File:Battles of the nineteenth century (1901) (14780019794).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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arrison wascheered with the news that Colonel Plumer,commanding the forces on the Rhodesian frontier,was trying to advance from the north to theirrelief. At the beginning of the war Plumer hadestablished his lieadquarters at Fort Tuli with afew hundred mounted men, and patrolled thenorthern border of the Transvaal to check raid- train and two armoured trains, and then beganto advance slowly southwards towards JMafeking,relaying the line as he went. It was not untilJanuary that he established his headquarters atGaberones, and then his presence on the rail-way to the northward began to be of use to thedefenders of Mafeking bv drawing off a part ofthe besieging force to bar his way. For a few days before November )8th thebombardment of Mafeking had slackened, andthe garrison enjoyed comparative peace. On the18th, Major Baillie wrote in his diary :—To-dayis the beginning of the^end, I liope. Cronjeshuager to the south-west is breaking up andtrekking south. All squadrons have been warned
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iS THE BOER WAR. to be ready to start at once, and we hope ourturn is coming at last, but General Cronje iscapable of anv ruse to draw us out and endeavourto overwhelm us in the open. What washappening was that Cronje had information ofLord Methuens impending advance northwardsfrom the Orange Kiver to the relief of Kimberley,and was going south to assume the chief com-mand of the army that was to cover the siege ofthat place. He was taking some of the best ofthe fighting burghers with him. He left in com-mand of the besiegers of Mafeking CommandantSnyman, a much less capable and enterprisingsoldier. a sortie, at most, we could only hope for twwliundred to two hundred and fifty men, and therapidity with which the Boers concentrate, andtheir vast superiority in artillery, would givethem a very good chance of inflicting a defeat,which would be ruinous. No ! their shell andmusketry fire is annoying, but with the pre-cautions that have been taken they cannot inflictsufficient damage to com

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