File:Battles of the nineteenth century (1901) (14595646880).jpg

Identifier: battlesofninetee06forb (find matches)
Title: Battles of the nineteenth century
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Forbes, Archibald, 1838-1900 Atteridge, A. Hilliard (Andrew Hilliard)
Subjects: Battles Military history, Modern
Publisher: London New York : Cassell and Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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igence Departmenthad no news of these movements, and Burnhamrode out of Bloemfontein under the impressionthat there was no enemy nearer than thirtymiles to the eastward. As day was breaking onthe Saturday m.orning he was within a mile ofKoorn Spruit. He saw some horsemen near thespruit in the dim light, and, thinking they mustbelong to the British garrison at Sannas Post, hewas riding up to them when he discovered in thenick of time that they were Boers. He tried toride round them, but wherever he approachedthe spruit he found it watched by the Boers.His horse was too tired to make a dash throughthe enemy, and at last he gave up the attemptto pass through and hid in the bushes, hopingto have a chance, later on, of communicatingwith the British at the waterworks. Broadwoods men were preparing their break-fasts in the bivouac when, just as the sun rose,the Boer artillery began to shell them from theeast side of the Modder. The pursuers hadfollowed them closely during the night, and only
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286 THE BOER WAR. waited for the daylight to open fire. The rangewas too great for the horse artillery guns toreply. For the convoy to remain where it waswould have entailed a heavy loss, and accord-ingly it was ordered to inspan its teams andretire across Koorn Spruit. The two batterieswere sent off with the convov, with orders tolake up a position on the further side of thespruit, so as to cover the subsequent retirementof Broadwood, who remained behind with allthe mounted troops except Robertss Horse, tocheck the pursuit until the guns and baggagewere safe through the Koorn Spruit crossing. Wiio was in command of the convoy andits escort it is impossible to say at the time ofwriting. There has been a strange conspiracyof silence on the subject, and the natural resulthas been a number of rumours and conjectures,laying the blame for the disaster on more thanone distinguished officer. Whoever it was, it isquite certain that Broadwood, who remained atwhat he considered the post of dang

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