for the line to make headway in the face of the
fire brought to bear upon it. It was not until the Howitzer Battery was
brought into action late in the day, to cover the retirement of the
advanced companies, that Captain Emerson and his men were able to get
back. This they did under a very heavy fire from rifles and machine
guns.

One company under Lieutenant Harris, which had been moved off to the
right, had advanced and got into an exposed place. The men took cover
behind ant-hills, and remained there for the rest of the day. Three
companies had been moved to the neighbourhood of the guns. These came
under shell fire from the Boer guns and had some casualties, amongst
whom was Colour-Sergeant Burchell, who was shot through the shoulder.
Under General Buller's direct supervision one company was ordered
forward. Immediately their four scouts showed over the crest line a
storm of bullets met them, and they were all hit. The four scouts were
found dead on the second day afterwards by the Liverpool Mounted
Infantry.

Dusk found the companies posted as under: Three companies extended on
the ridge on the left, with two companies extended in support on the
rear side of the hill. One company was extended on the ridge in the
centre, whilst three companies were near the guns, three-quarters of a
mile away on the right. One man was killed and one wounded just at dark
by unaimed fire and by the last shots fired. The companies on the ridge
retired to the crest of the hill after dark and took up an entrenched
outpost line for the night. Rations were then issued for the following
day. It was a pitch-black night, and two cooks' orderlies who had gone
to fetch their company's tea and sugar rations from their wagon, missed
their way in the dark when returning, and walked into the Boer position,
distant only a few hundred yards, and were made prisoners. These two men
were the first prisoners of war lost to the battalion up to this date;
and with the exception of one other prisoner, who was temporarily in the
hands of the Boers in the Badfontein valley in the following year, they
were the only men of the battalion taken prisoners during the war. The
casualties of the battalion for the day were 6 killed, 15 wounded, and 2
prisoners.

Early the following morning the 7th Brigade, with the exception of the
Manchester Regiment, moved off to the left, the Rifle Brigade, whose
turn it was to lead, being in front. The guns accompanied the brig