AMBUSH (For derivation, see AMBUSCADE ) . A strategical device, enabling one force success fully concealed to surprise, defeat, or capture another. It is probably the one element of strat egy that time has never changed; for notwith standing the transformation that has taken place in the general science of warfare, the ambush with all its variations of form and method still remains. An ambush may he on any scale, from the surprise and capture of a small reconnoiter ing patrol, to the defeat of an army. In the lat ter case, it occasionally is described by a more ambitious title by some European authorities, but such is the exception rather than the rule. Every campaign that history has recorded gives inci dent after incident of the more or less success ful practice of this particular form of strategy: hut it has been left to the Anglo-Boer War of 1900-01 for its highest and most successful de velopment. In this campaign the Boers practi cally owed nearly every success to the use of the ambush in one form or another ; a typical example was encountered in General Roberts's campaign.
During his march to Bloemfontein, a strong detachment of Boer troops, under General Christian De Wet, cleverly concealed themselves among the rocks and kopjes at a place opined Sannahspost. A convoy of 128 wagons, carry ing valuable supplies and munitions of war, to :4(411er with their escort, walked unsusqwetingly into the trap, and were captured without the firing of a shot or the showing of a single man other than De Wet himself. A body of 200 vol unteer horse. sent from the main column to ascertain the whereabouts of the convoy, were similarly captured, and on attempting to escape were practically annihilated by their unseen enemy. Consult Conan Doyle, The Great Boer War (London, 1901).