n the arm by glancing bullets, there
was considerable alarm among those who were near enough to observe what
had taken place. Captain Hughes, R.A.M.C., was killed, and others of the
Staff were wounded. Lord Gerard twice had narrow escapes, his horse
being twice wounded.

A squadron of the Imperial Horse had an exciting experience. The men,
who had dismounted to move in extended order across level country, were
beginning to cross a ploughed field. Suddenly a rifle volley was opened
upon them, and they were forced to lie down for cover. But the enemy,
though on a kopje not 500 yards distant at this time, was quite
invisible; and on this clear, hot day, though the song of the Mauser
went on persistently, there was no smoke to betray the enemy's position.
The Imperial Horse lay quiet, and the enemy thinking they were perhaps
annihilated ceased firing. Presently, however, when the troopers
ventured out, the firing was renewed, and many were killed and wounded.
It is invidious to mention special regiments when all fought so
resolutely. The behaviour of the irregular forces, however, was the
subject of general remark. They held their position under a heavy
cross-fire, refusing to retire without their wounded. And when they did
retire, the movement was executed without flurry, with precision and
composure, as if the battlefield were one vast manoeuvring ground.
Meanwhile the Boers still struggled to outflank our right, and the 13th
Hussars had a lively time, Colonel Blagrove having his charger shot
under him; but there were few serious calamities, only two of the
troopers being killed.

Many instances of heroism were recorded on the part of men and officers
belonging to all the regiments engaged in the battle. Lieutenant
Ponsonby, of Thorneycroft's Horse, while endeavouring to save a wounded
man, was fired at, the shot striking his unhappy burden and mortally
wounding him. The young officer was slightly wounded himself, but
managed to escape after shooting his assailant dead at very close
quarters. The conduct of the Dublins was the subject of universal
praise. They lost heavily; some 216 out of 900 men. When ordered to
retire, although the crossing of the Tugela Drift was a sufficiently
fearful experience, they were intensely disgusted. "Let us only see the
beggars!" they asked. "Give us a chance with the bayonet!" said these
gallant fellows, who had already passed through a hurricane of shot and
shell. The Scottish Fusilier