ad General D. Erasmus with the
Pretoria commando, and farther still to the right, nearer the
Pietersburg railway, the Waterberg and Zoutpansberg commandos were
positioned. General Pole-Carew tried to rush us several times with his
cavalry, but had to retire each time. Commandant-General Botha finally
directed us to attack General Hutton's position, and I realised what
this involved. It would be the first fight I had to direct as a
fighting general. Much would depend on the issue, and I fully
understood that my influence with, and my prestige among, the burghers
in the future was absolutely at stake.

General Hutton's main force was encamped in a "donk" at the very top
of the randt, almost equidistant from Tigerspoort, Zwavelpoort and
Bapsfontein. Encircling his laager was another chain of "randten"
entirely occupied and fortified, and we soon realised what a large and
entrenched stretch of ground it was. The Commandant-General,
accompanied by the French, Dutch, American and Russian attaches, would
follow the attack from a high point and keep in touch with me by means
of a heliograph, thus enabling Botha to keep well posted about the
course of the battle, and to send instructions if required.

During the night of the 13th of July we marched in the following
order: On the right were the Johannesburg and Germiston commandos; in
the centre the Krugersdorp and the Johannesburg Police; and on the
left the Boksburg and Middelburg commandos. At daybreak I ordered a
general storming of the enemy's entrenchments. I placed a Krupp gun
and a Creusot on the left flank, another Krupp and some pom-poms to
the right, while I had an English 15-pounder (an Armstrong) mounted in
the centre. Several positions were taken by storm with little or no
fighting. It was my right flank which met with the only stubborn
resistance from a strongly fortified point occupied by a company of
Australians.

Soon after this position was in our possession, and we had taken 32
prisoners, with a captain and a lieutenant. When Commandant Gravett
had taken the first trenches we were stubbornly opposed in a position
defended by the Irish Fusiliers, who were fighting with great
determination. Our burghers charged right into the trenches; and a
hand-to-hand combat ensued. The butt-ends of the guns were freely
used, and lumps of rock were thrown about. We made a few prisoners and
took a pom-pom, which, to my deep regret, on reinforcements with guns
coming up to