BALLOONS. The balloon which was with Lord Roberts's forces gave most valuable assistance in locating the enemy and guns. It was many times hit by rifle bullets, but was never made to descend on that account. The engineer officer who made all the ascents informed me that even if hit in the top by shrapnel the balloon would descend only gradually. The balloon, as stated in previous reports, was hauled inflated attached to a wagon. On the march from Bloemfontein it went 28 days inflated, made numerous ascents, and in that time only 500 cubic feet of gas had been added, although there was great difference of temperature between the days and nights, sometimes over 50°. Its greatest ascent was 1,400 feet, during the battle before Pretoria. A balloon section-one balloon, personnel, and transportis as follows, by regulation: Three officers, 51 men, 42 horses, and 8 vehicles, but actually the section with us has only 40 men and 1 officer; 10 of these men remained back, when the balloon was entering into action, to make gas. The officers in charge informed me that 20 men was the minimum number with which he could get along. I regret, as stated in previous reports, that I can not name the material of which the balloon is made. It is the intestine, I should say, of some animal, cut into 2-inch squares. From a balloon, and with a powerful telescope, is about the only way now you can locate your enemy. ARMORED TRAINS. The real value of armored trains is problematical. The British used them with varying success, there being less variety in the failures than in the successes. It is so easy to derail a train, and almost as easy to smash it with artillery, that against a clever enemy an armored train appears to me to be a useless expense and waste of material. HOSPITALS. There were with the South African field force, as distinct from the Natal. field force, twenty-two field, three stationary (intermediate between field and general), and nine general hospitals of the regular service, and eight volunteer ones— stationary and field, three hospital trains (permanently fitted), and four sick transports or hospital ships. The different hospitals were by regulations supposed to contain the number of beds given below, but this number was always exceeded: General hospital... 520 beds. 200 beds. 100 beds. In addition to these were the many hospitals at once started and fitted from local resources in the larger towns occupied by the army as it advanced. The method of field attendance on the firing line is shown on the following page. The distances varied according to the ground and severity of the action. A number of Indians were used as litter bearers and did very well, indeed. As stated in previous reports, the medical service, hospitals, and all pertaining thereto were generally admirable. There was naturally much overcrowding in the stationary and general hospitals, due to the exceptionally large number of enteric patients. The stationary hospitals, improved necessarily as the army advanced, were in some cases at first short of necessary supplies and attendants, but these were gotten up with as much promptness as the facilities of the one line of railway, over which all the other supplies of the army came, would admit. I consider the army medical corps and all that pertains thereto, considering all the circumstances under which they labored, deserving of praise for their work in South Africa. The great difficulties under which every department of the army worked, being 6,000 miles from England, and over such a large area of country with very limited railway facilities, must always be borne in mind in any critical review of the war. Among the field ambulances were some sent from India, called dhanjibhoys, very light and mobile, and they did excellent work in quickly transporting the wounded and sick. RAILWAYS. The railways have been very well managed, controlled, and operated by the military authorities under trying and difficult conditions. In Cape Colony and Natal they were operated mainly by civilians under military control, but in Orange Free State and the Transvaal, they being roads captured from the enemy, the military authorities assumed entire control of management and operation. The old operators were mainly Hollanders and refused to work under the British. TRANSPORT AND SUPPLY. The supply park of 600 ox wagons originally was gradually increased as the army advanced to some 800 on arrival at Pretoria, making a total of over 25,000 oxen used for draft purpose. A transport company consisted of 50 mule wagons, with 20 mules, small ones, to each wagon. Each brigade had one company allotted to it, 10 wagons per battalion and regiment, and 10 for the staff and contingencies, making about 100,000 mules required by the forces advancing from the Bloemfontein-Thaba Nchu line alone. With mechanical traction, which can be quickly destroyed before capture, the army could have moved not only more quickly, but with infinitely less expense in personnel and material. The manner of supply on the march was as follows; The empty mule or regimental transport wagons stopped and waited for section of supply park, which marched at night; as distances grew longer, one section of supply park pushed on, followed a march behind by a second section, and this one marching behind by a third section; the base of the supply park was always rail head. On May 26 rations were by order reduced to three-fourths and forage to one-half, and many of the columns had to forage to obtain even this supply, and often without success. General Hamilton's column had no supplies of any kind for four days, except the little he could pick up in the immediate vicinity of his camp. He was unable to forage because he was at all times surrounded by the enemy. He was resupplied at Florida. General French found in the country some flour, but from the Vaal River to Johannesburg got little or nothing else. In closing this, my final report, I wish to express my great appreciation of the hospitality and courtesies extended to me. by Her Majesty's Government while attached to its forces. Very respectfully, S. L'H. SLOCUM, Military Attaché, South African Field Force. |