Battles of the nineteenth century . hat a smallparty of the enemy, under Colonel Villebois deMareuil, was moving by Boshof towards Jacobsdal DEATH OF VILLEBOIS DE MAREUIL. 303 and set out with a column composed of abattery of artillery, the Kimberley Light Horse,and four companies of the Imperial Yeomanry,to attack him. \illebois de Mareuil had beenwith the Boers on the Tugela in December ;in January he joined Cronjes headquarters atMagersfontein, and we have seen how he triedin vain to warn him of his danger when LordRoberts invaded the Free State. The Frenchcolonel accompanied Cronje in the
Battles of the nineteenth century . hat a smallparty of the enemy, under Colonel Villebois deMareuil, was moving by Boshof towards Jacobsdal DEATH OF VILLEBOIS DE MAREUIL. 303 and set out with a column composed of abattery of artillery, the Kimberley Light Horse,and four companies of the Imperial Yeomanry,to attack him. \illebois de Mareuil had beenwith the Boers on the Tugela in December ;in January he joined Cronjes headquarters atMagersfontein, and we have seen how he triedin vain to warn him of his danger when LordRoberts invaded the Free State. The Frenchcolonel accompanied Cronje in the retreat to ignorant of the country, they moved along well-known routes where it was impossible to concealtheir march. Methuens column came up withthem in the neighbourhood of Boshof, and thehandful of volunteers took post on a kopje,Villebois de Mareuil declaring that he would notbe taken alive, and calling upon his comrades tofight to the death. They were shelled by Methuens battery, whilethe Yeomanry and the Kimberley Light Horse. ;i;!i ];aI1AIIUN .;li.\ MANNI.\(; lilt: IKENClllisBflOKE lONO-NOS KOI, APRIL lOTH. Paardeberg, and wasone of those who escapedfrom the laager on the night before the sur-render. Finding that his advice was not takenat the Boer headquarters, and that he had littleinfluence among the Dutchmen, he asked andreceived permission to form a flying column offoreign volunteers and attempt some enterpriseagainst the western railway line. He organisedhis party at Klerksdorp, and marched by Hoop-stad to Boshof. He had only about eighty menwith him, all of them European volunteers—Frenchmen, Russians, and Germans. They hada quantity of and tools in a cart,which also carried a reserve of provisions. Being extended to right and left and completely sur-rounded them. The situation was hopeless, butthey fought until Villebois de Mareuil was killed,and then the white flag was raised. None of thelittle party escaped. Seventeen were ki
Size: 1875px × 1333px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1901
