C.," Captain
McWhinnie, could be seen against the sky line again and again,
walking about amongst his men, directing the defence, and giving
orders as coolly as if he had been on parade. While telling his men
to avail themselves of every bit of cover he seemed utterly
regardless of his own personal safety. The other officers were
directing their men in more distant parts of the field, and could
not be so easily seen by us. Our ammunition was getting low, and we
had no artillery, not even a machine gun, and had a long series of
ridges to occupy, extending over an area of three miles, so that it
was no wonder our position was untenable. On Thursday, at two p.m.,
we left the battlefield with our wounded for Reddersburg, where the
people received us most kindly and placed the Government
school-room at our disposal.'[10]

After burying the dead, and assisting the wounded to Bethany railway
station, Mr. Burgess returned to headquarters at Springfontein and gave
General Gatacre an account of the disaster. He was then attached to the
Royal Berks, as his own regiment was in captivity, and advanced with
them through the Orange River Colony.

[Footnote 10: _Methodist Times_, May 17, 1900.]

='I Must Go to the Muster Roll.'=

'He notes as he passes along a pathetic little incident. Bugler
Longhurst, who was mortally wounded in the fight on April 4, died soon
after, and shortly before he passed away he sat up in bed and said to
his orderly, "Hush! hush!! give me my uniform. I hear them mustering.
There are the drums! I must go to the muster roll. Hush!"--and sinking
back he died.

'The advance for a long time was a continuous battle. Even the transport
had a warm time of it. On one occasion a forty-pounder shell struck a
transport wagon and exploded, cutting off the native driver's leg as he
sat upon the box. The poor fellow showed conspicuous courage. "Don't
mind me, lads," he shouted, "drive on." They carried him to the
operating tent, and he was singing all the way. Shortly after his
operation he died.'

='I'm not Afraid, only my Hand Shakes.'=

The Sterkstroom column were fighting at last, and bravely they bore
themselves. It was not their fault if disaster dogged their steps. No
braver men could be found than those under Gatacre's command. And yet
they, like the rest, had a great objection to the pom-poms. 'I'm not
afraid,' said one lad, when that str