A CAPTAIN OF THE GORDONS A CAPTAIN OF THE GORDONS SERVICE EXPERIENCES 1900-1909 EDITED BY HIS MOTHER MRS. MARGARET MILLER (GARRETT MILL) AND HIS SISTER HELEN RUSSELL MILLER LONDON SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO., LTD. ioo, SOUTHWARK STREET, S.E. CAPTAIN MILLER'S EXPERIENCES 1900-1909 COMPRISING THE LETTERS OF CAPTAIN DAVID S. MILLER, THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, WHILE ACTING AS A.D.C. BOER WAR 1900-1902, AND SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICER SOMALILAND CAMPAIGN, 1903-1905. TO HIS COMRADES AND HIS FRIENDS 2066341 Great is the facile conqueror : Yet haply he, who, wounded sore, Breathless, unhorsed, all covered o'er With blood and sweat, Sinks foiled, but fighting evermore, Is greater yet. WILLIAM WATSON. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE A SOLDIER IN THE MAKING ... 17 CHAPTER II VOYAGE OUT : LONDON TO SOUTH AFRICA, APRIL MAY, 1900 .... 25 CHAPTER III WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, JUNE JULY, 1900 35 Port Elizabeth' Bloemfontein< Kroonstadt- Pre- toria Germiston Elandsf ontein Irene Krugersdorp Battle of Wolvercranz. CHAPTER IV WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, JULY- OCTOBER, 1900 ..... 51 Krugersdorp Blairbank Krugersdorp' Engage- ment at stream near Wolvercranz- Sicca Engagement at Oliphant's Nek Wolvercranz Welverdine' Belfast' Battle of the Paarde- plaats at Lydenberg Helvetiae Kumati Poort Swaziland . Contents PAGE CHAPTER V REGIMENTAL LIFE DURING WAR : OCTOBER, 1900 JANUARY, 1901 . . . 67 Belfast in the Transvaal. CHAPTER VI A.D.C. TO GENERAL SPENS : FEBRUARY JUNE, 1901 79 March from Wonderfontein to Battle at Twyfelaar Drift Amsterdam near Swaziland- Battle of Lake Chrissie Derby, near Piet Retieff Bel- fast' Nelspruit Elandstrick. CHAPTER VII A.D.C. TO GENERAL SPENS : JULY, 1901 JANUARY, 1902 100 Blinkwater, north of Wonderfontein Operations round about Roos Snekal, Lydenberg and sur- rounding districts- Heilbron, Orange River Colony Kroonstadt near Vryheid Maj uba Hill, Laing's Nek, Rorke's Drift, Isandlwana Newcastle Standerton, Transvaal Magensen < Amersfort Beginderliju Bridge. CHAPTER VIII A.D.C. TO GENERAL SPENS : JANUARY- JUNE, 1902 122 Bejinderliju Bridge- Ermelo near Amsterdam, Transvaal- Uitkyk, Swaziland border Wak- kerstrom Vryheid- Vaalbank Brugspruit Block-House System of Driving the Enemy Vlakfontein Johannesburg. 8 Contents PAGE CHAPTER IX BUFFLES : AN INTERLUDE . . . 135 CHAPTER X SOMALILAND LETTERS : DECEMBER, IQ02 JUNE, 1904 ' 141 Introduction. CHAPTER XI VOYAGE OUT : DECEMBER, 1902 JANUARY, 1903 145 CHAPTER XII BERBERA BOHOTLE : JANUARY MARCH, 1903 151 Berbera< Drilling Somali Mounted Infantry Writes Mounted Infantry Drill Ponies and Camel' BuraO' Taking of Damot Wells Bohotle. CHAPTER XIII GALADI BERA : MARCH JUNE, 1903 . 161 Joined General Manning's Column at Galkayu Wells Galadi' Fight with the Mullah's men des- cribed in extract from " Daily Telegraph "< Egato, near Galadi Disaster Bera Com- manding all the S.M.I, on the southern side Games. Contents PAGE CHAPTER XIV BURAO BOHOTLE: JULY DECEMBER, 1903 173 Arrival at Burao after inarching without a halt since June 9 Gabatu- El Hinar Oadweina' De- scription of March across the Haud> Kirrit Burao Eil Dab Bohotle. CHAPTER XV THE Two EDITORS. By Captain Miller . 187 CHAPTER XVI BOHOTLE TO ADEN : DECEMBER, 1903 207 JUNE, 1904 Bohotle Wadango Distress at missing Battle of J ibdali Halin< Telegram VERSES FOUND IN AN OLD NOTE-BOOK . 217 CHAPTER XVII BUFFLES AGAIN 223 CHAPTER XVIII INDIAN LETTERS : AUGUST, 1904 MARCH, 231 1907 . Voyage out Thobba Rawal Pindi Club Pesha- war- Out on Manoeuvres Peshawar Changla Gali- Peshawar Muree Hills The Khyber Pass Peshawar Cashmir Peshawar. 10 Contents PAGE CHAPTER XIX LEAVE 247 Aldershot Aberdeen Home Osborne London. CHAPTER XX THE DAY BREAKS 257 CHAPTER XXI LAID TO REST ...... 263 CHAPTER XXII LETTERS FROM KING EDWARD . . . 267 CHAPTER XXIII THE DEAREST LEGACY .... 271 CHAPTER XXIV A LAST WORD 275 Two ESSAYS 281 Criticism of Napoleon's Action after Ligny. By D. S. Miller, Captain, The Gordon High- landers. Brief Summary of Grant's Operations in Virginia and Maryland, of June, 1864, and an Essay on the Influence of these Operations of the Movements on the James River and in the Shenandoah Valley during the same Period. By D. S. Miller, Captain, The Gordon Highlanders. ii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS CAPTAIN DAVID S. MILLER . , . Frontispiece FACE PAGE CHURCH SQUARE, PRETORIA ... 40 DAVID, ON PEACE DAY, SOUTH AFRICA . 132 BUFFLES ON GUARD IN HIS NEW HOME . 139 LIEUTENANT MILLER AND MAJOR GOUGH AT THE TAKING OF DAMOT WELLS . . 157 THE SOMALI MOUNTED INFANTRY TAKING THE WATER AT DANOP . . . 160 THE CAMEL CORPS, SOMALILAND . . 183 THE SOMALI MOUNTED INFANTRY . . 219 BUFFLES' HOUR. FIFE .... 225 DAVID AND BUFFLES. FIFE . . . 229 AWAITING His MASTER. FIFE . . . 230 THOBBA ....... 233 MY TENT 234 MY BEARER AND TONGA .... 237 RIFLE RANGE, THOBBA .... 241 DAVID. INDIA, 1906 .... 249 13 LIST OF MAPS AND BATTLE PLANS PAGE INDICATION OF ROUTE TO JOIN THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS AT PRETORIA (Map) . 36 BATTLE OF WOLVERCRANZ (Plan of Battle) . 49 WITH THE FIRST BATTALION, THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, IN THE TRANSVAAL (Map) 52 THE BATTLE OF THE PAARDEPLAATS AT LYDENBERG (Plan of Battle) . . 66 (1) The Camp at Lydenberg. (2) The Advance on the Paardeplaats under General Buller. (3) The Position of the Troops during Battle. FIRST OPERATIONS WITH GENERAL SPENS' BRIGADE (Map) .... 80 LATER OPERATIONS UNDER GENERAL SPENS (Map) ...... 121 SKETCH TO ILLUSTRATE A BLOCK-HOUSE DRIVE 131 WAR AREA, SOMALILAND CAMPAIGN (Map) 152 15 List of Maps and Battle Plans PACK GENERAL PLAN OF ROUTE FROM BOHOTLE TO GALADI, BY DAMOT r , ' . . 159 THE DISASTER AT GALADI (Plan of Battle) . 167 THE BATTLE OF JIBDALI (Plan of Battle) . 210 MAP TO ILLUSTRATE " CRITICISM OF NAPO- LEON'S ACTION AFTER LlGNY " . . 282 MAP TO ILLUSTRATE " A BRIEF SUMMARY OF GRANT'S OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND, OF JUNE, 1864" . . 292 16 A SOLDIER IN THE MAKING CHAPTER I A SOLDIER IN THE MAKING THIRTY years ago a young soldier was ordering his army. Cavalry and infantry, Horse Guards, Scots Greys, Highlanders, artillery composed his brigade. He dispatched some to guard his lines, his earnest blue eyes glancing from one group to another ; for in the distance he saw the enemy sweeping over the hill on his right, and on his left a mass of men deploying. He made no error of judgment, but should he have left a loophole for the enemy there would have been no bloodshed; for his field was a table, his brilliant army, painted lead. To him the battle was strenuous with life, for at five years brain and heart feed on playthings, and the passions of a forewarned vocation may breathe life into wood and stone. The tin toys laid aside David enlisted his playmates in the Queen's Army, and presented them with gold-laced caps and belts. They were well drilled. The young captain's terse commands mingled with the clash of arms, his keen eye watched his men, who one and all were fired with his enthusiasm. 19 A Captain of the Gordons The regiment came to be disbanded on account of age, and once more the military spirit had to find a new outlet. His facile pencil found it. Each lesson-book and exercise-book he used in the Glas- gow Academy was transformed into a sketch-book, and therein Hussars and Guards, colonels and Tommies, Highlanders and Marines jumbled to- gether. It could only have one ending, such a straight, strong line running through work and play : but, an only son, for many reasons the Army was barred. He joined the Royal Engineer Volunteers when he was seventeen, and before he was eighteen he had passed not only all the necessary examinations, but also in tactics. Military law followed. In a year or so he passed the Army University examina- tion through the Glasgow University, and at last it was thought wise to allow him to go up for his army examination. It was a year of stiff competition, and he just missed being in the very limited number allotted by the War Office at the Civil Competitive examination. This was a real dis- appointment ; but he set his face to other work and continued in the Engineers. Then the fateful 1899 brought the country to war, and all soldier spirits to burn with desire. Colenso and Magersfontein cried their bitter cry, and David, born with the blood that answered it, would take no rest till his sword was drawn in South Africa. A chance came. The Universities were given 20 A Soldier in the Making commissions, and he quivered with hope. But the little bit of red tape interfered : he was a month or so older than the age first decided on. So that door was shut. Meantime the Royal Engineer Volunteers had applied to the War Office for permission to send * on a detachment under David, now a captain, to the war, and hope was again in the ascendant, for everything seemed in a straight line : but again red tape showed its stringent mark. The War Office would not allow a captain to command the contingent : the officer must be only a lieutenant ! He went to London and had an interview with Mr. George Wyndham, then Under- secretary of State for War, who promised to let him know what could be done. However, although the heads of the War Office seemed anxious to gain him for the army, red tape could neither be made white nor black, and David had barely returned from London when he found that notwithstanding his acknowledged ability for the post he asked, the rule of three must be obeyed. He was too experienced ! " It is no use, mother," he said, after the final word had come from the War Office to the effect that a captain could not be allowed to conduct the Engineer contingent. " They won't have me." ' Well," said his mother, knowing that he would enlist as a trooper, " go up to London to-night, and try once more." 21 A Captain of the Gordons " All right ! " he said. " It's the forlorn hope, but worth trying." He travelled all night, and when he called at the War Office in the morning, he was granted another interview with Mr. Wyndham. David explained that although the War Office wished to appoint a lieutenant the Colonel and all the officers wished the detachment to go out under him. " Come back to see me in the afternoon," said Mr. Wyndham. Hope was again flying his flag. David, in the afternoon, had his third interview with Mr. Wynd- ham. After a little talk Mr. Wyndham said : " Go and see Sir Coleridge Grove ; he wants to meet you." So David was ushered into Sir Coleridge Grove's room. Another little talk, and then the supreme moment of David's life came. " You may either take your draft of Engineers to South Africa or, if you prefer, I shall give you a commission in any regiment of the line, or in the Artillery." Sir Coleridge Grove shook him warmly by the hand and sent him to Colonel . " I am glad to see you," said the Colonel smiling. ' You have been turning the War Office upside down. Which regiment do you want ? " " Which may I have ? " " I suppose you want a Scots regiment ? " " May I have a Highland regiment ? " 22 A Soldier in the Making " Anything you like ! " The Colonel smiled. "The Seaforths or the Camerons ? They are at the front one battalion of each. Think it over and let me know." David left him, and walked up and down the streets thinking. He wired home, and the reply was" in favour of the Artillery ; but, as fate would have it, he met an officer of the Highland Light Infantry, whom he knew well, and asked his advice, and, in the course of conversation, he heard that both battalions of the Gordons were at the front. David had found his regiment. He received his commission in the First Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders on March 24th, 1900, and on the 2gth he had the following letter from Sir Coleridge Grove : WAR OFFICE, LONDON, S.W. March 2gth, 1900. DEAR SIR, I am glad to be able to tell you that you will be sent out to the front shortly. Yours sincerely, (Signed) COLERIDGE GROVE. David left for South Africa on April 2nd, in charge of a detachment of militia from Colchester. The " Orotava/' the ship in which David would sail, was already well filled with eager men when he, with his kilt swinging, led his men across the 23 A Captain of the Gordons gangway, his heart beating with the drums that sounded their rat-a-tat as the band cheered them on ; not that there were any laggard steps that day ! The shining of eyes was the only reflection of the victory that blazed before them to do or die for Old England, but to win at last. The little groups here and there on the great quay were not so brave, for the pathos was left there, as the ahoys and cries of the sailors told of the first step seawards of the great ship. The anchors rattled on the side, the engines throbbed ; and the ship glided past, her deck filled with waving hats and handkerchiefs. David leant his arm on the gunwale, and gazed at the little group of three who belonged to him. Eyes were turned to eyes while the ship passed out of ken. So began the real soldier life of David. VOYAGE OUT CHAPTER II VOYAGE OUT : LONDON TO SOUTH AFRICA, APRIL MAY, R.M.S. " OROTAVA." April, 1900. I HAVE a cabin all to myself, and am very comfort- able. The pilot takes this. . . . We stop at Las Palmas May 3rd. April-May, 1900. I am having a great time. We were inoculated for enteric on Sunday afternoon about two p.m. I was done first with two subalterns in the loth Hussars both very good chaps indeed great friends of Potter's. I went off with them to their cabin to see what would happen and lay down in a spare berth, but I became so ill that I could not go back to my own cabin, so stayed with them till this morning (Tuesday). We were all three very bad, but kept each other cheery. The doctor said healthy people took it worst. I was the worst case among the officers. I am all right now, feeling very fit. My pals are the two loth Hussars and Captain Mainwaring of the Dublin Fusiliers. The rest are 27 A Captain of the Gordons largely militiamen. The C.O. of troops is a Major of Dublin Fusiliers. We passed the hospital ship " Oceania " to-day, and cheered her lustily. The names of the loth Hussars men are Meade and Mitford. There are always three officers on duty on a trooper captain of the day, subaltern of the day, and officer of the watch, who is on twice a day, for four hours at a stretch. I have had a time at this. The draft is going strong no crime. We have had lovely weather. I am going ashore at Las Palmas with my loth friends to look round. Wednesday. P.S. We get into Las Palmas about 6 a.m. to- morrow morning. We shall leave about I p.m. so shall have about four hours on shore. We have made up a party, Meade, Mitford and myself, and a very nice fellow in the Lothian Yeomanry called Campbell also a chap in the Connaught Ranger Militia, the Earl of Kingston, an awful good chap. The weather is simply perfect. I am as brown as a berry. I take great precautions against chills and sunstrokes always wear my cholera belts. The feeding on board the ship is splendid both for officers and men. I find that officers in the Gordons are thought well of by all. We have only one Parade per day, at n o'clock, when the men get physical drill which they badly need. 28 Voyage Out TROOPSHIP " OROTAVA." Tuesday. The men are rather a weedy lot, mostly militiamen most of my draft are under nineteen years, and have not more than six weeks' service. Great shame to send them out so young. The funny thing is that they do not allow regulars to go on foreign service under twenty years of age but they collar militiamen down to eighteen. My sergeant is a good man, a regular (thank goodness) of twelve years' service. The fellows on board are mostly militia officers. My chief friends are Meade and Mitford of loth Hussars and Main- waring of the Dublin Fusiliers. There is also Major Molyneux of the Liverpool regiment Mitford has a cousin in my battalion. S.S. " OROTAVA." May i^th, 1900. We are having a great time on board. The weather has been perfect, hardly a motion in the boat. The heat crossing the line was tremendous mother will have some idea of it, having crossed it herself. Many of the fellows slept on deck, but I stick to my cabin being afraid of chills and getting stopped for the front. I have made some nice friends on board, very particularly Mitford, Meade, Kingston and Camp- bell. We are all much the same age, and keep 29 A Captain of the Gordons very much together. They are splendid fellows. Kingston has asked me to send him one of my photo- graphs, and as he will be on service for some time he wants you to send it to Kilronan Castle. Our programme every day is : Breakfast, 9 a.m. Orderly room, 10 a.m. C.O.'s parade, n a.m. till 12 noon. Physical drill 3 times a week, 3 till 4 p.m. Musketry once a week, 7.30 till 9 a.m. The men are splendidly fed, and all my draft are fit. They are very young, poor things. We have details of not less than 23 regiments on board. The men behave well as a whole and many of the crimes are through ignorance, as they are all militia, and all the artillery are reserve so we have no regulars except the sergeants and some of the officers. We have great fun at nights, rucksing about. Main waring, the adjutant, who is a great pal of ours, joins in as heartily as anyone. We have been moderate only had champagne twice. We do not know whether we shall be landed at Cape Town or East London. I have been practising with my revolver, and am a fair shot. We are only supposed to be allowed 35 Ibs. up to the front, but we all find that our valises weigh 35 Ibs. with nothing inside them I expect this regulation is merely to prevent officers taking all their belongings up with them. 30 Voyage Out I am in great spirits and magnificent health. The weather just now is fresh and bracing. I am writing this on mother's little leather case Really, no more. S.S. " OROTAVA." May iqth. This is a very fine boat, and we are fed like fighting-cocks. This morning to breakfast I had fish sausages curry eggs tea scones j am ! I am hungry again, it being close on lunch. I expect my friends Mitford, Meade and I may go up to Bloemfontein together. We hope so. We may be discharged like so many packages on the quay at Cape Town, or taken on to East London. We imagine this more likely, as it is so much nearer to Bloemfontein. We have a doctor on board (R.A.M.C.) who was all through Ladysmith. We have songs in the evening, and fun generally. You would like all my friends Mitford, Meade and Kingston. Kingston is an impulsive Irishman with a kind heart. Meade is one of the best I am very fond of him. Indeed, there is little to choose between them. We arrive at Cape Town on Wednesday, 12 noon. There is wonderfully little to write about, as every day is the same. I sent two little fancy things from Las Palmas. 31 A Captain of the Gordons S.S. " RANEE." May iSth, 1900. Transhipped at Cape Town to " Ranee " for Port Elizabeth from thence I go to Springfontein to hand over Norfolk draft, and then on to my regi- ment. I handed over my Bedford draft yesterday. Have been working like a nigger for two days. Meade and Mitford and Campbell have gone on shore here to Maitland Camp. Had one night on shore. The view of the Bay is lovely but the town is a dirty hole. The Mount Nelson Hotel is the place. We went there to see Mitford's aunt, the Countess of Airlie, but she had gone on to Bloemfontein. We have just heard that Maf eking is relieved, and all the ships are flying bunting. I have been out with a string picket all morning, bringing in drunk men. One hundred of the Militia escaped last night, and had to be captured. They are in now had to be brought down in donkey carts. I get out at Port Elizabeth with Kingston and Mainwaring, and we are going up country together. I met a fellow yesterday in the Buffs who is here wounded who told me that the last time he had seen my regiment they were absolutely in rags. I wish you would send me out 100 cigarettes every short time, and some tobacco. This is a beastly rotten cargo ship with no comforts but it is a short sail. 32 Voyage Out S.S. " RANEE." CAPE TOWN DOCKS. This is a stinking place the docks, I mean. The town is dirty when you are in it, but looks well from the bay. You never saw such a mess as the disembarkation from the " Orotava." Stores not marked men deserting men drunk nobody knowing what to do. We had an awful time. Mitford and Meade got out of it all. I tried to get leave last night as I got an invitation through Kingston to dine with Lady Castleton, but the major who was in charge refused me leave as I was wanted for a picket. They let the militia officers go, but kept the regulars on board. The whole place teems with soldiers all, or nearly all, the militia are on the lines of communication and being used for loading trains. Of course militia officers joining their regiments are all right. My regiment, I hear, has been doing great things spearing Boers. There are a lot of Boer prisoners here, in a big park. One of them was shot dead yesterday for coming too close to the barricade. Boat just starting. TELEGRAM (FROM KROONSTADT). CAPE TOWN, 1.6.00. Flourishing. David. 33 WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, June July, 1900 ? Pan Elizabeth INDICATION OF ROUTE TO JOIN THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS AT PRETORIA; CHAPTER III WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, JUNE JULY, IQOO Port Elizabeth Bloemfontein Kroonstadt 'Pretoria Germiston Elandsfontein Irene Krugersdorp Battle of Wolvercranz. KOPJE (40 miles south Vaal River). June ist, 1900. I HAVE been having some awful experiences. The difficulty is getting up to one's regiment. Trains run anyhow, and one has to shift for oneself. I arrived at Port Elizabeth on the " Ranee " a fearful cattle boat which rolled like anything about a fortnight or ten days ago. We went into camp with our men, then went and had dinner in the train ; slept, anyhow, on the ground. Next day we came on in the train, going about five miles an hour up by Nauropoort and Norval's Rant to Springfontein and Edinburg, when I handed over my draft of Norfolks. The difficulty all the way up was water. It always has to be boiled before drunk, as the whole country seethes with enteric. This is the most uninteresting barren-looking country you could possibly imagine barren veldt and kopjes just the single line of rail running 37 A Captain of the Gordons through the great veldt, with thousands of drafts going up and thousands of sick coming down. Bloemfontein is very disappointing just a little English townlet of some 6,000 inhabitants. Our camps are all round it. The hospitals are full, and a scarcity of nurses. Eighty soldiers were buried the day I arrived, nearly all enteric fever. I had a sad duty to perform, as one of our sub- alterns, Dalrymple Hay, died there of enteric the day after I arrived, and I buried him. He had been there a month ill, making a good fight for it, but it was too much for him. We have a depot of about fifty men and they turned out. It was a sad sight. First, the simple coffin with the Gordon tartan rug and the Union Jack over it lying in the tent up in the hospital lines. Then the placing the coffin on the gun carriage while the great brown Gordon soldiers in their tattered kilts presented arms. We marched about one mile to the grave- yard with the pipes playing the " Flowers of the Forest " and then we buried him. He is, I believe, the last surviving son of his father, Major Hay, of Dunlop, Ayrshire. I knew his brother well, who was at Maguire's with me. He was killed in India. Coming up from Bloemfontein I slept, the first night, in my coat on the top of a coal truck with two subalterns in the Rifles. The next, we fortu- nately got in a guard's van. We finally arrived at Kroonstadt, a rotten place full of enteric and dead 38 Battle of Wolvercranz and dying. Nothing to drink but water, and that was bad. I met Barton Aiken there. He was on the march with his militia. They are keeping all the militia on lines of communication. I am now past them all. I picked up a servant at Kroonstadt a Gordon named Wilkie, who had been sick. He is an excellent fellow, and is now cooking me a chicken for which I paid 2s. This is a great luxury nothing but biscuit and bully-beef. Bread is unknown. I'd give pounds for a bottle of beer. We were sniped at last night, I believe, by some of De Wet's scouts. We start to-morrow, 5 a.m., per convoy across the veldt for the Vaal River. I fear the Boers are at their last gasp, and I shall see no fighting as it was. CAMP, GORDON HIGHLANDERS, GERMISTON. Have had no chance of posting letters do not know when I shall get one. Had a fearful time with convoy bad water, little food had to drink water with dead beasts in it. Joined my regiment at Pretoria. Excellent lot of fellows, but very few left. I just missed a good action where we had nine officers and one hundred and six men hit. They had to charge across an open plain and take a 39 A Captain of the Gordons position which they did. We were specially mentioned in General Orders as having marched 650 miles, and taken part in twenty-seven minor and ten general actions. I have been under fire, but not in a general action as yet. I had a great disappointment the other day. We left Pretoria in the afternoon, and marched fifteen miles, where we camped for the night, and were told we would concentrate with the 2ist Bri- gade in the morning to attack Botha who was occupy- ing a position six miles off. Accordingly off we went in the morning guns in front. But the Boers were not having any, and ran for it ! So there was no fighting. We marched here next day, twenty- three miles. At the beginning of the day the right flank came into action, but only with a patrol. We are lying in readiness to move by rail at once to any point attacked. I am in magnificent health. The days are like June at home, and the nights like frosty mid-winter. We sleep in the open in tents. June ijth. Still here. Four companies, including my own, are holding themselves in readiness to go at once to Klip River to repel an expected attack. We are very busy here. Pickets every other night and patrols during the day. I am seeing all the nasty side of war with none of the chances of glory. Freezing nights in picket ready for attack moving 4 o Battle of Wolvercranz here and there. Sometimes the baggage does not turn up, and we sleep as we stand in our kilts with a biting wind, and sometimes rain. Fever dysen- tery death everywhere. War is a fearful thing. The actual active is not so bad, but the waiting, the cold, the sudden moves, bad water, small comforts, men and officers tired out but cheerful. The long, dreary, weary marches always expecting sniping all this is the trying part. I have written this as I had snatches of time, and now have my first opportunity of posting it since I left Port Elizabeth. We shall come back to Edinburgh Castle after the war. I shall not be able to go to India till I have finished my Recruits' course in about one year from coming home. I shall be sorry to go to the 92nd, as the fellows here are all excellent chaps but it is the only way of getting to India. I am writing this, lying on Aunt Mina's rug on the veldt P.S. All our mails have been burnt by the enemy 2000 bags. Christian de Wet is the man who is keeping the show going. ELANDSFONTEIN, TRANSVAAL. ^L June 2$th, 1900. I got your letters dated May nth also the papers, " English Illustrated," " Graphic," etc., which were very acceptable. If you could send me 41 A Captain of the Gordons out pipe, tobacco, cigarettes and chocolates I should appreciate them very much. We went off again the other night at three in the morning to battle fight down at Klip ; but it didn't come off, so we returned cold, weary and hungry. We mess very well here as we are only eight miles from Johannesburg, and can get things, but every- thing is fearfully expensive. I was introduced by the C.O. to our General, Smith-Dorrien, the other day. He is supposed to be one of the smartest sol- diers out here, and has done awfully well. We are kept hard at it here with pickets and patrols and night alarms. The pickets are the worst as the cold at night is intense, and one has one's kilt on the whole time. I am in " B " Company, commanded by Captain Dingwall, who is a most excellent chap who tells me Indian stories. He was in the Dargai charge and wounded in six places. I have had a small bivouac made " biwies " we call them in which I sleep. It is just made of shirt-cloth, and is about 7 feet long and 3 broad, like this /^~^>- In this is my valise in which I sleep. My jaeger bed is splendid, and keeps me nice and warm with Aunt Mina's rug on top. I have been in Johannesburg. It is a big tawdry sort of place. There are excellent hotels, however, and a good club. I am going in for a small spree to-morrow if I can get leave. Three of us generally go in together. 42 Battle of Wolvercranz Pretoria, where I joined my regiment, is a pretty little place, but I believe rather unhealthy. ELANDSFONTEIN. Sunday, July ist, 1900. We are still here, and living extremely well. We are constantly on duty, picket or patrol. When not doing anything else I am " in the squad " as they call it i.e., doing recruit drill. As I know it all already it comes easy, but they are fearfully particular, and one has to know it absolutely perfectly, in fact be able to act as an instructor to raw recruits. The sergeant is extremely pleased with me, and although I have only been doing it two days (at any intervals apart, as duties constantly interfere), he says in another day I am to go before the Adju- tant, on Tuesday, to be examined in squad drill which is the first part. Every one is charming. I shall probably finish, if I get a chance of consecutive work, in about two months. This means I shall know all about squad drill, physical drill, bayonet and musketry exercise, company and battalion drill, down to the very smallest detail. Davis is a very nice chap, and he and I are naturally very much together, being the two juniors but every one is excellent. Every now and then we are roused from our sleep in the middle of the night into the bitter cold and off we go per train in trucks to the scene of 43 A Captain of the Gordons operations somewhere up or down the line which is attacked. Down we go, get into trenches and wait. Then some shots come flying about, and you bang away and then they clear off. Always the same. The other day we were raised about two in the morning. Up I got. Once you are up the Adjutant tells off the companies to go, as some must always stay here. I heard "A, B, C and D right half Battalion, march immediately ! " Blanket rolled ; then we got dressed. Just as I was dressing Bang ! went a big gun about ten miles off then a pause then another. Looking through glasses we saw the flash of the gun, and then the bursting of the shell. We sat on the grass in the bitter cold waiting on the train, and listening to the guns where we were going. Then the firing ceased, and telegram came to the C.O. from the General saying that the attack had been driven off by the Canadians. I have an excellent servant, named Robert, who keeps my little " bivvy " as clean as a new pin. 1 am still excellently well. I wrote to Sir Henry and Colonel Clark, and Mrs. Anderson last week. July 3rd, 1900. Just a line to say that I have got papers all right, four magazines, " Graphic," " Punch," " Herald," Battle of Wolvercranz " Scotsman," and " Weekly Herald." I missed the fight at Johannesburg by about five days frightful bad luck. I am to be examined to-morrow in squad drill. IRENE. July gth. Just a hasty note. We are off after Botha igth Brigade Shropshires, Cornwall L.I. and Suf- folks, and ourselves. Cavalry and guns. Expect fighting. Very fit. Letters of June to hand also magazine. Always thankful for letters. Please send tobacco, cigarettes. Telegram sent from Kroonstadt, June ist. May not be able to write for some time. Very happy in regiment. KRUGERSDORP. Sunday, July i6th. I have at last been in a small action. We marched from here with the Shropshire Light Infantry, and one section (two guns). 78th Batty. R.F.A., also some Yeomanry for scouting. We started about 6.30 with the Yeomanry out in front like a fan, about five to six miles in front. My company B, and A formed the advance guard extended at five paces. After marching about five miles the enemy suddenly fired on one of the Yeomanry scouts. We halted and lay down, and the main body of Yeomanry galloped out. They were immediately fired on very sharply, and came galloping back as hard as they 45 A Captain of the Gordons could lick. I was right in advance with my half company, and as the guns galloped forward into position I was told to advance and occupy a small kopje on my left front. We advanced, I leading the men, and then almost immediately came into the fire area. The fire was awful. Whing ! Whing ! Tut ! Tut ! all round, overhead, and at your feet. I shouted " Follow me ! Double ! " and off we went pelting through the fire dashed on to the kopje got to the top took cover and opened fire. The place was a perfect hell with bullets. I confess I did not like it. We were supported in a few minutes by C Company my left half under Dingwall and M Company. A Company with D Company were on the right on another small kopje the two guns in between the two kopjes H, K, and L in reserve with the Shropshires about a mile in rear with the baggage. The Boers occupied a larger kopje straight to my front, and another straight to the front of where A Company was. I happened to look down to where the guns were, and saw that they had come too close, and had scarcely any men left to serve the guns. They brought up a team of horses to get the guns away, but the poor brutes were immediately shot down so frightful was the fire. In a few minutes they went out of action that is to say fifteen out of sixteen gunners lay dead or wounded in small heaps by the guns and the Subaltern, who served his guns 4 6 Battle of Wolvercranz splendidly, and was the last to take cover, was shot in three places. It was a frightful sight. I had no time to look as I was busy keeping the men firing and firing my- self. Next time I looked I saw some of our men with Younger and Allan, who were with their Com- panies at the bottom of the kopje, rushing out to try and serve the guns. I immediately went down to the Colonel and volunteered for the job, but was ordered back to the firing line so I had to go up again. They got out one limber. Then Younger went again with some more men to try to get out a gun but was almost immediately shot. I went down again and begged the Colonel to let me go, but he told me I must stay with my men on top and keep up the fire. He allowed Gordon the Adjutant to go, and he got back all right but it was no use trying to get the gun. Poor Younger a splendid fellow was killed, and many of the men wounded. Gordon will get the V.C. Then we lay there getting potted. Then the Boers, who were really wonderfully smart, occupied a kopje on our right rear and right front. It was jolly, I tell you. Bullets from three sides. I can't imagine why I was not hit. I got hit on the knee by a splinter. The General heliographed up about one o'clock that Lord Roberts had wired cancelling this operation altogether, but the Colonel heliod back that unless we waited till dark we could not save the guns. So 47 A Captain of the Gordons we waited and got the guns away in the dark. Just when it became dark we heard the Boers squealing " Voorwaarts ! " and they dashed down to assault us, and the Colonel shouted out : " Gordon Highlanders, fix bayonets ! Prepare to charge ! " But the Boers retreated at once to their kopje, and after that the firing gradually ceased. If it had not been for the order we should have taken the position with the bayonets in the morning. We found out afterwards that the Boers decamped during the night and so did we. We marched back here and to-day Methuen has marched in with 700 Mounted Infantry and eighteen guns, and two brigades Infantry. We shall go out again shortly, I expect, to have another slap at them. I must now close up as I am on picket to-night. 48 Boer main position Boers TX -^ * 900 fanh 'ifc^ fj M p I Col. HcBeta Baggage Central Smith- Dom'm BATTLE OF WOLVERCRANZ July ifth, 1900 KEY TO MAP. I. Large kopje from which Boers first fired on Yeomanry. II. Kopje with Gordon companies as marked. Myself on top. III. Gordons. IV. Boers. Ejected from this by maxim gun. V. Main position of Boers. VI. Flanking fire on our kopje. VII. Boers attacked right flank and rear. Ejected by Shropshire maxim gun. 49 WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, July October., 1900 WITH THE FIRST BATTALION, THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, IN THE TRANSVAAL. June, 1900 January, 1901. CHAPTER IV WITH THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS, JULY OCTOBER, Krugersdorp Blairbank Krugersdorp Engagement at stream near Wolvercranz Sicca^ Engagement at Oliphant's Nek Wolvercranz Welverdine Belfast Battle of the Paardeplaats at Lydenberg Helve- tiae Kumati Poort Swaziland. KRUGERSDORP. WE start to-morrow to fight again. Lord Methuen has arrived, and we go this time in two columns our brigade with six field-guns, two howitzers, and a pom-pom i.e. Vickers-Maxim quick-firing gun firing i-lb. shells, under Smith-Dorrien ; and another under Methuen, to make a demonstration. We are to carry the position after that we fight again twenty miles further on, and then back by rail to Pretoria. Davis is in my bivvy gassing away, so that I can hardly write. I keep hitting him in the stomach with no effect. BLAIRBANK. July 26th. No light to see. Just a chance getting this off it may not reach you. I am very well. The 53 A Captain of the Gordons weather is broken, and is sometimes very wet. Been in action several times since Wolvercranz. Shall write fully shortly. Please do not forget to send me regularly cigarettes and tobacco also you might send chocolate and raisins. We do long marches sometimes with nothing to eat, and then they keep one up. But please be sure to send the cigarettes, say 100 every fortnight. I only brought 200, and finished them in the steamer coming out. The papers are splendid. In very great haste. We have just marched 100 miles. July 26th. Just got your letters which as usual I was delighted to get also papers, and best of all, cigar- ettes which are exactly the kind I like. This is just a line as mail goes at once. KRUGERSDORP. July 3 is*. Here we are back again to Krugersdorp after a very trying week which I shall describe as I had not time to do so in my last letter. We left here on a Wednesday afternoon, and marched about seven miles to a stream about three miles to the left flank of the position we had attacked the week before at Wolvercranz. We consisted of about 700 Yeomanry, ourselves, the Shropshires and 54 Battle of Lydenberg one battery of Field Artillery (six guns). Lord Methuen came with us although we were directly commanded by Smith-Donien ; another force consisting of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the Northampton Regiment, and the Yorkshire Light Infantry with one battery of F.A., two howitzers, and two pom-poms advanced at the same time direct on to the position. We encamped for the night, and attacked in the morning. But the Boers, evidently afraid of so large a force, fled at our approach to another range, further back. They fired at the Yeomanry from there, but as my regiment extended for the attack they again evacuated this position for still another to our right flank. Accordingly six guns and a pom- pom were sent with our right-half battalion as escort to shell them and clear them out. I am in this half battalion, and as Dingwall had command of the four companies I commanded B Company in action for the first time. We advanced up the hill, clearing it, and the guns got a good position at the top and a good old row began. The firing was not much this time, and the enemy were scattered. We marched on again, and camped at a place called Sicca, after twenty miles. We got nothing to eat that night, as the transport stuck in the river. We went on again next morning, and marched about fifteen miles, having a small fight on the way. (By this time the whole division were marching together.) I was on picket that night, 55 A Captain of the Gordons and got no dinner or breakfast, as we marched at 4 a.m. about twelve miles to Oliphant's Nek, and fought there. We cleared them out of the Pass, and had a rest on Sunday, for which I was duly thankful. The spot we camped in was a delightful one, with beautiful orange groves and ferns. This part of the Transvaal is very delightful much finer than any other I have yet seen. We started on Monday and came back here by a slightly different route, after having marched about 200 miles. We are now being refitted with jackets and boots. The men are at present in rags, and then we go off again. There is, I believe, some chance of our going to China but not very much. I am still extraordinarily well. DETACHED POST, NEAR KRUGERSDORP. August 8th. Just a line to say that I have got letters, cigar- ettes, and papers for which many thanks. I am in detached post, in a small redoubt, awaiting attack. Fearfully cold at night. Strong wind. I am in command of my company at present. No news. This may not reach you. Battle of Lydenberg WELVERDINE. August iqth. We have moved here from Krugersdorp. De Wet is about twenty miles north of us with eight generals after him. I hope they catch him this time. They say he has collected all the different commandos, and now has 7000 men with five guns ; and is short of ammunition and food. Some of his escaped prisoners came in here and say they have been shamefully treated being jamboked to make them go faster. The great mistake they are making here, as far as I can see, is that they leave all the farms and small tenure standing. The result of this is that the Boers have always means of getting fresh supplies. I would burn all the farms in the disaffected parts, and also all the towns which we are not occupying, sending the women and children out to the nearest commando. This would hamper them in their movements, stop the supplies, and in all probability end the war. However, I suppose that Roberts is afraid of people at home kicking up a row. We go on in the afternoon to Friedrichstag and garrison it. I am in splendid health, and enjoying myself as much as can be expected with the discom- fort and cold at night. The fellows in this regi- ment are awfully good fellows. Davis, Duff, Lums- den and Alexander are my greatest friends. We feed well, but stuff is very expensive, and our mess is about us. per day. 57 A Captain of the Gordons The rains are due soon, and we hope to get into tents before then, but doubt this very much. This is a dreadful place just a station no troops but ourselves. Every one is so nice that I have never been homesick, but weary to see you all again. Day after day is the same hot sun, cool wind, frost and bitter cold at night. Very healthy, but trying, living in the open. WELVERDINE, TRANSVAAL. August 20th, 1900. This war seems never-ending. There has been another tremendous chase after De Wet, but as usual he has given every one the slip. The plan was well thought out. Broadwood with the Cavalry, Hart, Smith-Dorrien, Ridley and Clements were to chase him into the barley beside Oliphant's Nek, which you may remember from one of my former letters, we assisted in taking. Everything went all right, and De Wet was covered in the barley, and had only one way of escape, viz. Oliphant's Nek. But De Wet got through, and away north it is thought, to join Botha. It seems to me this war will never end unless each burgher as he comes in to give up his arms, or is caught, is made a prisoner until peace is declared. For instance. The other day a burgher came in to the Staff Office here said he had just come off De Wet's commando, wished to stop fighting and 58 Battle of Lydenberg give up his arms. Roberts' orders are that in such cases the man gets a pass and becomes a free man ; his arms are taken away and he goes about his work as usual, but is warned that if caught again with arms he will be shot. The man gets his farm into order, goes off again, joins a commando, gets another rifle, fights for a time, then comes in and gives himself up to some other staff officer. There is no way of checking this, and it seems to me that the thing will never finish unless some other plan is adopted. As for myself I am in the best of health and spirits. There is a rumour that after the war the regiment stays here for two years. I write every week but you may not get my letters. WELVERDINE, TRANSVAAL. August 2$th, 1900. Since writing last nothing has occurred, except the arrival of the mail. ... I write whenever I can get the chance generally every week. The regiment is split up at present, which we all dislike the left half battalion having gone with a convoy. However, we shall get together again shortly we hope. We shall probably go from here to Pretoria to take part in operations to the north. I got a horse the other day from a Captain Meade, a chap in the Royal Horse Guards a brother of Meade' s and young Duff and I had some good 59 A Captain of the Gordons rides together, one of us borrowing another pony. There is absolutely no news at present, except that I am appallingly fit and enjoying myself. BELFAST. August 28th. P.S. We have come here in a hurry to join Rob- erts, who has Buller, Dundonald and French with him. There is going to be a general advance against Boer position in a day or so, and " Bobs," who was here yesterday talking to the men, says that he thinks this will finish the show. Our 2nd battalion is about five miles from us. HELVETIA, NEAR MACHADORP. Just time for a short note. We have just marched 100 miles under Ian Hamilton. We stormed a position called Paardeplaats along with Buller' s force, near Lydenberg. The Boers had a good many big guns, and the shelling was pretty severe. I shall write a description later when more time We go off again shortly to Kumati Poort, at least we think so. I am in splendid health, and not wearied at all by the marching. The heat is getting much greater, and will get much worse. The chocolate arrived and I enjoyed it very much, and it was very useful on the march. The pipe has 60 Battle of Lydenberg turned up all right, and is an excellent one. Many thanks. NEAR KUMATI POORT. September 20th. We are on the march and have been so for weeks, and are all very tired of it. We have come 800 miles. This will be a short letter, as I have only a very short time to write, as the mail goes off shortly. They generally give us just about an hour's warning about the mail. We marched from Belfast, as I think I wrote before, under Ian Hamilton and Smith-Dorrien, Royal Scots, Royal Irish, ourselves, two five-inch guns, 20th Battery R.F.A. We have come through most wonderful scenery, very mountainous. We got badly shelled by the Boer Long Toms several days, the worst being when in camp in Lydenberg, and the attack on the Paardeplaats on the following day. I got just missed by a pom-pom during the attack. I was leading the company up to attack in flank, and crossing a sky-line they got eight shells into us. I shall write descriptions of the march, country and various engagements when we get to Kumati Poort. At present we rise at 3.45 and march at 5 a.m., and get into camp at about 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I am exceedingly well although the weather is becoming very hot indeed as we are very low down now. 61 A Captain of the Gordons MAALANE STATION (20 MILES WEST OF KUMATI POORT). October jth, 1900. I do not think I have written you at all fully since leaving Lydenberg, and I cannot remember whether I described the attack on Paardeplaats, where we met the 2nd Battalion. We marched into camp at Lydenberg one morning, and got settled down for the day and employed ourselves watching Duller' s column coming along the road. Just as the middle of his convoy was about opposite our camp the shelling began from the crest of a large hill about six miles off. They shelled us with three guns, two 6-inch (Long Toms) and one howitzer from about one o'clock till dark. We paraded next morning just before dawn, and they let us cross the river before doing anything. Then the shelling began again. We extended, and advanced with the Royal Scots on our right front, and Royal Irish to our left flank. I never heard such a row in my life. Our 5-inch guns and Buller's 4.7-inch naval guns were on our left flank firing away like blazes and our batteries of i5-pounders went galloping up the road, one lot to our left front, and another lot to our right rear. After going about two miles, the infantry fire began, and the pom- poms. The noise was deafening our own shells coming over our heads from both flanks, and right in rear. You saw the white smoke of the Long Toms 62 Battle of Lydenberg over the hill, and then, in about thirty seconds, came the boom of the gun. Then you heard the shell beginning to scream, gradually coming nearer and the bursting overhead, and then the swish of the shrapnel bullets as they fell like a shower of rain. The pom-poms make much the worst row of the lot, but are not at all deadly, as they seldom get anybody. If they do hit you, of course you are a goner. They very nearly got me that day, as I was leading my half company over the side of a nullah. I heard the beastly thing go pom pom pom pom pom five times, but thought they were firing to my left, but old M'Kelvie, one of the jocks in my company, who was following immediately behind me, said : " That's for us yins, sir ! " And sure enough, again pom pom pom pom pom pom six more shells, and this time they had the range. There was no use taking cover, as my orders were to get on, so on we went, and just then a battery galloped up to a ridge on my left, and put the thing out of action. Never was better pleased to see a battery in my life ! The Boers retired before we reached the top, and we ran into the Q2nd at the top of the hill. Ian Hamilton's force went back to Lydenberg and Buller went on. It is extremely difficult for an infantry officer on the firing line to give a lucid account of a fight, as one is busy keeping the men at their proper distance, 63 A Captain of the Gordons etc., etc., and just plodding along, seeing very little except the shells bursting and the occasional casualties. The enclosed drawing may guide you.* Well, we continued our march next day, and had a weary time. Reveille at 2.30, breakfast at 3, march at 4 a.m., every day the same thing trudging along in the dark until the dawn came pulling waggons up impossible breakneck places, making fords, mending breakdowns, pulling, marching, sweating with a fearful thirst and an empty water- bottle urging on the weary men hardly able to speak for dust, and a parched tongue cleaving to the roof of your mouth. Camp about 3 in the afternoon no shade from the sun ; lunch or tea, wash, shave, sleep if you can, but generally too hot ; dinner, bed about 7.30 unless you are on picket. This for three solid weeks. It has been the most trying march of the war all say so from Belfast to Komati Poort via Lydenberg. The Guards' Brigade under Pole-Carew were a day's march in front of us the whole way. Now, thank God, we are resting. I was placed with my half company on detach- ment at this station, and other companies scattered down the line at the various stations to Kumati Poort. I was O.C. at Maalane for seven days, and then Dingwall joined me with the other half company which had been on detachment mending a bridge a little further down the line so he is now * See Page 66. 64 Battle of Lydenberg O.C. here. We have a very easy time, just looking after the railways, etc. I had an interview with Kitchener when I was commanding. I went off. ten miles south yesterday patrolling right into Swaziland, and held a great indaba with an old Swazi chief. He received me in state, and before I left solemnly presented me with a fowl and some eggs. The Colonel with five companies is near Kumati Poort, and we expect that shortly they will come up the line, pick us up, and we shall all go on to Pretoria, or perhaps come home. The troops are all to leave this district if possible before the rains, as it is fearfully unhealthy in the rainy season just like the west coast. There is a lot of game about, and I get some shooting I am extremely fit. There was a fearful accident the other day at Kumati Poort an explosion in which we had two men killed and many injured. Davis got knocked over, but not badly hurt, luckily. Accompanying sketch is very rough, but may assist you in under- standing description. v * Kirril .Jibdalt Hdlin Fott Oadweina * imr ' . * / .... -^ ~ I .Eil Dab L4&erHali ^ m Galadi Gumburru Hills Galkayu ^ * WAR AREA SOMALI LAND CAMPAIGN JDtcembcr I9O2 June I9O4-. CHAPTER XII BERBERA BOHOTLE : JANUARY MARCH, IQO3 Berbera Drilling Somali Mounted Infantry Writes Mounted Infantry Drill- Ponies and Camel' Burao Taking of Damot Wells Bohotle. BERBERA, SOMALILAND. January 6th, 1903. Just arrived here. Attached, pending orders, to the Somaliland Mounted Infantry. Advancing shortly. Very well. January gth, 1903. I am having a great time trying to make M.I. soldiers out of Somali levies. They are very rum chaps. I am sending my uniform home to take care of, as it would spoil utterly here. I hope it arrives all right. We have to provide our transport and food here quite different from South Africa. I bought a burden camel this morning, and am going to buy an Arab one for riding, also some ponies. The pay ought to be very good here, but at present we cannot get any, as the War Office have not yet 153 A Captain of the Gordons sent a paymaster out, so I am drawing against Holt. My brother officers are Captain Dickinson, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, and Lieutenant Chichester, Somerset L.I. The climate is very pleasant, but they say there is some fever. A long letter next time. We shall probably advance in about three weeks against the Mullah. January i6th, 1903. I am enjoying myself very much and am exceed- ingly well. We are busy drilling raw Somalis, and I have written a Mounted Infantry Drill for them, with which the C.O. is much pleased. I have got two ponies a grey one and a brown, and one camel. This is, as far as I can make out, a very healthy country especially in the interior. A simultaneous advance is to be made on the Mad Mullah one from " Obbia " which is in Italian territory, and one from here. My brother officers are both exceedingly nice men, and I think good soldiers. The real C.O. is Major Sharpe, but he is at present down with fever, and is staying in the hospital ship. The only thing you might send me is food soup squares, cakes, biscuits, etc., as we have to feed ourselves up country in the Jungle, and have to buy stores here and take them up on our own camels at our own expense. Berbera Bohotle This is different from the Knoll. I am feeling parting with Buffles very much. I shall send home my spools of photos as I finish them. Please send me out fresh ones for No. I Panorama kodak. There is an Italian count here, just come out, a cavalry officer. He dined with me at the Consul's last night, and we had great fun. I taught him to sing, " Good-bye, Dolly, I must leave you," and he was very funny. January 2C)th, 1903. We are busy here training our men. It is hard work, as I am the only one who knows anything about M.I. drill. It is interesting work. We shall go up country in about ten days, I think. We have morning parade at 7 o'clock till 8.30. Afternoon 3.30 to 5, stables 9-6. I just stopped just now to write orders as I am doing the Adjutant's work. The climate is pleasant but hot at night. I have got an Indian tent and am very comfortable. My brother officers are very nice indeed. Pope-Hen- nessey, a subaltern in the Oxford Light Infantry, has arrived in command of the Camel Corps, and he lives with us. Major Sharpe is back again now, but he lives by himself. The great man here is the Consul General Manuel Cordeaux, a very good fellow indeed, and a very able man. I am afraid the Obbia column will see most of the fighting. A Captain of the Gordons Papers will be most welcome. I am trying to get a riding camel, but they are hard to get. BERBERA, ADEN. February $th, 1903. Still going very strong. There is a lot of work to do training the extraordinary Somali. The regi- ment is really becoming quite respectable, and we got great praise from O.C.L. of C., who wrote very favourably about our progress. Major Sharpe, the C.O., also very kindly wrote to the General that the progress was mainly due to my efforts. I like the work, and that makes all the difference. I do not think the advance can be delayed longer than another week or so. We shall then move to Bohotle, about 210 miles south, and wait orders. I do not imagine the fighting will be of a very dangerous character. The climate is perfect. Must close now more next week. BERBERA. February i$th, 1903. Fearfully busy. Marching to front to-morrow. Doing Adjutant's work, so no time to do anything. I have got a splendid servant, who was servant to Colonel Swayne. Lore. Extraordinarily fit. 156 Berbera Bohotle BURAO. February 20th, 1903. This may reach you, but it is not easy sending letters. They are carried by camel-men on fast- trotting camels. We are on our way to Bohotle, where we shall establish connection with the Obbia column. I am now permanently mounted infantry, although I was originally meant for transport. Awfully well. We are 150 strong and four officers. All Somalis. Long letter later. BOHOTLE. March 8th, 1903. Here we are again. I am now permanently M.I. We had a small show the other day taking a place called Damot Wells. Maud, the "Graphic" corre- spondent, made a picture of it, and it will duly appear in the " Weekly Graphic." I am in the picture, and Major Gough, the Staff-Officer. I am very busy, as I am doing really Adjutant as ... I am in the very best of health and spirits. This is a very fine climate, but a bit hot 110-112 in the shade and goodness knows what in the sun. My servant and interpreter is doing well. His name is Abdullah Mohammed. His tribe Habr Tunis. We recruit from three tribes Habr Awal, Habr Tunis, and Dolbahante. They are a curious, wander- ing people, never staying long in one place, but moving about with their camels. The camel A Captain of the Gordons represents money, house, food, everything to the Somali. I have to take down evidence now for court- martial on a deserter, and the mail goes in half-an- hour, so must stop. BOHOTLE. March i^th, 1903. Two nights ago we marched to a place about forty miles from here called Lasakanta Wells, and arriving at dawn, surprised some wretched savages, some of whom we killed. You will see great reports in the papers about fighting out here, but there is no fighting. I am just as safe here as at home. The country is healthy, shooting plentiful, pay excellent, so all goes merrily. Enclosed is a plan showing the general idea, but it's all a very badly run show. X is weak, Z should never be allowed to go near a soldier. Chichester is a good fellow, and backs me up. I suppose at the end X will get a Brevet, and Z a D.S.O. Oh my ! The work interests me, and I am enjoying myself thoroughly. The absence of water is the chief difficulty here but, although bad, enteric is unknown. 158 & 'ohotle *j NJ ^. Damot Q S! Y 5 Galadi Obbia 159 GALADI BERA March 30^, 1903 June yd, 1903 CHAPTER XIII GALADI-BERA : MARCH JUNE, IQ03 Joined General Manning's Column at Galkayu Wells- Galadi Fight with the Mullah's men described in extract from " Daily Telegraph". Egato, near Galadi Disaster. Bera Commanding all the S.M.I, on the southern side Games GALADI , SOMALI LAND. March ^oth, 1903. I HAVE now an opportunity of writing, as Maud, the " Graphic " correspondent, is going home, and he can take the letter. Chichester and I were sent here with seventy men to j oin Manning' s column . We suffered considerably from want of water on the way, and found the col- umn at Galkayu Wells. We then came on here about seventy miles due west with the mounted troops under Major Kenna, whom I know well. We were supposed to fight here, but we have had no fighting, nor, as far as I can see, are we likely to have. No doubt the papers will report fully, but that is all rot. This is the very worst run show you could possibly conceive. They want to shove along much faster 163 A Captain of the Gordons than they do. We might all be at home at present for all the good we are doing here. We are a curious mixture, the mounted troops : One detachment, the 6oth Rifles, M.I. One detachment Boer M.I. One detachment Punjab M.I. (Indians), and one detachment Somali M.I. All sorts and conditions. I am in extrordinary good health. Bad water does not seem to affect me in the least. Sometimes the sun is a bit strong if we march through the heat of the day. It is a beastly country, thorn scrub, rocks, and sand and no running water. I am supposed to be a transport officer, but am, as you may see, with the M.I. Transport is an awful job looking after camels. It is hard to write, as there is a beastly wind blowing. Note. There is no further letter until April gih, in which David says : " I had a little fight the other day, and had my horse wounded." The actual facts were first known through the medium of " The Daily Telegraph," from which the following is copied. EXTRACT FROM " THE DAILY TELEGRAPH " (April 2yd, 1903). (Through " Renter's Agency ") GALADI, April n^th (via ADEN, April 2ist). " On the 2nd Colonel Cobbe started with two companies of the ist King's African Rifles, and one 164 Galadi Bera company of the 2nd battalion under Captain Llewellyn, and twenty men of the Somali Mounted Infantry under Lieutenant Miller, to operate to the south of Colonel Plunket towards Gerlogubi. After marching fifty miles, he got word of a party of spear- men with stock. The mounted troops under Lieu- tenant Miller at once pushed ahead, and, surrounding the bush where the enemy were reported to be, charged in, shooting from their horses at the enemy dodging in and out of the bush. Lieutenant Miller himself charged a part of the enemy, killing eight and having his horse speared under him." EGATO, NEAR GALADI, SOMALI LAND. April gth, 1903. Parcels most acceptable, as food is very scarce and any luxury a great treat. I had a little fight the other day, and had my horse wounded. Colonel Cobbe, under whom I was acting, told me he had sent in my name to the Gen- eral. ... I am in great health and spirits. In my opinion this show is an awful bauchle. I have just finished " Wee MacGregor," and en- joyed it immensely. I think it is one of the best of its kind I have read. Hits off the class to a " T." Could you send me some books cheap paper books, as one generally reads through the heat of the day, and I have no books except " Wee MacGregor." A lot of letters, parcels and papers are bound to get 165 A Captain of the Gordons lost out here, as the postal arrangements are quite uncertain. Buffles seems to be having lively times, and to be costing some money, but that is not his fault. I am gazetted for transport, but acting with M.I. for the good of the service. How long this show may go on it is impossible to say, but I do not think for very much longer unless the country is prepared to spend a lot more money. GALADI. April 2ist, 1903. There has been a disaster here just what might have been expected from the way the show is run. Poor Chichester was killed, but not in the bad show in a skirmish. We galloped out with Major Kenna to relieve Colonel Cobbe, who was in great difficulties after the disaster. I shall write a long account to you later, but they only give us about ten minutes' warning about a mail, and at present my hands are full with wounded men and ponies. You may take for granted this will not occur again, but what Manning will do now beats me. 166 Galadi Bera Disaster as under : TO I, 2, 3, 4. MULLAH'S MEN. A. COLONEL PLUNKETT'S 200 MEN AND 9 OFFICERS. (40 men escaped. Officers all killed.) Do not let this alarm you at all. I am very well, but sad about so many good fellows being killed. Between S.A. and this I am tired of killing and being killed. Long account at first opportunity. I telegraphed to-day, " Safe and flourishing," but I do not know if it will reach you. BERA. May qth, 1903. There has been another show on the other side. Cough's column. A good many casualties, I fear. They seem to have done well, especially the Bikaneer Camel Corps. I have not been in any of these unhappy shows, thereby losing both chance of glory and of being killed. I am in the very best of health and expect to be back at Bohotle shortly. 167 A Captain of the Gordons Major Kenna, commanding the mounted troops, "has asked me to be his staff officer at least pro tern., and I shall do what I can, at the same time running my own show. Some hard work ahead, I expect. I should like to be at the Knoll, well out of this beastly country. No place for a white man this. There is a young woman out here shooting, I believe Lady Constance M'Kenzie. She is at Sheikh. This may turn out another interminable cam- paign like the S.A. war. I am sure I hope not. Please send me papers, as I have nothing to read. How is Buffles ? It must be very pretty at home just now. It is possible, if the campaign continues, in the autumn one might get a few weeks' leave ; in which case, regardless of expense, I shall come home. BERA. May 28th, 1903. I have not written for some time as there has been no opportunity. I am kept pretty busy as I am commanding all the Somali M.I. on this side (southern side), and as they are the only people who can do any scouting at all I am going most of the time. It is useless going into the causes of the failure of this ill-fated expedition, or laying the blame at any particular door, but the speeches in Parliament are mostly very far from the point, and many of the statements made there very far from accurate. 168 Galadi Bera The use of a man-stopping bullet, whether hollow or dum-dum, is, in my opinion, absolutely necessary in savage war, more especially where, as in bush country, the fire area is exceedingly limited. Savages do not take long to rush over 150-200 yards of open ground, and in that space they must be stopped. If the modern thin bullet be used, large numbers, although hit slightly and severely, are bound to reach the point of fire, and are as dangerous in their wounded condition as if uninjured. On the other hand the man-stopping bullet on impact and expansion causes such a tremendous shock that it is probable no man, even if only wounded in a fleshy part, would for some minutes be capable of continuing his rush. As a matter of fact, the large proportion of Plunkett's force were supplied with hollow-nosed bullets. As regards the strategy of the campaign, the advance from Obbia was, I think, a very question- able move, and much better results would have been obtained by a well-equipped series of operations from a line with Bohotle as its centre, extending east and west by the Nogal Valley. To enter into details would require a map, and much writing. As regards the tactics of the campaign, the advance from Obbia was, from the beginning, carried out in what appears to the observing officer a tactically dangerous manner due possibly to the great difficulties of transport and water supply. That the difficulties were great is certain that 169 A Captain of the Gordons these difficulties could have been foreseen and over- come so that an efficient force could have ultimately met the Mullah in the field, is not for me to say, but must be left to the careful consideration of the officers who control the movement of troops in the field. Whatever the cause, the end of the campaign, if this is the end, sees us in a very difficult position, and if the troops on these lines of communication are withdrawn to Bohotle without further disaster or loss, it will be a matter of great congratulation. If the Mullah is left in his present strength I do not see how Bohotle can be permanently held not that a fairly strong garrison would not be able to withstand his attacks, but the running of the convoys with supplies to the garrison would naturally be attended with the greatest danger; and with the withdrawal of troops any expedition to the relief of Bohotle, if so beleaguered, would only be under- taken with insufficient force, with the probable result that the entire line from Bohotle to Sheikh would fall an easy prey to the enemy. These, however, are melancholy forebodings, and things may brighten up. Great love. I have not received a mail for some weeks. BERA. June yd, 1903. Here I am still at Bera, running convoys to Galadi ; not a pleasant job. The old Mullah is keeping 170 Galadi Bera quiet, praise be to God. Long may he remain so. The sooner I am out of this beastly hole the better I shall be pleased. I have sent no photos home as have no means of packing them. I am exceedingly well and in good spirits. Papers and books have arrived, and are a great thing, as one has nothing to read here at all. I enclose programme of sports we had here to while away the time. I am taking lessons in Hindustani from a Eurasian hospital assistant, but don't make much progress. PROGRAMME OF GAMES BERA, SOMALILAND, June ^rd, 1903. Under the Gracious Patronage of His Madness The Mullah Mohammed Abdullah, Herman Hag and Staff. EVENTS. 3.30 p.m. i. Officers' Pony Jumping Competition. Capt. Pressey (?) (2nd Sikhs) . . . . " Unknown " Owner. Mr. White (K.R.R.C.) " Kangaroo " Mr. Kelly ,, . . " Drumscree " Mr. H. (R.A.M.C.) . . " Vlockuski " Mr. Miller (Gordon High- landers) . . . . " Asker " 2. 100 Yards Flat Race for W.O.'s and Ser- geants, ist Prize, Box Navy Cut Tobacco. 171 A Captain of the Gordons 4 p.m. 3. Kohans Flat Race, with Dhurkas, ist Prize 4 Rs. 4. Obstacle Race (2nd Sikhs), ist Prize 5 Rs. ; 2nd Prize 3 Rs. 5. Lloyd-Lindsay Competition (K.R.R.C.), ist Prize, 8 Rs. Pony Race, bare-backed (S.M.I.), ist Prize, 5 Rs. Food and Cooking Race (2nd Sikhs), ist Prize 4 Rs. ; 2nd Prize, 2 Rs. Boot Race (K.R.R.C.), ist Prize, 5 Rs. ; 2nd Prize, 3 Rs. Flat Race (K.R.R.C.), ist Prize, 5 Rs. ; 2nd Prize, 3 Rs. Flat Race (2nd Sikhs), ist Prize, 5 Rs. ; 2nd Prize, 3 Rs. Flat Race (S.M.I.), ist Prize, 4 Rs. ; 2nd Prize, 2 Rs. Mule Race (L.M.B.), ist Prize. To be contested Monday, June 2nd. By kind permission of Captain Pressey (2nd Sikhs) the Band of the Sweepers will be in attend- ance (by kind permission of the Sweepers). 172 BURAO BOHOTLE July Jth, 1903 December 242/6, 1903 CHAPTER XIV BURAO-BOHOTLE I JULY 7 DECEMBER 24, 1903 Arrival at Burao after marching without a Halt since June 9 Gabatu El Hinar Oadweina Description of March across the Haud' Kirrit' Burao Eil Dab Bohotle. BURAO. July jth, 1903. Just arrived here from Galadi. Mail just leaving. Very well. Been marching without a halt since June gth. I had small fight, one man killed. Somalis quite plucky. GABATU. July 20th, 1903. Just a line to say I am well and going strong. The books are arriving all right, and I am reading them, as now I have a short rest from the trekking. We are here grazing the ponies. They have made me Adjutant of the S.M.I., so I have plenty to do, although we are not marching. When I have time I shall write you a long letter. A Captain of the Gordons GABATU. July 2jth, 1903. I am getting lots of parcels of chocolate and soup squares. Do not send any more chocolate till I let you know, as I have a lot stored up, and the heat melts it. I am trying to unravel this tangled skein of Somali M.I. Between changing officers and one thing and another they have got into a nice mess when I was away on the Galadi side. I am engaged in counting and selecting ponies buying Somali ponies and Abyssinian ponies, and counting saddles, bits, reins, clothing, etc., all mixed up in an inex- tricable mess. Egerton has turned up, I believe, and is at Sheikh. They say he is a very sound man. I hope he is. Your story is a splendid one quite one of the best I have ever read and has been much appre- ciated by many officers out here. I am in perfect health. When this beastly show will be over I cannot conceive anyhow I will not get any leave, as they have made me Adjutant, and whoever goes I won't. I had a letter the other day from Simpson, the Adjutant of the Q2nd. They are up in the Murree Hills for the hot weather with two companies in the plains. Glad I am not there. Now I have to make up returns for the regiment, so good-bye. 176 Burao Bohotle EL HINAR. August yd, 1903. I hear there is some chance of a show on the frontier later on, but if possible I shall come home even for a month, although the passage is very expen- sive. They may second me again of course, in which case I may not go to India at all, but back to the ist battalion. However, it is useless to speculate. I may be in China for all I know. I am glad Buffles is not troublesome, as he is a bit of a warrior when properly roused. I have taken many photos, but have no proper means of despatch- ing them home. This letter will first go by a S.M.I. Sepoy for thirty miles, then on a camel for 120 miles, then across the Gulf in a beastly little steamer to Aden, and so home. EL HINAR. August gth, 1903. We have a rumour here that the Mullah has crossed to Arabia, and is leaving the Sultan here to carry on the show, but we think this is the merest sham. We have a lot of new officers a Captain Far- quhar, Coldstream Guards, and a Lt. Smith, D.C.L.I., both good fellows. We have also a wild Irishman, a doctor called O'Grady, full of life and fun. At present one letter per week is my maximum, and that, of course, is home. M 17? A Captain of the Gordons If this show lasts a year I am almost certain to get a couple of months' leave at the end of that time provided the show is over. A lot of fellows have got leave, but it is all sick leave, and I am so beastly healthy that I daren't try any of these games on. The books are a great blessing. OADWEINA. August i6th, 1903. Papers, books, etc., arrive now regularly. We are simply shifting about from place to place in search of water and grazing. This is about eight miles from El Hinar, where I last wrote from, and about forty miles due west of Burao. I do not know when they will advance, but I expect soon that is, in about one month. I never wrote you about the finish up on the southern side, and the fear-stricken flight across the Haud, but will do so when I have the spirit moving me. They started by stealing out of Galadi at dead of night, left me sitting there with twenty-five S.M.I, till next day, as a kind of bait I imagine, and so it was every day for the whole of these twenty-nine horrible days. When the attack was supposed to be coming from behind, then I had to wait eight miles behind, when from in front, then I was six to eight miles in front with my Somalis. I suppose it was neces- sary in a way to have a kind of bait, but it was a 178 Burao Bohotle most trying experience, as, if an attack had come, I was bound to be cut off and destroyed, my strag- glers conveying the news to the column. I stuck it out all right, but am not, I think, quite what I was. Had I had another white man with me it would not have been such a strain, but I was alone with notably uncertain troops right out of touch, each day more and more certain that the almost certain attack would come. I am in excellent health. I am taking photos., but have no means of sending them home, and fear they may spoil. Had a long letter from General Spens from Aden. He is on his way to Jubblepore. KIRRIT. August 30th, 1903. This place is about five miles N. of Garrero. I get books and papers regularly, also this week shortbread and cake a great treat. Things are quiet and I have little news, and also am rather tired but in best health. Very sleepy. Note. A telegram was sent to David to come home " Leave indispensable Health. Telegraph." KIRRIT. September i^th, 1903. When I got your telegram I thought you were all dead such expense B'Gosh ! 179 A Captain of the Gordons Tell the Governor. . . . I had a row with . . . but have raised the whole of the X X X in consequence. I am ably backed up, however, by ... (it's getting dark). I caught some people the other day, and was thanked in orders by General Egerton. I am as fit as fit and as fat as fat. I have not had a soda for eight months, and very little whiskey, but milk (camel's), and meat (fat), and chupaties and nasty tin stuffs. I am having a very good time and expect to be home in four months. BURAO. September 28th, 1903. I am here at present recruiting trying to get this show together again. The men, who were stupidly treated by ... deserted, and the whole thing went to pieces. He tried his tricks on with me, so I resigned the adjutancy. I am now commanding a wing, and there is to be no adjutant. The governor asks me for my daily routine. Well, I live here in a thing called a " goingi " or hut made of rushes. I get up about 5 a.m., then I see any men who wish to see me, and draw rations. Then I go to Colonel Cobbe's hut (I live with him) for breakfast. Then I do my writing, then I have some tea or coffee and a biscuit. In the afternoon various things turn up, and at 5.30 I see recruits. Then, when the sun sets, I regard the day as over, 1 80 Burao Bohotle and have my first drink. I have always made a point, in hot countries, of never drinking till the sun has disappeared. Then I wander about and see people I know, and ask questions, and generally fool about. I get to bed about 9.30. My troop ponies are grazing sixty miles away at Wadango. My establishment of servants is a terrible trouble and expense. My cook gets 40 Rs. (some fellows have to pay as much as 60) a most ridiculous price, as he is a beastly bad cook. My man gets 30 Rs., and my small boy 10 Rs. You see, one must get a man who can speak English or Hindustani, and these Somalis (greediest people on earth) take every advantage of this. The second rains are on here now. They come as a rule every evening about 6 p.m., and last about three hours very heavy. EIL DAB. October 2$th, 1903. I was out on a reconnaissance a few days ago, up the Nogal valley : saw nothing. It is a fine country, rather mountainous, and very much like S.A., except that there is low bush instead of grass. We got soaking wet, as we struck three days' rain, and we had no change of clothes. I am in good health. I have had very little luck shooting, but have got two good deer-heads, and some dik-dik. I shall probably lose them as I 181 A Captain of the Gordons lose everything out here. I have lost my inter- preter and right-hand man, Abdullah a great loss. He has gone back to Swayne. Things political are quite amusing out here. Ax and Bx fight like cat and dog and Egerton looks on in amusement. I shall send photos., but just at the moment they are astray. The photos, of the dog and people were very good. The handkerchiefs were a great treat, and the red one attracted shouts of laughter and delight from my men. A long letter next time. BOHOTLE. November jth, 1903. Here I am again ! We are off at 12 o'clock to-night to Damot to see if we can catch anybody. Much more likely to be caught ourselves. I am still commanding my wing of S.M.I., and have got a very good lot of men. We must finish this show soon as the water is giving out all round, and the second rains seem to be over. The best map you can get to watch the operations is the War Office map of " A portion of Somali- land." I just missed seeing S. the other day. He came into Wadango one night, and I marched out the following morning. I hear he is fit, and going strong. He is with a mule convoy. He has had a lot of experience in this kind of work, I hear. The nights are now getting very cold, but the days are hot. Farquhar has been off getting remounts. 182 CAMEL CORPS. SOMALILAND. [Face page 183. Burao Bohotle BOHOTLE. November 2$th, 1903. We are back from Damot, and I expect will be stuck here for some time. I am sending by this post five spools of photos., and trust they will come out all right, but I am afraid some of them are rather old. I hear S. is in here, so shall probably see him. He has been changed from mules to camels. I am in great health and spirits. BOHOTLE. December 2nd, 1903. Getting near to Christmas again. I wonder where I shall spend my next one ? We are very quiet here. I think Egerton is going to do his show with Indian troops as much as pos- sible. There has been friction between the Indian and African officials not a good thing at all, and the Indian troops are by way of getting angry; personally I think with some cause. We had as good a show as possible on St. Andrew's Day, but we have few luxuries. A cake of soap every fortnight would be of great use as I am constantly running short. My great pal here is Farquhar of the Coldstreams a most excellent fellow. We live together, a small mess of two, and have great trouble with our Somali cooks, and Somali " boys." The gloomy December days are with you now, I suppose, but 183 A Captain of the Gordons here is the eternal sun and glowering sky, and the haze and the hot smells. I am in excellent health. I think every one has had something wrong with them except me. BOHOTLE. December qth, 1903. A Merry Christmas. I am in best health, and going strong. I am just going to have lunch, viz. rice, and scraggy meat, and oh, such very bad tea. I hope .... is not disappointing. The top of the ladder is, I imagine, reached by climbing round the broken steps. Those whose arms are strong reach the top. I expect we may go to Galadi from here, and in that case letters will be impossible. If we go to Galadi we shall see the Abyssinians, which will be interesting. You might send some buns and stuff for Christmas, and a plum-pudding. They say this show will be over in two months. A Merry Christmas to all friends. BOHOTLE. December njth, 1903. I am in the best of health, and going very strong. We are still here waiting for the advance. The Abyssinians are due shortly at Galadi. I have little news. 184 Bur ao Bohotl e BOHOTLE. December 2$th, 1903. I have written an article. I have written it hurriedly necessarily so. Most of it was written sitting under a bush on grazing ground. Two officers here, one who was in S.A., and one who was not, have read it, and both think it very good, and extraordinarily accurate. Of one thing I am certain, soldiers will read it with interest. The bitter feeling in the regular army on the subject dealt with cannot be exaggerated, and I think the article will be welcomed by all soldiers. I have cut down description as much as possible, as the S.A. war has already been fully described. I am full of health. The cakes have not yet arrived. We get no parcels now, as the transport is all required for ordinary rations. 185 THE TWO EDITORS The Article referred to in previous Letter CHAPTER XV THE TWO EDITORS By ANYBODY " Ye hindered and hampered and crippled ; ye Thrust out of sight and away Those that would serve you for honour, and Those that served you for pay." KIPLING. " Five Nations," p. 134. THE Editor of a Great Paper sat in his own special easy chair, after his own specially good dinner, smoking his own special brand of cigar. A dainty cup of coffee stood on a natty little table by his side. As this important person gently puffed his cigar his face became ever and anon wreathed in satis- fied little smirks. These smirks were indicative of work well done, followed by a good dinner slowly digesting, assisted by a comfortable chair and a cheery fire. This Editor was reflecting on a particularly good and scathing article he had himself penned with his own great editorial hand that day. He gave a short laugh, and smiled reflectively at the golden spirit in his liqueur glass. The article had been on a subject always well received by all classes and sure to be specially well received when written by so 189 A Captain of the Gordons able and convincing a hand as his own. His subject had been " The Shortcomings of an Army," as exem- plified in that ignorant, lazy and luxurious person the British Officer. It was the second article of a series which he was writing. Word pictures of British Officers having luxurious baths in luxurious tents of British Officers leaving their regiments in the field and having " sprees " in Cape Town of British Officers having concerts in camp, while their men either did or did not go on picket as they felt inclined. " I should like to see for myself," murmured the Great Man gently. " I think I can be of some use," said a Voice. Our Editor sat up with a start in his own special easy chair. Standing by his chair and gently smiling was a dapper little man with singularly clear eyes. The Editor gazed inquiringly at this apparition. " Yes, I wished to see you," said the Little Man. " You are a great writer, a fine scholar, and a power for good or evil in this land. It is my business to see such as you. You are writing a series of articles on The British Officer. You wish, I understand, to actually see this monstrosity on the field, so that your third and final article may give him shall we say ? the coup-de-grace ? Very well, then you must come with me. Nay, there will be no trouble, and you will be at the office at the usual hour to- morrow morning. You wish to know who I am ? I am the Editor of a Greater Paper than yours. 190 The Two Editors I am the Editor of Truth not the sixpenny edition published in this city but Truth which men have been looking for, for many years, at the bottom of a well. " What place is this ? " asked the Editor. " This," replied the Little Man, " is Cape Town." " And what," said the Editor, " is that collection of tents ? " " That is a Rest Camp, consisting of details of different regiments. Mostly foot-sore and weary men," said the Little Man. " Who is that very pale young man walking about ? " asked the Editor. " One of the officers in charge of these details. He was sick and has been sent back here to rest," said the Little Man. " He should be in his bed," said the Editor (a kindly soul). " He must assist the other officers, who are all more or less feeble. All fit officers are required at the Front. He has been discharged from hospital some time," said the Little Man. " Well, I hope he has plenty of port wine and luxuries. He looks pretty bad," said the Editor. " He has 80 a year from his father and cannot afford to buy port wine," said the Little Man. " He draws his rations and buys such tinned foods as he can afford." 191 A Captain of the Gordons " Oh ! " said the Editor. " What is that large building ? " asked the Editor. " That is the Mount Nelson Hotel," replied the Little Man. " Let us go into the dining-room and see them feed." " There," exclaimed the Editor, " is an officer ! " " The Senior Medical Officer of Cape Town dining with a local magnate," replied the Little Man. " There are no more officers," said the Editor. " No," said the Little Man. " That man over there is enjoying himself," cried the Editor, pointing to the back view of a stout gentleman laughing heartily over his champagne. " Yes," said the Little Man. " That gentleman has been staying here for some months. That is your correspondent." " Damn ! " said the Editor. The rain fell in torrents blasts of cold wind fell at intervals it was very dark. " Who are these two men ? " asked the Editor. " An officer and a corporal visiting sentries. This is the picket line," replied the Little Man. ' They must be very wet," said the Editor. " Yes," said the Little Man. " There has been a lot of rain lately. Their clothes have not been properly dry for four days." " Where does the officer sleep ? " asked the Editor, looking round for a tent. 192 The Two Editors " There," replied the Little Man, pointing to a small waterproof sheet and a blanket lying in a little puddle of water. " He can't sleep there ! " cried the Editor. " He will," replied the Little Man. " Look at that man, standing up there," said the Editor. " His coat is all ragged." " That is a sentry," said the Little Man. " He will die of exposure," said the Editor. " Perhaps," said the Little Man. " He hopes not. There will be an action to-morrow morning." " They cannot fight well, all wet like that ! " said the Editor. " Yes, they can. They will follow their officers," said the Little Man. " All these pickets seem very well placed," said the Editor. " I could not pass through without being seen." " That is the business of an officer," said the Little Man. " They know what to do. The officer com- manding this battalion has been on active service for the last seven years." " What are they ? " asked the Editor. " Regular Infantry," replied the Little Man. " You wrote about them in your last article." " Yes," said the Editor. " And I said they knew nothing." " I know you did," replied the Little Man. 193 A Captain of the Gordons " Who are these people on that ridge ? " asked the Editor. " These are Boers," replied the Little Man. " They seem uncertain what to do," said the Editor. " They appear to be quarrelling amongst themselves." " They're in a bit of a fix," replied the Little Man, " and each man thinks his own way the best. They have no discipline." " I thought that was a good thing," said the Editor. " No discipline no red tape." " I know you did," said the Little Man. " These Boers," continued the Little Man, " were surprised this morning at dawn by a column under Snooks (three regiments of Regular Cavalry). He left his baggage and crossed sixty miles in twenty- two hours, carrying two days' provisions on the horse and man. Burghers' ponies are dead beat, and they see Snooks' dust in the distance." " But I said in my last article that the Boers could walk round our people, and that our cavalry were the laughing-stock of Europe," said the Editor. " Yes," said the Little Man. " Let us go over and stand amongst the Brethren." The Editor took up his position on the highest point of the kopje, nowhere very high, but long : loose stones everywhere, with here and there a large boulder. There were three Boers just beside him. One, a very dark man dressed in breeches, 194 The Two Editors home-made canvas gaiters and an old threadbare Norfolk jacket, was clearing his foresight with his thumbnail. Another was a small wiry man, with an unwholesome-looking tallow face and a scraggy beard, wearing curious-looking trousers tied with string at the knee. The third was a buck nigger carrying two rifles. Just below them, cunningly placed, were their ponies held by a child. The Editor looked round. There were many Burghers. Parts of the Bethel, Ermelo, and Caro- lina Commandos were there. Great care had been taken by all to place the ponies out of sight, and at the same time to keep them handy. The Little Man pointed to the ponies " Their strength and their weakness," he said. " The moral effect of being able to gallop off at any moment has been fatal many times to the plans of their commanders. Had they had fewer ponies, been, in fact, less of an entirely mobile force, the aspect of the war might have worn at one time a strangely different complexion. The march from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg was full of instances of what I say." " I thought," said the Editor, " that from the beginning we learned from the Boers how to wage war." " Ay," said the Little Man, " and how not to wage war." The Editor looked thoughtful. The Editor felt the hot afternoon sun, and the 195 A Captain of the Gordons glare off the long stretch of open veldt in front hurt his eyes. He felt the hot smell of rifle-oil from the rifles held by the nigger (they were beautifully clean), and the foul smell of sweating, filthy men. Suddenly the red-bearded man fired. The big man was looking through his glasses. " Close up, Right ! " said he. " What range ? " "850," replied Red-Beard. " What is that ? " asked the Editor. " Getting the range of that big boulder in front," replied the Little Man. " They watch for the dust of the bullet." This was war. A cloud of dust was now just visible to the Editor a long way off. " How did our people know where to find these people ? They seem to trek where they please, without any base. The country is vast," said the Editor. " The Intelligence," replied the Little Man. " I said we had no Intelligence," said the Editor. " I know you did," replied the Little Man. " Have these glasses," said he. The Editor looked, and the distance seemed to leap in towards him. He saw a lot of men standing by their horses. The British cavalry had halted. Then far in advance of these he picked out a solitary man mounted. Then he saw another. There were a lot of these solitary men. " What are these.? " asked the Editor. 196 The Two Editors " The screen," replied the Little Man. " Our people have all halted," said the Editor. " Some of them," replied the Little Man. " Snooks detached one regiment at dawn. They are over there now," pointing away over the shining, shimmer- ing veldt to the left rear of the Boer position. The Editor looked. There was nothing to be seen. " Do the Burghers know that ? " he asked. " No," replied the Little Man. " I thought they always knew these things, and led our people into traps ? " said the Editor. " I know you did," replied the Little Man simply. The Little Man pointed to a line of blue hills away in the far distance on the right. " Look," said he, " watch the hills." And the Editor, watching, saw a very curious thing. A light, as of a great match, had been lit, flickered halfway up the range, so it seemed ; flickered, and went out. Then it flickered again, and suddenly a bright, steady light shone out and it began to twinkle. " God's Truth," cried the Editor, " what's that ? " " Heliograph," replied the Little Man. " Brum- mington with a battalion of guards and two M.I. battalions." " They are very opportune," said the Editor. " They were sent there," said the Little Man. ; ' Who sent them ? " asked the Editor. " K," replied the Little Man. 197 A Captain of the Gordons " Do our people over there," pointing to the cavalry, " know that the Boers are here ? " asked the Editor. " No, they can see nothing," replied the Little Man. " But the Brigadier knows, of his experience, that this is a likely place." Just then the Editor saw about twenty of the Brethren, leading their ponies, sneak round the right of the kopje into an underfeature, which ran towards the British, at right angles to the Boer position. " Watch ! " said the Little Man. The Boers crept along until well into the under- feature. Then they mounted and galloped, finally halting, still concealed, to the left flank of the British scouts. The scouts went slowly past. The Boer Commandant grinned. " What is the idea ? " asked the Editor. " They will snipe the main body of British, and try to draw them off to the right, thus exposing their right flank to the main lot here as they swing round," said the Little Man. " Bless me ! " cried the Editor. Suddenly there was a crackle of firing from the direction of the Boer decoy. The next thing the Editor saw was the Boer party galloping wildly back to the kopjes followed by the bullets of the " Screen " who were now dismounted and firing. All the Brethren did not come back. " A squadron was covering the underfeature. Snooks did not like the dead ground," explained 198 The Two Editors the Little Man. " Boer position clean given away now." The Boer Commandant cursed. " They must be regulars," he said. " Covered everywhere." The Editor gazed at him. Here was a quaint thing ! The " Screen " was still advancing. Several Boers, perhaps better dressed than the others, were arguing together. " Commandants disagreeing," explained the Little Man. Many of the Brethren also joined the argument, shouting from where they lay. " Ah," said the Editor. " Independence in the field ! A great thing." The Little Man said nothing. So intent were the Boers on their dispute that they did not notice a thin column of dust away to the left rear. " Hardy with the 22nd Lancers. They will come straight for this kopje. Snooks got their light ten minutes ago," explained the Little Man. The cavalry in front had now closed with the scouts, and were advancing dismounted with about twenty yards' extension. The horses remained behind out of range of the kopje. The Boers opened fire. The British were all lying down. Hardly a movement could be seen in the grass. The Boers went on firing. Still the smell of hot oil, of sweating men, the sickening, head-achy smell of cordite. Red-beard was moistening his lips ; 199 A Captain of the Gordons he seemed thirsty. The British ran forward again. Suddenly a sharp fire came from the right front. That d d squadron again. They had forgotten all about them with their arguments. The cavalry in front opened fire. The Editor heard the sharp double report of the -303, and the winging whisper of the bullets. Red-beard was hit. He rolled over on his back. His mouth was full of dirt. He was dead. Suddenly a loud shouting. Boers got up and ran about. Every one shouted orders. Men fell thickly. All was confusion. The 22nd Lancers were in action in rear with two colt guns. " Let's get out of it ! " Many were captured, many were killed, many got away to the right. A lot of British were killed : two officers. The sun still shone. The grass waved about. A little bird chirped near the Editor. The horses were taken to water at a Vlay. " Wonderful ! " said the Editor. " I thought it was only Colonials who could do such things." " Yes, I know you did," said the Little Man. Away to the right, where the flying burghers had gone " Boom ! Boom ! " " Brummington's guns ! " said the Little Man. What is this ? " asked the Editor A small railway station," replied the Little 200 The Two Editors Man. " You can see the blockhouse line running along the railway." The Editor looked and saw that strange sight which those who saw it will never forget. As far as the eye could see on either side of the little station, close to the railway line, were little summer-house- looking erections connected by an enormously strong wire fence. It looked, for all the world, like the fence on one side of a paddock for keeping in wild and dangerous beasts. And so it was. " Who are these ? " asked the Editor, pointing. " That is the column you saw in action to-day," replied the Little Man. " They will remain here to-night and join up with their transport and infantry to-morrow. There is the Brigadier and his staff," pointing to a small group. " Let us go over and hear what they are saying." A small man, somewhat dirty and unshaven, was sitting on the ground with a blanket over his knees. (There was a keen wind.) Next him sat a young fellow, also much bedraggled, with a similar blanket. Other two men sat close by. " Sorry we've run so short, sir," the young man was saying. " We've been out a bit longer than I expected." " That's all right," said the Brigadier, who had just dined off half a tin of kippered herrings and a ration biscuit, with the tiniest drop of whisky (the last drop) to wash it down. " The men, poor devils, can't have anything at all. This is the third day. 2OI A Captain of the Gordons Can't cany more than two days, horses won't stand it. They're knocked up as it is. The looth Hussars are awful." " Dear me ! " said the Editor. " This is dreadful. They should have good food after such frightful fatigue." " They're used to it," replied the Little Man. " But," exclaimed the Editor, " I said in my last article that the regulars insisted on carrying all sorts of luxuries, and that the column commanders did not back K. up, but hampered him in every way." " Listen," said the Little Man. A sapper from the telegraph office in the station handed a telegram to'the A.D.C. " What is it ? " asks the Brigadier. " Chief," says the A.D.C. " Read it," says the Brigadier. His voice sounded a trifle weary. " ' Dated Pretoria lyth, Your G. 182. Much disappointed so many escaped stop. You should be more vigorous stop. Cannot understand your request for more remounts. Ends.' ' !> What is this ? " asked the Editor. " Portion of a letter to your firm from your correspondent in Cape Town," replied the Little Man. The Editor reads " It will interest you, I know, to hear that our old friends the Regulars have 202 The Two Editors been at it again. Brigadier Snooks with a column consisting of three regular cavalry regiments attempted to follow up a Commando. He was, however, unable to go at more than a snail's pace, so hampered was the column with officers' baggage, pianos, etc. The Boers nearly all escaped, but I believe many were afterwards captured by a regi- ment of our splendid Colonials. It seems that the O.C. of this regiment, hearing of Snooks' failure, dashed out on his own initiative, covering an enormous distance in a short time. Compare this with the indolence of the regulars ! " " Any truth in this about the Colonials going out ? " asked the Editor. " No," said the Little Man. " A Cape Town canard." " I trusted this man," said the Editor. " I know you did," replied the Little Man. The Editor was watching a M.I. battalion scouting ahead of a column. There was some sniping on the left flank. A small party detached itself from the main body of the battalion, and cantered sharply towards the firing. They were going apparently directly towards the Scouts, but when close up, they suddenly changed direction and nipped round a small kopje at top speed. " Tock-Futt," " Tock-Futt," " Tock-Futt," went the Mausers. 203 A Captain of the Gordons " Bagged two of 'em," said the O.C. " They can't get away ! Well done, Jones ! " " That was smart," said the Editor. " Who are these ? " " One of the newly-raised M.I. battalions, formed of companies drawn from the infantry regiments out here. Six weeks' training," replied the Little Man. " Six weeks ! " cried the Editor. " But surely they had some previous training in mounted work ? " " No. Many of them are Reservists, straight from butchers' and bakers' shops. Never been on a horse in their lives." " Who trained them ? " cried the Editor. " British Officers," replied the Little Man. Shrill screams of steam whistles, strong smell of grease, hoarse cries cries of meeting trucks. " A junction," said the Little Man. A tired-looking young officer is standing on the platform talking to a " dour " looking man in civilian clothes. " Line clear yet for the Armament trains ? " asks the officer. ' Very nearly," says the man sulkily. ' The Railway Staff Officer and a Dutch station- master," says the Little Man. " Oh ! A Royal Engineer officer, I suppose ? " said the Editor. 204 The Two Editors " No," replied the Little Man. " Infantry of the line. Wounded in the knee. Can't march very well." " How can he know anything of the working of trains and railways ? " exclaimed the Editor. " He's picked it up. Had to. He's responsible to the chief for all that goes on here. He has a bad time of it with that sulky brute of a station- master. Double duty just now. The other fellow's sick," replied the Little Man. " I can't understand it. What training has he ever had for such work ? " " The best of all trainings, begun by his English mother, and continued at a great Public School : self-reliant, proud of his kind, comes of a class that never says, ' I can't,' or ' I'm done.' The class, thank God, that you still draw your officers from," said the Little Man. " The class and training which I deprecated in my first article," said the Editor. " I advised that all should be changed. I believed myself to be right. The Public believe what I say. They still think I was right." " Ay ! " said the Little Man sternly. " It is you, and such as you, clever, even great men, on whose word the Public hangs, whose opinion the public accepts, who do infinite and irreparable harm, not from any evil intent, but from your own colossal ignorance ! " Come with me," he continued, " and I will 205 A Captain of the Gordons show you the British Officer making soldiers out of savages, administering in the uttermost parts of the earth, building up the Empire, pioneering civilisa- tion, judges and soldiers too. I will show you British officers living and toiling where none have ever lived and toiled before, where white men cannot toil and live, and you will see them dying there, and none say ' Well done ! ' I will show you this, because it is the most wonderful thing in all God's wonderful world." " Which way ? " asked the Editor. There were so many ways. " Northwards," replied the Little Man, " towards Somaliland." 206 BOHOTLE ADEN December 2jth, 1903 June 1st, 1904 CHAPTER XVI BOHOTLE TO ADEN I DECEMBER 27, IQO3 JUNE I, 1904 Bohotle Wadango- Distress at missing Battle of Jib- dali Halin Verses found in an old Note-book Telegram. BOHOTLE. December 2jth, 1903. I AM doubtful about getting leave after this show, as they show no sign of seconding me, and I may be sent straight to India. The War Office have just discovered, after one year, that I am not serving as a transport officer, and as they apparently do not know in what capacity I am serving they show me in the Army List as serving with my regiment in India. I do not suppose if you asked them now that they could tell you where I was. It is a grand old institution, full of simple methods and ideas. I am sorry we are losing the Colonel a very fine soldier. B is a fine man. I am glad you all like the dog so much. We are off to Galadi the day after to-morrow o 209 A Captain of the Gordons and then back here again, so I am writing this letter before starting. It will catch the next mail. I have got the two books. They have afforded me and others great amusement. WADANAGO. January ibth, 1904. We have just been to Galadi and back. We missed the fight at Jibdali, which was bad luck. The Mullah's people could not make any stand against the fire, and fled, apparently, almost immediately. I think Egerton has shown that, against a decent " bundabust," the Somali cannot make any show at all, and that the Somali bravery has been very much overrated. The fight was apparently as follows : BATTLE OF JIBDALI MULLAH'S ZAREBA ^ MOUNTED TROOPS BRIGADE After being out so long, I am sorry to have missed this show. I fear there will be no more. We are moving on to Eil Dab to-morrow, and thence up to join Egerton. The cakes have arrived, and the shortbread, and we have had a feast, also raisins and crackers. 210 Bohotle Aden I am going strong. I am turning over in my mind how to get leave after this, by fair means or otherwise. HALIN. February /\th, 1904. We are, I hope, going to have a short rest here. The ponies need it badly. This is quite a different kind of country to that round about Galadi and the Southern Haud. Not a bush to be seen. Stony kopjes much like South Africa, and everywhere quite open. The Mullah has fled across a waterless plain called the Sorl, in a north-westerly direction. His forces seem to be completely broken up and scattered, and his power has dwindled away for the time being to vanishing point. Of course, as long as he can escape with a few hundred rifles, he is still a nuisance, and might start again collecting men at any time. General Egerton is, I believe, going to chase him, with base at Eil Dab, holding a line along the bottom of the escarpment of the Sorl Plain and Northern Haud. I have a hut here built of sticks and palm leaves, very comfortable, and Farquhar lives in another hard by. There is a grand pool for bathing here, like a huge swimming bath a tremendous luxury, as you may suppose. We have had no letters for a long time, and parcels seem a thing of the past. I am in very best health. 211 A Captain of the Gordons Nothing seems to knock me out. We had to march all through the heat of the day (a very rare thing) the other day, across a sandy plain, and every one was " finish " except me. We have a little mess of three Farquhar, myself and O'Grady the doctor. The cooking is bad and the crockery awful, but we have a very good time all the same. February 8th, 1904. I am with the 2nd Brigade, with my Somalis. I wrote you just the other day and have really no news. Farquhar has gone off on detachment for a week, but he will be back presently. Just got orders to be off on a raid, so must close up. February 28th, 1904. Just returned from a trek and post goes in half an hour. We captured a lot of camels, and I got two rifles. My men all ran away at the first shot, but I managed to disperse the unfortunate creatures myself. Nothing to tell except that I am well. March 20th, 1904. Just time for a line. We are going off to-morrow to try and guard the passes from the Sorl Plain, to stop old Mullah breaking through, and then, I 212 Bohotle Aden believe, we march for Burao, en route, I hope, for the shore. I think it quite likely I shall either leave for India or home in three months at latest possibly in half that time, but one can never tell. Things seem to be fizzling a bit at home at the War Office. Buffles is, as I warned you, a warrior. If any one broke into the house he would kill him as dead as a stone. It's bred in his bone. He is the famous old Boer watchdog breed mostly retriever and a mastiff strain. He is a very strong dog, and will grow even more powerful. BIYO MADDU. April 4th, 1904. How are you all ? Nothing fresh here. We are stopping the mouth of a pass in the Sorl. I am in great health and spirits. Papers arrive, and are the greatest blessing I have. Could you send a pound of tobacco, and 200 cigarettes, by next mail ? Tobacco has run out here, and I am in a bad way. SAME PLACE. April I2th, 1904. The very last piece of paper. Still sitting here making occasional darts after Karias. Very little food ; no drink, no smoke, no tea, no sugar, no meat except camel which makes me ill. I am the only fellow who has not been sick. I have little news of any interest. 213 A Captain of the Gordons April iqth, 1904. Here we sit in this beastly place. I got a box of cakes, five squares, and shortbread, also rusks. They have saved my life. We have no flour or biscuits left. I exchanged half a plum cake for this paper (two sheets) and half bottle whisky. The rains have broken and last night it rained the whole night, but luckily I had a small grass hut made yesterday, so escaped getting wet. I long for civilization and good food. By the way, did you find my Queen's medal in my box ? It was in a small wooden box in the bottom of the tin. Have just had terrific thunderstorm. The ground which a minute ago was dry sand is now covered with small puddles of water. Now the rains have broken, I can see no object in our remaining here, as there is no use holding water when there is water all over the place. However, man proposes and the General disposes, so no one knows what may happen to us. HALIN. May ^th, 1904. I am surprised at your not getting any letters for so long, as I have written every mail for some months. However, an enormous number of letters go wrong out here. A large box of biscuits and soup squares, also a pot of Bovril have arrived this last a great thing, as we can have a cup in the 214 Bohotle Aden morning before starting on the march, and it is much better than tea. This show must stop soon now, as no one knows whether the Mullah has any force left, or whether he is completely broken up, and it would be sense- less to chase a myth. I get papers and books regularly very many thanks. I am in my usual robust health and going very strong. We are off down to Eil Dab presently, and I do not think they can keep us much longer in the country. I am not sure of leave but shall have a try. They really ought to give me some. I put the end of June as the earliest, and the end of August as the latest date of leaving the country. TELEGRAM ADEN. June 1st. Persia by Marseilles. End of Somaliland Letters. 215 VERSES FOUND IN AN OLD NOTE BOOK MOUNTED INFANTRY. SOMALILAXD. [Face page 219, THE S.M.I. I wish my regiment could see me Now, jogging along in the sun With a lot of smelly Somalis Behind, screaming just for fun. No use trying to stop the row Too much trouble to try. I used to be in the Regulars once Guards, Rifles, and Highlanders once But now I'm Somali M.I. The new fat officers come From home, strut and Spread their wings And talk of " shocking officers " And other curious things. Our word of command is " Come on, you swine ! " and They either come or stay. We used to drill them regular once " For dismounted duty, dismount ! " just once ! Seen them running dismounted once ! Now we've been with them more than once " The men that run away." 219 A Captain of the Gordons That is what we are Known as we are the Push you require To scout all day in The bushes, with the Officers drawing the fire. Anything risky or bushy then You never forget to say " Send out some Somalis These men that run away." I haven't got any temper Left, I've no ambition Now But I know the stroke With the jambok, and The Somali word for Sow. Whoever we're with We're scouting, well In front, all day. I've trekked from Galad to Badwein once, Badwein back to Bohotle once, And back to Galad more than once With the men that run away. 220 The S.M.I. That is what we are Known as we are The Shots to blame. If holes are made In a ghee bag, and nothing Left of the same, Any shortage of rations, " Stealing again " they say ; " Flog some Somalis, The men that run away." I'd like to be back with My regiment as I left it A year ago. Trying hard To forget the things I Didn't ought to know. When I think of the things I've done And said It almost makes me cry. I said " Amool " to Somebody once Once, my ducky, and only once ! Goodbye ! the S.M.I. 221 BUFFLES AGAIN BUFFLES' HOUR. FIFE. [Face page 225. CHAPTER XVII BUFFLES AGAIN DAVID had arranged that Buffles should go on to India in the " Nubia," and wait there until such time as he might follow, after the Somaliland cam- paign were over, but the arrangement fell through, and Buffles came back to Scotland in charge of the officers of the ship. They were very kind to the dog who made friends wherever he went. The voyage to Port Said when Buffles' master was with them was " the happiest voyage we ever had " one of the officers said. Buffles had to go to quar- antine for three months, for although he had not landed in India he had been on a ship which had touched there and the authorities are particular. He was sent to Helensburgh, where he was most kindly treated, and as happy as the poor, lonely fellow could be under the circumstances. The three months over, Buffles came home. Buffles was as gentle as a dog may be, but he was big, and strangers did not always understand him. It was not that he barked, for he rarely barked ; but he was a very joyous dog, and as out on the free veldt he had been brought up to show his affection in the off-hand way of jumping up on one, catching p 225 A Captain of the Gordons coat-sleeves and so on, he saw no reason to alter these ways in the Land of Walled-Gardens to which he had come. When he heard the gate open he would throw back his ears, and then proceed in a dignified, deliberate but determined way up the avenue to greet whoever might appear. Should the visitor meet him in a correspondingly stately and friendly manner, Buffles would wag his tail and accompany him or her to the house, but should the visitor draw back or dodge, Buffles would misunderstand the attitude and, thinking it was a game, cry " Come on and have some fun ! " and begin to instruct the visitor in South African ways. This invariably ended in a fright for the other player ; with whom on these occasions the sympathy always went, so that in the long run poor Buffles had the worst of it. Yet the dog was simply in fun. He was, of course, no respecter of persons. If unfortunate inside the grounds this attitude was a serious inconvenience outside. He was rarely without the gate alone, yet all and sundry came with wild tales which could neither be proved nor disproved. It grew expensive ; but the expense was nothing compared to the anxiety that some injustice would be done to the dearly-loved dog. There was the girl who said her cloak had been torn off ; the man who said his overcoat had been spoiled ; the man whose umbrella was torn to pieces. The girl of the cloak's father arose in wrath, and sent the policeman ; the man in the overcoat came with 226 Buffles Again the police sergeant and demanded thirty shillings ; the man with the umbrella sent the police-sergeant for the price of the umbrella. Meantime Buffles looked out joyously on all and wagged his tail : except once when by some mistake of identity he barked at the police sergeant in the darkness. The sergeant, however, said little about that. But it was foolish of Buffles. There is a tradition in the family, that the umbrella was worth the ten shillings it cost. Buffles was racing behind a carriage to the station when the man with the umbrella appeared ; it was raining. The man saw Buffles bounding along and lowered his umbrella as a shield. Buffles had never seen an umbrella in this position before : an umbrella evidently walking on its own limbs. He barked. The umbrella quivered. Buffles bounded towards it barking loudly. The umbrella danced ; it danced in every way known to the framework of an umbrella ; it span ; it pirouetted ; it went up, it went down ; it went east, it went west. Buffles imitated it to the utmost of his power barking ; it was the most fascinating game he had played for many a day. Voices hailed him loudly from the carriage, but he heard them not. The carriage stopped and caught him and lifted him in and talked to him. Buffles craned his neck with wistful glances at the game he had left behind him. The courting of the cat required tact on Buffles' part. He thought a great deal of the opinion of the big black pussy in the kitchen. If he had a coat 227 A Captain of the Gordons tied on in the cold weather off he would go at once to show pussy how grand he was. But it was pity, not admiration, that won pussy's heart. Buffles fought another dog. Which dog began the fight is not known, but it is supposed to have been the other, Buffles, however, won ; so no one wasted sympathy upon him, and he was walked home in disgrace. This was unfair, but police sergeants do occa- sionally get upon the edge of the strongest nerves. However, when at home it was discovered that Buffles' paw had been bitten. Then ensued remorse. So the paw was bandaged, and Buffles was told that he was the best dog that had ever lived and every one was so sorry he had a wounded paw. Buffles thought it all over and grew very sorry for himself. Next day he seemed unable to come downstairs, but as he had gone up- stairs that morning it dawned upon his friends that there was an end to all things ; even to the pain of a bitten paw. So the door of the morning- room was left open and " Pussy ! " said one voice after another, " What a pretty pussy ! " Tarump ! tarump ! tarump ! limped three feet down as many steps. Poor old Buffles ! As jealous as his warm heart would let him be yet hampered by the dignity of that sore paw. Tarump ! tarump ! tarump ! Down he came on three paws into the morning-room. He placed himself between his family and his pussy : then he lifted the paw with the rag tied round it, 228 DAVID AND BVFFLES. FIFE. {Face page 229. Buffles Again and held it out for the cat's inspection. Pussy's subjection was complete. Meantime the months rolled on till two years had passed, and one day the telegram came which announced David's return from Somaliland. He came by Paris with two of his friends for the Long- champs races, and met some of his people in London. It was hard to realise that the three bronzed soldiers who chatted so lightly of mundane things had been at starvation's point hustling the wily Somalis not so many weeks before. One thing was not hard to understand, as kindly chaff passed from one to another, sometimes showing an undercurrent of deep memory that soldiers gird themselves to- gether shoulder to shoulder and never forget. David was only allowed six weeks of rest. These were spent chiefly on the links of Fife. In August he was once more en route for India. This time he sailed in a P. & O. liner and was obliged to leave his dog behind, as this line does not take animals. Buffles would follow later when the weather was cooler. The date was left an open question ; but it settled itself without undue delay in the following way. Buffles objected to tramps of a certain type. He discriminated ; he did not object to all tramps. One day in the snow a poor man came to the door with tears running down his cheeks, and Buffles stood up on the kerb and licked away the tears. On another day, however, came a tramp of different 229 A Captain of the Gordons aspect. Evidence seems to show that the man opened the inner door of the hall, for the dog was lying in the hall, and this door when last seen had been closed. Buffles, very rightly, it seemed to his people, resented this. The tramp fled, but sent in a claim for damages ; to which, however, a deaf ear was turned. To give in would have been to admit the dog in the wrong, whereas it was held that he had acted rightly. But it was deemed advisable to send him to India with all dispatch. Buffles was dressed in his coat. He wagged his tail, for this meant that " Buffles " was " going " his favourite phrase. He jumped willingly into the carriage ; as willingly into the train ; and thence to his place beside the guard in the van of the Liver- pool express to travel under the care of Messrs. Cook to India for the second time. 230 AWAITING HIS MASTER. FIFE. INDIAN LETTERS CHAPTER XVIII INDIAN LETTERS: AUGUST 8, 1904 MARCH, 1907 Voyage out Thobba Rawal Pindi Club Peshawar- Out on Manoeuvres- Peshawar Changla Gali- Pesh- awar Muree Hills The Khyber Pass- Peshawar Kashmir Peshawar. P. & O. STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY (BETWEEN GIBRALTAR AND ITALY). August i&h, 1904. I HAD a very comfortable journey, not a bit hot. We are now on our way to Brindisi to pick up the mails. This is quite unusual, I believe, but one of the boats which carry mails is off for some reason, and we are to go to Brindisi, and across to Port Said. I have a very nice deck-cabin and am altogether very comfortable. It is fairly hot at night but I sleep all right. I have been asking about Buffles. You must get a " special " big kennel made for him : otherwise he will be very uncom- fortable. He will be all right arriving in India at the beginning of October, when I shall expect him. I have just this minute asked E L about the dog, and he says the end of October would be 233 A Captain of the Gordons a better date to arrive, but it would be useless keeping him longer. I think he had better come out soon, as he will begin to forget me. NEAR PORT SAID. August ijth, 1904. I am having a pleasant voyage. We propose going ashore to-night to avoid the coaling. We have had naturally an uneventful voyage since leaving Brindisi. I am extremely fit and full of cheer. THOBBA. September iqth, 1904. Here I am fit and fat. I am commanding E Company, and am going through musketry at pre- sent. It is very pretty up here, and very healthy, so I am in luck. I live in a great big tent on the side of a mountain with flowers all round. I have a good bearer, a sweeper, a bhisti, and a dhobie. I am off to play tennis in about five minutes for exercise. THOBBA. October $th, 1904. There is little news here. I shall give you an idea of how the day is occupied. Every day except Sunday and Thursday we have a parade at 7, 234 Indian Letters another at 9.30, and another at 10.45. Then, after that, we are more or less free. The other day I went for a ride among the hills, and had a most beautiful view of the Himalayas, covered with snow a wonderful sight. Generally in the afternoon there is something going on in Murree, about six miles from here. Either a gymkhana, or a hockey, or a football match. A band plays and there is tea, and drinks. This afternoon we are entertaining the sergeants and their wives at our tennis ground. October igth. Just got your letter about Buffles. I am getting one of my brother-officers to bring him up from Bombay so he ought to arrive all right. He ought to do well out here, as he can always go to the hills in the hot weather. October 20th, 1904. I am sending you some photos, of this place and some taken on the way out. RAWAL PINDI CLUB. November qth, 1904. I am having a great time here. Buffles has arrived safely, and is as fit as can be. He fights just as much as ever he likes, and every one is quite pleased. He is a funny one, is Buffles ! He is quite fond of his sweeper, the black man who 235 A Captain of the Gordons looks after him, but he considers him quite a servant. We are in camp here at present, and rather uncom- fortable. This is a tremendous big station five native regiments, four British regiments, one regiment of cavalry, and four battalions of artillery. I expect we shall be off presently to Peshawar. I was up there staying with the Stauntons for a few days, and it was a very pretty place I thought. The idea, I believe, is to have a Highland brigade there. The Black Watch are coming up from Umballa. I have bought one polo pony, and she seems a very good one, and is very good-looking. November i8th, 1904. I am staying here at present, as the regiment had to go to Peshawar marching, and I had to prosecute a court-martial. I go off to-morrow to catch them up. It is a nine days' march from Pindi to Peshawar across a flat plain. It is really quite cool here, and one feels very fit. PESHAWAR. November 28th, 1904. Just arrived at Peshawar after long march. Shall be here probably two years. January yd, 1905. I stayed with General Spens for ten days at Christmas time, and had the best of times. I have 236 J Indian Letters been lunching with the Findlays to-day. I think I wrote you about the Pindi Review before. It is very cold here now just as it is at home I expect. All the roses in my garden are being nipped by the frost. February 2ist, 1905. We are still hard at work here. Tests, manoeuvres, and what not. I have two ponies one a polo pony, and one ordinary. We must play polo here as there is nothing else for exercise, and we must have exercise in this country. Buffles is well. March i$th, 1905. To-morrow we hold our regimental races and the air is full of excitement. I am riding a pony of Davis's in the steeplechase, and one of my own in the flat race. It will be great fun. I am very busy just now getting my Company teams ready for the Annual Sports. They have been very good to me here and have left me in command of my Company. OUT ON MANOEUVRES. March 8th, 1905. This is a pouring wet day in camp on manoeuvres. I expect if the rain continues we shall go back to Peshawar. These are what they call divisional 237 A Captain of the Gordons manoeuvres. There are three district infantry and seven native cavalry regiments. I am as fit as can be, and having a very happy time with the regiment. They call me "Sandy" I really don't know why. PESHAWAR. April $th, 1905. I am judging to-morrow at the D.C.A., in what they call Bayonet v. Bayonet out here. I am keep- ing wonderful health out here. All climates seem to suit me. April igth, 1905. The hot weather is now creeping upon us here getting very stuffy. I go off in a week or two to Changla Gali to do a musketry course, and so escape part of the hot weather in the plains. Buffles is well as can be, and has a little friend now called Elspie, Mrs. Findlay's dog. I am keeping her until they return. April 26th, 1905. People are now beginning to move off to the hills. Two companies of the regiment have gone to Cherat, and two go to Khanspen in about ten days' time. I go off to do my musketry course at Changla Gali to-morrow. It is some 8000 feet above the sea level. I stay there for two months and then come back to the plains. 238 Indian Letters I wish I could get a year's leave. I want a long rest. Too many excitements in the last few years. Buffles is lying at my feet very full of himself, and the other " child," Elspie, is lying on a chair beside me. CHANGLA GALI, SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY. Here I am doing my course of musketry. It's splendidly healthy and they keep me busy, 7 a.m. till 3.30 p.m., and one hour for lunch. Then we must do private study to keep up our knowledge. I think they are overdoing it a bit in the army just now. However, time will show. I shall not get any leave, I am afraid, as after this I have to study for my promotion, and I am anxious to do well in the exam. I am as fit as possible, as I have been ever since I came out. There are twenty-five officers up here of all sorts of different regiments, British infantry and cavalry, native infantry and cavalry, and engineers. There is very little to tell you just now as one's daily life is so uncertain. May 3Oth, 1905. Still hard at musketry class. Very tired of it indeed. Buffles is well and flourishing also very fat. I am well and flourishing, and not quite so fat. 239 A Captain of the Gordons CHANGLA GALL June 6th, 1905. Still hard at musketry. It's quite astonishing how much they make you learn that can be of no possible use in the field. PESHAWAR. July T2th, 1905. I am off on two months' leave to the hills again, August and September. No Kashmir though ! I have to go and study with a coach for my promo- tion, which I must pass well if possible, but it's fearfully expensive. You see, K has abolished " garrisoned classes," which taught this free of charge, as he says we should be taught in the regi- ment ; but this is, of course, impossible. Hence, crammers are springing up in India. So not much leave for me, you see, this year. I passed distinguished at my musketry course, much to my surprise. July iSth. Nobody here talks of anything but the heat. If they talked a little less I dare say they would feel it less. One can't go out between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., so one does not do very much. Day is much as follows : Parade . . . . . . . . 5.30 a.m. Breakfast . . . . 7 a.m. Office . . . . . . . . 8 a.m. Sleep . . . . . . . . 240 a o j a" M Indian Letters Polo three days a week at 6.30 p.m. This is the only thing that keeps one alive. Dinner at . . . . . . 9 p.m. Bed . . . . . . . . i 2 a.m. I am very fit as usual. July 3Oth. No news except that I am off to the hills to-morrow,, and glad to get out of the heat. I am very well indeed here, however. I don't know what to tell you, every day is the same. To get to where I am going I go by train at night to Rawal Pindi and then by tonga to the hills. The tonga takes six hours to go. I am working away, and have written a book on Tactics, which is at the moment in the hands of the Colonel for approval. MUREE HILLS. August i6th, 1905. I am working very hard for my examination for promotion. My life is very uneventful and there is nothing much of interest to tell. I'm as fit as can be. ROWELL'S HOTEL, MURREE. September 3rd. Here I am, working with a crammer and, much against my will, spending large sums of money T Q 241 A Captain of the Gordons His fees for tuition alone come to 40. However, it has to be done. I must get through these exams. I am in famous health. September igth, 1905. Still working away. Buffles is just outside my little sitting-room, lying down waiting for his din-din. September 2jth, 1905. My exam, comes off on Monday. I am going to ask for a year's leave in Spring. I need it. PESHAWAR. November 8th, 1905. Why this anxiety about my health ? I am very well. I have been up for my " C " and " D," as they call the promotion exam. I have passed " C" all right, that is the practical part, and am waiting for the results of " D," in what is the written part. I hope I am through all right. November 2ist, 1905. The weather here now is quite perfect, cold at nights and in the mornings and evenings, and hot enough during the day. Buffles is extremely well and sends his love. 242 Indian Letters November 2gth, 1905. The Prince arrives here on Saturday, and there are great preparations being made in consequence. I am very fit indeed, and there is no chance of sickness here for the next five months at any rate ! So you needn't be anxious about my health. Every one gets fever now and then in India, you know. March 2nd, 1906. To-day I have been up the Khyber Pass (one of the great Frontier passes) with the Findlays. March i^th, 1906. I have just returned from a place called Sialkot where I was sent with our men who are trained for mounted infantry to put them through their annual course. Presently we shall go to the hills again, but this year I shall be with my company at a place called Cherat not far from here. Four companies go there, and four remain here. April 4th. I am very fit indeed. Presently we shall begin punkahs and all the hot weather arrangements for trying to keep cool. April 2^th. Half of the regiment has now gone to the hills and the other half is left here. It will get hot in about six weeks' time I expect. 243 A Captain of the Gordons E wrote you last mail that I had a touch of fever. It's the first go I have had for nearly a year, so I can't complain. I am quite better now. There's no news except the temperature, which is 106, and is getting hotter every day. At this time David went to Kashmir with his friends, Captain and Mrs. Findlay, for the only real holiday he had while in India. They went big game shooting, and David killed two very fine bears, the skins of which he brought home. Buffles was with him ; but notwithstanding this fact whenever Buffles saw one of these bears after an absence of any length of time he saluted it with a terrific " Bouf ! " PESHAWAR. October z^rd, 1906. I am now back from Kashmir and hard at soldier- ing again. I am at present about twenty miles from Peshawar, doing what they call " Final Training." There are four of us here, W F and K , and quite a cheery party, with about 300 men. It was shortly after this that David decided to come home on a year's leave ; a rest long overdue, unfortunately. These foregoing extracts from the Indian letters do not give an adequate idea of his life there, but that is inevitable, because the inci- dents which made his talks about India so intensely interesting could not all be printed without the 244 Indian Letters special permission of those others who made up the tales. The Gordon Highlanders were in Peshawar when King George and Queen Mary, as Prince and Princess of Wales, visited the station ; but the story of their visit has been told over and over again. The following incident of the visit of the Ameer of Afghanistan, however, may not be generally known. When he arrived across the frontier there was at first much trouble to induce him to enter a train as he had never seen this kind of locomotive before ; but the trouble to get him in was nothing to the trouble it took to get him out \ For he became so enamoured of the new style of travelling that he refused abso- lutely to leave the train at Peshawar station ; he could not see why it could not go on till he arrived at his dwelling-place. He wished to go everywhere by train, rails or no rails, during his stay at Peshawar. 245 LEAVE Ph <* by] [S. H. Dagg, Mussoorie. DAVID. India, 1906. [Face page 249. CHAPTER XIX LEAVE Aldershot Aberdeen' Home Osborne London. DAVID was granted a year's leave when he left India on the last day of March, 1907 ; the early summer was spent with his people, golfing in Troon and in Elie. The autumn was devoted to visits ; one, to the Irish home of a comrade, Captain O'Grady, who had been with him in Somaliland. This was a very happy time ; although when he passed through Belfast it was disturbed by the riots. David repeatedly said that, even knowing so well the discipline of soldiers, he wondered at the steadfast restraint they showed in very trying circumstances. He saw one woman throw a bottle and cut open a soldier's face ; yet there was no retaliation. He explained that it was a very difficult matter for the commander of troops to know what to do in such circumstances as were brought about by these riots. " If they fire," he said, " they're blamed ; and if they don't they're blamed. They can't possibly do the right thing in a people's riot." When David said good-bye to the old Irish home and to Ireland, Mike, a bright little Irish terrier of 249 A Captain of the Gordons pure breed, said good-bye too, and followed a new master to Scotland. Although Mike was highly bred, and had all the points of his breeding, he was not fond of a fight. But there was a Black Champion yet in India who was to be his friend in Scotland ; and if Mike could have read the future, as he was tossed about on the Irish Channel, he would have read how his courage was to be born, as it is born in some of us, at the back of a defender who will not be beaten. In September, while visiting some old friends, David received his commission as a Captain ; but as there is no rose without its thorn, his leave was cut short by nearly six months, and he was ordered to join the first battalion at Aldershot. The War Office had given leave from India for a year, and as Aldershot was in England, they did not give weight to the consideration that David had not only earned a year's leave, but that after South Africa, Somali- land and India it was a necessity. Buffles had been left in India till it were decided whether David should ultimately return or not ; the dog was now sent for, but on arrival he had to go back to quarantine ; happily, again to his comfortable quarters at Helensburgh. David joined his regiment in Aldershot in Nov- ember; he was fortunate in getting a week's leave at Christmas time, so that he spent a few days and Christmas Day at home ; and a very happy New Year at Golspie with Captain and Mrs. Findlay. 250 Leave In the early spring of the following year he was appointed to command the training of mounted infantry for the Highland Brigade at Longmoor. The weather was intensely cold, and when influenza attacked David he was forced to stay in bed for a few days in his hut, where he could not have a fire unless the door was left open on account of the smoke. After his duties at Longmoor he got a fort- night's summer leave in July, which was spent with his people golfing at Dunbar. Again in September he had six weeks' leave, when some of his friends, including his brother officer, the late Major Meiklejohn and his wife, visited him. Buffles found fresh experiences awaiting him at The Hermitage, Troon ; and a new friend in Mike. The friendship with Mike was not cemented until BufHes' prior claim to David was decided. After that Buffles proved the staunch friend of the little Irish terrier even under sore provo- cation. At first, however, if both were in the garden, it was deemed advisable to shut one into the enclosure round the croquet green. One day both dogs were seen within this enclosure, Mike with a bone, Buffles without one. Buffles looked uncanny, and a rush to the rescue was made. When the croquet green was reached Buffles was standing looking about him with a mystified expression ; Mike was sitting at a corner, a somewhat curious shape ; no bone was to be seen. The conclusion was that Mike's curious shape was due to Buffles' 251 A Captain of the Gordons wrath ; so Buffles was called away and then investi- gations were made as to Mike. When Mike's corner was reached the little dog looked up from a comfort- able position, the bone between his paws. He had been sitting on the bone. The two would trot off together in the morning, two pictures of innocence ; an hour or so afterwards they would return by the road from the wood, as innocent of mien as when they left. That which had happened in the meantime belongs to unwritten history. During the latter part of this leave David made up his mind to apply for the Adjutancy of the 4th Battalion of the Gordons at Aberdeen. He needed a longer rest than he had had, and he saw a prospect of this if settled in one place as adjutant. He left for Aldershot in the beginning of December, and in the following February he was appointed Adjutant in Aberdeen. Before he left he got a severe chill, and a strain which affected his heart ; but the doctors allowed him to leave for Aberdeen. From the day he arrived at Aberdeen he was not well, though he addressed meetings, drew up a new form of rules and regulations which was printed for the use of his new battalion, and started a class for sergeants ; and on a bitter, sleety day rode at the head of his men on their march out. In these three weeks, ill as he was, he left his mark and inspiration. The physician who attended him confined him to 252 Leave bed for ten days, and then insisted on his taking sick leave ; the only sick leave he ever had. So David came home for the last time, leaving the bright castles he had built so happily behind him ; but with him came the hopes and ambitions of a strong character, the brightness of an unselfish life. He was at home from March till June, a daily visitor being his kind medical attendant, Dr. Macintosh. He went to Glasgow in June to be under the valued advice of Sir George T. Beatson, who advised him to go to Osborne in July that he might at once have the advantage of a finer climate and constant medical supervision. He made many new friends among the officers who were there like himself on sick leave. He enjoyed Osborne, under the care of Colonel Hickson, Acting Governor ; the fine air enabled him to drive and take gentle walks, though he had some bad days. The Cowes week brought great doings to Osborne. King Edward, with Queen Alexandra and Princess Victoria, visited Osborne more than once, and on one occasion the King was introduced to all the officers and residents. " You are one of my brother-officers," the King said, amongst other kind remarks, to David. King Edward was Colonel-in-Chief of the Gordon High- landers. Another gala day was when the Czar and the Czarina visited the Solent in their yacht. King Edward and Queen Alexandra, the Czar and the 253 A Captain of the Gordons Czarina, with their family and entourage, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Beatrice, and many other notable people came one day to visit the old home, where most of them had spent so much of their youth. The day before they came the place swarmed with detectives. Two hundred were inside the grounds, and would pop up from the grass or out from a shrub and startle innocent strollers. At that time David had an attack of malaria, so he watched from his window which overlooked the grounds, and across the Solent. He was much interested in the detectives threshing the shrubs with their stout canes, and lurking about looking for other lurkers. But all was well, and a very happy, bright party drove up in motors and carriages to Osborne House, and walked about the house and grounds chatting with each other. A group interested David con- sisting of three ladies and the young Czarewitch, who looked very bright and bonny in a white sailor suit. One of the ladies was an English princess ; the others evidently Russian. They stood talking on the pretty terrace just below David's window. From this terrace a flight of stone steps leads down to a flower-garden, with many cunning places to hide in ; such as grottoes. The young Czarewitch watched his opportunity, and darted down the steps into nowhere. A foreign voice called from the group of ladies in terrified accents : " Where is the boy ? " 254 Leave Dismay ! Who can tell what dreadful surmises flashed through these three hearts ? Like a darting sunbeam the young Czarewitch flew up the steps, dropped at their feet, and, lifting his little yachting-cap, made a most ceremonious bow. Then a flood of Russian words fell upon him. The young Russian princesses had the same happy ways. There seemed to be no dread of anything in their visit except that they might not see everything ; that their short time should prove too short. Never were happier children, more unselfconscious ; and when at last they were gathered together by their special attendants to enter the waiting carriages and say " Good-bye," one could imagine they were saying to each other, " You may go in that carriage ; I'm going in this one." At last they were off, waving good-bye to Osborne. It was at this time that the squadron in the Solent was illuminated at night on two occasions. David's windows commanded the view, and, having seen the first, he asked his mother to come up in the evening from Cowes that she might see the second illumination on the occasion of the Czar's visit. The night happened to be especially suited for the magnificent display. The ships lay on the still waters, and if one had awakened from a deep sleep to gaze over the Solent in the quiet night, one would have thought that Aladdin and his lamp had passed over it. Each warship of whatever class 255 A Captain of the Gordons seemed to be cut out of a single diamond ; each rope, each mast, each outline marked by the finest cutting ; a sight far beyond one's ideas of fairyland. There was the great solemn water, and, resting on it, ships cut out of diamonds. No fairies peeping in and out, no fanciful flower-gardens, no dance of the brownies, no kind genie watching over the little folk ; only the ships on the water without life. Yet, there lay the defenders of our land ; some of the greatest. One word from a supreme voice, and in the twinkling of an eye the diamond ships would have become invisible, the guns would have roared and screamed with death, the lifeless ships would have lived with men. May they long count their twos and threes to their neighbours' ones ! May Britain ever place gold on a lower footing than her country : the ethics of peace. 256 THE DAY BREAKS CHAPTER XX THE DAY BREAKS IN September David was advised to go to Millbank Military Hospital for further advice. He saw Sir James F. Goodheart who had also seen him at Osborne, and Sir Kingston Fowler ; and it was here, under the watchful care of Colonel Harrison and Major Harrison and his kind nurses, that David was to spend the last weeks of his life ; for, notwith- standing all skill and careful nursing, the bright life was ebbing. South Africa and Somaliland had taken their toll all too surely. " It is wonderful, mother," he said one day in the hospital, " that I have suffered so little pain in my life until now. Other poor fellows have suffered terribly." Yet at this time the only thing to alleviate his pain was morphia. No wonder that after his death letters came from soldiers telling of his bravery One letter from Colonel W. E. Gordon, V.C., said, " He was one of the two bravest men I have ever known." David's last weeks were kept bright by the visits of his friends and his brother-officers from 259 A Captain of the Gordons Aldershot. General Spens, to whom David had been A.D.C. in South Africa " My General," as he called him was then living in London, and came often to see him with his wife. Also came day after day his brother-officers from Aldershot, with his Commanding Officer, the Hon. Frederick Gordon ; also Colonel W. E. Gordon, who was Adjutant when he joined his regiment in South Africa nine years before, and Captain Meiklejohn. A friend very eagerly welcomed was one of his comrades in Somaliland, Captain Farquhar, who came almost every day, and whose wife, Lady Evelyn Farquhar, once gave David great pleasure by bringing their little children to see him ; he always loved children. His room was a garden with flowers and fruit, tokens of the love he had inspired. But, more than to all, perhaps, do those who are left feel the debt they owe to one who never knew David until he came to see him at this time, and yet who was to be the means of sanctifying these last weeks with memories too sacred to detail. To the Reverend Canon H. Hensley Henson, who, while of another Church, found a link of kinship with this young soldier which brought him every morning for many weeks to his side, we owe David's peaceful confidence in that which the Day might bring to him. The day was All-Hallows' Eve ; for on that day as a grey morning was trembling in the dawn did David pass to his rest. The Day Breaks The life, to our human eyes so short, was now completed ; for in the words of One Who saw further than we may see, " When the corn is ripe immediately He putteth in the sickle." 261 LAID TO REST CHAPTER XXI LAID TO REST THE Gordon Highlanders desired to bury their comrade with full military honours. This was only possible if David should rest near Aldershot. After much thought, Brookwood was chosen. On Thurs- day, November 4th, a service was held in the chapel, conducted by Canon Hensley Henson and the Reverend Mr. Cooper, the Presbyterian chaplain. The chapel was filled with David's friends, and as the sun pierced through the windows, brightening the uniforms of the soldiers who were mourning their comrade, the beautiful words of the service, the prayers, the hymns, echoed through the nave. At Brookwood the Gordon Highlanders, under the command of Colonel the Hon. Frederick Gordon, lined the platform. Lieutenant-General Grierson, with officers from other regiments, stood beside them. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, and on it rested David's plaid, feather bonnet, claymore and medals. It was borne on a gun carriage to the chapel where there was a short service. The air was clear, the sky was blue, the freshness of an exquisite autumn day was everywhere, as David 265 A Captain of the Gordons passed through the ranks of his regiment for the last time. The Gordon Highlanders with bent heads lined the way, and the plaint of the beloved Scottish music rose on the still air till the Last Post sounded. His father, General Spens, and his brother-officers laid him to rest amidst the trees. The last loving touch came as the wreaths and crosses were laid reverently above him ; one with the words " To our Beloved Captain." 266 LETTERS FROM KING EDWARD CHAPTER XXII LETTERS FROM KING EDWARD BUCKINGHAM PALACE. 28/10/09. DEAR SIR, I am commanded by the King to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2ist inst., and to tell you that His Majesty regrets to hear that your son, whom he saw at Osborne, has since been so seriously ill. The King hopes that since he has been moved to Queen Alexandra Military Hospital he may have improved somewhat, but His Majesty wishes me to say that he would like to hear how he progresses, and hopes you may be able to give a better account of his condition. Yours very truly, F. E. G. PONSONBY. 2/11/09. DEAR SIR, The King received the sad news of the death of your son, Captain D. S. Miller, of the Gordon 269 A Captain of the Gordons Highlanders, and desires me to express his sincere sympathy with you and your family in the loss you have sustained. Yours very truly, F. E. G. PONSONBY David Miller, Esq. David had the happiness to know of the first letter of King Edward the day before he died. It gave him perhaps the last pleasure of his earthly life. 7 o THE DEAREST LEGACY CHAPTER XXIII THE DEAREST LEGACY IT was in Aberdeen that David and Buffles said good-bye. If David could have foreseen that which the years would bring when he slipped the little black puppy into his pocket that October day on the South African veldt it would have been his great comfort to know what this dog would mean to those who would be left behind him. Buffles was always gen- tle, but the years had left him quieter than of old, and he clung to those who loved him with a faithful- ness that was intense. The phrase " Buffles is going," was ever his favourite. To go for a walk and to come in and have all his exploits told to those who had not gone too that was Buffles' chief joy in these latter years of his life. His walks and his stories ! He would sit between the one who told and the one who listened and look up into the faces with his speaking eyes and wag his tail : it was as if he understood each word. He lived until March 28th, 1912, when he would be about ten and a half years old. One night he took ill suddenly and died within twenty-four hours, s 273 A Captain to the Gordons He lies buried in a garden by the kind permission of the owner until such time as arrangement may be made to place him nearer the last resting-place of his best-beloved friend. 274 A LAST WORD CHAPTER XXIV A LAST WORD DAVID'S life ended in the flush of his manhood and of his career ; a life filled with strenuous work and unselfish devotion to duty. One little incident will tell the keynote of his life. In Somaliland he was offered a tempting position on the staff of Colonel K , but he thought it his duty to stick to the Somalis whom he had trained as mounted infantry, and who understood him. In speaking of this at home his mother said : " What a pity ! It would have been so good for your career." He smiled. " But, mother," he said, " I have a character first, and then a career." That was David. He had moral courage ; if possible, some thought, to a fault. His indignation aroused his voice was heard at all hazards to himself. Religion was one of the silences of David's life, yet he never hesitated to speak of it to those who broached the subject. Once, at Osborne, one spoke to him about the so-called modern tendency towards atheism. " The man who does not believe in God," said David, " is a fool." 277 A Captain of the Gordons He objected to the doing of any avoidable work on Sunday whether by man or beast. His views were broad, but they were strict, for his breadth never lost sight of the limit beyond which breadth becomes chaos. His ideas about literature crystallized at this time into the same denned breadth. He had by no means unbounded admiration for all realists. That litera- ture was the servant of truth he would have been the first to assert ; but, to David, in the heart of truth lay the germ of goodness ultimately triumphant, and for the pen that suggested otherwise he had nothing but condemnation. Not that he believed in slurring over evil : he deplored that sentimentality which would blur the laws of right and wrong. But it was his hope that punishment belonged to this world, and that forgive- ness followed hereafter. " Never judge ! " he would warn time and again. Anything approaching revenge was abhorrent to him. How could one tell to what burden of pain one might be adding a paltry last straw ? David's fund of stories was endless. He was quick to see humour and pathos, and he never slurred the human touch. Perhaps it was this that drew him so strongly to Dickens from his school- days and throughout his manhood. It was in Somaliland that he read Stevenson's Virginibus Puerisque for the first time it so happened that he had never read it in his boyhood and it was hence- 278 A Last Word forth one of his favourite books. Its savour to him, doubtless, would be commingled with the memory of Somali camp fires and two staunch friends. He was markedly a defender of the weak, and a comrade of the strong. The action in which he killed eight men he never spoke about except in short answers to queries. He hated to kill ; espe- cially " these poor Somalis." Since his death one of the officers who relieved him just in time said : " Miller was firing his revolver, his leg pinned under his horse, with dead men scattered about, and when we came up he pitched the revolver after the flying Somalis." David considered the most striking thing in his soldier-life was his being the Commander of the Advance, or Rear-Guard, as the General thought advisable, on the twenty-nine days' and nights' march across the Somaliland Desert known as the Haud, from Galadi to Bohotle and on to Burao. His duty was to lead his handful of Mounted Infantry (com- posed entirely of Somalis) six to eight miles to the rear or in front of the advancing column, his position in regard to it depending on the report of the direction in which the Mullah was marching. Once during the day he reported himself to the column, and received instructions. The column marched, therefore, in security. The march began a few weeks after the annihilation of Colonel Plunket's force, when at each moment the Mullah was expected 279 A Captain of the Gordons to attack in overwhelming numbers. It was a great trust this that was reposed in one officer. General Manning's dispatch regarding David at the end of the war ran : " Lieutenant D. S. Miller, Gordon Highlanders. " This officer commanded a section of the Somali Mounted Infantry, and has on several occasions been brought to my notice for good service in the field." For his services in South Africa David obtained the Queen's medal with three clasps and the King's medal with two clasps. For his services in Somaliland he obtained the medal with clasps. General Spens told David's people, as he went down with them to Brookwood Cemetery on the day on which we laid David to rest, that he had recom- mended him for the Victoria Cross. But David's honours lie, where honour must ever lie, in the fact that he was found worthy of trust in great stress and not found wanting. a8o TWO ESSAYS By CAPTAIN MILLER V) 2 Htf C/l i HH O H 282 CRITICISM OF NAPOLEON'S ACTION AFTER LIGNY BEFORE attempting to criticise the action of Napol- eon after the battle of Ligny, it will be convenient to explain the strategical situation in which he found himself on the morning of June I7th. Position of the Allies : The Allies' Main Body on the morning of the I7th was collecting at Quatre Bras, and by 10 a.m. was commencing its retreat towards Waterloo in good order. Chassis and Clinton's divisions with part of Col- ville's were marching direct from Nivelles on the same point. The Dutch-Belgians were moving from Enghien on Hal west of Waterloo to cover Brussels on that side. Position of the Prussians : On the morning of the lyth, the Prussian Army was in full retreat towards Wavre. The retreat was ordered by Gneisenau, who took over command after Blucher was wounded. His orders directed the march on Wavre to start at dawn. (He at that 283 A Captain of the Gordons time did not know that Major Winterfeldt had failed to communicate with the Duke.) Zieten marched by Tilly, Gentimmes, and Mont St. Guibert, followed by Pirch, Thielmann marched by Gembloux, and Biilow by Walhain and Cuheaux to Dion ; he went south-east of Wavre. Position of the French Army : On the morning of the iyth the main French Army was lying around Ligny, a corps of infantry and the guard at Marbais. Ney was lying before Quatre Bras. The above indicates shortly the position of the opposing forces, and the exact position can be easily seen by reference to the map. Criticism. There can be no doubt that Napoleon's object at this juncture was to attack the Allies with an overwhelming force at Quatre Bras, and drive them, a beaten force, back on their base, and at the same time to keep a containing force between himself and the Prussians, to prevent any possibility of junc- ture between these two armies. This plan certainly appears the best he could have adopted, but his chances of success were completely nullified by his dilatoriness in moving. A large portion of his army was comparatively fresh, namely, the 6th Corps, the Guard and a large proportion of J the cavalry, notably the light cavalry and the cavalry 284 Criticism of Napoleon's Action after Ligny under Kellerman. These troops could perfectly well have moved against the allies at dawn. Everything seemed to favour and indicate imme- diate and vigorous action. The weather was pro- pitious, and, as already stated, the troops were fresh. Napoleon could by no means afford to disregard the beaten Prussians, as, owing mainly to the confusion of the Comte d'Erlon, and the misunderstanding on the part of Ney, the left wing of the French army hadjDeen unable to act decisively at Ligny, and in consequence they (the Prussians) had not suffered so severely as would otherwise have been the case. It was essential that Napoleon should make up for this want of complete victory by acting on the iyth with the greatest promptitude and energy. His enemies were under his hand. The Prussians were in full retreat ; the Allies were lying at Quatre Bras, attempting a tardy concentration before morning ; Napoleon's own troops were fresh and flushed with victory. Ney was threatening the front of the Allies' position at Quatre Bras, and a crushing blow could have been dealt on the left flank of the Allies by the Namur-Quatre Bras road. By acting as indi- cated above Napoleon could have nothing to lose and everything to gain. A battle with the English must have resulted in victory to the French. The Allies would have been forced back northwards and westwards, a beaten force. The Prussians, hearing of this, in all probability would have given up any 285 A Captain of the Gordons idea of co-operation, and retired eastwards on their base. Thus complete victory would have rested with the French. Moving on Interior Lines they would have successfully frustrated their opponents' line, and beaten the Allies and Prussians in detail. As a matter of fact, Napoleon delayed his advance against the Allies till so late in the day that they were in full and orderly retreat, and close to their position at Waterloo, before the French came in touch with them, and consequently, instead of a decisive battle taking place, the only result of the French advance was a slight cavalry skirmish near Genappe. Hence, through his inexplicable slowness of move- ment, Napoleon failed utterly to in any way disturb the Allies on June I7th. This was his first great mis- take on that day. Again it was essential to Napoleon's strategical Plan of Penetration that close touch should be kept with the beaten army, and that it should be forced back down its lines of communication, thus causing it to diverge from the second army of the Allies, and that at all costs a sufficient containing force should be kept between the French army and the Prussians to prevent their further action until the defeat of Wellington, and to prevent any possibility of the two armies, English and Prussians, joining forces more especially on the battlefield. No one knew better than Napoleon how to work successfully on interior lines. No one knew better 286 Criticism of Napoleon's Action after Ligny than Napoleon the urgent necessity of keeping close touch with the beaten army, and the necessity of a reliable containing force. His dilatory action, therefore, in the pursuit of the Prussians, is the more inexplicable. The immediate result of this unfortunate delay was the complete impotence of Grouchy, who was despatched late on the afternoon of the lyth, with Vandamme's and Gerard's Corps, plus a division of the 6th Corps and cavalry, in the direction of Gembloux. Grouchy naturally supposed that the beaten Prussian army had retired down the lines of communication towards Liege, and based his orders for the pursuit on this assump- tion. Consequently, he wandered hopelessly about looking for an army which was retiring on Wavre. He was unable to find any signs of the whereabouts of the main Prussian army, was absolutely useless as a containing force, and his whole force was lost to the French fighting line. Napoleon must necessarily have known that to despatch a pursuing force so long after the retreat of the opposing army had commenced was worse than useless. Therefore, it would appear that had Napoleon, recognising his mistake in the matter of delay in pursuit, retained Grouchy with the main army he could at least have made certain of his assistance in his fighting line. This was Napoleon's second mistake, and the final result of it was the total defeat of the French army at Waterloo, inasmuch as at that action 287 A Captain of the Gordons Napoleon was compelled to fight without Grouchy's force, and as Grouchy had failed to locate or contain the Prussians, Bliicher was able to attack the French right with three corps while they were yet hotly engaged with Wellington, thus causing their total destruction and subsequent disastrous retreat. There is no reasonable doubt that Napoleon wasted his time and opportunities on June I7th. That this man, so great a military genius, should have acted thus is quite extraordinary, and we naturally look for some reason or explanation. Apparently nothing much can be said by way of excuse. Various excuses are made for Napoleon's want of activity on June I7th by various authors. The best allusion appears to me to be the one made by Jomini : " Undoubtedly the Emperor had powerful motives for resigning himself to such inactivity ; but these motives have never reached us." However, it is as well to state a few reasons by way of excuse for Napoleon on this occasion. At this time nearly all writers agree that Napoleon was unfit. He was ill. Again, he was grievously dis- appointed by receiving no news from Ney. Marshal Soult at the same tune seems to have failed his chief. He was Napoleon's chief staff officer, and on the morning of the iyth should have had complete information ready for the Emperor. He had not such information, and consequently Napoleon 288 Criticism of Napoleon's Action at Ligny remained in ignorance of what had taken place at Quatre Bras. Again, Napoleon never supposed for a moment that Blucher had retired towards Wavre. The natural assumption was that the Prussians had retired on Namur and Liege, but this scarcely excuses the fact that no reconnaissance was made in the direction of Tilly. Cavalry in the French army was plentiful and fresh, and this omission seems quite unpardonable. It is possible to go on arguing and re-arguing about Napoleon's conduct on this occasion, but it appears very unsatisfactory, and I think we must be content with Jomini's excellent criticism, already quoted here. 289 BRIEF SUMMARY OF GRANT'S OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND, OF JUNE, 1864 AND AN ESSAY ON THE INFLUENCE ON THESE OPERATIONS OF THE MOVEMENTS ON THE JAMES RIVER AND IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY DURING THE SAME PERIOD Books of Reference : "The Virginia Campaign of 1864 and 1865." By A. A. Humphreys, Chief of Staff Army of the Potomac. "A History of the Civil War iff the United States, 1861-5. Wood and Edwards. OHIO PENNSYLVANIA v;;^^;;;-// , fey-V .y^4 fj *M MAP TO ILLUSTRATE "GRANT'S OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND, June, 1864." 292 GRANT'S OPERATIONS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND June, 1864 INTRODUCTORY BEFORE summarising the operations of Grant in Virginia in June, 1864, and discussing the co-operation of the army of the Shenandoah and the army of the James River with the Army of the Potomac at that period of the Civil War, it will be necessary to briefly state the strength and composition of the opposing armies, with their position at the commencement of the operations in May, 1864, and the objectives of the directing leaders. (Reference Map : Ander- son's " General Map of Virginia.") THEATRE OF OPERATIONS THE Theatre of Operations lay in Virginia and West Virginia, and borders of Maryland, embracing the Valley of the Shenandoah, and the plain east of Blue Ridge. Main Rivers. Rapidan, North Anna, South Anna, Pamunkey and James. 293 A Captain of the Gordons Railways. (i) " Baltimore and Ohio," connect- ing Washington with the West. (2) " Orange and Alexandria," running south-west from Washington. (3) " Richmond Railways," to Fredericksburg northwards to Gordonsville, and westwards to Wei- don, Danville and Lynchburg. The Shenandoah Valley was of great importance to the Confederates, both as a means of supply, and a means of aiming blows at Washington, the Federal Capital. COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES FEDERALS Commander in Chief Lieut.-Gen. Grant. Armies (1) Army of the Potomac under General Meade, including : Second Corps (Hancock), 54 Guns. Fifth Corps (Warren), 48 Guns. Sixth Corps (Wright), 48 Guns. Ninth Corps (Burnside), 42 Guns. Cavalry (Sheridan), 32 Guns. Artillery Reserve (Hunt), 92 Guns. Each corps, roughly, 24,000 men. Total, 92,000 infantry ; 12,000 cavalry ; 316 guns. (2) Army of the Shenandoah, and Army of West Virginia (Sigel, Hunter, Crook and Averell) : Total, 24,000 men ; 64 guns. 294 Grant's Operations (3) Army of the James under General Butler, including : Tenth Corps (Gillmore). Eighteenth Corps (Smith). Total, 32,000 infantry ; 3,000 cavalry ; 86 guns. (4) Reserves at Washington, 40,000 men. Grand Total of Federal Forces in Theatre of Operations : 205,000 men, 468 guns. CONFEDERATES Commander-in-Chief President Davis who directed the strategical movements. Armies (1) Army of Northern Virginia, under General Lee, including : First Corps (Anderson), 54 guns. Second Corps (Early), 70 guns. Third Corps (Hill), 80 guns. Cavalry (Stuart), 20 guns. Each Corps averaging 16,000 men. Total, 62,000 men and 224 guns. (2) Army of the Shenandoah Valley under Breckin- ridge : Total, 9,000 men ; 24 guns. (3) Army of Beauregard. 22,000 infantry ; 2,000 cavalry ; 50 guns. Grand Total of Confederate Forces in Theatre of Operations, 90,000 men ; 298 guns. N.B. Divisions numbered about 5,000 to 8,000; Brigades, 1,500 to 3,000. These numbers are probably approximate. (Reference : Humphrey's, Anderson and Edwards.) 295 A Captain of the Gordons POSITION OF OPPOSING ARMIES IN MAY, 1864 (Commencement of these Operations) Federals (a) Sigel with the army of the Shenandoah in the valley. (V) Grant and Meade with the army of the Potomac along the Orange Railway. (c) Butler with the army of the James on the River James. Confederates (a) Lee with the army of Northern Virginia lying behind the Rapidan river, north-east of Orange Court House. (b) Breckinridge with the army of the Shenandoah in the valley. (c) Beauregard at Petersburg. Objectives The Federal General, who was acting on the offensive, had three objectives : 1. To destroy the Confederate field armies. 2. To occupy Richmond. 3. To destroy the Confederate railways. N.B. His strategical plans will be found discussed at the end of the Essay. The Confederate General's object was to gain time, trusting to a foreign intervention, which never came. This was his only possible chance. He was hopelessly 296 Grant's Operations outnumbered, and could expect no reinforcements to replace casualties. His immediate object was to cover Richmond. GRANT'S OPERATIONS Grant operated from May ist to the middle of June by a series of flank movements, altogether nine in number namely : 1. Over the Rapidan, May 4-6, resulting in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5-7. 2. To Spottsylvania, May 7-8, resulting in the Battle of Spottsylvania, Court House, May 8-9. 3. Hancock's move, night of May 11-12. 4. Warren's move, May 13. 5. Grant's move, May 18. 6. Grant's move to the North Anna, May 20. 7. Grant's move down the Pamunkey, May 26. Thus we come to the period for which the summary is required namely, June, 1864. BRIEF SUMMARY OF GRANT'S OPERATIONS OF JUNE, 1864 (Position on May 3ist, 1864) Federals Grant advancing on Cold Harbour with the army of the Potomac, Hunter, Sigel, Crook, and Averell in the Shenandoah valley. Butler bottled up near City Point, and quite useless. (Reference : " Essay on Army of the James.") 297 A Captain of the Gordons Confederates Lee with the army of Northern Virginia lay behind the Totopotomy River, covering the approach to Richmond by Shady Grove Church Road, and the Mechanicsville Turnpike. Beauregard was at Petersburg, and Jones in the Shenandoah valley. Grant's immediate plan of operations at this date was to continue his movement by his left towards the Chickahominy, in order to turn the Confederate right flank before it had entrenched. SUMMARY May 3istf, 1864 The Federal cavalry under Sheridan defeated the Confederate cavalry under Fitzhugh-Lee, and occupied Cold Harbour. On June ist and 2nd Grant, with the army of the Potomac, commenced his eighth flank march, having opposed to him the army of Northern Virginia under Lee. June ist The Second, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and Eighteenth Corps were engaged, and opposed to them were the Confederate forces under Heth, Early, Anderson, Hoke, Breckinridge and Hill, with Lee commanding in chief. The action of June ist commenced with an attack 298 Grant's Operations on Anderson and Hoke by the Eighteenth and Sixth Corps. This attack was successful. Lee replied by attacking the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Corps with Hill, Breckinridge and Early. June 2nd Heth and Early attacked the right flank of the Federal army and were repulsed by the Ninth Corps, on the night of the 2nd. The army of the Potomac lay with its right in Bethesda Church, and its left in the Chickahominy River. On this date Hunter defeated the Confederates under Jones at Piedmont in the Shenandoah valley. June $rd Sheridan crossed the Chickahominy with the Federal cavalry. BATTLE OF COLD HARBOUR The action commenced at 4.30 a.m. with an attack on the main Confederate position by the Second, Sixth, and Eighteenth Corps. This attack was unsuc- cessful. The Fifth and Ninth Corps also attacked the Confederate right ; only partially successful. General Grant then suspended operations. June qth I2th The opposing armies lay facing each other from the 4th to the I2th. There was continual skir- 299 A Captain of the Gordons mishing and gun fire ; and the Federal troops suffered severely both from defective commissariat and bad water. Fever was prevalent. June jth On this date Sheridan, with two divisions of cavalry, was sent on a raid west to Charlottesville, with the object of destroying the Central Railway, and of meeting and co-operating with Hunter. June gth Butler on this date moved against Petersburg ; unsuccessful (see Essay). June nth On June nth Sheridan fought the action of Trevylian Station, driving the Confederate cavalry under Hampton and Fitzhugh-Lee back on Gordonsville. June I2th On this date the army of the Potomac commenced its ninth flank march, and crossed the Chickahominy River and the James River. The passage of the James was covered by Admiral Lee with the Federal Fleet. The whole of the army of the Potomac had crossed by June i6th to the right bank. Losses from May 2jth to June I2th Federals, 17,000 ; Confederates, 5,000. 300 Grant's Operations June i6th. The Confederate General seems to have been unaware of this movement, and did not give credence to the report till June PETERSBURG June i$th On June I5th Grant commenced his attack on the Petersburg entrenchments, directing his assaults on the eastern front. On this date Smith, with 10,000 of his own men and 2,400 of Kautz cavalry (with 3,700 negroes), attacked the entrenchments near City Point Rail- way. He captured seven Redans and 16 guns. Note. Lee had sent Hoke's division to reinforce Petersburg, and it arrived on this date. June i6th On June i6th the Fifth and Ninth Corps arrived in front of Petersburg, and on this date the garrison was reinforced by two divisions. The Federals again attacked and took Redans 12, 13, 14 and 4. June ijth On June I7th Shand House was carried, and assaults made on Hanover Creek. On this date Hunter commenced his assault on Lynchburg with the army of the Shenandoah (see Essay) . 301 A Captain of the Gordons June i8th Losses, June i^th to iSth Federals, 10,000 ; Confederates, Unknown. On June i8th assaults were made by Meade, near Han House, and by the Fifth and Ninth Corps to the south. Grant now decided to invest Petersburg by en- trenchments. On this date Hunter renewed his assaults on Lynchburg, and on igth retired, abandoning the Shenandoah Valley (see Essay). June 2ist On June 2ist the Federal forces on the east of Petersburg lay from the north Eighteenth Corps, Ninth Corps, Fifth Corps, Second Corps, Sixth Corps. Grant's object at this date was to secure the Weldon and Lynchburg Railways. June 22nd June On June 22nd while the Second and Sixth Corps were making a movement to the west, they left a gap. Hill interfered and inflicted great loss. On this date what is known as Wilson's Raid com- menced. Wilson and Kautz, with some 6,000 men, marched on Burkesville, and then, turning south, broke the Danville Railway. They were intercepted at Ream's Station on the Weldon Railway on the 2Qth by Hampton and Fitzhugh-Lee. Wilson was compelled to destroy his transport and fled, pursued 302 Grant's Operations by Hampton. He then turned east and finally north, rejoining the main army. July 2nd Kautz fled east with the loss of all his guns, and also finally rejoined the main army on July 2nd. This raid cost the Federals 1,500 men and 12 guns. This finishes Grant's Operations up to the end of June, 1864. Federal losses since May ist, 65,000. Confederates, probably 30,000 to 40,000. MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY OF THE SHEN- ANDOAH (MAY AND JUNE, 1864), SHOWING THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC UNDER GRANT THE Shenandoah Valley formed a part of what was known as the department of West Virginia. In the spring of 1864, General Sigel was in com- mand of this department, with a force of some 6,500 men, plus the army of West Virginia under Crook and Averell. *|To understand the reasons for the Operations in the Valley and their bearing on the movements of Grant and his army of the Potomac, it is necessary to briefly state the functions of the commander of the department. 303 A Captain of the Gordons Shortly, then, Grant's plan designed that the troops in this department should cover the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad, the great line of communication between Washington and the West, and also should act offensively against the Virginia Central Railway, passing through Staunton, and against the Virginia and Tennessee Railway, passing through Lynch- burg. Accordingly, early in May, 1864, Averell, with two brigades of cavalry, advanced on Saltville with the view of destroying the bridge over the New River at New Bern, on the Virginia and Tennessee Railway. He failed in his object, and was driven back with loss. Crook, however, was successful where Averell had failed, and burned the bridge. General Sigel meanwhile advanced up the Valley, and on May I4th, coming in contact with Breckin- ridge's Corps, near Newmarket, sustained a severe defeat. Shortly after this he was superseded by Hunter, and we now come to the period required, namely, the end of May, 1864, to end of June, 1864. It is well to note at this point that Sigel' s defeat caused General Lee to withdraw Breckinridge's Corps from the Valley and place it on the line of the North Anna River, thus reinforcing his army "in front of Grant by one corps. Indeed, it will be noticed that the influence of the Federal army of the Shenandoah was at various intervals to cause Lee to detach troops, thus relieving the pressure in front 304 Grant's Operations of Grant a fact which it is an object of this Essay to point out. Hunter was now in supreme command m the Valley, and advanced on May 26th from Cedar Creek, with a force of 8,500 men and 21 guns. His object was to carry out his orders, namely to march on Staunton and there effect a junction with Crook and Averell, with the ultimate object of advancing on Charlottesville and Lynchburg. On June 2nd he moved south-east with the object of outflanking Imboden's cavalry. On June 5th he came in contact with the Confederate main body at Piedmont, which he completely routed, capturing 3 guns and 1,500 prisoners. The Con- federate General, Jones, was killed. Hunter then joined hands with Crook and Averell and occupied Staunton. He was thus reinforced by 10,000 men and two batteries. On June loth, Hunter moved towards Lynchburg with 18,000 men and 30 guns. General Grant intended that he should march by way of Charlottesville, but Hunter, influenced by the fact that a Confederate force held Rockfish Gap, moved by Lexington. This change of route proved a fatal mistake, as we shall see. Hunter arrived at Lexington on June nth, and he halted there till the I3th (another mistake), waiting for his cavalry, which had been sent to destroy the Charlottesville and Lynchburg Railway. In consequence of this Breckinridge and Early, who u 305 A Captain of the Gordons had been despatched by Lee to the Valley, had time to reach Lynchburg and all hope of capturing that town was lost to the Federal army. Note again at this point the operations of the army of the Shenandoah causing Lee to detach two Corps from his army in front of Grant. Hunter advanced upon Lynchburg by the Peaks of Otter. On the I7th he carried a line of Confederate en- trenchments five miles outside the city. On the i8th he attacked vigorously, driving back Early 's infantry. Hunter, however, now perceived that he was outnumbered and decided on retreat. And now it became apparent what a fatal mistake had been made in choosing the Lexington Route. In the first place, Sheridan, who had been de- spatched by Grant to meet and co-operate with Hunter, finding that Hunter was advancing by Lex- ington, instead of attempting to co-operate, very wisely retired, whereby Hunter lost the assistance of two divisions of Cavalry. Now came the question of the Line of Retreat. The natural route was practically impossible, as Early could move his troops by rail and act offens- ively through the Rockfish Gap, against the Federals as they retired. There was then another road west of the Shenan- doah Valley, passing through the Valley of the south branch of the Potomac, and coming out at Cum- berland on the Baltimore-Ohio Railway. Here, however, there was the possibility of Early cutting 306 Grant's Operations the line of retreat, by moving by Staunton and Harrisonburg ; also there was great difficulty of supply. Hunter, therefore, abandoned this idea. There now remained only one route, namely, northwards into the Kanawha Valley. This aband- oned the Shenadoah Valley to Early, but Hunter had no choice. He was running short of. supplies of both food and ammunition, and he was 200 miles from his base. Forced marches were made, and finally, on June 27th, Hunter arrived near Gauley Bridge, where supplies were awaiting him, and went into camp. His troops were so exhausted by priva- tion that it was found impossible to use them for the defence of Washington. Early, on Hunter's evacuation of the Valley, marched straight for the Potomac, reaching Win- chester on July 2nd ; but further operations go beyond the limit of this Essay. The result of Hunter's expedition had been to compel Lee to greatly weaken his army of Northern Virginia in front of Grant a result Grant had fore- seen. By his operations in the Shenandoah, and on the James River, Grant clearly perceived that he must compel Lee to detach troops from his main army. He was eminently successful with the army of the Shenandoah in attaining this object, and would have been still more so with the army of the James, had it not been for the incapacity of Butler. 307 A Captain of the Gordons MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY OF THE JAMES RIVER (MAY AND JUNE, 1864), AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC UNDER GRANT IT will be necessary to discuss the operations of this army in May, 1864, as well as June, as it was the operations of May which influenced Grant's move- ments both in May and June. In making his original strategical plan for the operations of the summer of 1864, General Grant decided on a co-operative movement by the Army of the James under Butler. Butler had under his command two Corps, with Generals Gillmore and Smith, in all about 36,000 men. Of these a small portion were coloured troops. In May Butler concentrated at Bermuda Hundred Neck, and subsequently received orders to move on Richmond, the Confederate capital, and invest that city. He was further ordered to establish his left flank on the River above Richmond, and thus General Grant hoped he might effect a junction with the army of the Potomac. It is interesting to note at this point that a historian states that " unfortunately for the success of the Federal plans, Butler was perhaps the most incapable officer still retained in high command," and another historian argues that the orders given to Butler were vague, if not contradictory, and that throughout the operations his action was to depend on Grants' 308 Grant's Operations movements, and as events turned out very differ- ently to what Grant expected on the north side of Richmond, it is not surprising that Butler failed also on the south side. Again, we find one historian stating definitely that Butler had no orders with regard to Petersburg, but that the only orders he received were to move on Richmond, and on the other hand another historian stating just as defin- itely that Butler received orders to capture Peters- burg, secure the Petersburg- Weldon Railway, and invest Richmond. It therefore appears well-nigh impossible to discover what orders this unfortunate officer did receive. However this may be, Butler failed very signally, as we shall see. Early in May Butler had a splendid chance of capturing Petersburg, securing the Petersburg- Weldon Railway, and investing Richmond on the south side of the James River. This would have necessitated the recall of Lee's army of Northern Virginia, thus freeing Grant's hand with the army of the Potomac. Had Lee's army not been recalled the Confederate capital must have been abandoned. This course of action was strongly urged on Butler by his Corps Commanders. Butler completely outnumbered Beauregard, the Confederate General, who had probably not more than 6,000 men, besides his siege artillery, under his command. It is true he had reinforcements com- ing up from the south, but Butler had broken up the Petersburg- Weldon Railway at various points, thus 309 A Captain of the Gordons seriously retarding Beauregard's concentration. Butler, with this opportunity staring him in the face, remained inactive, with the result that the Confederate General had time to bring up his rein- forcements to Richmond and Petersburg, and then assume the offensive, having concentrated a force equal to Butler's own. On May i6th the action of Drury's Bluff was fought. Butler was defeated and withdrew to Burn- side Hundred, whence he was followed by Beaure- gard, who then extended himself in front of the Federal army. The result of this is well described by Edmonds. He says " The army of the James was thus confined in a bottle, of which Beauregard held the cork." Thus it will be seen how the inactivity of the army of the James seriously hindered the fulfilment of Grant's plans. Further, the immediate effect was to strengthen the army of Northern Virginia, for Beauregard, having now nothing to fear from the Federal army, was able to send two Divisions and one Brigade to reinforce Lee. When General Grant was informed of Butler's failure to co-operate, and his helpless condition with regard to Petersburg, he ordered him to send as many men as he could spare to White House, on the Pamunkey River in order to operate in junction with the army of the Potomac. Butler accordingly dispatched Smith with 16,000 men to the required place. 310 Grant's Operations On June gth he made a feeble move against Peters- burg, sending a small force under Gillmore to the south bank of the Appomattox. Gillmore made an effort, but, finding the works round Petersburg too strong, he very wisely retired. This really ends any independent action of the army of the James as by June i6th the army of the Potomac had crossed the river. It will be seen that although Butler could have been of the very greatest use to General Grant by successful co-operation, he let his opportunities slip by, and, through his dilatoriness, procrasti- nation and want of initiative, got himself securely bottled up, and set free a great portion of Beau- regard's army to go to the assistance of General Lee. It is held by some historians and strategists that the whole operations of the army of the James, and the army of the Shenandoah, were a strategical error, inasmuch as that in order to detain 18,000 men Grant himself was compelled to detach 40,000 men. This view is held by a great authority on this period Vaughan-Sawyer. At the first glance, and according to general strategical principles, this view appears to be correct. It must be remembered, however, that the Federal General was peculiarly situated, inasmuch as he greatly outnumbered his enemy, and while his casualties were made good by reinforcements, the Confederates had no such rein- forcements to hope for. 3" A Captain of the Gordons It would appear, therefore, that the loss of 40,000 men to Grant was not nearly so serious as the loss of 18,000 men to Lee. Therefore, I disagree with Vaughan-Sawyer on this point, and to me Grant's strategy appears sound especially as the junction at one place of the army of the James, the army of the Shenandoah, and the army of the Potomac would have made Grant's train very unwieldy. GRANT'S STRATEGICAL PLAN OF OPERA- TIONS, MAY-JUNE, 1864 In May, 1864, in making out his strategical plans General Grant had to decide whether it would be more advantageous to move against the Confederate V>rces by sea, i.e., transport the army of the Potomac by sea to the neighbourhood of Richmond, or oper- ate against General Lee and the army of Northern Virginia by land. It was quite a simple matter to transport the army by sea. The Federals had command of the sea, and from that fact Grant had a great strategical advantage over his opponent. He had, it will be seen, the advantage of a Re-entrant, and a very extended Base, which he used to good purpose, con- stantly being able to shift his base, and consequently being able to frequently change his Line of Opera- tions. The transportation of the army of the Potomac by sea meant, however, leaving the army of Northern 312 Grant's Operations Virginia under Lee free to move on Washington, and, of this opportunity Grant considered it highly prob- able Lee would at once take advantage. Further, Grant considered that his chief objective should be Lee and the army of Northern Virginia, the main Confederate field army. The destruction of this army and its renowned leader meant the death-blow to the southern Con- federacy. The fall of Richmond would be disas- trous, but not fatal. Grant, therefore, decided on an advance by land with his main objective Lee, and the army of Northern Virginia with the army of the Shenandoah co-operating in the north and the army of the James co-operating in the south. Hence his famous order to General Meade " Wherever Lee goes, there you will go too." In this decision he was strongly supported by President Lincoln. Having decided on an advance by land, Grant had now to consider whether the advance should be directed against the right or left flank of the Con- federates. If he moved against the left flank he would be moving through a country favourable to offensive operations, and he would threaten the Confederate Line of Communication between Rich- mond and the Shenandoah Valley one of their great arteries for supply. Grant, however, rejected this course for the fol- lowing reasons. First, it meant the detachment of a large number of troops from the protection of the A Captain of the Gordons Orange and Alexandria Railway ; and, secondly, it meant that the movements would be observed for forty miles by the Confederate posts on South-west Mountain ; thus giving Lee sufficient warning to enable him to throw up a strongly entrenched posi- tion on the mountain which would cover the line of approach to Gordonsville. There remained, then, the advance against the Con- federate Right, i.e., Grant moving by his own Left. This meant moving through a very difficult country, namely the Wilderness, but there was quite a proba- bility that the army would safely pass through this tract of country before the Confederate General could be in a position to act against it offensively. There was no difficulty as to supply, and supplies would move on the protected side of the army of the Potomac. Grant moved accordingly, acting on exterior lines, with the army of the Potomac in the centre, the army of the Shenandoah on the right, and the army of the James on the left. The actual movements are shown in the Essay. From a strategical point of view apparently very little fault can be found with General Grant, who was undoubtedly a great leader. The passage of the James River in June, 1864, was a great feat, an example for all time. Notwithstanding, he unquestionably failed in all his objectives in 1864. He neither destroyed the Confederate Field armies, nor did he succeed in Grant's Operations capturing Richmond ; nor in destroying the Con- federate railways. However, it must be remem- bered that he was severely hampered by the incom- petence of Butler on the James, and Sigel in the Shenandoah. He appears to have fought un- necessary battles, sustaining enormous loss out of proportion to that of his enemy. He himself stated that he wished he had not fought the Battle of Cold Harbour. From all this we conclude that Grant's strategical plan was carefully, wisely and skilfully thought out ; but his tactics appear to have been somewhat faulty. Discussion of the strategy of the Confederate leader is outside the scope of this Essay, but he appears to have been a more skilful soldier than Grant, and a man of indomitable courage. 315 PRINTED BY THE LONDON AND NORWICH PRESS, LIMITED LONDON AND NORWICH A 000 039 874 3