.
On Monday French with his cavalry brigade seized a drift or ford across
the Riet ten or a dozen miles above Jacobsdal, and the two infantry
divisions were so close behind him that on Tuesday Lord Roberts could
report them both encamped beyond the river. On Tuesday French was off
again to the north with a cavalry brigade, a mounted infantry brigade,
and a horse artillery brigade, a second cavalry brigade, under Colonel
Gordon moving on his right. By half-past five French was across the
Modder River, having forced a drift and seized the hills beyond so as to
secure the passage for the infantry, while Gordon had seized two drifts
further to the west. Between them the two cavalry commanders had
captured five Boer laagers, and the slightness of the opposition they
encounter proves that the Boers were completely surprised. On Wednesday
morning the sixth division was on the march to follow the cavalry, and
the seventh division was to take the same direction on Wednesday
afternoon.
These are all the facts reported until now, Thursday afternoon. Let us
see what they mean. First of all, Lord Roberts has chosen his objective,
the Boer force before Kimberley, on the right flank of the Boer front
Stormberg--Colesberg--Magersfontein. A blow delivered here and followed
by a march into the Free State places Lord Roberts on the communications
of the Boers now at Stormberg and Colesberg and between the two halves
of the Boer army, of which one is on the border of Cape Colony and the
other in Natal. The objective, therefore, has been chosen with
strategical insight. In the next place forces have been concentrated for
the blow. Lord Roberts has four infantry divisions, a cavalry brigade,
and at least one brigade of mounted infantry, his total strength
amounting to at least fifty thousand men. Then there has been a skilful
and successful attempt to distract the enemy's attention, to conceal
from him the nature of the movement and the force to be employed, and
last, but not least, there has been the suddenness and the rapidity of
movement essential to surprise. These are the proofs of that breadth and
simplicity of conception and of that mastery in execution which are the
marks of the best generalship.
But there is in the best work more than breadth of mind and strength of
hand. The details fit in with the design and repay the closest scrutiny.
The march of twenty-five thousand men round Jacobsdal towards the Modder
tactically turns
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