isterous attention, made haste to
beat a retreat. At 8.50 the infantry brigade was ordered to advance.
Soon the Dublin Fusiliers and the Rifles, who had been reinforced by the
Royal Irish Fusiliers, were steadily moving on, firing by sections, and
using what cover the ground afforded. Overhead, from the hill
described, and from another south of the road, the ever-active shells
continued their grim music, while all around was the dense curtain of
fine rain that drizzled down like wet needles from an opaque sky, making
a screen between the opposing forces. But on and on, led by their
gallant officers, our infantry continued to toil, their advance ever
covered by the 13th and 67th Field Batteries--under the command
respectively of Major Dawkins and Major Wing--while the enemy from above
poured upon them volley after volley as hard as rifles would let them.
When half-way up, where the kopje was girded by a flat terrace and a
stone wall, the troops, scattered by the terrific fire, hot, drenched,
and panting with their climb, made a halt. There, under the lea of the
hill, it was necessary to get "a breather," and to gather themselves
together for the supreme effort. The scene was not exhilarating. The
grey mist falling--the scattered earth and mud rising and spluttering,
the shrieking shells rending the air, already vibrant with the whirr of
bullets--the closer sounds and sights of death and destruction--all
these things were sufficient to stem the courage of stoutest hearts.
Still the British band remained undaunted, still they prepared boldly
for the final rush. Presently, with renewed energy the three gallant
regiments, steadily and determinedly as ever, started off, scaled the
wall, clambered up the steep acclivity, and finally, with a rush and a
roar as of released pandemonium, charged the crest.

The rout of the enemy was complete. At the glint of the steel they
turned and ran--ran like panic-stricken sheep, helter-skelter over the
hill, in the direction of Landmann's and Vant's Drifts. Their retreat
was harried by cavalry and mounted infantry, and, so far as it was
possible, in view of the inaccessible position, by the field artillery.
At this juncture the enemy displayed a white flag--without any intention
of surrender, it appears--but our firing was stopped by order of the
artillery commander. Two guns and several prisoners were captured,
together with horses and various boxes of shells for Maxim, Nordenfeldt,
and Kr