ish between the Harrismith burghers and the
Carabineers at Bester Station on the 18th of October, when Jonson, a
burgher of Harrismith, was killed--the earliest victim in our fight for
freedom--this was the first fighting the Free-Staters had seen.

We occupied kopjes which formed a large semicircle to the west of the
railway between Ladysmith and Dundee. Our only gun was placed on the
side of a high kop on our western wing. Our men did not number more than
a thousand--the other burghers had remained behind as a rear-guard at
Bester Station.

With three batteries of guns the English marched to the attack, the
troops leading the way, the guns some distance behind. A deafening
cannonade was opened on us by the enemy's artillery, at a range of about
4,500 yards. Our gun fired a few shots in return, but was soon silenced,
and we had to remove it from its position. Small arms were our only
weapons for the remainder of the contest.

The English at once began as usual to attack our flanks, but they did
not attempt to get round our wings. Their object appeared to be to keep
us in small parties, so that we should be unable to concentrate a large
force anywhere.

Meanwhile the troops which were making the attack pushed on closer and
closer to us. The country was of such a nature that they were able to
get quite near to us without coming under our fire, for small kloofs[9]
and other inequalities of the ground afforded them excellent cover. But
when they did show themselves they were met by such a frightful and
unceasing fire that they could not approach nearer than two hundred
paces from our lines.

The brunt of the attack was borne by the burghers from Kroonstad, who,
under Commandant Nel, formed our western wing. More to the east, where I
myself was, our men had less to endure. But every burgher, wherever he
might be, fought with the greatest courage. Although there were some who
fell killed or wounded, there was no sign of yielding throughout the
whole battle, and every one of our positions we successfully held.

Till three o'clock in the afternoon we kept up our rifle fire on the
English, and then we ceased, for the enemy, realizing the impossibility
of driving us out of our positions, withdrew to Ladysmith. Shortly
afterwards we were able to go over the battlefield. There were not many
dead or wounded to be seen; but burghers who had been stationed on the
high kop previously mentioned had seen the English remove their w