the
reconnaissance was made and had thus escaped detection. They came under
heavy musketry fire as well as shell fire, and retired back to Ladysmith
with a loss of three killed and fifteen wounded.

On December 10th an attack on Devon Post was expected, and precautions
taken accordingly. The attack, however, did not come off.

On the night of December 10th the Rifle Brigade made a sortie and blew
up a Boer big gun on Surprise Hill. This attack was admirably planned
and carried out, but the losses sustained by the Rifle Brigade were
heavy, being fourteen killed and fifty wounded out of the five companies
employed. The Boers attacked them as they were retiring; there was a
good deal of indiscriminate firing, and the bayonet was freely used. The
Boers lost considerably, partly in the general mix-up, from their own
fire, and partly owing to the close-quarter combat with the Rifle
Brigade.

The Regiment, with other troops, was ordered out with all baggage on the
night of the 12th, the rendezvous being the iron bridge on the
Vanreenen's Pass road. On arrival there the order was received to go
home. This was supposed to be a rehearsal for a sortie. On December 13th
General Buller's guns were heard for the first time due south from
Ladysmith, and at 8 p.m. the Regiment and transport were inspected by
Colonel Knox to see if everything was complete and in readiness to move
out, and on the 14th the Regiment was placed with other troops in a
flying column formed under the personal command of Sir George White.

It was expected by all that General Buller would relieve the Ladysmith
garrison on December 15th.

The following day, December 15th, a very heavy cannonade commenced at 6
a.m. in the direction of Colenso; and at 7 a.m. a heliograph message was
sent into Ladysmith which told the garrison that "the Boers are
suffering terribly from our thirty guns and 23,000 men." The cannonade
ceased at about 1 p.m.

This day the meat ration was reduced to 9 oz. per man, but 1-1/4 lb. of
bread per man was still being issued.

December 16th being Dingaan's Day, the garrison of Ladysmith was treated
to heavy shell fire at daybreak.

On December 17th the Regiment and the Gordon Highlanders were told off
as reserve battalions under the immediate orders of Sir George White.

It was officially given out that Sir R. Buller had been unable to make
good his advance at Colenso, and that the garrison must be prepared to
hold on for another tw