ttempt to relieve Ladysmith had
failed, and that the army would have to recross the Tugela. On the
afternoon of the 25th, fatigue parties were sent by the battalion to
improve the track leading to Fairview Farm, and it was rumoured that
the retreat would take place that night. At 10.30 p.m. 'H' company was
sent to the farm, with orders to hold it during the retirement. But
the army did not move until Friday night, January 26th. At 10 p.m. on
that date, General Hart's command began to descend the valley in heavy
rain, which rendered the track extremely greasy.

Only a short distance had been covered when there was an outburst of
rifle-fire from the rearguard, which was still holding the sangars.
For a moment it seemed as if the Boers had anticipated the retreat and
were attacking. The battalion halted, but the firing soon ceased, and
the march was continued, the men stumbling down the track as quickly
as the many boulders would permit. At Fairview Farm the column halted
for a considerable period, in order to let the rearguard close up. By
this time every one was wet to the skin, and the enforced rest was
somewhat trying, owing to the cold.

However, after a wait of about an hour, the retirement was resumed.
The track was marked by orderlies and tins, but even with this help it
was difficult to find the way in the utter darkness. The surface of
the road, too, had become so slippery that falls were frequent.
Altogether, progress was painfully slow and the march a very
fatiguing one. It was past 4 a.m., January 27th, before the pontoon
bridge at Trichardt's Drift was reached. The column had another
prolonged wait here, and so tired were the men that many of them
dropped to the ground and slept in the mud. Early dawn had come when
the brigade recrossed the Tugela and toiled up the steep slope on the
other side. A Boer gun sent a parting shell just as the column reached
the summit.

It was a great relief to look back towards Tabanyama, where the
discarded biscuit tins were gleaming in the morning light, and say
good-bye to that long line of sangars and trenches. The men's spirits
were, moreover, cheered up by the sight of the 'Scotch' cart with the
kettles and rations. Breakfasts were cooked, and after a short rest
the brigade moved to the camping-ground selected for it. But it
arrived only to find that the position was within view and artillery
range of Spion Kop. So once more it had to trudge over the veld,
General Hart