ular with the men and they were sorry to see him go.

General W. Kitchener took over command of the Lydenburg district and its
garrison, on Sir Redvers Buller's departure.

On the writer asking Sir Redvers on the eve of the day of his departure
which was his best army--the one he commanded into Ladysmith or the one
with which he trekked north--he replied, "The army I went north with was
the best. I watched the Devons pass me at Burgher's Nek and it struck me
how wonderfully well they looked. I considered they were ready for
anything I asked them to do; but," he added, "they surprised me with the
pace they went up the hill at Burgher's Nek."

CHAPTER IV

LYDENBURG

1900-1901

On October 8th, 1900, the battalion moved out of Lydenburg to the
Mission Station, three miles north of the town on the Kruger's Post
road. The Mission Station was a collection of Kaffir houses, containing
some 500 Christian men, women, and children. The mission-house was taken
over as a post and fortified as soon as the German pastor, who was found
to be communicating with the Boers, had been sent to Pretoria to be
locked up.

[Illustration: Colonel C.W. Park, Mission Camp, Lydenburg]

The site of the camp having been chosen, it was immediately surrounded
by company forts consisting of ditches four feet deep and two feet wide
for protection against shell fire, which it was considered possible
would be brought to bear on the camp. This entrenchment was finished in
one afternoon.

Two guns of the 53rd Battery under Lieutenant Higgins, and one 5-inch
gun under Second Lieutenant McLellan, were added to the garrison.

The battalion stood to arms daily just before dawn.

On the 9th two companies under Captain Bartlett were moved to
Paardeplaats as a permanent garrison, whilst two companies under Captain
Travers were sent to Ben Tor.

On the 10th two companies of the Regiment, two guns, and one company
mounted infantry proceeded just before daylight to a farm some six miles
away, and burnt it. They encountered no opposition. This company of
mounted infantry was then added to the garrison for permanent duty.

The two following days were employed in collecting forage from different
farm-houses. Very few Boers were seen, and there was little or no
opposition.

On the 24th, it having been ordained that all the Boer women in the
various towns were to be sent out to their husbands in the laagers, two
companies and two guns under Captai