The perimeter of defence, however, was
fifteen miles, and each little fort too far from its neighbour for
mutual support, though connected with headquarters by telephone. It
is probable that the leaders and burghers engaged in this very gallant
attack were in part the same as those concerned in the successful
attempt at Helvetia upon December 29th, for the assault was delivered
in the same way, at the same hour, and apparently with the same primary
object. This was to gain possession of the big 5-inch gun, which is as
helpless by night as it is formidable by day. At Helvetia they attained
their object and even succeeded not merely in destroying, but in
removing their gigantic trophy. At Belfast they would have performed the
same feat had it not been for the foresight of General Smith-Dorrien,
who had the heavy gun trundled back into the town every night.

The attack broke first upon Monument Hill, a post held by Captain
Fosbery with eighty-three Royal Irish. Chance or treason guided the
Boers to the weak point of the wire entanglement and they surged into
the fort, where the garrison fought desperately to hold its own. There
was thick mist and driving rain; and the rush of vague and shadowy
figures amid the gloom was the first warning of the onslaught. The
Irishmen were overborne by a swarm of assailants, but they nobly upheld
their traditional reputation. Fosbery met his death like a gallant
gentleman, but not more heroically than Barry, the humble private, who,
surrounded by Boers, thought neither of himself nor of them, but smashed
at the maxim gun with a pickaxe until he fell riddled with bullets. Half
the garrison were on the ground before the post was carried.

A second post upon the other side of the town was defended by Lieutenant
Marshall with twenty men, mostly Shropshires. For an hour they held out
until Marshall and nine out of his twelve Shropshires had been hit. Then
this post also was carried.

The Gordon Highlanders held two posts to the southeast and to the
south-west of the town, and these also were vigorously attacked. Here,
however, the advance spent itself without result. In vain the Ermelo
and Carolina commandos stormed up to the Gordon pickets. They were blown
back by the steady fire of the infantry. One small post manned by twelve
Highlanders was taken, but the rest defied all attack. Seeing therefore
that his attempt at a coup-de-main was a failure, Viljoen withdrew his
men before daybreak. T