest.

300 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

And the rumours were true for once. Not many hours
elapsed before Mahon's brigade, with the remainder of Hamil-
ton's force, was on the move southward and westward through
Commando Nek into Eustenburg again, and then away north-
east, still pursuing into the bushveldt the elusive force which
they took to be De Wet's. As a matter of fact, De Wet had
already left this force. He, personally, did not quit the Magalies-
berg range, but, doubling back with a small band of trusty
followers the day after his passage of Oliphant's Nek, he slipped
through a neighbouring poort, and so got at once in rear of his
pursuers. They were thenceforth on the heels of a fresh force,
which De la Key had detached to serve as a will-o'-the-wisp. All
these facts the Editor has learned from the lips of General
Ue la Eey himself recently. The next rest did not come for
several weary days, owing to circumstances that are described by
other correspondents in the following letters :

After a day's rest (Greneral Baden-Powell being left behind with a
small force to guard Commando Nek) the division advanced again in a
south-westerly direction to try to cut oflf De Wet, who was being driven
north by Kitchener, Methuen, Smith- Dorrien, Hart, and Broadwood. We
encountered a small body of fifty Boers, but a few shells sent among
these soon dislodged them from the kopje on which they had taken up a
position, and we did not see them again.

We got to a place called Hekpoort the next day, and here it was decided
to convert Mahon's brigade into a flying column, which meant that we
were to travel without any Transport, each man being served out with three
days' rations, which he carried with him. This column was to work
independently of the rest of the division and be ready to start in pursuit
of De Wet at a moment's notice, should we get news of him.

Leaving Ian Hamilton to follow on slowly by another route, Mahon's
brigade marched at daybreak on the 12th, we acting as advance scouts.
The country hereabouts is very hilly, and affords excellent cover for
the wily sniper, so scouting was not all * beer and skittles.' Visions of
grouse moors at home were naturally strong upon some of us that day,
and one's thoughts ran irresistibly to parallels between the driving of
grouse and our attempts to round up De Wet. One was constantly on the
qui vive, expecting to be shot at any moment, as the enemy were known
to be about. Nothing happened, however, and the next few days were
spent in loafing along, doing about ten miles or so, in momentary
expectation of getting in touch with De Wet. But this gentleman's
movements were as erratic as usual, and it was evidently impossible to

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 301

get any reliable information as to his exact whereabouts. It was known
that he was being driven towards Oliphant's Nek by Lord Metliuen
and the others mentioned above, and it would appear that the proper
course to have pursued was to have held this pass, which was the only
possible avenue of escape left to De Wet, and wait for him there, instead
of wandering about more or less aimlessly, as we were doing. This could
very easily have been done, one imagines, with a small portion of the
large force at General Hamilton's disposal, and why it was not tried is an
unsolved mystery to a great many of us up to the present. As far as an
outsider can see, a very serious blunder was committed here, and we
apparently lost a chance of bringing the war to a speedy conclusion. Had
De Wet been caught, Botha would probably have surrendered, and the
other commandants would have followed suit.

As it was, however, we moved along slowly, the monotony being
broken now and again by an exchange of shots between our scouts and
scattered parties of Boers on the adjacent hills. . About midday on
August 13 Lumsden's Horse were detached from the main body and
sent oJBf to the flank to reconnoitre, and on our way met a party of the
Imperial Light Horse who had been sent out to burn a farm situated in
a hollow among some hills from which the Boers had been sniping. The
oflicer in charge of the Imperial Light Horse party requested Captain
Noblett, under whose command w^e were, to keep us on the top of the
hill to prevent surprise while he and his men went and destroyed the firm.
This was done, but for some reason or another the Imperial Light Horse
oflicer changed his mind and did not burn the farm. While en the hill
we were told by some Kaflirs that the enemy (about eighty in number) had
left a few moments before ; seeing our scouts coming over the hill, they
had fled precipitately. We went down to the farm after the Imperial Light
Horse party had gone on, and had hardly left it to return to the main body
again when we saw a small party of Boers on the hill on our right, and
these were doubtless the men referred to by the Kaffirs we had spoken to.
Instead of going by the road we took a short cut across the veldt, as it was
rather late and we wanted to get back to the main body before nightfall.
It turned out afterwards that it was as well we did so, as on the way we
heard firing on our right, and on approaching to see what it was all about
saw that the road led through a deep hollow among some low hills in
which the Boers had taken up their position. Had we taken the road we
should have walked right into the trap which they had evidently laid for
us, and should have got slaughtered. The firing we heard was an
exchange of compliments between these Boers and some dozen Australian
who had also been sent out on reconnaissance duty, and who had posted
themselves on a hill opposite. Finding that they did not want any
assistance, we pushed on and joined the brigade again at about 5 o'clock,

302 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDENS HORSE

camping shortly afterwards. It is interesting to note that the spot we
camped at was the one that heard the first shots fired during the Jameson
Eaid. The Boer sangars still exist, and were occupied that night by
Lumsden*s ' outlying picket/ Having no Transport, we had to depend on
whatever we had in our saddle-bags, and were consequently on rather short
commons ; and the horses, too, fared badly, poor beasts, having to subsist
mostly on what grass they could pick up on the veldt and on such oat-hay
and mealies as we could get out of the farmhouses we passed. The latter
were very few and far between in that part of the country. Next day we
continued our march in the same direction, and both flanking parties
engaged the enemy's snipers on several occasions. The Imperial Light
Horse reported having killed one Boer and woimded four others. On the
15th we acted as advance guard, and had not proceeded far when we
found ourselves wound up with five brigades— viz., Lord Kitchener's,
Lord Methuen's, General Hart's, Smith-Dorrien's, and a column under
Colonel Pilcher — that had all been co-operating with us, bent on surround-
ing De Wet. But the Boer leader of a lost cause proved as slippery as ever,
and had again escaped vid Oliphant's Nek towards Eustenburg. The
valley we had passed through was mainly occupied by English and
German farmers, who complained bitterly at the constant visits of English
and Boer troops, as sympathy of any kind with either cause got them into
hot water with the other side, and the Boers are past masters as looters.
The good people of Eustenburg were in a like predicament, hence its
evacuation. We heard at a store here that De Wet had passed through
the previous day with our men in close pursuit. Later we were informed
that he had got through Oliphant's Nek, which he had found unoccupied,
and that now the place was strongly held by the Boers.

In the evening I understand the various Generals got into consultation,
and it was decided that General Ian Hamilton should advance with his
division to attack the Nek and continue the chase after De Wet, while
Lord Kitchener and the others were, I believe, to proceed to the west of
Eustenburg, where the Boers under De la Eey were again giving
trouble.^

We joined General Ian Hamilton that evening, and next day the whole
force marched in the direction of Oliphant's Nek and got within a few miles
of it by about 4 that afternoon. As it was so late, and the place wcs
said to be so strongly held, General Ian Hamilton decided on deferring his
attack till next day. Before we camped for the night the advance scouts
got into touch with the enemy, and we heard several exchanges of shots
going on in front. Shortly afterwards we were moved up in support, and
stayed till dark, after which we went back to camp, which had been
pitched about two miles off, leaving a strong mounted picket behind.

* Lord Kitchener's force went to relieve Colonel Hore at Eland's River. — Ed.

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 303

Lumsden's Horse alone supplied forty men. Writing about picket duty
reminds me that it was particularly trying during this march. Since
leaving Pretoria we had been supplying forty or fifty men nearly every
night— i.e., about 50 per cent, of our number. This duty we hated more
than any other. One did not mind hard work all day if one's nights in
camp were undisturbed ; but to come in at dark and hardly have time to
oflf-saddle before being ordered to fall in for outlying picket was simply
ghastly. On some occasions we went out without any food or drink, and
if, as often happens, the post was a long way oflf and difficult to find in the
dark, one's fellow messmen were unable to take anything out. Whenever
possible, however, bully-beef or Army rations and biscuits were served out
to the picket before it marched off, and when this was done things were
not so bad.

The Boer camp fires were seen quite distinctly on the hills close to
where our pickets were, and from the number of these we judged that
the report that the Nek was strongly held was not an exaggerated one.
It is naturally a grand place to defend, and could be made almost
impregnable, I should think, with its high commanding kopjes on either
side. Besides which, it was said to have been strongly fortified by
Colonel Kekewich some time before. We naturally thought, therefore,
that we should have a hard nut to crack next day. Just before dawn,
however, a spy who had been sent into the Boer camp returned with the
news that they had been on the move all night getting away their
baggage, &c., and that they would not offer any very great resistance to
our passage— probably just enough to allow their convoy ample time to
get away. This man, by the way, while returning from the Boer camp
ran into our outlying picket, and, not being prompt in replying to the
sentry's challenge * Who comes there ? ' he very nearly got shot.

The report that most of the Boers had stolen away turned out to be
correct, as after a few hours' shelling to clear the way for our Infantry
the latter advanced practically unopposed, the casualties on either side
being very few, and we got through the Nek about 11 a.m. We saw
some very pretty artillery practice, two 5-inch guns coming into action
at a range of three or four miles quite close to where we stood.

As De Wet was said to have gone oS in the direction of Kustenburg
we pressed forward, got outside that town in the afternoon, and camped
there for the night once more.

Evidently fresh news of the *wily' one was received, as next day
(August 18) we started back the way we had come and halted in the
afternoon, as if for a long rest, at Sterkstroom, some miles west of Com-
mando Nek. We had hardly been in camp an hour when the order came
for Mahon's brigade to saddle up and march at once, the object being to
intercept De Wet, who was reported to have taken up a position near

304 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

the Crocodile Eiver. We did a long weary march, the weariuess being
accentuated by the fact that we were not allowed to smoke or speak
above a whisper. We halted about 10.30 and camped at a place called
Bokfontein, about five miles west of the Crocodile. I presume it was
not thought advisable to advance any closer for fear of blundering into
the enemy unawares, and thus giving them the chance of getting away
under cover of darkness. With all these precautions and preparations
we naturally thought we were really there or thereabouts this time.
Once again, however, we were baffled of our prey, which we heard next
evening had got away in a north-easterly direction.

We arrived at Commando Nek at 6 a.m. on the 19th, and it was
then decided that Mahon's brigade should reconnoitre the kopjes north
of and directly opposite to the Nek, and this we proceeded to do.
General Ian Hamilton had not come up then. On approaching the
position we found that there were two ranges of kopjes lying east and
west (each range being divided again into several little groups of hills),
and through these there was a passage leading to the open country beyond.

A squadron of the Imperial Light Horse was sent out to scout, and they
presently put up some Boers, but a few shells sent among these soon drove
them back again. Lumsden's Horse were then ordered to gallop forwardand
occupy the first group of kopjes on the western ranges. We had hardly got
into position when we saw a large convoy of Boer waggons making its way,
as fast as the oxen could be goaded to travel, from the kopje on the east
to the plains beyond, and towards another range of kopjes further north.
We immediately sent back word to General Mahon, and he at once
ordered the guns to be brought up, and a few shells were sent after the
convoy. Unfortunately, however, we only had a battery of 12-pounders
with us, and by the time they got into position the convoy hai a
long start and our shells fell short. General Mahon reluctantly decided
that it w^ould be unsafe to follow the convoy with the small force at his
disposal, as the Boers had no doubt left a sufficient number of men
behind on the eastern and western ranges of kopjes to cover its retreat.
These kopjes completely commanded the plains beyond, and had we gone
on we should have been absolutely at their mercy and should have been
very roughly handled indeed.

Besides which, I fancy General Mahon's orders were merely to
reconnoitre the position and not to run his neck into any kind of noose.
Abandoning all idea of pursuit, therefore. General Mahon then
proceeded to examine the eastern range of kopjes from which the
convoy had started, and where he suspected there might be a Boer
laager. To effect this purpose he sent out the New Zealanders as scouts.
They were allowed to approach within fifty yards without molestation,
when all of a sudden the klik-klok of Mausers was heard all along the

WITH MAHON— IN PUKSUIT OF DE WET 305

ridge, and an officer and three men were seen to fall. The former died
next day, poor fellow. After this the scouts returned. From our
position on the kopjes on the left we saw the whole thing distinctly. A
party of New Zealanders, before this happened, were examining a farm-
house, and while they were inside one of their hoi-ses got away. The
farmhouse was quite close to the hill from which the Boers were firing,
and when the retirement took place the unfortunate man who had lost
his horse would have been left had not one of his comrades very pluckily
ridden forward and caught the animal, which was grazing close by, and
thus enabled its owner to get away. The plucky scout, however, stayed to
take up, behind his saddle, another man, whose horse had been killed, and
they also managed to get clear oflf, notwithstanding that they were being
shot at all the while. Captain Taylor, our Adjutant, who was looking
through his telescope at the time, said it was the neatest and coolest
thing he had ever seen. It was now getting on in the afternoon, and, the
purpose for which, as I presume, we were sent out being complete, the
order to retire was given, Lumsden's Horse being instructed to act as rear-
guard, and occupy the kopjes where they were posted, till the guns and
the rest of the troops had got away. This we did, and we heard after-
wards from the men in charge of the ambulance which was left behind to
bring in the wounded that we had hardly left the kopjes we had been on
all day when the Boers occupied them. We got back to our camp at
Commando Nek late in the afternoon, and stayed there for> the night.
This was the most irritatmg action we have yet been in, for the Boer
convoy was at our mercy, but we were not numerically strong enough to
attack it. It thus slipped away under our very noses. Baden-Powell
was at Commando Nek and Ian Hamilton a day's march in rear.

It was arranged that next day General Mahon's brigade should make
an attack on the position reconnoitred that morning, supported by Ian
Hamilton, who was to join us again with the rest of his division.
Lumsden's Horse were to take up the same position as they had done the
day before. The brigade marched out at 6.30 a.m. and were soon on
the scene of the previous action. As instructed, we posted ourselves on
the kopjes occupied by us the day before, and in the meantime scouts
were sent out to discover whether or not the Boers were still about. The
crack of Mausers soon decided this question, and the kopjes in front and
on both flanks were then shelled for several hours. We were then
ordered to leave our rocky perches and advance in skirmishing order to
the attack. We soon arrived on the kopjes previously held by the Boers,
but foxmd no trace of these gentry, who had evidently played their
usual game of leaving a few snipers behind to hinder our advance while
their main body got away in safety. This effected, the snipers them-
selves vanished into space. There were no casualties on our side that

• X

306 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

morning, and I do not fancy our shells did much damage, as I did not
hear of any dead or wounded Boers being found. It was about here that
De Wet was supposed to have broken up his commando, leaving some
1,500 dismounted men to take refuge in the bushveldt, while he went oflf
south with only 200 men. Meantime General Ian Hamilton came up with
his troops, and the whole of us then advanced north, the direction taken
by the fleeing Boers into the bushveldt, expecting a fight at any time, which
did not come oflf. The going was extremely diflficult, the soil being impal-
pable sand with thorny bushes growing so close together that at twenty
yards objects could not be discerned. Water was only encoxmtered at
one spot, a farm in a valley. The occupants of the farm were a Boer
woman and two little children ; she weepingly informed us that the
Boers had commandeered her husband the day before, and, as he had
objected, they had taken him away in hand(5ufifs. We made Zoutpans by
sundown, completely jaded and worn out. At Zoutpans are the salt-mines,
now at a standstill, as the company owning them have gone into liquida-
tion, and the only house is that in which the manager, an Englishman,
lives. A pool highly impregnated with salt was the only water near
at hand, and on this men and horses had to do. The salt itself from
these mines is only fit for cattle, as soda predominates in it. We had
marched more or less in a circle. Next day we heard that De Wet had
doubled back with 200 picked men to the Free State, leaving the rest
of his force to join Grobler, who was then operating north of Pretoria.
We were told that General Paget was coming up with a small force
along the line of rail, and Baden-Powell, who had left Commando Nek,
would advance parallel with and ten miles west of Paget, and that Ian
Hamilton's Division, then about twelve miles further west, was to co-
operate with these two columns and keep Grobler from breaking back if
possible.

We were now in what is called the bushveldt — i.e., country covered
with low scrubby bushes. These bushes form excellent screens for the
enemy, and scouting, therefore, is ticklish work. ' You dunno where you
are,' as they say. Water was a scarce article, too — in fact, it was about
the driest country we had been in so far. Passing a place called Stink-
water, we reached Swartzkop late in the evening, and camped there for
the night near a large settlement of the Barotse tribe. The Germans
have a mission in these parts ; their church is only a large mud hut, but
the missionary in charge has a following of no fewer than 2,000. We
were told that night that General Ian Hamilton was going with his Staflf
to Haaman's Kraal, a railway station about fifteen miles east, coming
back the same evening, and that Lumsden's Horse were to act as his escort.
This promised a nice break in the monotony of the everlasting march,
march, march we had been having lately, so those of us who had fit horses

Photo : Bourne <fr Shepherd

PHILIP STANLEY

X 2

WITH MAHON— IN PUKSUIT OF DE WET 309

were much elated, the unfortunate ones, who had not, being correspondingly
downcast. As arranged, we started for Haaman's Eraal at daybreak next
day, and our advance scouts had got quite six miles out when we were
ordered to turn back and return to camp. Trooper Philip Stanley writes
of an incident that occurred at a farm near the G-erman mission, and
which may help to explain how some of the wonderful yarns we so often
heard about De Wet's capture commenced.

We were catching the fowls in the houses round the church, and one
particular black-and-white cock evaded all our endeavours. So some-
body called him De Wet, and presently yelled out, as the poor cock was
hurt by a stick or stone, * De Wei's captured at last.' Curiously enough,
just at that moment a mounted man, a Hussar I think, was riding close
past us on the road and heard the shout * De Wet's captured at last,' and I
think must have spread the report, as when we got into camp, four miles
on, about an hour and a half afterwards, we were at once told De Wet
was captured at last, and I think they might that evening have added,
* and eaten.' Fresh instructions had evidently come from headquarters,
and General Ian Hamilton was not going to Haaman's Eraal after all.
When we got back to our place we found the division moving oflf in a
northerly direction, and so, after a few minutes' halt to water our horses,
we had to follow on as quickly as possible to regain our place in the column
— i.«., on the flank of the guns. It was a very hot and dirty march, and
towards the afternoon our position was changed to rearguard, which meant
that we had to wait behind till all the stragglers and the whole of the
Transport got into camp. In consequence we did not get in till 8.30 that
night, and even then our troubles were not ended, as several of us were
immediately ordered out on outlying picket. The different corps take it
in turn to do rearguard as a rule, and, needless to say, it is not a popular
duty at all. Generally the rearguard gets off supplying outlying pickets,
but when short-handed, or when there are more posts than usual, they too
have to bear their share of the burden.

The next day's march (August 24) brought us to Warmbaths. As
its name indicates, there are natural springs here. Some of the enter-
prising ones of the earth, taking advantage of this, have erected long rows
of bathing houses supplied with every convenience, hot and cold water
taps, &c., &c., and before the war broke out I understand they were
making a good thing out of it. It was a great resort for invahds, I was
told, and, being on the line of rail from Pretoria, it was quite the thing to
spend a few days out there and take the waters. When we came in we
found the baths entirely deserted, no one being left in charge of them.

There were any number of troops in the place when we arrived,
Paget's and Baden-Powell's lot having come in the day before. They had
had several brushes with the enemy under Grobler, and hewl driven them

310 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

on to the hills beyond the town. As can easily be imagined, there was
a regular rush on the baths, each room being in most cases engaged six
deep. Many of us, in consequence, had to defer tubbing till next day,
which we spent resting in camp. I was one of these. Oh ! I shall
never forget the luxury of that bath. I think I spent a whole hour lying
full length in a tub of hot water, with just my chin above the surface.
When one only gets the opportunity of bathing on rare occasions it is
perhaps not surprising that one should wax enthusiastic over one such
as this was. That we hadn't been used to luxuries was fully demon-
strated by the number of men who were suffering with colds the next
day. We started again with Ian Hamilton on the evening of the 26th,
leaving Generals Paget and Baden-Powell behind to settle with Grobter
and his merry band, whom, as I have written above, they had already
harried considerably. Our march was in the direction of Pretoria, and
everybody in the column then heard for the first time that we were
merely going there to refit and get remounts, after which we should be
sent out in the direction of Middelburg. Alas ! for our hopes that this
was to have been our last trek.

Twenty-five miles of bushveldt had to be traversed to reach Ihe next
camp, at Pienaar's Eiver — an eccentric stream, the meandering of which
caused us considerable inconvenience in crossing and re-crossing it a dozen
times during the march. We reached Pienaar's Eiver station that night
and camped there. Starting again next day, we got to Haaman's Kraal
about midday, and halted there for two or three hours. We heard here
that our mails (we hadn't had any since leaving Pretoria at the beginning
of the month, so expected a good pile) had been sent on from Pretoria to
meet us, and they were a mile or two ahead. About a dozen of us
were accordingly sent to get them. There were eight or ten bags for us,
and we immediately ' buckled to * the pleasant task of sorting. It took
us a good two hours' hard work, and this will give some idea of the
number of letters and parcels received.

Continuing our march, we reached Waterval station late in the
afternoon and halted for the night. This, it will be remembered, was
where the Boers kept our men whom they had taken prisoners, after
they removed them from the racecourse at Pretoria. They were
confined in long tin sheds placed in the middle of a large barbed wire
enclosure, and this was lighted up by electric light all night, thus reducing
the chances of escape to a minimum.

We marched at 4.30 next morning and at 10 o'clock arrived in
Pretoria, where w^e camped on the racecourse. Shortly afterwards we
were joined by Captain Clifford and the men (about twenty) who had been
left behind at Irene owing to their having no horses, and also by several
others who had been in hospital and were now convalescent. Among

WITH MAHON— IN PURSUIT OF DE WET 311

the latter was Eegimental Sergeant-Major * Lump ' Marsham, who was
looking remarkably well after all he had gone through. He had had
some remarkable experiences ; shot in two places (through the chest and
right thigh), besides having a bullet through his haversack in our first
fight at Houtnek, then being taken prisoner at Khenoster Eiver station,
where he was on his way up to rejoin the regiment after leaving hospital,
then having the pleasure of being present at the surrender of Prinsloo
and three or four thousand of his men, and forming one of the guard
which escorted them afterwards. We were all greatly pleased to have him
back among us again.

We had had a tr3dng time of it, and Veterinary- Captain Stevenson
cast our horses wholesale, nearly two-thirds being cast in all. The men
seem made of sterner stu£f, and campaigning has only tended to make the
majority fitter than ever, and only a very few are ill — a matter of the
survival of the fittest. We have been working in co-operation with
Baden-Poweirs brigade a good deal, and our desire to hear about him and
to see him has been surfeited. The only hardship experienced on the
march was want of good tobacco. Though the Magaliesberg tobacco is
considered the best of Transvaal tobacco, and we could have obtained
plenty of it, yet few among us have acquired a taste for it. It is
positively vile, and an Indian cigar when smoked in a pipe is probably the
nearest approach to it. Some more changes have taken place among us.
Trooper Arathoon (Oudh Light Horse) has been granted a commission in
the 3rd Dragoon Guards, Corporal Montagu-Bates one in the East Surrey
Kegiment, Trooper Partridge one in the Northumberland Fusiliers, and
Trooper Douglas-Jones one in the Army Service Corps. Corporal
Chartres has for some months been doing duty as Surgeon-Captain at
one of our many hospitals. Trooper Follett died of enteric at Johannes-
burg, while quite twenty or twenty-five men have been invalided home.
There is little doubt that a famine in the Transvaal will result from this
war ; f oodstuiBfs are at a premium, while the expected crops have been all
destroyed. In the large towns like Pretoria, Johannesburg, &c., bread is
only baked from flour supplied by Government, and even then the
prevailing price is a shilling for a pound loaf. Every-day necessities, such
as tea, coflfee, and sugar, are now hard to procure, while beet has risen
to two shillings a pound ; mealies (Indian-corn) for horses cannot be
bought xmder threepence the pound. The beginning of a famine would
thus be the precursor of the end of the war. Glancing at a map, one
would be inclined to think places indicated in capitals and small capitals
to be important towns ; as a matter of fact each is but a cluster of houses,
a store or two, the inevitable church, and an hotel. This is typical of places
like Eustenburg, Heilbron, Middelburg, Carolina, &c. Kroonstad, Brand-
fort and Pretoria are but larger clusters, more hotels, and more churches.

312 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN*S HORSE

The latter certainly possess some really excellent public buildings ; the
private villas are charming, and suggest the otium cum dignitate, while
the State artillery barracks are reputed to be the finest in the veorld.
Johannesburg is the one town of the Transvaal, and can hold its own
against the world. But it must not be forgotten that the Uitlander alone
has made it what it is. As a sink of iniquity it has the unenviable
distinction of ranking second only to San Francisco. Gambling saloons
abut on to the streets, and at some gambling is restricted to gold alone.
One can imagine what Johannesburg must have been under a corrupt
Government, such as the one we have just displaced — the Kand, a
succession of gold-mines, being practically suburban. Johannesburg
sports a public-house at every fifty yards, and it is the refuse of the Rand
that forms the nucleus of the band of outlaws and desperadoes known as
the Irish Brigade alias Blake's Kuffians. The very antithesis of this
contingent are known as the Imperial Light Horse, who have been so
highly complimented by Sir George White as constituting the finest
fighting men in the world.

Very characteristic of the dashing and humorous leader under
whom Lumsden's Horse served in this march is the following
story told by Captain Beresford :

I remember one very wet cold day when we were attached to Mahon*s
column. While on the march a sergeant and two men were told off to
go and forage for some provisions. Coming across a Boer farm, they helped
themselves to a turkey or two and some poultry. Now, it happened that
General Ian Hamilton the day previous had paid for what his men took,
so the Boer was loud in his protestation, but all the satisfaction he could
get from our men was, ' The General will pay.' General Mahon passing
shortly after, the man presented his bill, which amounted to fifteen shillings.
On seeing it the General made inquiries as to which corps the foraging
party belonged to, and being told, sent for an officer of the corps and
requested him to pay the bill ; but as the officer had not fifteen shillings
about him, the General very kindly lent him the money till he could
obtain it from his brother-officers and men, who found out then that the
General would not be universal provider.

313

CHAPTEE XVI

EASTWAED TO BELFAST AND BABBEBTON UNDEB GENEBALS

FBENCH AND MAHON

After such a march, in which horses had become so emaciated
by want of sufficient food to sustain them, and so leg- weary from
incessant work under heavy burdens, that more than two-thirds
of them were temporarily unfit for service, the corps naturally ex-
pected to get a long rest at Pretoria. Nearly every man needed
it too, and welcomed the prospect of a little town life in touch
with civilisation, where some luxuries might be enjoyed and
experiences exchanged with comrades from other columns.
Bagged and out at heels from being having marched long
distances through tangled growth of rhenoster bushes and ^ wait-
a-bit ' thorns to relieve their exhausted steeds, these troopers
naturally looked forward to the chance of clothing themselves in
comfort if the stores of Pretoria should be equal to that demand,
or at any rate of waiting until articles of much-needed kit could
be got up from the bases where these things had been left. Such
expectations were natural enough in the case of men who began
to think there would be no more need of their services, since Lord
Eoberts had expressed an opinion that regular warfare was
nearly at an end. Circumstances seemed then to justify that
view. Though De Wet was still at large, he did not count for
much while his followers were scattered in all directions with little
chance of coming together again. Botha's forces, offering but a
feeble resistance at any point, had been pushed further and
further eastward by Generals French and Pole-Carew, operating
in their front, and the army of Natal on their flank. BuUer had
fought his brilliant action at Bergendal, where Lord Eoberts
considered the success decisive, saying : * It was carried out in
view of the main Boer position, and the efifect of it was such
that the enemy gave way at all points, Jiying in confusion to the

314 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

north and east. Next morning Buller was able to occupy
Machadodorp without opposition.' Dundonald's brigade of
Irregular Cavalry had pushed on in pursuit of the Boers through
mountainous country, where they made no stand against him.
Buller, continuing his march, occupied Waterval Boven, where
the prisoners released from Nooitgedacht joined him. President
Kruger and other members of the late Transvaal Government were
at Nelspruit preparing for flight across the Portuguese frontier ;
and General French was at Carolina, waiting only for reinforce-
ments to make his swoop on Barberton by way of the last strong-
hold that remained in the enemy's hands south of the Delagoa
Bay Kailway. It looked, indeed, as if Boer resistance on any
organised scale must be near its final stage, and the thoughts
of Lumsden's Horse naturally turned towards home rather than
to opportunities for gaining fresh distinction. Their hopes of
immediate peace with honour were, however, doomed to dis-
appointment. Before they had been in Pretoria many hours
orders for a fresh move had reached them, and, instead of having
leisure for relaxation or even a taste of civilisation's comforts, they
had to spend the next day in drawing from stores the outfit of
which they were sorely in need and making other preparations
for their march. Their Brigadier-General (Mahon) was to go in
command of reinforcements for General French, and the troops
placed at his disposal were M Battery Eoyal Horse Artillery,
the 3rd Corps of Mounted Infantry, Queensland Mounted
Infantry, New Zealand Mounted Eifles, 79th Company Imperial
Yeomanry, the Imperial Light Horse, and Lumsden's Horse.
The order came to them in a form which left no doubt in any
mind that there was still a man's work to be done, and that they
were about to take part in another important phase of the great
Boer war. Therefore they put aside all vain regrets for the
things that were just then out of reach. Disappointment gave
place quickly to gratification at the thought that they were to
see service under such a dashing leader as General French, who
had never up to that time met the Boers without bringing them
to action, and whose reputation rose higher after every enterprise
undertaken by him, though he was not always allowed to take
full advantage of a success by following up his beaten enemies.
The Boers, who attributed every British success in the Free

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 315

State and Transvaal to luck or to overwhelming numbers, had
given to French the title of the Mucky General.' They said it
was by luck alone that he beat Coipmandant Koch at Elands-
laagte before their reinforcements could come up. Luck, ac-
cording to them, served him again in the hour of his secret
withdrawal from Colesberg just before De la Key's plans for anni-
hilation were complete, and yet again when he made his dash at
interposing forces north of Modder River, and, striking at the
very point where they were weakest, got through just in the nick
of time, took their positions in reverse, and thus cleared a way
for the relief of Kimberley. If all this can be called luck, then it
is something to be a lucky general and goes a long way in
justification of the faith that Napoleon placed in men who had
that reputation. At any rate, no Boer commandos were very
eager to get in the way of ^ lucky French,' and whenever he was
known to be operating on their flank they always thought it time
to summon thither one of their own Generals most trusted for
his ability to conduct a retreat. That luck fell more than once
to De la Key's lot. In a recent conversation that redoubtable
leader, the best fighting man of all on the Boer side, told the
Editor of this History that it was he who opposed French at
Driefontein after Cronj^'s surrender. He also had to fight all
the rearguard actions up to the time of our crossing the Vaal,
when he went oflE in hot haste for the purpose of intercepting
Mahon's column before it could reach Mafeking. Having been
out-manoeuvred there, he was called back to aid Botha outside
Johannesburg, and entrusted again with the task of delaying
French's flanking movement by the defence of Klipriviersberg
until the Boer guns and convoys could make good their retreat.
Obviously they did not think it safe to trust anything to chance
when our 4ucky General' was pressing them, but sent their
wiliest tactician and most stubborn fighter to hold him in play
while they cleared oflE. If any of them really believed in their
capacity to beat French on equal terms — the advantage of ground
being with them to counterbalance British superiority in
numbers — an admirable opportunity offered in the mountainous
ranges of the Devil's Kantoor, where, Boer leaders had frequently
declared, they would crush any force attempting to reach
Barberton that way. If properly held, the positions there would

316 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

have been almost impregnable. Few people to this day know
the diflSiculties that French had before him when he concentrated
his force at Carolina. The Boers knew all about these things.
Eveiy zig-zag track like a winding stair up the precipitous
mountain-side was familiar to them. They knew also the object
with which he was waiting to gather strength at CaroUna, and
they brought forces against him that were little inferior
numerically to his own. Yet when at last he struck straight for
almost inaccessible mountain passes, instead of making a wide
detour to get round them, they were so paralysed by the * lucky
General's ' audacity that they let him have his way, which led by
the nearest track to Barberton. This slight digression, however,
anticipates events which may now be dealt with more fully in
the narratives by Colonel Lumsden, his officers and troopers,
whose experiences and observations are woven together in
the following description of events in something like proper
sequence :

We were by this time reduced to forty fit horses. •

Our stay in Pretoria, as we had heard it would be, was only a short
one. The day after arriving in camp we were served out with new kit,
of which we were sadly in need, most of the men being in a very ragged
condition indeed. General Mahon was to proceed to Carolina and join
General French's division there, leaving General Ian Hamilton's division,
to which we were no longer attached. It rained heavily the night before
we started, and as we marched at daybreak there was no time to dry our
blankets, which were simply sopping wet.

Our total muster on parade was — A Company 17, B Company 24 ; in all,
41 rank-and-file. The balance of nearly 100 men, under Captain Beresford,
were to follow on receipt of remounts, and overtake us if possible. This
hope was soon knocked on the head, for while headquarters started with
General Mahon for Barberton, the remainder were sent to Machadodorp,
which they reached without much adventure a fortnight later. Notwith-
standing their repeated attempts to join us, their wishes were not acceded
to, the coimtry being considered too dangerous for a small party to move
alone. On the 31st we reached Bronkhurst Spruit, memorable in the
Transvaal as the spot where British troops, under Colonel Anstruther,
were badly cut up in the last war, while marching, all unconscious that
war had been declared against the Transvaal. On September 1 we passed
Balmoral and camped at Elandsfontein. On the 2nd, near the Transvaal
and Delagoa Bay coal-mines, a French gentleman was good enough
to communicate the latest Boer lie. It was that China was sending a

EASTWAKD TO BELFAST AND BAEBEKTON 317

million of troops to invade England. The country about here is very
treacherous, with many swamps which unwary troopers may not see
until they are floundering in mire, where their horses sink to the girths.
Our camp that night was at Eeitspruit, six miles from Middelburg.

The next day we passed Middelburg, which proved a grievous dis-
appointment, for there was absolutely nothing in the way of provisions
procurable, and camped at Eeitpan. The weather was very hot, the sun
striking down with great force during the middle of the day. General
Mahon had adopted the plan of oflf-saddling and halting for two or three
hours during the heat of the day, instead of marching steadily from 6 a.m.
to 6 P.M. with short halts of ten minutes every now and then. This
gave man and beast a thorough rest, and the opportunity was always
taken of making tea and coffee, and partaking of this with the inevitable
jam and biscuits. The horses, too, had a good feed of oats, which were
served out in the morning and carried in our nosebags. Captain Noblett
got a nasty touch of the sun two or three days before arriving at
Middelburg, and the doctors decided that he ought to go into hospital
there, being quite unfit to continue on the march. We were very sorry
to lose him, as he was one of our most popular officers. Speaking
for No. 2 Section B Company, anyhow, I know they swore by him to
a man. We heard afterwards that he had gone to Durban for a
change, and it is to be hoped he will soon be back again with us. The
fourth day's march brought us in contact with General Button's line
of communications, and we were apprised of the annexation of the
Transvaal. With this good news we buoyed ourselves up, and brought
a dreary march to a close at Wonderfontein. The Boers are whimsical
at names, but have surpassed themselves with Wonderfontein, for the
wonder of it is where to find the fountain ? Speculation was rife, as the
pools of water we saw were so putrid that the horses, though they had
done thirteen miles from the last halting-place, would not drink till
accident disclosed a tiny spring in a bed of sand, just deep enough to fill
a coffee cup at a time. Here was the wonder, and, eureka ! we had struck
it. The 5th was an eventful day, for when we had marched eastward
three miles a heliogram from a contingent of 90 Canadians on the line
of communications solicited help, as they were hard pressed by 300 Boers
near Pan station, where they had been fighting since daybreak. Files
about and canter was the order, and we went back some six miles to
their aid, but the enemy had beaten a retreat after capturing a small post,
where they crept up through a dense fog and surprised the helpless
picket. We returned to Wonderfontein, and General Mahon, in con-
sideration of the call made on us, very generously ordered an issue of a
quarter of a pound of bully-beef and a biscuit. 'Twas lunch d la
South Africa, and much appreciated. Thus refreshed we continued on

318 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

our march for some five or six miles, and camped for the night. Such a
night we have never had. The wind blew a perfect hurricane, and it was
bitterly cold. On the 6th the brigade reached Carolina, and we were in
expectation of seeing a town where we could renew our diminished stock
of provisions, but, alas ! Carolina in Africa is very diflferent from the
Carolina of the song —

South Carolina is a sultry clime,

Where the niggers work in the summer time,

Massa in the shade would lay,

While we poor niggers work all day.

With us it was not summer time, but Massa had to lie on the bleak veldt
and pretty hungry too. We found General French in camp near by us,
with two brigades. A foreign commando of Austrians and Italians was
said to be in the neighbourhood, and we hoped to become better acquainted
with it later on.

Carolina is a small uninteresting sort of place, more a village than
anything else, the houses being small and built of corrugated iron. It
is about the windiest place I have ever been in. We were there nearly
a week, and it blew a hurricane almost all the time. One day it rained as
well, and this made it horribly cold — the chilly blast cutting into one like
a knife. Even the hardy Cape ponies, who had never before in their lives
known what it was to be blanketed, had to be covered up that day.

Another of the charms of this delightful place is that it is most
dangerous to send horses out grazing on the surrounding veldt, as there
is a low poisonous bush which grows pretty plentifully on it, to eat which
is almost certain death. We found this out by bitter experience, losing
four or five horses before we left.

The first march from Carolina took us over a ridge by Nelspruit, where
we witnessed a very pretty engagement. The enemy had taken up a
position on top of a hill crossed by three deep ravines at right angles to
our line of advance. This was stormed by the Suffolk Infantry while we
acted as escort to the guns, which shelled the enemy severely as they left
the shelter of the last ridge. When turned out of their last stronghold
they retired by ones and twos under severe shrapnel fire at 1,500 yards'
range, which gave us an object-lesson in Mounted Infantry tactics. At
Carolina, with General French and his Cavalry, we halted two days, and
resumed our advance on Sunday the 9th. We had heard that the Boers
were in the vicinity, and it was not long before we met them. For
about six miles we marched across the absolutely flat veldt, and then
with extraordinary suddenness the scene changed, and we found ourselves
among steep and rugged hills. Here was ideal country for the Boers
to fight in, and they speedily let us know of their presence. They had

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 319

taken up a strong position among rocks and piled-up boulders on the further
side of a hollow some 3,000 yards across. ' Lumsden's,' together with a
part of a squadron of the 18th Hussars who, like ourselves, had been
unable to get remounts in Pretoria, so that their numbers were reduced
about 60 per cent., were escorting the guns. M Battery R.H.A. swung
' action front * and had opened fire in next to no time, the whole battery and
also two 15-pounders being placed in line along the ridge and all pounding
away at the rocky kopje, or rather series of kopjes, from which the Boers
were firing at our Infantry (the Suffolk Regiment), who now opened out,
and, advancing to within good rifle range, took what cover they could find
and engaged the enemy. It was a grand sight watching the play of the guns,
and cheer after cheer rang through the lines as each shot fell in rapid
succession right in among the Boers, scattering them like startled sheep.
The guns did splendid work ; the range was accurate, and the shells perfect.
But a grander sight still was to watch Tommy advancing : he does it in a
most casual way, with his rifle slung at ease over his shoulder. You see
individuals in khaki stumbling over rocks and boulders, then a thin line
of khaki in the distance, then nothing, for Tommy is resting ; the thin
khaki line again becomes visible as he proceeds in the coolest manner
in the world, till the order to fire is given. Nothing is then visible, but
the sounds of volley after volley and independent firing tell you the Infantry
are in the thick of a fight. As the Mounted Infantry advance through the
gaps in their lines. Tommy cheerily calls out, * Let 'em have it 'ot, mate.'
Having placed our horses in a nullah out of the way of stray bullets — one
or two of which came whistling overhead — we had nothing to do but
watch the progress of the fight, and a capital view we had, especially of
our artillery in action ; the enemy had no guns in position here, so our
guns could devote themselves to shelling the rocks among which the
Boers were lying ; the boulders afforded them excellent cover, and they
stuck to it exceedingly well. The weak point in their position lay in the
fact that the cover of which they had taken advantage was half-way
down the near side of the slope, so in the event of their being forced to
retire they would have to ride (or run) up three or four hundred yards of
bare hillside before they topped the ridge. For about five hours the
fight continued. By this time our Infantry had got comparatively close,
and the Boers decided not to wait for them. Suddenly they were seen
issuing from the dip where their horses had been hidden in twos and
threes and batches of various sizes, and scattering up the hillside. With
the naked eye one coidd see little black dots streaming away in all direc-
tions ; it looked for all the world like a disturbed ants* nest. The guns
now redoubled their exertions, loading and firing all they knew, the shells
dropping in every direction among the retreating Boers. In retiring they
had to go down to the bottom of the dip, where they had left their horses.

320 THE HI8T0BY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

and up the slope on the other side — a distance of about 300 yards, I
should say. When once they got to the top of this slope they were more
or less safe, as they could take cover among the rocks there and get
away to the hilly country beyond. But while going up the slope they
were quite exposed to the fire from our batteries. General Mahon was
there in person, giving instructions to the officer in charge of the guns,
which were kept playing on the spot as fast as the gunners could load
and fire. Watching through glasses we could see three or four bowled
over ; they must have had an uncomfortable ride until they topped the
ridge, though probably not many were hit, as we know from our own ex-
perience how ineffective even a well-directed shell fire often is. However,
on crossing over we found where one dead Boer had been hastily buried,
also a dead horse and other signs that our shell fire had not been without
results. A long-range 15-pounder of the Boers now came into action, and
for about an hour before sundown shelled our convoy at extreme range
without doing any damage. Throughout the day the Cavalry had been
engaged on our right and had suffered some casualties. Our brigade had
had half-a-dozen or so ; one of the Imperial Yeomanry was killed and two
were wounded, and three of the Imperial Light Horse were wounded.

In the afternoon we advanced and occupied the position previously
held by the Boers, who had retreated some distance. They had a long-
range 15-pounder with them, and they treated us to a few shells; but
these went high over our heads, and burst a long way behind without
doing any damage. Shortly after this, as it was getting dark, we
camped for the night. As we were preparing to camp the Boers
shelled our convoy with a Long Tom they still possess, but their shells
fell wide and were harmless. We camped for the night at Buffalo
Spruit. The casualties were nine wounded Scots Greys, one wounded
Imperial Horse ; Boers about fifteen killed, wounded unknown. The
10th was an uneventful day, but on the 11th Lumsden's Horse supplied an
outlying picket consisting of our entire strength. Through some error
the picket manned the wrong kopje, and as they could not be found next
morning were reported as captured. We turned up, however, late in the
day at the camp on the Komati Kiver, and followed rapidly in the track of the
advancing troops. We were now on half-rations, with De Kaap Mountains
looming before us, the roadway being in places as steep as one in eight,
and the enemy strongly posted along the summit. On the 12th the advance
was made at 6.30 a.m., and by 9 a.m. M Battery was again pounding away.

The road to Barberton slopes gradually up from the plains round
Carolina for about 3,000 feet, if I remember right, when it takes a sudden
upward turn for about a couple of miles before reaching the top of De
Kaap Mountains, over which it winds, and then descends again about
2,000 to 3,000 feet, the town being situated in a hollow surrounded by

• • ••

T. HARE SCOTT

H. G. PHILLIPS

R. P. ESTABROOKE

J. BRAINB

R. PRINGLE yr. BURNAND

TRANSPORT DRIVERS

•^ ••• •

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 323

hills on all sides. The last bit of a couple of miles or so is what is
called the Devil's Kantoor. The gradient is about one in four, as far as
I could judge, and this will give some idea of the job our Generals had
to tackle if the Boers elected to hold this place, as it was reported
they were going to do. It was simply an ideal place to defend, and they
were said to have a Long Tom in position— so things generally looked
uncomfortable, to say the least of it. Scouting that day looked like
being an even poorer game than usual. Anything but a demoralised
force would have made a strong stand in such a position. The main
advance was against its front, while the Cavalry executed a turning
movement to the right, with such elBfect that the position was gained
almost without a shot. The climb was terrific. So bad was it that
12-pounders only just managed to get up with double teams, and all the
baggage had to be left at the foot of the hill. The troops, however,
pushed on to the top, only to witness a heart-rending sight. On the
range opposite, at about 8,000 yards, was a high laager half a mile square,
a dense mass of cattle and waggons, out of which the latter were seen
streaming away towards Swaziland. Between us and them lay a deep
valley, while the road curving round to the left was commanded by three
guns, rendering serious attack in that direction inadvisable. The Imperial
Light Horse made a gallant attempt to get round, but were not strong
enough. We all looked to see the 6 -inch gun come up and play havoc
with the laager, but the naval officer in command declared his oxen
unable to bring the gun up the precipitous ascent, leaving us the
mortification of seeing the enemy escape under our very eyes. It was
some gratification, however, to eventually capture twenty-five of their
* buck waggons,' many thousand sheep, and some oxen.

By the time we had dragged up our guns and got them into position
the fugitives were out of range, as a few shells sent in their direction
proved ; but the captured waggons contained stores of various kinds,
sugar, flour, &c., and this made a welcome addition to our commissariat,
which was running very short of supplies. It took four days to get the
whole of the Transport up the Devil's Kantoor. During this time the
bulk of the division halted, as they could not move without supplies.

To form some estimate of the difficulties of transport up these moun-
tains, I would mention that the Boers were confident that we could never
get our convoy and guns up, for among them the steepest part is described
as a place where, if a leading team of oxen come to a stop they are hurled
back on to the waggon. To clear these mountains in four days reflects
the greatest credit on that much-abused department, the Transport,
Sergeant Power, of Lumsden's Horse, excelled on the occasion, for, fear-
ing he could not possibly get the troopers' blanket-carts up that night, he
unloaded the carts and used the mules with pack saddles, thus enabling

T 2

324 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Lumsden's Horse to sleep with blankets when the rest of the brigade
were blanketless, poor fellows ! In such circumstances it needs no
telling that we went to sleep supperless, as our rations were at the foot of
the mountain and the troops on its summit. Directly the road was
clear General French with two Cavalry brigades advanced rapidly, and,
leaving the Boers, who were retreating southwards, alone, he pushed on
to Barberton, some fifteen miles distant. Guided by one of the Imperial
Light Horsemen, he avoided the road down into the plain in which
Barberton is situated (which road — so it is said— the enemy were quite
prepared to defend), and using a bridle-path across the hills, supposed to
be impracticable for horses, he descended suddenly on the town and
captured it without opposition. The enemy were completely surprised
and fled, leaving fifty-seven engines with rolling-stock standing in the
station, a large quantity of stores, and 10,000Z. in specie. The day
following General French's occupation of the town a Boer convoy con-
sisting of fifty waggons walked in under the impression that it was still
in their hands ! General Mahon's brigade, with the Infantry, were left to
guard Homolomo while the convoy came up. The gradient was some-
thing like one in four, so you can imagine what a business it was
getting the heavy waggons up. Twelve and fourteen horses were
required to get the lighter guns up, while the naval gun had eighty
oxen harnessed to it, and many a poor beast fell out and died under the
strain. On the third day we continued our march ; all day we were
descending, gradually leaving the hills behind, until we eventually came
out into an enormous plain, the Kaap Valley. Here we halted and
waited for the Transport, who had had another trying day. We had
descended 3,000 feet during the day, and the diflference in temperature
was most noticeable. In this part of the country the hot weather is just
beginning ; the nights are quite mild and the sun at midday is scorching.
On Sunday the 16th we marched to within a couple of miles of the town
and camped. It is a straggling little place built close under and partly on
the lower slopes of a spur of the Kaapsche Berg. This is a well watered
part of the country, and fruit growing appears to be a paying industry,
Pretoria and Johannesburg being markets where — in normal times — any
quantity of fruit is easily disposed of. On the fruit farms here we noticed
several old Indian friends — viz., plantains, pineapples, and papiya.
When we got into Barberton we found that General French had gone
on towards Komati Poort, on the Portuguese border, in which direction
the Boers had fled, and we heard shortly afterwards that about 3,000 of
them had taken refuge in Louren90 Marques, having given up their
arms and destroyed a number of their big guns before crossing the
border.

Barberton is quite an Indian town in many respects. Not only is the

L. DAVIS

LEO H. BRADFORD

C. W. LOVEGROVE

8. W. CULLEN

P. C. MANVILLE F. C. THOMPSON

TRANSPORT DRIVERS

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 327

Madrassi native common, but mango, banana, loquat, fig, and other
Indian fruit trees abound. East Africa seems to my mind to be the
Indian coolie's Eldorado, for not only does he wax fat and opulent, but he
abandons his Indian garb and struts about in that of Western civilisation.
He does not get on well with the Kaffir, but has pushed himself forward,
and now occupies a higher position among white men than he would
presume to in India.

In all other respects, however, Barberton is a very English town, and
owes its origin to the De Kaap Goldfields. It was here that the Boers
housed the women and children who were sent to them from Johannesburg
and Pretoria, and in consequence every house in the town is packed full
of these refugees. It was also at Barberton that the Dorset Yeomanry
and the remaining British prisoners were confined after their removal
from Nooitgedacht ; at present the improvised place of confinement
is being used as a prison for the Boers themselves. The latest official
bulletin announces the complete demoralisation of the Boer army,
which is termed a rabble, and speculation is rife as to the probable
date of our disbandment. Last night (22nd) it was announced in orders
that anj'pne desirous of joining the Pretoria Police at 10«. a day could do
so at once; the chances of a commission at the end of three months
were held out, but only four names were given in. The majority
intend going to England. A very few have decided to remain in Africa,
while some twenty or thirty, chiefly cofifee planters from Southern India,
are returning to India. The summer is on us, and the days are very hot —
102^ in the shade. We have no tents, but the ingenious ones erect a
bivouac of blankets supported on posts and rifles as a shelter from the sun.
Yesterday a cricket match was played between French's and Mahon's
brigades, resulting in an easy win for the latter. Sergeant Pratt
represented Lumsden's Horse in Mahon's team.

Another correspondent writes :

Besides the usual camp duties, we had to supply outlying pickets and
patrols turn about with the other Volunteers and Kegular regiments.
Twenty or thirty of us used to be sent out to a post five or six miles out
in the morning. From these posts we sent out patrols, forage parties,
&c., during the day, and outlying pickets at night. One of these posts
was situated right on the top of one of the hills beyond the town. It
was a tremendous climb, and took most of us at least an hour to get to it.
Lugging blankets, coats, and rations up there was no joke, and I am
glad to say we only had to do it once during our stay.

There was a beautiful wood, with a nice mountain stream running
through it, about a mile and a half from camp, wher^we-usfid^to send aur

328 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

horses down to graze and water, and we always took the opportunity of
having a delightful bathe or of washing clothes, at which we were by this
time becoming experts. A daily bath was a luxury we had not been
accustomed to before for months, so we appreciated it accordingly. After
our bath we lounged under the shade of the trees till it was time to take
the horses back to camp again. Grazing guard in these circumstances
was rather a favourite duty, as up in camp it was fearfully hot, our only
protection from the sun being small blanket shelter tents, which were not
really much good. These tents were made out .of two blankets, or a blanket
and a waterproof sheet. The blankets and waterproof sheets served out to
the Army have eyelet-holes on both sides and at the ends, so one can put
up a tent very easily and quickly, all the materials required being a few
pegs (easily cut from an old biscuit-box or from any other wood which
may be obtainable), a little string, and a couple of rifles, these last
forming the supports at either end.

Owing to the great heat, we move the position of our camps once a week.
What with dead horses and cattle the air is absolutely putrid, and 'tis a
precaution most imperative. On the march the foul smells encountered
are terrible, owing to the number of dead horses and cattle lying on the
highway. From Pretoria to Balmoral we passed as many as two or
three hundred carcasses in different stages of decomposition. The very
water is often polluted, and considerable inconvenience is the conse-
quence. In a previous letter I incidentally mentioned veldt fires, but at
the Crocodile Kiver camp it was our luck to be in the thick of one, and
that at midnight. We had made the camp at sundown, and as darkness
set in we were enraptured with the pyrotechnic display of the surround-
ing kopjes on fire. It was a magnificent sight, though awful. By
10 P.M. the camp was hushed in slumber except for stable pickets, when
the wind shifted and blew the flames towards the camp. Gradually the
veldt near us took fire, till at midnight we were completely surrounded.
The roar was appalling, while myriads of insects filled the air. The situa-
tion was one needing immediate action, as every moment was precious.
* Stand to your horses and saddle up,' were the orders anxiously given.
All was confusion — men hurriedly folding up blankets, &c., Kafl&r boys
running about conducting oxen to inspan, bodies of men running towards
the fast approaching flames carrying blankets to beat them dovni.
In the midst of all a patrol of the 18th Hussars were seen completely
cut ofif from the camp and surrounded with flaming veldt. A rush was
made, and hundreds of blankets soon cleared a space, and the patrol
emerged, the horses showing every sign of terror. It was an anxious
time, but in half an hour all was safe, and the flames had been
successfully diverted from their course of destruction. Such a fire in the
back veldt it would have been impossible to cope with. On the western

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 331

veldt these fires destroy complete herds of cattle annually, and are much
dreaded.

One day at Barberton four of us were on observation post when four
Boers came along the road ; they were immediately challenged and told to
show their passes, which they did ; they then sat down to rest alongside
us. One of them, named Meyers, could talk English perfectly, and when
he found we were of Lumsden's Horse he said he had escorted one of our
fellows from Ospruit to Pretoria a prisoner, and shared two bottles of
whisky. He then told us the Boers knew exactly, when we were at
Spytfontein, how many men went on picket every night, and how many
we were all told. He also said on April 30 the brigade adjutant rode up
within twenty yards of him. He shouted to Williams to surrender, and
he shouted back, ' I am damned if I do,' and galloped off ; Meyers fired
all his magazine at the English officer, but missed him. Lieutenant
Williams has since been killed at Bothaville.

Barberton was simply crammed with stores of all sorts, the Boers
having used it as a supply dep6t for some time past. It was a great
treat being able to get luxuries in the shape of extra sugar, tea, coflfee,
sweets, &c., again after such an age, and at reasonable rates too.
Pretoria was entirely denuded of these things, and I remember hunting
without success round the whole town for sugar the day before we left on
our last march. Matches were not to be had there at any price, whereas
here we could buy them at sixpence a dozen boxes. I think we appreciated
these more than anything else. We had felt the want of them tremen-
dously during the past two or three months. English tobacco, unfortu-
nately, was unobtainable, so we had to content ourselves with the Boer
variety — a very poor substitute, I think most of us agreed, though I
dai:e say when one got accustomed to it one would prefer it. Personally
T never want to see or smell the beastly stuff again.

Barberton itself is a small gold-mining town situated at the bottom
of De Eaap Mountains, and more or less surrounded by hills. On the
hills forming its background are the various mines which were opened out
when gold was first discovered here. Then came the rush of the Band
mines, and Barberton was left standing. The roads leading to these
mines wind up and round the hillsides, and must have taken months and
months of hard work to complete, I should think. The houses are built
of wood and roofed with corrugated iron for the most part, and are very
small. One wonders how people manage to exist in them in the summer
months, when the temperature is almost if not quite as high as it is in
India, and damp to boot.

It was getting very hot before we left early in October, and the old
familiar limp feeling which began to pervade all ranks brought back
memories of hot weather in India. Barberton is essentially a Britisli

332 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

town, and until lately, when the Boers used it as a city of refuge for their
wives and families, the inhabitants were practically all British by blood
if not by birth. The conununity must have been a fairly rough one in
the old days, and one can imagine many wild orgies taking place among
the miners, more or less cut ofif, as they were, from civilisation. Fruits
of all sorts grow here, Indian as well as English — plantains, gooseberries,
oranges, lemons, strawberries— and vegetables too. Beautiful oat-hay for
our horses was obtainable in the fields for the first week or so that we
were in Barberton.

You will be sorry to hear of the death from enteric fever at Johannes-
burg Hospital of Private M. FoUett, the elder of the two brothers — planters
— who joined with the Mysore contingent. Since then, I regret to say,
we have had another death from disease — that of Private J. H. Maclaine
(Surma Valley Light Horse), who died of acute pneumonia in Pretoria
Hospital. Transport Driver Martyn some months ago^was rmi over and
badly injured. We are sorry to hear that he has since died of the injuries
he then received. One way and another a good many have left the
regiment. A certain number of those left behind, sick and wounded,
have been unable to rejoin the regiment and have been invalided
home, among them Privates Cooper and Butler, from Madras, both of
whom were taken ill at Kroonstad, the former suffering from pneumonia
and the latter from pleurisy ; also Private Bewsher, from Mysore, who was
wounded in the knee at Elandsfontein station two days before the sur-
render of Johannesburg.

Our ten days at Barberton gave a welcome rest after many weary
marches. The time was enlivened with dances and hunting with buck-
hounds for the officers and cricket for whoever could be spared. It
was here that Colonel Lumsden had his unfortunate accident. He was
riding back in the dark from afternoon tea at a neighbouring camp,
and, being deceived by the light of a picket fire, rode straight into
a nullah. The picket, luckily for him, heard the noise of the fall, and by
the light of a candle went in search, finding horse and man prostrate.
The horse was dead and Colonel Lumsden insensible. The good fellows,
however, did their best, and, taking him up to the fire, discovered by his
badges that he belonged to Lumsden's Horse. One of them came into
our camp to report, bringing us the information about 11 p.m. The
doctor and ambulance immediately proceeded to the scene of the accident,
and, patching him up temporarily, took him away to the Boer hospital in
Barberton. By the light of day it appeared wonderful that anyone could
have escaped death from such an accident. The nullah may almost be
described as a fissure in the ground some 15 feet wide and 29^ (measured)
deep. The only thing that saved our Colonel's life was that the horse
evidently alighted on his feet, taking the brunt of the fall himself and

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 333

paying the penalty with his life ; this was shown by the fact that the
saddle was not injured in any way.

Colonel Lumsden writes of this incident in a letter from
Barberton Hospital dated October 1, 1900 :

Well, eight days ago I visited town, and was riding back to my camp
at dusk when my charger, a splendid paced and mannered Cape horse,
simply cantered right into a donga 30 feet deep, breaking his neck in
the fall, while I lay by his side bruised and insensible.

Luckily for me, some pickets were close by and heard the smash.
Recognising me by my badge, they went to my camp and brought our
doctor and adjutant to the spot. They took me to our camp for treatment,
and in a few hours' time our doctor, with the assistance of troopers who
volunteered to carry the stretcher, conveyed me into the Barberton
Club, the temporary Boer hospital, ours being both full up. The Boer
doctor and nurses have been kindness itself to me, and have done every-
thing in their power to make me comfortable. How I escaped with my
life my usual good luck only knows. I was bashed, cut, and bruised, but
not a limb or a bone broken. Four days ago I nearly snuflfed out from
a flow of blood from my nose and mouth, but fortunately it was stopped
in time, and I really believe did me good, as I had too much blood in
my system. Now, more than enough about myself. I am on the right
track, and hope to be with my men in a few days more. I follow on with
the hospital train the day after to-morrow, and pick them up at Machado-
dorp, for which place they leave to-day. There we pick up Captain
Beresford with 100 of my men. They stayed at Pretoria a day beyond
us to get remounts, came on with my friend General Cunningham's
Infantry Division, and were never able to rejoin us, we being in advance
with General Mahon's Mounted Brigade.

Months afterwards, Colonel Lumsden, by the following tribute,
showed that he had not forgotten those who had tended him with
so much care :

To incidents which I have already related of kindly treatment at the
hands of Boer doctors and nurses I may add another of which I was on
this occasion the recipient. I awoke the morning after my serious
accident feeling very stiflf and sore, and found myself lying in the general
ward amid wounded Tommies and Boers. I must have been insensible
for nearly twelve hours. Next day Dr. Powell, our regimental doctor,
wished to remove me to one of our own hospitals, but Dr. Bidenhamp,
the Boer doctor, offered to give me a small room to myself if I remained,
which I gratefully accepted, and could not have wished for better care or

334 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

attention than I received at his hands and those of his assistant, Mr. E. E.
Haumann. I have also to thank very gratefully Sister Alma Meyer, of
Grosvenor House, Stellenbosch, for the kindly treatment she accorded me,
as well as two Dutch sisters from Holland who were assisting her in the
hospital and acting nobly to Briton and Boer alike ; and I take this
opportunity of acknowledging with sincere thanks their careful treatment
and kindness to me during the ten days I was their patient.

Kuling passions are strong even when one is at death's door, and I
cannot help recalling a sporting bet I had with my kind friend Sister Alma.
It took the usual shape of a bet with a woman — gloves — and I laid her a
dozen pairs to nothing that the war would be over by Christmas, which
not only I but many high in authority fully believed it would. We were
passing Durban on our way back to India during the second week in
December, and, taking the then situation, I looked upon my bet as lost and
bailed up. One of my subalterns, who was landing there to return to the
seat of war, kindly carried out my commission, and forwarded the gloves
to the winner, from whom I received a prompt acknowledgment, with the
usual remark that women are always right, and I believe they are ! At
least, I never attempt to contradict them, and yet I am a bachelor.

Colonel Lumsden being in hospital, and debarred, therefore, to
his regret, from leading the corps in a march for which it had
already been detailed. Major Chamney took temporary command,
and a few days later received orders to hand over horses and
proceed by train to rejoin the other detachment under Captain
Beresford at Machadodorp. This uneventful stage of the campaign
is thus described by the correspondent of an Indian paper
serving with Lumsden's Horse :

Prior to this the Imperial Light Horse had left Mahon's brigade, and
we heard that they too expected to be disbanded shortly. General Mahon
made them a speech before they left, praising them highly for the good
work they had done while with him, and saying how sorry he was to part
with them.

On October 1 we handed over nearly all our horses to the New
Zealanders, keeping only such of them — four or five, if I remember right —
as had been brought from India and come right through the whole show.
Four others also were kept for the doctor's cart, the horses he had
before being played out. But the experiment did not turn out a success,
as the first time they were put into harness they bolted and there was
a general smash-up. The leaders broke away and vanished into space,
and were never seen by us again ; and the wheelers got mixed up in the
traces and upset the cart, damaging it hopelessly in their struggles to get

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBBRTON 335

free. The doctor was thenceforth cartless, I think, and the implements of
his trade had to be carried in one of the Transport carts.

After giving over our horses we were marched into town, and camped
close to the station for the night. The Transport, with the heavy
luggage and led horses, were to leave next day by road for Machadodorp,
for which place we too were bound. The rest of the regiment, under
Captain Beresford, had been stationed there for some time. Next morning
we proceeded to the station and loaded our saddle, baggage, and a few
of our small Transport carts into open trucks, into which we ourselves
afterwards scrambled, the train moving oflf immediately. There was
not overmuch room, but we were not particular, and this did not very
greatly bother us. After proceeding about sixteen miles we had to
get out and walk to Avoca, a railway station about three miles further
on, as, owing to the Boers having smashed up a bridge here, the train
was unable to get across. Waggons were awaiting us, into which we
loaded the baggage, &c., also making use of the Transport carts we had
brought with us.

On arriving at Avoca we heard that an accident had occurred further
up the line, and we should not therefore be able to go on till next day. We
camped in the open, and spent a wretched night, as it rained incessantly,
and by daybreak everything was sopping wet. Hearing next morning
that we would not be leaving for some hours, several of us foraged round
and found an empty hut, in which we took shelter, as the rain still continued,
and made ourselves very fairly comfortable. There was any amount of
firewood about, so we were able to semi-dry our blankets, &c. When the
train came in at midday it was found that there was not room for
more than about fifteen of us, besides the saddles, baggage, and Transport
carts.

At Kaapmuiden we got on to the main line from Komati Poort to
Pretoria. This junction presented a really woeful sight. The Boers had
evacuated the place in great haste, throwing away stores, &c., galore,
principally large quantities of flour, which had been rendered useless by
sprinkling it with kerosine, making it smell horribly and totally unfitting
it for consumption. Whole trains had been burned as they stood on the
lines, and an idea of the terrible conflagration may be gathered from the
fact that the rails under the wheels were buckled down by the terrific heat.

Captain Taylor, in one of his amusing reminiscences, pays a
tribute to the work done by Infantry soldiers :

Tommy certainly is the most wonderful all-round man, and quite
prepared to do anything he's asked. A whole company of Infantry being

converted into mounted troops by such an order as * A company of

Kegiment will be Mounted Infantry * was at one time quite usual, but they

336 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORBE

were fair troops in a month. One saw him making bridges and diver-
sions for the same with the old jokes and quaint oaths ; or doing butcher,
baker, slaughterer, tailor, bootmaker, farrier, and all the thousand-and-
one things he is taught. But he fairly surprised me at Barberton.

There we had suddenly arrived with a division of Cavalry *in the
air/ Within a week we had sent our Cavalry as far as Kaapmuiden — the
point where the Barberton branch line meets the main one from Pretoria to
Komati Poort. Our Infantry had repaired the numerous bridges and
culverts, and we were entrained and taken back to Machadodorp by train.
Every station-master was a junior British officer, the pointsman Tommy,
engine-driver Tommy, who also worked the telegraphs, was stoker,
bridgemaker, platelayer, wheelgreaser, &c. There were a few accidents,
but not many, and a smash was only a joke. No wonder we are hard to
beat.

The trooper correspondent did not look at things quite in that
light, but perhaps he was travelling less luxuriously, and the
humorous side of the situation did not strike him so forcibly :

It was raining all the time, so things generally were not at all
cheerful, and the prospect of travelling for several hours in open trucks
under these conditions did not help to raise our spirits. However, it
was not so bad after all, as we stretched a huge tarpaulin propped up with
sticks, rifles, and boxes, over the truck we were in, which was piled up to
the top with the baggage, and managed to keep the rain out in this way.
The rest of us were to follow on by the next train. We even managed to
get up a game of whist, and this, with the perusal of such Uterature as we
had with us and occasional snoozes helped to pass the time. We stayed
that night at Crocodile Poort station, it not being considered safe to travel
after dark. It stopped raining at 10 p.m., so, getting out of the truck, we
built a huge fire and dried our blankets and boiled the inevitable coffee.
We slept in the open, as it was quite fine then ; but the dew was so heavy
during the night that everything got sopping wet again by the morning.
We started again at 9, but made very slow progress, as we had long waits
at various stations on the way.

From there to Machadodorp is a most interesting and beautiful
country. The line runs between two precipitous ranges quite Swiss in
their magnificence, with a river running between the hills. Then to
Waterval Onder, where the ordinary rails gave place to a cogwheel line
up a steep climb.

We left again at 8 a.m. the following day, and passed through very
fair scenery between that place and the next station, Waterval Boven.
High overhanging kopjes on one side, along the bases of which the

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 337

line ran, with a deep sort of canon between, the Crocodile Eiver
flowing along its bottom, and a large square turret-like rock looking
commandingly from the other. In one place the train ran quite close to
the * cliff,' as in the Darjiling Himalayan Eailway in India, and almost
under a huge mass of overhanging rocks. There are deep fissures in these
rocks in many places, and they look as if they might get loosened and
overwhelm us at any moment. We were told that in the rains sentries
are posted at this place night and day to give timely warning should
there be any signs of the rocks shifting. The incline, too, is very steep
here, and only a few trucks at a time can be taken up. In our case
eleven trucks were sent up at first, two engines being put on, one in
front and the other behind. To prevent slipping, the hindermost engine
had the usual cog-wheel arrangement working on a centre rail. Shortly
after leaving Waterval Onder you get into a tunnel about a hundred
yards long, I think. It is absolutely unventilated, so it can be imagined
that the smoke from the engines, which, seated as we were in open
trucks, simply poured down our throats and up our noses, very nearly
suffocated us.

We stayed at Waterval Boven till 5 p.m., and then went on to
Machadodorp, where we found the rest of the regiment, which was
encamped there, under Captain Beresford. They had marched to this
place from Belfast, where Lord Roberts inspected them. Here we were
greatly undeceived. Instead of going on down country for home, as we
expected, we received orders to equip, and furthermore to leave the old
brigade we were so fond of under General Mahon, and join General
French's column in General Dickson's brigade.

The men of Lumsden's Horse arrived in the midst of a very heavy
hailstorm. Like all true soldiers, they were ready to make a jest of
discomfort, and seeing the company commander, whose name happened
to be Jim, as he crawled imder the shelter of his tente d'abri, they struck
up the then popular music-hall chorus :

0 lucky Jim,
How I envy him I

Colonel Lumsden was at this time speculating on the chances
that his corps might soon be ordered home, and in a letter to
Sir Patrick Playfair, written while still in hospital, he says :

Ever since we entered Pretoria on June 5 and marched through it to
Irene it has been even betting that the war might end any day or keep
on with this kind of guerilla fighting till Christmas. It looks very like
the latter now. I have discussed the matter frequently, while lying in
my bed here, with Colonel Wools-Sampson, commanding the Imperial

338 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Light Horse, and Colonel Craddock, commanding the Australian contin-
gent, both in Mahon's brigade with myself. They fully hold my opinion
that, although this unexpected delay comes harder on the Volunteer
personally than was anticipated when he joined, yet it was all in the
bargain. I also assure the men that Government looks upon the
Colonial Volunteer movement as much too big a factor in this crisis
to be ignored or undervalued, and that not one day beyond what
is actually necessary shall we be kept in harness in this country.
There is no doubt that the complete pacification or subjugation of
this huge Colony is a much bigger question than we soundly tackled
at the start, or were prepared to face. De Wet and Botha are harder
nuts to crack than we imagined. I am extremely proud of and pleased
with the doings of the corps, and I feel sure it has been worthy of its
Honorary Colonel and its many friends and supporters in the land we hail
from. How kind Lord Roberts has been to us and to me personally I
can hardly state here.

Our good fortune in the way of obtaining commissions in the Regular
forces speaks volumes on this point, besides other civil appointments
already granted, to say nothing, I hope, of others in store when we
disband. As regards the Transvaal Police, which a number of my
men were keen to join when it started in June, I distinctly said, ' No, until
we are disbanded. If Government would say " Disband," then I'll do my
best for you with conmiissions, &c. ; but until then. No.' The terms were
10^. per diem, horse allowance, and rations. Of course these were tempt-
ing to men playing a hard game on Is. 2d. per day, but Government soon
stopped enrolment, the New Zealand Government having declined to let
their Volunteers join. I hear it is being opened again to a small extent,
mostly for mechanics, but these are not the class I've got. What they
mean really to do is to make the Transvaal and Orange River Police the
soldiers of the immediate future, and take all the suitable Volunteers they
can to back it up. A right good plan too, and I fancy they are only
waiting for the opportune moment to do so.

As regards funds, I feel sure we shall end up well. I never lose a
chance of buying little extras for the men in the way of Boer tobacco and
tinned milk.

Any quantity of the stores for officers went astray, and heaps were
given away to the men, &c. I can truly assure you the officers will not
make much out of the hunt !

I don't know what my movements will be — Calcutta or London,
depending on that of the corps. At one period our orders were the
latter, to be in the Colonial Volunteer Inspection by the Queen, but
I fear it is too late in the day for that to come oflf, and that it will
now be Calcutta direct for all that remain of ue. Well, as you know.

EASTWARD TO BELFAST AND BARBERTON 339

it is hard to beat in the cold season, and always enjoyable to me, so
I don't mind.

So ended the experiences of Limisden's Horse under Brigadier-
General Mahon's command. They had been with him two
months in circumstances that try the mettle of men, whether
ofl&cers or privates, and their devotion to him had increased day
by day. In camp or in action he was always the same, never
worrying himself or harassing his men. On the contrary, he more
than once gave up his own rough shelter in a deserted house or
hut so that his troops might have firewood for cooking their
scant rations of tough mutton or horseflesh. Their confidence
in him was unbounded because they said he never got them into
a tight place without knowing how to get them out again ; and
they would have followed him anywhere. That was the feeling
of all ranks in the brigade for their General. His confidence in
them was equally firm. In a letter which the Editor has
permission to quote, that distinguished leader writes : ' Lumsden's
Horse served with me for some months, and a better lot of men
and ofl&cers could not be found.'

A HALT ON THE MARCH TO BARBERTON:

GENERAL MAHON AND COLONEL WOOLS-SAMPSON

{A Snapihot bjr the Editor)

z 2

340 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

CHAPTEK XVII

MABCHING AND FIGHTING^-FBOM MACHADODOBP TO HEIDEL-
BEBG AND PBETOBIA UNDEB GENEBALS FBENCH AND
DICKSON

Before presenting as a connected whole the separate descriptions
deahng with a movement which had for its object the disintegra-
tion of Boer forces that still held the high veldt and thus threatened
both railway lines east of Johannesburg, it will be well to sum-
marise briefly the experience of troopers under Captain Beresford's
command while separated from the headquarters of their corps.
It will be remembered that when General Mahon set out from
Pretoria to join General French in his dash on Barberton more
than two-thirds of Lumsden's Horse were left behind waiting for
remounts, with instructions to follow as fast as possible, or as soon
as General Cunningham, under whose orders they were placed
for a time, might permit. What happened then is especially inter-
esting as evidence of the class of horse that was being issued to
mounted troops at that stage for operations against an exceedingly
mobile enemy. The Boers were then practically nomads, having
no fixed bases from which supplies were drawn, and therefore no
lines of communication to be cut. Pursuit of them was there-
fore very much like hunting a fox that has been driven out of
his own familiar country. If he runs the pack ' out of scent,'
there is nothing to serve as a guide for the casts that may be
made in hope of hitting off the line again, for nobody can say
what the probable ' point ' is ; and unless he can be brought to
hand by a pursuit that never tires and never goes wrong, we may
be sure that there is no chance of running him to ground. Most
of the Boer leaders at that time had their wives and families
with them. Mrs. De la Eey had been living in an ox-waggon,

Photo: Johnston d: Hoffmann

H. P. BROWN, A Typical Tboopee

FEOM MACHADODORP TO PBETORIA 313

without fixed abode, since the beginning of war, and accom-
panying her husband on every trek from Magersfontein to
Colesberg, and thence in succession to Driefontein, Brandfort,
Kroonstad, the Vaal Eiver, then on to meet Mahon's column
south of Maf eking, back in haste for the defence of Johannesburg
and Pretoria, from there to Diamond Hill (or Kietfontein as the
Boers call it), then back northward through the bush veldt, and
so to the Magaliesberg Range again. Against an enemy thus
independent of railways or beaten tracks none but well- mounted
troops with horses in the best of condition could hope to achieve
much. For corps in the same plight as Lumsden's Horse, how-
ever, nothing better could be found than under-bred Argentines or
weedy Hungarians, gross from the combined effects of idleness
and injudicious feeding, and soft from want of exercise, badly
broken, and therefore ill-mannered. One trooper, whose comments
are based on actual experience, as he was among the men to
whom horses were issued for trial, only on the morning of the
day when they marched from Pretoria, writes of the ' strange
exhibitions ' with this lot of remounts which, to put it mildly,
had not been ridden much before. ^ They were just off the ship,
fat and very soft, and full of beans. One fellow was bucked off,
another dragged, and several very uncomfortable. The horses
had no mouths ; they wouldn't answer to bit, rein, or spur, and it
was impossible to get one away from the rest.' When the
corps returned from its long trek nearly everybody was in rags,
and very unlike the ' typical trooper ' of ten months earlier, whose
smart turn-out had been a source of pride to the corps. Clothing,
however, ran short, and many men had difficulty in replacing
their tattered garments by new of any kind.

However, this detachment, under Captain Beresford, having
cleared up its camp, marched out a day after the corps head-
quarters had gone and bivouacked that night ten or twelve
miles east of Pretoria, near the pass known as Donker Hoek.
Colonel Lumsden, having remained behind to see them off, went
on a stage or two by train, hoping that they would overtake the
leading company before it joined General French. The two
detachments were, in fact, though they did not know it, within
cannon sound of each other on September 6, when Mahon had
turned back from Belfast to help the Canadians at Pan station ;

344 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

but, after that, every march took them further apart, the Colonel
pushing on with what remained to him of A Company as parfc of
Mahon's brigade, while Captain Beresford's hundred could make
but slow progress on their leg-weary, spiritless horses. The
latter troops, on arrival at Belfast, were inspected by Lord Roberts,
who rode through their lines but made no speech to them.
General Hutton, who was with the Headquarters Stafi, cast long-
ing eyes on Lumsden's Horse, looked them over, and told Captain
Clifford that he meant to take them on with him. Against such
wholesale appropriation, however. Captain Beresford protested,
saying that the men wanted to join their own corps and the
horses were not fit yet. After appeal to Lord Roberts, Captain
Beresford got his way. While at Belfast the detachment had
unpleasant experience of winter temperature at an altitude of
more than 6,500 feet above sea level. They tried to supply
artificial fuel to the system by additional rations, but were
not very successful, as the resources of Belfast at that time
were low indeed, and certain restrictions had to be placed on
traflfic with the Dutch inhabitants, one of whom sold bread from
the eating of which twelve or fourteen men of an Infantry
regiment had been poisoned. So sentries were posted to warn
all soldiers against buying provisions. To keep out the icy wind
some men built themselves little huts of corrugated iron, in the
construction of which we learn that Kingchurch and Cobb and
the brothers Allardice distinguished themselves among one
section of B Company. Captain Beresford came to have a look
at them, and in notes of that time is the appreciative entry :
' He is a very pleasant man and always pohte to every one of us.
He said our tin house was much better than the officers' tents.
He told us also that Lord Roberts had expressed himself very
much pleased with the appearance of the men and horses.' At
Belfast also Lumsden's Horse were visited by their former
comrade Chartres — once a corporal in the corps, ' who looked
very smart as an Army doctor.' Their last day at Belfast was
devoted to the mild excitement of watching races, in one of which
Captain Clifford came in about sixth on ' The Mate,' and a note
is made of the fact that the Duke of Westminster, who won the
long-distance steeplechase, ' rode like a workman.' On the whole,
this brief stay at Belfast was more pleasant than first impressions

FROM MACHADODORP TO PRETORIA 345

of it promised, except for nightly excursions after loose Argentines,
one of which drew his picket peg so persistently and got away
on the open veldt so often that Eobertson dubbed him Ulysses
because he was such a wanderer ! The next day (November 11)
Captain Beresford's detachment struck its camp on that breezy
high veldt and marched across the battlefield of Bergendal on its
way to Dalmanutha and Machadodorp as advance guard of
General Cunningham's brigade. No sooner had it got into
camp once more than B Company was selected to furnish an
escort the next morning for Lord Kitchener. The non-com-
missioned officer who was to be in command had no other
uniform than the weather-stained and saddle-worn suit that had
done service throughout most of the campaign. Luckily, how-
ever, one of the Hussars offered to sell sundry things. He was
a Reservist, and knew his way about a military camp. From him
a complete outfit was obtained, and the purchaser then discovered,
much to his amusement, that he had been dealing with one who
was a pushing commercial traveller in private life. So the non-
commissioned officer was able to turn out a credit to the escort.
But some mistake had been made about the rendezvous, which,
however, the escort found at last by the lucky accident of meeting
Major J. K. Watson, Lord Kitchener's A.D.C. By that time
the General had gone on. * So had to follow at a tremendous
pace, galloped up every steep hill and down the other side over
terrible ground, a mass of stones and such clouds of dust that
you could not see the ground or whither you were going. Then
caught up Lord Kitchener, who was riding with General Hamilton
towards a big camp on the top of a hill, where they told us
General Smith-Dorrien was in command. Very soon started
back again. This time Lord Kitchener by himself, and a nice
pace he led us, up hill and down, in clouds of dust. Got back
before 1, having started at 10 and covered twelve miles
altogether.' During a month at Machadodorp, outpost duty and
patrols towards Lydenburg or Helvetia, where Boers were often
seen but never showed fight except by sniping at long range,
formed the ordinary routine. This, however, was varied by foot-
ball matches, for which Lumsden's Horse furnished a strong team
with Hickley in goal, Kirwan and Winder as backs, Courtenay,
Brown, and G. Lawrie halves, Robertson, Luard, Holme, Tancred,

346 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

and Lloyd-Jones forwards. Unfortunately, Eobertson injured
his knee in one of these matches and had to go into hospital.
It was at Machadodorp that Sergeant Stephens, of the Indian
Commissariat, who was attached to the Transport Staff of
Lumsden's Horse, distinguished himself by several solitary ex-
peditions into the unexplored countiy round about. From one
of these he came back with a pom-pom carriage which he had
found at a farm and several ' poor orphans,' as he described pigs
whose owners had deserted them. Once, however, he got
caught himself, as narrated in Captain Taylor's private collection
of reminiscences :

We had an Indian Transport sergeant lent to us, and a very good
useful man he was ; but he always had a desire to kill a Boer with his
own hand and to be able to swear to it. One day
when he was out getting supplies he saw an armed
Boer riding over an adjacent ridge, so he left his
carts and cantered away to cut him off. On
nearing the ridge he slipped off his horse and
proceeded on foot. Topping the ridge, he saw the
Boer coming towards him and had him dead
practically. Suddenly something touched him.
Looking up, he saw three rilSe muzzles, and he
was a prisoner with a party of Boers. They took
his rilSe and horse and told him to come along
SERGEANT STEPHENS with them. He walked between them for a
bit, and, being a very amusing Irishman, proceeded
to explain that in his opinion it wasn't entertaining him like a guest to
make him tramp while they rode. They treated the subject at first as
a joke, but he was so persistent that they at last grew angry, and
threatened to shoot him if he didn't be quiet. On this point also he was
found to be so argumentative that at last in despair they told him to
make himself scarce, which he did with alacrity, arriving in camp by
evening none the worse for his adventure, and quite pleased, as he had
only suffered to the extent of a walk, a Government rifle, and a compara-
tively useless pony.

While Lord Koberts remained at Machadodorp, B Company
was often called upon to furnish an escort of the smartest
men, and for this duty Cobb, Kingchurch, David and Hugh
Allardice, Ian Sinclair, Eobertson, and Biscoe, or at least
two or three of them, were generally selected. But the time

CORPORAL G. LAWRIE

F. G. BATEMAN

L. KINGCHURCH

IAN SINCLAIR

SERGT. A. H. LUARD

PERCY COBB

HARVEY DAVIES

A. E. CONSTERDINE

D. ROBERTSON

NC.O.S AND TROOPERS

PBOM MACHADODORP TO PEETORIA 849

for more active service had come again, and with the return of
A Company from Barberton to Machadodorp Captain Beresford's
command ceased to have an independent existence.

It was on October 6 that Major Chamney's force marched
into camp without horses, and on the following day Colonel
Lumsden passed through Machadodorp in the Princess Christian's
hospital train bound for Pretoria. Having received a sufficient
number of remounts from among horses that had been left behind
by the Imperial Light Horse and 18th Hussars, the corps was
ready to take its place in General Dickson's brigade for the
sweeping movement by which it was hoped that General French
would clear the country between De Kaap Mountains and
Pretoria. Nobody at the time thought that it would be rather
more like a rearguard action, continued from day to day, than a
triumphal progress. We know that from morning to night the
Boers followed every movement of French's columns, potting at
them almost incessantly. No matter at what hour the British
troops began their march or halted in bivouac, or how often they
changed direction, the enemy was always with them, and always
close enough to see, though not often seen. A more harassing
march has probably never been endured by any force of similar
strength in that country. All these things we know, but men
kept for the privacy of their own diaries a record of the physical
suflferings that came to them through hunger and thirst where
food, if not scarce, could seldom be cooked because of the thunder-
storms night after night and the absence of firewood. Notwith-
standing all these discomforts, we find a cheery strain running
through the unprinted records of Lumsden's Horse, and quite a
joyful note when by chance the means of making a fire falls in their
way. Then somebody is sure to be provided with meat to cook,
and we are told how Kingchurch unexpectedly produced ' chops
done to a turn,' or Cobb's stew ^ was a triumph,' or how * the inde-
fatigable Hugh cooked chops while it still rained, and after dark
he cooked mutton for to-morrow.' The chronicler, in his grati-
tude, says : ' Such men deserve to be remembered, and to have
their honoured names handed down to posterity,' and so they find
a place in this History. One night, when rain was being driven
in sheets by a howling wind across the bare hillside, some of
Lumsden's Horse could find no better shelter than an ant-heap.

360 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

round the lee side of which they grouped themselves, huddling
together for warmth. Kingohurch, finding them there, said in
his whimsical way that they had selected the * most epithetally
uncomfortable ant-heap in all South Africa.'

It is almost impossible to follow consecutively the move-
ments of General French's columns, which consisted of a nominal
brigade under General Mahon (the 8th and 14th Hussars and
M Battery R.H.A.), a second under General Gordon (7th Dragoon
Guards, Scots Greys, and guns), and a third, which included
Lumsden's Horse, a half-battalion Suffolk Eegiment, 0 Battery
R.H.A., and pom-pom section, under General Dickson. Two
Cavalry regiments, the Scots Greys and Carabiniers, with a
battery of Artillery, were kept under General French's personal
direction on at least one occasion, and used by him with great
effect when by marching out of Bethel he induced the Boers to
come in, and then pounced on them. This, however, is general
history. The operations in which Lumsden's Horse took part are
described by several correspondents in the following narrative :

At the beginning the original idea was to move on a wide front
through Carolina, Ermelo, Bethel to Heidelberg, and in consequence we
started in the afternoon of October 11 with Dickson's brigade in the
centre, its main duty being to escort and protect the reserve convoys
of all three columns, Mahon being eight to nine miles off on our right and
Gordon a similar distance on bur left, these two columns taking with them
only necessary supplies for a few days.

The very first day Mahon got a severe check, losing somie five officers
and fifty men, while the next day Gordon on the left was in turn hotly
engaged. After this General French deemed it politic to bring in the
flank columns closer, and thenceforth we proceeded with only half our
former front, thus rendering mutual assistance more easy. Although
the division consisted of three brigades, so called, Mahon's was only
about 500 strong, Gordon's 600, and Dickson's 700, amounting in all to
only three regiments on full strength.

Our task was an extremely arduous and difficult one, for the first few
marches were through hilly country, and the convoy advancing in a single
string covered seven miles. To protect it from surprise we had but 400
mounted troops, the Infantry being kept more or less concentrated near
the waggons. You can imagine, therefore, that our sphere of operations
was a very extended one, much being evidently left to the initiative of
individuals, as personal control by officers was well-nigh impossible. This
was the kind of fighting that brought into prominence the good points of

FROM MACHADODORP TO PRETORIA 351

Irregular troops, of which every man is used to act on his own respon-
sibility as occasion demands, wherein he differs from the trained soldier, who
is educated to act on orders only. The nature of the convoy added greatly
to the fatigue men had to endure. Oxen formed part of the convoy and, as
they are unable apparently at this season of the yeai* to march except in the
cool of the morning and evening, the working day comprised twenty-four
hours. The usual marching hour for * ox ' was 4 a.m., necessitating riveille
at 2.15 often in the rain, the * mule * following an hour later. The convoy
commenced packing at 8 o'clock, and a halt was observed till 2 or 3 in the
afternoon. In the afternoon * mule * led off, the * ox ' following. By this
arrangement the * ox ' avoided all heat, but never got into camp till 9 p.m.
or thereabouts. Mounted troops had far the worst of this, for while the
Infajitry could put in a long sleep and have a good meal, the mounted
troops, broken up into small parties, were posted on hills all round, and
the need to keep a sharp look-out left them few opportunities for sleeping
or getting meals. This bit of country was particularly hard on the men,
as it was with the greatest difficulty that one could obtain firewood and
water by day ; and as we often arrived in camp long after dark, it was
still more difficult to get an evening camp fire. To add to the trials, half
of the available men were on picket over night, and during the day we
were surprised incessantly. Our picket duties brought us into constant
little engagements in which the corps had the opportunity of acting on
its own, and, being ably handled by Major Chamney, quite distinguished
itself in a small way.

When General Dickson's brigade, or rather huge convoy, to which
we were attached as the only mounted troops, began its march en route
for Carolina, the Brigadier's method was to make an early start, halt
at 10 or 11 o'clock for three or four hours, and then make easy pro-
gress on to camp for the day. The veldt was changing into its spring coat
of green, so that the cattle could graze during halts ; in consequence, their
condition was not so bad. On the morning of the 12th the camp was
aroused by the sound of big guns booming to our right front, and though
the brigade was booked to start at 6 a.m. it was not till 7.30 that the
convoy got on the way. Later in the day the news was heliographed
that the Boers had made a determined attack on General Mahon's camp,
had driven in the outposts, and had only been beaten back after severe
fighting, Mahon's casualties being as high as fifty. On the 13th the
music of big guns was again heard at dawn, but to our left front, and the
news came through that the Boers had attacked Gordon, but this time
received a reception they were totally unprepared for, while Dickson with
the convoy had camped by 1.30 p.m. outside Carolina. As Carolina had
been in Boer occupation since the time General Mahon touched there
on his way to Barberton, every precaution was taken against any surprise.

352

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Kumoar said the Boers had sworn to trap French or take the convoy, and
therefore our escort was augmented by the 7th Dragoon Guards, Scots
Greys, and 0 Battery K.H.A. Our experience for the second time of
Carohna was a bitter one ; not only was the weather intensely cold, but the
whole regiment was sent out on outlying picket for twenty-four hours.
On the 15th a five-mile march was made, but on the 16th at 2.30 a.m.
riveille was whistled, and at 3.45 Lumsden's had started at a gallop as
advance guard, a dense fog prevailing. A midday halt of three hours
was made at Krantzpan, but camp was pitched at Klipsteple after dark.
Klipsteple is the highest point in the Transvaal, and a huge smooth-
faced boulder stands on the high-
way. On this boulder visitors have
engraved their names, so that it is
almost covered with letters and
dates, though the names, so familiar
to all, of the leaders of the Boer
cause are conspicuously absent. On
the 17th we formed the rearguard,
and were engaged in destroying a
farm when a party of about 200
Boers reconnoitred our vicinity.
We looked at one another, and
they evidently decided against a
fight, for Mahon had that morning
beaten this same lot rather badly.
They retired on Carolina, and we
proceeded onward to camp. From
this point our further progress was
slow, as the Boers hugged the
flanks and persistently attacked the
rearguard. It was a new light to
view the enemy in, and it came some-
what as a surprise. Hitherto the Boer had adopted the running game.
It was very gratifying to hear that the enemy possessed neither guns nor
big-gun ammunition. On the 18th A Company were doing advance guard,
supported by B Company, when they suddenly encountered the fire of
thirty Boers strongly entrenched at point-blank range. They fell back,
and No. 4 Section, B Company, advanced and, opening volley fire under
Captain Sidey's orders, soon cleared the front, while 0 Battery sent shell
after shell into the fleeing horsemen. Captain Kenna — well known in
India — Dickson's Brigade Major, was good enough to speak favourably of
us. It was the first ' scrap ' we had had under his leadership. During the
cannonade a funny incident occurred. A rifle and bandolier were found

Photo: Vandpk

CAPTAIN C. LYON SIDEY

FROM MACHADODOEP TO PRETORIA 353

in a farm where only women were to be seen. As this meant burning
the farm and seizing all stock, the Boer's wife, riding on a man's saddle,
sought out the General, who chivalrously acceded to her request, and
the burning was countermanded. The next day passed quietly as far as
we were concerned, though Mahon's guns could be heard in rear from
time to time. Hitherto the enemy had employed guns, but to-day the
welcome intelligence was passed along that they were completely out of
gun anmiunition. The camp was pitched at Bethel, a tow'n containing only
some six families, three of them English. On the 20th (morning) the
regiment paraded for inspection by General French, who took advantage
of the day's halt at Bethel to say a few words of encouragement to each
regiment. Addressing Lumsden's Horse, he said ^ that the reputation of
the corps stood very high ; their behaviour and gallantry were spoken of by
everyone, and, though he had no personal knowledge of the corps, he had
heard of their splendid work and the good service they had done. There
was no doubt that everyone of all ranks was anxious for a rest, which
was well deserved. There was no saying, however, what might happen,
but he hoped the onward march to Heidelberg would be an easy one, and
he trusted to Lumsden's Horse maintaining to the end that reputation
for gallantry they had worthily earned.' At the conclusion of the
address. Major Chamney called for three cheers for General French. As
the Boers were hovering all round us, the entire regiment spent the
night on outlying picket ; and it was a night ! — wet, cold, and miserable.
At 3 A.M. on the 22nd the brigade stood to arms, and by 4.30 Bethel had
been left behind. The Boers were most persistent, and tenaciously hung
round us, losing no opportunity of sniping. About 2"p.m. we were caught
in a terrific hailstorm, the hail lying an inch thick upon the veldt, when
it ceased, leaving us shivering and drenched .though cheerful enough
as we resumed our onward course at the gallop to restore circulation
in men and horses. Before camping we did some distant shooting at
the enemy, but gave it up as too long a range. The water at this camp
was inky black, but in the absence of better had to be used for tea and
coflfee, though many decided to defer a wash till next day. The whole
regiment were again put on duty as pickets, and in their exposed positions
had a bitter experience of a typical South African hailstorm during
that afternoon. The next day the rSveille whistle sounded at 2.30 a.m.,
and the different brigades were on the move by 4.15. The enemy kept
up sniping systematically on the flanks, while the guns in rear were in
action some half-a-dozen times during the day. During the afternoon a
terrific hailstorm burst over us, saturating our garments and making
everybody very miserable. The hail lay inches deep on the veldt.
Prisoners were taken daily, and a few refugee women were under our pro-
tection. A singular incident occurred on this day. One of the prisoners

A A

354

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

who had surrendered handed in a Lee-Metford rifle belonging to Lums-
den's Horse, which has since been identified as belonging to Corporal
Macgillivray, of A Company, who had been taken prisoner at Ospruit,
our first fight. The 25th, however, was a great day. No. 4 Section
B Company was rearguard left flank, the 7th Dragoon Guards in the
centre-rear, and A Company right flank. Inamediately we had taken up
positions the Boers pressed home an attack on the left, and No. 3
Section B Company, acting as support, was engaged. The Carabiniers
had retired some ten minutes when the left flankers rose from cover and
moved towards their led horses. As they mounted, the Boers reached a

ridge conmaanding our position and
within range ; they peppered us very
smartly as we galloped out of range
without a single casualty. In the
meantime O Battery had come into
action, doing excellent practice.

Startled by the firing, Captain
Clifford's horse took fright, and,
galloping away, was lost in the dis-
tance, Cliflford being then on foot
controlling the firing. * General '
Parks gallantly offered to ride out
and catch the beast, and was allowed
to do so. He quickly vanished from
sight, and nobody knew whither
he had gone. As the convoy had
moved on, orders came for the
rearguard to do likewise, and our
corps, together with the 7th Dragoon
Guards, retired in extended line to
the next ridge, an observation post,
to endeavour to show Parks the
way in. As there was no sign of him for a considerable time. Captain
Taylor, the Adjutant, who had been indefatigable all the morning,
exposing himself to encourage us while we were in a really tight corner,
took out a subsection and scoured the country round searching for
Parks, but without success. The sections (Nos. 4 and 2 of B Company)
had to move on, but Corporal Graves and Troopers Morison, Max-
well, and Betts, on their, own responsibility and in a Quixotic spirit
of chivalry, resolving not to abandon Parks, stayed behind to assist him.
There was danger in that decision, as it exposed those men to the risk
of getting mixed up with, or, at any rate, mistaken, for the enemy.
Captain Sidey noticed their absence, and, being certain they were in

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Z^ 4

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1 i

Mt^

Photo: I/ana, Ltd.

D. MORISON

FROM MACHADODORP TO PRETORIA

355

danger from our own guns, sent Trooper Behan to order the adven-
turous troopers back. In a sporting spirit, however, the men who had
made up their minds to see Parks through refused to come in and
remained on the observation post. Shortly after, another messenger was
sent, with threats of instant arrest if orders were not obeyed. Just as
this man arrived, Parks was seen through a glass leading the Captain's
horse about two miles away to the left rear and close to the flanks of the
former position from which the Boers had been firing. He was making a
very bad line to rejoin us, so Morison oflfered to gallop down and endeavour
to show him the way, despite the half-company officer's orders. This
he did and succeeded in bringing in Parks, but directly our small
party, retiring, crowned the rise, O Battery, from a distance of 4,600
yards, being informed that we were most certainly Boers, plumped > a
shell into the middle of us, the wind of the shell knocking off Graves's
hat and bursting a horse's length behind the party, and, needless- to
say, we galloped in for all we were worth. Luckily for us, the gunner
was informed who we were before sending a second shot along. He
remarked, however, that he thought it was a jolly good shot.

Captain Taylor gives a slightly diflEerent version of the
incident :

We were acting as rearguard to Dickson's column, when Captain
Clifford's horse took fright and ran away while his master was dismounted.
One of our sailors, Parks, went after it, and
followed it for two miles at right angles to our
line of advance. We saw him catch the horse
and begin leading it back, and then saw him no
more, though we waited half an hour. As mes-
sages were coming from the rearguard commander
to us to follow more quickly, we had to leave, all
fully convinced that our poor Parks had been
ambushed.

After a mile or so, our widely extended line
came down a long, fairly steep incline, on the top
of the opposite slope of which we saw our Battery
O in position. As we neared the bottom of the
intervening valley the batterj' opened fire with one round, which burst
on the top of the slope we had just left, and looking round we saw a
party of six men riding down at a gallop, waving a handkerchief. They
turned out to be some of our own men, who, having at the last moment
seen Parks coming in, waited for him. The battery had seen the
heads of mounted men in slouch hats advance quickly, and, mistaking

A a2

CORPORAL J. GRAVES

35$ TffE filSTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

them for Boers following us, had *laid' for them. The shot was
such a good one that it knocked oflf the hat of Sergeant Graves, and the
Adjutant's office went near to losing its clerk, and the Bank of Bengal
one of its rising staflf.

Another correspondent continues the narrative :

On the 26th the united brigades reached Heidelberg by sundown,
but sustained two casualties in the rearguard. The safe escort of the
convoy is locally reported as a creditable performance, and there were no
fewer than 150 casualties in the united brigades since leaving Machadodorp.
It was a very trying march, as rain fell nearly every day in torrents.
Sleep was out of the question in deep pools of water, and reveille daily at
2.30 A.M. gave us little rest. We had taken 109 prisoners and brought on
some twenty refugee families. Heidelberg is the prettiest town we have
yet seen in the Transvaal, nestling as it does at the base of a rugged kopje
in a perfect tope of eucalyptus, willow, peach, and oak trees. The majority
of the houses are above the ordinary type — flowers abound in the gardens,
and the surrounding veldt has donned its spring coat of green ; the fruit
trees are loaded with fruit, which in another month should sweeten our
rations of dry biscuits. But — there is a * but ' — the stores are absolutely
barren. Foodstuffs and provisions of every kind are badly needed
by the residents themselves. A Wesleyan clergjrman informed the writer
that he hadn't tasted meat for a week.

Boses abounded in the gardens attached to the picturesque villas, and
altogether a feeling of peace and security seemed to prevail. Our stay
was a limited one, and on the 30th (morning) the trek was resumed through
Nigel to Springs. The country we had to traverse is rich in mineral
wealth, gold and coal mines being already in existence, while hundreds of
claims are pegged out against the setting-in of peace and the advance of
the capitalist. At Springs, on the return journey to Pretoria, we were
saluted by Colt guns, which were repeatedly fired at us as we approached
the trenches, manned by British troops. Our men were naturally very irate,
and wanted very much to fire back. They considered it particularly hard
lines, since we had been marching in the open and heliographing from a
distance of ten miles. The 31st was a great day, as a parade before His
Excellency Lord Koberts was fixed for 10.30 a.m. The Commander-in-
Chief was punctual to time, and during the inspection addressed himself
to the several companies as he met them. The various regiments then
went past in order of brigades and returned to camp. Major Chamney,
before dismissing Lumsden's Horse, paraphrased what Lord Eoberts had
said to him for the benefit of the regiment. Briefly, it was to the effect
that the disbandment of the corps was at the present time impossible,
but Lord Eoberts had telegraphed to His Excellency the Viceroy asking

FROM MACHADODORP TO PRETORIA 867

him to use his influence in keeping appointments open as far as
possible.

Lumsden's Horse had requested disbandment on the reasonable
grounds of pressing business in India, and the fact of local Colonial and
other Volunteer corps — notably the C.I.V., Loch's Horse, and others —
having been disintegrated. At first an abrupt refusal was given, but
yesterday General French telegraphed to Lord Kitchener and strongly
recommended our case. A reply has been received that only those
having business of an urgent nature in India may return, but they must
pay their own expenses back, only a railway ticket to port of embarkation
being provided. Needless to say, many are going even on these conditions,
but those who desire to go to England have to hang on for an indefinite
period of time still. Only from Machadodorp three Surma Valley men
were allowed to leave, as their appointments were in jeopardy. These
men had free passages back given them. Again, a fortunate few have
been given employment in South Airica, and they were permitted to leave
as their appointments were secured. These number altogether about
twenty. Colonel Lumsden is unfortunately still away from the regiment,
sick at Pretoria. Major Chamney, oflBciating in command, finds his hands
tied to some extent, and cannot do much for us in matters of such moment.
But the feeling in the regiment is very strong, and the term * Volunteer '
is sneered at as a misnomer. If the war was not over it would be quite
another matter ; but it has been announced that the war is practically ended,
and the duties now to be performed are in the nature of police work.

All round Springs was a hotbed of Boers, and patrols proceeding two
or three miles from camp were invariably sniped at. Just outside Springs
we had great luck in finding a brewery which, despite the war, had not
ceased to brew, and we regaled ourselves with limited quantities of Colonial
stout in a vain endeavour to keep out the eternal rain. The Boers, who
were used to dealing with a garrison armed with carbines, were rather
surprised one day when going to round up some cattle they ran into a
small patrol of our corps, and Trooper Consterdine fetched one of them
out of the saddle with a good shot at 1,800 yards, and thus gave them a
lesson which will probably make them more careful.

The weather now became absolutely vile. There were hailstorms
every afternoon, just late enough to spoil any chance of getting dry for the
night. The roads were very heavy, and horses could not get on. We
hoped and concluded the Boers were in the same fix. From Springs
the Boers ceased to give trouble, but this was more than atoned for by
the abominable weather and going. For forty-eight hours it poured
torrents without ceasing, and there was not a dry skin or blanket in the
division. To remove misapprehension, it is necessary to say men had
seen no tents for practically eight months. Bad it was for us and

858 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

the horses, but worse for the Transport, the animals dying daify to
such an extent that it was all they could do to drag empty waggons
into Pretoria. Pistol-shots every morning latterly had announced the
death of animals that had dragged our carts for many miles, and to save
the waggons from falling into the hands of the Boers there was nothing
to do but bum them. It was no uncommon sight to see cattle lying in
the last stages of exhaustion on the road, and ere death ensued beiBg cut
up and looked upon as a great treat by the local Kaffirs.

Everybody was struck by the formation of our Transport when out of
hilly country ; the waggons moved along in a dense mass with a front-
age of about a quarter of a mile and depth of half a mile, the whole mass
forcing its way over nullahs and obstacles irresistibly. It will be obvious
to all that this formation of the convoy lent itself much more easily to
protection than a stream of waggons seven miles long.

At 5 A.M. of November 1 the trek was resumed, the direction being
Pretoria. A heavy drizzle of rain was falling, and without intermission
it continued for three days, only ceasing when Pretoria was seen in the
distance on the morning of the 3rd. Every garment, whether on the
person or in the kit bags, was wet, and never was sunshine more welcome
than on that morning. By 11 a.m. the regiment had camped on the far
side of the racecourse, and for the first time since April experienced the
shelter of tents.

359

CHAPTEE XVIII

HOMEWARD BOUND— APPROBATION FROM LORD ROBERTS—
CAPE TOWN'S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS— FAREWELL TO SOUTH
AFRICA

Though they did not know it at the time, Lumsden's Horse as a
corps had done their last march in the Transvaal, and fired their
last shot against the Boers. They had begun to think that others,
with less chance of serving the Empire elsewhere and fewer
interests caUing them home, could very well do all the work that
remained to be done in South Africa. Yet up to that time their
expressions of a wish to be relieved, as other Volunteer con-
tingents had been, from the fruitless pursuit of guerilla raiders,
was productive of no result. It is hardly surprising, therefore,
after the miserable experiences of a sweeping movement, by which
nothing of any importance had been achieved, and from which
nobody suffered much except the troops engaged in it, that a
spirit of discontent should have begun to manifest itself among
men who knew that every day they remained in South Africa
might jeopardise all their future careers. They were running
the risk of losing all and gaining no commensurate advantage
either for themselves or for the Empire. It is littile to be
wondered at, therefore, that they should have envied the City
Imperial Volunteers, the Canadians, and some other Colonial
contingents which had been allowed to leave for home when
Lord Eoberts declared that regular warfare was at an end. Even
the departure of some of their own comrades, whose plea of urgent
private affairs had prevailed over military considerations, seemed
to some extent a grievance, so that when Thesiger, Townsend-
Smith, and Moir-Bjrres were allowed to go many others regretted
that they also had not applied for passages to India instead of

360 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOKSE

England. So far back as October 9, Army Orders had contained
the following :

Colonial Contingents

It has been brought to the notice of the Field-Marshal Commanding-
in-Chief that many men of the Colonial contingents made arrangements
before leaving their homes for only one year, which has now nearly
expired. Though precise date cannot yet be fixed on which all will be
free, commanding oflBcers may submit names of any urgent cases at
once, and the Field-Marshal hopes that within the next few weeks he
may be able to dispense with their services, which have proved invaluable
to the Empire.

But Lord Koberts, with every wish to meet the convenience
of those who had sacrificed much for the sake of serving under
him, found himself hampered by unforeseen circumstances, which
were fully explained in one of his despatches about this date.
* There still remained much for the Army in South Africa to do
before the country could be said to be completely C9nquered.
Certain Boer leaders, notably De Wet and De la Eey, had still to
be dealt with, and the guerilla warfare carried on by them put
a stop to.' This state of affairs made it imperative that the
Army should be broken up into several comparatively small
columns of increased mobility. Mounted troops were therefore
in more demand than ever.

Great difficulty was experienced in carrying out these necessary
changes owing to the time having arrived for the withdrawal of the
Eoyal Canadian Dragoons, the Eoyal Canadian Eegiment, the three
batteries of Canadian Artillery, and the greater part of the first con-
tingents furnished by Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, and
allowing the members of the second South African corps to return to their
homes and employments after having been embodied for twelve months.
It was impossible to disregard the urgent reasons given by our Colonial
comrades for not being able to remain longer at the seat of war. They
had done admirable service and shown themselves well fitted to take
their places by the side of Her Majesty's Eegular troops, and I witnessed
their departure with deep regret, not only on account of their many
soldierly qualities, but because it materially impaired the mobility and
efficiency of the Army in South Africa for the time being, a very critical
time, too, until indeed a fresh body of Mounted Infantry could be formed

8ERGT. G. E. THESIGER E. B. MOIR-BYRES

J. A. BROWN

H. EVETTS SERGT. J. L. STEWART CORPL. W. T. SMITH

H. N. SHAW

E. S. CLARKE

B. E. JONES

N.C.O.S. AND TEOOPERS

HOMEWARD BOUND— FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFRICA 363

from the nearest available Line battalions, and the several South African
local corps could be again recruited up to their original strength.

Thus, the Conimander-in-Chief, having declared that regular
warfare was at an end, found himself unable to deal effectually
with raiding guerilla bands for want of enough mobile troops.
In this difficulty he kept faith with those who had completed the
year of service for which they had enlisted by letting them go.
Lumsden's Horse did not come within that category, and, though
Lord Eoberts recognised the justice of their ColoneFs plea on
behalf of men who were sacrificing much, he would promise
nothing until fresh companies of Mounted Infantry could be
formed to fill the places left vacant by Canadians, New Zea-
landers, and Australians who had gone. Colonel Lumsden's
ceaseless efforts, however, had so impressed the Commander-in-
Chief that he sent a cable message to the Viceroy urging him,
as Honorary Colonel of Lumsden's Horse, to use all his influence
with employers on behalf of members of the corps, so that their
appointments in India might be kept open for them a little
longer. Lord Eoberts added : * I trust the war is nearly over,
but it is essential that all shall hold together till the end, and
it would be a hardship to members of a corps that has done
such gallant service if they were to suffer for their devotion to
the cause of the Empire.' Several men whose cases were
exceptionally urgent got permission to leave for India, and
others who had accepted commissions in Kegular regiments or
civil appointments were necessarily taken off the strength of
the corps, which consequently became reduced to little more
than a full company. One of the Colonel's Staff, therefore,
thought it an opportune time to trace the whereabouts of men
who had ceased to serve in the ranks of Lumsden's Horse.
He therefore prepared a record in tabulated form, which was
at that time the most complete return available, though he
prefaced it with an apology for incompleteness :

The corps has shifted about such a lot recently that it is difficult to
know accurately what has happened to many men who were left sick at
various points in the march. But the following is pretty correct so far
as it goes.

364

THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Invalided,
England

FoUett, M. 1 ^. , . ,
Maclaine 1 Died in hospital

Adlam . \

Burnett .
Bankes, E. N.
Bewsher .
Birch .
Burn-Murdoch
Campbell, H. A.,

Sergeant
Campbell, L. C.
Cheshire .
Cooper .
Dawson, Ernest
Elliott, Sergeant
Glascock .
Hunter-Muskett
Jameson, J. V.
Keating .
Logan
McMinn .
Martin, A.
Martin, C. K.
Mitchell .
Neville, Lieutenant

(since rejoined)
Oldham .
Saunders
Skelton .
Thelwall, H. W.
Walton .
A. N. Woods .
Baldwin ,
Thompson, F. C.
TurnbuU

Howes — Invalided, Burma
FoUett, F. B. (convalescent) - ,.,
Gough, H. (convalescent) j r.ar^^ *
Noblett, Captain ^ '

rejoined) )

Bearne — Military Governor's Office,

Pretoria
Booth — Corps Dep6t, Pretoria
Chartres, Corporal — Medical Office,

Middelburg.
Conduit — Pretoria Police
Firth, Corporal — Military Governor's

Office, Pretoria

Invalided
India

, . L Cape
(«>°°"i Town

Francis — Rest Camp, Cape Town
Huddleston — Assistant-Commissioner

of Police, Eroonstad
MacgilHvray— Corps Dep6t, Pretoria
Morris, Corporal— Remount Depart-

I ment, Johannesburg

i Pugh, LieuJbenant— Assistant-Commis-

I sioner of Police, Bloemfontein
Richey— Corps Dep6t, Pretoria
Stuart, C. E.— Military Governor's

I Office, Pretoria
Shaw, H. N.— Corps Dep6t
Watson, Remount Department, Jo-
hannesburg

Warburton— Secretary, Irish Hospital,
Pretoria

Woolkight— Medical Officer, Elands-
fontein

Anderson

P. W. Banks .

H. K. Dawson

Evetts .

Fuller .

PitzGerald . i

F. B. Johnstone ^

Meares .

Nightingale .

Pringle .

Rice

Waller . . ^

Hayward

Longman

Lowe

Lee . ;

Braine n

Chapman, E. SJ

Charles, J. . I

Clifford, F. M.[
(convalescent)

Wilkinson '

Clerk . .

Forbes

Haines, R. P. .

Harvey, C. C. (con-
valescent) .

Kenny (convalescent)

Puckeridge (convales-
cent) .

Transferred tem-
porarily to A. S.
Corps, Pretoria

Regular signallers
transferred to
Hamilton's Divi-
sion

Hospital, Pretoria

Hospital,
Germiston

Hospital,
" Bloemfontein

HOMEWj^RD BOUND— FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFRICA 365

Pryce (convalescent) ^

Walker, Arthur (con- [ Hospital,

valesoent) . [ Bloemfontein

Willis . . . j
Jones, B. E. — Convalescent, Elands-

fontein

Sladden — Hospital, East London
Walton, C, F. — Hospital, Johannes-
burg

Cubitt I ^^^^*®^ discharge, England
Graham, J. A, — Granted leave, India

Of the above-named, Elliott, Bum-Murdoch, and C. A. Walton were
invalided on account of wounds. J. S. Saunders cracked a bone in his
arm when he took the fall at Spytfontein which cost him his liberty, and
he has been sent home by the medical authorities as being incapacitated
for further service. C. E. Stuart is also unfit for active service, as the
wound in his foot sustained at the taking of Pretoria has left permanent
effects. He moves about gingerly, and is buoyed up with the hope of a
pension for life. Stuart wears spectacles, and he'll need 'em badly when
it comes to drawing his quarterly allowance.

Poor Maclaine, who died here of pneumonia on August 29, makes the
eighth death in the regiment. Though most of us are enjoying splendid
health and spirits, it is sad to reflect that to so many our campaign in
South Africa has brought but sickness and broken constitutions.

Some record of those old comrades whose services have won well-
merited recognition, and whose subsequent movements I have endeavoured
to trace for the delectation of cousins, aunts, creditors, and insurance
company secretaries, would not come amiss. The home authorities and
Lord Boberts himself have treated the regiment most generously in the
matter of commissions in the Begular Army, as the following list will
show. Men named have been gazetted, as far as I can rememb^, to the
regiments stated below :

W. Douglas Jones, A. S. Corps
Montagu Bates, East Surrey Regiment
J. S. Biscoe, West India Regiment
P. J. Partridge, Northamptonshire
Regiment

B. C. A. Steuart. Black Watch
Arathoon, 3rd Dragoon Guards

R, G. Collins, West India Regiment
Fletcher, A. S. Corps

C. R. Macdonald, Argyll and Suther-
land Highlanders

J. A. Eraser, West India Regiment

Percy Smith, Oxfordshire L.I.

G. P. O. Springfield, 3rd Dragoon

Guards
P. Strahan, South Stafifordshire Regi-
ment
F. W. Wright, A. S. Corps
H. S. N. Wright, A. S. Corps
T. B. Nicholson, West India Regiment
Norton, West India Regiment
Hugh Blair, Somersetshire L.I.

Of the above, Macdonald's, I think, has not yet been confirmed, but
all the others have gone, some to their regiments in the country, and
others to report at the War Ofl&ce. Arathoon, who has been one of

366 THE HISTOKY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

the best and cheeriest of the regiment, is, I am sorry to say, in the Irish
Hospital here recovering* from a bad go of rheumatic fever, which will
prevent him from joining his new regiment for a long time.

Meanwhile it appears that Colonel Lumsden had been trying
to secure for Calcutta one of the guns so gallantly captured by
his men. He received the following letter :

Army Headquarters, Johannesburg : November 8, 1900.

Dear Colonel Lumsden, — With reference to your request to be
permitted to take back to Calcutta one of the guns captured from the enemy,
the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief desires me to inform you that
he fears you must wait until he knows definitely what guns he has to
dispose of. Believe me, yours sincerely,

H. V. Cowan, Lieutenant-Colonel, Military Secretary.

That the corps were not so homesick as to have lost their
zest for sport or for the simple pleasures that came in their way
may be gathered from the following note furnished by their late
Adjutant :

On the conclusion of the march from Machadodorp we were left to
re-equip for ten days at Pretoria, and were one day asked to produce an
officers* polo team. We had some seven officers to choose from, and a
few chargers ^which were small enough for the game; no sticks, and
only parade saddles, and we had never played together. However, we
produced a team and went to the fray. We found it was quite a big
affair. There was a crowd of spectators, with a fair ground, umpires,
whistles, &c., and we agreed to play * Hurlingham Eules,' which none of us
knew. They kindly lent us polo-sticks of sorts, and the game began. It
was a really good game, and the chargers, rendered docile by work and
starvation, played wonderfully. However, we were beaten by two goals
to one, and in the return match we each got one goal. We were quite
proud of the show, as our opponents represented the whole garrison,
including one Cavalry division, and were in some practice.

One day about this time the Editor was present at a Uttle
scene which may be interesting as an example of the many
strange meetings that characterised a campaign in which men
from all parts of the world came together. His son, a lieutenant
in the Army Service Corps, had just been transferred from an
Irregular Cavalry regiment, and they were celebrating the first
occasion of being together since the relief of Ladysmith. At

H. S. N. WRIGHT

J. D. L. ARATHOON

S. L. LONG-INNES

F. W. WRIGHT

R. G. COLLINS

A. E. NORTON

CORPL. F. S. M. BATES W. DOUGLAS JONES

T. B. NICHOLSON

GAZETTED TO THE EEGULAE AEMY

HOMEWARD BOUND— FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFRICA 369

another table Colonel Lumsden and some of his officers were
dining. Introductions followed, when suddenly Captain Holmes
and the young lieutenant greeted each other by familiar nick-
names which neither had heard for some years. As students
they had served together in the Artists' Volunteers, of which
Lord Leighton was then Honorary Colonel. They had been
fighting through the campaign, one from Natal, the other from
Bloemfontein. Their paths had crossed several times without
either knowing it, and here at the end they met in Pretoria
for the first time since boyhood. Such incidents occurred fre-
quently until they ceased to be strange, and they illustrate the
all-prevailing power of a sentiment that drew men from every
quarter of the globe to South Africa, where the Empire's interests
centred. All were then beginning to think that there might be
still a long spell of campaigning before them, and, in spite of a
httle natural grumbling, they took the prospect philosophically
enough, as we may see by the following extract from a trooper's
letter :

At Pretoria we were joined by Captain Noblett and Captain
Stevenson, who had been away on two months* sick leave visiting
Natal battlefields, and Lieutenant Neville, who had left us sick in June,
been to England, and come back, and little expected to find any of us
still there. We were overjoyed to hear we were to have ten days' rest
in tents, the first we had seen for many months. We were now living
on the fat of the land, with — luxury of luxuries — a dry canteen where you
could buy at half price those necessaries of life which had lately been
considered luxuries, the balance being paid out of the funds provided
by our kind friends in India. Here we waxed fat. Colonel Lumsden,
in his absence from the corps, had not been idle, and had been putting
before the highest authorities the real lurgency in many cases to men for
whom prolonged absence from India would mean absolute ruin. To
such purpose did he work that a week after arrival we received the
welcome news that seventy of the most urgent cases were permitted to
go. We saw them off on November 15 under Major Charaney, and
then returned to camp in full anticipation of another year of it. A week
after this came the joyful news that the whole corps was also to return
at once, and on the 22nd we entrained for Cape Town. Despite various
alarms, railway accidents, and breaking up of the line in front of us, we
arrived in Cape Town without mishap.

Alas ! for the horses. Only four remained to come back with

B B

370 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

the corps. Some troopers hoped to have brought the regimental
dog, who was quite a veteran and by distinguished service fully
entitled to ease, with a pension for life. Trooper D. Morison
gives the following sketch of him :

He first attached himself to the regiment at Irene in July 1900. He
very soon became a popular character among us, and went by the name
of Kruger, and from that time on he was always to be found with the
regiment. His intelligence was almost human, and it is a mystery how
he could always find the regiment when marching with other troops.
On more than one occasion he has been the means of finding men in
distant parts of the field owing to his white colour. That dog and
Trooper Burgess seemed to understand each other perfectly. He started
from Pretoria with the regiment en route for India, but unfortunately got
left behind one morning at a wayside station.

On November 21 Lord Eoberts telegraphed to Colonel Adye,
A.A.Gr. for Colonial Forces :

Please convey the following message to Colonel Lumsden. Am
extremely sorry to be unable to see Colonel Lumsden*s regiment and say
good-bye before they leave South Africa. I am telegraphing to the
Viceroy, who is Honorary Colonel of the regiment, to express my apprecia-
tion of the admirable work done by all ranks during the present war.
Colonel Lumsden and all serving under him have my best wishes for
their future success.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden replied :

Kindly convey to Field-Marshal Lord Roberts the deep appreciation
felt by my regiment and myself of the great kindness expressed in his
telegram and shown to us throughout the period we have had the honour
of serving under him.

That telegram was not known in Cape Town when, on
November 22, Major Chamney, with the convalescents and those
who had been allowed to leave the corps a week earher, marched
to the Docks, headed by the band of the Cheshire Regiment, and
embarked for India on board the ' Catalonia.' They went off
amid loud cheers from ship and shore, little thinking that the
corps would so soon follow or that its departure would be
marked by a great demonstration complimentary to every man
in its ranks.

Sixteen of the corps embarked, under Major Chamney 's

HOMEWARD BOUND-FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFRICA 371

command, in the ' Catalonia/ and sailed from Table Bay in the
company of 600 Boer prisoners. At Durban, finding measles
on board the * Catalonia,' they disembarked, and took the Clan
steamer * Sinclair' to Calcutta, calling at Galle by the way.
They were Sergeants Stewart, Pratt, and Oakley ; Corporal
Home, Lance-Corporal Phillips, Troopers Dalton, Clarke, Elsie,
Biscoe, H. Allardice, Elwes, Hight, Lucas, Moore, Brown, and
H. C. Wood. The last named was seized wdth measles and had
to be left at Galle.

On November 23 Field-Marshal Lord Eoberts telegraphed
to His Excellency the Viceroy of India (Lord Curzon of
Kedleston) as follows :

Lumsden's Horse left Pretoria to-day for India, about 120 strong.
I cannot allow the corps to leave South Africa without expressing to
your Excellency, as their Honorary Colonel, my appreciation of the
excellent services rendered throughout the war by ofl&cers, non-com-
missioned officers, and men. Many of them have received commissions in
the Eegular forces, and many are remaining in South Africa in various
employments, to take their part in the settlement of that country which
they have assisted to add to Her Majesty's dominions. It has been a
pride and a pleasure to me to have under my command a Volunteer
contingent which has so well upheld the honour of the Indian Empire.

The Viceroy, on November 26, replied :

It is a great satisfaction to me, as Honorary Colonel of Lumsden's
Horse, to receive the message in which you have testified to their
gallantry and services in the war. India will welcome those who are
coming back with enthusiasm, and wish God-speed to those who stay and
have served in such a campaign, and have earned the praises of such a
commander.

Colonel Lumsden, with the remainder of the corps, embarked
in the * Atlantian ' on December 5, at Cape Tow^n, after a farewell
speech from the Mayor of Cape Town, Mr. T. J, O'Keilly.

The following appeared in the ^ Cape Times ' of December 6 :

About 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon His Worship the Mayor
(Mr. T. J. O'Reilly), accompanied by the Town Clerk (Mr. C. J. Byworth)
and the Mace Bearer, attended at the South Arm to say farewell to the
Indian Volunteer contingent known as Lumsden's Horse, under the com-
mand of Colonel Lumsden. The men were drawn up on the South Arm,

372 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

alongside of which lay the huge transport 'Atlantian,' which was to
convey them to India.

Colonel Lumsden, having called the men to attention, stated that it
was very gratifying to him to know that His Worship the Mayor had so
kindly come down to the Docks to say a few words to them before they
sailed.

His Worship said : Colonel Lmnsden, Oflficers, and Men of Lumsden's
Horse, — I am very pleased indeed to have the honour of saying a few
words to you to-day before you leave South Africa. We are all very
grateful to you for the noble services you have rendered in the field for
us for upwards of twelve months, You are now going home covered
with honour and glory, and I earnestly trust you will find all those you
left behind you well and anxious to give you a hearty welcome, which I
feel sure awaits you on your return. On the outbreak of hostilities in
this country Colonel Lumsden at once offered his services, and also to
organise a corps to proceed to South Africa to fight for Queen and country.
Out of 1,000 men who eagerly offered themselves in response to the call
for volunteers, 250 were accepted. This gratifying response is an eloquent
testimony to the patriotic spirit by which the British race all over the
world are animated. To the public of India and to Colonel Lumsden
belong the credit for the equipment of your corps with everything needful
excepting rifle and bandoHer, and I can only characterise the action of
your Colonel as patriotic in the highest degree, and deserving the hearty
thanks of all, apart from the splendid services rendered in the field. I feel
assured that if Lord Eoberts were now to ask Colonel Lumsden to again
return to the field, his request would be most willingly and promptly
complied with by one and all of the contingent here to-day, who would be
only too eager to follow their trusted and tried leader to further honour
and glory. Some of your members have fallen in the field fighting
bravely for the dear old flag and the honour and prestige of the Empire.
Others, more fortunate, have secured civil and other appointments in the
country in which they have acquitted themselves with so much credit to
the corps and the country from which they hail. Out of the 250 men
comprised in the corps as originally organised, twenty-five have received
commissions, a most gratifying percentage, while fifteen men have
received civil appointments and thirty have joined the constabulary force
commanded by General Baden-Powell, so that on the whole your corps
have done exceedingly well as regards employment in South Africa. It is
also very pleasing to learn that the contingent holds a splendid record from
Field-Marshal Lord Eoberts downwards. I wish to impress upon you the
fact that, after your Queen and the Empire, you were fighting for the vital
principles of right and justice claimed by Mr. Chamberlain and Sir Alfred
Milner, and if Mr. Kruger and Mr. Steyn had been willing to recognise

RECEIVING THE MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN'S FAREWELL ADDRESS
ON THE SOUTH ARM

CHEERING IN RESPONSE

HOMEWAED BOUND— FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFSICA 375

the equity of such claim there would have been no necessity to have
recourse to the sword. It is recognised that the only man who is capable
of establishing permanent peace and settlement in South Africa is His
Excellency Sir Alfred Milner, and by urging this fact, in season and out
of season, whenever the opportunity occurs upon your return to India
you will be rendering a further service to the country which you have
already placed under a lasting debt of gratitude for services already
performed. We are going to send you a little souvenir of your sojourn
in South Africa, and as a slight token of our gratitude and appreciation
for the great work you have done for us ; and as the years roll on and
your children and grandchildren gather around you, probably you may be
asked by a son or a grandson as to the history of the souvenir from South
Africa. In telling the story remember the refrain of the soldier's song :

Roll drums merrily, march away,

Soldiers glory famed in story.

His laurels were green when his locks were grey,

Hurrah for the life of a soldier.

When you look at the souvenir in after-years, when, perhaps, your
locks are grey, you can always bear in mind that the laurels you have won
in this country will remain ever green with us, and we hope ever green
with you. Colonel Lumsden, ofl&cers, and men, I now bid you bo?i
voyage, a safe return home, a happy Christmas on board the good ship
* Atlantian,' and a bright and prosperous New Year in your distant homes
in India.

Colonel Lumsden said : Your Worship, — On behalf of Lumsden's Horse
and myself, I thank you most cordially for the eloquent speech you have
made to-day, and I also thank you for coming down here, I feel sure at
no little inconvenience, to bid us farewell on our departure from these
shores. We shall ever think of the time we spent in South Africa, but I
should like you to understand, Mr. Mayor, that in coming here we were
only actuated by our duty to our Queen and to our country. I have
again to thank you for the trouble you have been good enough to take
in coming down to the Docks this afternoon, and to assure you that we
greatly appreciate your courtesy and kindness.

Colonel Lumsden then called upon the officers and men to join with
him in giving three hearty cheers for the Mayor, and the call was
enthusiastically responded to. His Worship then shook hands with the
Colonel and officers, and expressed the hope that the men would enjoy
their voyage and have a happy Christmas.

So, amid cheers and many good wishes, Lumsden's Horse
took their farewell of South Africa, leaving behind them a

376

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

reputation of which any regiment might have been proud. They
had fought side by side with Eegular soldiers of the British
Army, and earned a character for courage among men whose
self-sacrificing devotion they, in turn, regarded with admiration
and strove to emulate. They had made many friends among
all branches of the Service, Imperial and Colonial, and had won
the respect even of their enemies. It had been their good fortune
to serve under three at least of the ablest leaders who came to
the front in the course of that long campaign, and from every
one of these they won commendation as a body of troopers on
whom reliance might be placed in any emergency. No better
name need any soldiers want to take home with them and hand
down to their children's children.

Photo: R. Brow
LANCE-CORPORAL JOHN CHARLES

377

CHAPTEK XIX

THE BETUBN TO INDIA— WELCOME HOME— HONOURS
AND OBATIONS—DISBANDMENT

On arrival at Cape Town, Colonel Lumsden was told that the
accounts of his corps were the only pay-sheets of any Irregular
contingent that had been kept up to date; and the men of
Lumsden's Horse left South Africa not only in possession of
every shilling of pay then due to them, but just as they had
left India ten months earlier, owing not a debt in the country,
though the country owed them much in the form of obligations
that can never be forgotten except by the men, who, conscious
of duty nobly done, need no other reward. They were leaving
South Africa assured by every testimony that high approval could
give that they had done their duty and done it well. They had
with other soldiers taken their full share of great hardships.
The weariness of long marches, the trying ordeals of exposure to
fierce heat by day and bitter cold at night, sometimes drenched
to the skin when they lay down to rest on the bare veldt with no
tent to shelter them and not always a blanket to cover them, at
other times benumbed by the icy coldness of a wind that
stiffened their wet khaki tunics with frost which the sluggish
blood had not warmth enough to thaw — all these things they
had borne with a manly fortitude that won the respect of war-
hardened veterans ; and they were going back with the knowledge
that the Commander-in-Chief of such an army as Great Britain
had never sent to war before in all the long course of her Empire-
making history, had signified his approval of their conduct in
that telegram to the Viceroy of India expressing recognition
of the excellent service rendered by officers, non-commissioned
officers, and men, of whom he said : ^ It has been a pride and
a pleasure to me to have under my command a Volunteer

378 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

contingent which has so well upheld the honour of the Indian
Empire.'

With these words assuring them of a great soldier's apprecia-
tion, they were going back to the certainty of an enthusiastic
welcome from the people of India, to whose honour all the good
deeds of Lumsden's Horse redound. Of the warmth of that
welcome His Excellency the Viceroy had given them a foretaste
when, in his reply to the message received from Lord Koberts,
he sent back by cable the inspiriting words : * India will welcome
those who are coming back with enthusiasm and wish God-speed
to those who stay.'

It was with knowledge of the deep interest taken by Lord
Curzon in all things concerning Lumsden's Horse that the
Commander-in-Chief telegraphed to him something more than a
formal recognition of their services. It was with characteristic
intuition and tact that the Viceroy replied, giving voice to the
wishes of a whole people and expressing those wishes in the
choicest of phrases. In this telegram Lord Curzon epitomised
the meaning of all that he had said or done for the welfare of
Lumsden's Horse since the corps was formed nearly a year
earlier, and his desire that its services should be recognised both
ofl&cially and publicly as a bond between India and the Mother
Country^ — ^an epoch-making event in which all classes of the
Empire might equally take pride. All this and more His
Excellency continued to demonstrate by the share he took in
welcoming the warriors home, when his eloquent words appealed
alike to the quick sympathies and to the intelligence of those
who heard him speak, or read what he had to say. And long
after the flood of popular enthusiasm had reached its height
he continued to manifest his interest in the corps by practical
efforts to benefit its surviving members, and by a most graceful
tribute to the memory of those whose lives had been sacrificed
for the honour of the Empire. At his own cost. Lord Curzon
erected a tablet in St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta, on which was
inscribed the name of every man of the corps who had died in
South Africa, and himself wrote the touching lines that will
through after-ages commemorate the services they rendered.
Throughout, Lord Curzon's great aim was to foster and encourage
the spirit of volunteering, the importance of which to a world-

SERGT. STOWELL

SERGT. DONALD SERGT. RUTHERFOORD

L.-CORPL. GODDEN

SERGT. H. J. FOX

S. C. GORDON

E. A. THELWALL

F.-SERGT. EDWARDS

A. P. COURTENAY

HOME FROM SOUTH AFRICA— N.C.O.S AND TROOPERS

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 381

wide Empire nobody realises more fully than he. As a proof of
his conviction in this regard, he has succeeded in getting an
Inspector-General of Volunteers appointed on the Staff in India,
and the first holder of this office is Major-General Hill, of the
Bombay Staff Corps.

Directly it was known through the telegram sent by Lord
Koberts from Irene that Lumsden's Horse were actually on their
way home, a committee met at the Chamber of Commerce and
elected Sir Patrick Playfair as its chairman. This body was
thoroughly representative of the mercantile community and all
the complex elements that constitute the most influential
sections of society in Calcutta. It included judges, barristers,
doctors, solicitors, besides the most prominent native merchants
and princes, and formed altogether one of the most typical
assemblages ever known in the city. It was called to decide what
sort of reception should be given to Lumsden's Horse, and its
deliberations closed with the unanimous resolve to make the
occasion worthy alike of a great country and of those who had
fought for its honour with a courage and devotion characteristic
of British soldiers. The decision was telegraphed to His
Excellency the Viceroy, who was at that time absent from
Calcutta on tour. The Committee were very anxious that
Lumsden's Horse should arrive in time to take part in the New
Year Proclamation Parade commemorating the Empress of
India's accession, when, according to custom, there is a great
military concentration in Calcutta of Kegular troops. Volunteers,
and all branches of the Imperial Service to be reviewed by the
Viceroy.

In reply to Sir Patrick Playfair's message the following
telegram was received :

Copy of a Telegram from TJ. 8. F. to Sir Patrick Playfair , dated
Bangalore, December 8, 1900.

The Viceroy will be very glad to take part in any reception that
it may be possible to organise for Lumsden*s Horse on their return to
Calcutta, and would gladly entertain them to lunch or in some other
way ; he consulted military department upon the subject a fortnight
ago, but has received no reply ; difficulty seems to be, first, that force is
coming back in separate batches ; 'second, that all of these do not come
to Calcutta, one batch being due at Bombay December 24 ; it is for

382

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

consideration whether it would be possible to invite the whole force to
Calcutta and give them public reception, but there may be difficulties in
this course.

About this time the Executive Committee received a most
gratifying tribute to the reputation that the contingent had
made for itself in South Africa. This was an intimation that
Lloyd's Patriotic Fund had voted 600/., under the rules of the
institution, towards the expenses of Lumsden's Horse in acknow-
ledgment of their services to the Empire. A cheque for this

generous amount had been
forwarded to the Government
of India.

Taking up again the thread
of events, Major Neville Taylor
tells the story of the voyage
from Cape Town to Bombay in
his own cheery way :

We had no horses to look after
and no drill ; no saddles or rifles*
but plenty of accommodation for
the men. I think everyone en-
joyed the rest immensely.

Proceeding to Durban, we
picked up most of the men who
had left on urgent private affairs
in the * Catalonia/ which had been
unexpectedly stopped at Durban.
After the rough living of the veldt,
the good feeding on board ship
was very welcome, and rapidly told its tale in the condition of the men.
Before leaving Cape Town, the Colonel had authorised the purchase of
extra stores for the men out of the corps funds. Two or three evenings
every week were wiled away with sing-songs, and many hours of each
day devoted to sport of some sort. These gave Trooper J. S. Cowen,
the regimental artist, many opportunities of adding character sketches
to the portfolio that was already well filled with subjects from the war.
On Christmas Day the men had a really good dinner, and the officers
were the guests of Captain Wallace, the kind veteran commander of our
ship, the * Atlantian.' After a very hvely voyage, during which but one
ship was sighted since the South African coast sank below the horizon,
we drew near the land of Hindustan once more. A day or so before our

Photo: A.SacM&Co.

J. S. COWEN

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 383

arrival everyone was very busy putting things clean and straight. On the
morning of December 31 we came in sight of the mark-boat, which was
gaily dressed with flags in our honour and gave us a salute with her gun.
This was the first hint we had of the enthusiastic reception awaiting us in
India. As soon as anchor was dropped, we ofiicers received an invitation
from the General to limch with him at the Yacht Club, and an intimation
that the men were all to land at 5 p.m.

On December 26, Brigadier-General Ventris, Commanding at
Bombay, had issued the following Garrison Order :

In connection with the expected arrival of Lumsden's Horse from
South Africa per transport * Atlantian ' on or about the 28th inst., the
Ofl&cers commanding 2nd Bombay Grenadiers and 21st Bombay Infantry
will be good enough to detail their bands to be in attendance at the
Ballard Pier at 8 a.m. (on date to be fiereafter notified).

All Ofl&cers of the Garrison, Eegular and Volunteers, are invited to be
present.

Dress. — Review order, summer clothing.

The following appeared in the District Orders for the next
day:

On the arrival of Lumsden's Horse they will be marched from the
Ballard Pier to Victoria Terminus, via Elphinstone Circle, Church Gate
Street, and Hornby Boad.

The troops and Volunteers in garrison will line each side of Hornby
Road from the Floral Fountain to Victoria Terminus in the following
order, on Friday, the 28th inst., commencing at the Floral Fountain :
Royal Garrison Artillery ; Norfolk Regiment (Detachment at Colaba) ;
2nd Bombay Grenadiers; 21st Bombay Infantry; Bombay Volunteer
Artillery; Bombay Volunteer Rifles; and 1st B. B. & C. I. Railway
Volunteer Rifle Corps.

The Bombay Light Horse will, if possible, furnish a mounted escort.

The Regular troops will rendezvous at the Floral Fountain and the
Volunteers at the Victoria Terminus at 7.30 a.m. As Lumsden's Horse
pass, troops should shoulder arms. When they have reached Victoria
Terminus troops may march to quarters.

Dress. — Review order, summer clothing.

The signal for the arrival of the transport * Atlantian * with Lumsden's
Horse on board will be four guns to be fired from the Saluting Battery.

Officers commanding corps are requested to have someone at the
Saluting Battery up to 6 a.m. on the 28th inst., to ascertain if the
transport is signalled. Should the steamer be signalled after 6 a.m. the
parade will not take place till the 29th inst. at the same hour.

384 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

The * Atlantian/ however, did not reach Bombay Harbour
until 7 A.M. on December 31, with the following officers, non-
commissioned officers, and men of Lumsden's Horse on board :

Colonel Lumsden, Captain and Adjutant Taylor, Captain Beresford,
Captain Noblett, Captain Holmes, Surgeon-Captain Powell. Staff — Regi-
mental Sergeant-Major Hewitt, Regimental Quartermaster- Sergeant Dale,
Staff-Sergeant Stephens, Farrier-Sergeant Marshall, Farrier-Sergeant
Edwards, Pay-Sergeant Fraser, Orderly-Room Sergeant Graves, Sergeant
Longman, Lance-Sergeant S. S. Cuthbert, Saddler Briggs, Privates Lowe,
Lee, and Hayward. A Company — Company Sergeant-Major Mansfield,
Company Quartermaster- Sergeant Booth, Sergeants Fox, Llewhellin,
Stowell, Donald, and Rutherfoord, Corporal Macgillivray, Lance-Corporals
Lemon and Godden, Privates E. S. Clifford, F. M. Clifford, C. H. M. John-
stone, Corbett, Dickens, Bradford, Cowen, Webbe, Kennedy, Courtenay,
Zorab, Renny, Ritchie, Gordon, Atkinson, Watson, Brown, Henry, Allan,
Aldis, John, Newton, Reid, Campbell, Bell, Macdonald, Haines, Smith,
Hughes, Tancred, Bolst, Burnand, Dowd, and Palmer; Transport-
Sergeant Power, Privates Lovegrove, Doyle, Manville, Paxton, Daly, and
Scott; and Lance-Corporal Wheeler. B Company— Sergeant Conduit,
Lance-Sergeant Warburton, Corporal Jackman, Privates Nicolay, Bagge,
Innes, Williams, Nolan, Betts, Turner, Powis, Thelwall, Lytle, Spicer,
Lungley, Winder, Dexter, Martin, Moorhouse, Maxwell, and Allardice ;
Transport- Sergeant Smith, Privates Rice, Crux, Meares, Rust, and
Quartermaster-Sergeant Morris.

Before going on shore at Bombay, Colonel Lumsden received
the following telegram from Sir Patrick Playfair, CLE., Chairman
of the Calcutta Reception Committee :

The people of Calcutta bid you and your gallant corps welcome.
They are proud of the way in which Lumsden *« Horse has represented
India against Britain*s enemies. They wish to do you honour on arrival
in Calcutta. You will be given a public reception, and the military bands
will play you into your camp. It is proposed that your corps should
take part in the Proclamation Parade on the morning of January 1, and
then attend a special Divine Service at the Cathedral. His Excellency
the Viceroy will entertain the corps at luncheon on Wednesday, January 2,
and the reception committee are organising an evening party in the
Town Hall for the night of the same day.

Sir Patrick Playfair supplemented his telegram by a
characteristically cordial letter which Colonel Lumsden found

W. H. NICOLAY

A. ATKINSON

C. H. JOHNSTONE

G. SMITH

SERGT. J. BRENNAN

N. V. REID

W. R. WINDER

R. M. CRUX

L. K. ZORAB

HOME FROM SOUTH AFRICA— N.C.O. AND TROOPERS

C C

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 387

also awaiting him when the * Atlantian ' reached Bombay two
days later :

Calcutta : December 24, 1900.

My deak Lumsden, — Welcome back to India ! You and your gallant
men have done splendid service, of which your countrymen in India, and
your native friends here, are justly proud, and you will have a great
reception. Owing to the numbers that wish to give you and the members
of your corps a hearty welcome, it may not be possible to inaugurate a
public banquet, and the alternative may be a reception in the Town Hall
on the evening of the 1st if His Excellency the Viceroy can be present
after the State dinner at Government House.

The Viceroy is taking the keenest interest in the return of the corps,
and is considering what had best be done. He has expressed his wish to
give the corps a luncheon at Government House.

It is suggested that you should arrive here on the evening of the 31st
or at dawn of the 1st, and be accommodated in camp on the Maidan and
take part in the Proclamation Parade on the morning of the 1st, attend a
short service in the Cathedral, and have a reception in the Town Hall in
the evening,

A meetino: has been called, to be held in the rooms of the Bengal
Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, the 26th, to form a Reception
Committee.

You will be brought across at Government expense, and when in camp
the corps will draw ration pay, and the Executive Committee of Lumsden's
Horse will arrange as formerly for your food while in camp.

It is to be hoped that all the members of your corps will come across ;
and the Viceroy is further desirous that members of the corps who have
already returned to India and taken their discharge should be invited to
come to Calcutta and take part in the parade and public demonstration.
I am, therefore, communicating with those members who have already
returned to India, so far as I am aware of their names and addresses.

The corps will be disbanded here, and the members will receive
warrants for railway fare to their homes.

Expenses connected with the public reception of the corps will be met
independently of the Lumsden's Horse Fund. There is a balance here of
about Rs. 14,000 at credit of the fund. From your telegram received from
Durban — for which I thank you — we infer that you are returning with
about Rs. 40,000. The settlement of account for horses originally con-
tributed by troopers to the corps has yet to be made. This is rather a
large item. If the above balances be left, there should be a fair sum at
the disposal of the corps after liabilities are met.

Messrs. King, King, & Co. have kindly imdertakea to have sola topees

c 0 2

388 THE mSTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

waiting your arrival, as requested by telegram, and also to deliver letters
on board.

I am asking King, King, & Co. to wire to me whenever the steamer is
sighted, and again so soon as they ascertain how many of the corps are
with you — officers and men — on board. This is necessary and desired, as
there is some inconsistency between the military telegraphic information
and that received by me from you with regard to your numbers.

Let me know the date and hour when you will leave Bombay, and
the date and hour when you will reach Howrah; also where, and on
what dates, telegrams will reach you when crossing India.

I shall not ascertain the programme and details of your reception until
after the 27th, and I shall have to wire all this.

Bombay may wish to entertain you, and in accepting their hospitality
be sure that their arrangements vdll bring you to Calcutta in time to take
part in the Proclamation Parade on the Maidan on the morning of
January 1.

It is doubtful if we can mount you. That remains to be seen. If we
cannot do so, the corps must march past, and will probably be formed
into a guard of honour to His Excellency thereafter.

Have you got your arms with you ?

Is there anything in the matter of furnishing that the members of the
corps require on arrival ?

I shall be very glad to see you, old fellow, and join in the hurrahs
that are waiting for you.

Please remember me to all your officers and to the members of the
corps.

I may write to you again to-morrow, but I cannot delay a letter any
longer in case my communication should miss you.

With the warmest greetings to you and your gallant officers and men,
and wishing you all a Merry Christmas,

Believe me,

Yours sincerely,

P. Playfair.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden (Lumsden's Horse),
Bombay.

Colonel Lumsden replied, December 31, 1900 :

On behalf my corps please offer my best thanks to people of Calcutta
for promised reception. Much regret we have arrived too late to join in
Proclamation Parade. Oiu: numbers are seven officers and eighty-nine
men. No arms. Our train leaves Bombay 7 to-night, timed arrive
Calcutta 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The luncheon was a delightful success, as it always is at the

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 389

Yacht Club. Then all officers went on board and the official
disembarkation was got through.

The * Times of India ' of January 1, 1901, had the following :

Among those present at the Bunder when the troops arrived from the
* Atlantian * were : His Excellency Lord Northcote, Governor of Bombay ;
Brigadier-General V. Ventris, Commanding the Bombay District; Lieu-
tenant-Colonel R. Owen, Military Secretary to Lord Northcote ; Captain
Greig, A.D.C.; Colonel Eiddell, Assistant Adjutant-General; Major
Butcher, Commanding R.A., Colaba ; Captain Oldfield, R.A., Captain
Edwardes, Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General; the Honourable Mr.
Justice Crowe ; the Honourable Mr. S. M. Moses ; the Honourable Mr.
John E. Greaves ; Major A. Leslie, Bombay Volunteer Artillery ; Major
Soundy, V.D., Bombay Volunteer Rifles ; Major Fowle, R.A. ; Captain
Browne ; Lieutenant G. W. Moir, Bombay Light Horse ; Captain Stoddart,
B.V.A. ; Lieutenant Robertson, R.A. ; Captain J. Leash, Captain Savage,
Captain Rogers, Lieutenant Deane, Lieutenant Sharp, Lieutenant
Wilkinson, Lieutenant Moens, and Lieutenant Greaves, all of the
Bombay Volunteer Rifles; Prince Samatsingji of Palitana, the Nawab
of Radhanpore, and others.

Outside the Bunder shed were drawn up twenty men of the Governor's
Bodyguard, and a detachment of the Bombay Light Horse under the
command of Lieutenant G. W. Moir.

The men belonging to Lumsden's Horse left the 'Atlantian' in two
Government troop-boats, and landed at the Ballard Pier at 5 p.m., where
they were given a cordial welcome by the Bombay Volunteers and the
general public, who had assembled at the pierhead in large numbers.
They were loudly cheered, and, forming fours, were marched through the
shed to the pavilion, in front of which stood the Governor, Lord North-
cote. Brigadier-General Ventris presented Colonel Lumsden to His
Excellency who cordially greeted him. The men took up their position
outside the shed, where they were inspected by Lord Northcote.

The Governor then addressed the men in front of a large gathering of
spectators. He said : The present opportunity is one that it gives me
great pleasure to avail myself of to extend, on behalf of the Bombay
Presidency, a most cordial welcome to you, members of the gallant band,
some 281 strong, I believe, who left India some ten months ago to serve
our Queen-Empress in South Africa. We have followed with the deepest
interest the fortunes of your gallant corps, and we have read with
pride and pleasure the testimony that has been borne to your valour
and your service by Dr. Con an Doyle in his history of the war and
from many other sources. We read with pride and pleasure how you
gentlemen, sacrificing your ease and comforts and the luxuries of your

890 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Eastern life, went forth to do your duty to your country in South Africa
— an object-lesson of patriotism to the Empire, and worthily main-
taining the traditions of Outram*s Volunteers. Well indeed have the
members of Lumsden's Horse merited the warm eulogium which the
Commander-in-Chief in South Africa paid to you. Most truly did the
Viceroy say that the whole of India would greet your return with
enthusiasm. You gave us in your first fight a taste of the stuff of which
you were made when you cut your way through superior forces, one
detachment of you having been surrounded ; and you won our admiration
by your return when, after losing a large percentage of your number, every
member came back with marks of bullets on him. That was but one
incident of your career of honour throughout the campaign. This is not
the occasion for anything in the nature of a long speech. You are about
to proceed to Calcutta, where you will receive a more formal, but not a
more hearty, welcome than we in Bombay extend to you to-day. We in
Bombay have seen too many valiant soldiers, both Native and European, go
forth from time to time to serve the Queen-Empress, not to seize with
pride and pleasure every opportunity of welcoming them back again. It
is with interest that we learn that many of you remain to colonise and
develop those countries which you have aided to enfranchise. Some of
your comrades, alas ! sleep their last, an honoured sleep, beneath the
South African veldt. They were men who held their lives as naught
when it came to sealing their loyalty with their life's blood. To their
memory be all honour and all gratitude paid by their fellows in India. You,
gentlemen, I will repeat once more, have our heartiest congratulation and
our warmest welcome.

Colonel Lumsden, in reply, said : On behalf of the corps which I
have the honour to command, let me offer you our warmest thanks and
gratitude for the very kind and cordial reception you have given us to-day.
I believe the present war was the first which had the honour of calling
out the Volunteers from across the seas, and we as the few who repre-
sented India feel with deep respect and gratitude the warm welcome you
have given us on our return. Gentlemen (turning to his men), I cannot
make a long speech, but I ask you all to give three cheers for the
Governor and the residents of Bombay for having given us such a hearty
welcome.

The members of the corps responded to the call lustily, and the crowd
answered again with three cheers for Lumsden's Horse.

A few brief orders, and the procession formed to march to the
station. It was headed by the Bodyguard and the Governor's carriage
as far as the Floral Fountain. The band of the B.V.A. then led the way,
followed by the Bombay Light Horse and Lumsden's Horse. Behind
these came numbers of carriages, and on either side pressed a crowd that

'4^

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 391

seemed unable to show its enthusiasm suflSciently. From the oflBces of
the Port Trust, by Elphinstone Circle and along Hornby Eoad, every
window was occupied. Handkerchiefs were to be seen waving on all sides,
until even the walls of the houses seemed to awake to the wonder of the
scene. After all, it was one such as India has rarely witnessed. The Im-
perial instinct was aroused. The handful of men following the Colonel
they had bravely followed through all the chances and changes of war, by
whom they had stood for the sake of their country while the bullets
whistled and carried death around, were the embodiment of a great idea,
a noble sentiment. And the people saw and appreciated. The crowd
that had assembled to await the arrival of the troops as they passed along
joined in the march. Some pressed eagerly to speak to the warriors—
most were content to realise what it meant, this wave of patriotism.
The band in front changed the march tune. The music seemed to
become more jubilant as the great mass of soldiers and people swung along
in step. Bombay was rejoicing in very truth. The banners hung out from
the buildings told of it. The spirit of gladness pervaded everything. Here
was a grand ending of the old year. What would the new year bring ?
A detachment of the Bodyguard had formed a line outside the Victoria
Terminus. The Bombay Light Horse took up a position alongside. The
band of one of the Native regiments played a welcome, and under the portico
Lumsden's Horse tramped in, followed by an enormous crowd. The
officers of the garrison had arranged to give the corps dinner in the
refreshment-room. When the meal was over the guests were fairly
besieged. In the station itself it seemed as if thousands of spectators
had assembled. They shook hands with Lumsden's men. * Welcome,'
* Good Luck,' and ' A Happy New Year ' were heard everywhere. It was
a great day — one worth waiting for. As the train steamed out of the
station the building resounded again and again with the cheering. On
the line detonators sounded a parting salute, and the crowd, now hoarse
with shouting, dispersed.

Major Taylor also deals with these incidents briefly, and then
carries on a lively narrative up to the hour when Lumsden's
Horse, having made a record journey across India, arrived at
Calcutta :

When the troops landed there was a great crowd with bands playing.
The Governor (Lord Northcote) made us a speech full of kindly references
and good wishes as he bade us welcome home. The corps then marched
with the band and an enthusiastic throng — among which numbers of
Parsees were particularly prominent— to the railway station. There all
Lumsden's Horse found themselves the honoured guests of the Bombay
Garrison, officers of the Regulars and Volunteers having combined, with

392 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

the most gratifying unanimity, to give us festive welcome. All the
regimental and private baggage had been taken over by our kind hosts
and put on the train, so that all the men had to do was just to march into
the train. Great enthusiasm prevailed. The fine band of a Native
regiment (the 21st Bombay Infantry) played us off, and so, amid much
cheering, the train steamed out, firing a salute in our honour as it passed
over lines on which detonating signals had been placed at regular intervals.
About 10 o'clock at night we passed a Volunteer camp and stopped at the
station, where bands were playing. The whole force from camp was
paraded on the platform, a great honour at that time of night. Then we
went on again at full speed, stopping only for meals at stations, which
were dressed gaily with flags, and at each of these bands of sorts assembled,
and we were entertained free of cost. One halt was called at a very small
station, but even there we were escorted from the train to the dining-tent
by the best band they had. It was native and local, its instruments being
one big drum, two kettledrums, three flutes, two penny whistles. That
was all they could do, but they did it. * Their desire to honour us was
evident, though their means were small — except the big drum — and this
demonstration touched us perhaps even more than the most elaborate
ceremonials prepared for our reception. Eventually, at about 7 o'clock,
we reached Calcutta, having performed the journey in record time, which
was due entirely to the skill, kindness, and courtesy of Mr. T. E. Wynne,
manager of the Bengal-Nagpur Eailway, who caused all other traffic
to be shunted wherever necessary in order that Lumsden's Horse might
keep faith with the multitude of friends who were waiting to welcome
them in the city from which they had set out.

The follovvdng orders were issued by the military authorities at
Army Headquarters :

Lumsden's Horse will be accorded a public reception on their arrival
in Calcutta at about 4 p.m. on January 2.

The General Officer Commanding and Staff will meet Lumsden's
Horse at Howrah station ; regimental and departmental officers not on
duty are invited to attend. Dress : drill order, serge.

Lieutenant-Colonel Swaine, K.I.lC, will command the troops ; Staff
Officers, Major Carpendale and Captain Hill.

The following arrangements will be made at Howrah :

On the arrival of Lumsden's Horse a procession will be formed. The
Calcutta Light Horse will form the advanced guard, followed by the 14th
Bengal Lancers. Regimental bands will follow in the following order :
2nd Madras Infantry, 7th Bengal Infantry, Eoyal Irish Eifles Volunteers.
Then will follow General Officer Commanding and Staff and Lumsden's
Horse. The several Volunteer corps will be formed up in line in the order

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISB AN DMENT 393

hereinafter detailed, with ranks opened and facing inwards to form a lane,
and as the procession passes they will in succession ' shoulder arms.' On
Lumsden's Horse passing the Calcutta Port Defence Volunteers, the
several Volunteer corps will join in the procession in the order in
which they are standing.

The units will be formed in the following order, commencing from
Howrah station: E.I.E. Volunteers, E.B.S.E. Volunteers, 3rd Bat-
tahon C.V.E., 2nd Battalion C.V.E., 1st Battalion C.V.E., Cossipur
Artillery Volunteers, C.P.D. Volunteers.

The procession will proceed along the following route: Hugli
Bridge, Strand Eoad, Clive Ghat Street, Clive Street, Dalhousie Square
North, Dalhousie Square East, Old Court House Street, the Lawrence
Monument, to Lumsden's Horse Camp pitched on the Maidan between
Calcutta and Plassey Gates.

The Fort William Garrison will line the route from Government
Place to the camp in the following order : 20th Bombay Infantry, 2nd
Madras Infantry, Eoyal Irish Eifles, No. 9 Company E.O.E.G.A., 45th
Battery E.F.A.

On Lumsden's Horse reaching their camp, officers commanding
corps will form up independently and march to quarters. Should the
arrival of Lumsden's Horse be delayed till after dark, torches will be
provided, with reference to which subsidiary orders will be issued.

Definite information as to the time of arrival will be circulated at
noon on January 2.

Corps should be in position twenty minutes before the train is due.

The Chief Commissariat Officer will provide transport for the baggage
of Lumsden's Horse, and the 7th Bengal Infantry will furnish an escort
of a N.C.O. and twelve men to escort the baggage from Howrah to

^' By order,

J. M. Carpendale, Major,

Officiating Garrison Quartermaster.

In substitution of the memo, bearing the same date :

Officers attending the reception at the Town Hall in honour of
Lumsden's Horse on the evening of January 2 will wear mess dress.

Officers who have been invited as guests by His Excellency the
Viceroy to luncheon on January 3, to meet Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden
and officers and men of Lumsden's Horse, will appear in drill order.
(Mounted officers, undress overalls and Wellington boots.)

By order,

E. E. Elles, Major-General,

Adjutant-General in India.

Army Headqaarters, Fort William : December 31, 1900.

394 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Major Carpendale, of the Bombay Cavalry, acting as G-arrison
Quartermaster, with great kindness took upon himself all arrange-
ments for the camp. This was pitched on the glacis of Fort
William, overlooking the broad Maidan, and provided with every
necessary article of equipment, the mess tents and others being
in all respects complete and comfortable. The following
appeared in the * Englishman ' of January 3, 1901 :

Punctually at 5.30 yesterday evening, the time previously announced
for its arrival, the eagerly awaited train bringing Lumsden*s Horse from
Bombay, drew up alongside the new arrival platform of the Bengal-
Nagpur Railway Company at Howrah. The scene which the station pre-
sented to the returning Volunteers must have struck those who were not
wrapt up in more important personal concerns as exceptionally bright
and picturesque. The Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal (His Honour
Sir John Woodburn) paid to the corps and its commanding officer the
great compliment of coming with his Staff and a brilliant escort to receive
them at the station. Outside, where the Bengal Lancers in their
striking uniforms, with pennons flying, together with the Calcutta Light
Horse, were drawn up, were long rows of tall Venetian masts, from which
strings of gaily coloured flags fluttered. * Welcome ' in bold white
letters on a groundwork of red appeared as the chief feature of an orna-
mental arch facing the entrance. The roof of the platform itself and the
pillars were most tastefully decorated with festoons of evergreens and
arrangements of bunting. When mention is also made of the ladies
occupying specially erected stands on either side of the gateway, and of
the large and representative assembly of officials, military and civilian,
gathered, sufficient has been said to warrant the men of Lumsden*s Horse,
as they looked out from the carriage windows, feeling that Calcutta was
not unmindful of them and had prepared a fitting reception. As the
coaches came to a standstill the friends of the * boys in khaki * flocked
round to bid them welcome by a hearty grip of the hand, to exchange
greetings and news. There were no scenes. Britons do not, as a rule,
make public parade of their deepest feelings. The occasion, moreover, was
a gladsome one, and it did all present good to note the magnificently
robust health of the men displayed in their sturdy figures and ruddy and
bronzed faces ; all looked remarkably fit, and none more so than the
gallant Colonel himself, who was first to step from his carriage. He at
once walked towards the group where the Lieutenant-Governor, Bishop
Welldon, General Leach, and other distinguished personages were standing.
After a course of hand-shaking, the Colonel directed his attention to the
detraining of his men. Soon they were busily engaged in getting out

THE RETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 395

their kits. When this task was accomplished, they were formed into line
and His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor said :

Colonel Lumsden, — The citizens of Calcutta give you and your gallant
men of the Indian contingent a very hearty and enthusiastic welcome.
You have had a hard time abroad, and suffered great privations. But I
should like you to know that your career has been followed by those
left behind in Calcutta with the greatest admiration and pride. Gentle-
men all, let us give Colonel Lumsden and his gallant men three heaity
cheers.

Needless to say there was a quick and cheerful response to this
request, and before it had quite subsided Sir John called for * one cheer
more,* which was given with equal heartiness. Colonel Lumsden, in a
voice the huskiness of which betokened the depth of his feelings, called on
the men of the Indian contingent to respond with * three cheers for the
Lieutenant-Governor.' Their effort emphasised the fact that in lung
power and appreciation for Sir John Woodbum their trip to South Africa
had effected no deteriorating influences, nor was there anything wanting
in the worth of the response to the gallant Colonel's call for * one more
for the citizens of Calcutta.' The men then formed fours and marched
out to receive the welcome of the thousands collected round the ap-
proaches to the station and along the route.

Among those present on the platform were : The Hon. Mr. Cotton,
Chief Commissioner of Assam (now Sir Henry Cotton, K.C.S.I.) ; General
Leach, commanding Presidency District ; the Most Eev. Dr. Welldon,
Metropolitan of India and Lord Bishop of Calcutta; Major the Hon.
E. Baring, Military Secretary to the Viceroy ; Sir Patrick Playfair ; Mr.
B. T. Greer, Chairman of the Calcutta Corporation ; Eev. Mr. Jackson ;
Mr. Harry Stuart ; Mr. Apjohn, Vice-Chairman Port Commissioners ;
Major Harington, Conunandant Artillery Company C.P.D.V. ; Captain
Bradshaw, Artillery Company C.P.D.V. ; Major Churchill, commanding
9th E.D.G.E.A. ; Captain Deverill ; Lieutenant-Colonel Meade, Ofliciating
Commandant Calcutta Volunteer Eifles ; Dr. J. Neild Cook, Health
Oflicer; Mr. Dring, Agent E.I. Eailway ; Major Cooper, C.V. Eifles;
Colonel Master, Assistant Adjutant-General ; Captain Iggulden, Deputy-
Assistant Adjutant-General; Mr. H. M. Eustomjee, and a host of
others.

It was about a quarter to 6, the dusk just merging into dark, when
the picturesque procession swung over the bridge. The Calcutta Light
Horse, neat and trim, sitting firmly in their saddles, composed the
van. The Native Cavalry from Alipur followed — great black-bearded
men mounted on fretting horses ; then the bands of four regiments, the
2nd Madrasis, the 20th Bombay Infantry, the Eoyal Irish Eifles, and the
Calcutta Volunteers. Inunediately behind were Lumsden's Horse — on

396 THE HISTOEY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

foot. The bridge and its approaches were packed with seething masses
of people, who were with difficulty restrained from breaking through the
ranks of the Calcutta Port Defence and the Bifle Volunteers who lined
each side of the roadway and brought up the rear of the procession
after Lumsden's Horse had passed through.

On the Calcutta side of the bridge a novel element was introduced,
the flanks of the column being illuminated by numbers of men carrying
acetylene lamps on poles — a very efficient substitute for torches. The
route taken was almost an historic one, for by it all our great Viceroys
have entered Calcutta ; but it may safely be said that never have the
Strand Eoad, Clive Eoad, and that stretch flanked by magnificent build-
ings which leads direct to the Maidan, witnessed scenes of more moving
enthusiasm than when Lumsden's Horse, after perils oft and tribulations,
came marching home again. From Howrah to the camp on the Maidan
the roadway and buildings beside were lined with the densest masses of
humanity the eye can conceive. The spectacle was a striking illustration
of the variety and numbers of the population of Calcutta. Naturally
the crowds were thickest in the northern part of the route, where the
close-packed Native city contributed its thousands, but even in the more
European part of the town one wondered whence the sightseers had
come. It is probably no exaggeration to say that so large a multitude
of civilian Europeans has never before been drawn together for a similar
demonstration in the East.

The decorations were most tasteful, especially down Dalhousie Square
South and Old Court House Street, where the larger shops were brilliantly
lighted behind the groups of well-dressed people who thronged the verandahs
and balconies. Partly because the Oriental is by nature averse to violent
demonstration, and partly because there does not exist in India that class
which ' mafficks * in London streets, there was never any real roar of
sustained cheering, but there could be no mistaking the reality and
fervour of the emotion that shook the crowd as the returning warriors
marched along. Besides, no man of Lumsden's Horse could have
regretted the absence of that which made more touching felicitations
possible. The repression of the masculine desire to express feelings
by making a noise afforded the feminine element an opportimity of
extending a pretty and graceful welcome by waving handkerchiefs and
little flags, and uttering with each flutter some tiny cry of admiration and
delight, which reached distinctly the ears of those for whom it was
meant. The second part of the route was lined by the troops in garri-
son, including the battery from Barrackpur. Along the Maidan roads
down to the camp the crowds were the least dense, but represented the
most wealthy sections of the community. In dealing with them there
was not the same necessity for police supervision, and if people broke

THE RETUEN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 397

through the line of soldiers, rushing forward to welcome their friends
in the ranks, and escorted them to the camp, why, no harm was done.
Indeed, unrehearsed incidents of this kind added the final touch to the
heartiness and friendliness of India's greeting to those who had fought for
our Empire in a far country. When the long procession drew near Govern-
ment House in the gathering darkness, H.E. the Viceroy and Lady Curzon,
with their children and a large number of the Viceregal Staff, walked to
the south-east gate, and, standing on the roadway, waved a welcome to the
corps as it marched past. The roads on each side, and hence through the
Maidan skirting Eden Gardens, were lined by companies of the Boyal Irish
Kifles. Of course, the appearance and bearing of the Volunteers whom
all had assembled to honour were keenly watched. The men had grown
leaner and browner than when they sailed away, and their marching was
in strong contrast to the stiff upright gait of the Port Defence Volunteers
behind them. It happens that in the stern, actual business of war men
learn to grasp only essentials. These returning soldiers had plumbed the
realities of life. Hunger they had known, and thirst, and heat, and cold,
and wounds, and the ever-present risk of death. In such conditions the
formalities that surround the British Army in peace time drop away.
Soldiers learn — and their officers too — that, for instance, it matters not
how one marches so long as one does march. Thus it is that Lumsden's
Horse came through the streets of Calcutta with bodies swinging care-
lessly forward, with eyes eager and roving instead of being fixed at
* attention,' with ranks loosened instead of being set in compact stiffness.
It has sometimes been said that war spoils men for drill. But it is some-
thing that the Volunteer ranks in India have been leavened by men who
know what campaigning is really like. The feeling of those Calcutta
Volunteers who assisted in the procession was thus partly one of pride, for
were not Lumsden's Horse also of themselves, and partly of prospective
gratitude, for had not the successes of their comrades in the great war
opened the way for their own employment also ? No longer can it be
said that unless Volunteers attain an irreproachable precision in drill and
smartness in bearing they are useless as fighting men.

Large crowds of well-dressed persons, natives, and equipages of all
descriptions followed the corps up to the camp, where gunners of the
45th Field Battery lined the way. On arrival there three hearty cheers were
given for the men of Lumsden's Horse, the cheers being repeated over and
over till the men were dismissed. In camp the scene was an animated one.
Men of the corps, singly and in groups, were centres of attraction to friends
and strangers alike. Conversation was free, eager questions being good-
humouredly answered, and questions repeated and answered over and over
again. The scene was well illuminated. A well-ordered little camp of
twenty tents has been pitched on the old cricket ground of the Calcutta

398 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDBN'S HOBSE

Cricket Club, exactly south of the Eden Gardens. The camp has been
furnished in ordinary military style and is pitched in rows of three, with
one tent for the officers of the corps, a large mess tent, a canteen, and
the usual necessaries. Camp furniture only is allowed, consisting of a
wooden folding-bed with a straw mattress and pillow, and a few zinc tubs
and basins for lavatory purposes. The mess tent consists of four fly
tents, open at the sides, with a long table, big enough to accommodate
a hundred hungry men, running along its entire length.

After dinner, the men were formed up at 8.45 p.m. and marched
into the Town Hall, where they arrived at 9 p.m. After a short stay
downstairs they were ordered upstairs, where a most brilliant reception
awaited them.

This evening reception at the Town Hall was an entire success.
The decorations of the hall were most elaborate and characterised by
great taste.

On the landing upstairs, in addition to greenery in profusion, a
number of naval 9-pounders and a Hotchkiss machine gun, Nordenfeldts
and Maxims were arranged to form a central group, all these being flanked
by a number of small ancient ship's brass cannons and howitzers.

A dais was erected in the centre of the hall, facing the main entrance,
which was occupied by His Excellency the Viceroy, Lady Curzon, His
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, the Commander-in-Chief, General Leach,
Sir E. Buck, Bishop Welldon, Sir F. Maclean, Lady Jenkins, and others,
while the space in front was roped ofif, and here stood in lines the members
of Lumsden's Horse, whose Colonel, as the Viceroy's party passed through,
presented to His Excellency every officer of the corps in turn. No time
was lost, after the arrival of Lord and Lady Curzon, in proceeding with
the object of the gathering.

His Excellency the Viceroy said :

Colonel Lumsden, Officers and Men of Lumsden's Horse, — It is not
yet a year since I was bidding you farewell at Kidderpur Docks. You
had appointed me the Honorary Colonel of a corps of Volunteers that
had never seen warfare, but that was starting out at the call of duty, and
in many cases at great personal sacrifice, to fight for the Queen and the
Empire. Now you have come back, the war-stained and laurel-crowned
veterans of a long and arduous campaign ; and we are all here this even-
ing to welcome you home and to do you honour. I, your Honorary
Colonel, am as proud of you as if I had been through the campaign at
your side, which being a man of peace I am very glad to think that I was
not called upon to do ; and all of us here, the citizens of Calcutta
who subscribed to your outgoing, and have kept a watch upon you ever
since, feel a sort of parental glow at receiving back again our one corps
of Indian Volunteers to South Africa, who have shown that the English-

THE KETURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 399

man in India is not -one whit behind his countrymen at home or his
cousin in the Colonies in daring and risking and suffering for the flag that
waves above us all.

For we know well through what hardships and experiences you have
passed since you steamed away down the Hugh in February last. The
one characteristic that has struck me most in this South African cam-
paign has been the physical strain and suffering which it has imposed. We
have robbed travel and sport and adventure nowadays of most of their
roughness, but war, even when your enemy is out of sight, and you
scarcely ever set eyes upon him, though it has lost in romance, has not
lost, nay — I think it has gained— in peril and privation. We have followed
you in your breathless marches across the dismal veldt, in your assaults
upon those deadly kopjes, in your days of endurance and fighting, in
your grim nights under the cold stars. We have commiserated you when
some of your number were taken prisoners, but we were consoled when
we heard that you were more frequently the pursuers than the pursued,
that you captured far more of the enemy than the enemy did of you.
We felt a thrill of pleasure when you were praised by the Generals and,
above all, by the brave old Field-Marshal who knew what our men from
India could do ; and when you were publicly thanked in despatches we
all of us felt as if our own names had appeared in the * Birthday Gazette.*
One thousand five hundred miles of marching, twenty-nine actions of one
kind or another — and all this in the space of ten months. This is not
a bad record for our pioneer body of Indian Volunteers.

I was delighted, Colonel Lumsden, that in one respect you most
strictly obeyed the final instructions which as your Commanding Ofiicer,
in mufti, I ventured to address to you in February of last year. I urged
you and your men to be there or thereabouts when the British forces
entered Pretoria. Knowing your keen sense of discipline, it was with no
surprise that I learned that on June 6 Lumsden's Horse marched into
that place in the van of Lord Koberts's occupying force. I only regret
that I did not issue a few more timely injunctions to you, such, for
instance, as the capture of General De Wet, since I have little doubt
that you would have carried them out to the letter.

There was one other remark that I made a year ago to which I must
allude. I said that there were some among those whom I was addressing
who might have to face the supreme peril without which war cannot be
waged. You all of you carried your lives in your hands, and a few of
your number have handed in your cheques at the great audit. But we
rejoice that it was only a few — a brave and heroic fraction, but still only
a fraction. You lost your second in command, the gallant Major Showers,
whom Nature had intended for a soldier and whom destiny in his first
encounter claimed as a hero. But besides him only five others were

400 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

killed, while two only died of disease in the entire campaign. Indeed,
the total casualties were fewer than twenty-four, which in a force of over
250 men is, I think, a very remarkable result. I doubt not that all the
rest of you have often faced death, and that many have triumphed over
disease. So much the more cause is there for satisfaction at coming
back on your part and for rejoicing on ours.

Colonel Lumsden, I am only addressing less than one half of the force
that mustered before me a year ago. Some have stayed behind in Africa
to continue, in the Kegular Army, in the police, or in civil appointments,
the good service which they have rendered during the past ten months.
Though they are far away, and have cut the painter from India, we
include them in our gratitude and well-wishes to-night. Others have
already gone back to their Indian homes, and have been unable to
attend here to-day. We honour them in honouring you. In their
distant plantations or in their employments, wherever they may be,
possibly they will read of this gathering, and will know that they equally
have their places in our reception. As for the rest of those here present,
you. Colonel Lumsden, will always have the pride of recollecting that it
was to your initiative and liberality that this corps owed its being, and
that in the history of the war it bore your name with credit and with-
out a stain ; while you, officers and men, as you revert to your several
avocations in civil life, and as the past year fades into a hazy dream,
will never forget that at a critical moment in the fortunes of your country
you came forward, and staked much, endured much, and wrought much for
the honour of the greatest thing on earth — namely, the British name.

Officers and men, it was a pride to me to bid you God-speed nearly a
year ago. It is an inexpressible pleasure to me to welcome you back this
evening, and to thank you, in the name of India, for what you have done
in the service of the Empire.

Colonel Lumsden said : Your Excellency, your Honour, Ladies and
Gentlemen, — I feel it, though a pleasure, a hard task to endeavour to
express the feelings of my men and myself for the very hearty welcome
we have received and the verj^ kind speech which our Honorary Colonel the
Viceroy has given us this evening. Our Honorary Colonel mentions,
and with truth, his words of advice in speaking to us on leaving. We
no doubt did our best to act up to it in every way, and I am sure,
speaking for myself as leader, there was no difficulty to do so when
followed by such men as I had. It was not altogether a party of
pleasure. There were roughjthings and hard times, and I often feared
that the Indian man, accustomed as he always is to the well-known
kai-hae, would not take to the labour of the veldt as well as he did.
I can assure your Excellency that never at any moment when things were
at their worst did I hear a word that was not cheerful and pleasant from

THE BETDBN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 401

my men. We have been a fortunate corps in more ways than one.
We have been specially fortunate in our health. As our Honorary
Colonel remarked, only two men in the whole corps died of sickness.
This I think shows in a great measure how well the soldiers were
treated. There have been many complaints, I believe, in several quarters
as to the treatment of the soldiers there. But taking the class of
men I had to deal with, the small percentage of deaths from disease
shows we had not much to complain about in that respect. We
were fortunate also in our list of casualties. We were all very much
touched by the Viceroy's allusions to those who have gone. No better man
existed than Major Showers, no greater loss could be felt by the corps
than in his death. He died, I beUeve, as he often thought he would. He
was a soldier to the backbone, and nothing pleased him better than
being in the field. Five died besides Major Showers, giving a total of
six altogether. That out of 250 men may be looked upon as a small
percentage. On the whole, in spite of the hardships the men have gone
through, I think there is not one, if the call to arms were sounded
to-morrow, who would not love to go back again. We were greatly
honoured at having the Viceroy as our Honorary Colonel, and that
pleasure was deeply felt by the men and remained in their memory
throughout the campaign. When any meed of praise was bestowed
upon us one and all felt sure our Honorary Colonel would be pleased to
hear of it. I cannot make a long speech to-night. I think the Viceroy
himself touched upon most of the points of interest connected with the
corps. I can only say how pleased we are with the reception we have got.
When we landed in Bombay the Governor said a few kindly words.
The streets were lined by thousands of people, and we had a welcome
such as we can never forget. Another thing I would wish to touch
upon. I think all the corps are proud of the nimiber of commissions our
men have got. For this we have entirely to thank the Field-Marshal
the Commander-in-Chief. From start to finish there is no doubt his
love of India led Lord Boberts to take a keen interest in our Indian
corps. Our welcome to Calcutta to-day will, I am sure, sink deeply into
all our hearts and be long remembered. I can only say on behalf of
my officers and comrades that I thank you all deeply and sincerely.
In doing so I feel certain I am expressing the gratitude of us all, not
only for what we have received, but what I am told we have yet to
receive. I thank you. Sir, very heartily indeed on behalf of the whole
corps for the extremely kind way in which you have spoken of us and
our work.

The temporary barriers having been removed, the men were
soon busily engaged in conversation with their many friends and

D D

402 THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

acquaintances. The band discoursed a bright selection of music
for the remainder of the evening.

The 'Englishman ' of Friday, January 4, 1901, contained the
following :

Yesterday afternoon His Excellency the Viceroy and Lady Cur25on
entertained Colonel Lumsden and the officers and men of the Indian
contingent to luncheon at Government House. The function took place
in the Marble Hall. The officers and men of Lumsden's Horse, who
were in khaki, occupied two long tables running down the centre of
the room at right angles to that at which the Viceroy sat. The floral
decorations of the tables were of an exceptionally chaste and artistic
character. On the verandah the members of the Viceroy's band were
located, and the most appropriate selection of national and patriotic music
which they rendered contributed largely to the success of the luncheon.
Ninety-two officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of Lumsden's
Horse were present, and with the guests and Viceroy's Staff the total
number sitting down to luncheon was 169. A pleasing feature of the
luncheon was the presence of Lady Curzon and the following ladies: Lady
Woodbum, Lady Palmer, Mrs. Harrington, Mrs. Tyler, Mrs. Laurence,
Miss Trevor, and Miss Law. The list of guests also included: His
Honour Sir John Woodbum, Sir Power Palmer, Sir Francis Maclean,
the Metropolitan, Sir Edwin CoUen, Sir Arthur Trevor, Sir Edward Law,
Hon. Mr. Ealeigh, Hon. Mr. Rivaz, Hon. Sir Henry Cotton, Sir Edward
Elles, General Luck, General Maitland, Surgeon-General Harv^ey, General
Wace, General Henry, General Dyce, Colonel Buckingham, Sir Patrick
Playfair, Mr. Justice Harington, Sir Henry Prinsep, Sir Allan Arthur,
Captains Taylor, Beresford, Noblett, Holmes, and Powell of Lumsden's
Horse, Hon. Mr. Bourdillon, Colonel Masters, Colonel Meade, Colonel
MacLaughlin, Major Churchill, Colonel O'Donoghue, Captain Wilson,
Commander Petley, Colonel Swaine, Major Hoore, Captain Bradshaw,
Colonel Wynne, Major Ferror, Captain Ayerst, Eev. J. Hatton, Messrs.
Stuart, Sutherland, Elworthy, Kerr, Tremeame, Woodroflfe, Turner,
Greer, and Apcar.

At the conclusion of the luncheon the toasts of * The Queen,' * Colonel
Lumsden, Officers and Men of Lumsden's Horse,' and * The Viceroy ' were
enthusiastically honoured.

The same evening the members of Lumsden's Horse marched to the
Cathedral to attend a special thanksgiving service for their safe return.
The congregation was a large and most representative one, and included
their Excellencies Lord and Lady Curzon, Sir John and Lady Woodbum.
The service was brief and bright, the musical portion predominating.
The hymns, being well known, were taken up heartily by the congregation.

THE BBTURN TO INDIA— DISBANDMENT 403

and a magnificent rendering was given by the choir of the * Hallelujah
Chorus,' to which result the inclusion of a number of ladies in the choir
and an orchestral accompaniment largely contributed. The clergy
present were the Metropolitan, Canons Luckman and Cogan, Bevs.
Brown, Gee, Nansen, Kitchen, Clarke, Wickens, Otley, and Campbell.
The men of Lumsden's Horse occupied the front pews, and at the con-
clusion of the service filed out immediately behind the choir and the
clergy.

The following was the address which the Metropolitan delivered :

It is my privilege, brethren, to offer you in the house of God the
words of welcome which have been in all hearts, and upon all lips, since
your landing in India — the last words perhaps that shall be addressed to you
as a military force. It was here on the fourteenth day of February last
that you sought God's blessing at a special service before setting sail for
the war, and it is here by a natural consequence that you come again to
render Him thanks on your return.

Brethren, we have followed you with earnest prayers in your long
absence. There has not been a Sunday when we have not entreated God
to bless you, and keep you safe, and to give victory to your arms, and
to bring you home in peace. You will not say or think those prayers
have been unheard. The memory of the friends who were far away, of
their care for you, and their sympathy in your perils must often have
been present to your minds. It may even have happened that you felt
strengthened and inspired, as others have felt by the consciousness, of their
intercession in your behalf.

Brethren, you have fought, not in a light cause, but for the Empire,
whose members and citizens you are. You have been the witnesses, and
in part the authors, of a new solidarity between the widely severed
forces of the Empire. That solidarity is the great fact, the permanent
result, of the war in South Africa. Its influence upon the destiny of
mankind will be more and more declared in the new-born century. A new
spirit of confederation has dawned upon the Empire, and it is your spirit,
and the spirit of men such as you.

May I remind you of a sentence spoken by a high authority on a
critical occasion in modem European history ? Goethe relates that after
the battle of Valmy, at which he was present, he was asked by his
comrades in camp to pronounce an opinion upon its significance. He said —
and his language may have seemed extravagant when he used it — ' From
this place, and from this day forth, commences a new era in the world's
history, and you can all say that you were present at its birth.' Brethren,
the birthday of Imperial solidarity is likewise an event fraught with issues of
untold power and moment for mankind ; but that solidarity has been born
in South Africa, and you can all say that you were present at its birth.

D D 2

iOi THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Once more you have realised, and we too, how great and solemn is
the cost of an Imperial destiny. It is not by mere child's play, but by
sorrow, pain, and death, that a wide-world Empire, like a Universal
Church, is achieved and maintained. You have hazarded your lives,
some of your comrades have laid theirs down, for that high cause ; and
the issue of your sacrifice and theirs has been a solemnisation of the
Empire in the last year. It has been good for us that we have known
the reverses and anxieties which ennoble the ultimate victory. We
have felt the hand of God laid upon us. You who have come home, and
we who bid you so glad a welcome, shall spend the residue of our lives
with an enhanced moral seriousness, with a more profound apprehension
of the Providence which regulates and determines human ends.

Brethren, I shall not detain you longer in this holy place. Only let
your home-coming be worthy of your warfare. There are dangers in
peace as well as in war. Let the spirit, then, of your future lives be
grave, responsible, temperate, sublime, as befits your religion and your
race.

May the God of our fathers bless you all, and bring you all to
Heaven !

The * Englishman ' of Monday, January 7, 1901, gave the
following report of another interesting scene :

Immediately after the Thanksgiving Service held at the Cathedral on
Thursday, the oflScers and men of our pioneer corps celebrated the closing
function of their active military career. It took its form in a dinner
given expressly by Colonel Lumsden, and the guests included Sir Patrick
Playfair, the Hon. Mr. Buckingham, Colonel MacLaughlin, Mr. Harry
Stuart, and several friends of the non-commissioned oflScers and men.
After an excellent dinner supplied by Mr. Wallace, of the Italian
Eestaurant, who also catered for the corps prior to their departure in
February last, the toast of the Queen was proposed and received with
enthusiasm.

Private Turner, in a very apt little speech, then asked the Colonel if he
would very kindly consent to present, on behalf of the men, to Sergeant-
Major Hewitt, Quartermaster-Sergeant Dale, and Sergeant-Major Brennan,
souvenirs to mark their appreciation of the admirable work done by these
three non-commissioned officers. They always had the knack of taking
the men the proper way. To Quartermaster-Sergeant Dale, alias * Daddy,'
or * Bobby ' Dale, was due the excellent form in which the men found
themselves. They looked none the worse for their trying marches and
watchful nights simply because the man in charge of the food arrange-
ments was Dale. Colonel Lumsden said he had much pleasure in

THE BETURN TO INDIA— DISB AN DMENT 405

presenting, on behalf of the men, a silver flask to Sergeant-Major
Hewitt, a silver flask to Quartermaster-Sergeant Dale, and a silver cigar-
case to Sergeant-Major Brennan.

The Colonel then proposed the health of the Executive Committee,
who, he said, had worked so indefatigably when the corps was being
organised. Their labours did not end there, however, for always while
the corps was in South Africa, and still on its return, they were all
concerned in its well-being and interests. It was a pleasure to
him and to his men to have been the recipients of so hearty a
welcome as that which met them on their arrival at Howrah on the
evening of the 2nd inst. The work which the raising of a force such
as Lumsden's Horse entails is extensive, complicated, and laborious, but
thanks to the able committee formed on the inception of the corps, they
were able to be equipped and despatched to the country they had just
returned from with comparatively no delay. To Sir Patrick Playfair
particularly he was deeply indebted for his energy in seeing things put
through in such an eflicient manner and without a hitch, and he was
proud of now having an opportunity of asking his men to drink the health
of the gentlemen of the Executive Committee, with three times three
cheers for Sir Patrick Playfair.

Sir Patrick Playfair, in reply, said that he was sorry another very
important public function required the presence of many of the Executive
Committee who otherwise would have been present at this dinner,
Colonel Lumsden, he thought, was too lavish in his praises of the work
done by the Executive Committee. The work was a labour of love, in the
execution of which every member of that Committee took a pleasure and a
pride. He had met and known Colonel Lmnsden very many years before
a certain day in November 1899, when he received from Australia a
cable from Colonel Lumsden intimating his wiUingness to raise and have
equipped a suitable corps capable of giving a good account of themselves
in South Africa. He had the fullest confidence in Colonel Lumsden,
and knew that the class of men to whom Colonel Lumsden had particular
recourse were the right sort. He, therefore, did his utmost to encourage
Colonel Lumsden in accomplishing his noble object. Great obstacles for
a time blocked the way, but in time, by virtue of the personal influence
of His Excellency the Viceroy, the War Ofl&ce sanctioned the raising of a
corps which has now returned loaded with honours, complimented time
after time by Generals and in official despatches for gallantry in the
field. The Committee always followed with interest the operations of
the corps in South Africa, and it was a pride and an honour to them to
be in a position to say that they were so closely connected with its
formation. He regretted that a few men should have found their
appointments closed against them on their return, but he assured them

406 THE HISTOEY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

that the Executive Committee, and particularly himself, would only be too
glad to help any man in finding suitable employment. He said he had
already made reference to the cases of men so placed to the Lieutenant-
Governor, and had asked that, all things else being equal, the men
who had served in Lumsden*s Horse should have the preference when
appointments were vacant. Sir Patrick Playfair then thanked Colonel
Lumsden, the ofl&cers, and men of the corps for the hearty way in which
they had drunk the health of the Committee.

Sergeant Fraser then, in a very humorous speech, announced to the
Colonel the intention of the men to present him with a sword of honour
as a memento and a token of their respect and esteem. Within the last
few days they had heard the Governor of Bombay, the Lieutenant-
Governor of Bengal, and the Viceroy himself, express warm admiration of
Colonel Lumsden for the manner in which he had conceived, organised,
and led the corps. But he ventured to consider that the men of
Lumsden's Horse were even in a better position than these exalted
gentlemen to express an opinion upon Colonel Lumsden, for they had
been with him in South Africa and seen with their own eyes what he had
done. It was in consequence of what they had seen that they now asked
Colonel Lumsden to accept from the men who had been his comrades a
sword of honour as the highest compliment they knew how to pay him.
He would remind them that Colonel Lumsden, during the action at
Ospruit, had ridden out to the rescue of a wounded trooper, placed him on
his own horse, and led the horse back at a walk a distance of 200 yards,
all under heavy fire.^ Colonel Lumsden had never asked his men to go
where he did not lead himself, and it will be within the recollection of all
of them, after climbing kopjes representing Kinchingjunga at six stone,
that they invariably found the Colonel on top busy with his binoculars,
whilst they themselves were helpless from loss of breath. His concern
had always been for his men without regard to his own convenience, and
it was because Colonel Lumsden had proved himself both gallant and
unselfish, that they desired to present him with the sword. If they had
a fault to find with Colonel Lumsden, it was that he was too lenient with
misdemeanants. They had frequently seen men marched before him and
sternly interrogated regarding their sins. But the end of such interviews
was generally a private conversation regarding old times in Assam, or
elsewhere, and no punishment. The result was that the men swore by
their Colonel, even those he had been compelled to send to * cells ' — there
was one of these, half rear, at the present moment loudly applauding all
he was saying. Colonel Lumsden was not only their commanding
officer, but a personal friend to each man, a combination which had led

' Trooper Betts has since been awarded the D.C.M. for accompanying the Colonel on this
occasion—to carry in Franks, who was mortally wounded.

THE RETUEN TO INDIA—DISBANDMENT

407

to the maintenance of .^^-
an extraordinary degree ^^
of discipline. They
were all proud of the

corps they had the honour to belong to, but they
were prouder, if possible, of the officer whose name
the corps bore. The only fault they ever found
with Colonel Lumsden was that he was too lenient
with the men, and in the goodnoss of his heart
refrained from meting out punishment where it was
perhaps well deserved. However, it is not everj^
delinquent who would regard that as a fault. The
men regretted that time had not given them an
opportunity of providing the sword for presentation
that night, but it would come in the fulness of
time. The Colonel's health was then drunk with
musical honours, the men shouting themselves
hoarse.

Colonel Lumsden, in reply, said that this was
truly and in every sense the proudest moment of his
life. He had already had the pleasure of making
a few speeches since the corps was raised, but he
found it a difficult thing to hit on words to express
at all adequately his appreciation of the eulogistic
terms in which Sergeant Fraser, on behalf of his
comrades, had referred to him. He always had the
greatest confidence in his men and relied on their
honour rather than on strict aod rigid discipline
for the execution of his orders. He knew his men
thoroughly, and saw that they were prepared to
play the game as it should be played^ and he felt
proud, as any officer must, of the men he com-
manded. The sword of honour proposed to be
presented to him would be his mast treasured
possession — he would always be proud to refer to
it and the happy associations it recalled. The past
twelve months had been the happiest in his whole
career, and nigh forty-eight summers had passed
over his head. Turning to Sir Patrick Playfair*s
remark, he said that he, too, would do bis utmost
to have the men without billets provided for. He
was a believer in the great future in store for South
Africa, and wished every success to those of the

408 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

corps who had remained behind. He also said that Captain Petley had
very kindly placed the * Koladyne * at the disposal of those who had no
friends to stay with in Calcutta, and that they only had to signify to
Captain Petley, who had taken a deep interest in the corps, their wish
to avail themselves of this kind offer. He would now say good-bye and
God-speed with every good wish for their future welfare, requesting that,
before breaking up camp, every man should promise to send his photo.

The men were visibly touched by Colonel Lumsden's speech, and,
after cheering him over and over again, chaired him and all the oflScers,
and Sergeant-Major Stephens, at great risk to those chaired.

The Sword of Honour, exquisitely wrought by Messrs.
Hamilton & Co., of Calcutta, and presented to Colonel Lumsden
with such gratifying evidences of good- will from those whom he
had commanded, was of silver with ring-mountings of gold, and
bore upon its scabbard the following inscription :

SOUTH AFRICA, J 900.

CAPE COLONY.

ORANGE FREE STATE.

JOHANNESBURG.

Presented to Lieutenant-Colonel D. M. Lumsden, C.B.,

BY THE N.C.O.S AND MeN OF LuMSDEN'S HoRSE

AS A TOKEN OF THEIR PERSONAL REGARD, AND AS A MARK OF THEIR APPRECIATION
OF HIS HIOH QUALITIES AS A COMMANDING OFFICER.

409

CHAPTER XX

A STIRBING SEQUEL-'THE STOBY OF THOSE WHO STAYED^
MEMOBIAL TBIBUTES TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE

On January 4, 1901, just one year after they had assembled on
the Maidan full of high hopes and noble aspirations, these
Indian Volunteers, who had made for themselves a name that
will long be honoured among British soldiers, were disbanded.
So the curtain fell on the war scene in which the two hundred
and fifty men known to history as Lumsden's Horse played their
parts. They had been in the field ten months, marched from
camp to camp over 1,500 miles, fought in thirty-nine actions,
lost seven men ^killed in action, two from enteric, several at
various times incapacitated by wounds; they had left nearly
sixty of their number in South Africa, some as administrators,
some in the Eegular Army, and some in the Police ; they had
brought back to Calcutta only four of the horses with which they
started, and had used up 750 remounts. They had been twice
mentioned in despatches by the Field-Marshal, and had been
praised by every General under whom they served. Out of a
total of fifteen officers, one, Colonel Lumsden, was decorated by
Her Majesty Queen Victoria with the C.B. ; another. Major
Chamney, received the C.M.G. ; two others, Captain Kuther-
foord and Lieutenant Pugh, obtained the D.S.O. The Adjutant
and the two Regular officers who had commanded companies
were promoted a step, to the rank of Brevet-Major. Trooper
J. A. Graham, whose act of valour at Crocodile River has been
recorded, received the Distinguished Conduct Medal ; similar
decorations were awarded to Corporal Percy Jones, Troopers
P. C. Preston, H. N. Betts, W. E. Dexter, and Regimental
Sergeant-Major Marsham; while seven other N.C.O.s and
troopers were mentioned in despatches. It is a noteworthy

410 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

fact that of all those whose names were brought forward by
Colonel Lumsden not one failed to obtain recognition from the
Commander-in-Chief, and only three received less honourable dis-
tinctions than their Colonel thought they were entitled to. All
these things prove that nobody was recommended except for
meritorious services of w^hich clear and conclusive evidence could
be given. All soldiers will appreciate what that means. And of
twenty-three who obtained commissions in the Regular Army and
others gazetted to Irregular corps, only two resigned subsequently.
Colonel Lumsden was exceptionally fortunate in securing this
number of commissions, and still more fortunate in selecting men
worthy to retain them. It must not be forgotten, however, that
the majority of those serving in the ranks of Lumsden's Horse
were Public School boys, some of whom may have failed in their
examinations for Sandhurst, and gone out to fight their way in
India as indigo, tea, and coSee planters, and who, when the
occasion arose, were just the right men to fill the appointments
they got. Their merits were recognised not only by our own
military authorities, but also by the enemy. One Boer told the
Rev. J. H. Siddons, of Great Berkhampstead, whose letter is
quoted by permission, that Lumsden's Horse were * exceptionally
good both at scouting and shooting.' The same authority also
says that he had similar testimony to their merits from a corporal
of one of the Cavalry regiments. This is not surprising, as
Lumsden's Horse and their comrades of the Line were always
on good terms, and had a mutual admiration for each other. In
a letter to the Colonel, Trooper D. Morison says :

I am afraid I cannot help you much with my personal experiences
and views. No doubt everyone who writes you on the subject will be
full of praise and admiration for Mr. Thomas Atkins as we found him
on the veldt. But I should like to record what a splendid chap he is.
Whether Scotch, Irish, Welsh, or from any other part of the country, he
is all the same when it comes to a tight comer.

Though the records of active service with Lumsden's Horse
as a body closed when the corps left South Africa on December 6,
1900, many of its members fought on in the Transvaal with the
same undaunted spirit that had quickened them and their
comrades throughout, the same determination to be true to their

A STIRRING SEQUEL-MEMORIAL TRIBUTES 413

old regimental motto, and *Play the Game.' The following
accounts of the affair at Benoni, in the Boksburg mining district,
give a good idea of the fighting qualities of the Anglo-Indians
who had won their spurs in Lumsden's Horse :

At the beginning of December 1900 many of the gallant little band
had enrolled themselves under Major-General Baden-Powell in the South
African Constabulary, others again in the Rand Mounted Eifles under
Mr. Henry, erstwhile Inspector-General of Pohce, Bengal, whose com-
panies were then holding entrenched positions at different portions of
the Band. The one at Benoni for the protection of cattle, refugees,
and the mines was deemed an important duty, as the neighbourhood
had been in a very disturbed state for months past, and from time to
time had been visited by small parties of Boers. These were always
put to flight by the ordinary mounted patrols. But on Boxing Day
at 4 A.M. the alarm was given that a strong force of Boers was in
the vicinity. Immediate defensive measures were taken, and when a
party of 100 of the enemy rode up to the Post Office, they were ac-
corded a greeting very different from the Christmas one of * Peace and good-
will.' They scuttled, but later a second party engaged the right flank
of the police post. A second time they were compelled to retire, but
poor dear old Sergeant Walker (Lumsden's Horse) was killed outright, a
bullet entering his head in the region of the temple. He was the senior
non-commissioned officer, and died bearing his responsibility nobly. The
conmiand then devolved on Sergeant * Tim ' Lockhart, also of Lums-
den's Horse, who displayed great dash and courage, exposing himself at
the most dangerous points, and thus inspiring his men to avenge poor
Walker. In the meanwhile the Boers took up a very strong position on
the left front, from which they harassed the gallant little body of
defenders. Finding that rifle-fire was ineffective, the Boers brought a
pom-pom and a Maxim to bear on the position, and considerable damage
was done to the head-gear machinery of the mine. Lieutenant Evans, in
conamand of a detachment of the Eailway Pioneer Regiment, finding he
could not relieve the brave fellows, despatched Trooper Tooley to Boks-
burg for reinforcements. The Boers, however, true to their traditions,
were now effecting a hurried retirement, and to prevent a surprise
Sergeant Lockhart sent out patrols (Troopers Granville, Kelly, and
Lloyd- Jones — all of Lumsden's Horse). Lloyd- Jones came to grief,
falling from his horse and breaking his wrist, otherwise the movement
was eminently successful. The Boers were retiring in very good order,
and succeeded in doing considerable damage to the New Kleinfontein and
the New Chimes mines, held by Lieutenant Evans and twenty-three men.
Sergeant Lockhart had, all told, eleven men, and two officers of the

414 THE HISTORY OP LUMBDEN'S HOESE

Intelligence Department and Mrs. Hunter, the wife of one of these
gentlemen. The post consisted of twenty-three of all ranks, principally
men of Lumsden*s Horse. Among them were * Tim Lockhart ' — ^now
blossomed into a Sergeant of Mounted Police — Walter Walker, Kelly,
Arthur Nicholson, Jones, Harris, Bradford, Kearsey, Petersen, Grenville,
and Tooley; the remainder being Railway Pioneer men. Their duty
was to protect the mines from raids by Boer patrols, and it was in the
head-gear of the mine workings that the defenders ensconced themselves
when the attack was made.

Pom-pom, Maxim, and the rifle-fire of 300 Boers under Viljoen and
Erasmus played merrily on them from 4.20 a.m. till afternoon, the pom-
pom shells playing havoc with the wood and iron work of the head-gear,
but without hurting anybody.

It has been definitely ascertained that the Boers were 400 strong, and
possessed a pom-pom and Maxim gun. Trooper Harris (Lumsden*s
Horse) was responsible for the work of * en-
trenching the position,' and his comrades testify
to the creditable manner in which he executed
his duty. Of the 1,400 head of cattle in the
British laager, not a single one was taken.
Viljoen was in conunand of the Boers.

Poor Walker lies in the Johannesburg ceme-
tery. He was accorded a military funeral that
was attended very largely.

The reinforcements under Lieutenant Wyn-
yard Battye (a cousin of the Indian fighting
Battyes) came up too late to render any im-
mediate aid, but they pursued the retreating
Boers as far as Springs.
Between 2 and 3 in the afternoon relief came, but not until
300,000Z. worth of damage had been done to machinery and buildings
near. The telegram given below speaks for itself, and it is pleasant read-
ing that those of our fellows who stayed behind are continuing to play
the game so well.

To Officer Commanding Police, Boksburg, from Lord Kitchener, dated
December 28, 1900.

* Commander-in-Chief has heard with much pleasure of the successful
defence of their post by the Police at Benoni against an attack by greatly
superior numbers. He considers their gallant conduct does all ranks of
their garrison the greatest credit. He much regrets the loss of their
sergeant.'

A 8TIBBING SEQUEL— MEMORIAL TRIBUTES 415

This telegram, with flattering endorsements by the Military Secretary
to the Commander-in-Chief and the Military Governor of Johannesburg,
was ordered to be read to the men.

Another and fuller version is given in a letter to Colonel
Lumsden by Trooper D. Morison, who writes :

Just to show how the reputation of the corps is being kept up and
added to by those who remained in South Africa, I enclose an extract from
a letter received a short while ago from Sergeant Benny, now serving in
the Johannesburg M. M. Police. It gives an account of the heroic death of
Sergeant Walker at Benoni last Boxing Day. Benny says : * On Decem-
ber 5, after a fortnight's stay in Johannesburg, we were sent oflf in two
parties to take up police duties. One company, consisting of nine men and
Sergeant Walker, was sent to this place (Benoni), the other party going to
Brakpan coal-mines, half-way between Boksburg and Springs. When
we first came here there were four men of the Bailway Pioneer Bifles,
together with whom we formed the garrison. We are in charge of 1,300
head of cattle and sheep. We send out patrols every day and mount
three guards every night. Our three guards are posted round the
enclosure where the cattle are kept at night — one about 150 yards in
front, one in an empty dynamite magazine about 250 yards in rear, and
the third one is posted near where we sleep. We live in a corrugated
iron room on the top of a gold dump, half-way up to heaven — that is,
about 30 feet from the ground. A verandah runs round it which we have
fortified with sandbags. We have also dug trenches all round the room,
as a big body of Boers is reported to be in laager twenty miles from us —
ihe same commando that paid us so much attention on French's famous
march. We had hardly settled down here before the Boers paid us a
visit. On December 10 I was on guard with a Bailway Pioneer Begi-
ment man, and at 11.30 I suddenly heard the sound of whips, as if cattle
were being driven out of the kraal. I immediately fired two shots in rapid
succession. This had the desired effect of hurrying the Boers out of the
kraal and at the same time of warning the other men. There was a
small moon up and we could just distinguish a dark body of men. At
this we fired as fast as we could load, and had the satisfaction of com-
pletely surprising the Boers, several of whom we hit. They had got all
the cattle out of the kraal, but were in such a hurry to get away that they
left these all behind. They exchanged a few shots when at a safe
distance. But where their bullets went none of us know, as none came
in our direction. After this they left us in peace till December 26.

Beinforced after the first attack, we mustered twenty-seven guns
on the morning of the 26th, a day never to be forgotten by the
little garrison at Benoni. The Boers attacked us at 4.30 a.m. in large

416 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

force, numbering over three hundred men, with two pom-poms and a
Maxim. Those not on guard were in bed, when Tooley, who was outside
the room, shouted that the Boers were on us. We rushed out as
quickly as we could, and had just time to get into the trenches before a
body of about fifty Boers charged down upon us in regular cavalry fashion.
We waited till they were within 200 yards and then we gave them a
volley which cooled their ardour a bit and sent them back in hot haste
with a few of their saddles emptied. They then took up positions on
mounds right round us and began to pour in a hot rifle-fire from ranges
varying from 200 to 800 yards, using rifles of every description, even
fowling pieces, as we heard several charges of buckshot scatter over us.
Poor Walker, whom we all liked, exposed himself, and was shot immediately.
We returned their fire as well as we could, bowling over a good few, both
horses and men. We exchanged rifle shots till 9 a.m., when, finding that
they could not dislodge us, they brought their pom-poms and Maxim up,

and for half an hour gave us as lively a time as
we have ever had. Our room was riddled from
top to bottom, any kit hanging on the walls
being perforated. The noise of the shells going
through the corrugated iron was most terrific
and made us feel pretty queer. We had to lie
low in our trenches, expecting shells to drop into
the middle of us at any moment. The Boers
crept closer under cover of the pom-poms, but
luckily for us the supply of pom-pom ammunition
gave out. Then rifle-fire recommenced and we
G. D. NICOLAY soon drove them back to their original positions.

They had fired whole belts of shells at us at a
time. So you can imagine the lively time we had. Rifle-fire was kept
up till 2 P.M., when the Boers decamped on seeing reinforcements
arriving from Johannesburg and Boksburg. They burnt two mines and
several dwelling-houses and looted the stores before they cleared out.
We have had great praise for holding out so long— 4.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. —
and have received congratulatory telegrams from Lord Kitchener, Sir
Alfred Milner, Colonel McKenzie, Governor of Johannesburg, and Colonel
Davies, Military Commandant of Johannesburg. The Boers were led
by Ben Viljoen, Hans Botha, and Erasmus.* The names of men with
Rennie were Nicholson, Kelly, G. D. Nicolay, Jones, Petersen, late of
A Company ; Harris, Grenville, Bradford, Kearsey, late of Transport ;
Tooley, of Loch's horse.

Mr. E. E. Henry, lately commanding the Eand Mounted
Eifles, writes thus to Sir P. Playfair, CLE. :

A STIEEING SEQUEL— MEMOEIAL TEIBUTES

417

New Scotland Yard : July 31, 1901.

Dear Playfair, — You asked me last night to note down briefly some
details of the attack on the Chimes West mine. Here are the facts as
well as I remember them.

We had a Police post at this mine on the Band about nine miles
from Boksburg, a place you will find on all maps. Our force consisted of
sixteen Eailway Pioneer Regiment and nine Lumsden's Horse, the latter
under Sergeant Walker,

On the morning of December 26 this small force — which, by-the-by,
was located in what I may term the first floor of the head-gear of the
Chimes West mine — was attacked by 300 Boers, who had with them two
pom-poms.

The Boers fired volleys, and a good many pom-pom shells went
through the quarters occupied by Lumsden's Horse. I saw dozens of
shell-holes, not only through the iron sheets which formed the walls of
their quarters, but also through the great wooden
beams or baulks of a foot or more in diameter.
From one of the earliest of these volleys Sergeant
Walker was killed as he was kneeling behind a
sandbag.

Our men were under fire for several hours,
and, seeing that we were so greatly outnumbered,
ToUey volunteered to ride through the Boers into
Boksburg, a distance of nine miles, and did so —
a gallant feat. Kelly, Grenville, and Jones volun-
teered to make a dash for a tailings or dump-heap,
so as to enfilade the Boers. Kelly and Grenville
got home, Jones's horse fell, and he fractured his
arm and lay there. Kelly and Grenville did excellent work from the
tailings heap, and made it so uncomfortable for the Boers that they had
to shift their position. I was there next day and met General Barton
on the ground. On receipt of his report the Commander-in-Chief, Lord
Kitchener, wired us the following message: 'Congratulate Police on
gallant defence Benoni. Deplore loss of their sergeant.' Lord Kitchener
is temperate in praise, so I take it his commendation meant much.
I understand that three of the men whose names I have given above
have been since mentioned in despatches on account of their behaviour
on December 26.

E. I. Lockhart, of Lumsden's Horse, became senior sergeant on
Walker's death, and is a gallant old fellow. He is much younger than I,
but everyone dubs him old. He behaved very well. His name should
be mentioned in any account of this particular incident.

Our men saved the Chimes West mine. What this means you can

E E

H. KELLY

418

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HOESE

infer from what the Boers did to the Modderfontein mine, close by, which
our men could not defend. In less than half an hour the Boers did
damage estimated at from 250,000Z. to 300,000Z.

"We buried poor Walker on December 27 at Boksburg, and a memorial
has been subscribed for.

I hope this gives you the data you require.

Yours,

E. R. Henry.

List of Lumsden's Horse who joined the Johannesburg Police in
December 1900 :

A Company.

No. 63, Sergeant W. L. Walker
„ 88, Trooper B. R. Lloyd-
Jones

0. 4, Trooper I. A. Irwin

55, „ G. D. Nicolay
, 10, „ A. J. H.Nicholson

„ 83, „ I. G. Petersen

, 11, „ H.E.Kelly

„ 72, „ L.H.Bell.

, 97, „ J. D. W. Holmes

„ 29, „ F W. C. Lawrie

, 60, „ KBoileau

30, „ A. H. Buskin

, 272, Driver W. E. Harris

„ 274, Driver L. H. Bradford

, 270, „ P. W. Anderson

„ 254, „ E. A. Grenville

B Company.

Sergeant Lockhart
Lance-Sergeant Goodliflfe
Corporal Campbell
Trooper Eenny \

Trooper Smith
Walton
Driver Fitzgerald

Well may the names of men who fought that good fight at
Benoni be enrolled with honour in the records of Lumsden's
Horse; and proud indeed must be the
Colonel, who, commanding such a corps
through all the vicissitudes of an arduous
campaign, won the affectionate respect of
all ranks serving under him. To this the
officers have testified by combining to
present him wdth a silver statuette that
will be a gratifying memento to place
beside the sword of honour given by his
troopers.

A history of Lumsden's Horse would be
incomplete w^ere the names of those noble sisters, the Misses
Keyser, omitted. They nursed and looked after several officers

K. BOILEAU

SILVER STATUETTE OF COLONEL LUMSDEN
Manufactured b^ the Goldimiths and Silvenmithi' Company, Limited, 112 Recent Street, L^irdon

E E

A STIREING SEQUEL— MEMORIAL TRIBUTES 421

of the corps who were invalided home, and on this account
Colonel Lumsden thinks a tribute of admiration and an ex-
pression of grateful thanks are due to them. Miss Keyser and
her sister Miss Agnes (Sister Agnes) have, since the commence-
ment of the war, devoted their house, their money, and their
time to nursing officers invalided home from wounds and
sickness, and are still continuing their noble work. Their
contribution to the War Fund has been one of which the nation
may feel justly proud. King Edward's Convalescent Home,
which their house is now styled, has been indeed 'sweet
home' — a place of rest and unalloyed comfort — to over 300
oflBcers who have been invaUded from South Africa, and the
self-sacrifice of ladies whose days have been devoted to the
alleviation of sufiering will be gratefully appreciated by all
those who have received kind treatment at their hands, and by
the British public.

Colonel Lumsden, on his return to London, applied to
get pay for his men raised to the Colonial standard of 5^. per
diem, but was told by Lord George Hamilton that as Indian
taxpayers would not be asked to contribute to the cost either
of the war in South Africa or of the war in China, it would be
quite impossible to make up the difference between the British
standard of pay and the Colonial standard. The Cape Colony
and Natal Governments had, in special cases, defrayed the
difference out of their own exchequers.

On applying to the Secretary of State for War, the Colonel
was informed by Mr. Brodrick that, were his request granted, the
whole of the Yeomanry who went out in 1900 would be entitled
to a similar increase, and therefore he could not assist. Colonel
Lumsden, in explanation, said the request had not been made by
any of the men themselves, but by him on their account, and,
although a sense of duty to them had impelled him to make this
claim, he considered that they would be all the prouder for having
served their country on Is. 2d. a day.

For nearly eighteen months after the disbandment of the
corps its former Colonel gave up his time to details connected
with it. In the event of another Volunteer contingent being
despatched from India, it is doubtful whether anyone of Colonel
Lumsden' s position and resources would take such an interest

422 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

in the force or would have the time to give to work that might
be more properly undertaken by the War OflSce.

Colonel Lumsden endeavoured successfully to get employ-
ment for those of his troopers who had given up lucrative
engagements to join the corps. There were certain men who
could not obtain their former appointments, and their old com-
mandant devoted his time and attention to further their interests.
He found that, however wilhng the Government of India and
the Government of Bengal were to find employment for these
men in Government service as some recognition of what they
had done for the Empire while serving with Lumsden's Horse,
neither the Viceroy nor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal
had appointments at his disposal owing to the system of
competitive examination for all posts under their administration.
Therefore Colonel Lumsden was greatly indebted to merchants,
tea proprietors, and others for the help they gave him in obtain-
ing situations for certain of his men. The fact that no appoint-
ments are reserved for the benefit of soldiers or sailors who have
served their country well is a blot on the competitive system both
in India and in England. It may prove to be a serious dis-
couragement to the desire for volunteering in future emergencies.

Very few, even among Colonel Lumsden's most intimate
friends and old comrades, know that after all his hard work he
went out to India again in the first week of December 1901 with
instructions from the War Office to raise another corps of Indian
Volunteers for service in South Africa, provided sufficient
numbers of the right class of men were available. On arrival in
Calcutta, and after consultation with His Excellency the Viceroy,
Colonel Lumsden wrote to OflScers Commanding the different
Volunteer corps from whose ranks most of his previous contingent
had been recruited. Their repUes showed, however, that the
three great industries, indigo, tea, and coffee, were not in a
position to bear another strain so soon. The Colonel's sporting
offer therefore came to nothing. His efforts, however, were
appreciated both by the Secretary of State for War and by the
Commander-in-Chief, and duly recognised in a letter of thanks
from the Adjutant-General.

Colonel Lumsden and Sir Patrick Playfair have hardly yet
finished their labours in connection with the corps, of which all

A STIEEING SEQUEL— MEMOEIAL TEIBUTES 423

accounts have been carefully audited by Messrs. Lovelock &
Lewes, the actuaries in Calcutta, and have been balanced to a
point showing the expenditure in India to equip the corps, the
remittances made to South Africa for urgent requirements, all
disbursements in connection with the disbandment of the corps,
and the balance that remains. These accounts ^ may be valuable
in the future as guides to the probable expenditure in similar
cases, and they are interesting now as proving the accuracy of
calculations made at the outset, whereby the cost of equipping
and maintaining such a force in the field for twelve months was
estimated at 1,000 rupees per man, exclusive of gifts in kind. In
dealing with accounts previous to disbandment of the corps, much
valuable assistance was given by Major Eamsden, Controller of
Military Accounts, Bengal ; but for the completeness and accuracy
of pay-sheets and other regimental documents, great credit is
due to Mr. Fraser, of the Bank of Bengal, and to his assistant
paymaster, Mr. Graves, of the same bank, both of whom did
hard clerical work under difficulties in the office without
neglecting their duties as soldiers. After all expenses are paid,
there will probably be a balance of twenty or thirty thousand
rupees in hand. Colonel Lumsden has suggested that it cannot
be devoted to a better purpose than as a subsidy towards the
maintenance of a paying ward for sick or disabled Volunteers in
the New General Hospital in Calcutta. The general wish
is that this should henceforth be known as the Lumsden's
Horse Ward in commemoration of men w^ho did good service to
their country at some personal sacrifice.

To the memory of those who fell in battle or passed through
the portals of sickness to infinite peace in the midst of war Lord
Curzon has paid tribute by the erection of a handsome mural
tablet in St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta. That monument was
unveiled by the Viceroy on March 23, 1902, after Evensong, when
a specially appropriate service was arranged by Canon Luckman.
Members of the corps were invited to assemble in full dress at
the south transept door of St. Paul's Cathedral at 6.16 o'clock
that Sunday evening. They entered the Cathedral and passed
in procession, following the choir and clergy, to seats provided
for them in the aisle.

* Appendix X.

424 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

At the conclusion of the service His Excellency the Viceroy,
Honorary Colonel of Lumsden's Horse, unveiled the brass tablet
he had personally presented to the Cathedral in memory of
those members of the corps who died in South Africa. The
tablet had been placed on the south wall of the entrance to
the chancel, in front of the statue to Bishop Heber. After the
singing of the Ofiertory hymn the procession was formed in the
following order :

The Choir.

The Clergy.

His Excellency the Viceroy.

Staff.

The Executive Committee of Lumsden's Horse.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden, C.B.

Members of Lumsden's Horse.

The troopers then formed up in front of and facing the
tablet. His Excellency took up a position in front of the tablet ;
Lieutenant-Colonel Lumsden standing at the Viceroy's left, and
the Executive Committee and Staff to the right of His Excellency,
while Canon Luckman offered up the prayers. His Excellency
then unveiled the tablet. The choir sang the hymn * Fight the
good fight,' and the Blessing was pronounced by the Venerable
the Archdeacon, Bishop's Commissary in charge of the diocese.

That tribute to the honoured memory of gallant comrades
w^as the last scene in which Lumsden's Horse were to take part.
Thenceforth they could lay aside the frayed and war-stained
khaki and say, ' I have done my duty.' To the Uving as to
the dead Lord Curzon's eloquent words, with one slight change,
apply :

Those sons of Britain in the East

Fought not for praise or fame ;
They served for England, and the least

Made greater her great name.

r»iia TinrFT

uinimet>

mmfmsmmm^

EDKNOl^SHOWL. ;.

'J'aOOKBn HENflY': HAHLK

THooHat noiifcicr i JIton
1l»«WHI»rrMB!iU)f)S W! ' ^' - '

IW,

ill

MAf^ee;{BAli:^Hn)&}'

^.»-^i

TABLET IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, CALCUTTA
(From a ptiofograph hff Meurs. Bourne A Hhephenl)

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

BOLL OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE, INCLUDING TEANSPOBT

Bank

Name

OccnpatloQ and Address

Lieut. -Colonel

Major
Captain

Veterinary Cap-
tain
Lieutenant

OFFICERS

Dugald Mactavish Lumsden
(Commandant)

Eden C. Showers .
I Neville C. Taylor (Adjutant) .

James Hugh Brownlow
, Beresford
' John Brownley Rutherfoord .

Louis Hemington Noblett
I Henry Chamney '

Frank Clifford

Samuel Arthur Powell .

Bernard Willoughby Holmes
I William Stevenson

I George Augustus Neville

\ Charles Edward Crane .

' Charles Lyon Sidey ^

I Herbert Owain Pugh .

A COMPANY
No. 1 Section

Company Quar
termaster
Sergeant

Farrier - Ser
geant

Sergeant .

Corporal .

Lance - Corporal

Gentleman, Oriental Club, Hanover

Square, London
Tea Planter, Surma Valley
14th Bengal Lancers, Allahabad
drd Sikhs

Indigo Planter, Behar
Royal Irish Rifles, Calcutta
Tea Planter, Surma Valley
Coffee Planter, Mysore
Medical Officer, Cachar
Medical Officer, E.I. Railway
Veterinary Surgeon, Rangoon

Tea Planter, Assam
Indigo Planter, Behar
Tea Planter, Assam
Jute Broker, Calcutta

James Brennan '

William Marshall .
Herbert James Fox
Percy Jones .
Herbert Wheeler Marsham
Hugh F. Blair

' York and Lancaster Regiment,
I Agra

; 54th Battery, R.F.A., Meerut

Assistant Msmager, Dumraon Raj,

Shahabad District
Indigo Planter, Benipore Concern,

SiJsri, Durbimga
Indigo Planter, Motihari Concern,

Motihari, Chumparan
Indigo Planter, Lalouria Concern,

Bettiah, Chumparan

Subsequently promoted.

428

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDBN'S HORSE

Rank

Occapation and Address

Trooper

A COMPANY. — No. 1 Section — continued
John Alexander Irwin .

Hampton

llegimental

Sergt.- Major
Sergeant .

Corporal .

Signr. Lance -

Corporal
Lance- Corporal

Saddler

Arthur John

Nicholson
Hector Rupert Kelly
Leonard Kars Zorab
John Stewart Campbell

Claud Leonard Bell

John Alexander Brown

George Maxwell Smith .

Charles Reginald Macdonald

George Patrick Osborn

Springfield
John Alexander Fraser

D. C. Percy Smith

E. Harry Gough .

Robert G. Collins .

Bruce Macgregor Allan

John Henry .

Osborne Aldis

Henry George Newton .

Robert Pheydell Haines

Frederick AVilliam Charles

Lawrie
Allan Henry Buskin

Indigo Planter, Dhroomra Concern,
Mozufferpore, Tirhoot District

Indigo Planter, Thurma Concern,
Sitamari, Tirhoot District

Indigo Planter, Bha^lpore

Indigo Planter, Bhagulpore

Indigo Planter, Sunyat Concern,
Mozufferpore, Tirhoot District

Indigo Planter, Jeetwarpore Con-
cern, Durbnnga

Indigo Planter, Begum Sarai Con-
cern, Durbnnga

Indigo Planter, Dowlutpore Con-
cern, Durbhunga

Indigo Planter, Singhea Concern,
Hajipore, Tirhoot

Indigo Planter, Mozufferpore,
Tirhoot

Assistant Superintendent of Police,
Dinapore

Indigo Planter, Suddowat Concern,
Sewan, Saran

Indigo Planter, Singhea Concern,
Hajipore, Tirhoot

Indigo Planter, Begum Sarai Con-
cern, Durbunga

Indigo Planter, Turcouleah Con-
cern, Chumparan

Indigo Planter, Dulsing Serai,
Durbunga

Indigo Planter, Jaintpore Concern,
Mozufferpore

Indigo Planter, Mortipore Concern,
Mozufferpore

Indigo Planter, Kahunia Concern,
Gorukhpore

Indigo Planter, Dooriah Concern,
Mozufferpore

No. 2 Section
Charles

Cyril Montagu

Marshani
Francis Stewart McNamara '

George Elliott

Llewhellin
AVilliani Lee .

Arthur Helme Firth

Angus Macgillivray

Richard James Lance

Indigo Planter, Serryah Concern,

Mozufferpore
Indigo Planter, Burhoulie, Concern,
Sewan, Saran
PoUnitz Indigo Planter, Burhoga Concern,
Saran
York and Lancaster Regiment,

Agra
Indigo Planter, Kanti Cour Con-
cern, Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
. ' Indigo Planter, Sohazra Concern,
I Sewan, Saran
8rd (K.O.) Hussars, Lucknow

Subsequently promoted.

BOLL OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

429

Bank

Name

OooupatioD aud Address

Trooper

B. J. Clayton Daubney .

Selwyn Long-Innes

Howard Herbert Julian

Hickley »
Leslie Gwatkin Williams

j Burton Disney Rutherfoord ' .

Charles Bertram H. Mansfield

> Philip Stanley

I Harry C. Lumsden

; Norman James Vaughan
Reid
Spencer Cochrane Gordon

Christie West Fletcher .

William Gordon Watson

George Innes Watson

Reginald N. Macdonald

Percy Strahan

John Pringle Kennedy

Gilbert Denis Nicolay
Cecil W. John

Cyril Darcy Vivian Cary-

Bamard
R. Upton Case
Julian Victor Jameson .

Signaller .

Enyvett Boilean

Indigo Planter, Belsund Concern,

Durbunga
Indigo Planter, Peeprah Concern,

Motihari, Chumparan
Indigo Planter, Bhicanpore Con-
cern, Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
Indigo Planter, Rajkund Concern,

Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
Indigo Planter, Peeprah Concern,

Motihari. Chumparan
Indigo Planter, RamcoUah Concern,

Saran
Indigo Planter, Bhamoo Concern,
I Saran, Chupra
Indigo Planter, Chuckhea Concern,
Sewan, Saran
I Indigo Planter, Moniarah Concern,

Gopalgunje, Saran
I Indigo Planter, Matihari Concern,
I Motihari, Clnmiparan
I Indigo Planter, Dholi Concern,
I Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
Indigo Planter, Mozufferpore,

Tirhoot
Indigo Planter, Chitwarrah Con-
cern, Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
Indigo Planter, Jogapore Concern,

Sewan, Saran
Indigo Planter, Dulsing Sarai Con-
cern, Durbunga
Indigo Planter, Munjoul Concern,
I Monghyr
I Indigo Planter, Durbunga
I Indigo Planter, Peeprah Concern,
' Motihari, Chumparan

Indigo Planter, Mozufferpore,
' Tirhoot

Indigo Planter, Chumparan
I Indigo Planter, Ottur Concern,
I Mozufferpore, Tirhoot
' Indigo Planter, Chitwarrah Con-
, cem, Mozufferpore, Tirhoot

Sergesmt .

Vety. Lance-
Sergeant

Paymaster- Ser-
geant

Lsmce- Sergeant

Lance-Corporal

No. 3 Section
Walter Larkins Walker .

James Lee Stewart

David Stewart Fraser .

James Stemhiirst Elliott

Arthur Collier Walker .

Denis J. Keating .
Arthur Thomas Hayward

* Subsequently promoted.

Tea Planter, Doom Dooma T. E.,

A^RSfliin
Coffee Planter, ThoUol Coffee

Estate, Beber, Mysore
Assistant, Bank of Bengal, Agra

Tea Planter, Assam Company,
Towkok Nazira, Assam

Tea Planter, Doom Dooma T. E.,
Assam

Assistant, Calcutta Port Trust

drd Hussars, Liicknow

430

THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Rank

Name

OocupatioQ and Address

Trooper

A COMPANY.— No. 8 Section
George E. Kenny .
' Arthur Leigh Godden ^ .
Edward Nugent Bankes

Charleton

-contintted

Company Ser-
geant-Major
Sergeant .

Corporal .
Lance- Corporal

»»
Trooper .

Henry Cecil

Bennett
Arnold Daniell Kadford

Arthur Noel Woods

Lionel Hugh Bell .
Arthur Henry Luard *

Clarence A. Walton

Hugh Stanley Cheshire

Bertie Edward Jones

Herbert Pearce Brown

Charles Edward Stuart
John W. A. Skelton

Bupert Henry Mackenzie

Edward Bayley Hadden

Parkes
Johan Gottfried Petersen

John Stratford Saunders

John Francis Hughes .

Frank Tancred

Bertie Rhys Lloyd Jones

No. 4 Section

Edgar Hall Mansfield . . ;

I
Robert Septimus Stowell

Tea Planter, Doom Dooma T. E.,

Assam
Assistant, Messrs. Eilbum & Co.,

Calcutta
Tea Planter, Majuli Tea Co., Ltd.,

Behali, Darrang, Assam
Tea Planter, Daijeeling

; George Lawric

; William Solomon Lemon

Edward James Ballard .

Charles Frederick Hayes

Ernest Phillip Sanders .

Ernest Stanley Clifford .

John David William Holmes

Harry Warren Puckridge

Arthur Edward Consterdine

Donald Robert Graham Glas-
cock

' Subsequently promoted

Gentleman, Rose Cottage, Sonada,

Daijeeling
Tea Planter, Surmah Valley T.E.,

South Sylhet
Tea Planter, Badlipar, Sibsagar
Tea Planter, Kingsley GolaghatTea

Co., Jorhat, Assam
Tea Planter, Badlipar, Golaghat,

Assam
Engineer, Assam-Bengal Railway,

Hathikhola
Tea Planter, Singh Tea Co.,

Jaboka, Sibsagar
Tea Planter, Khonjea T. E.,

Rajmai, Sibsagar
Tea Planter, Assam
Tea Planter, Salonah Tea Co., Ltd.,

Nowgong, Assam
Tea Planter, Hattigor T. E.,

Mungledai, Assam
Tea Planter, Doolapudung, Assam

Assistant, R.S.N. Co., Ltd., Garden

Reach, Calcutta
Tea Planter, Jorhat Tea Co., Ltd.,

Nimaligarh, Sibsagar
Tea Planter, Amalgamated Tea

Estate, Dibrugarh, Assam
Gentleman, Lahore
Survey Department, Lahore

Assistant Examiner, MUty. Accts.

Dept., Punjab Command, Lahore
Brewer, Messrs. Meakin k Co.,

Kirkee
Photographer, Lucknow
TraveUing Agent, Calcutta
Planter, Peshawar
Clerk, Calcutta
Travelling Agent, Calcutta
Gentleman, Delhi

Bangalore
Inspector of Police
Planter, Palumpur

ROLL OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

431

Name

OccupatioD aiid Address

Trooper

Frederick Charles Warren

Mercer
John Havilaud Sperrin

Bichardson
Isambard Clarke AVebbe
I Frederick Maurice Clifford .
James Sydney Cowen .

Hnbert Noel Shaw
' Wilfred Herbert Holme
Arthur Patrick Courtenay
Charles Henry Mortimer

Johnstone
Charles Hilliard Donald

Hugh Stopford Northcote

Wright
Frank Graham Bateman
Frederick Wilford Wright

I Alexander Atkinson
John Daly Lecky Arathoon .

Extra Assist. Commissioner. Delhi
Agent to the Amir of Afghanistan,

Peshawar
Planter, Palumpur
Planter, Palumpur
Gentleman, Umballa
Gentleman, Kalka

Assistant, Messrs. Spedding & Co.
Kashmir

Plague Department, Secunderabad,
Deccan

Planter, Mysore

Assistant, N.G.S. Railway, Secun-
derabad

Gentleman, Lahore |

Assistant, Alliance Bank of Simla, |
Calcutta

MAXIM-GUN DETACHMENT

Sergeant
Trooper

Ephraim Robert Dale .
Patrick Terence Corbett

Ivan Victor G. Dowd

Sergeant .
Corporal .

Lance -Corporal
Bugler
Trooper .

Contractor, Jubbulpore, C.P.
. : Loco. Dept., E.I. Railway, Jamal-

I pore
. ' Loco. Dept., E.I. Railway', Jamal-
pore
Noel Jocelyn Bolst . Loco. Dept., E.I. Railway-, Asansol

Charles Vivian Scott Dickens Loco. Dept., E.I. Railway Jamal-

I pore
John Joseph Booth ' . .1 Traffic Dept., E.I. Railway, How-

rah (formerly Royal Artillery)

B COMPANY
No. 1 Section

Gei-ald Edward Pierson The- Tea Planter, Tarapore Tea Co.,

siger Cachar

William Townsend Smith . | Tea Planter, Tarapore Tea Co.,

I Cachar
Edward A. Chartres . . Doctor, Ballachcrra T. E., Cachar
John Maclaine . . Tea Planter, Hatticherra T. E.,

Cachar
Hugh Kirkwood F. A. H. Castoni House Officer, Calcutta

Dawson
Charles Alexander Forbes . Tea Planter, Vernerpore T. E.,

Hailakandi, Cachar
Cecil Wilfred Spicer . . Tea Planter, Alyne T. E., Lukipore,

Cachar
W- illiam Reid . . .Tea Planter, Chargola T. E., Sylhet

William Edward Cliflford Tea Planter, Pathemara T. E.,

Jolmson Cachar

Ian George Sinclair . . Tea Planter, Kalline T. E., Cachar

' Subsequently promoted.

432

THE HISTOKY OP LUMSDEN'S HOESE

Ilank

Name

Occapatiou and Address

Trooper

B COMPANY.— No. 1 Sectioih— continued

Walter Reginald Winder . , Tea Planter, Bhuberighat T. E.,

Sylhet
Archibald William Harrison . Tea Planter, Coombirgram T. E.,

I Cachar
James Henry Archibald

Bum -Murdoch
Ernest Adair Thelwall .

Tea Planter, Dullabcherra T. E.,

Sylhet
Tea Planter, Lungla Tea Co.,

Sylhet
Tea Planter, Chargola Tea Co.,

Sylhet
Tea Planter, Hattikhira T. E.,

Sylhet
Medical Officer, Assam Bengal

Railway
Engineer, Assam-Bengal Railway
Tea Planter, Chandypore T. E.,

Hailakandi, Cachar
Journalist, Calcutta
Engineer, Assam- Bengal Railway
Tea Planter, Deundi T. E., South

Sylhet
Tea Planter, Dooars
Tea Planter, Rema T. E., South

Sylhet
Rawdon Graham Hunter I Tea Planter, Ballacherra T. E.,

Stanley Ducat

James Whyte Stevenson '

Arthur Philip Woollright

Frederick Vivian Clerk .
Richard Tait Innes

Arthur Ruthven Thornton
Malcolm Hunter JiOgan
Robert Brooke Lungley

Herbert Wallace Thelwall
Edniond Stewart Chapman

Muskett
Alexander Lytic .
Edward B. Moir-Byres .

Bernard Charles

Steuart
Philip Partridge .
William Turnbull .

Albert

Company Ser-
geant-Major
Sergeant .
Lance- Sergeant

Farrier - Ser-
geant
Corporal .

Lance -Corporal

Oliver Charles John Steven-
son-Hamilton
Harvey Davies

No. 2 Section
William Burrell Hewitt *

Walter Arnold Conduit . . i
Philip Bunbury Warburton . '

Frederick Edwards

Francis Stuart Montao^u

Saddler
I Trooper

Charles Maclean Jack

Graham Peddie ^ .

Henry Briggs
Harry Howes

Cachar

Tea Planter, Alyne T. E., Cachar
Tea Planter, Tarrapore Tea Co.,

Cachar
Tea Planter, Silcaorie T. E., Cachar

Tea Planter, Silcaorie T. E., Cachar
Tea Planter, Pathecherra, T. E.,

Cachar
Tea Planter, Jalinga T. E., Cachar

Tea Planter, South Sylhet

Royal Irish Rifles, Calcutta

Assistant Engineer, B.N. Railway
Assistant, Bank of Bengal, Cal-
cutta
15th Hussars, Meenit

Merchant, Rangoon

Assistant, Messrs. Shaw, Wallace,
& Co., Calcutta
. J Assistant District Traffic Superin-

i tendent, E.L Railway
. ' 15th Hussars, Meerut
. I Superintendent, Rangoon Boat
I Club

' Subsequently promoted.

ROLL OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

433

Rauk

Trooper

Sergeant .
Corporal .
Lance-Corporal

»»
Trooper

Name

Lewis Hills Cubitt .
Herbert Nicholson Betts
Walter Douglas Jones .
William Burton Elwes .
Charles Edward Turner

Thomas Brinsley Nicholson
Phillip Chamberlayne Pres

ton
Harry Bright Oldham .
George Alfred Gowenlock
Eian Ingram Lockhart .
Reginald William Kovdi

Birch
Alfred Frederick Franks
Morris William Clifford
Cecil Grant Huddleston

John Graves * .

Alfred Holberton Francis

Charles Henry McMinn
William Harold Nicolay
Harry Baden Powis
Harold Cooper

Henry Dawson Were .

No. 8 Section
Harry Alexander Campbell
Lionel Edward Kirwan
George Home
Talbot Cox .
Bernard Cayley
Lionel Kingchurch
Francis Bere Follett
Henry Percy Cobb
James Charles Dent Bewsher
Arthur Ernest Norton .

Thomas Edw^ard Marmaduke

Lawson
Montagu Beadon Follett

Occapatiou and Address

Crosbie Charles Har\ey

' Subsequently promoted.

Broker, Calcutta
Jute Broker, Calcutta
Merchant, Calcutta
Indo-European Telegraphs, Madras
Assistant, Messrs. Bullock Bro-
thers, Rangoon
Coffee Planter, Yercand
Indigo Planter, Purneah

Tea Planter
Tea Planter, Darjeeling
Indigo Planter, Behar
Indigo Planter, Purneah

Assistant Engineer, B.-N. Railway

P.W.D. Accounts, Lahore

Mining Engijieer, Hyderabad
State

Assistant, Bank of Bengal, Hydera-
bad

Assistant, Messrs. Thos. Cook &
Sons, Rangoon

N.W.P. Police

Tutor, Simla

Assistant Engineer, East Coast
Railway

Gentleman, Broadclyst*, S. Devon,

Coffee Planter, Natroeull Estate,

Koppa, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Santaweri Estate,

Birur, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, BykarhuUy Estate,

Sakluspur, Hassan Dist.
Coffee Planter, Santi Kappa Estate,

North Coorg
Coffee Planter, Honpet Estate,

Santaweri, Birur, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Balihonur Estate,

Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, B^^nekhan Estate,

Chickamagloor, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Arabedicool Estate,

Chickamagloor, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Bynekhan Estate,

Chickamagloor, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Santaweri Estate,

Birur, Kadur Dist.
Indigo Broker, Madras

Coffee Planter, Nungangode Estate,

Mysore
Coffee Planter, Davekhan Estate,

Koppa, Kadur Dist.

F F

434

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Rank

Name

Occupation and Ad<lre«a

Trooper

B COMPANY.— No. 3 Section ^continued

Sergeant .
Vety.. Sergeant .

»»
Sig.- Sergeant .
Corporal .
Lance • Corporal

Signaller .
Shoeing- Smith .

Trooper .

Hugh AUardice

Melville Seymour Biscoe

Herbert Cecil Wood

Thomas Lawrence Dalton

John Arthur Graham .

Claude Kennedy Martin

Lewis CoUingwood Beame .

Bex Johnston Smith

Herbert Evetts

Claude Francis Walton .

David Onslow AUardice

Seymour Sladden .

Ernest Alfred Sydenham

Clarke
Charles Elsee

Divie Robertson .

Francis Hannay Cunningham

No. 4 Section

Ernest Dawson

Lewis Joseph Orland Oakley

Frank Deccan Sheriff Mit-
chell
Albert John Longman .

Alick Cyril Pratt ' .

Arthur D. Butler .

Albert Hedley Jackman ^

William Lowe

Osborne Rcguiald Cuthbert .

Coffee Planter, Burgode Estate,

Chickamagloor, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Chickolly Estate,

Chickamagloor, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Mercara, North

Coorg
Coffee Planter, Huntrey Estate,

Shanwara Santi, Mungerabad
Coffee Planter, Halari Estate,

Mercara, North Coorg
Coffee Planter, Palamado Estate,

Mercara, North Coorg
Coffee Planter, PoUibetta Estate,

South Coorg
Coffee Planter, PoUibetta Estate,

• South Coorg
Coffee Planter, Murguddi, Sullibile,

Kadur Dist.
Police Lispector, Mysore Service,

Mudigiri, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Gubcull Estate,

Mudigiri, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Badni Estate,

Sudaspore, Hassan Dist.
Coffee Planter, Hitherhulli Estate,

Shanwara Santi, Mungerabad
Coffee Planter, Shanwara Santi,

Mungerabad, Hassan Dist.
Coffee Planter, Kerke Coondah

Estate, Sullibile, Kadur Dist.
Coffee Planter, Could Hilton Estate,

Koppa, Kaidur Dist.

William Kilncr Brown .
Herbert James Moorhouse

' Subsequently promoted.

Uncovenanted Civil Service, Pagan,
Burmah

Superintendent of Stables, Maha-
rajah of Cooch-Behar

Tea Planter, Eastern Assam Co.,
Balijan

Sergeant Signaller, drd Hussars,
Lucknow

D. I. S., B & N. W. Railway, So-
mastipore

Assistant, Messrs. Oakes & Co.,
Madras

Traveller, Messrs. Wrenn, Bennett
& Co., Madras

8rd Hussars, Lucknow

Shoeing Smith, 15th Hussars,
Meerut

Assistant, Audit Office, E.I. Bail-
way, Calcutta

P.O. Department, Bangalore

BOLL OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

435

Rank

Name

Trooper

Sergeant
Driver

John Boyd Johnston .

Charles W. Maxwell

Hugh James Benny
George Augustus Phillips '

David Liddell Livingstone

James Moore

William Walter Hight .

Edward John Burgess .

Robert Pennington Williams

Bichard Grant Dagge .
Arthur King Meares
Willie King Meares
Walter Ernest Dexter .

Sydney Ward Gircuitt Lucas

Harry Bufus Parks

Bobert Charles Nolan .
Joseph Seymour Biscoe

John Lewis Behan
Douglas Morisou .
Harry McGregor .

Occnpatlon and A.ddre8B

Assistant, Planters' Stores and
Agency Co., Ltd., Calcutta

Assistant, Messrs. William Watson
& Co., Calcutta

Tea Planter, Jalpaiguri

Secretary, Bampur Baj, Bampur,
N.W.P.

2nd Officer, B.I.S.N. Co., Cal
cutta

Cawnpore Woollen Mills, Cawn-
pore, N.W.P.

Coffee Planter, Valakadai Peak Es
state, Yercand, Salem

Assistant to the Secretary, Govern
ment of India, Home Dept.

Chief Officer, B.I.S.N. Co., Cal-
cutta

Captain, B.LS.N. Co., Calcutta

Gentleman, Banchi, Chota Nagpur

Chief Officer, Hajec Cassim Line of
Steamers, Bombay

Jute Merchant, Pubna, Lower
Bengal

Asiatic Steam Navigation Co., Cal-
cutta

Moimted Police, Calcutta

Salt Bevenue Dept., Northern
Frontier, Singum

Journalist, Calcutta

Tea Planter, Assam

Engineer, B.LS.N. Co., Calcutta

A COMPANY TBANSPOBT

Fred. Stephens . . . i

George Edward Wilkinson .

Sydney Graham Nightingale
Leo. Davis «...
Herbert Gregory Phillips
Douglas Daly
Bichard Arthur Grenville
Percy William Pryce .

Percy Harrington Paxton
Frederick Chu*les Manville .
Bichard Parker Estabrooke .
George Johnston Shaw
Edmond John Power .

John Charles ^ . . .
Trewren Hare Scott
George William Harrison
John Canute Doyle

Indian Commissariat Transport

Department, Howrah
Clerk, Medical College Hospital,

Calcutta
Clerk, B.I.S.N. Company
Tea Planter, Darjeeling
Clerk, B.I.S.N. Company
Foot Police, Calcutta
Foot Police, Calcutta
Assistant, Messrs. Peliti & Co.,

Calcutta
Custom House Officer, Calcutta
Custom House Officer, Calcutta
Assistant, Grand Hotel, Darjeeling
Guard, E.I. Bailway, JamsJpore
Travelling Agent, Messrs. Phelps

& Co., Calcutta
Bice Broker, Bangoon
Bawalpindi

Guard, E.I. Bailway, Calcutta
Beporter, * Englishman,* Calcutta

Subsequently promoted.

F F 2

436

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Nftme

Occupation and Address

A COMPANY TRANSPORT— c(m^m««rf

Driver

George William Palmer
William G. Arthurton .

Lionel Willis

John Frederick Richey .

Patrick W. Anderson .

William Edward Harris
Charles William Lovegrove

Leo Horatio Bradford .

Sherbrook William Cullen

William Bumand .

Gentleman, Calcutta

Assistant, Messrs. Whiteaway,

Laidlaw, & Co., Calcutta
Theatrical Agent, Calcutta
Audit Department, E.I. Railway,

Jamalpore
Assistant, Great Eastern Hotel,

Calcutta
Clerk. E.I. Railway, Calcutta
Assistant, Messrs. AVhiteaway,

Laidlaw, & Co., Calcutta
Assistant, Messrs. Ball, Mudie, &

Co., Lahore
Assistant, Messrs. Harman & Co ,

Calcutta
Clerk, E.I. Railway, Jamalpore

B COMPANY TRANSPORT

Driver . John James Campbell .

Alfred Morris
William B. Brown
I John Francis E. Morley

Francis Campbell Thompson
Walter Henry Wheeler .

Harry Archibald Campbell .

Albert Martin

Ernest Henry Waller .

Henry Tomlinson Smith

Harry Richard Rice
George Goodliffe .

Richard Millett Crux .
Sydney Herbert Bradford

Stephen Harry Kearsey

Edward Adlam

Ormond Edward Fitzgerald
I Henry William Fuller
' Waiiam Rust

I John Braine .

I Robert Wallace Hyde

I Harry Macgregor .

Richard Pringle .
Fred Leslie Lowther
Patrick William Banks
Robert Henry Baldwin

Assistant Tea Planter, Dibrngarh,

Assam
Assistant, Adelphi Hotel, Calcutta
Engineer, B.I.S.N. Co.
Assistant Tea Planter, Kandie,

Ceylon
Clerk,'E.I. Railway, Calcutta
Manager, Charing Cross Hotel,

Lahore
Assistant, Messrs. Davis, Leech, &
i Co., Calcutta
I Custom House Officer, Calcutta
I Coffee Planter
Travelling Agent, Great Eastern

Hotel, Calcutta
Clerk, Custom House, Calcutta
Veterinary Surgeon, Messrs. Brown

& Co., Calcutta
Military Accounts Office, Lahore
Assistant, Messrs. Ball, Mudie, &

Co., Lahore
Military Accounts Office, Lahore
Railway Coolie Contractor, Lahore
Tea Planter, Kangra Valley
Coffee Planter
Agent for the Maharajah of Nepal,

Calcutta
Tea Planter, Gauhati, Assam
Assistant, Bristol Hotel, Calcutta
Engineer, B.I.S.N. Co. Wellington,

New Zealand
Clerk, Custom House, Calcutta
Clerk, Custom House, Calcutta
Guard, E.I. Railway, Jamalpore
Custom House Officer, Calcutta

437

APPENDIX II

MOBILISATION SECTION, ARMY HEADQUARTERS
Dated Fort Willl^m, January 1900

Scheme for the despatch of Two Companies Mown ted Volunteers

to South Africa

Her Majesty's Government having accepted the offer of the Govern-
ment of India to provide a force of Mounted Volunteers for service in
South Africa, two companies of Mounted Infantry, to be called *The
Indian Mounted Infantry Corps (Lumsden's Horse),* will be raised
immediately at Calcutta under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
D, McT. Lumsden, of the Volunteer Force of India, Supernumerary
List, Assam Valley Light Horse.

Tenns of E7distme7it.— The term of enlistment for officers and men will
be for one year, or for not less than the period of the war.

All members of the force will be entitled to free passages to India on
discharge or completion of engagement.

Preference will be given to Volunteers from Mounted Volunteer corps,
but Volunteers belonging to Infantry corps who may possess the requisite
qualifications will also be eligible.

Qualifications. — Candidates must be from twenty to forty years of
age and of good character. Infantry Volunteers must show that they
are good riders.

All candidates must obtain a medical certificate of fitness for active
service. Civil surgeons will be asked to examine free of charge all
candidates applying for enlistment.

Paij, — The pay and allowances for officers and men will be at British
Cavalry rates from date of enlistment.

Allowances, — Particulars regarding wound pensions, gratuities, and
family pensions will be given later.

Rations, — All ranks vdll receive rations as for British soldiers from
date of joining.

438

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Organisation. — Establishment. — The corps will be organised in two
companies as under :

Offloen

Ser- Arti-
goanta j floers

Buglers

R.dsP.

1
Total .

Hones

Ponies

or
Moles

Friyate
lowers

Staflf- !
Lieutenant-Colonel . .1
Second in Command 1
Adjutant and Quarter- \

master .... 1 *
Medical Omoer. . .1
Quartermaster-Sergeant . —

_ _ _.

1
1

1
4

104

123

2
2

8
3

3
3

Total .4 1 — , —

104

Detail of one Company
Major (or Captain)
Captain or Subaltern
Company Sergeant-&i
Company Quarterm

Sergeant
Sergeants .
Farrier-Sergeant
Shoeing-Smiths
Saddlers .
Signallers
Buglers .
Bank and FUe .

1 •

B . 1 4
[ajor 1 —
aster- '

\ 1

1 Z 1 z

1' -
i» —

4 1 --
1 » —
- , 2 '
— 1
1 —

-
1^

8
1

1
4
1
2
1
2
2
104 •

3
12

Total of one Company

.1 5

8 8

105

128

Total of two Companie

16 6

210

246 256

Total of Staff

4 1 ! -

—

12
42

Grand Total or Unit

•

17 6

210

251 ' 265

From Regular Army.

■ One from Regular Army, the other a Yolnnteer.

The following officers, non-commissioned officers, and men will be
drawn from the Kegular Army :

Adjutant and Quartermaster

Company Commanders (Majors or Captains)

. 1
. 2

Total Officers 3

Quartermaster-Sergeant ........ 1

Company Sergeant-Majors 2

Company Quartermaster-Sergeants 2

Farrier-Sergeants 2

Shoeing-Smiths 2

Saddlers 2

Signallers 4

Buglers 2

Total 17

MOBILISATION SCHEME 439

The force will be equipped and trained as Mounted Infantry.
Officers will be equipped and armed as far as possible like the men.
Officers and men will provide their own horses.

Officers* Servants. — Officers will be allowed one personal native servant

each and one syce for each charger. Total, three native servants per officer.

Ordnance Department, — Arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and

equipment will be issued /r^e by the Ordnance Department according to

the scales given.

Officers and men will be armed with '303 rifles and bayonets.

All members of Volunteer corps of Light Horse or Mounted Bifles
joining the corps may, if they so wish it, bring with them the saddlery and
equipment issued to them in their present corps.

Saddlery and camp equipment, according to the scales given, will be
supplied under regimental arrangements. If required the Ordnance
Department will supply saddlery and camp equipment on payment.

The Ordnance Department will supply free transport saddlery and
draught harness according to scale given.

Line gear including one knee halter per horse will be provided free by
the Ordnance Department.

Two horse loads of entrenching tools as for a British Cavalry regiment,
together with complete equipment of saddlery, bridles, and entrenching
tool bags for two horses, will be provided free by Ordnance Depart-
ment.

Artificers' tools and stores and miscellaneous stores, including two light
forges for pack saddles, will be issued /ree by Ordnance Department.

Signalling. — SignaUing equipment will be issued free on the field
service scale for a British Cavalry regiment.

Ammunition. — Small-arm ammunition will be issued at the rate of 650
rounds per rifle, calculated according to the following scale :

On soldier 100 rounds per rifle

1st Beserve (34 boxes) 132 „

2nd „ (Ammunition Column and Park) 268 „ „

Practice ammunition 150 „ „

Mark II. -303 ammunition only will be taken for use in South Africa.
The practice ammunition may be black powder ammunition.

Bevolver ammunition will be issued at the rate of 150 rounds per
officer's revolver calculated as under :

On person 24 rounds per revolver

1st Reserve 26 „ „

2nd „ (Ammimition Column and Park) 50 „ „

Practice ammunition 50 „ „

Total . 150

440 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Two boxes of revolver ammunition will be carried with the 1st reserve
rifle ammunition. All the above ammunition will be issued at Calcutta.

The 2nd reserve of rifle and revolver ammunition will on arrival of
the corps in South Africa be handed over to the Ordnance Department as
may be directed by the local military authorities.

Cooking Utensils. — Cooking utensils will be provided free by the
Commissariat Department if required — viz., five sets of three oval camp
kettles (with one gridiron, chopper, and ladle for each kettle) per company ;
one set weighs 39 ^ lb.

Transport. — Transport mules or ponies will be provided by the corps
for 1st reserve ammunition, medical equipment and signalling equipment.
These animals should be trained to draught or pack work. Army
transport carts as required will be provided /ree by the Commissariat
Department.

Clothing. — Sea kit, as prescribed for the Cape Eoute in Army Eegu-
lations, India, Volume V., Article 2166 (but without mattresses), will be
issued /ree to all non-commissioned officers and men by the Commissariat
Transport Department.

Clothing will be provided under regimental arrangements, but field
service and other clothing as required will be issued on payment indent by
the Commissariat Transport Department.

Supplies, — (a) Thirty days* sea rations for men and animals will be
placed on the transport by the Commissariat Department.

(6) In addition to the above sea rations, three months' rations for
men and one month's crushed gram and compressed hay for animals will
be provided and shipped by the Commissariat Department.

Veterinary. — The Principal Veterinary Officer in India will arrange
for the veterinary inspection of horses before embarkation and for the
necessary veterinary arrangements for the voyage. The corps will be
provided free with two field veterinary chests and two veterinary wallets.

Medical. — The Principal Medical Officer of her Majesty's Forces in
India will issue orders for the necessary medical arrangements for the
voyage. The corps will be provided /ree with medical equipment as for
a British Cavalry regiment on field service, except that two field stretchers
and four blanket stretchers will be provided.

Office Stationery. — The Superintendent Government Stationery will
issue/red such stationery as may be required for use in the regimental office.

The Superintendent Government Printing will supply /?'e6 such books
and forms as may be required for use in the regimental office.

The officers in charge Mathematical Instrument Office will issue free
such instruments as may be required on a scale not exceeding that of a
British Cavalry regiment on field service.

MOBILISATION SCHEME 441

Embarkation. — The force will be embarked at Calcutta. The Director
of the Eoyal Indian Marine will arrange for the necessary sea transport
for conveyance of the force, informing the General OflBcer Commanding
Presidency District of the vessel or vessels he proposes to charter. The
vessels will then be surveyed in accordance wdth Army Eegulations, India,
Volume X., and as soon as the date of sailing is known the General Ofl&cer
Commanding the Presidency District will arrange for the embarkation of
the force. Details regarding the transports engaged, date of sailing, and
probable date of arrival at Durban should be sent to Army Headquarters
and to the Bengal Command.

Stores, Best Camps, — The General Officer Commanding the Presidency
District will make such arrangements as may be needed to facilitate the
raising of the force, the provision of such storage accommodation as may
be necessary, and for rest camps. He will be responsible for receiving
stores for the force and for loading the transport.

Telegrams, — The Lieutenant-General Commanding the Forces, Bengal,
will authorise the despatch of telegrams on the * debit note ' system from
such offices as may be concerned with the raising, equipment, and despatch
of the force. He will communicate to the Director-General of Telegraphs
the designations and head-quarters of officers whom he authorises to use the
* debit note ' system, and any other offices from which such telegrams are
likely to be despatched. * Debit note ' telegrams cannot be despatched
from railway offices.

AJl telegra\ns will be endorsed, *Lumsden*s Horse. Debit cost to
Military Department.'

Beport and Maps of Transvaal. — Copies of * A Short Military Keport
on the Transvaal,' together with maps, will be supphed by the Intelli-
gence Branch, Quartermaster-General's Department, Simla.

Press Correspondents, — No member of the corps will be permitted to
act as a Press correspondent except with the special permission of the
military authorities in South Africa.

Expenditure Accounts. — The various departments of the Army are
authorised to issue on * payment indents * such supplies, stores, equipment,
and clothing as may be required, in addition to the free issues referred to
above. All such payment indents will be clearly marked 'Lumsden's
Horse. On payment.'

All supplies, stores, equipment, and clothing issued from stock to the
force should be replaced as soon as possible, and all charges connected
with the raising, equipping, and despatching of the force other than those
borne by the corps itself should be debited to the Government of India
under the heading * Lumsden's Horse.'

FoBT William : Janitary 1900.

442

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Field-Service Kit

N.CO. and Hen

On Person

Helmet with khaki cover, pagri, and chin i

strap (or felt hat) 1

Khaki serge coat 1

Pantaloons, Bedford cord .... 1

Khaki putties or leather gaiters ... 1

Walking boots 1

Spurs, jack 1

Drawers 1

Flannel shii-t 1

Socks, woollen .... pairs 1

Vest 1

Flannel belt 1

Braces 1

Pocket handkerchief 1

Sword 1

Revolver (and ammunition) ... 1

Belts set 1

Bandolier 1

Field glasses (if not on saddle) ... 1

Ck)mpass 1

Watch 1

Note-book 1

Water-bottle I 1

Haversack, with knife, fork, and cup . 1

Map, linen (if available) .... 1

First field dressing (in special pocket) . 1

Descriptive card (ditto) ... —

Emergency ration (if available) ... 1

Pocket dressing-case 1 (Medical

OfiScer only)

1 (N.CO. only)
1 (ditto)
1 (ditto)
1 (ditto)

1
1 (N.CO. only)

Carried in Kit

Khaki helmet cover, spare ....

Khaki drill coat

Khaki serge coat

Khaki trousers, serge

„ M drill

Pantaloons, Bedford cord ....

Field service cap

Walking boots (and spare laces) .

Putties, khaki pair

Drawera

Flannel shirts

Socks, woollen .... pairs

Vests

Flannel belt

Pocket-handkerchiefs

Housewife

Holdall

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
2
1
5
1
1

MOBILISATION SCHEME

448

Field-Service Kit — continued

OfBoen

N.C.O. and Men

Carried in Kit — continued

Towels

Blankets

Wolseley valise

Waterproof sheet

Basin, canvas

Dubbing tin

Small book

Diarv

Field Service Departmental Ck>de, Medical .

Writing-case

Lantern

Cardigan jacket

Warm coat

Mittens pair

Balaclava cap

Cooking utensils set

EnameUed tin plates, cups, &c. . set

Logline for packing, 15 feet

1 (Medical
Officer only)

1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Artificers* Tools and Stores {to be supplied free by Government)

Armourer's tools and stores 80 lb.

Saddler's tools and stores 160 „

Materials for repairs of accoutrements, saddlery, and line gear. 160 „

Shoeing iron and charcoal 160 „

Beserve of shoes with nails 160 „

Miscellaneous Stores {to be supplied free by Government)

Handcufifs 2 pairs

Steelyards, with weights, complete 1 set

Scales, weights, with small stores, &c 1

Light forges, Mark FV., pack saddle, LP 2

Veterinary Stores {to be supplied free by Government)

Universal field veterinary chests 2

Veterinary wallets 2

Medical Stores {to be supplied free by Government)

Medical field panniers 1 pair

Field medical companion 1

„ surgical haversack 1

Cavalry bag 1

„ stretchers 2

Blanket stretchers 4

444 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Quartermasters Stores (to be supplied on payment by Government if required).

Drawers, cotton 25 pairs

Coats, khaki serge 25

Trousers, serge, khaki 25 pairs

,, driU „ 25 „

Boots, ankle 25 „

Socks, woollen 25 „

Shirts, flannel 25

Caps, forage 10

Buttons, coat, small 6 doz.

„ iron, trousers 2 gross

Cloth, serge, khaki ... 20 yds.

Chin, strapers, helmet, leather 10

Thread, black and coloured 5 lb.

„ khaki 4 „

Dubbing

Soap, washing ... 30 „

Scissors, tailor's, 9" 1 pair

Oil, Rangoon (1 gallon per company) 2 cans

Shoemakers* Tools ami Stores {to be supplied free by Government)

Soles, half pairs 50

Lifts „ , 50

Tips „ „ 50

Nails, tip 1 lb.

Rivets .... 7 „

Feet, iron, 9" 2

Leather, spare

Hemp balls, 24-lb 1

Tools, shoemakers' 10

Entrenchimj Tools {to be supplied free by Government)

Shovels, light 20

Pickaxes, „ . . . . 20

Felling axes 8

BiU-hooks 16

Hooks, reaping 32

Bags, entrenching tool 2 pairs

Carried on one horse per company.

Maxim Equipment
One Maxim gun. One tripod mounting, &c.

Camp Equipment {to be supplied under regimental arrangements)

Officers, 80-lb. tent each. Non-commissioned officers and men, 8 per 80-lb.
G. S. tent. Office, 80-lb. tent. Surgery, 80-lb. tent. Quarter-guard, 80-lb. tent.
Rearguard, 240-lb. tent.

MOBILISATION SCHEME

445

Baggage.
Officers, 80 lb. each. Non-commissioned officers and men, 40 lb. each.

Saddlery and Line Gear {to he
For each
One hay-net.
One nosebag, canvas.
One watering-bridle.
One horse-brush.
One curry-comb.
One knee-halter.
One canvas water-bucket.
One numnah.
One eye-fringe.
One chagul.
One headstall.

supplied free by Government)
Horse

One set head and heel ropes.
One set heel-pegs.
One jhool.
OneJblanket.

One set spare shoes with nails.
One horse rubber.
One waterproof harness wrapper.
Water buckets, one to four horses.
Sponges, one to ten horses.
Clipping machines, one to ten horses.
Hoof-pickers, one to five horses.

Miscellaneoics

Cooking utensils, five sets per company 10 sets

Tables, office, 14 lb. each 2

Chairs „ 4 lb. each 2

Yakdans, office. Weight full 80 lb. each .... 1 pair

Beserve Saddlery {to be supplmlfree by Government)

Saddle.

Numnah.

Bridle.

Beins.

Bit, complete.

Nosebags, canvas.

Watering bridle.

Horse brush.

Curry-comb.

Knee-halter.

Canvas water-bucket.

Eye-fringe.

Chaguls.

Headstall.

Head-ropes.

Heel-ropes.

Heel-pegs.

Jhool.

Blanket.

Pay as for British Cavalry of the Line {vide Article 780, Eoyal Warrant
for Pay and Promotion) :

Rank

Per ilay

Lieutenant-Colonel

Major

Captain

Lieutenant

Second-Lieutenant

Adjutant (and Quartermaster)

Quartermaster- Sergeant .

Company Sergeant-Major .

Company Quartermaster - Ser

geant .
Sergeant .

1
15
13
7
6
5
4
4

3
2

6
0
0

8
8
0^
4 ,

4 I

Rank

Farrier Sergeant
Shoeing Smith .
Saddler .
Bugler
Corooral (if paid

Sergeant)
Corporal .
Private (appointed

poral) .
Private

Per day

as Lance

Lance-Cor

s, d.

2 10
1 8

1
1

2
2

9i
4'

4
0

6
2

In addition to pay of rank.

446 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

APPENDIX III

THE ADJUTANT'S NOTB-BOOK

Captain and Adjutant Taylor contributes the following notes
and suggestions for consideration :

There were a certain number of points which struck me very forcibly
during the campaign, and I should like to give them for what they are
worth. There may be certain conditions to be considered, the importance
of which outweighs all others, so that the following notes must be re-
garded only as an attempt to carry out the duty which every man owes
to his profession, by showing things in the light in which he saw them.
Higher authorities, busy about big affairs, fail sometimes to notice the
important details with which juniors are brought in daily contact.

Spare Horses, — The corps started from India with one horse per
man and the necessary complement of transport animals. There were a
few casualties on the journey, which were replaced at Cape Town, and
the corps began work in good condition, but with no spare animals. The
supposition apparently is that men fall out just as fast as the horses.
This did not prove correct in South Africa, and it is hard to believe that
it would be so elsewhere provided the work required was of an active
mounted kind. Therefore true economy would seem to dictate the
provision of spare horses. Very soon with us a few horses got slight
sore backs, but as every mounted man available was required it was found
impossible to ease these horses ; the inevitable result being that after a
few days they were unfit for work. Consequently a similar number of
men had to be taken from the fighting strength and their saddles put into
the carts. As the work continued, more horses gave out, and more loads
were put into the carts. Hence, while the transport animals grew
weaker their loads grew heavier. To take figures. The nominal strength
of the mounted portion of the corps was 250 men ; actually the largest
number we ever had in action was 185. The average in the fighting
line was under 150 ; of the remainder, fifty were short on account of
sickness and casualties, and fifty on account of horses short. Had we
had fifty spare horses, every available man could have been mounted.
As a matter of fact, thirty spare horses would probably have sufficed, as,

THE ADJUTANT'S NOTE-BOOK 447

on the principle of * a stitch in time,' the timely * easing * of trivial cases —
such as a slight sore back or temporary indisposition — would have saved
many a horse's usefulness or life. The further you go, the more necessary
such reliefs become. The exact number of spare horses depends upon
the class of work required. To my mind, this is one of the lessons we
should learn from the Boers, who generally had two horses per man, and
often five. These spare horses can conveniently march with the veter-
inary hospital and be taken care of by a small * native ' staff. Working
on this principle, Lumsden's Horse kept every man mounted during
two months' ceaseless trek, and the horses were practically all fit and
well at the end of it. On the other system each man used up seven
horses in as many months. To put it in brief. A corps of 250 men
and 250 horses, with their baggage, would, at the end of a week's hard
marching and fighting, be less efficient than a corps of 200 men with
260 horses, in that they would have no more mounted men in the field,
while their transport would have to carry food and kit for the extra fifty
men, in addition to the fifty saddles of the dismounted men, weighing some
five stones each, and also probably the fifty dismounted men themselves.

The same principles affect the question of the number of baggage
animals.

Method of Carrying Ammunition, — Our equipment for ammunition to
be carried by the man took the shape of a belt with two cross braces.
On the former were leather pouches to hold packets of cartridges, and
on the latter bandolier attachments to take single cartridges. The
disadvantages were many, (1) It necessitated the man carrying a heavy
weight constantly on his body or else hiding packets of ammunition in
his holsters, whence they were diflScult to extract and where he often left
them in the hurry of a dismount. (2) The pouches were a great discomfort
to the men when lying down to snatch much-needed rest in the many
short intervals at their disposal. (3) The whole weight of the ammu-
nition came on to the saddle when the man was mounted, and went some
way towards causing sore backs. (4) Marching on foot with this load of
ammunition was so irksome that it soon tired the soldier and made him
urge and take every possible excuse for remaining mounted.

The proposed remedy is to give every man two bandoliers holding
fifty rounds each and a bayonet-belt to take fifty rounds. The bandoliers
to be habitually buckled round the horse's neck, like collars. When
going into action the man can transfer one or both bandoliers to his own
shoulders even without dismounting. Should he have under-estimated
the amount of ammunition required, and have left one or both of these
bandoliers on his horse, they can be sent for and found with no diffi-
culty, the distribution being also very simple. Taking the weight of this
ammunition off the saddle helps to save sore back. The man will walk

448 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

unencumbered, and consequently will walk more readily, and can do so for
longer distances, besides being in a better state for duties when he gets
to camp. On a similar principle the rifle should not be carried by the
soldier when marching dismounted, as it is better to keep his weight, say
eleven stone, off the horse's back as long as possible, and it will be longer
if you put the rifle- weight, seven pounds, on to the horse and not on to the
man.

Spare Amviunition, — Anything in excess of this 150 rounds per man
should be, and was, carried on a led mule or horse, who could keep up
with the mounted men.

Picketing Gear caused us much trouble, as every kind of ground
entailed a different stamp of peg — e.g,, a small iron peg did not hold
in sandy soil, wooden ones broke in rocky ground, while the bundle of
rope and pegs was an extra weight on the horse, and caused the saddle
to roll besides making the man less handy at getting on and off his
horse. The remedy was to have no heel-ropes or pegs carried on the
saddle horse, and to substitute three big iron pegs with fifty yards of * line
rope ' and a heavy mallet to every fifty men, carried on a pack-animal with
the ammunition mules. On arrival in camp these pegs were driven in,
the line rope stretched between them, and the horses tied to each side of
it by their head-ropes : heel-ropes were not found necessary. This
worked perfectly except on detached duties, when perhaps ten men were
separated for some * post,' when they had to * ring ' their horses — i.e., tie
them together by their head-ropes in a circle, heads inwards. They are
unable to lie down in comfort, which is of course a weak point, but it
does not often happen.

Marching, — When the object to be attained was to cover as much
ground as possible it was found best to trot long stages, with walking
intervals between, when the men were made to dismount and lead. The
man should never be on his horse except when going faster than a walk.
It was found better to trot a good deal than to walk and lead even,
because the time saved by the faster pace gave the men and horses time
for an appreciable rest and for food while they were * off-saddled,' which
should always be done when the enemy's movements in any way
admit of it.

Shoeing. — Each horse, in marching order, is supposed to carry one
complete set of shoes. If every man were trained to see constantly that
his horse's shoes were on firm, a shoe ought seldom to be lost. If a
farrier is present, and the man has the necessary nails, a doubtful or loose
nail can be drawn and replaced, hence we made the rule that the men
should not carry spare shoes, but should carry nails, and we had the
farriers with us. Occasionally a horse lost a shoe when on detached duty,
but only then ; and, after all, if the rider is careful, no serious damage

THE ADJUTANT'S NOTE-BOOK 449

should result. In any case, it is not worth while for every horse to carry
a complete set of shoes always, on the chance of one horse requiring one
shoe occasionally.

The Usefulness of Followers may be gathered to a certain extent from
the fact that none of the officers had chargers killed by anything but
bullets. Every officer had an Indian syce, and when a horse had had a
hard time it was found that one day marching with the syce restored
him. The follower has nothing to think about except to feed the horse
when he can, and it is wonderful what good one hour in a field of green
wheat or on a good bit of grass does for a tired and underfed animal ;
besides, the follower often chances on a bundle or two of oat-straw or some
such luxury, and in any case the horse has plenty of time for grazing
during the delays of the march. The men latterly employed Kaffir
boys to a considerable extent, paying them wages out of their own
pockets. These Kaffirs received no rations, living on their masters'
leavings and occasional steaks out of dead horses. Taking all considera-
tions together, it would appear to be a saving to use the soldier as much
as possible for fighting purposes only, and to use native followers for all
work that does not entail fighting. Cooks and syces, even in small
numbers, would to a great extent ease the fighting man of arduous labour
which the follower could do just as well. We should have fewer cases of
sickness from want of rest and lack of time to cook properly if a few
native cooks accompanied each regiment. And a few syces might save
the lives of many horses that have to be neglected by the men when,
after a long march and perhaps a fight, they are ordered out on picket
directly they arrive in camp. The native is cheaper to feed and more
docile to manage, not minding things which Tommy hates — such
as cutting grass, for instance. His food is simple, and he can eat it
very comfortably going along the road, so that when he gets into
camp he is quite fit to go to work. I was told by an officer of the
Indian Transport train, who was with General Buller's force in Natal,
that he had taken his corps with his native followers right through
to Belfast, and landed his animals there without a single casualty,
and not only well, but fat. He attributed it solely to the fact that the
servants understood their work and would unload without a murmur a
dozen times a day, and cut a heap of grass for every animal when they
got to camp. Why not employ the cheaper labourer, and save the dearer
for work that suits him better and which the follower cannot do ? The
answer, I am aware, is that an armed transport man can help to defend
the convoy. This is of course true to a limited extent. Our transport
men never had a chance of firing a shot, and I think few had. AJl the
ox-waggons and mule-waggons were driven by Kaffirs, on the same grounds
as advocated, so why not apply the reasoning to other cases? The

G G

450 THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

argument in favour of the armed transport reminds one of the sportsmaii
who goes out armed with a gun, rifle, and pig-spear, ready for all
emergencies, but never has the right weapon in his hand when the game
springs up. The spare horse-shoes are another case of the same thing,
and there are many others. It is impossible to provide for every con-
tingency.

Bations. — In a general way the men's rations were very good, but one
or two improvements suggest themselves. First, everyone who has tried
it knows that when spirits are not available the body acquires a great
craving for sugar, which is no doubt recognised, and hence the jam issue.
Chocolate is cheap, by which I mean light to carry, and is enormously
appreciated ; but more important than anything appear to be the tea,
coffee, or cocoa rations, because, in a great measure, on the plentifulness
of these depends the amount or otherwise of many diseases, notably
enteric. No man will boil water and let it cool simply because he knows
it's a healthy thing to do, but he will boil it to have a good drink of hot
tea. If you give him enough, he will have his drink before he goes to
bed, another in the morning, and he will also fill his water-bottle with
it. Half an ounce per man will accomplish this. I believe the amount
allowed per man in South Africa was ^ oz. By the time this had
been distributed in the dark, the ration became so small that half-a-
dozen men used to toss for the lot, in the hope that one at least would
get a good drink. Tea, moreover, is very light. An ox- waggon load is
4,000 lbs., which is 128,000 rations of ^ oz. each ; which means that
4,000 men could be given ^ oz. of tea daily for a month, at the cost of one
ox-waggon added to the convoy. On our trek from Machadodorp to
Pretoria, we carried supplies for about 4,000 men for about a month, and
. the convoy was many miles long, and I do not think that one ox-waggon
added thereto would have given any trouble.

Firing off Horseback.— The value of this practice on occasions is another
of the lessons we might learn from the Boers. I do not pretend that the.
shooting is accurate, yet it has a great moral advantage in certain
circumstances. Imagine yourself on a big rolling veldt doing rearguard.
The slopes are easy, and the ridges about 1,000 yards from crest to crest..
You hold one and the enemy the next. In order to keep your horses out
of fire they must be 200 yards or so away. All is well till you begin to
retire, but on rising you at once become visible to the Boer, who first of all
shoots at you, and then follows you up at a gallop to have a shot at you
before you can gain the next ridge. You retire in a hurry, run the risk
of being shot, and have the demoralising feeling that the enemy is
gaining rapidly on you and will * get at you ' before you gain the next ridge.
But leave near the ridge a few mounted men, place them back so far that
while they can see the Boer's ridge, the enemy can only possibly see their

THE ADJUTANT'S NOTE-BOOK 451

heads and shoulders, and order your dismounted men to retire, crawling
at first, then stooping, and finally rising. They do this leisurely, as they
can see the mounted sentinels watching and they are reassured. These
sentinels have no fear, for they can at any time retire at a gallop, while the
enemy, hearing the firing, do not like advancing on an unknown number.
During the march from Machadodorp to Pretoria, this practice enabled
us to do in perfect comfort a rearguard -duty which was considered by all
other corps very * nasty.'

Suggestions with regard to raising Mounted Volunteer Corps in the
future, — Besides the actual experiences of the fighting in South Africa,
there were one or two points in connection with the raising of the corps
itself, which came to my special notice in the course of my duties as
Adjutant and Quartermaster^ the knowledge of which would, I think,
facilitate matters in the event of anyone raising another Volunteer corps
in India for active service.

In my opinion the most important point of all is to make certain that
secrecy is maintained. Before any steps are taken for enrolling men, the
Adjutant and other officers from the Eegular Army should be selected and
apportioned their work in connection with the raising of the corps. The

* Kegular ' N.C.O.s should be chosen, and the oflicial scheme drawn up.
The first duty falls on the * office,' and it should be properly organised in
every detail. Three or four rooms, Quartermaster's store accommodation,
a shorthand writer, at least three or four competent clerks, as well as
mounted orderhes, are necessary. A camp pitched complete in every
detail should be ready to receive the men, especial attention being paid to
the provision of a temporary mess for the men as well as * dry * and * wet '
canteens, and of a native food-shop for followers. This can all be done

* confidentially.' When the arrangements are complete, the intention to
raise the corps and the terms may be made public.

If the fact of the raising of the corps had not leaked out. Government
would of course have made all the above suggested arrangements, and
things would have gone smoothly from the outset. As it was, every
Government official assisted Colonel Lumsden to his utmost power. As
a sample of this I may mention that, at their own request, the one
squadron of the 14th Bengal Lancers at Alipur supplied eight mounted
orderlies daily for six weeks, rendering invaluable assistance in carrying
letters. This same squadron marked out the camp for us, and lent their
bunniahs* (grain-sellers') shops for the use of the swarm of servants who
came in attendance on the Volunteers. Another difficulty which it
would be good to avoid, if possible, was that under existing regulations
it was found to be impossible to attest the men until the day before
embarkation, so that for some weeks they were in camp and being

G a 2

452 THE HISTORY OF LOMSDEN'S HORSE

trained without being under military law. Their good feeling alone
preserved discipline.

Begulars. — A certain number of men who were specialists in various
lines, such as saddlers, farriers, signallers, and shoeing-smiths, together
with a sprinkling of non-commissioned officers, were lent to the corps
from the Eegular Army, and they were of the greatest use to us. It is
essential that the selection of these be made with great care. There is
little doubt that the gentleman Volunteer is not always easy to get on
with, so that the Eegular should be a man of character and tact. When
called upon for men, Commanding Officers send fully qualified men, but
have a tendency to * give a man a chance * in novel circumstances.
Unless a Eegular is a tactful, good fellow, he is unlikely to be of much
use with Volunteers.

Selection of Horses. — ^As far as we could learn from our experience in
South Africa, the three main points in the selection of a horse are :
(1) hardiness, (2) true action, (3) * good doing ' ; while for convenience
in mounting and dismounting he should not be over fifteen hands high.
Comparative slowness, light legs, and slight unsteadiness do not seem to
matter, but he must be hardy, he must be clear of any suspicion whatever
of brushing, and he must be the sort likely to 'live on sticks and stones.*
The work is all very slow, but it is continuous. There were practically
no cases of lameness from sprains, or indeed of anjiihing except * brushing,*
and after a month's work, the horse which could go the furthest and fastest
was the one that kept the best condition. One of the horses that did the
best work in the corps was a little Boer pony of Private Graham's, which
was only about twelve hands high. As transport animals, our little
* Bhootia * ponies did most excellently, and were better than mules, in that
while they were quite as hardy, they were heavier and more game.

Shipping Horses, — At Calcutta the quays are only a few feet above
the water-level, and as the horses all have to be put on the upper and
main decks, the custom is to * sling ' them on board by means of cranes
and tackle attached to belly-bands. I saw a whole ship being laden with
horses in this way. The operation took one entire day and cost five rupees
per horse. One horse at least was dropped and had to be destroyed,
a large proportion suffered injuries, and all were terrified. On meeting
the officer in charge afterwards, I learnt that hardly any of the horses
would feed at all for a day at least. For us the authorities erected a
zigzag gangway by the aid of which 200 horses were put on board
without accident in one hour and a half. Moreover, the gangway could
not have cost 1001, Communication gangways between the decks were
also fitted up, thus enabling us to transfer horses from one deck to
another, and these proved very valuable in dealing with sick cases during
the voyage.

THE ADJUTANT'S NOTE-BOOK 453

Horse Standings, — Once on the ship each horse had a stall in a row,
each stall being just big enough for a horse to stand in, and surrounded
by a four-foot rail. On the floor-boards were fixed four strong battens, two
inches square in cross section, at intervals of eighteen inches. The horse's
fore feet fell naturally on to the first batten and his hind feet on to the
last. He was thus forced to stand always in a constrained position. For
my own horses I had the battens otherwise distributed, putting one six
inches from either end and one in the middle. The fore feet came
naturally behind the first batten and the hind feet before the rear one,
while the middle one did not interfere with the horse's position, and was
only used by the horse when necessitated by bad weather. It was, I think,
a great improvement. This was not my idea, but was what the Australian
horse * shippers ' recommend and use.

Shoes. — The orders in the Service are that all horses go on board
shod, which is contrary to the custom of the big Australian shipping
firms, who say that shod horses slip up when it is rough. We had no
rough weather, and so could not prove this, but owing to the shoe keeping
the foot off the constantly damp boards, the feet of our horses were, on
arrival, in infinitely better condition than those of the horses brought over
by Australian * shippers ' to India.

Exercising Horses on Board Ship. — This is, I learn, never done, but we
gave the idea a trial, and it turned out to be quite practicable. Our ship
was a very small one, and we had some difficulty about space for exercise
ground. However, we found three places in different parts of the ship
where we could get a small circle. Matting was put down, to prevent
slipping, and it was found that on each of these ten horses could be led
at a time, one behind the other. In this manner we managed to give
every horse half an hour a day of walking exercise. While these ten
horses were out, the next ten had twice as much room to stand in, which
enabled the men to give them half-an-hour's grooming. It was very
noticeable how the legs * fined * with the exercise, and it must have been
a great relief to the horse. Our horses landed in very good condition, and,
except for being soft, they were fit to go to work at once. It is obviously
only possible to exercise horses like this when you have a large number
of hands as we had.

454 THE HISTOBY OF LUMSDEN'S HOESE

APPENDIX IV

LIST OF OFFICERS, N.C.O.S, AND MEN WHO HAVE BEEN
AWABDED DECOBATIONS, COMMISSIONS, OB CIVIL
APPOINTMENTS

Decoeationb

Colonel D. M. Lumsden, Assam Valley Light Horse .... C.B.

Major H. Chamney, Surma Valley Light Horse C.M.G.

Captain J. B. Rutherfoord, Behar Light Horse D.S.O.

Lieutenant H. O. Pugh, Calcutta Light Horse D.S.O.

Civil Employment

Major H. Chamney . . . District Commissioner, Potchefstroom
Lieutenant H. 0. Pugh . Assistant District Commissioner, Heilbron

Trooper C. G. Huddleston . . Assistant District Commissioner, Kroonstad

Military and Civil Appointments

Driver P. W. Anderson . . Johannesburg Police

Trooper J. D. L. Arathoon . . Gazetted to 3rd Dragoon Guards (resigned) ;

returned to Calcutta

Lance-Corporal E. J. Ballard . Johannesburg Police

Driver P. W. Banks . . . Chief Warder, Barbeiiion Gaol

Corporal F. S. Montagu-Bates . East Surrey Regiment (Commission) ^

Trooper L. H. Bell . . . Johannesburg Police

J. S. Biscoe
H. F. Blair
„ E. Boileau
Driver L. H. Bradford

„ J. Braine .
Trooper A. H. Buskin
Sergeant H. A. Campbell

2nd Batt. W.I. Regiment (Commission) *

Northumberland Fusiliers (Commission)

Johannesburg Police

Johannesburg Pohce

S.A. Constabulary

Johannesburg Pohce

Imperial Yeomanry (Commission)
Transport-Corpl. H. A. Campbell Johannesburg Police
Trooper C. D. V. Cary-Barnard . Wiltshire Regiment (Commission) *

„ E. S. Chapman . . Johannesburg Police
Corporal E. A. Chartres . . Royal Irish Fusiliers Medical Officer (Com-
mission)

* Verified by the Anny List.

DECORATIONS, COMMISSIONS, AND CIVIL APPOINTMENTS 466

Trooper R. G. Collins .
Lanoe-Gorporal S. W. Cullen
Driver 0. E. Fitzgerald
Trooper C. W. Fletcher

„ C. A. Forbes .

„ A. H. Francis

„ J. A. Eraser .
Veterinary-Sergeant G. Goodliffe
Driver R. A. Grenville

„ W. E. Harris .
Trooper W. H. Holme

„ J. D. W. Holmes .

„ S. L. Innes .

„ B. R. Lloyd-Jones .
Quartermaster- Sergt. W. D. Jones
Driver S. H. Kearsey .
Trooper H. R. Kelly .

F. W. C. Lawiie .
„ E. I. Lockhart
„ C. H. McMinn

C. B. H. Mansfield
Reg.Sgt.-Maj. C. M. C. Marsham
Driver A. Martin
Transport-Corporal A. Morris
Trooper T. B. Nicholson

G. D. Nicolay
„ A. E. Norton .

G. W. Palmer

„ P. Partridge .

„ J. G. Petersen
Driver P. W. Pryoe .
Trooper H. J. Renny .

D. C. Percy Smith
R. J. Smith .
G. P. 0. Springfield

B. C. A. Steuart

„ P. Strahan

C. F. Walton .
Driver G. E. Wilkinson
Trooper L. G. Williams

A. N. Woods .
A. P. Woollright

F. W. Wright
H. S. N. Wright

W.I. Regiment (Commission)

S.A. Constabulary

Johannesburg Police

Army Service Corps (Commission) ^

Re-enlisted in S.A. corps (not known)

Scottish Horse (re-enlisted November)

W.I. Regiment (Commission) ^

Johannesburg Police

Stated to be gazetted to Yeomanry (Com-
mission)

Johannesburg Police

Stated to be gazetted to Yeomanry

Johannesburg Police

Army Service Corps (Commission) ^

Johannesburg Police

Gazetted to a Colonial corps (December 1900)

19th Hussars (Commission) ^

S.A. Constabulary (Commission)

Scottish Horse, South Africa

Re-enlisted in Yeomanry at Aldershot
. W.I. Regiment (Commission) ^
. Johannesburg Police
. W.I. Regiment (Commission) *
. W.I. Regiment (Commission) ^
. Northampton Regiment (Commission) ^
. Johannesburg Police
. Scottish Horse
. Johannesburg Police
. Middlesex Regiment (Commission) ^
. Johannesburg Police
. 3rd Dragoon Guards (Commission) *
. Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) (Com-
mission) ^

• South Staffordshire Regiment (Commission) ^ ,

• Johannesburg Police
. Brabant's Horse

. North Stafifordshire Regiment (Commission) *
. Royal Garrison Artillery (Commission) ^
. Imperial Military Railway, Medical Officer

(Commission)
. Army Service Corps (Commission)
. Army Service Corps (Commission)

Verified by the Army List.

466 THE HTSTORY OF LDMSDEN'S HOESE

APPENDIX V

HONOURS AND PROMOTIONS

Following are the recommendations made by Lieutenant-Colonel
Lumsden, late commanding Lumsden's Horse, in bringing the
names of the undermentioned officers and men to the favourable
notice of Field-Marshal Lord Koberts, the Commander-in-Chief,
as having done special and meritorious work during the service
of his corps in South Africa. The promotions or honours given
subsequently are placed w^ithin parentheses.

Previous to the date of these recommendations. Major
Chamney had been gazetted a Companion of St. Michael and
St. George, while Captain Eutherfoord and Lieutenant Pugh
had received the decoration of the Distinguished Service Order.

FOR D.S.O.

Captain N. C. Taylor, 14th Bengal Lancers,

This gentleman filled the post of adjutant (difficult in a corps like
mine) with great judgment, and fulfilled his arduous duties to my entire
satisfaction. He behaved splendidly under fire on many trying occasions,
displayed great coolness and self-reliance, and proved himself a dashing
and able leader, and was of much service to me throughout the campaign.
(Brevet Major.)

Captain L. H. Noblett, Boyal Irish Bifles.

In command of B Company Lumsden's Horse. I cannot speak too
highly of this gentleman as a leader of Mounted Infantry. His services
to me from the raising of the corps until its disbandment were invaluable
— clear-headed and cool in any circumstances ; and the way he handled
his men in action won their unbounded confidence and mine. To raise
or lead a corps of Mounted Infantry I know no one I would sooner
select. (Brevet Major.)

HONOUSS AND PEOMOTIONS 457

Captain J. H. B. Beresford, Srd Sikhs.

Commanded A Company Lumsden's Horse. This gentleman took
immense trouble and interest in his company from start to finish, dis-
playing much tact in handling his men, with whom he was a great
favourite. As a soldier I can only say his long and honourable record
added herewith speaks for itself. (Brevet Major.)

Previous War Services

Burmese Expedition, 1886-7 .... Medal with clasp.

Hazara „ 1888 .... Clasp.

Miranzai „ 1891 .... —

Hazara „ 1891 .... Clasp.

Waziristan „ 1894-5. Action at Wana Clasp.

North- West Frontier of India, 1897-8. Operations on the Samana and
in the Kurram Valley during August and September 1897. Medal with
two clasps.

Tirah, 1897-8. Action on Dargai and capture of the Sampagha Pass.
Eeconnaissance for the Saran Sar operations against the Khan Khel
Chamkanis. Operations in the Bazar Valley, December 25 to 30, 1897.
Clasp.

FOR MENTION

OFFICERS

Captain B. W. Holmes, East India Bailway Volunteers,

This officer was in command of the Maxim-gun contingent sent by the
East India Kailway. He did excellent service with his Maxim gun, on
many occasions displaying much coolness, especially in the action at the
Zand Eiver, when, by his accurate fire, he dislodged the enemy from
Kopje Allien. In fact, throughout the campaign he and his Maxim-gun
contingent were a most useful and reliable addition to my corps.
(Mention in despatches.)

Captain F. Clifford.

Commanded the contingent from the Coorg and Mysore Volunteer
Bifles. This gentleman did good service on many occasions, and had
some very trying duties to perform, especially while scouting on two
occasions in the Crocodile Valley in July, while we were stationed at Irene,
as well as on another occasion when his detachment was located at
Springs. (Mention in despatches.)

Lieutenant C. E. Crane.

Was badly wounded and taken prisoner at Houtnek on April 30.
He behaved splendidly on that day in a very difficult position a.nd in

458 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

trying circumstances. He rejoined at Pretoria, and went through the
remainder of the campaign with us with great credit to himself.

If possible I should like this gentleman to receive the D.S.O.
(Mention in despatches.)

Captain C. L, Sidby, from the Surma Valley Light Horse Volunteers.

This ofl&cer did very good and consistent work throughout the cam-
paign. Was most popular with his men, and was never oflf a single
march during our stay in South Africa. (Mention in despatches.)

Surgeon-Captain S. A. Powell, M.D., Surma Valley Light Horse
Volunteers.

This gentleman carried out his duties on many occasions under much
personal danger and difficulty, especially in assisting to carry Major
Showers when wounded into a place of safety under heavy fire. On
June 4, near Pretoria, as well as on the day prior to entering Johannes-
burg, he also displayed much coolness in attending to some cavalrymen
who were wounded, also under fire. I consider him fully deserving of
honourable mention. (Mention in despatches.)

RECOMMENDED FOR VICTORIA CROSS

Trooper J. A. Graham — as per my letter attached. I have wired to
India for Trooper Caley's statement of the case.

The above happened in the end of July, when we were stationed at
Irene. Captain Clifford reported the matter to me on the evening of the
event.

I consider Trooper Graham behaved with great gallantry, risking his
life to endeavour to save that of Trooper Cayley, and, with exemplary
coolness, bringing in Cayley's rifle as well as capturing and bringing in
under a heavy fire a horse which would otherwise have fallen into the
hands of the enemy.

I strongly recommend him for the Victoria Cross. (Distinguished
Conduct Medal.)

RECOMMENDED FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDALS

1. Corporal Percy Jones

2. Trooper P. C. Preston

3. „ H. N. Betts

4. „ W. E. Dexter

5. Regimental Serg.-Major C. M. C. Marsham,

6. Corporal G. Peddie . . . (Mention in despatches.)

(Distinguished
Conduct Medal.)

HONOUES AND PROMOTIONS 459

The men I have recommended for this decoration behaved splendidly
throughout the campaign, and did many individual plucky actions.
They were the pick of my scouts, and were always selected when any
difficult or dangerous duty had to be performed.

FOR HONOURABLE MENTION

1. Corporal J. Graves

2. Sergeant D. S. Fraser

3. „ E. R Dale

4. Trooper H. E. Parks

5. Sergeant G. Llewhellin

6. Corporal C. E. Turner

(Mention in despatches.)

In my recommendations for honourable mention I feel I must par-
ticularise Corporal Graves and Sergeant Fraser, of the Bank of Bengal.
They rendered me invaluable service as orderly-room clerk and paymaster
respectively, besides rendering excellent service in the field. To carry out
efficiently both duties was no light measure, and on our arrival at Cape
Town I was complimented by the Pay Department as the only corps
which had come down with its pay-sheets up to date, all credit for which
is due to the above-named gentlemen.

The remaining four named have all done meritorious work throughout
the campaign, and are extremely deserving of the honour I am soliciting
for them.

In a corps like mine, where all did so well, I have found it a most
difficult and invidious duty in making my selections.

REGULAR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

The following non-commissioned officers lent from the Eegulars did
excellent work with me throughout the campaign, and I have much
pleasure in mentioning them : —

1. Sergeant Hewitt, of the Eoyal Irish Eifles, acted as Company
Sergeant-Major to B Company until November 1900, when he was
made Eegimental Sergeant-Major, in succession to Sergeant-Major
Marsham, who then vacated the post for a commission in the South
African Constabulary. He had also acted temporarily as Eegimental
Sergeant-Major from May 1 to September 1. He showed much tact
throughout, and was of the greatest possible assistance to the Adjutant ;
and I can strongly recommend him for any similar appointment. He
was most popular with all members of the corps from the raising of the
same to its disbandment.

460 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOSSE

2. Staff-Sergeant Stephens, of the Indian Transport, was with
the corps throughout the war. It is impossible to over-estimate the
assistance given by him. He was in direct command of the whole of
the regimental transport and carried out his duties vdth skill, energy,
tact, and determination. He was most popular vdth his Volunteer
drivers, and managed them wdth great credit.

3. Farrier-Sergeant Marshall, 54th Battery Royal Field Ar-
tillery, was in subordinate charge of the horse hospital throughout the
war, and performed his duties most satisfactorily. He was especially
tactful with Volunteers.

4. Sergeant Brennan, of the York and Lancaster Regiment, was
always capable, willing, obliging, and uniformly well behaved. He took
his position where wanted in any capacity without a murmur, and, at
various times, filled the posts of Company Sergeant-Major, Company
Quartermaster- Sergeant, Regimental Sergeant-Major, and Regimental
Quartermaster-Sergeant. He also displayed much tact in dealing with
Volunteers.

Briggs, Cuthbert, and Edwards, shoeing-smiths, of the 15th Hussars,
did their work well and willingly from start to finish. They also worked
well with the Volunteers.

Signallers Lance- Corporal Lee, of the York and Lancaster Regi-
ment, Privates Lowe, Longman, and Hayward, of the 3rd Hussars, did
good and useful work for the brigade, but were almost invariably
detached from the corps and placed on special service. From the end
of May to the end of November they were with General Sir Ian
Hamilton, only rejoining when my corps returned to Bloemfontein.
While with me they were in every way satisfactor}\

(Signed) D. M. Lumsden, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Late Commanding Lumsden *s Horse.

461

APPENDIX VI

HONOEABY BANK IN THE ABMY

The undermentioned ofl&cers of Colonel Lumsden's corps are, on the
disbandment of the corps, granted honorary rank in the Army as follows,
with permission to wear the uniform of the corps : —

To be Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel : —

Lieutenant-Colonel D. McT. Lumsden, C.B. (Dated January 12,
1901.)

To be Honorary Major: —

Major H. Chamney, C.M.G., Second-in-Command. (Dated January
12, 1901.

To be Honorary Captains : —
Captain F. Clifford

(Dated January 12,

B. W. Holmes
J. B. Eutherfoord, D.S.O.

C. L. Sidey | 1901-)
S. A. Powell, M.D., Medical Officer

To be Honorary Lieutenants : —

Lieutenant H. 0. Pugh, D.S.O.
G. A. Neville
„ C. E. Crane

„ F. S. McNamara

(Dated January 12,
1901.)

To be Honorary Veterinary-Captain : —

Veterinary-Captain W. Stevenson, Veterinary Officer. (Dated
January 12, 1901.)

—' London Gazette,' June 24, 1902.

462 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

APPENDIX VII

LUMSDEirS HOBSE EQUIPMENT FUND

CONTRIBUTIONS IN CASH

Name of Subscriber Amount

Rs. a. p.

H.E. the Viceroy (Lord Curzon of Kedleston) .... 1,500 0 0
H.E. the Governor of Bombay (Lord Sandhurst) ... 200 0 0
H.E. the Commander in-Chief in India (Sir William Lockhart) 500 0 0
H.H. the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal (Sir John Woodburn) 500 0 0
H.H. the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab (Sir W. Mack-
worth Young) 250 0 0

H.H. the Lieutenant-Governor of the N.W.P. and Oudh (Sir

A. P. MacDonnell) . . 200 0 0

H.H. the Lieutenant-Governor of Burmah (Sir F. W. R. Fryer) 200 0 0

H. J. S. Cotton, Esq., I.C.S 100 0 0

Lieut.-Colonel D. M. Lumsden 50,000 0 0

Sir H. Seymour King, K.C.I.E., M.P., on account of Messrs.
Henry S. King & Co., Messrs. King, Hamilton, & Co.,

and Messrs. King, King, & Co 10,000 0 0

Maharajah Sir Jotendro Mohun Tagore, K.C.S.I. . . 5,000 0 0

Rajah Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore, Kt., CLE 5,000 0 0

F. T. Verner, Esq., M.P 5,000 0 0

Kumar Radha Prosad Roy 5,000 0 0

Nawab Sir Sidi Ahmed Khan, K.C.S.I 5,000 0 0

Messrs. Apcar & Co 5,000 0 0

Babu Kally Kissen Tagore 2,500 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Bharatpur 2,500 0 0

The Khulsor State 2,500 0 0

The Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad, G.C.I.E. . 2,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Kooch Behar, G.C.I.E., C.B. 2,000 0 0

Kwajah Mahomed Khan of Mardan 2,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Jodhpur, G.C.S.1 2,000 0 0

Messrs. Cooper, Allen, & Co 2,000 0 0

„ Prawn, Kissen, Law, & Co 2,000 0 0

„ Jardine, Skinner, & Co 1,000 0 0

Gillanders, Arbuthnot, & Co 1,000 0 0

Carried forward 1,14,950 0 0

SUBSCBIBBBS TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND

463

Name of Subscriber

Messrs. Bird & Co. .

Andrew Yule & Co.

Geo. Henderson & Co,

Anderson, Wright, & Co

Eettlewell, BuUen, & Co

MacMnnon, Mackenzie, & Co

Balmer, Lawrie, & Co.

Barry & Co. •

Turner, Morrison, & Co

Ewing & Co,

Gladstone, Wyllie, & Co

Octavius Steel & Co.

Balli Brothers

Grindlay & Co.

Piggott, Chapman, & Co

Becker, Boss, & Co.

J. Thomas & Co. .

McLeod & Co.

Birkmyre Brothers

Jessop & Co.

Finlay, Muir, & Co.

Shaw, Wallace, & Co.

Lyall, Marshall, & Co.

Marshall, Sons, & Co.
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Eastern Insurance Co.
Triton Insurance Co. .
Messrs. Hamilton & Co. .

„ Whiteaway, Laidlaw, & Co.
„ Bathgate & Co.
„ Cooke, Kelvey, & Co.
„ Lovelock & Lewes
„ E. Meyer
„ S. Menasseh & Sons
„ Macintosh, Bum, & Co.
„ Meakin & Co.
„ E. Dyer & Co.
„ Hoare, Miller, & Co.
„ F. W. Heilgers & Co.
„ Halford, Smith, & Co.
„ M, David & Co. .
The Murree Brewery Co. .
Messrs. Bhama, Chum, Bhur, & Co.
„ Duncan Brothers & Co.

Co.,

Rs. a. p.

rought forward 1,14,950 0 0

1,000 0 0

1.000 0 0

1,000 0 0

Ltd.'

oooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooo

Carri

edfo

rwarc

I 1,50,960 10 0

464

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEITS HOESE

Nome of Sabserib«r

Brought forward
Messrs. Teace, Siddons, & Gough

„ Walter Locke & Co.
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Ltd
Messrs. Baines & Co.

F. & d. Osier

Lazarus & Co.

Stewart & Co.

Thacker, Spink, & Co.

Dykes & Co. .

Armfield & Chard

H. Goldspink & B. Thompson

Harding & Monk .

Cook & Co. .

Manton & Co.

Grunberg Brothers

Davenport & Co. .

E. Enight & Sons .

Norman Brothers .

McDowell & Co. .

Mackenzie, Lyall, & Co

McVicar, Smith, & Co.

Davidson & Co.

Smith, Stanistreet, & Co

A. & J. Main & Co.

John King & Co. .

Arracan Co., Ltd. .

David Sassoon & Co.

T. E. Thomson & Co.

E. Scott, Thomson, & Co.

Francis Harrison, Hathaway, & Co.
The South British Fire and Marine Insurance Co
Messrs. Jas. Monteith & Co.

Moore & Co. .

Watts & Co. .

Broomfield & Co. .

Ahmuty & Co.

Marrison, Cottle, & Co.

W. Newman & Co.

J. Boseck Sc Go.

Cuthbertson & Harper

Hall & Anderson .

Phelps & Co. .

Stockwell & Co. .

Harold & Co.

Amount

1,50.960 10 ■
250 0
250 0
250 0
250 0
250 0
250 0
260
250
250
250
250
250
250

250
200
100
100

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

250

250 0

250

200

0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

100 0

100

0
0
0
0

250 0 0

250 0

200 0 0
200 0 0

100 0 0

Carried forward 1,59,960 10 0

SUBSCEIBBES TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND

465

Name of Subscriber Amount

Ri. a. p

Brought forward 1,59,960 10 0

Messrs. Bourne & Shepherd 100 0 0

„ J. B. Norton & Sons 100 0 0

„ B. Smyth & Co 100 0 0

„ Traill & Co 100 0 0

„ M. S. Hathaway & Co 100 0 0

The Naini Tal Brewery Co 100 0 0

The Crown Brewery Co 100 0 0

Messrs. S. G. Tellery & Co 50 0 0

„ T. E. Bevan & Co 50 0 0

„ J. A. Dykes & Co 50 0 0

„ J. C. Bechtler & Sons 50 0 0

„ Jamasji & Sons . 21 0 0

Staff of the Bank of Bengal, Calcutta 2,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Ajodhya, K.C.I.E 1,000 0 0

Hon. Rajah Ranajit Sinha Bahadur of Nashipur 1,000 0 0

Maharajah Manindra Chandra Nundy of Cossimbazar 1,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Bikanir 1,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah Bahadur of Durbhanga .... 1,000 0 0

Malik Ahmed WaH Khan 1,000 0 0

H.H. the Rajah of Charkhari 1,000 0 0

H.H. the Rajah of Datia 1,000 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah Bahadur of Oorcha, K.C.I.E. . . 1,000 0 0
Hon. Nawab Mumtaz-ud-Dowla Mahomed Fairaz Ali Khan

of Pahasu, Bulandshahr 500 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah of Benares, G.C.I.E 500 0 0

Rajah Bijoy Singh of Kunari, Kotah 500 0 0

Babu Sotish Chunder-Chowdhari, Zemindar of Bhowanipur 500 0 0

Babu Romanath Ghose 500 0 0

Rai Cameleshwari Prosad Singh Bahadur of Monghyr . 400 0 0

ZinzburDisit 251 0 0

Rao Saheb Bahadur Singh, CLE 200 0 0

H.H. the Maharajah Bahadur of Gidhour, K.C.I.E. . 200 0 0

Kumar Dakshineswar Mallia 200 0 0

Khan Bahadur Moulvi Syed Ali Ahmed Khan .... 200 0 0

H. Mustafa Khan 150 0 0

Nawab Walakader Syed Hossein Ali Mirza .... 150 0 0

Nawab Syed Mahomed Zain-ul-Abidin, Murshidabad . 100 0 0

Syed Bahadur Nawab Goozree, Patna 100 0 0

Rajah Mumtaz Ali Khan (Dtraula) 100 0 0

Rajah of Naldanga 100 0 0

Rai Budri Dass Mookim Bahadur 100 0 0

Maharajah Sir Narendra Krishna Deb Bahadur . . . 100 0 0

Babu Nolin Behary Sircar 100 0 0

Babu Nibaron Chunder Dutt 100 0 0

Cariied forward 1,76,932 10 6

H H

466

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Name of Subscriber Amount

R8. a. p.

Brought forward 1,76,932 10 0

Nawab Syed Ameer Hossein, CLE 100 0 0

Babu Jumna Prosad 100 0 0

Lalla Ram Saran Dass 100 0 0

Golam Hashim Ariff 100 0 0

Babu Chakan Lall Roy 60 0 0

Talukdar of Haswar 5000

Nawab Mahomed Hayat Khan, C.S.I 50 0 0

Prince Mehomed Bukhtyar Shah, CLE 25 0 0

Lieut.-Col. J. L. Walker 1,000 0 0

D. P. Masson, CLE 1,000 0 0

W. Malings Grant, Esq 1,000 0 0

G. T. Spankie, Esq 1,000 0 0

C W. McMinn, Esq 750 0 0

C R. S. Walker, Esq 700 0 0

Hon. Mr. Clinton Dawkins 500 0 0

„ Sir Griffith P. Evans, K.CLE 500 0 0

„ Mr. J. T. Woodrofife (Advocate-General) .... 500 0 0
„ Sir Francis Maclean, E.CLE. (Chief Justice of

Bengal) 150 0 0

Hon. Mr. Justice C H. Hill 100 0 0

Stanley 100 0 0

Harington 100 0 0

Wilkins 100 0 0

Rampini 100 0 0

Stevens 100 0 0

S. G. Sale 100 0 0

„ Sir H. T. Pinsep 100 0 0

„ Sir Wm. Macpherson . . ... . 100 0 0

„ Mr. Justice W. O. Clark, LCS 50 0 0

„ „ R. L. Harris, LCS 50 0 0

„ J. A. Anderson, LCS 50 0 0

„ „ Gooroo Dass Bannerjee 100 0 0

„ Chunder Mudhab Ghose ...... 100 0 0

„ 0. H. S. Reid 50 0 0

„ P. C Chatterjee 32 0 0

Subscriptions from Tezpur District (per L. Mackay, of Borjulie

Tea Estate) 1,109 0 0

'A Sympathiser' 1,000 0 0

An ex-Deputy Commissioner of Assam and Trooper of the

S.V.L.H 1,000 0 0

Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Men of the Imperial

Service Camel Corps of Bikanir 500 0 0

Officers and Men of the Cossipur Artillery Volunteers . . 471 0 0

Staff of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Ltd. 400 0 0

Carried forward 1^90,429 10 0

SUBSCBIBERS TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND 467

Name of Subscriber Amoant

Hb. a. p.

Brought forward 1,90,429 10 0

* A Recruit' 250 0 0

Committee of the Mounted Infantry Send-oflf Fund, Rangoon . 196 10 0

Staff of Messra. Cook & Co 186 0 0

Officers of Executive Engineer, S. M. Railway. . Ill 4 0

Manager and Staff of Jhainpur Concern 160 0 0

Darjeeling Bench and Bar 123 0 0

Mirzapore Detachment, B Company, Ghazipur Volunteer Rifles 106 0 0

'C.O.S; (Bombay) 105 0 0

Staff of Messrs. Davis, Leech, «fe Co 100 0 0

Employes of the Bengal Central Railway 100 0 0

Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Troopers of B Troop

A.V.L.H., and Civilian Residents of the District , . 1,078 0 0

Staff of Messrs. Moore & Co 67 9 6

Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Men of H Company

3rd Battalion C.V.R 65 0 0

Hajipur Division, B. & N, W. Railway 61 5 5

District Superintendent and Inspector of Police (Balaghat C.P.) GO 0 0

'A.' 50 0 0

'F; 100 0 0

'Rot' 50 0 0

Subscriptions collected at Spence's Hotel 47 0 0

Staff of Messrs. Bevan & Co 41 0 0

Subscriptions through Punjab Banking Company, Ltd. . . 35 0 0

No. 21, Fort Sandeman 30 0 0

*S.C.' 30 0 0

Members of B Troop, N.B.M.A 45 0 0

* X. Y. Z.' (Sonai) 25 0 0

* A Corporal of the Agra Volunteers ' 25 0 0

' E. L. C 25 0 0

Morton Institution 10 0 0

' T. H. L' 10 0 0

'G.H.D.' 5 0 0

W. Garth, Esq 500 0 0

Geo. Foster, Esq 50000

J. H. Thomson, Esq 500 0 0

Geo. Williamson, Esq 500 0 0

Cairns Deas, Esq 500 0 0

C. H. Moore, Esq 500 0 0

Colonel Kirwan 500 0 0

J, A. Devenish, Esq 500 0 0

Harry Stuart, Esq 500 0 0

Miss Mackinnon 365 0 0

Sir William J. Cuningham, K.C.S.1 250 0 0

Hon. Sir A. C. Trevor, K.C.S.1 250 0 0

Carried forward 1,99,092 6 11

H H 2

468

THE HISTOEY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Name of Sabscriber

R. Nathan, Esq.

L. P. D. Broughton, Esq. .

J. S. Ritchie, Esq., I.C.S. .

R. B. Pringle, Esq. .

J. H. S. Richardson, Esq. .

R. H. Mackenzie, Esq.

C. E. Turner, Esq. .
Shirley Treraearne, Esq. .
G. S. Henderson, Esq.
R. J. Reid, Esq.
A. M. Dunne, Esq. .
J. M. G. Prophit, Esq.
A. S. Dott, Esq.
Hon. Mr. J. Buckingham, CLE
G. Champion, Esq. .
F. Robinson, Esq.
F. G. Harris, Esq. .
J. A. Beattie, Esq.
W. L. Bailey, Esq. .
H. Wicks, Esq. .
A. W. Forbes, Esq. .
Major-General Sir Edwin CoUen, K.C.I.E
F. Herhhy, Esq.
F. S. Hamilton, Esq., I.C.S.
L. Hare, Esq., I.C.S.

E. A. Short, Esq.
J. B. Lee, Esq. .
J. F. Hughes, Esq. .

F. R. Roe, Esq.
A. W. Davis, Esq.
R. W. Maxwell, Esq.

D. J. Macpherson,Esq.,C.LE., I.C.S

G. Rivett-Carnac, Esq.
D. Coats Niven, Esq.
A. L. Johnston, Esq.
A. S. Crum, Esq.
Hon. Mr. C. W. Bolton, C.S.I

„ Mr. J. D. Rees, CLE.
Brigadier-General C R. McGregor, CB.

Sir E. R. EUes, K.CB.

Sir A. Gaselee, K.CB.

H. P. P. Leigh, CLE.
Sir Adelbert C Talbot, K.C.I.E.
Surgeon-General R. Harvey, C.B., I.M.S.

Amoant
R& R. p.

Brought forward 1,99,092 6 11
250 0 0
250 0 0

250 0

250

248

200

0
0

250 0

300 0

300 0 0

250 0

250 0 0

250 0

0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

200 0 0

200 0

150 0 0

150 0

100 0 0

100 0

100 0 0

0
0

0
0
0

Carried forward 2,08,190 6 11

SUBSCEIBEES TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND

469

Name of Subscriber

Amount

lU a. p.

Brought forward 2,08,190 6 11

F. A. Upcott, Esq.. C.S.I 100 0 0

The Lord Bishop of Calcutta (Dr. J. E. C. Welldon) .

100 0 0

H. F. Evans, Esq., I.C.S

100 0 0

A. U. Fanshawe, Esq., C.I.E., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

J. Douglas, Esq.

100 0 0

G. H. Sutherland, Esq

100 0 0

W. Skinner, Esq

100 0 0

Dr. G. A. Ferris

100 0 0

Otto Eck, Esq

100 0 0

D.B. Horn, Esq

100 0 0

C. E. Pittar, Esq

100 0 0

E. G. Colvin, Esq. .

100 0 0

W. F. Wells, Esq., I.CS. .

100 0 0

H. Luson, Esq., I.C.S.

100 0 0

Captam H. Daly, CLE. .

100 0 0

L. C. Turner, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

T. Higham, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

F. J. Jefines, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

Hon. Mr. G. Toynbee, I.C.S. .

100 0 0

E. Molony, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

Major-General T. B. Tyler, E.A.

100 0 0

A. Goodeve, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. Joubert, I.M.S.

100 0 0

Hon. Mr. W. B. Oldham, CLE.

100 0 0

Lieutenant-Colonel B. Scott, CLE. .

100 0 0

S. H. Freemantle, Esq., I.C.S. .

100 0 0

H. C WilUams, Esq., I.CS. .

100 0 0

F. F. Handley, Esq., I.C.S.

100 0 0

W. H. Cobb, Esq., I.CS. .

100 0 0

H. F. Maguire, Esq., I.C.S.

100 0 0

J. Lang, Esq., I.C.S

100 0 0

F. D. Simpson, Esq., I.C.S.

100 0 0

Boss Scott, Esq., I.CS. .

100 0 0

M. L. Darrah, Esq

100 0 0

Lieutenant-Colonel H. St. P. Maxwell, CS

.1.

100 0 0

J. Taylor, Esq

100 0 0

William Dods, Esq

100 0 0

H. H. Jelliott, Esq

100 0 0

H. S. Ashton, Esq

100 0 0

C Greenway, Esq

100 0 0

Geo. Girard, Esq

100 0 0

H. C Begg, Esq

100 0 0

J. D. Nimmo, Esq

100 0 0

J. Arbuthnot, Esq

Carri

edfo

rwarc

100 0 0

1 2,12,690 6 11

470

THE HISTOEY OP LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Name of Subscriber

Amount

J. H. Apjohn, Esq. .
Otto Hadenfelt, Esq. .
T. B. G. Overend, Esq.

E. W. J. Bartlett, Esq,
H. Hensman, Esq.
C. P. HiU, Esq. .
Captain W. J. Bradshaw, P.D.V.
George Irving, Esq. .
W. H. Cheetham, Esq.

F. Mathewson, Esq. .
W. C. Bonnerjee, Esq.
R. Allen, Esq. .
M. J. Beattie, Esq. .
R. H. Tickell, Esq. .
Mrs. P. A. Burnham .
W. Bull, Esq. .
J. L. Maddox, Esq. .
F. M. Shaw, Esq.
W. H. Holmes, Esq. .
A. Pedler, Esq. .
Mrs. J. A. C. Skinner

E. P. Chapman, Esq.
Examiner of Accounts and
Dr. J. Neild Cook
Hon. Mr. R. B. Buckley
Major-General Hobday, C.B
C. E. Pitman, Esq., CLE.
Captain J. H. Murray

F. F. Duke, Esq., I.C.S.
H. Paget, Esq. .
W. O. Grazebrook, Esq.
J. Allison, Esq. .

G. H. D. Walker, Esq.
Victor Murray, Esq. .
W. S. Meyer, Esq.
Frank Lyall, Esq.
P. E. Guzdar, Esq. .
H. Robinson, Esq.
A. F. Simson, Esq. .
R. D. Mehta, Esq., CLE
H. N. Harris, Esq. .
W. H. McKewan, Esq.
Mrs. A. C M. Harrison
H. J. Bell, Esq. .

Rs. %. p.

Jrought forward 2,12,590 6 11

100 0 0

75 0 0

angoon

68 0 0

60 0 0

50 0 0

60 0 0

60. 0 0

60 0 0

50 0 0

Carried foi

rward

I 2,15,868 6 li

SUBSCRIBERS TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND

471

Name of Sabscriber

F. McL. Carter, Esq. .
S. Brandreth, Esq.

G. F. Stainfoiiih, Esq.
W. E. Curry, Esq. .
Arthur Casperz, Esq. .
St. John Stephens, Esq.
H. S. Tozer, Esq.

F. W. Roberts, Esq. .

G. C. Lawrie, Esq.
S. Finney, Esq. .

H. C. Woodman, Esq.

W. Touch, Esq. .

J. R. E. Younghusband, Esq.

James Lackersteen, Esq. .

J. G. Jennings, Esq. .

C. H. Browning, Esq.

H. B. Warner, Esq. .

Mair R. Buksh .

C. P. Beachcroft, Esq., I.C.S.

Major H. W. PUgrim, I.M.S.

B. Foley, Esq., I.C.S.

L. A. G. Clarke, Esq., I.C.S.

H. Ware, Esq., I.C.S.

J. Hope Simpson, Esq., I.C.S.

C. E. Crawford, Esq., I.C.S.
F. J. Cooke, Esq., I.C.S. .
Capt. St. J. Shadwell

F. G. Mayne, Esq.
H. W. Sutcliffe, Esq.
A. J. Eraser Blair, Esq.

D. McLaren Morrison, Esq.

F. E. Durham, Esq. .
W. M. Beresford, Esq.

G. H. L. Mackenzie, Esq. .

A. F. M. Abdur Rahman, Esq.

E. L, S. Russell, Esq.
J. Reid, Esq.
L. B. Goad, Esq.
R. Sykes, Esq. .
R. Todd, Esq. .
R. W. Hilliard, Esq.

B. Harrison, Esq.
E. N. Drury, Esq.
P. R. Cadell, Esq.

Brought for

Amount

Bs.

a. p.

•wan

I 2,15,868

6 11

0 0

Carried forward 2,18,068 6 11

472

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Name of Subscriber

Captain N. Rainier .
Babu Baij Nath Goenka

„ Nand Kumar Lall

„ Jowhary Lall .
Captain W. J. McElhinny
Major E. A. Waller, R.E.
J. E. Phillimore, Esq., I.C
R. N. Burn, Esq.
S. Halliwell, Esq.
G. Kingsley, Esq.
G. D. Oswell, Esq.
Trevor Lloyd, Esq.
P. Hennesy, Esq.
H. Lyall, Esq. .
G. L. Hendley, Esq.

F. C. W. Dover, Esq.
E. R. Osgood, Esq.
E. Staples, Esq. .
W. G. Hemingway, Esq.
H. Richardson, Esq. .
Rao Gungadhur Mahdev Chitnavis, CLE
Major D. Prain, I.M.S.
J. S. Harris, Esq.
Thomas Watson, Esq.
W. Parsons, Esq.
John Bathgate, Esq. .
C. A. Walsh, Esq. .
Colin A. Paterson, Esq.
H. H. Macleod, Esq. .
W. J. Cotton, Esq. .

G. H. Le Maistre, Esq.
W, B. Browne, Esq. .
O. Ghilardi, Esq.
Chas. P. Baker, Esq. .
W. T. Grice, Esq.
P. H. Ware, Esq.
P. J. Macdonald, Esq.

E. J. R. Dyer, Esq. .
C. E. Dard, Esq.
John Leslie, Esq.

F. C. Simpson, Esq. ,
H. W. G. Herron, Esq.
J. C. Hewitt, Esq. .
N. Williamson, Esq. .

32
32
32
30
30

25
25

25
25
25
25

0
0
0
0
0

Amount

lU. a. p.

Brought forward 2,18,068 6 11

50 0 0

33 0 0

32 0 0

30 0 0

25 0 0

0 0

25 0 0

25 0

25 0 0

0
0
0
0

25 0 0
Carried forward 2,r9~324~~6 1 1

SUBSCRIBERS TO THE EQUIPMENT FUND

473

Name of Subscriber

A. J. Lloyd, Esq

Hon. Babu Doorgagati Bannerjee, CLE.

Babu Davendro Nath Dutt

Nawab Mehdi Hassan

Syed Manjhla Nawab

R Williams, Esq., C.E.

Captain G. W. Rawlins

C. H. Atkins, Esq. .

Captain I. C. Beresford

G. Huddleston, Esq. .

M. C. Fitzgibbon, Esq.

Dr. Scott .

Babu Krishna Chunder Bannerjee

Babu Gobind Sahai .

Babu Ram Dhari Singh

A. H. Diack, Esq., I.C.S.

Captain P. Thompson, I.S.C

Colonel B. Franklin, I.M.S,

Captain T. J. Kennedy

Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Parkinson

Major J. M. Reid

„ J. R. Harwood
A. S. Barrow, Esq.

E. Walker, Esq.
T. Major. Esq. .
J. B. Lloyd, Esq.
H. R. Klugh, Esq.

F. Stevenson, Esq.
W. Muir Masson, Esq.
James Jameson, Esq.
S. M. Robinson, Esq.
Rev. E. F. C. Wigram
R. P. Atkinson, Esq.
S. E. Madan, Esq.
C. Roe, Esq.
S. Waterfield, Esq.
F. Field, Esq. .
S. W. Emery, Esq.
H. P. Cowley, Esq.
J. F. Mure, Esq.
Lieutenant G. Wilkinson, R.A.
A. B. Dalgetty, Esq. .
A. W. Thomas, Esq.
Chas. H. Hacking, Esq.

Amount

Hs. a. p.

Brought forward 2,19,321 6 11

25 0 0

20 0 0

17 0 0

16 0 0

16 0

16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16 0
16 0
16 0
16 0
16 0

16
16
16
16
16
15
15

15 0 0
15 0 0

CaiTied forward 2,20,103 6 11

474 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Kame of Subeoriber Amount

Be. a. p.

Brought forward 2,20,103 6 11

Lieutenant \V. B. Huddleston 10 0 0

L. T. Gage 10 0 0

Major E. Bowring 10 0 0

P. Fischer, Esq 10 0 0

J. M. D'Costa, Esq 10 0 0

C. H. Jones, Esq 10 0 0

D. S. Richmond, Esq 10 0 0

T. F. Richardson, Esq 10 0 0

V. E. Nepos, Esq 10 0 0

A. Stevenson, Esq 10 0 0

Mrs. E. Ckrke 10 0 0

„ L. Macalister 10 0 0

A, E. Jones, Esq 10 0 0

A. J. Stavridi, Esq 10 0 0

K. C. Chronopolo, Esq 10 0 0

E. S. L. Morton, Esq 10 0 0

W. L. Dallas, Esq 10 0 0

Mrs. L. P. Patton 10 0 0

E. C. Richardson, Esq 10 0 0

Rai Medni Prosad Singh Bahadur 10 0 0

Babu Tin Cowry Rai. . 600

Mirza Habib Husain 500

A. S. Cooper, Esq 500

W. H. Burgess, Esq 5 0 0

J. Harding, Esq 600

W. H. Russell, Esq 500

Malik Mahomed Khan 5 0 0

Babu Behary Lall Mukerji 5 0 0

Captain L. C. DunsterviUe 5 0 0

Babu B. M. Laha 380

Total 2,20,353 ~6~li

Proceeds of Ladies' Ball given in Town Hall .... 6,898 1 0

Grand Total 2^27,261 7 11

CONTRIBUTIONS IN KIND

Name of C!ontributor Contribation

H.H. the Maharajah of Bhownagar . 50 x\rab chargers and saddlery

The Maharani Regent of Mysore . . 20 country-bred chargers

Maharaj Kumar Prodyat Coomar Tagore A complete set of x-v&y apparatus
Colonel Desraj Urs . . . .30 horses

Rajah of Mursan 25 horses

The Maharajah Bahadur of Soubarsa, 12 horses
CLE.

CONTRIBUTORS OF EQUIPMENT, ETC. 475

Name of Contributor Contribation

Nawab Mahomed Ehan, Chief of Mardan 2 horses

Mahomed Mazamullah Khan of Aligarh 2 horses, 1 mule, and 2 sleeping cot-
tage tents

Natives of Aligarh 27 horses and 1 mule

Kashmir Durbar 300 Kashmir putties

Victoria Mills Company of Cawnpore . 125 thick double blankets for syces
The Muir Mills, Cawnpore . . . Tents for the force
The Woollen MiUs, Cawnpore . . Serge cloth for all coats complete,

1,000 pairs ribbed stockings, 400
yards fawn flannel, 400 pairs khaki
putties
The Brush Factory, Cawnpore . Brushes

The Wense Tannery, Cawnpore . . Leather goods
Messrs. Cooper, Allen, & Co., Cawnpore 300 pairs of gaiters
New Egerton Mills, Dharwal . 300 Cardigan jackets

F. H. Abbott, Esq Fodder

G. C. Mookerjee & Sons . .2 lever clocks

Messrs. Hart Bros. .... Fodder, shoes, veterinary nails, &c.

„ James Murray & Co. 6 field glasses

Russell of Dinapore .... 1 box Diamond Ointment

Messrs. Lipton, Ltd Tea and coffee for the force for the

voyage to South Africa

Lawrie Johnstone, Esq., and J. R. 5,000 Manilla cigars
Stewart, Esq.

C. F. Chadburn, Esq 7,200 boxes of matches

G. F. Kellner & Co 10 cases of whisky

Robinson, Morrison, & Co. .2 hogsheads beer

Whiteaway, Laidlaw, & Co. . .300 hats

Ranken & Co. Officers' uniforms

Harman & Co Making one suit of clothes for each

man

W. Leslie & Co 12 sets of aluminium cooking-pots

J. F. Madan 30 doz. Charles Southwell's whole fruit

jams, 15 doz. Rowat's pickles, 72
doz. Rowat's Sauce, 200 lb. Mac-
kenzie & Mackenzie's biscuits,
96 doz. Universal potted meat, 10
doz. Brand's essence of beef, 25
galls. English malt vinegar, 30 lb.
fresh ground coffee, 50 lb. orange
Pekoe tea

Various People 7 volumes ' Blackwood's Magazine,'

4 volumes ' Harper's Monthly
Magazine,* 6 volimies ' The Cen-
tury Magazine,* 72 paper* books
(miscellaneous)

476 THE HISTORY OF LDMSDEN'S HORSE

APPENDIX Vni

FBIEXDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE CORPS

The following gentlemen played prominent parts in connection
with the raising and equipment of Lumsden's Horse :

H.E. the Commander-in-Chief— Sir William Lockhart, G.C.B., K.C.S.L, whom

illness, however, prevented from inspecting the corps prior to their departure

to South Africa.
Major-General Sir Edwin Collen, K.C.I.E., C.B., Military Member of Council.
Major-General P. J. Maitland, C.B., Secretary to the Government of India

Military Department.
Major the Hon. E. Baring, Military Secretary to H.E. the Viceroy.
Brigadier-General Sir E. R. EUes, K.C.B., Adjutant-General in India,
Brigadier-General Sir Arthur Gaselee, K.C.B., Quartermaster-General in India.
Sir Patrick Playfair, CLE.
Captain A. L. Phillips, Indian StaflF Corps.
Major-General R. Wace, C.B., Director-General of Ordnance.
Surgeon-General R. Harvey, C.B., Director-General of I.M.S.
Colonel P. A. Buckland, Superintendent Army Clothing.
Major-General T. F. Hobday, Commissary-General.
Captain W. S. Goodridge, Director R.I.M. (Bombay).
Captain A. Gwyn, Deputy Director R.I.M. (Kidderpur Docks).
William Currie, Esq., Messrs. Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Co.
The Most Rev. J. E. C. Welldon, Lord Bishop of Calcutta and Metropolitan of

India.
Shirley Tremearne, Esq.

Canon A. Luckman, Senior Chaplain, St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta.
H. E. A. Apjohn, Esq., Chairman, Port Commissioners.
Brigadier-General Leach, C.B., G.O.C. Bengal.
Colonel Money, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Colonel Mansfield, Commissar^^-General for Transport.

Thanks are due to the following :

The Indian Press for the free notices and list of subscriptions inserted from

time to time.
A. U. Fanshawe, Esq., CLE., Director-General of Post Offices.
C. E. Pitman, Esq., CLE., Director-General of Telegraphs, for establishing Post

and Telegraph Offices in Camp.

FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE CORPS

477

The Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal (Sir John Woodburn).
Her Excellency Lady Curzon of Kedleston.

Lady Woodburn, the Misses Pugh, and the other ladies of Calcutta who
organised the Ball.

THE LADIES' BALL, CALCUTTA, JANUARY 1900,
IN Aid of the Funds for Equipping Lumsden's House.

Patroness
Her Excellency Lady Cubzon of Kedleston, C.L

Vice-Patronesses

Lady

WooDBUBN Lady Lockhabt

Lady

Maclean

H.H. the Mahabani of Cooch

Mrs. (

Cotton.

Behar

General Committee,

Mrs. Aldam

Mrs

. Elworthy

Mrs. Morris

„ C.H.Allen

Trevor Forbes

„ Murray

„ Apjohn

Gayer

„ Goodwin Norman

„ Baker

Gemmell

„ Oakley

„ Barkley

Gibbs

„ Ormond

„ Barrow

A. S. Gladstone

„ Orr

„ Birkmyre

Banks-Gwyther

n Paget

„ Bolton

Haggard

„ Pearson

„ Boyd

Harington

„ Petersen

„ Branson

Havell

„ Phelps

„ Beadon-Bryant

Hill

„ Poppe

„ Buckland

Huddleston

„ Pratt

„ Campbell

Iggulden

„ Pugh

„ Chappell

Joubert

„ Renny

„ Charles

Judge

„ Seymour

„ Churchill

Ker

„ Silk

Lady Collen

Knight

Kanwar Rani Lady

Mrs. Comley

Luson

Harnam Singh

„ Constable

Maconochie

Mrs. Assheton-Smith

„ Coulter

Mair

„ Sparkes

, Dangerfield

Maitland

„ Stanley

, Lindsay Daniell

Mansfield

„ Foster Stevens

, Dawkins

Mawdsley

„ Stone

, Dring

Melville

„ Watkins

, Duke

Miller

„ Wallis-Whiddett

, Dunne

R. L. Morgan

„ Wicks

, Eggar

Hon

. Mrs. McLaren

„ Wilkins

, Ellis

Morrison

„ Wynne

478

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

List of the Stewards.

Captain Allanson
Mr. C. H. Allen

„ RobAUen

„ G. G. Anderson

„ E. W. Antram

„ A. A. Apcar

„ Gregory Apcar

„ J. G. Apcar

„ J. H. Apjohn

„ E. C. Apostolides
Hon. Mr. Allan Arthur
Captain Badcock
Mr. L. C. Baines
Major the Hon. E. Baring
Mr. A. S. Barrow

„ C. P. Bartholomew

„ W. E. Bayley

„ C. F. Beadel

„ V. Beatty

„ H.C.Begg

„ W. M. Beresford

„ A. J. Eraser Blair

„ D.C.Blair

„ E.G. Buck
Hon. Mr. J. Buckingham
Mr. P. L. Buckland

„ A. L. Butter
Dr. Arnold Caddy
Mr. G. Caine

„ P. E. Cameron
Captain Campbell, A.D.C.
Mr. John Campbell
Captain Baker-Carr, A.D.C.
Mr. N. Bonham Carter

„ W. D. Carter

„ W. D. Cartwright

„ E. Chapman

„ E. P. Chapman

„ E. C. Coates

„ G. Colville

„ W. Ross Craig

„ W. D. Cruickshank

„ J. E. Cubitt

„ R. H. S. Dashwood
Hon. Mr. Clinton Dawkins
Mr. Cairns Deas

Mr. W. Dods
Major Dolby
Mr, W. A. Dring

„ W. K. Eddis

„ W. H. Edwards
Sir G. H. P. Evans
Hon. Mr. A. U. Fanshawe
Mr. R. R. Gales

„ J. Gemmell

„ G. Girard

„ W. O. Grazebrook

„ R. J. Green
Captain Grimston
Mr. J. D. Guise

„ F. F. Handley
Hon. Mr. Justice Harington
Surgeon-General Harvey
Mr. H. Hensman

„ C.R. Hills

,, H. Hookey

„ G. Huddleston

„ A. D. Ingram

„ P. Ismay

„ CM. Jack

,, J. R. Johnston

„ C. Lawrie Johnstone

„ C. B. Jourdain

„ A. S. Judge

„ C. H. B. JuiTet

„ Paul Knight
Captain Knox, A.D G.
Brigadier-General Leach, G.B.
Mr. A. M. Lindsay

„ Allan Mackinnon
Sir Francis Maclean
Mr. A, McNiven
Sir Wm. Macpherson
Mr. A. G. H. Macpherson
Major-General Maitland, C.B.
Mr. J. R. Maples

„ E. J. Marshall

„ E. S. Martin

„ Harold Martin

,, Francis Matthewson
Colonel Money
Mr. D. McLaren Morrison

FBIENDS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE CORPS

479

Mr. A. K. Muir

Hon. Mr. A. 0. Murray

Mr. J. Needham

„ John NicoU
Captain Noblett
Major Ormerod
Mr. J. A. Ormiston

„ E. W. Ormond

„ J. C. Orr

„ J. W.Orr

„ W. OrreU

„ J.J.Page
Captain Phillips
Mr. G. Pickford

„ A. Pickford
Sir Patrick Playfair, CLE.
Mr. F. Power

„ A. J. Pugh

„ L. P. Pugh

„ R. A. C. Pugh

„ C. Raddiffe

ff A. Rawlinson
Hon. Mr. J. D. Rees
Mr. A. Rodachanachi

„ L. E. D. Rose

„ C. L. S. Russell

Mr. A. Short

„ J. A. Simpson
Hon. Mr. D. M. Smeaton
Mr. C. E. Smyth

„ C. D. Stewart

,, H. Stokes

„ Harry Stuart
Earl of Suffolk and Berks, A.D.C.
Mr, H. W. Sutcliflfe

„ G. H. Sutherland

„ R. G. D. Thomas

„ W. L. Thomas

„ Shirley Tremearne

„ J. M. Turner
Captain Tyrrell
Major Verschoyle
Mr. S. Verschoyle

„ C. L. W. Wallace
Captain Waters
Mr. Martyn Wells

„ D. Westmacott

„ Thos. Westmacott
Hon. Mr. Justice Wilkins
Captain Wilkinson
Mr. H. D. Wood

480

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

APPENDIX IX

LUMSDEN'S HORSE BEGEPTION COMMITTEE

The following is the first list of names of the Keception
Committee :

Patron
His Excellency Lord Curzon

Vice-PatroJis

His Excellency the Commander-in-
Chief

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor
of Bengal

Hon. the Chief Commissioner of
Assam

Hon. the Chief Justice of Bengal

Most Rev. the Lord Bishop of
Calcutta

Members

Mr. A. F. M. Abdur Rahman

„ J. A. Anderson

„ A. A. Apcar

„ A. G. Apcar
Captain Apostolides
Mr. J. Arbuthnot
Hon. Sir Allan Arthur, Kt.
Mr. H, S. Ashton

„ R. P. Ashton
Lieutenant Baines
Mr. W. A. Bankier

Hon. Mr. Justice Gooroo Das Ban-
ner] ee
Major the Hon. E. Baring
Mr. A. S. Barrow

„ H. Bateson

» H. C.Begg

„ W. M. Beresford
Colonel J. Binning

Mr. D. C. Blair

Hon. Mr. C. W. Bolton, C.S.I., I.C.S.

„ Major J. Bourdillon, C.S.I., LC.S.
Captain W. J. Bradshaw, P.D.V.
Hon. Mr. J. Buckingham, CLE.

„ Mr. C. E. Buckland, CLE., LC.S.

„ Mr. R. B. Buckley

„ Prince Mahomed Bukhtyar Shah,

CLE.
Mr. E. Cable
Lieutenant Caddy
Captain Baker-Carr
Dr. J. Nield Cook
Hon. Mr. W. E. Cooper, CLE.
Mr. H. E. A. Cotton
Dr. William Coulter
Mr. W. D. Cruickshank
Sir William J. Cuningham, K.C.S.I.
Mr. Lindsay Daniell

„ Walter J. Davies

„ Cairns Deas, CE.

„ J. G. Dickson
Lieutenant Dunbar
Mr. E. B. Eden
Hon. Mr. H. Elworthy

„ Sir Griffith Evans, K.CI.E.

„ Mr. H. F. Evans, CS.L, LC.S.
Mr. A. U. Fanshawe, CLE., LC.S.

„ J. Finlay
Hon. Mr. M, Finucane, CS.L, LC.S.
Mr. J. S. Eraser

„ J. Gemmell
Hon. Mr. Justice Chunder Madhub

Ghose

THE KECEPTION COMMITTEE

481

Mr. C. Greenway

„ R. T. Greer, LC.S.
Captain Griffiths
Mr. H. B. HaU

,, D. M. Hamilton
Hon. Major Harington
Mr. John Harper
Surgeon-General R. Harvey, C.B.,

I.M.S., &c.
Mr. Gilbert S. Henderson
Captain Henry
Mr. H. Hensman

„ J. P. Hewett, C.S.I., CLE.
Hon. Mr. Justice Hill
Mr. T. W. Holdemess, C.S.I., I.C.S.
Hon. Nawab Syed Ameer Hossein,

CLE.
Mr. A. J. Ker

» D.King

„ H. A. Kirk

„ H. M. Kisch, M.A., LC.S.

„ Paul Knight

Hon. Sir Edward Law, K.CM.G.
Brigadier-General H. P. Leach, CB.,

R.E., &c.
Mr. W. Leslie

„ A, M. Lindsay, CLE.

„ A. S. Lovelock
Rev. Canon Luckman
Mr. A. A. LyaU

„ F. G, Maclean

„ D. J. Macpherson, CLE., I.C.S.
Maharajah Sir Narendra Krishna

Bahadur, K.CI.E.
Major-General P. J. Maitland, CB.,

LS.C.
Mr. E. J. Marshall
Colonel A. Masters
Mr. W. J. M. McCaw
Lieut. -Colonel McLaughlin, S.V.L.H.
Mr. F. Matheson

„ Norman McLeod
Major J. R. Maples
Lieut.-Colonel J. J. Meade
Mr. R. D. Mehta, CLE.
Colonel J, A. Miley, C.S.I., LS.C
Mr. Charles Morris

Mr. A. K. Muir

„ Reginald Murray
Hon. Mr. F. A. Nicholson, CLE.
Mr. John Nicoll
Mr. A. F. Norman

Hon. Mr. C W. OdUng, C.S.L, M.E,
Mr. G. A. Ormiston

„ C R. Orr

„ T, B. G. Overend

„ W. Parsons

„ A. Pedler, F.R.S.
Captain E. W. Petley, CLE.
Mr. W. H. Phelps
Major H. W. Pilgrim, I.M.S.
Sir Patrick Playfair, Kt., CLE.
Major D. Prain, M.B., I.M.S.
Hon. Mr. Justice Pratt, M.A., I.C.S.

„ Sir H. T. Prinsep, Kt.
Mr. J. M. G. Prophit
Mr. L. P. Pugh
Hon, Mr. T. Raleigh

„ Mr. Justice Rampini
Colonel Rankin, M.D., I.M.S.
Hon. Mr. C M. Rivaz, CS.I.
Mr. W. T. M. Robertson

,, A. Rodocanachi

„ H. M. Ross

„ H. M. Rustomji

,, J. O'B. Saunders

„ F.N.Schiller

,, J. C Shorrock
Hon. Sir Harnam Singh, K.CI.E.

„ Mr. D. M. Smeaton, C.S.I.
Mr. C E. Smyth

„ T. W. Spink
Hon. Rai Sri Ram Bahadur

„ Mr. Justice Stanley
Mr. W. R. Stikeman
Major Strachey
Mr. Harry Stuart
Hon. Mr. Sutherland
Maharajah Sir Jotendro Mohun Tagore

Bahadur, K.C.S.L
Maharaj Kumar Prodyat Coomar

Tagore
Rajah Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore,
Kt., CLE.

I I

482

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Mr. W. L. Thomas

„ T. Traill

, , Shirley Tremeame
Hon. Sir A. C. Trevor, K.C.SJ,
Mr. M. C. Turner

„ F. R. Dpcott, C.E.
Major-General R. Wace, C.B., R.A.
Mr. A. H, Wallis

Mr. C. H. Wilkie

M George Williamson

„ H. C. Williamson, C.S.

„ J. Wilson
Hon. Mr. J. T. Woodrofife, Advocate-
General
Colonel T. R. Wynne

483

APPENDIX X

THE FINAL ACCOUNTS

To the Editor of the * Indian Daily News.'

Sib, — May I ask you to be good enough to publish for the benefit of
the subscribers to the Indian Mounted Infantry Corps (Lumsden*s Horse)
Fund a detailed account of the receipts and expenditure ?

On behalf of myself, ofl&cers, and men of the corps, I desire to tender
our grateful acknowledgment to His Excellency Lord Curzon, Honorary
Colonel, not only for having sanctioned the raising of the corps and for
his patronage, but also for the very material assistance he graciously gave
us and for the interest he took in our operations on active service.

I take the opportunity, at the completion of our campaign, again to
thank the public for the splendid manner in which they equipped the
corps for active service in South Africa and for the cordial way they
welcomed it back again. The public appreciation of their services to the
Army has been to the oflBcers and men of Lumsden's Horse ample recom-
pense for any hardships they may have endured. For myself I can only
repeat that I never wish to be associated with more gallant comrades. I am
indebted to General Sir E. B. Elles, Adjutant-General, General Gaselee,
Quartermaster-General, Surgeon-General Harvey, Director-General
I.M.S., and General Wace, Director- General of Ordnance, for the
assistance given in obtaining equipment for the corps and facilitating its
despatch.

More than special thanks are also due to Sir Patrick Playfair for the
great interest he has taken in the corps from start to finish, as well as to
the other members of the committee.— Yours, &c.,

D. M. LuMSDBN, Lieutenant-Colonel,

Conmianding Lumsden's Horse.

April 17, 1900.

1 I 2

484

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

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485

APPENDIX XI

LUMSDEN'S HOBSE TBANSPOET

The following article is by Sergeant Stephens, of the Indian
Commissariat and Transport Department, attached to Lumsden's
Horse : ^

The Government of India at the last moment not sanctioning native
drivers for the corps, fifty Europeans had to be enlisted under the same
terms as those of trackers, receiving kit, equipment, &c. As there was no
time to pick and choose, the men were taken, if physically fit, more by per-
sonal appearances than recommendations. With the exception of a few,
they worked remarkably well and never complained of the hardships they
had to endure while we were in South Africa.

When each member joined the corps he was handed over a pair of
ponies or mules, also harness for same, with cart complete. The majority of
them had never driven or ridden a horse in their lives, so that the breaking-
in of horses and men was not an easy task. Of fifty pairs of animals
received for draught purposes not a pair was broken to harness, and when
the heavy breechen was placed on their backs they did their best to kick it
off, but the girths supplied by Government were strong enough to keep
that in place. Our next diflSculty was to put them together in carts.
Immediately the curricle bar or iron support rested on their backs they
wanted to be off for their lives, and in some instances got away and did a
lot of mischief before they came to grief, cart and all. Privates Hyde
and Braine once trying to stop a pair got severely hurt ; Hyde putting
his shoulder out, while Braine got his head badly cut. Both were sent
to the General Hospital for treatment, but recovered in time to join
B Company.

The Transport men were very willing, took a deUght in their duty,
and worked hard from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and at that rate we were
able to have the worst of the animals broken to harness before we left
Calcutta. At the same time, the men were improving daily in the care
and treatment of animals, and when the General Officer Commanding
held his inspection, every one of them was able to drive, or seemed to think
he could, so we had A Company's Transport out for inspection. After

486 THE HISTOBY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

inspecting carts, animals, and drivers, the General expressed himself
pleased with the very ready way in which they had been got in order,
and stated that he thought we should get on well in Africa.

The men had not the slightest idea of what a muleteer was until they
got on board ship. Then the work started, and dirty work it was for
about two hours every morning. Even then there were no complaints.
The officer commanding the corps and the captain of the ship gave great
praise to the Transport men every day for having the cleanest deck. The
captain afterwards said that with Begular troops he had never seen it
better kept. They had to perform the same duties as the troopers, the
only difference being that they had extra work daily from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
dubbing and cleaning harness.

While on board ship the Transport of A Company was divided into
four sections, consequently four non-commissioned officers had to be
made. This was the first promotion in the Transport, and was given to
those who seemed to take most interest in their work. The names of
men promoted were Power, Palmer, CuUen, and Estabrooke. Power
afterwards worked up to sergeant, was a very good non-commissioned
officer throughout, and quite deserved the rank he held. Work on board
ship was the same daily, nothing fresh occurring till we landed at Cape
Town. That night carts had to be got ready, and the following morning
we had to take our own baggage to Maitland Camp. That was about the
worst day we had while in Africa. It was impossible to look to our front
— animals would not face the sand-storms — it was not sand, but small
stones beating against our faces, and our eyes were sore for weeks after our
first day at the Cape. It was very hard to harness the Transport animals
in carts ; but after being about twenty-six days on board ship, they had not
much mind for bolting that first day. The camp, when we got there, was
knee-deep in sand. Maitland at that time was a dirty hole, and we were
pleased when we got our orders to shift. But a few things happened
during our stay there which we cannot forget. The Government came on
us, thinking we had too many carts, and they had to be reduced by ten.
So we handed our ten carts and ten pairs of ponies to the Transport
Officer, Cape Town, and, instead of them, got thirty-eight pairs of mules,
with leader harness complete, to act as leaders for our remaining carts.
That meant instead of two ponies to a cart, as we left India, we had to
put four ponies or mules. This complicated matters a long time, for some
of the drivers could never manage four-in-hand, so had to be left with a
pair only. They said that two * donkeys ' (which they would insist upon
calling their chargers) were quite enough for them to look after. In the
end, everything turned out very well. We kept those animals spare, and
whenever any in the teams showed signs of fatigue, got lame, or otherwise
unfit, we had others to take their places.

THE TRANSPOBT 487

The Transport Officer at the Cape did Dot think much of his bargain.
He could not get the Cape boys to make head or tail of our Indian carts
and harness. It was harder for them to put a pair of our ponies in their
cart than their own span of ten, which they could use as they hked.

After receiving orders for the front with a light heart, every man
thought the minutes too long until he got an opportunity of distinguishing
himself. We were ordered to Bloemfontein, and everybody was on the
war-path at once. We railed to that station, which did not do the animals
any good, and on arrival there were ordered to join a brigade at Deel's
Farm, about three miles beyond the town. Having to draw our stores
from Bloemfontein station prepared our transport and drivers for the
work which lay before them, and during our stay there they got in
excellent order.

The first day our Transport carts went out with spare ammunition for
the corps, nothing unusual occurred, and, in fact, all returned disappointed,
but this showed the ammunition drivers what they must expect when
going out again. All in charge of these carts were picked men, being the
best drivers with the best animals. They had to canter and trot over
rough country with eight boxes of ammunition, to keep in touch with
their corps, over hills or otherwise, and be always where they were
wanted ; our carts were very handy, and could go where others failed.

Next day was the well-remembered Ospruit fight, and the carts
had a narrow escape then. The enemy got their range, and the pom-
poms played round them for some time, a few of the shells landing
between the carts ; but the drivers were just as easy as ever, and when
ordered to retire did it in excellent style, smoking and passing jokes as
the shells followed them up. Private Lowther, who was on stretcher-
bearer's duty that day, will not forget what he called a cool order. When
the drivers were getting out of range one of their hats was blown off, and
Lowther, being on foot, was ordered to pick it up. He looked twice, but
went back and got it. Shells were a bit thick, but he remembered he
was a soldier. The day after the fight we had to send a cart out to bring
in Major Showers. Corporal CuUen and Private Arthurton went with it
on duty, Cullen corporal in charge, Arthurton the driver. After finding
the Major's body, they were joined by some Boers, who assisted to put the
Major in the cart, had a friendly chat with them, passed cigarettes and
tobacco round, and Cullen said when he came back to camp that there
were very few Boers among them, nearly all English-speaking and of a
very respectable class. They had very little to say regarding the fight
the previous day, but said they were sorry our Colonel was killed. They
had found some papers in the pockets of young Lumsden, whom they
took to be the Colonel.

We had most trouble with our carts and animals when night marching.

488 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDBN'S HORSE

The ponies were excellent for draught purposes ; the Cape mules did not
last nearly as well. If properly fed the ponies would have worked through-
out our stay in Africa ; but they were often days without anything but
what they could pick when we got an hour's halt. On one occasion
which I remember well they were thirty-six hours under harness without
food of any kind, and only watered once. People might say, Why not
oftener ? Water was not procurable.

Another thing that came against us was the cunning Kaffir. He
could walk around at night, take the best of our animals, and have them
disfigured in such a way that nobody could recognise them the following
morning. We put up with this for a long time, until our stock of spare
mules ran short, and then we had to carry out the same tricks as the
remainder by doing unto others as they had done to us. We were able
to take to Pretoria every one of the carts with which we left Bloemfontein.
When we got there, everything, of course, was the worse for wear, but
complete in every other respect. If anything ever frightened our Trans-
port drivers it was the word * drift.* You should have seen their worried
looks when they heard that there was a drift ahead ; but they braved
everything, thinking that Pretoria would finish all. But to our surprise
when we got there we found out that the show was only then
starting. We had a little rest after the surrender, being sent to a
station ten miles off called Irene. While there the Transport kept the
horses of the corps well fed on oat-hay, which we brought from all
the farms within ten miles of the place. We remained at Irene until
August 1, and then got attached to a brigade going after De Wet
in the Eustenburg direction. We were on this march for twenty-
eight days without rest, which was the cause of killing all our Indian
ponies except twelve. The whole of that month's march was a dead
pull for the Transport — some days it was up to the ankle in sand, while
next it was just the same in black sticky earth. We were not the only
lot that suffered ; every unit experienced just the same. It took us all our
time to get our carts back to Pretoria. At the end of August we were only
a day in Pretoria before being ordered off again on the march to Barberton.
Things had to be got ready as quickly as possible, and off we went on
September 1 for another long trek. When starting on this march we
had to leave twelve of our carts in Pretoria, and as many men of the
corps had come down we reduced our Transport. During the whole of
this period we had very little time for carrying out repairs to carts and
harness. The saddles began to give out in the leather, as they had not
been repaired since we left Calcutta except a stitch here and there.
During our stay in Africa we never had an animal suffer from sore back.
This, we think, wp.s due to the excellent way in which the saddles- were
stuffed before leaving Calcutta. Although newly received from the

THE TRANSPORT 489

Ordnance Department, they did not satisfy the Commissariat and Transport
Sergeant-Major, who had them stuffed to his own liking.

On the march to Barberton and back we had very bad weather, which
completely destroyed our gear, and, arriving at Pretoria for the third time,
we thought of getting it thoroughly repaired. We had done our best,
and, in fact, had all the saddles restuffed and lined in a very short time,
when orders were received for the corps to be disbanded.

The number of animals with which we left India was — Ponies, 100 ;
mules, 5 ; total, 105. The five mules lasted throughout, but only eight
ponies lived to see the finish. Two of these, driven by Private Arthurton,
seemed to be in better condition at the finish than when they left
Calcutta. He took great care of his animals. Two others were in charge
of Driver Estabrooke. As he intended remaining in South Africa, the
Colonel presented him with his pair.

The whole of the carts and gear were handed over to the Ordnance,
Pretoria, before our departure, with three hearty cheers from Lumsden's
muleteers.

490 THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

APPENDIX XII

TOPICAL SONG

BY J. HENRY, TROOPER IN LUMSDEN'S HORSE

I
Thb long campaign is over,
And we are homeward bound ;

We think abont what*s waiting us on shore :
Of the d&ks at country stations,
Of the evenings in the club,

And the pleasures of a civy rig once more.

Chorus.
For the ration jam is sweet,
And the * bully ' beef is good,

And * Machonochie * is nothing short of prime ;
But give me, yes, oh, give me,
Oh, how I wish you would,

* Moorghi ' cutlets and my peg at evening time.

II
We have often groused and grumbled,
But not a man would say

He's sorry that he joined the good old corps ;
And the longest marches seem now
But fair share of work and play,

When we know we've not to do them any more.

(Chorus.)

Ill
It really is annoying
When you march at break of day.

To find your moke has vanished from the line ;
And you curse the stable picket.
And on your knees you pray

You may never see another * Argentine.'

(Chorus.)

We're very near the finish,
And in a week or so

We will scatter over India, hill and plain ;
But when two of us foregather,
'Mid the clouds of smoke we blow

We'll follow Colonel Lumsden once again.

(Choms.)

toiid£ai.KewTbTk U Bombay-.

INDEX

Abbott, Mr. F. H., 475

Abdur Rahman, Mr. A. F. M., 471, 480

Adlam, £., 267, 364, 486

Adye, Colonel, 370

Ahmed Khan, Nawab Sir Sidi, 25, 462

Ahmed Wall Khan, Malik, 465

Ahmuty & Co., 464

Ajodhya, Maharajah of, 465

Aidam, Mrs., 477

Aldis, O., 384, 428

Aligarh, 25, 475

Aligarh, Mahomed Mazamullah Khan of,

476
Alipur, 451

Alipur Native Cavalry, 895
Allan, B. M., 884, 428
AUanson, Captain, 478
Allardice, D. O., 267, 844, 846, 884, 484
Allardice, H., 844, 846, 871, 484
Allen, Mr. C. H., 478
Allen, Mr. R., 470, 478
Allen, Mrs. C. H., 477
Allison, Mr. J., 470
Anderson, P. W., 364, 418, 486, 454
Anderson, Mr. Justice, 466
Anderson, Mr. G. G., 478
Anderson, Mr. J. A., 480
Anderson, Wright & Co., 468
Anley, Captain, 104
Anstmther, Colonel, 816
Antram, Mr., 478
Apcar, Mr., 402
Apcar, Mr. A. A., 478, 480
Apcar, Mr. A. G., 480
Apcar, Mr. J. G., 478
Apcar & Co., 25, 462
Apjohn, Mr., 895, 470, 476, 478
Apjohn, Mrs., 477
ApostoHdes, Captain, 480
Apostolides, Mr., 478
Arathoon, J. D. L., 811, 365, 867, 481,

454
Arbuthnot, Mr. J., 469, 480
Argyll and Sutherl^id Highlanders, 296
Armfield ft Chard, 464
Army Servioe Corps, 811

Arracan Co., Ltd., 464

Arthur, Sir A., 402, 480

Arthur, Mr. A., 478

Arthurton, W. G., 486, 487, 489

Artillery, see Royal Horse

Artists' Volunteers, 869

Ashton, Mr. H. S., 469, 480

Ashton, Mr. R. P., 480

Asonsole, 183

* Assam Gazette,' 180

Assam Valley Light Horse, 4, 12. 88, 467

Atkins, Mr. C. H., 473

Atkinson, A., 72, 384, 385, 481

Atkinson, Mr. R. P., 473

'Atlantian' transport, 371, 372, 882, 883,

884, 387, 389
Australian Volunteers, 184, 217, 219, 220,

289, 293, 296, 388, 860, 363
Avoca, 885
Ayerst, Captain, 402

Badcock, Captain, 478

Baden-Powell, General, 288, 289, 292, 298,
294, 296, 300, 805, 806, 309, 810, 811,
418

Baden-Powell, Major, 298

BaUey, Mr. W. L., 468

Baileytown, 121

Baines, Lieutenant, 480

Baines, Mr., 478

Baines k Co., 464

Baker, Mr. C. F., 472

Baker, Mrs., 477

Balaghat Police, 467

Baldwin, R. H., 267, 864, 486

Ballard, Lance-Corporal, 75, 480, 454

Balmer, Lawrie, k Co., 468

Balmoral, 316, 328

Bank of Bengal, 428, 465

Bankes, £. N., 267, 864, 480

Bankier, Mr. W. A., 480

Banks, P. W., 864, 486, 454

Banneijee, Mr. Justice, 466, 480
I Bannerjee, Babu Doorgagaii, 478
1 Bannerjee, Babu Krishna Chunder, 473

492

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Barberton, 190, 814, 316, 316, 320, 324, 327,
332, 333, 336, : 39, 340, 349, 351, 488

Baring, Hon. E., Major, 396, 476, 478, 480

Barkley, Mrs., 477

Barotse Tribe, 306

Barraokpur, 3 6

Barrow, Mr. A. S., 473, 478, 480

Barrow, Mrs., 477

Barry & Co., 463

Bartholomew, Mr., 478

Bartlett, Mr. E. W. J., 470

Barton, General, 417

Bateman, F. G., 347, 431

Bates, Corporal, 268, 311, 365, 367, 432,
454

Bateson, Mr. H., 480

Bathgate, Mr. J., 472

Bathgate & Co., 463

Battye, W., Lieutenant, 414

Bayley, Mr., 478

Beaohoroft, Mr. C. P., 471

Beadel, Mr., 478

Beame, L. C, 277, 280, 281, 364, 434

Beattie, Mr. J. A., 468

Beattie, Mr. M. J., 470

Beatty, Mr., 478

Bechtler & Sons, 466

Bechuanaland, 287

Becker, Ross, & Co., 468

Begg, Mr. H. C, 469, 478, 480

Behan, J. L., 364, 435

Behar, 172, 173

Behar Contingent, 16, 88

Behar Light Horse, 12

Belfast, 337, 344, 449

BeU, C. L., 384, 428

Bell, L. H., 418, 430, 454

Bell, Mr. H. J., 470

Benares, Maharajah of, 465

Bengal, 178

Bengal Central Railway, 467

Bengal Lancers (14th), 461

Bennett, H. C. C, 267, 364, 430

Benoni, 418, 414, 417, 418

Beresford, Captain, 81, 33, 120, 126, 266,
312, 316, 388, 834, 885, 337, 340, 343,
344, 345, 849, 884, 402, 427, 457

Beresford, Captain, I. C, 473

Beresford, Mr. W. M., 471, 478, 480

Bergendal, 818

Berkshire Regiment, 290

Bethany, 124

Bethel, 350, 858

BethuUe, 86, 91, 92, 121, 122, 228

Bevan & Co., 466, 467

Bewsher, J. C. D., 244, 267, 382, 864, 488

Bhama, Chum, Bhur, & Co., 468

Bharatpur, Maharajah of, 462

Bhownagar, Maharajah of, 25,^ 474

Bidenhamp, Dr., 338

Bijoy Singh, Rajah of Kimari, Kotah, 465

Bikanir, Maliarajah of, 465

Bikanir Imperial Service Camel Corps,

466
Binning, Colonel, 480
Birch, R. W. R., 267, 864, 483
Bird & Co., 463
Birkmyre, Mrs., 477
Birkmyre Brothers, 468
Biscoe, J. S., 268, 346, 865, 485, 454
Biscoe, M. S., 371, 434
Bishop of Calcutta, see Welldon
Blair, Lance-Corporal, 71, 75, 119, 267, 268,

365, 427, 454
Blair, Mr. A. J. F., 471, 478
Blair, Mr. D. C, 478, 480
< Blake's Ruffians,' 312
Bloemfontein, 86, 90, 93, 96, 98, 99, 101,

110, 111, 112, 118, 117, 120, 122, 123,

124, 127-143, 150, 177, 194, 199, 208,

224, 226, 253, : 67, 258, 269, 369, 460.

487,488
Boesman's Kop, 99, 106, 107
Boileau, K., 90, 111, 418, 429, 454
Bokfontein, 804
Boksburg, 242, 244, 271, 278, 418, 414, 416,

416, 417, 418, 425
Bolst, N. J., 77, 188, 384, 481
Bolton, Mr. C. W., 468, 480
Bolton, Mrs., 477
Bombay, 887-391
Bombay Infantry (20th), 395
Bonnerjee, Mr. W. C, 470
Booth, J. J., 183, 364, 384, 431
Bosek & Co., 464
Botha, Hans, Commandant, 416
Botha, Louis, General, 97, 150, 178, 200,

284, 286, 248, 251, 260, 261, 270, 287»

289, 801, 818, 315, 338
Bothaville, 118, 331
Bourdillon, Major, 480
Bourdillon, Mr., 402
Bourne & Shepherd, 465
Bowring, Major, 474
Boyd, Mrs., 477
Brabant, General, 150
Bradford, L. H., 325, 414, 416, 418, 436,

454
Bradford, S. H., 384, 436
Bradshaw, Captain, 895, 402, 470, 480
Braine, J., 821, 364, 436, 454, 485
Brakpan, 208
Brandfort, 186, 140, 141, 142, 143, 150, 176,

177, 189, 193, 208, 209, 213, 258, 311,

843
Brandreth, Mr. S., 471
Branson, Mrs., 477

Brennan, Sergeant, 385, 404, 405, 427, 460
Briggs, H., 384, 482
Broadwood, General, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102,

106, 177, 300
Brodrick, Mr. St. John, 421
Bronkhurst Spruit, 316
Broomfield & Co., 464

INDEX

493

Bronghton, Mr. L. P. D., 468

Brown, J. A., 361, 428

Brown, H. P., 841, 430

Brown, W. B., 267, 871, 384, 486

Brown, W. K., 484

Brown, Rev. Mr., 403

Browne, Captain, 889

Browne, Mr. W. B., 472

Browning, Mr. C. H., 471

Bryant, Mrs. Beadon, 477

Buck, Sir E., 398

Buck, Mr. E. G., 478

Buckingham, Colonel, 4, 26, 64, 402

Buckingham, Mr., 404, 468, 478, 480

Buckland, Colonel, 29, 64, 476

Buckland, Mr. C. E., 480

Buckland, Mr. P. L., 478

Buckland, Mrs., 477

Buckley, Mr. R. B., 470, 480

Bufihlo River, 91

Bufifalo Spruit, 820

Bukhtyar Shah, Prince Mahomed, 480

Buksh, Mair R., 471

Bull, Mr. W., 470

Buller, General, 85, 87, 180, 814, 449

Burgess, E. J., 870, 435

Burgess, Mr. W. H., 474

Burmese Mounted IntSemtry, 106

Bum, Mr. R. N., 472

Bum-Murdoch, J. H. A., 136, 149, 159, 161,

168-166, 171, 267, 864, 866, 482
Bumand, W., 188, 821, 384, 486
Bumham, Mrs. F. A., 470
Bushman's Kop, see Boesman's
Buskin, A. H., 418, 428, 454
Butcher, Major, 889
Butler, Lance-Corporal, 267, 832, 434
Butter, Mr. A, L., 478
Byres, see Moir-Byres

Cable, Mb. E., 480

Cachar, 181

Caddy, Lieutenant, 480

Caddy, Dr. Arnold, 478

Cadell, Mr. P. R., 471

Caine, Mr. G., 478

Calcutta, 11, 85, 41, 45, 48, 68, 86, 182, 206,

225, 269, 366, 378, 381, 891-408, 422, 423,

488
Calcutta ladies' work for the corps, 88, 64,

95
Calcutta Light Horse, 12, 895
Calcutta Port Defence, 896
Calcutta Volunteers, 395, 467
Cameron, Mr. P. E., 478
Campbell, Captain, 478
Campbell, Sergeant, 227, 364, 483, 454
Campbell, Corporal, 418, 486, 454
CampbeU,J. J., 884,486
Campbell, J. S., 281, 267, 364, 428

Campbell, Mr. John, 478

Campbell, Rev. Mr., 408

Campbell, Mrs., 477

Canadian Volunteers, 273, 296, 848, 859,

860,868
Cape Colony, 97, 110, 195

* Cape Times,' 871

Cape Town, 85, 88, 89, 90, 110, 111, 142,

266, 268, 869, 870, 871, 877, 882, 486
Carabiniers, 350, 854
Carolina, 811, 814, 816, 818, 820, 850, 851,

852
Carpendale, Major, 893, 894
Carr, Captain Baker, 478, 480
Carrington, General, 288, 298, 294
Carter, Mr. F. McL., 471
Carter, Mr. N. Bonham, 478
Carter, Mr. W. D., 478
Cartwright, Mr. W. D., 478
Cary-Barnard, C. D. V., 281, 246, 429,

454
Case, R. U., 72, 157, 169, 161, 178, 178,

194, 425, 429
Casperz, Mr. A., 471

* Catalonia ' transport, 870, 871, 882
Cathcart, 94

Cawnpore, 25

Cawnpore Brush Factory, 475

Cawnpore Woollen Mills, 476

Cayley, B., 210, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 865,

486
Chadbum, Mr. C. F., 475
Chakan Lall Roy, Babu, 466
Chamney, Captain, 81, 88, 152, 155, 165.

166, 178, 179, 266, 271, 884, 879, 851,

858, 856, 857, 869, 870, 409, 427, 454,

456, 461
Champion, Mr. G., 468
Chapman, E. S., 167, 168, 171, 281, 864,

432, 454
Chapman, Mr. E., 478
Chapman, Mr. E. P., 470, 478
Chappell, Mrs., 477
Charkhari, Rajah of, 465
Charles, Lance-Corporal, 75, 364, 376, 435
Charles, Mrs., 477
Chartres, Corporal, 3, 155, 311, 344, 364,

481, 454
Chatter] ee, Mr. Justice, 466
Cheetham, Mr. W. H., 470
Cherra Gardens, 180
Cheshire, H. S., 249, 267, 364, 430
Cheshure Regiment, 95, 141, 370
Chitnavis, Rao Gumgadhur Mahdev, 472
Christian, Princess, hospital train, 349
Chronopolo, Mr. K. C, 474
Churchill, Major, 895, 402
Churchill, Mrs., 477
City Imperial Volunteers, 130, 237, 357,

359
Clark, Mr. Justice, 466
Clarke, E. A. S., 861, 871, 484

494

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HOBSE

Clarke, Mr. L. A. G., 471

Clarke, Rev. Mr., 403

Clarke, Mrs. E., 474

Clerk, F. V., 864, 482

Cliflford, Captain, 81, 83, 156, 159, 266, 276,

277, 278, 281, 282, 810, 844, 854, 355,

427, 457, 461
Clifford, E. S., 281, 884, 480
Cliflford, F. M., 267, 864, 884, 431
CHfiford, M. W., 268, 488
Coatee, Mr. E. C, 478
Cobb, H. P., 344, 346, 847, 849, 433
Cobb, Mr. W. H., 469
Cogan, Rev. Canon, 408
Coghlan, Private (Victorian Rifles), 194
Colesberg, 112, 816, 848
CoUen, Sir Edwin, 64, 402, 468, 476
Collen, Lady, 477

Collins, R. G., 268, 365, 367, 428, 455
Colombo, 11

Colvile, General, 99, 107
ColviUe, Mr. G., 478
Colvin, Mr. E. G., 469
Comley, Mrs., 477
Commando Nek, 281, 288, 292, 294, 296,

808, 804, 305, 306
Compton's Horse, 248, 244
Conduit, Sergeant, 257, 864, 884, 482
Constable, Mrs., 477
Consterdine, A. E., 847, 867, 480
Cooch-Behar, Maharani of, 477
Cook, Dr. J. N., 895, 470, 480
Cook & Co., 464, 467
Cooke, Mr. F. J., 471
Cooke, Kelvey & Co., 463
Cooper, Major, 895
Cooper, H., 267, 333, 364, 433
Cooper, Mr. A. S., 474
Cooper, Mr. W. E., 480
Cooper, Allen, & Co., 462, 475
Coorg Contingent, 19
Corbett, P. T., 77, 188, 884, 481
Cossipur Artillery Volunteers, 466
Cotton, Sir Henry, 180, 895, 402
Cotton, Mr. H. E. A., 480
Cotton, Mr. H. J. 8., 462
Cotton, Mr. W. J., 472
Cotton, Mrs., 477
Coulter, Dr. W., 480
Coulter, Mrs., 477

Courtenay, A. P., 345, 379, 884, 481
Cowan, Colonel, 119, 866
Cowen, J. S., 136, 243, 275, 297, 329, 382,

884,431
Cowley, Mr. H. P., 478
Cox, Captain, (N.S.W. Lancers), 264
Cox, Lance- Corporal, 433
Craddock, Colonel, 338
Craig, Mr. W. Ross, 478
Crane, Lieutenant, 31, 33, 72, 165, 156,

160, 161, 162, 168, 172, 174, 183, 190,

194, 205, 207, 258, 268, 427, 457, 461

Crawford, Mr. C. E., 471

Crocodile Poort, 386

Crocodile River, 276, 277, 278, 279, 281,
287, 290, 295, 804, 828, 887, 409

Cronj^, General, 86, 815

Crowe, Mr. Justice, 889

Crown Brewery Co., 465

Cruickshank, Mr., 478, 480

Crum, Mr. A. S., 468

Crux, R. M., 884, 885, 486
I Cubitt, L. H., 257, 866, 438

Cubitt, Mr. J. E., 478
' Cullen, 8.W., Lance-Corporal, 75, 826, 486,
1 465, 486, 487
I Cxmingham, Sir W. J., 467, 480

Cunningham, General, 888, 340
- Cunningham, F. H., 484

Currie, Mr. W., 476
! Curry, Mr. W. E., 471

Curzon, Lady, 29, 48, 59, 63, 897, 898, 402,
477

Curzon, Lord, 9, 11, 22, 24, 29, 48, 62, 66,
59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 119, 856, 863. 871, 378,
881, 402, 422, 428, 424, 425, 462, 488

Cuthbert, 0. R., 884, 484, 460

Cuthbertson & Harper, 464
: Cyferfontein, 287

D'CosTA, Mr. J. M., 474

Dagge, R. G., 215, 240, 884, 485

* DaUy News,' the, 97

Dakshineswar Mallia, Kumar, 465

Dale, Lance-Sergeant, 75, 77, 188, 229, 384,

404, 406, 481, 459
Dalgettv, Mr. A. B., 473
Dallas, Mr. W. L., 474
Dalmanutha, 845
Dalton, T. L., 871, 484
Daly, Captain, 469
Daly, D., 884, 485
Dangerfield, Mrs., 477
Daniell, Mr. Lindsay, 480
Daniell, Mrs. L., 477
Dard, Mr. C. E., 472
Darjeeling Bench and Bar, 467
Darrah, Mr. M. L., 469
Dashwood, Mr., 478
Datia, Rajah of, 465
Daubney, R. J. C, 75, 90, 111, 159, 161,

173, 178, 194, 425, 429
Davenport & Co., 464
David & Co., 463
Davidson & Co., 464
Davies, Colonel, 416
Davies, H., 347, 432
Davies, Leo, 325, 435
Davies, Mr. W. J., 480
Davis, Mr. A. W., 468
Davis, Leech. & Co., 467
Dawkins, Mr. C, 466, 478
Dawkins, Mrs., 477

INDEX

495

Daweon, Sergeant, 267, 269, 864, 484

Dawson, H. K. F. A. H., Bugler, 431

De Aar, 112, 118, 117

De Kaap Goldfields, 827

De Kaap MountainB, 820, 881, 349

De Kaap Valley, 824

De la Key, General, 176, 178, 189, 208, 286,

288, 289, 800, 802, 815, 860
De la Bey, Mrs., 840
De Lisle, Colonel, 248
De Wet, General, 97, 98, 100, 118 160, 178,

284, 285, 286, 240, 270, 294, 295, 299, 800,

801, 802, 808, 806, 809, 818, 888, 860,

488
Deane, Lieutenant, 889
DeaB, Mr. Cairns, 467, 478, 480
DeePs Farm, 128, 129, 181, 487
Delagoa Bay Railway, 814
Delhi, 180

Derby Militia, 125, 267
Devenish, Mr. J. A., 467
Deverill, Captain, 895
DeviPs Kantoor, 815, 828
Dewetsdorp, 177

Dexter, W. £., 229, 248, 884, 409, 485, 458
Diack, Mr. A. H., 478
Diamond ffiU, 260, 270, 289, 848
Dickens, C. V. 8., 77, 188, 884, 481
Dickson, General, 887, 849, 850, 851, 852,

855
Dickson, Mr. J. G., 480
Disit, Zinzbur, 465
Distinguished Conduct Medal, 279
Dods, Mr.W.,469,478
Dolby, Major, 64, 478
Donald, Sergeant, 879, 884, 481
Donker Hoek, 848
Doom Spmit, 208
Dorrien, Smith-, General, 107, 117, 800,

802,845
Dorset Yeomanry, 327
Dott, Mr. A. 8., 468
Douglas, Mr. A., 469
Dover, Mr. F. W. C, 472
Dowd, I. V. G., 188, 384, 431
Doyle, Sir A. Conan, quoted, 173, 389
Doyle, J. C, 90, 111, 884, 485
Dragoon Guards (7th), 850, 352
Drake-Brockman, Captain, 64
Driefontein, 815, 848
Dring, Mr., 895, 478
Dring, Mrs., 477
Drury, Mr. E. N., 471
Dublin Fusiliers, 180
Ducat, S., 164, 165, 166, 215, 482
Duke, Mr. F. F., 470
Duke, Mrs. 477

Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 283
Dunbar, Lieutenant, 480
Duncan Brothers & Co., 463
Dundonald, Lord, 814
Dunne, Mr. A. M., 468

Dunne, Mrs., 477

Dunsterville, Captain, 474

Durban, 85, 87, 371, 382

Durbunga, Maharajah Bahadur of, 465

Durham, Mr. F. E., 471

Durham Light Infantry, 104

Durrung Mounted Rifles, 4

Dutt, Babu Davendro Nath, 473

Dyce, General, 402

Dyer, Mr. E. J. R., 472

Dyer & Co., 468

Dykes & Co., 464

Dykes (J. A.) & Co., 465

East India Railway, 25

East India Railway Volunteer Rifles,

182
East Lancashire Mounted Infantry, 136
East London, 85, 86, 88, 91, 92, 93, 120,

121
East Surrey Regiment, 811
Eastern Bengal State Railway, 25
Eastern Insurance Company, 463
Eck, Mr. Otto, 469
Eddis, Major, 26, 27, 64
Eddis, Mr. W. K., 478
Eden, Mr. E. B., 480
Edenbivg, 123, 124, 125
Edwardes, Captain, 389
Edwards, Farrier- Sergeant, 879, 384, 432
Edwards, Mr. W. H., 478
Egerton Woollen Mills, Cawnporc, 25
Eggar, Mrs., 477
Eikenhof Drift, 239, 240
Eland's River, 288, 293, 302
Elandsfontein, 241, 242, 248, 260, 270, 278,

316, 882
Elandslaagte, Battle of, incidents at, 147,

148
Elgin Cotton Mills, Cawnpore, 25
Ellcs, Genera], 23, 64, 898, 402, 468, 476,

483
Elliott, Lance-Sergeant, 75, 157, 161, 162,

166, 267, 364, 365, 429
Ellis, Mrs., 477
Elsbnrg, 242
Elsee, C, 371, 434
Elwes, W. B., 244, 871, 483
Elworthy, Mr., 402, 408
Elworthy, Mrs., 477
Emery, Mr. S. W., 473
Engelbreoht's Drift, 230, 238
» Englishman,' the, 14, 68, 69,87, 111, 186,

168, 258, 272, 279, 894, 402, 404 *
Erasmus, Commandant, 256, 414, 416
Ermelo, 350
Estabrooke, R. P., Lance-Corporal, 75, 321.

485, 486, 489
Evans, Sur G. P., 466, 478, 480
Evans, Lieutenant, 418
Evans Mr. H. F., 469, 480

496

THE HISTOKY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Everard, Dr., 189
Evetts, H., 361, 864, 484
Ewing & Co., 468

Execntive Committee, the, 25, 26, 52, 266,
382,405

Fanshawe, Mr. A. U., 469, 476, 478,

480
Ferreira (Boer emissary), 236
Ferris, Mr. G. A., 469
Ferror, Major, 402
Field, Mr. F., 478
Finlay, Mr. J., 480
Finlay, Miar, & Co., 468
Fimiey, Mr. S., 471
Fimicane, Mr. M., 480
Firth, Lance-Corporal, 76, 160, 162, 173,

178, 192, 194, 207, 267, 864, 428
Fischer, Mr. F., 474
Fitzgerald, 0. E., 864, 418, 486, 456
Fitzgibbon, Mr. M. C, 473
Fletcher, C. W., 866, 429. 455
Foley, Mr. B., 471
Follett, F. B., 266, 864, 483
Follett, M. B., 266, 811, 882, 864, 425,

488
Forbes, C. A., 364, 481, 455
Forbes, Mr. A. W., 468
Forbes, Mrs. Trevor, 477
Fort WiUiam, 52, 894
Foster, Mr. G., 467
Fowle, Major, 889
Fox, Sergeant, 75, 879, 884, 427
Francis, Prince, of Teck, 126
Francis, A. H., 219, 267, 364, 483, 455
Franklin, Colonel, 478
Franks, A. F., 155, 157, 160, 161, 166, 167,

168, 169, 171, 189, 194, 425, 483
Franks, Mrs., 190
Fraser, Sergeant, 75, 161, 169, 193, 205,

207, 222, 257, 384, 406, 423, 429, 459
Fraser, J. A., 268, 864, 865, 428, 455
Fraser, Mr. J. S., 480
Freemantle, Mr. S. H., 469
French, General, 100, 185, 186, 150, 190,

229, 230, 288, 284, 285, 236, 237, 240,

252, 813, 814, 815, 818, 824, 337, 343,

849, 850, 852, 853, 357
Fuller, H. W., 364, 436

Gage, Lieutenant, 474

Gales, Mr. R. R., 478

Galle, 871

Garth, Mr. W., 467

Gaselee, General, 23, 29, 468, 476, 483

Gatsrand, 284

Gayer, Mrs., 477

Gee, Rev. Mr., 403

Gemmell, Mr. J., 478, 480

Gemmell, Mrs., 477

Germiston, 242, 248, 244

Ghilardi, Mr. O., 472

Ghose, Mr. Justice, 466, 480

Gibbs (Somerset Yeomanry), 264

Gibbs, Mrs., 477

Gidhour, Maharajah Bahadur of, 465

Gillanders, Arbuthnot, A, Co., 462

Girard, Mr. G., 469, 478

Girouard, Colonel, quoted, 117

Gladstone, Mrs. A. S., 477

Gladstone, Wyllie, & Co., 468

Glascock, D. R. G., 864, 480

Glasgow, 182

Glen, 126, 186, 186, 141, 142

Gloucester Yeomanry, 141

Gloucestershire Regiment, 60

Goad, Mr. L. B., 471

Godden, Lance-Corporal, 879, 884, 480

Goenka, Babu Baij Nath, 472

Goldspink A Thompson, 464

Goodeve, Mr. A., 469

Goodliffe, Lance-Sergeant, 418, 436, 455

Goodridge, Captain, 66, 476

Goozree, Syed Bahadur Nawab, Patna,

465
Gordon, General, 288, 850, 851
, Gordon, S. C, 879, 884, 429
Gordon Highlanders, 237
Gough, E. H., 281, 267, 864, 428
Gowenlock, G. A., 267, 488
Graham, J. A., 278, 279, 280, 281, 866, 409.

484 458
Grant', Mr. \V. M., 466
Graves, Corporal, 222, 364, 865, 884, 428,

483, 469
, Grazebrook, Mr. W. O., 470, 478
Greaves, Lieutenant, 889
Greaves, Mr. 889
Green, Mr. R. J., 478
Greenberg Brothers, 464
Greenway, Mr. C, 469, 481
Greer, Mr. R. T., 895, 402, 481
Greig, Captain, 389
Grenville, R. A.. 413, 414, 416, 418, 435,

455
Grice, W. T., 472
Griffiths, Captain, 481
Grimston, Captain, 478
Grindlav & Co., 463

Grobler, Commandant, 100, 306, 809, 810
Guards, Foot, 221, 251
Guise, Mr. J. D., 478
Gun Kopje, 154, 209
Guzdar, Mr. P. E., 470
Gwyn, Captain, 55, 64, 476
Gwyther, Mrs. Banks, 477

Haaman's Kraal, 306, 809, 810
Haartebeestefontein Farm, 237
Hacking, Mr. C. H., 473
Hadenfelt, Mr. Otto, 470

INDEX

497

Haggard, Mrs., 477

Haines, R. P., 249, 267, 364, 384, 428

Halford, Smith, & Co., 463

Hall, Mr. H. B., 481

Hall & Anderson, 464

HaUiwell, Mr. S., 472

Hamilton, Lord George, 421

Hamilton, Bruce, General, 284

Hamilton, Ian, General, 120, 135, 149, 150,
176, 177, 208, 217, 219, 227, 280, 233,
234, 236, 237, 240, 257, 268, 284, 288,
289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296,
800, 301, 302, 304, 305, 306, 309, 310,
312, 316, 345, 460

HamOton, Mr. D. M., 481

Hamilton, Mr. F. S., 468

Hamilton & Co., 408, 463

Handley, Mr. F. F., 469, 478

Harding, Mr. J., 474

Hare, Mr. L., 468

Harington, Major, 395, 481

Harington, Mr. Justice, 402, 466, 478

Harington, Mrs., 477

Harman & Co., 476

Harold & Co., 464

Harper, Mr. John, 481

Harrington, Mrs., 402

Harris, Captain, 244

Harris, W. E., 414, 416, 418, 436, 455

Harris, Mr. Justice, 466

Harris, Mr. F. J., 468

Harris, Mr. H. N., 470

Harris, Mr. J. S., 472

Harrismith, 223

Harrison, A. W., 432

Harrison, G. W., 435

Harrison, Mr. B., 471

Harrison, Mrs. A. C. M., 470

Harrison, Hathaway, & Co., 464

Hart, General, 300/802

Hart Brothers, 475

Harvey, Surgeon-General, 23, 29 64, 402,
468, 476, 478, 481, 483

Harvey, C. C, 267, 364, 433

Harwood, Major, 473

Hashim Ariff, Golam, 466

Hapsan, Nawab Mehdi, 473

Haswar, Talukdar of, 466

Hathaway & Co., 465

Hatton, Rev. J., 402

Haumann, Mr. E. E., 334

Havell, Mrs., 477

Hayat Khan, Nawab Mahomed, 466

Hayes, C. F., 430

Hayward, A. T., 364, 384, 429, 460

Healy, Sergeant-Major (Victorian Rifles),
194

Heidelberg, 230, 233, 350, 353, 356

Heilbron, 230, 256, 257, 268, 311

Heilgers & Co., 463

Hekpoort, 300

Helvetia, 345

Hemingway, Mr. W. G., 472

Henderson, Mr. G. S., 468, 481

Henderson & Co., 463
I Hendley, Mr. G. L., 472
I Hennesy, Mr. P., 472

Henry, Colonel, 106, 150,154,161, 177,209,
227, 230, 240, 243, 251, 271
i Henry, Captain, 481

Henry, E. R. (Commandmg Rand M.R.),
413, 416, 418
[ Henry, J., 267, 384, 428, 490
' Hensman, Mr. H., 470, 478, 481
I Herlihy, Mr. F., 468
I Herron, Mr. H. W. G., 472
I Hewett, Mr. J. P., 481
! Hewitt, Sergeant-Major, 166, 384, 404, 405,
, 432, 459

Hewitt, Mr. J. C, 472
< Hex River Mountains, 114

Hickley, H. H. J., 76, 90, 111, 345, 429

Hickman, General, 283, 284, 287, 288, 289

Higham, Mr. T., 469

Highland Brigade, 107

Hight, W. W., 371. 435

Hill, General, 381
I Hill, Mr. Justice, 466, 481
I HUl, Mr. C. P., 470

Hill, Mrs. 477

Hilliard, Mr. R. W., 471
I Hills, Mr. C. R., 478

Hoare, Miller, & Co., 463

Hobday, General, 29, 470, 476

Holdemess, Mr. T. W., 481

Holme, W. H., 267, 345, 431, 455

Holmes, Captain, 21, 33, 34, 76, 77, 159,
182, 184, 244, 246, 252, 369, 384, 402, 427,
457, 461
, Holmes, J. D. W., 418, 430, 455
i Holmes, Mr. W. H., 470

Homolomo, 324
I Hong-Kong and Shanghai Banking Corpo-
I ration, Ltd., 464, 466

Hookey, Mr. H., 478

Hoore, Major, 402

Hore, Colonel, 288, 293, 302

Horn, Mr. D. B., 469

Hornby, Major, R.H.A., 103, 104, 105, 106

Home, Lance-Corporal, 371, 483

Horse Artillery, see Royal

Hossein Ali Mirza, Nawab Walakader Syed,
465

Hossein, Nawab Syed Ameer, 466, 481
' Household Cavalry, 107

Houtnek, 145, 150, 176, 176, 177, 181, 190,
208, 311, 425, see also Ospruit

Howes, H., 249, 364, 432

Howrah, 183, 396

Huddleston, Lieutenant, 474

Huddleston, C. G., 256, 257, 268, 364, 433, 454
I Huddleston, Mr. G., 473, 478

Huddleston, Mrs., 477
i Hughes, J. P., 384, 480

K K

49B

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Hughes, Mr. J. F., 468

Hugli, 67, 69, 85

Hunter, General, 284

Hussain, Mirza Habib, 474

Hussars (14th), 850

^as8ar8 (18th), 208, 289, 319, 828, 849

Hutton, General, 208, 220, 229, 271, 288,

285 844
Hyde* R. W., 486, 485

loouLDEN, Captain, 895
Iggulden, Mrs., 477

Imperial Light Horse, 147, 289, 291, 296,
801, 802, 804, 812, 814, 820, 828, 824, 884,

887, 838, 349

Imperial Yeomanry, 251, 289, 296, 314, 820
IncUa General Steam Navigation Co., 25, 64
* Indian Daily News,' 89, 83, 120, 168, 254,

257, 271, 488
Ingram, Mr. A. D., 478
Innes, R. T., 267, 884, 482
Innes, S., 8ee Long- Innes
Irene, 117,247, 252, 258, 254, 255, 257,258,

259, 266, 271, 278, 279, 282, 283, 286, 287,

888, 870, 881, 488
Irish Brigade, 812
Irving, Mr. G., 470
Irwin, J. A., 418, 428
Isabellafontein, 117, 208
Ismay, Mr. P., 478

Jack, Langs -Corporal, 482

Jack, Mr. C. M., 478

Oackman, Lance-Corporal, 267, 384, 484

Jackson, Rev. Mr., 395

Jagersfontein, 128, 141

Jamalpur, 183

Jamasji & Sons, 465

Jameson, J. V., 249, 267, 364, 429

Jameson, Mr. J., 473

Jardine, Skinner, & Co., 462

JeflWes, F. J., 469

Jelliott, H. H., 469

Jenkins, Lady, 898

Jennings, Mr. J. G., 471

Jessop & Co., 468

Jhainpur Concern, 467

Jodhpur, Maharajah of, 462

Johannesburg, 233, 284, 286, 238, 289, 240,
244, 245,246,247, 248, 252, 257, 266, 270,
272, 277, 282, 283, 811, 312, 315, 317, 332,
340, 416, 425

John, C. W., 884, 429

Johnson, W. E. C, 481

Johnston, J. B., 864, 435

Johnston, Mr. A. L., 468

Johnston, Mr. J. R., 478

Johnstone, C. H. M., 384, 385, 481

Johnstone, Mr. L.,475, 478

Jones, Corporal, 75, 228, 409, 427, 458

Jones, B. E., 361, 865, 480

Jones, B. R. Lloyd, 846, 418, 414, 416, 417,

418, 430, 455
Jones, W. Douglas, 141, 268, 811, 365, 867,

433, 455
Jones, Mr. A. E., 474
Jones, Mr. C. H., 474
Joubert, Lieutenant-Colonel, 469
Joubert, Mrs., 477
Jourdam, Mr. C. B., 478
Jubbulpur, 188
Judge, Mr. A. S., 478
Judge, Mrs., 477
Junma Prosad, Babu, 466
Jurret, Mr., 478

Kaalspruit, 125

Kaapmuiden, 335, 386

Kaffir River, 124

Kalfontein, 117, 254, 255, 257, 258, 259, 271,
278,283

Karree Siding, 126, 136, 141, 142, 161, 174, 208

Karroo, Great, 114, 117

Kashmir, 25, 475

Katalguri, 180
I Kearsey, S. H., 414, 416, 486, 455

Keating, Lance-Corporal, 75, 267, 364, 429
I Kekewich, Colonel, 808
I KeUner & Co., 475

Kelly, H. R., 418, 414, 416, 417, 418, 428, 455

Kenna, Major, 264, 265, 852

Kennedy, Captain, 478

Kennedy, J. P., 384, 429

Kenny, G. E., 364, 430

Ker, Mr. A. J., 481

Ker, Mrs., 477

Kerr, Mr., 402

Kettlewell, Bullen, & Co., 463

Keyser, Misses, 418, 421

Khulsor State, 462

Kidderpore Docks, 50, 55, 56, 57, 76

Kimberley, 98, 201

King, Sir Seymour, 24, 462

King, Mr. D., 481

King & Co., 464

King Edward's Convalescent Home, 421

Kingchurch, L., 844, 346, 847, 849, 350, 438

Kingsley, Mr. G., 472

Kirk, Mr. H. A., 481

Kirwan, Colonel, 18i, 467

Kirwan, Corporal, 221, 281, 845, 433

Kisch, Mr. H. M., 481

Kitchen, Rev. Mr., 403

Kitchener, Lord, 89, 228, 241, 245, 284, 300,
302, 345, 857, 414, 416

Klip Drift, 241

Klip River, 234

Klipriviersberg, 284, 236, 237, 288, 815

Klipsteple, 852

Klugh, Mr. H. R., 473

Knight, Mr. Paul, 478, 481

INDEX

499

Knight, Mrs., 477

Knight & Sons, 464

Knox, Captain, 478

Kooh, Commandant, 815

• Koladyne,* the, 408

Komati Poort, 824, 885, 886

Komati Biver, 820

Kooch-Behar, Maharajah of, 462

Koom Spruit, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102

Kraaipan, 286, 287

Krantzpan, 852

Kranz Kraal, 148

Kroonstad, 86, 189, 161, 201, 220, 221, 222,

228, 225, 227, 229, 280, 256, 257, 268,

269, 811, 882, 848
Kruger, Paul, President, 180, 200, 218, 288,

258, 814
Kruger, Piet, 295
Kruger Siding, 141
Kuma Badha Prosad Boy, 462

Lagkbbstebn, Mr. J., 471

Ladybrand, 98, 100

Ladysmith, 5, 85, 96, 98, 180, 201

Laha, Babu B. M., 474

Lall, Babu Jowhary, 472 .

Lall, Babu Nand Kumar, 472

Lancashire Motmted Infantr\% 189

Lance, B. J., Saddler, 428

Lang, Mr. J., 469

Laurence, Mrs., 402

Law, Sir Edward, 402, 481

Law, Miss, 402

Lawrie, Corporal, 75, 845, 347, 480

Lawrie, F. W. C, 418, 428, 455

Lawrie, Mr. G. C, 471

Lawson, T. E. M., 483

Lazarus & Co., 464

Lo Gallais, Colonel, 118

Le Maistre, Mr. G. H., 472

Leach, General, 52, 64, 394, 395, 898, 476,

478, 481
Leash, Captain, 389
Lee, Lance-Corporal, 3(54, 384, 460
Lee, Mr. J. B., 468
Leighton, Lord, 369
Lemon, W. S., Lance- Corporal, 75, 267,

884,480
Leslie, Major, 889
Leslie, Mr. J., 472
Leslie, Mr. W., 481
Leslie & Co., 475
Lichtenburg, 288
Life Guards, 180

Lilley, Lieutenant (Victorian M.B.), 198
Lincoln Begiment, 281
Lindsay, Mr. A. M., 478, 481
' Lindula * transport, 52, 56, 68, 69, 85, 88,89
* Linesman ' quoted, 170
Lipton, Ltd., 475
Little Modder Biver, 182

I Livingstone, D. L., 485

I Llewhellin, Corporal, 75, 229, 884, 428, 459

' Lloyd, Mr. A. J., 478

Lloyd, Mr. J. B., 478
I Lloyd, Mr. Trevor, 472
I Lloyd-Jones, see Jones, B.
! Lloyd's Patriotic Fund, 882
I Looh's Horse, 120, 136, 189, 141, 219, 220,
I 280, 857
I Locke & Co., 464
I Lockhart, General, 11, 24, 52, 64, 462, 476

Lockhart, Lady, 477
' Lockhart, E. I., 418, 414, 417, 418, 488, 455
, Logan, M. H., 249, 267, 864, 482
: Long-Innes, S., 367, 429, 455

Longman, Sergeant, 864, 884, 484, 460
I Louren90 Marques, 824

Lovegrove, C. W., 825, 884, 436

Lovelock, Mr. A. S., 481

Lovelock & Lewes, 428, 468

Lowe, W., Signaller, 864, 884, 484, 460

■ Lowther, F. L., 486, 487
I Luard, Sergeant, 845, 847, 430
I Lucas, S. W. C, 371, 485

Luck, Sir George, 180, 402
I Luckman, Bev. Canon, 403, 428, 476, 481
I Lumsden, Colonel, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 17, 18,

■ 22, 28, 25, 26, 27, 29, 80, 81, 38, 37, 44,
47, 48, 49, 52, 55, 59, 68, 64, 67, 72, 75,

1 86, 91, 110, 111, 117, 118 119, 120, 125,
132, 185, 142, 154, 161, 166, 167, 168,
171, 172, 176, 180, 182, 189, 205, 206,
207, 209, 218, 218, 219, 227, 228, 283,
240, 242, 243, 245, 246, 252, 256, 257,
259, 265, 278, 279, 283, 284, 289, 293,
316, 382, 333, 337, 348, 344, 349, 857,
868, 866, 369, 370, 872, 875, 877, 882,
384, 388, 889, 390, 395, 898, 400, 404, '
405, 406, 408, 409, 410, 415, 418, 419,
421, 422, 424, 427, 451, 454, 456, 461,
462, 488, 489, 490

Lumsden, H. C, 159, 160, 161, 178, 178,
194, 425, 429, 487

Lungley, B. B., 384, 432

Luson, Mr. H., 469

Luson, Mrs., 477

LyaU, Mr. A. A., 481

Lyall, Mr. Frank, 470

LyaU, Mr. H., 472

Lyall, Marshall, & Co., 463

Lydenbinrg, 845

Lytle, A., 257, 384, 432

Macalister, Mrs. L., 474

McCaw, Mr. W. J. M., 481

MacDonald, General, 107

Macdonald, C. B., 865, 428

Macdonald, B. N., 157, 160, 162, 173, 178,

194, 207, 884, 429
Macdonald, Mr. P. J., 472
MacDonnell, Sir A. P., 24, 462

K K 2

500

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

McDowell & Co., 464

MoElhinny, Captain, 472

Macgillivray, Lance-Corporal, 75, 157, 160,

178, 190, 194, 207, 854, 864, 884, 428
McGregor, General, 468
McGregor, H., 485
Macgregor, H., 486
Machadodorp, 814, 816, 888, 884, 885, 886,

887, 345, 849, 856, 857, 866, 450, 451
Macintosh, Bum, & Co., 468
Mackay, Mr. L., 466
McEenzie, Colonel, 416
Mackenzie, Bugler, 162, 186, 187, 480
Mackenzie, Mr. G. H. L., 471
Mackenzie, Mr. R. H., 468
Mackenzie, Lyall, k Co., 464
McKewan, Mr. W. H., 470
Maokinnon, Mr. Allan, 478
Macklnnon, Miss, 467
Mackinnon, Mackenzie, ft Co., 468
Maclaine, Lance-Corporal, 882, 864, 865,

425,481
MacLaughlin, Colonel, 181, 402, 404, 481
Maclean, Sir F., 898, 402, 466, 478
Maclean, Lady, 477
Maclean, Mr. F. G., 481
Macleod, Mr. H. H., 472
McLeod, Mr. Noixaan, 481
McLeod ft Co., 468

McMinn, C. H., 219, 267, 864, 488, 455
McMinn, Mr. C. W., 466
McNamara, Sergeant, 75, 157, 161, 178,

244, 268, 428, 461
McNeil, Captain, 264
Macniell ft Co., 180
McNiven, Mr. A., 478
Maoonoohie, Mrs., 477
Macpheraon, Sir W., 466, 478
Macpherson, Mr. A. G. H., 478
Macpherson, Mr. D. J., 468, 481
Mc Vicar, Smith, & Co., 464
Madagascar, 85
Madan, Mr. J. F., 475
Madan, Mr. S. E., 473
Maddox, Mr. J. L., 470
Madras, Archdeacon of, 244

* Madras Daily Mail,* 278, 283
Madrasis (2nd), 895

Mafeking, 175, 286. 287, 288, 289, 315, 343

Magaliesberg, 205, 288, 289, 290, 300, 311

Magersfontein, 5, 140, 848

Maguire, Mr. H. F., 469

Mahomed Khan, Malik, 474

Mahon, General, 175, 190, 284, 286, 287,289,

290, 291, 292, 294, 296, 300, 303, 304, 305,

312, 314, 316, 317,320,324,383, 334, 337.

388, 889, 340, 843, 344, 350, 351, 352, 353
Maidan, the, 17, 80, 40, 43, 48, 55, 56, 64,

394, 396, 397, 409
Main ft Co., 464

* Maine * hospital ship, 87
Mair, Mrs., 477

Maitland, General, 8, 11, 22, 64, 402, 476,
478, 481

Maitland, Mrs., 477

Maitland Camp, 89, 96, 108, 109, 486

Major. Mr. T., 478

Manindra Chandra Nundy, Maharajah of
Cossimbazar, 465

Manipur, 44

Manjhla, Nawab Syed, 473

Mansfield, Colonel, 64, 476

Mansfield, Sergeant- Major, 75, 267, 384, 430

Mansfield, C. B. H., 429, 455

Mansfield, Mrs., 477

Manton ft Co., 464

Manville, F. C, 825, 884, 435

Maples, Mr. J. R., 478, 481

Mardan, Nawab Mahomed Khan, Chief of,
475

Mardan, Kwajah Mahomed ELhan of, 462

Marrison, Cottle, ft Co., 464

Marshall, Sergeant, 884, 427, 460

MarshaU, Mr. E. J., 478, 481

Marshall, Sons, ft Co., 468

Marsham, Sergeant- Major, 75, 161, 162,
173, 267, 811, 409, 428, 455, 458, 459

Marsham, Corporal, 75, 427

Martin, Captain. 79

Martin, Sergeant-Major (R.A.), 103

Martin, A., 267, 882, 864, 486, 455

Martin, C. K., 249, 864, 384, 434

Martin, Mr. E. S., 47

Martin, Mr. H., 478

Martyr, Colonel, 99, 106

Masson, Lieutenant- Colonel, 466

Masson, Mr. W. M., 473

Masters, Colonel, 895, 402, 481

Matheson, Mr. F., 481

Mathewson, Mr. F., 470, 478

Mawdsley, Mrs., 477

Maxim-gim Contingent, 33, 34, 55, 77, 431

Maxwell, General, 151, 154, 1.59, 176, 207,

209,251
Maxwell, Lieutenant-Colonel, 469
MaxweU, C. AV., 354, 884, 435
Maxwell, Mr. R. W., 468
Mayne, Mr. F. G., 471
MazamuUah Khan, Mohammed, 25
Meade, Lieutenant-Colonel, 395, 402, 481
Meakin ft Co., 463

Meares, A. K., 214, 215, 217, 425, 485
Meares, W. K., 215, 217, 864, 884, 485
Mearsa, Rajah of, 25
Mehomed Bukhtyar Shah, Prince, 466
Mehta, Mr. R. D., 470, 481
Melville, Mrs., 477
Menaseeh ft Sons, 463
Mercer, F. C. W., 183, 431
Methuen, Lord, 230, 300, 301, 302
Meyer, Mr. W. S., 470
Meyer, Alma, Sister, 834
Meyer, Messrs., 468
Meyers (Boer), 190, 381

INDEX

601

Middelburg, 810, 811, 817

MOey, Colonel, 481

MiUer, Mrs., 477

Milne, Colonel, 180

Milner, Sir Alfred, 416

Mirzapore Volunteers, 467

Mitchell, Sergeant, 277, 864, 484

Modder River, 99, 107, 126, 128, 135, 139,

140, 229, 815
Modder Valley, 160
Moens, Lieutenant, 889
Moir, Lieutenant, 889
Moir-Byres, E. B., 257, 859, 361, 482
Molony, Mr. E., 469
Money, Colonel, 26, 27, 64, 476, 478
Monteith & Co., 464
Montmorency's Scouts, 296
Mookerjee & Sons, 475
Mookim Bahadur, Rai Budri Dass, 465
Moore, J., 871, 435
Moore, Mr. C. H., 467
Moore & Co., 464, 467
Moorhouse, H. J., 3, 215, 384, 434
Morgan, Mrs., 477

Morison, D., 354, 355, 371, 410, 415, 435
Morley, J. F. E., 436
Morris, Corporal, 364, 384, 486, 455
Morris, Mr. C, 481
Morris, Mrs., 477
Morrison, Mr. D. McL., 471, 478
Morrison, Mrs. McL., 477
Morton, Mr. E. S. L., 474
Morton Institution, 467
Moses, Mr. S. M., 389
Moulvi S^^ed Ali Ahmed Khan, Khan

Bahadur, 465
Mozuflferpore, 172, 173
Muir, Mr. A. K., 479, 481
Muir Mills, Cawnpore, 475
Mukerji, Babu Behary Lall, 474
Mumtaz Ali Khan, Rajah, 465
Mumtaz-ud-Dowla Mahomed Fairaz Ali

Khan, Nawab, 465
Murdoch, see Bum -Murdoch
Mure, Mr. J. F., 473
Murray, Captain, 470
Murray, Mr. A. C, 479
Murray, Mr. R., 481
Murray, Mr. V., 470
Murray, Mrs., 477
MuiTay & Co., 475
Mursan, Rajah of, 474
Murshidabad, Nawab Bahadur of, 462
Muskett, R. G. H., 267, 364, 482
Mustafa Khan, H., 465
Mysore and Coorg Contingent, 19, 38, 332
Mysore, Maharani Regent of, 25, 474
Mysore Volunteers, 12

Naauwpoobt, 112

Naini Tal Brewery Co., 465

Naldanga, Rajah of, 465

Nansen, Rev. Mr., 408

Narendra Krishna, Bahadur, Maharajah

Sir, 465, 481
Natal, 86, 96, 180, 204
Natal Carbineers, 85
Natal Railway, 241
Natal Spruit, 240, 241
Nathan, Mr. R., 468
Naval Brigade, 112
Needham, Mr. J., 479
Nelson, Lord, quoted, 51
Nelspruit, 318
Nepos, Mr. V. E., 474
Neville, Lieutenant, 81, 33, 160, 284, 364,

869, 427, 461
New Egerton Mills, 475
New South Wales Moimted Rifles, 185
New Zealand Mounted Infantry, 104, 289,

296, 804, 805, 814, 834, 860, 868
Newman & Co., 464
Newton, H. G., 884, 428
Nibaron Chunder Dutt, Babu, 465
Nicholson, A. J. H., 414, 416, 418, 428
Nicholson, T. B., 268, 367, 433, 456
NichoUon, Mr. F. A., 481
Nicolay, G. D., 416, 418, 429, 455
Nicolay, W. H., 384, 386, 488
NicoU, Mr. John, 479, 481
Nigel, 856

Nightingale, S. G., 364, 485
Nimmo, Mr. J. D., 469
Niven, Mr. D. Coats, 468
Noblett, Captain, 81, 88, 142, 166, 166, 166,

801, 817, 864, 869, 884, 402, 427, 466, 479
Nolan, R. C, 216, 267, 384, 485
Nolin Behary Sircat, Babu, 465
Nooitgedacht, 206, 207, 827
Norman, Mr. A. F., 481
Norman, Mrs. Goodwin, 477
Norman Brothers, 464
Northcote. Lord, 889, 391
Northumberland Fusiliers, 311
Norton, A. E., 866, 867, 438, 465
Norton & Sons,. 466
Norval'B Pont, 112, 117

O'DoNOGHUE, Colonel, 402

O^Reilly, Mr., Mayor of Cape Town, 871,

872, 378, 876
Oakley, Sergeant, 89, 871, 484
Oakley, Mrs., 477
Odlinff, Mr. C. W., 481
Oldfield, Captain, 389
Oldham, H. B., 249, 267, 864, 488
Oldham, Mr. W. B., 469
Oliphantfontein, 254
OUphant's Nek, 294, 800, 801, 802
Oorcha, Maharajah Bahadur of, 466
Orange River, 117, 122
Ormerod, Major, 479

502

THE HISTORY OP LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Ormiston, Mr. O. A,, 481

Ormiston, Mr. J. A., 479

Ormond, Mr. E. W., 479

Ormond Mrs., 477

Orr, Mr. C. R., 481

Orr, Mr. J. C, 479

Orr» Mr. J. W., 479

Orr, Mrs., 477

Orrell, Mr. W., 479 1

Osgood, Mr. E. R., 472

Osier, F. & C, 464

Ospniit, 118, 171, 176, 210, 252, 831, 354,

487, see also Houtnck i

OsweU, Mr. G. D., 472

Otley, Rev. Mr., 403 '

Oudh Light Horse, 311
Overend, Mr. T. B. G., 470, 4S1
Owen, Colonel, 389
Oxford L.I. Mounted Infantry, 143, 220, I

230, 267, 276, 283, 284

Paardbbbbo, 97, 98

Page, Mr. J. J., 479

Paget, General, 306, 309, 310

Paget, Mr. H., 470

Paget, Mrs., 477

Palmer, Sir Power, 402

Palmer, Lady, 402

Palmer, Lance-Corporal, 75, 384, 436, 455, '.

486 I

Pan, 817, 343

Parkes, E. B. H., 187, 267, 430
Parkinson, Lieutenant-Colonel, 473
Parks, H. R., 229, 240, 354, 855, 435, 459
Parsons, Mr. W., 472, 481
Partridge, P., 311, 365, 432, 455
Parys, 230

Paterson, Mr. C. A., 472
Patterson, General (U.S.A.), 8
Patton, Mrs. L. P., 474
Paxton, P. H., 384, 435
Peace, Siddons, & Gough, 464
Pearson, Mrs. 477

Peddie, Lance-Corporal, 228, 229, 432, 458
Pedler, Mr. A., 470, 481
Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation

Co., Ltd., 463
Pepvs, Samuel, alluded to, 44, 48
Peters, Mr., 182
Petersen, J. G., 194, 207, 215, 414, 416,

418, 430, 455
Petersen, Mrs., 477
Petley, Captain, 402, 408, 481
Phelps, Mr. W. H., 481
Phelps, Mrs., 477
Phelps & Co., 464
Philipps, Captain, 64
PhiUimore, Mr. J. E., 472
Phillips, Captain, 29, 476, 479
Phillips, Lance-Cotporal, 371, 435
PhiUips, H. G., 321, 486

Pickford, Mr. A„ 479

Pickford, Mr. G.. 479

Pienaar*s River, 310

Piggott, Chapman, & Co., 468

Pilcher, Colonel, 98, 302

Pilgrim, Major, 471, 481

Pilkington, Major, 239, 240

Pitman, Mr. C. E., 470, 476

Pittar, Mr. C. E.. 469

Playfair, Sir Patrick, 5, 7, 8, 11, 23, 24, 26,
27, 29, 68, 64, 67, 75, 119, 171, 337, 381,
384, 388, 395, 402, 404, 406, 406, 416, 417,
422, 476, 479, 481

Plumer, Colonel, 293

Pole-Carew, General, 150, 208, 240, 251, 813

Poppe, Mrs., 477

Port Natal, 85

Potchefstroom, 230

Powell, Captain, 83, 156, 160, 179, 181, 189,

246, 268, 388, 384, 402, 427, 458, 461
Power, Sergeant, 76, 823, 384, 485 *
Power, Mr. F., 479

Powis, H. B., 166, 384, 483

Prain, Major, 472, 481

Pratt, Sergeant, 327, 371, 434

Pratt, Mr. Justice, 481

Pratt, Mi-8., 477

Prawn, Kissen, Law, & Co., 462

Preston, P. C, 166, 189, 229, 244, 245, 409,

433, 458
Pretoria, 87, 111, 117, 178, 190, 195, 196,

200, 202-207, 221, 223, 230, 233, 246,

247, 248, 261, 262, 253, 264, 257-266,
270, 276, 278, 283, 287, 288, 289, 295,
803, 309, 310, 311, 316, 319, 327, 828,
331, 332, 333, 335, 336, 387, 848, 849,
356, 357, 358, 865, 366, 369, 870, 426,
451, 488, 489

Pretorius's Farm, 100, 101

Pringle, R., 321, 364, 436

Pringle, Mr. R. B., 468

Prinsep, Sir Harry, 402, 466, 481

Prinsloo, 311

Prophit, Mr. J. M. G., 468, 481

Pryce, P. W., 267, 365, 436, 456

Puckridge, H. W., 215, 267, 364, 430

Pugh, Lieutenant, 31, 33, 156, 167, 168,
189, 214, 217, 228, 240, 241, 242, 248,
244, 256, 257, 268, 364, 409, 427, 464,
456, 461

Pugh, Mr. A. J., 479

Pugh, Mr. L. P., 479, 481

Pugh, Mr. R. A. C, 479

Pugh, Mrs., 38, 68, 64, 72, 477

Pugh, Misses, 29, 477

Punjab Banking Co., 467

Punjab Volunteers, 12

Queen's Town, 91, 94, 96, 108, 120, 224
Queensland Mounted Infiajitry, 96, 106, 289,
299, 314

INDEX

503

Radclipfe, Mr. C, 479

Radford, A. D., 162, 244, 480

Badhanpore, Nawab of, 889

Railway Pioneers, 117, 418, 415

Rainier, Captain, 472

Raleigh, Mr. T., 402, 481

Ralli Brothers, 468

Rampini, Mr. Justice, 466, 481

Ramsden, Major, 428

Ranajit Sinha Bahadur, Rajah of Nashipnr,
465

Rangoon Examiner of Accounts, 470

Rangoon Volunteers, 12, 467

Ranken & Co., 475

Rankin, Colonel, 481

Rawlins, Captain, 478

Rawlinson, Mr. A., 479

Red House Farm, 142

Rees, Mr. J. D., 468, 479

Reid, Major, 478

Reid, N. J. V., 267, 884, 385, 429

Reid, W., 481

Reid, Mr. Justice, 466

Reid, Mr. J., 471

Reid, Mr. R. J., 468

Reitfontein, see Diamond Hill

Reitpan. 817

Reitspruit, 817

Reitzbnrg, 280

Remington's Scouts, 108

Rendell, Colonel, 182

Renny, H. J., 884, 416, 418, 435, 455

Renny, Mrs., 477

Rensburg, 112

Rhenoster River, 811

Rhodes, Colonel, 287

Rhodes, Major, 290

Rhodesian Regiment, 288, 296

Rhodesian Volunteers, 288, 298

Rice, H. R., 864, 884

Richardson, J. H. S., 481

Richardson, Mr. E. C, 474

Richardson, Mr. H., 472

Richardson, Mr. J. H. S., 468

Richardson, Mr. T. F., 474

Richey, J. F., 864, 884, 486

Richmond, Mr. D. S., 474

Riddell, Colonel, 889

Ridley, Colonel, 120

Rietfontein, 127, 128

Ritchie, Mr. J. S., 468

Rivaz, Mr. C. M., 402, 481

River Steam Navigation Company, 25, 64

Rivett-Camac, Mr. G., 468

Riviersberg, see Eliprivlersberg

Roberts, Lord, 86, 90, 94, 96, 97, 101, 110,
119, 177, 201, 208, 219, 221, 228, 227,
229, 280, 288, 240, 248, 261, 268, 260,
262, 268, 284, 287, 288, 818, 887, 888,
344, 866, 869, 860, 868, 865, 870, 371,
878, 881, 422, 425

Roberts, Lady, 256, 266

Roberts, Mr. F. W., 471

Roberts's Horse, 108, 107

Robertson, Lieutenant, 889

Robertson, D., 845, 846, 847, 484

Robertson, Mr. W. T. M., 481

Robinson, Mr. F., 468

Robinson, Mr. H., 470

Robmson, Mr. S. M., 478

Robinson, Morrison, & Co., 475

Rodachanachi, Mr. A., 479, 481

Rodewal, 285, 286, 270

Roe, Dr., 258

Roe, Mr. C, 478

Roe, Mr. F. R., 468

Rogers, Captain, 889

Romanath Ghose, Babu, 465

Roode Kopje, 289, 294

Rose, Mr. L. E. D., 479

Ross, Colonel, 116, 117, 118, 120, 185, 148,

151, 154, 155, 161, 172, 188, 190, 219,

280, 240, 242, 248, 252, 266, 268, 271,

274, 276, 277, 278, 284, 285, 287
Ross, Mr. H. M., 481
Rotton, Captain, 186
Royal Engineers, 254
Royal Horse Artillery, 102, 108, 104, 105,

107, 289, 814, 819, 850, 852
Royal Lrish Rifles, 48, 895
Rundle, General, 185, 149, 150
Russell, Mr. C. L. S., 479
Russell, Mr. E. L. S., 471
Russell, Mr. W. H., 474
Russell of Dinapore, 475
Rust, W., 884, 486
Rustenburg, 288, 289, 292, 298, 294, 295,

802, 808, 811, 488
Rustfontein, 117
Rustomji, Mr. H. M., 895, 481
Rutherfoord, Captam, 81, 88, 155, 248, 258,

269, 262, 268, 264, 266, 268, 409, 427,

464, 456, 461
Rutherfoord, Sergeant, 879, 884, 429

Sahai, Babu Gobind, 478

Saheb Bahadur Singh, Rao, 465

Sale, Mr. Justice, 466

Samat-singji, Prince, 889

Sandeman, Fort, 467

Sanders, E. P., 480

Sandhurst, 180

Sandhurst, Lord, 24, 462

Sauna's Post, 98, 99, 102, 108, 111

Saran Dass, Lalla Ram, 466

Sassoon & Co., 464

Saunders, J. S., 167, 187, 188, 198, 194,

268, 267. 864, 365, 480
Saunders, Mr. J. O'B., 481
Savage, Captain, 889
Schiller, Mr. F. N., 481
Schreiner, Olive, 186
Schwartz Kopje, 289

504

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

Scots Greys, 281, 320, 350, 352

Scott, Ideutenant-Coloncl, 469

Scott, T. H., 321, 384, 485

Scott, Dr., 473

Scott, Mr. Boss, 469

Scott, Thomson, & Co., 464

Seymour, Major (Railway Pioneers), 117

Seymour, Mrs., 477

Shadwell, Captain, 471

Sharp, Lieutenant, 389

Shaw, G. J., 435

Shaw, H. N., 361, 864, 431

Shaw, Mr. F. M., 470

Shaw, Wallace, & Co., 463

Shorrock, Mr. J. C, 481

Short, Mr. A., 479

Short, Mr. E. A., 468

Showers, General, 180

Showers, Major, 31, 33, 55, 64, 67, 83, 84,
85, 95, 120, 123, 126, 152, 153, 155, 156,
160, 161, 164, 170, 175, 178, 179, 180,
181, 182, 183, 194, 209, 425, 427, 487

Siddons, Rev. J. H., 410

Sidey, Lieutenant, 31, 33, 155, 156, 277,
352, 354, 427

Silchar, 178

Silk, Mrs., 477

Simmons, Private (Dnke of Cornwall's Regi-
ment), 194

Simon's Bav, 88

Simpson, Mr. F. C, 472

Simpson, Mr. F. D., 469

Simpson, Mr. J. A., 479

Simpson, Mr. J. H., 471

Simson, Mr. A. F., 470

Sinclair, I. G., 346, 347, 431

' Sinclair ' steamship, 371

Singh, Sir Harnam, 481

Singh, Babu Ram Dhari, 473

Singh Bahadur, Rai Cameleshwari Prosad,
of Monghyr, 465

Singh Bi£adur, Rai Medni Prosad, 474

Singh, Kanwar Rani Lady Harnam, 477

Six Mile Spruit, 246, 251, 277, 279

Skelton, Lance-Corporal, 71, 75, 249, 267,
364,430

Skinner, Mr. \V., 469

Skinner, Mrs. J. A. C, 470

Sladden, S., 91, 267, 865, 434

Smaldeel, 199, 200, 218, 258

Smeaton, Mr. D. M., 479, 481

Smith, Sergeant, 384, 436

Smith, D. C. Percy, 118, 167, 168, 171, 256,
267, (Lieutenant) 276, 365, 428, 455

Smith, G. M., 384, 385, 428

Smith, R. J., 434, 455

Smith, W. T., 359, 861, 431

Smith, Mrs. Assheton, 477

Smith, Stanistreet, & Co., 464

Smith-Dorrien, see Dorrien

Smyth, Mr. C. E., 479, 481

Smyth & Co., 465

Sotish Chunder-Chowdhari, Babu, Zemin-
dar of Bhowanipur, 465
Soubarsa, Maharajah Bahadur of, 25, 474
Soundy, Major, 889
South African Republic Police, 208
South Australian Rifles, 219
South British Fire and Marine Insurance

Co., 464
Spankie, Mr. G. T., 466
Sparkes, Mrs., 477
Spenser, Colonel, 64
Spicer, C. W., 884, 481
Spink, Mr. T. W., 481
Springfield, G. P. O., 365, 428, 455
Springfontein, 123
Springs, 241, 243, 254, 266, 270, 271 272,

278, 2aS, 356, 357, 414, 415
Spytfontein, 122, 128, 126, 136, 142, 143,

161, 182, 189, 831, 865
Sri Ram Bahadur, Rai, 481
Staff Corps, Indian, 22
Stainforth, Mr. G. F., 471
Standard Bank of South Africa, 206
Stanley, P., 807, 309, 429
Stanley, Mr. Justice, 481
Stanley, Mrs., 477
Staples, Mr. E., 472
Stavridi, Mr. A. J., 474
Steel (Octavius) & Co., 180, 463
Stel, Van der. Commandant, 118
Stellenbosch, 118, 884
Stephens, T., Sergeant, 135, 160, 265, 384,

408, 485, 485-489
Stephens, Mr. St. John, 471
Sterkstroom, 121, 125, 294, 303
Steuart, Captain, 71, 76
Steuart, B. C. A., 267, 865, 482, 455
Stevens, Mr. Justice, 466
Stevens, Mrs. Foster, 477
Stevenson, Captam, 31, 33, 76, 268, 311,

369, 427
Stevenson, J. W., 164, 165, 166, 432
Stevenson, Mr. A., 474
Stevenson, Mr. F., 473
Stevenson-Hamilton, O. C. J., 482
Stewart, Lance- Sergeant, 75, 76, 90, 111,

142, 361, 371, 429
Stewart, Mr. C. D., 479
Stewart, Mr. J. R., 475
Stewart & Co., 464
Stikeman, Mr. W. R., 481
Stinkwater, 806
Stockwell & Co., 464
Stoddart, Captain, 889
Stokes, Mr. H., 479
Stone, Mrs., 477
Stormberg, 5

Stowell, Sergeant, 75, 879, 884, 430
Strachey, Major, 481
Strahan, P., 865, 429, 455
Stuart, C. E., 231, 247, 267, 364, 866

430

INDEX

505

Stuart, Mr. Harry, 26, 27, 64, 895,402, 404,

467, 479, 481
Stuart, Mr. John (' Morning Post '), 148
Suffolk and Berks, Earl of, 479
Suffolk Regiment, 318, 819
Surma Valley Light Horse, 12, 44, 81, 91,

156, 179, 180, 181, 182, 332
Sutcliffe, Mr. H. W., 471, 479
Sutherland, Mr., 402, 469, 479, 481
Swaine, Colonel, 402
Swartzkop, 278, 306
Swaziland, 828
Svkes, Mr. R., 471

Table Bay, 88

Tagore, Maharajah Sir Jotendro Mohun,

25, 462, 481
Tagore, Maharaj Kumar Prodyat Coomar,

474, 482
Tagore, Sir Sourindro Mohun, 462, 481
Tagore, Babu Rally Kissen, 462
Talana, 289
Talbot, Sir A. C, 468
Tancred, F., 345, 884, 430
Tasmanian Volunteers, 219, 296, 860
Taylor, Captain, 81, 38, 56, 145, 155, 156,

159, 168, 169, 276, 805, 835, 846, 854,

355, 882, 884, 891, 402, 409, 427, 446-458
Taylor, Mr. J., 469
Tellery & Co., 465

* Terrible; H.M.S., 87

Thaba 'Nchu, 98, 100, 101, 102, 107, 185,

150, 177, 208
Thacker, Spink, & Co., 464
ThelwaU, E. A., 379, 384, 482
ThelwaU, H. W., 151, 164, 249, 257, 267,

364, 432
Thesiger, Sergeant, 257, 359, 861, 481
Thomas, Mr. A. W., 478
Thomas, Mr. R. G. D., 479
Thomas, Mr. W. L., 479, 482
Thomas & Co., 463
Thompson, Captain, 473
Thompson, F. ('., 267, 325, 364, 436
Thomson, Mr. J. H., 467
Thomson & Co., 464
Thornton, A. R., 257, 432
Tickell, Mr. R. H., 470

* Times of India,' 290, 889
Tin Cowry Rai, Babu, 474
Todd, Mr. R., 471

Todd, Trooper (Roberts's Horse), 105

Tolly's NuUah, 38

Tooley, Trooper (Johannesburg Police),

^13, 414, 416, 417
Touch, Mr. W., 471
Toynbee, Mr. G., 469
Tozer, Mr. H. S., 471
Traill, Mr. T., 482
Traill & Co., 465
Transvaal Mounted Police, 268

Tremeame, Mr. Shirley, 26, 402, 468, 476,

479 482
Trevor, Sir Arthur, 402, 467, 482
Trevor, Miss, 402
Triton Insurance Co., 463
Tucker, General, 135, 136, 150, 154, 161,

172, 208
Tugela, 87

Tumbull, W., 864, 482
Turner, Corporal, 229, 281, 240, 884, 404,

486, 459
Turner, Mr., 402
Turner, Mr. C. E., 468
Turner, Mr. J. M., 479
Turner, Mr. L. Ci, 469
Turner, Mr. M. C, 482
Tyler, General, 469
Tyler, Mrs. 402
i Tyrrell, Captain, 479

UiTVAL Nek, 290, 296

' Ujma ' transport, 67, 76, 83, 84, 85, 92

Upcott, Mr. F. A., 469

Upcott, Mr. F. R., 482

Urs, Colonel Desraj, 474

Vaal River, 177, 202, 227, 228, 229, 280,

288, 285, 848
Ventris, General, 388, 389
Vereenigmg, 202, 228, 229, 288, 285, 289
Verner, Mr. F., 25, 462
Verschoyle, Major, 479
Verschoyle, Mr. S., 479
Vet, 218

Vet River, 218, 425
Victoria, Queen-Empress, 50, 409
Victoria Cross, 147, 168, 171, 279
Victoria Mills Co., 475
Victorian Mounted Rifles, 189
Viljoen, Commandant, 414, 416
VUjoen's Drift, 227, 228, 229, 280, 233
Virginia Siding, 219
Voltaire referred to, 91
Vredefort Road Station, 235

Wage, General, 23, 26, 64, 76, 402, 476,

482, 488
Waggon Bridge, 140, 142
Walker, Lieutenant-Colonel, 178, 466
Walker, Sergeant, 75, 160, 162, 186, 413,

414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 425, 429
Walker, Lance- Corporal, 75, 267, 365, 429
Walker, Mn C. R. S., 466
Walker, Mr. E., 478
Walker, Mr. G. H. D., 470
Wallace, Captain (* Atlantian '), 882
Wallace, Mr. C. L. W., 479
Waller, Major, 472
Waller, E. H., 864, 486
W^allis, Mr. A. H., 482

506

THE HISTORY OF LUMSDEN'S HORSE

WalBh, Mr. C. A., 472

Walton, C. A., 157, 160, 257, 267, 364, 365,

430
Walton, C. F., 266, 267, 272, 274, 365, 418,

434, 455
Warburton, Lance- Sergeant, 257, 364, 884,

432
Ward, Sir Edward, ?23
Ward, Artenaus, quoted, 8
Ware, Mr. F. H., 472
Ware, Mr. H., 471
Warmbathfl, 295, 309
Warner, Mr. H. B., 471
Waterfield, Mr. S., 473
Waters, Captain, 379
Waterval, 192, 205, 257, 295, 310
Waterval Boven, 814, 836, 837
Waterval Drift, 96
Waterval Onder, 336, 337
Watkins, Mrs., 477
Watson, Major, 845
Watson, G. I., 231, 246, 864, 384, 429
Watson, W. G., 429
Watson, Mr. T., 472
Watts & Co., 464
Webbe, I. C, 384, 431
Welldon, Bishop, 49, 67, 79, 394, 395, 402,

403, 469, 476
Wellington, Duke of, quoted, 51
Wellington College, 180
Wells, Mr. Martyn, 479
Wells, Mr. W. F., 469
Wense Tannery, 475
Wepener, 108, 185, 150, 177
Were, H. D., 166, 169, 240, 483
West Riding Mounted Infantrv, 148, 220,

230, 244, 245
Westmacott, Mr. D., 479
Westmacott, Mr. T., 479
Westminster, Duke of, 344
Wheeler, W. H., 384, 436
WTiiddett, Mrs. Wallis, 477
White, Sir George, 87, 312
Whiteaway, Laidlaw, & Co., 463, 475
Wickens, Rev. Mr., 403
Wicks, Mr. H., 468
Wicks, Mrs., 477
Wigram, Rev. E. F. C, 473
Wilkie, Mr. C. H., 482
Wilkins, Mr. Justice, 466, 479
Wilkins, Mrs., 477

Wilkinson, Captain, 479

Wilkinson, Lieutenant, 389, 478

Wilkinson, G. E., 864, 435, 455

Williams, Captain, 118, 172

Williams, Lieutenant, 331

Williams, L. G., 157, 160, 162, 173, 178,

194, 207, 268, 429, 455
Williams, R. P., 215, 384, 435
Williams, Mr. F., 478
Williams, Mr. H. C, 469
Williamson, Mr. G., 467, 482
Williamson, Mr. H. C, 492
Williamson, Mr. N., 472
WiUis, L., 365, 436
Wilson, Captain, 402
Wilson, Mr. J., 482
Winburg, 217, 218
Winder, W. R., 345, 384, 385, 432
Wolve Hoek, 289
Wonderfontein, 317
Wood, H. C, 871, 434
Woodburn, Sir John, 24, 48, 49, 52, 59, 64,

67, 79, 894, 402, 462, 477
Woodburn, Lady, 477
Woodman, Mr. H. C, 471
WoodroflFe, Mr. J. T., 402, 466, 482
Woods, A. N., 71, 267, 364, 430, 456
WooUright, A. P., 3, 91, 864, 432, 455
Woolls-Sampson, Colonel, 337, 339
Worcester, 114

Wright, F. W., 267, 365, 367, 481, 456
Wright, H. S. N., 365, 367, 431, 455
Wynne, Colonel, 402, 482
Wynne, Mr. T. R., 392
Wynne, Mrs., 477

Yeomanry, Imperial, 251
Young, Sir W. Mackworth, 24, 462
Tounghusband, Mr. J. R. E., 471
Yule & Co., 463

Z.A.R.P., 203

Zain-ul-Abidin, Nawab Syed Mahomed

Murshidabad, 465
Zand River, 219, 220, 225
Zeerust, 288, 293
Zilikat's Nek, 289
Zorab, L. K., 267, 384, 385, 428
Zoutpans, 295, 306
Zurfontein, 254, 266, 271

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