A fortnight had elapsed since Lord Roberts had launched his forces from Ramdam, and that fortnight had wrought a complete revolution in the campaign.  It is hard to recall any instance in the history of war where a single movement has created such a change over so many different operations.  On February 14th Kimberley was in danger of capture, a victorious Boer army was facing Methuen, the lines of Magersfontein appeared impregnable, Clements was being pressed at Colesberg, Gatacre was stopped at Stormberg, Buller could not pass the Tugela, and Ladysmith was in a perilous condition.  On the 28th Kimberley had been relieved, the Boer army was scattered or taken, the lines of Magersfontein were in our possession, Clements found his assailants retiring before him, Gatacre was able to advance at Stormberg, Buller had a weakening army in front of him, and Ladysmith was on the eve of relief.  And all this had been done at the cost of a very moderate loss of life, for most of which Lord Roberts was in no sense answerable.  Here at last was a reputation so well founded that even South African warfare could only confirm and increase it.  A single master hand had in an instant turned England’s night to day, and had brought us out of that nightmare of miscalculation and disaster which had weighed so long upon our spirits.  His was the master hand, but there were others at his side without whom that hand might have been paralysed:  Kitchener the organiser, French the cavalry leader—­to these two men, second only to their chief, are the results of the operations due.  Henderson, the most capable head of Intelligence, and Richardson, who under all difficulties fed the army, may each claim his share in the success.

CHAPTER 20.

Roberts’s advance on bloemfontein.

The surrender of Cronje had taken place on February 27th, obliterating for ever the triumphant memories which the Boers had for twenty years associated with that date.  A halt was necessary to provide food for the hungry troops, and above all to enable the cavalry horses to pick up.  The supply of forage had been most inadequate, and the beasts had not yet learned to find a living from the dry withered herbage of the veld. [Footnote:  A battery which turned out its horses to graze found that the puzzled creatures simply galloped about the plain, and could only be reassembled by blowing the call which they associated with feeding, when they rushed back and waited in lines for their nosebags to be put on.] In addition to this, they had been worked most desperately during the fortnight which had elapsed.  Lord Roberts waited therefore at Osfontein, which is a farmhouse close to Paardeberg, until his cavalry were fit for an advance.  On March 6th he began his march for Bloemfontein.