Diary of an unknown Boer War soldier, October - November 1899

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guardsmen to Dundee a/c
24 Oct 1899
J. G. [[?]]
Boers
Middelburg Com
[*PR05050*]
1899

Oct 24  Dundee taken by the Boers -

virtually taken by Lucus Meyer's

force - fight lasted from 5 am

till 4.15 on Friday 22^nd -.

no help from Comdt Erasmus-

Could not understand it as he

was reported to have been there

at the time - Had he helped no

Englishman could have escaped-

as we could have hemmed them

in Entirely and prevented them

escaping from the old Grey town

road. God helped me wonderfully

and released me from the hands

of my enemies Who had taken

me prisoner near our men

who were fighting hard -

N^os 13000 English with 60

Cannons

3000  Boers with 8

Cannons from

[*PR05050*]

Cannon ammunition gave

up at about 11 o'clock &

the [[?nners]] did the rest.

under God's good guidance.

Comdr. Trichardt no good.

has no head nor any inflective

resource - our F.C.
or C.Faurie would have
proved far abler Commanders-
The English are no
cowards by any means &
fought well up the hill but

the Boer marksmen picked
them off sometimes by twos
& even threes. Saw 12
officers (their Colonel included) 
laid out in one little room
& about 60 others dead at
the farm. Terrible .- poor
devils ! not their but the

Capitalist's fault  But they
have to obey the orders of
their powers just as I must.
I wish this matter could now
be settled. Victory is also
dreadful -
The Coolies looted Dundee -
we shall get the blame -
we only took food and such
clothes as we absolutely
required. But there are
some of our Boers who
do not observe any of
the General's orders.-

Oct 26. Official report last night to
Gen Lucas Meyer states that
the English loss registers
1400 Killed & Wounded, amongst
whom were 130 officers

including 1 General and
6 Colonels.
We are still following the
English up to Ladysmith - expect
they have reached it by this
time; - do not care - as our
Cannons are not yet with us,
and these we must have.
Several reports current that
Ladysmith has surrendered -
but do not credit, since
we heard no special fighting.
We are still 5 hours
away from our destination
Col. Trichardt not yet in position
- hence our delay-
27  We heard today that the
Cape Colony, Free State, Natal
and the South African Republic
had been proclaimed as a
South African Republic.
How it was done, if done,
I cannot understand, unless
the S.A.R. joined itself
to Natal, and proclaimed
both conjointly with
the Cape & Free State.
Had bitter rains - wet to
the skin again - now the
9th time-.
28^th  Slept in the rain in a 
little Kaffir Kraal; can
go back if I want to,
but wish to finish off
Ladysmith to see if that
will not settle this unjustifiable
war. Feel very
sorry for the poor English

soldiers who are bound
to carry out the Chamberlain
policy - In my opinion
had England followed
the Salisbury policy, this
war would most certainly
have been avoided
as our Govt. would have
conceded a lot more
in kindness - but would
not be coerced. For years
I have been fighting for
small, necessary reforms
in our Govt. without avail.
Now have to fight for the
upholding of our independence
But I do
this gladly, because England
has been following
out a very galling policy
for an Africander - After
this war, if spared, am
going to continue doing
very best towards organizing 
a proper Govt -
broadminded and guarding
the independence
of our little State. May
God grant me my life
with a knowledge how
to use it in the interests
of my country and to
His Glory -.
Poor Pistorius could
hardly say "Good morning"

to me this morning -
he seemed very much
out of sorts. Some of

our men are beginning

to distrust Lt Moorhead.

Sun just coming out.

Glorious - thank Heavens!

Two hours from Ladysmith

Hope our Generals will

decide to tackle her at

earliest opportunity, so

that we could settle

matters -.

Still got very bad cold.

Rheumatics giving me

fits, especially when

on horseback -. The

two [[Minloos?]] - Coenic

& Nicho - are fine lads

to have for messmates.

Four provision waggons

left in turf by Column

flying to L. Smith fell

into our hands this morning

we got nothing - the other

Com^os taking ever thing

barring one tin of "Klinters"

not bad for hungry stoms.

Cannot understand why

this flying column was

not intercepted and

cut off before getting

into L. Smith. This

could very easily have

been done _______ .

Have just taken our position
in a little "Randje"

about 3 miles or so to the

East of L. Smith - our entire

Force is now circled round

the place, and I do not

see how the English can

possibly get out of it - we

have cannon on three

sides of them. Storming

the Koppies this side of

the big rand this side of

the town was very ticklish

work, especially as a large

force "trekked" out of town in

our direction. Vercucil's

field cornetcy had to patrol
the ground first before
the Commando would

come out on the hills. This

is perfectly correct, as one

must be careful in the

Enemy's ground.

Gen. L. Meyer has now

arranged very much better

than at Dundee - I suppose

owing to good advice from

other Generals. Am of opinion

that the English are very much

in difficulty, and will not show

much fight, as it appears to

me that their chances are very meagre.

However, one does not know

until things have happened -

and such very strange things

do happen.

Have suffered terribly with sore

chest and terrible cough through the

best part of the night. Am very ill.

Vercusil will let me go back, but I

do not feel up to it, unless somebody

could go with me. Lost my breath

a few times, through terrible cough - .

29 Got notice and orders from our

Comdt. to ride a report and

take sealed orders to our Camp

at Baffelriviers drift calling up

all our capable men. Horses

are giving in but men still

in splendid form.

I very sick of Rheumatic
and my chest absolutely
inflamed so that I can hardly
get my breath.

10.30 evening.

Arrived at Dundee dept

in Royal Hotel with Comr

Von Levitson - Left early

without Brentegart - have

½ a tin of Strawberry jam

very nice but no volume

for hungry stomach - 

Went all over the scene of

the Elandslaagte Waschbank

battle. Boers Hollanders

and Germans must have

fought well - they having

absolutely no cover. Saw

Van Dans Dr Coster dead

a good strongminded man

gone. R.I.P.

Capt. Schiel not dead - shot

through hind quarters -

flesh wound. Gen. Hock's

right leg shot off and bad

wound through shoulder

about 2 inches right below

arm pit - very serious - not

expected to survive - wife

passed through to meet

and nurse him. Two

Uys boys dead - one of Piet

Uy's ([[?]]) and cousins.

- (Dundee).

105 Lost 23 Killed rest

wounded & prisoners.

30^th 12.5 pm. arrive at our

Camp - dead broken up

horse and all - horse wont

eat being completely [[?]]

up- -Splendid animal - Piet

Borman's. Chaps all glad

to see me. Did my

duty by all - Leaving

for Middelburg with

orders to get leave from

[[?]] to proceed to

Delagoa Bay if necessary

to watch movements of

Portuguese These

privately -.

Ever since sunrise this

morning can plainly

hear heavy firing at

Ladysmith. Judging from

sound there must be some

100 Cannon firing together.
Our positions are

fairly good under the
circumstances and unless

the English very far more

than doubly outnumber

us they cannot withstand

the siege very long -

9 a.m.  Firing still continuing -
terrible roars.

We are some 50 miles

away. Strange that

sound can be so plainly

distinguished at such

a distance. Can plainly

hear our Big "Vaale"

belch forth destruction.

Nov 1.  Saw wires at Volksrust today
stating
1300 English captured by the
Free Staters at Ladysmith and
500 killed by Cannon among
which are 42 officers. Gen
Sir George White mortally
wounded.  Many more
killed by small guns -
This will be terrible news
for England.

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