n us, but Broadwood's brigade continued the gallop to the very
top of the pass on the left, and the 12th Lancers dismounted and held
the kopjes in front. The right front was held by the Household
Composite and Gordon's Lancers."[35]

[Footnote 35: "The Cavalry Rush to Kimberley," p.
909.]

After a brief stop to re-assemble the march was resumed. Just beyond
the head of the plain the chimneys of the mine works at Kimberley
became visible--still ten miles distant. Cronje, by this aware of the
direction and purpose of the movement, tried to intercept the advance
at a place called Benaauwheidfontein Farm, four miles from the town,
but he was just too late to occupy the commanding positions. Brushing
aside the inadequate force opposing him, French passed on, and about 7
P.M. entered the place, joining hands with the long besieged.
Kimberley was relieved, and the British cavalry established on
Cronje's rear.

The general situation that evening, Thursday, February {p.275} 15,
was as follows: Methuen at Magersfontein, in front of Cronje; the 7th
Infantry Division at Jacobsdal, ten miles to the south-east; the 6th
holding the Klip and Rondeval Drifts on the Modder, twenty miles east
of the Boer army; the 9th near Jacobsdal, in reserve, ready to move
where most needed. Lord Roberts himself was at Jacobsdal, whence his
telegrams were dated on the 16th and 17th. Kitchener remained at Klip
Drift.

Cronje, who had not believed that the British could make so rapid a
march, or take so large a force far from the railroad, saw that not
only had he been outwitted and his position become untenable, but that
there was no time to lose if he hoped to escape at all. As French
slipped by him into Kimberley, he sent word to the camp to get the
trains at once in movement, and to start east towards Bloemfontein.
This direction of retreat has been criticised,[36] and it {p.276} has
been argued that he should have tried to retire to the northward, away
from the British divisions already east of him. In this direction a
certain proportion of his army did break out. It is to be remembered,
however, that not only was Bloemfontein the capital of the Free State,
and, therefore, not lightly to be sacrificed, but that his movement
was concentric, having regard to Joubert and the bulk of the Boer
forces elsewhere. Not only so, but French was north of him; and as it
turned out it was French, in virtue of the superio