uary 6th, two or three weeks earlier than was
anticipated by those at home who had the most perfect confidence in him,
he was on his way to the front, enabling those at home to draw the
certain inference that all was ready, the divisions assembled, and the
transport in order. While he was travelling the six hundred miles from
Cape Town to the Modder River various preliminary moves which he had
ordered were in course of execution. There had been a large display of
British infantry near Colesberg, covering the withdrawal of General
French and the cavalry division. This had the effect of causing the
Boers to reinforce Colesberg, probably by detachments from
Magersfontein. The British infantry, however, was there only to lure the
Boers; it was composed of parts of the sixth division on the way further
north, and only a small infantry force was left to hold the reinforced
Boers in check. The next move was a reconnaissance in force from Modder
River to Koodoosberg Drifts, which drew Commandant Cronje's attention
and some of his troops to his right flank. The reconnaissance had the
further object of inspiriting the Highland Brigade which had been so
badly damaged at Magersfontein, and of establishing good relations
between these troops and their new commander, General Mac Donald. On
their return to camp a short address from Lord Roberts had the effect
upon them that Napoleon's proclamations used to produce on the French
troops. A day or two was spent in completing the organisation of the
force at Modder River, where a new division, the ninth, had been formed
probably of troops brought up from the communications. The mounted
infantry were also brigaded, as had been those at Orange River Station.
Meantime various movements had been going on of which the details as yet
are unreported. Two infantry divisions, the sixth and seventh, the last
two from England, were moving towards the Riet River to the East of
Jacobsdal. The point or points from which they started are not known,
nor the direction of their march, which was screened by the cavalry
division and perhaps also by a brigade of mounted infantry. At any rate
on Sunday, the 11th inst., Hannay's brigade of mounted infantry from
Orange River, on the march to Ramdam, had to cover its right flank
against a party of Boers. Ramdam is not to be found, but if it is on
the Riet above Jacobsdal the probability is that Hannay's brigade was
covering the right flank of the infantry divisions