n Ravenshaw were ordered to escort
the ladies of Lydenburg over the Spekboom Bridge on the Kruger's Post
road, and there hand them over to their husbands and friends. Captain
Ravenshaw went out with a flag of truce and met the Boers, amongst whom
was Erasmus. They were most affable, and shook hands cordially. The
women reached Kruger's Post that evening.

The next day General Walter Kitchener started out at 2 a.m. with a
column of infantry (Devons), mounted infantry and guns towards Kruger's
Post for the purpose of shelling the farm. At dawn the column crossed
the Spekboom Bridge and mounted the hills in the face of slight
opposition. A 5-inch gun was then brought to the front and shells
dropped into Kruger's Post, after which the column returned to camp. A
patrol of four Boers was captured, and there were no casualties on the
British side.

Very shortly after this the order concerning the Boer women was
cancelled and a fresh order was issued, which ordained that all Boer
women who were captured or gave themselves up should be confined in
large concentration camps on the railway line.

On the evening of the 24th one company was ordered down from Ben Tor to
be posted on the hill overlooking the Spekboom Bridge. The company
proceeded there on the 25th escorted by two companies, two guns, and
some mounted infantry.

On the following day, as the Boers were threatening the Bridge Post
before the works were complete, one company and two guns were sent out
as a covering party.

The battalion was now split up; two companies under Lieutenant Tringham
proceeded to Witklip, two companies under Captain Bartlett were at
Paardeplaats, one company under Lieutenant Cowie was at Ben Tor, one
company under Captain Travers was at Bridge Post. Of the three remaining
companies one was holding the Mission House, and the two others with the
5-inch gun and the two field guns formed the garrison of the main camp.

On October 30th two companies from Mission Camp were ordered to march at
sunset through Lydenburg to the bank of the river. Here they halted and
had supper, being eventually joined by the Rifle Brigade. Starting again
at 9 p.m. and marching all through the night, they attacked some Boer
laagers at dawn. After some heavy firing the laagers, which had been
completely surprised, were captured with all their tents, etc. The
column returned at 5 p.m. the same day, when the companies redistributed
themselves to their various posts, h