e came to a stand. Meanwhile
the enemy, adopting their new tactics, came galloping in on the left
flank and on the rear. The first attack was repelled by the steady fire
of the Fusiliers, but on the second occasion the horsemen got up to the
wagons, and galloping down them were able to overwhelm in detail
the little knots of soldiers who were scattered along the flank. The
British, who were outnumbered by at least three to one, made a stout
resistance, and it was not until seven o'clock that the last shot was
fired. The result was a complete success to the burghers, but one which
leaves no shadow of discredit on any officer or man among those who
were engaged. Eleven officers and 176 men fell out of about 550 actually
engaged. The two guns were taken. The convoy was no use to the Boers,
so the teams were shot and the wagons burned before they withdrew. The
prisoners too, they were unable to retain, and their sole permanent
trophies consisted of the two guns, the rifles, and the ammunition.
Their own losses amounted to about fifty killed and wounded.

A small force sallied out from Klerksdorp in the hope of helping
Anderson, but on reaching the Jagd Drift it was found that the fighting
was over and that the field was in possession of the Boers. De la Rey
was seen in person among the burghers, and it is pleasant to add that he
made himself conspicuous by his humanity to the wounded. His force drew
off in the course of the morning, and was soon out of reach of immediate
pursuit, though this was attempted by Kekewich, Von Donop, and Grenfell.
It was important to regain the guns if possible, as they were always
a menace to the blockhouse system, and for this purpose Grenfell with
sixteen hundred horsemen was despatched to a point south of Lichtenburg,
which was conjectured to be upon the Boer line of retreat. At the same
time Lord Methuen was ordered up from Vryburg in order to cooperate
in this movement, and to join his forces to those of Grenfell. It was
obvious that with an energetic and resolute adversary like De la Rey
there was great danger of these two forces being taken in detail, but
it was hoped that each was strong enough to hold its own until the other
could come to its aid. The result was to show that the danger was real
and the hope fallacious.

It was on March 2nd that Methuen left Vryburg. The column was not his
old one, consisting of veterans of the trek, but was the Kimberley
column under Major Paris, a bo