Killed at Venter's Spruit (see page [275]).
Jan. 20, 1900.] Bravery of the Irish Brigade.
Death of Major Childe.
Behind it rose a crescent-shaped ridge, hardly visible from below, but which was now seen to command it. The top of Bastion Hill itself was bare of shelter, and upon it from this further crest was poured a murderous fire—shrapnel and rifle. Towards evening Major Childe was struck and killed by a well-timed shrapnel, which laid low six of his brave troopers. Upon him, in the days before the battle, the presentiment of death had sat heavily. He had asked the night before that on his grave should be placed this epitaph, with its words of eternal hope and consolation: "'Is it well with the child?' And she answered: 'It is well.'" His wish was fulfilled. Beneath Bastion Hill he lies to-day, and on the cross which marks his grave these simple words are carved. Around him, on the solemn hills, within sight of his resting-place, sleep the valiant comrades who in these sorrowful days of defeat laid down their lives for their country. And his epitaph is theirs.
R. Caton Woodville.]
Assault ordered and countermanded.
[Jan. 20, 1900.
Nearer Sir Charles Warren's centre the Irish Brigade under General Hart displayed all its usual and reckless valour. The men went forward with dash and fury, eager to wipe out old scores, and, had they been given a free hand, might have secured then the success which a month later their efforts and self-sacrifice achieved. Upon them the Boer artillery opened with great effect, the Pom-Poms and captured British 15-pounders from Colenso maintaining a rapid fire. The guns were hard to locate, and so were not easily silenced by the British batteries. There fell Captain Hensley, who had fought all through the war, in Natal, at Dundee, at Farquhar's Farm, and at Colenso—a man greatly beloved. Towards the middle of the afternoon it was determined to press home the assault on the enemy's position. The British batteries accordingly redoubled their fire; the grass along the amphitheatre of hills took fire, and great clouds of smoke rose, blowing down upon the Boer marksmen. But for some reason or other, not for the first time, the generals changed their minds. The assault was countermanded, and the troops fell back a very little from the most advanced positions. As the evening wore on, General Hildyard extended his left to Bastion Hill, driving back a small Boer commando, and sent a force of infantry to relieve the South African Light Horse. With darkness the firing died down, and the troops had again to bivouac on the bare mountain sides. The day had been one of scorching heat, and to it, as is not unusual at high altitudes, succeeded a night of bitter cold. The British casualties in General Warren's force from the arrival at Trichardt's Drift to the evening of the 20th were 34 killed, 293 wounded, and 2 missing, so that the losses were fast mounting up. What were the enemy's casualties it is impossible to say, but by their own accounts they suffered heavily from our shell fire. The Boers claimed a victory, and asserted that General Botha had checked the British advance. Nor were they altogether wrong, since we could show only the most trivial advantage gained. The one point in our favour was that the British casualties could be replaced, whereas the Boer casualties could not. Throughout the day the conduct of the civilian stretcher-bearers excited the most unstinted admiration and praise. They went forward stolidly to the very firing line, and could be seen bending over the dead and succouring and removing the wounded with faithful devotion and superb coolness amidst the hail of bullets and shells. The Boers fired on them with the utmost impartiality, for the enemy either could not or would not see the red-cross badge. Not a few of the bearers were themselves killed or wounded.
