d fire from the surrounding kopjes,
and the Yorks finding the Boers had to an inch the range of their
position, were then forced to retire. A heavy Boer gun had been posted
on a hill to west of Willow Grange Station, and this murderous weapon
blazed away at the infantry with unabated zeal, though our guns warmly
returned the fire. The Boer shells did practically no damage, while our
shots from the Naval gun failed to reach the hostile quarters, its range
being shorter than that of the Boer weapons. However, the object of the
reconnaissance was attained, namely, to prevent the enemy from taking up
certain positions overlooking Estcourt and from spreading farther to the
south. The mounted troops, under Lieut.-Colonel Martyr, were directed to
co-operate at daylight by a movement towards Willow Grange Station, and
subsequently to patrol towards Highlands. Bethune's Mounted Infantry
Regiment was directed to operate on Colonel Kitchener's right flank. The
troops under Lieut.-Colonel Martyr, after holding a party of some 300
Boers south of Willow Grange, moved to the support of Colonel
Kitchener's left flank, where they did valuable service in helping him
back and assisting to get the wounded of the 2nd Battalion West
Yorkshire Regiment down the hill. The troops, after being under arms
from 2 P.M. on Wednesday 22nd to 5.30 P.M. of Thursday 23rd of November,
gradually returned into camp. The 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
was the last to retire. During the movement the Border Regiment, Durham
Light Infantry, and Natal Royal Rifles held Beacon Hill, supported by
the 7th Battery of Artillery. The Imperial Light Horse, Carabineers,
Natal Police, and King's Mounted Infantry took conspicuous parts in the
engagement. The Volunteers, by their well-directed volleys, compelled
the enemy to remain at a respectful distance. General Hildyard
commanded, and Colonel Kitchener, Lieut.-Colonel Martyr, and Major
Mackenzie of the Carabineers did yeoman service. A curious feature of
the fight was the fact that Boer women must have been engaged on the
hill, as some of their side-saddles were captured among the guns,
ammunition, blankets, &c., seized by the West Yorks when the Boers were
routed from the hill-top.

Many acts of gallantry and devotion were performed, especially by
Lieutenant Nicholson, Corporal Wylde, and Private Montgomery. Private
Montgomery, though shot through the thigh, went on firing, and when shot
through the other thig