While the vanguard had thus scattered the main body of the enemy a detachment of riflemen had ridden round to attack the British rear and convoy.  A few volleys from the escort drove them off, however, with some loss.  Altogether, what with the loss of nine guns and of at least 200 men, the rout of Haartebeestefontein was a severe blow to the Boer cause.  A week or two later Sir H. Rawlinson’s column, acting with Babington, rushed Smuts’s laager at daylight and effected a further capture of two guns and thirty prisoners.  Taken in conjunction with French’s successes in the east and Plumer’s in the north, these successive blows might have seemed fatal to the Boer cause, but the weary struggle was still destined to go on until it seemed that it must be annihilation rather than incorporation which would at last bring a tragic peace to those unhappy lands.

All over the country small British columns had been operating during these months—­operations which were destined to increase in scope and energy as the cold weather drew in.  The weekly tale of prisoners and captures, though small for any one column, gave the aggregate result of a considerable victory.  In these scattered and obscure actions there was much good work which can have no reward save the knowledge of duty done.  Among many successful raids and skirmishes may be mentioned two by Colonel Park from Lydenburg, which resulted between them in the capture of nearly 100 of the enemy, including Abel Erasmus of sinister reputation.  Nor would any summary of these events be complete without a reference to the very gallant defence of Mahlabatini in Zululand, which was successfully held by a handful of police and civilians against an irruption of the Boers.  With the advent of winter and of reinforcements the British operations became very energetic in every part of the country, and some account of them will now be added.

CHAPTER 34.

The winter campaign (April to September, 1901).

The African winter extends roughly from April to September, and as the grass during that period would be withered on the veld, the mobility of the Boer commandos must be very much impaired.  It was recognised therefore that if the British would avoid another year of war it could only be done by making good use of the months which lay before them.  For this reason Lord Kitchener had called for the considerable reinforcements which have been already mentioned, but on the other hand he was forced to lose many thousands of his veteran Yeomanry, Australians, and Canadians, whose term of service was at an end.  The volunteer companies of the infantry returned also to England, and so did nine militia battalions, whose place was taken however by an equal number of new-comers.