emy's position.

The following officers were wounded in the engagement at Stormberg:--

2nd Royal Irish Rifles--Lieutenant-Colonel Eager (since dead),
Major Seton, Captain Bell, Captain Kelly, Lieutenant Stephens,
Lieutenant Barnardstone. Suffolk Regiment--Second Lieutenant
Maynard. Missing: Captain Weir, Lieutenant Christie, Second
Lieutenant Rodney. 74th Field Battery--Lieutenant Lewis. 77th
Field Battery--Major Percival. 2nd Northumberland
Fusiliers--Missing: Major Stevens, Captain Fletcher, Captain
Morley, Second Lieutenant Wake, Second Lieutenant Coulson,
Lieutenant Radcliffe. Dorset Regiment--Three hundred and six
non-commissioned officers and men were also missing.

The scene of General Gatacre's disaster was on the junction of the
eastern line of railway in Cape Colony running from East London through
Queenstown, Molteno, and Burgersdorp to Bloemfontein in the Orange Free
State. There were many strategical reasons for wishing to seize upon it.
First, it was desirable to engage the enemy in the centre, and so save
the Boer commandoes from falling in too great strength on Lord Methuen's
line of communications. Secondly, from the situation of the place it was
possible also to effect a junction by rail with General French. Thirdly,
a victory gained in the centre of the disaffected districts would have
been a feather in the cap of the General, for it must have drawn to him
such waverers whose vacillating loyalty was daily growing dangerous. The
melancholy reverse was, therefore, from many points of view to be
regretted. Perhaps, however, it achieved one object. It forced those at
home to realise the necessity for sending more than sprinklings of
troops to meet a strong, courageous, and well-equipped foe.

The General, in giving an explanation of the reverse, declared that the
operation which proved so wretched a failure was started under the
promise of complete success. By himself and the local guide, however,
the distance was under-estimated. He did not consider that the guide was
guilty of treachery, merely of unintentional error. However this may
have been, it is certain that the British plans were entirely well
known, and that the Boers had had ample time to prepare for the coming
of the force. It was evident that the gallant General did not take a
leaf out of the book of Metellus, the Spanish commander, who, when asked
how he should proceed the next day, said,