D. Smith, was stormed again, this
time the British being assisted by two field-pieces which they had
brought up with them in the ranks and which were to be used as soon as
the soldiers were under fire. They came to within a hundred paces. One
of these guns, I think, I saw put up, but before they could get the
range it had to be removed into safety, for the attacking soldiers
fared equally badly here as on our left flank.

Then, after a little hesitation, they tried the attack on our right
flank again, when Commandant Muller and the Boksburgers and some
Pretoria burghers, under Field-Cornet Opperman held the position, but
with the same fatal result to the attackers. Our fifteen-pounder,
after having been fired a few times, had given out, while our pom-pom
could only be used from time to time after the artilleryman had
righted it.

I had a heliograph post near the left-hand position, one near the
centre and the one belonging to my staff on our extreme right. I
remained near this, expecting a flank movement by General Paget after
his front attacks had failed. From this coign of vantage I was able to
overlook the whole of the fighting ground, besides which I was in
constant touch with my officers, and could tell them all the enemy's
movements.

About 10 o'clock they charged again, and so far as I could see with a
fresh regiment. We allowed them to come up very closely again and once
more our deadly Mauser fire mowed them down, compelling those who went
scot-free to go down flat on the ground, while during this charge some
who had been obliged to drop down, now jumped up and ran away. If I
remember rightly, it was during this charge that a brave officer, who
had one of his legs smashed, leant on a gun or his sword, and kept on
giving his orders, cheering the soldiers and telling them to charge
on. While in this position, a second bullet struck him, and he fell
mortally wounded. We afterwards heard it was a certain Colonel Lloyd
of the West Riding Regiment. A few months after, on passing over this
same battlefield, we laid a wreath of flowers on his grave, with a
card, bearing the inscription: "In honour of a brave enemy."

General Paget seemed resolved to take our positions, whatever the
sacrifice of human lives might be. If he succeeded at last, at this
rate, he might find half a score of wounded burghers and, if his
cavalry hurried up, perhaps a number of burghers with horses in bad
condition, but nothing more.

Wh