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Updated: June 18, 2025
It was purposed that he should harass the enemy by attacks on their lines of communication, and it was while he was at the outset of the first of these expeditions that he and twelve of his small force of sixty men were killed at Boshof, in the north-western part of the Free State, early in April.
We had a secret agent watching our interests at Kimberley in the person of a staff officer whose name I suppose I had better not mention; thus we witnessed, without misgiving, the sudden and hurried flight of all the other correspondents from Boshof, mystery written on their faces.
Then he was sent to Boshof and ordered to march with all speed on Hoopstad. Having reached Mahemsfontein he was ordered to halt, and that place being unsuitable for an encampment, had to fall back on Zwaartzkopjesfontein. And then he was ordered back to Boshof again.
The lady was at home in bed; she had been personated by a graceless young cub whose stature was about the same as hers. The morning market at "New Rush" used to be crowded by wagons loaded with game. Most of this was shot on the flats beyond the Boshof Hills that range which is visible, about ten miles to the north-eastward, from Kimberley.
Even these were rather scarce, but we could not yet say that we were altogether destitute. Coffee and sugar except when we had an opportunity of helping ourselves from the enemy's stores were unknown to us. With regard to the first-named commodity, however, the reader must know that in the district of Boshof there grows a wild tree, whose roots make an excellent substitute for coffee.
The district of Boshof: the men under Commandant J.N. Jacobsz, P. Erasmus and H. Theunissen. All of these were under Vice-Commander-in-Chief C.C.J. Badenhorst. The district of Philippolis: the men under Commandants Munnik and Hertzog. Sub-district of Fauresmith: the men under Commandant Charles Nieuwouwdt. Sub-district of Jacobsdal: the men under Commandant Hendrik Pretorius.
Since the Boers were in the neighbourhood, and might at any moment make an attack, Major Pollock and I were anxious not to leave Boshof until it became absolutely necessary.
In General Villebois de Mareuil's pocket was found a note-book containing a cleverly planned diagram of an attack on Boshof, and when the sun was setting he was buried in the town he had hoped to enter victoriously.
Mahon met with no serious resistance until he had covered 200 miles of his journey, when he found a, force which had been sent down from Mafeking across his path, and which diverted him to Massibi; where he joined Plumer on May 15. The advance of the main and less mobile body under Hunter was aided by demonstrations made by Methuen from Boshof.
I ought to add that after I had crossed the Magaliesberg I had sent Veldtcornet C.C. Badenhorst, with twenty-seven men, on a similar errand to the districts of Boshof and Hoopstad. I promoted him to the rank of commandant, and he soon had a thousand troops under him, so that he was able to engage the enemy on several occasions.
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