Some went raving up and down that they were Englishmen no longer; others with flushed and indignant faces declaimed against the treachery which had misled them into a useless sacrifice; while others again, with stricken and woe-begone faces, sat contemplating their impending ruin, "refusing to be comforted." It was a painful, distressing, and humiliating scene, and such as I hope never to witness again. While I write, the remembrance of it comes vividly before me; and as I recall to mind the weeping men and women, the infuriated volunteers, and the despairing farmers and storekeepers, half crazy with the sense of wounded national honour, and the prospect of loss and ruin before them, my blood boils within me, and I cannot trust myself to commit to paper what I think. The lapse of two years has but deepened the feeling which I then experienced. The subject may perhaps be only unpleasant to people at home, but to me personally, who have seen the ruin and dismay brought upon the too credulous loyalists, the recollections it stirs up are more bitterly mortifying than words can describe.

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CHAPTER XII.

THE FIGHTING IN THE TRANSVAAL.

Attack on the 94th Regiment at Bronker's Spruit-Over-confidence of Colonel Anstruther-Particulars of the surprise-Boer courtesy to prisoners-Murder of Captain Elliott-Siege of Potchefstroom-The garrison-Surrender of the Government officesIll-treatment of Raaf and his volunteers-Death of Findlay— Murder of Van der Linden-Murder of Dr. Woite-Other murders-Story of the defence of the fort-Miserable situation of the ladies-The daily life of the soldiers-Attack on the Boer trenches-Attempts to deceive the garrison-Boers firing on the white flag-Treacherous surrender-Garrison march out with the honours of war-Siege of Standerton-Bravery of Hall -Use of the cat-The dummy cannon-Siege of LydenburgMurder of Green-Appearance of Aylward-Mutiny of the troops-Siege of Rustenburg-Siege of Marabastad-Siege of Wakkerstroom-Ill-treatment of Mr. Moffat at Zeerust - Natives hostile to the Dutch-Their entreaties to be allowed to fight— Their cruel desertion.

IT has been stated in a previous chapter that when the Republican flag was hoisted at Heidelberg the Boers despatched three bodies of troops in various directions. One proceeded to Potchefstroom, to get the proclamation of Independence printed; the second marched to the south-eastern frontier, to meet the British troops hurrying up from Natal; the third was detailed to attack a detachment of the 94th Regiment on its way from Lydenburg to join the garrison at Pretoria.

The detachment of British troops consisted of two companies and the headquarters of the regiment. They were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Anstruther. Considerable delay was experienced in setting out from Lydenburg in consequence of difficulties in procuring waggons. The Boers were unencumbered by transport arrangements; a little biltong served for food; and the nearest stream supplied water. Our troops, on the contrary, were impeded by a long train of waggons, which not only acted as a hindrance to their march, but contributed indirectly to the fatal results which followed. It was the same in

The lumbering ox

Zulu-land during the Zulu war. waggons loaded with stores were responsible for many disasters. If Colonel Anstruther had left Lydenburg in light marching order, he would have been in Pretoria before the Boers could have attacked him; and even if he had not been able to get there, his forces would not have been weakened by the constant necessity of guarding the waggons, and might not have suffered so severely as they did.

The detachment left Lydenburg on the 5th of December. It reached Middleburg on the 14th, and proceeded from thence to Pretoria. While at Olifant's river, on the way, Colonel Anstruther received a letter from Colonel Bellairs, warning him that 500 Boers had left the Boer camp, and advising him to be cautious, and to guard against any sudden attack or surprise of cattle. The letter did not say anything about the proclamation of the Republic, and it is only fair to Colonel Anstruther's memory to state that he did not gather from the letter that war had actually broken out. At the same time he can hardly be acquitted of blame. After the warning he received, a good

look-out should have been maintained. The country through which he was marching was, like most of the Transvaal, hilly and treeless. A few scouts posted on the hill-tops could have easily ascertained whether there were any Boers in sight; but only one scout was sent in front, while the column with its long train of waggons marched on unsuspiciously into the trap laid for it.

About thirty-eight miles from Pretoria the road is crossed by a small stream, known as Bronker's Spruit. Shortly before it crosses the spruit the road winds down a hill into the valley through which the spruit runs. At this point the left-hand side of the road, looking towards Pretoria, is commanded by a slight eminence, covered with thorn-trees. The Boers concealed themselves in a farm-house, belonging to a man named Prinsloo, situate on the spruit, till their scouts warned them that the long train of waggons was descending the hill. They then mounted their horses, and galloping along a valley running parallel with the road, but concealed from it by the abovementioned eminence, they suddenly showed themselves on the top of the hill among the trees. What followed may be described in an extract from my diary taken down shortly afterwards from the most authentic

On the morning of the 20th the troops had got within a short distance of Bronker's Spruit, about forty miles from Pretoria. There were 230 rank and file, with five officers, and other persons, including some women and children, altogether amounting to 267 souls. At the time the attack took place they were actually on the march, and the band was playing, "Kiss me, mother." A mounted scout rode ahead, and Colonel Anstruther, the colonel of the regiment, and one of his officers were also riding in advance of the band. The main body marched after the band. It consisted of about 120 men.

It was followed by a long train of some thirty-three waggons, and the remainder of the men were looking after the waggons and guarding the rear. Suddenly, as they marched along, unconscious of danger, a large body of armed and mounted Boers were seen in front and on the left flank, on the side of a rise of the plain, and partially concealed by thorn-trees which grew around. The band stopped in the middle of the tune. Colonel Anstruther's attention was directed to the Boers by the band stopping. He shouted out, "By God, look there," and turned round to ride back to his troops, but before he could get to them a Boer rode out from the others with a flag of truce, and presented a letter to the colonel. The letter purported to be from the new Boer Government of the Transvaal. It announced that a Republic had been proclaimed, and required the colonel in its name not to proceed further. He replied that he had his orders and must obey them, whereupon the messenger said, "Very well," and rode back. Colonel Anstruther galloped back to his troops, but before he could do anything the Boers, who had been coolly marking out their men under cover of the flag of truce, poured in a deadly volley at about 200 yards distance, which wounded the colonel, killed or wounded most of his officers, and effected great slaughter among the soldiers. The latter scattered as well as the panic occasioned by the suddenness of the attack permitted, and lay down on the road and returned the fire. But they were unable to shelter themselves effectually from the bullets of the Boers, who, from long practice at game, are experienced rifle-shots, and who gradually crept round, so as to take them on the right as well as on the left and front. The fight became a massacre, and Colonel Anstruther, seeing that if it went on the whole regiment would be annihilated, ordered the "Cease firing" to sound, after about twenty-five minutes' fighting. The fire of the Boers was very fatal. Most of the men who lay down on the road were wounded in the head and shoulders, and later on, when the Boers fired from the right, some were shot in the legs; others, who took shelter behind the waggons, were principally hit about the parts of their bodies visible under the waggons. Upon the cease firing" sounding, the Boers came down and took prisoners those who were unhurt, twenty in number. All the officers, except the paymaster, were killed and wounded, and even he was grazed; but Mr. Egerton, who had charge of the transport arrangements, was only slightly wounded, and he was deputed by the poor colonel, who had five wounds in his body, to negotiate the surrender with Franz Joubert, the Boer commandant.

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The Boers behaved very well after the surrender. Joubert said,