andoned.... If this position be
abandoned, all others are endangered." President Kruger
telegraphed the same day to Botha, through Burger: "The Kop
on the other side of the river must not be given up, for then
all hope is over.... Fear not the enemy, but trust in God."]

[Sidenote: The Boers hide themselves and reserve their fire.]

The details of the Boers' line of battle would have been difficult to
discover even by the fullest reconnaissance and by the best trained
Intelligence department. General Louis Botha was so sanguine of
success that he had even proposed at a Krijgsraad, on 9th December,
that a detachment of burghers should be sent again across the river to
entice the British troops to advance against the prepared positions;
but the Council held that this device was unnecessary, as the British
commander was "bound to attack, and it was thought better to await the
attack." The Boer commander so fully realised the advantage of
reserved fire, that, giving effect to a telegram from General Piet
Joubert,[223] he had issued stringent orders to ensure that his men
indulged in no casual shots. He made no reply whatever to a heavy
bombardment maintained by the British Naval guns during the 13th and
14th December, intended to compel him to disclose his dispositions.
The same system of silence was to be adopted when the real attack was
delivered. Not a shot was to be fired against the British advance
until he himself had given the signal by firing the great howitzer. He
even hoped to be able to allow portions of the attacking columns to
cross the river, and there to overwhelm them utterly by well-sustained
fire at close range. The use of the Naval guns on the 13th and 14th
and the accumulation at Chieveley, had convinced General Botha that a
frontal attack was about to be made. Although his burghers were
anxious, and even inclined to be despondent, Botha himself hoped not
only to repulse the British troops, but also to envelop them with
counter-attacks, from Hlangwhane on the east and the Wagon Drift on
the west.

[Footnote 223: 7.12.99. Telegram despatched by
Commandant-General P. Joubert to Assistant-General Botha:--

"I cannot neglect to reiterate pointing out to you and
begging you to insist sternly with the officers and men
against wild firing at long and almost impossible
distances. Our greatest good fo