in sight for ten miles at
least!

[Page Heading: AT POPLAR GROVE]

It very quickly transpired, however, that the Boers were strongly
entrenched at Poplar Grove. At their head were French's most
redoubtable opponents in the Colesberg campaign--De Wet and Delarey.
For once his old antagonists were able to get back at least a little
of their own. Their position extended across the river and was
protected by a chain of hills, with kopjes between, not to mention the
wired fences, ditches and other wiles in which they excelled.

Lord Roberts determined that an attack must be delivered before the
enemy had time to recover from the shock of Cronje's surrender. French
was, therefore, ordered to circle round the Boer left flank, thus
cutting off his retreat, while the infantry delivered a frontal
attack.

The result was a compliment to the terrible French and his cavalry.
No sooner did the Boers realise that the horsemen were upon them, than
they beat a hasty retreat. Before the cavalry were in position, the
Boers and their wagons could be seen scurrying off for the river.
Arm-chair critics at home have strongly criticised French for what
followed. They claim that what should have been a rout, ended in an
orderly escape. But they forget several factors in the situation.

While French's men were urging their spent horses forward to overtake
the enemy, it became obvious that De Wet had very cleverly covered his
retreat. First from a farmhouse in the rear, and, when it was taken,
from a low kopje, a small body of men poured forth a hail of bullets.
In manoeuvring to take the kopje, the tired cavalry allowed the astute
De Wet and Delarey to escape with their guns intact. Kruger and Steyn
also, who had come up to hearten their followers, got away.

Maddening as it was to French to see his old enemy escape through his
fingers like this, the condition of his men and of his horses had to
be taken into account; they were dead beat. For once the manoeuvring
of De Wet proved as successful as when it was practised by French at
Colesberg. Finally the event of the day is attributable to two of
French's best qualities--his caution and his extreme parsimony in the
matter of human life. A more ruthless leader might possibly have
captured the Boer guns. But it is extremely doubtful whether he would
have taken De Wet, Delarey or any other of the well-mounted Boer
leaders.

From Poplar Grove the enemy fell back on Driefontein. On March 10,