ng the rendezvous it was learnt
that the force consisted of two brigades of infantry, some batteries,
and all the mounted troops. After half an hour's wait, a staff officer
rode up to say that the operations were cancelled.

About this time the siege newspaper, the _Ladysmith Lyre_, came into
existence. There were only four issues, on account of want of paper.

Shelling continued daily with but little or no result. The Boers were
apparently much incensed with the Town Hall, upon which the Geneva red
cross flag was flying, and which was being used as a hospital, for they
continually fired at it till the flag was taken down early in December,
when they scarcely ever fired at it again.

[Illustration: Town Hall, Ladysmith, Clock-tower damaged by shell fire]

On December 7th General Hunter made his sortie to Gun Hill. The secret
was well kept. In the evening, at dark, the battalion was sent to
Abattis Hill with orders to entrench, the scheme ostensibly being that a
force was to go out and stir up the Boers round Pepworth Hill whilst the
Regiment threatened to attack the Boers on the other flank.

At 11 p.m. a letter was received telling the officer commanding the
Devon Regiment to meet General Hunter under Devon Post at 11.30 p.m.
Shortly after this hour a force of Colonial mounted infantry, with
General Hunter at their head, passed the post to assault Gun Hill. This
they found but sparsely guarded, and, dispersing the small picquet, they
succeeded in blowing up the two big guns and a Maxim located there. The
Regiment remained out till the operation was over. It had been placed in
this position on Abattis Hill to act as a flank guard, with the object
of preventing the Boers attacking from the left round General Hunter's
rear, which was very open, and to act as a support upon which General
Hunter could fall back in case his surprise failed and he was driven in.

This successful operation was accomplished with the loss of seven men
wounded.

The operation that followed was not, however, so successful. Colonel
Knox reported that his mounted troops had gone out eight miles up the
Newcastle road past Limit Hill, and had not met or seen a single Boer.
He suggested that the Cavalry Brigade should go out and capture and burn
the Boer stores at Elandslaagte Station. They proceeded to carry out the
suggestion, starting at 7 a.m., but they fell in with a large force of
Boers under Pepworth Hill who had been in their laagers when