g admirable
order under most difficult circumstances. In spite of the darkness the
attack was pressed fiercely home, and with their favourite tactics the
burghers rapidly outflanked the position taken up by the cavalry. The
British moved by alternate squadrons on to a higher rocky kopje on
the east, which could be vaguely distinguished looming in the darkness
against the skyline. B squadron, the last to retire, was actually
charged and ridden through by the brave assailants, firing from their
saddles as they broke through the ranks. The British had hardly time
to reach the kopje and to dismount and line its edge when the Boers,
yelling loudly, charged with their horses up the steep flanks. Twice
they were beaten back, but the third time they seized one corner of the
hill and opened a hot fire upon the rear of the line of men who were
defending the other side. Dawn was now breaking, and the situation most
serious, for the Boers were in very superior numbers and were pushing
their pursuit with the utmost vigour and determination. A small party of
officers and men whose horses had been shot covered the retreat of their
comrades, and continued to fire until all of them, two officers and
twenty-three men, were killed or wounded, the whole of their desperate
defence being conducted within from thirty to fifty yards of the enemy.
The remainder of the regiment was now retired to successive ridges,
each of which was rapidly outflanked by the Boers, whose whole method
of conducting their attack was extraordinarily skilful. Nothing but the
excellent discipline of the overmatched troopers prevented the
retreat from becoming a rout. Fortunately, before the pressure became
intolerable the 7th Hussars with some artillery came to the rescue, and
turned the tide. The Hussars galloped in with such dash that some of
them actually got among the Boers with their swords, but the enemy
rapidly fell back and disappeared.

In this very sharp and sanguinary cavalry skirmish the Bays lost eighty
killed and wounded out of a total force of 270. To stand such losses
under such circumstances, and to preserve absolute discipline and order,
is a fine test of soldierly virtue. The adjutant, the squadron leaders,
and six out of ten officers were killed or wounded. The Boers lost
equally heavily. Two Prinsloos, one of them a commandant, and three
field-cornets were among the slain, with seventy other casualties. The
force under General Alberts was a consi