[Nov. 28, 1899.
Arrival of an additional field-battery.
Hour after hour the fierce, monotonous battle continued, while the pitiless sun waxed higher and higher, and at last began to decline. Always the British field artillery kept its position in the open, its gunners working like demons to save their comrades and shake the enemy's nerves. Always the tempests of bullets passed, for the most part innocuous, over the prone infantry. Always the enemy's rifles crackled and his guns pounded and banged. As the day went on the extreme tension and anxiety yielded to utter lassitude. The nerves could accept no fresh impression, and in the infernal uproar whole ranks were seen sleeping peacefully. Some were even killed or wounded as they slept. As time went on and our men could make no advance and gain no ground, matters began to look more serious. Would twelve guns ever be able to dominate and silence the fire of so strongly entrenched an enemy? To outward appearances but little impression had been made. The Boer guns often seemed to have been silenced, but after intervals of quietude would always reappear and open in another place. Yet the persistent roar of guns behind them cheered and reassured the British infantry, and the persistent rain of shrapnel, though no one in our army knew it, was beginning to weaken the resolution of the Free Staters in the foremost trenches. About noon, it is said, some were shot by their own side for attempting to bolt. And now, as the afternoon wore on, came much-needed help. The 62nd Field Battery, after a twenty-five miles' march, in which four of the horses had fallen dead, dashed upon the field and opened on the Boer left. Says an officer of the battery:—"Things were looking very black when Lord Methuen came up to our Colonel and asked him to send his batteries up closer (we were then 1,500 yards from the Boer trenches, and you must understand that a rifle carries 2,500 yards). Our Colonel did. We then advanced up past our own infantry, and came into action about 900 yards off, closer than artillery had ever taken up position before. After severe loss on our side we managed to silence the Boer guns. The order was then given to retire, and we got out of range and were on the point of congratulating ourselves on being so lucky, when up rode an orderly giving us instructions to go and relieve the Guards. Our Major advanced.... We took up our position 800 yards from the Boer trenches, and, by Jove! the Boers let us have a fearful reception. Before I got my horses out they shot one of my drivers and two horses ... and brought down my own horse. We then got my gun round on the enemy, when one of my gunners was shot through the brain and fell at my feet. Another of my gunners was shot whilst bringing up shell, and I began to feel queer.... At last we had a look in, and our shells began to tell; we were firing six rounds a minute, and were at it until it was too dark to fire any more."
Edward Read.]
Attempts to cross the river.
Nov. 28, 1899.] The River Crossed by Highlanders and Yorkshiremen.
Lord Methuen had ridden over in the afternoon from the right to the left. On the right a desperate attempt to cross the Riet and get at the enemy had just failed. Colonel Codrington had led a party of Coldstreams, twenty-four men strong, across the river, but they missed the ford and had to swim for it. When they reached the other side they found themselves unsupported and exposed to a concentrated fire, so that there was nothing for it but retreat. Two of the party were all but drowned, when the others, unfastening their putties, made long lines of them and threw them to the exhausted men. It is pleasant to relate that all of this brave little band regained the British lines.
On the left several attempts had been made by the Ninth Brigade, splendidly led by General Pole-Carew, to cross the river, the approach to which had been secured by the Yorkshires and Lancashires. These two battalions stormed a farmhouse and a kraal just to the south of the dam, though the Boers were present in force. Several of the enemy were bayoneted in the mêlée about the house. Further to the left a line of low kopjes was captured at the point of the bayonet, and the British left was firmly based on the river.
