staring at the bright flashes of the guns
which stabbed the obscurity on all sides. Suddenly, above the booming of
the cannon, there arose the harsh rattling roar of a tremendous
fusillade. Without a single intermission this continued for several
hours. The Howitzer Battery, in spite of the darkness, evidently
considered the situation demanded its efforts, and fired salvoes of
lyddite shells, which, bursting in the direction of the Boer positions,
lit up the whole scene with flaring explosions. I went anxiously to bed
that night, wondering what was passing beyond the river, and the last
thing I can remember was the musketry drumming away with unabated
vigour.

There was still a steady splutter at dawn on the 23rd, and before the
light was full grown the guns joined in the din. We eagerly sought for
news of what had passed. Apparently the result was not unfavourable to
the army. 'Push for Ladysmith to-day, horse, foot, and artillery' was
the order, 'Both cavalry brigades to cross the river at once.' Details
were scarce and doubtful. Indeed, I cannot yet give any accurate
description of the fighting on the night of the 22nd, for it was of a
confused and desperate nature, and many men must tell their tale before
any general account can be written.

What happened, briefly described, was that the Boers attacked heavily at
nightfall with rifle fire all along the line, and, in their eagerness to
dislodge the troops, came to close quarters on several occasions at
various points. At least two bayonet charges are recorded. Sixteen men
of Stuart Wortley's Composite Battalion of Reservists of the Rifle
Brigade and King's Royal Rifles showed blood on their bayonets in the
morning. About three hundred officers and men were killed or wounded.
The Boers also suffered heavily, leaving dead on the ground, among
others a grandson of President Kruger. Prisoners were made and lost,
taken and rescued by both sides; but the daylight showed that victory
rested with the British, for the infantry were revealed still
tenaciously holding all their positions.

At eight o'clock the cavalry crossed the river under shell fire directed
on the bridge, and were massed at Fort Wylie, near Colenso. I rode along
the railway line to watch the action from one of the low kopjes. A
capricious shell fire annoyed the whole army as it sheltered behind the
rocky hills, and an unceasing stream of stretchers from the front bore
true witness to the serious nature o