BATTLE OF CONSTANTIA FARM.

THABA NCHU.


The Battle of Constantia Farm will not rank as one of the big events of
this war, but it is worthy of a full description, because in this battle
the Briton for the first time laid himself out from start to finish to
fight the Boer pretty much on his own lines, instead of following
time-honoured British rules of war. Before attempting to portray the actual
fighting, I think a brief sketch of our movements from the time we left the
railway line to cross the country will be of interest to those readers of
_The Daily News_ who desire to follow the progress of the war with due
care.

The Third Division, which had been at Stormberg, and had done such
excellent, though almost bloodless, work by sweeping the country between
the last-named place and Bethany, rested at the latter place, and built up
its full strength by incorporating a large number of men and guns. General
Gatacre, who had retrieved his reverse at Stormberg by forcing Commandant
Olivier to vacate his almost impregnable position without striking a blow,
and later by his masterly move in swooping down on Bethulie Bridge and
preventing the Boers from wrecking the line of communication between Lord
Roberts and his supplies from Capetown, only remained long enough with his
old command to see them equipped in a manner fit to take the field, and