however, on the 21st,
the Boers marched from the north-west, having cut the railway and
captured a train of supplies at Elandslaagte to the north of Ladysmith.
Sir George White therefore ordered out a force, under General French, to
clear them from the line and to restore communication. Here again the
hostile positions were stormed with reckless gallantry, and the Boers
were swept back in headlong flight, suffering heavy losses. But again
our loss, especially in officers, was very serious, and again it soon
became apparent that victory, quite apart from the price of it, had not
improved our position. The Boers, thrust back for the moment at one
point, steadily continued their advance. General White's force was again
engaged on the 24th October, when, in order to prevent the enemy
crossing the Newcastle road from west to east, and falling on the flank
of General Yule's retiring column, an attack was made in force upon the
enemy at Rietfontein, near Elandslaagte, and the Boers, after six hours'
fighting, were driven from the hills.

The object aimed at was thus secured. Whether, had the effort been
pushed home, a definite check might at this stage have been imposed upon
the Boer advance, is doubtful. Stopping where it did, it did not prevent
the steady and unceasing movements of the enemy to surround Ladysmith.
One more fight and they were to circle the town in a ring of metal
which was long to withstand all the blows that could be levelled against
it. The battle of Lombard's Kop, or Farquhar's Farm, as it is officially
styled, ended in disaster to the British arms, and drew tight the
threads in the entanglement of Ladysmith. The evil fortunes of the day
were described vividly by Mr. Pearse in a letter written on the
following day.

CHAPTER II

LOMBARD'S KOP AND NICHOLSON'S NEK

General White forced to fight--The order of battle--Leviathan--The
Boers reinforced--A retrograde movement--How Marsden met his
death--Naval guns in action--A night of disaster--Who showed the
white flag?--A truce declared--A humiliating position.

_October 31._--If the action on Rietfontein, or Pepworth's Farm ridges,
a week ago was the great score for us that official reports represent,
in that it checkmated all possible efforts of the Boers to intercept
Brigadier-General Yule's column on its march from Dundee, there can be
no doubt that the tables were turned upon us effectually yesterday. Not
only did our atte