I think, and have often
spoken so highly of our soldiers' courage, that I don't hesitate to
point out their weakness. They are lacking in personal intelligence.
For all their pluck, they don't know how to look after themselves. There
have been, as you will have heard, many cases in which detached parties
of our cavalry, mounted infantry, and yeomanry have been cut off and
captured. How often has this happened to the Colonials?
LETTER XXI
PRINSLOO'S SURRENDER--II
_August 4th_.
We have been up the valley and back again, and I write this once more
from Fouriesberg. We passed through here, joining Rundle, as I told you
a week ago, and pushed on eastward in the direction of Naawpoort Nek and
the Golden Gate. Six miles out from here, passing through a very rugged
country, we came on their outposts. These we shelled and drove back.
They then retired to some hills not very high, but with perpendicular
sides of low white cliffs commanding the approach across the plain.
These they held till nightfall. We shelled them a good deal and knocked
out the only gun they had, and the infantry pushed forward in front and
we took a hill on the right, but the attack was not pressed home, as it
would have cost too many lives. The infantry took the hill during the
night, but found it evacuated, the Boers having retired as soon as it
got dark.
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