"The men behaved with admirable coolness, and were as cheery as possible, although very tired and hungry and without water.
"We were then left unmolested for two or three hours.
"About midnight another shower of bullets was poured into the camp, but the firing was not kept up for long.
"Somewhat later a Maxim gun opened on the bivouac, but failed to get our range.
"At 3.30 a.m. patrols were pushed out on all sides, while the force as silently and rapidly as possible was got ready to move off.
"At 4 a.m. a heavy fire was opened by the Boers on the column, and the patrols driven in from the north and east sides.
"Under the direction of Major R. White (assisted by Lieutenant Jesser-Coope) the column was formed under cover of the slope.
"Soon after this the patrols which had been sent out to the south returned, and reported that the ground was clear of the Boers in that direction.
"The growing light enabled us to ascertain that the Boers in force were occupying pits to our left and lining the railway embankment for a distance of one and a half miles right across the direct road to Johannesburg.
"I covered the movements of the main body with the B.B.P. and two Maxims under Colonel Grey along the original left front of the bivouac, and two troops M.M.P., under Major R. White, on the right front.