The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-11
THE KROON SPRUIT AFFAIR
How the British Walked Into the
BOer Trap.


Realizing that the district was up in
arms, Colonel Broadwood sent information
to headquarters and drew in his outlying
force from the Flour Mills, preparatory
to falling back upon Bloemfontein. The
road between Thaba N Chu and the cap
tal is important on account OF the water
works, which are situated on the Modder
and form part OF the water supply Of
Bloemfontein. These works are matter
Of twenty-five miles from the latter town.
| The Beers continued to mass in the yicin-
ity OF Thaba N Chu in such numbers that
Broadwood did not consider it expedient to
wait for re-enforcements, but fell back
from Thaba N Chu on March go deter
| mined to do the thirty-five miles into
| Bloemfontein in two marches. The same
night Colonel Martyrs mounted infantry
marched out OF Bloemfontein to hold the
waterworks, General Colville's infantry
division following the next morning.
Colonel Broadwood realizing the grav-
ity of the situation in which his column
was placed, made a forced march and en-
camped this side OF the waterworks. His
baggage arrived about Q p. m. on Friday
| night, he himself with his rearguard at 2
been reported upon their TANKS all through
the day, and. anticipating that time was
everything, Broadwood determined upon
an early start on the Saturday morning.
The camp was peculiarly situated. The
force had crossed the Modder and lay in
the open between two spruits adjacent to
the half-formed embankment of the Lady
brand Railway. under construction.
ut will be interesting now to digress. for
on this memorable Saturday afternoon the
Beers accomplished one Of the finest pieces
OF strategy which has marked the history
OF this war. II the scale of the operations
had been greater, and the affair had been
more than n side issue in the campaign,
Olivier and his advisers would have earned
immortal fame. AS soon as the Boer COM
mandants realized that Broadwood was in
earnest retreat and had outspanned his
advance guard across the Modder they con-
| ceived a scheme OF cutting off and sur
rounding him. The scheme was delicate in
the extreme. as only few hours remained
for them to make their dispositions. But a
perfect knowledge of the country and the
only route which was open to the column,
and an energy which was amazing in an
enemy usually SO apathetic, rendered the
plan feasible.
THE Beers knew that three miles west
cross koorn Drift. They knew the topog-
rapr" of the country. and felt certain that
If & ey were in position to shell the camp
at .aybreak the baggage would be pushed
OF while the bulk of the force remained
Il uard the rear. Consequently the four
hi -ed best mounted men were selected
an Tered to strain every nerve to reach
Kooi- Drift before daybreak. The four
guns with the commando were double
horsed and despatched with one thousand
mounted men to follow the column, and to
be in position as soon as day should break.
, TIE remainder were to follow, at the best
pace they could get out Of their horses, in
order to re-enforce as the morning ad-
vanced. The dispositions were admirable in
design and perfect in execution The four
hundred men were In koorn Spruit before
daylight, lining one thousand yards Of
nullah and railway earthwork. The four
guns were in position on the rear and
| TANKS of Bioadwoods camp, and skirmish-
ers were within rifle range at daybreak.
AT a. m. the enemy opened with rifle
fire on the encampment, and the force was
ordered to saddle up Fifteen minutes
later, just as the first of the Boer guns
opened on the mass. the baggage train led
out OF camp. They passed out taking the
only road open to them-namely, the one
which led to Koorn Drift: the two horse
| batteries followed the baggage with the
object of taking up position on the high
ground on the far side of the drift, to
cover the rear guard as it fell back. The
camp was about three miles from the
drift which, as was previously pointed
out, lay in the point of rough angle
made by the embankment under construc-
tion and the bush-grown SLUT which con-
verged toward it. Thus when the Beers
were in position. lining the SLUT and the
embankment, the position became like the
base OF a horses foot. The Beers were
the metal shoe, our own troops the frog.
AT the point where the drift cuts the
SLUT the nullah is broad and extensive
The Beers stationed at this spot realized
that the baggage was moving without an
advanced guard. They were equal to the
situation. AS each wagon dropped below
the skyline into the drift the teamsters
were directed to take their teams to the
right or left as the case might be- and the
guards were disarmed under threat Of
violence. No shot was fired Each wagon
in turn was captured and placed along this
SLUT so that those in rear had no knowl-
edge of what was taking place to their
front until it came their turn to sur
render. To all intents and purposes the
convoy was proceeding forward. The scrub
and high ground beyond the drift was suffi-
cient to mask the clever continuance OF
the enemy. Thus all the wagons except
nine passed into the hands of the enemy.
Then came the artillery in battery
column, U Battery leading. with Roberts
Horse moving parallel to their left. Just
as the leading battery was arriving. the
first shot was fired, and the presence Of
the enemy disclosed. Report has it that
Sergt. Green of the Army Service Corps
was the first man to fire. Called upon to
surrender he threw his revolver loose as
if to tender 1t to the Boer at the horses
head. and then shot him dead. He vas
himself shot a moment later. This Incl
dent, If true, must have taken place Just
as U Battery came levc' wi.h the Aft,
for the gunners first knowledge Of the
real state of affairs was when armed Beers
stood up all around them. shouting: You
are prisonerS-you must surrender!
The drivers we're ordered to dismount
and leave their teams. The men had no
alternative but to obey. Major Taylor,
commanding U Battery. with great pres
ence of mind, was able to slip away. seize
loose horse, and inform the officer COM
manding Q Battery of what had occurred
AT that moment Roberts Horse rode
up to the drift. An old Dutchman stood
up and waved them to move off down into
the drift, and there to surrender their
arms. Major Dawson grasped the situa-
ton in a moment. Standing up in his
stirrups, he shouted: .Fours about. CAL
lop!' The files swung round. The drivers
OF @ Battery whipped round their teams.
There was a temporary pause. and then
the storm burst. The enemy saw that
nothing further was to be gained but by
violence. Every bush on the donga bed,
every foot Of the railway embankment,
every yard Of the kopjes above the drift
spouted Mauser-fire
The drift became pandemonium The
captured gun teams stampeded hopelessly.