these, on
sighting the British scouts, drew back upon a group of kopjes situated
about a mile south-east of the station. French immediately ordered up
the Natal battery on to a flat hillock which rose between the railway
and the Newcastle road, south-east of Woodcote farm, and at 8 a.m. a
shot from the 7-pounders, sighted at 1,900 yards, crashed into the tin
out-buildings of the station. A crowd of Boers swarmed out at the
explosion and with them some of the British captured in the train the
day before, the former galloping for the kopjes, the latter making for
the protection of their countrymen at the battery. At the same time a
squadron of the Imperial Light Horse galloped for the station in
extended files, captured the Boer guard, and released the station and
colliery officials who were there in durance. But in a few moments
shells from the group of kopjes beyond the station began to fall into
the battery, one smashing an ammunition wagon. The gunners attempted in
vain to reply; their pieces were outranged by over 500 yards, and at
8.15, on the arrival of the infantry near at hand, they fell back
leaving the wagon derelict. At 8.30 a.m. French withdrew to a point four
miles south of Woodcote farm, and from here sent a report to Sir George
White, informing him that about 400 Boers with three guns were before
him on a prepared position, and asking for support. The enemy's
artillery continued to shell the troops, and French, after questioning
the prisoners and the released Britons, and examining more closely, came
to the conclusion that there were from 800 to 1,000 Boers in front of
him. When parties of the enemy began to appear also upon Jonono's Kop to
the north-west he judged it prudent to withdraw his weak detachment
still further, and by 11.30 a.m. was back nearly at the Modder Spruit.
On the way he fell in with a reinforcement from Ladysmith consisting of
one squadron 5th Lancers,[119] one squadron 5th Dragoon Guards, and the
42nd battery Field artillery, all under Colonel Coxhead, R.A., and with
these he retraced his steps to the Modder Spruit siding, where a halt
was called.

[Footnote 117: Telegraphic communication by Greytown was
still intact.]

[Footnote 118: See map No. 3. Orders were to "clear the
neighbourhood of Elandslaagte of the enemy and cover the
reconstruction of the railway and telegraphic lines."]

[Footnote 119: Another squadron, 5th Lance