the danger comes
from the rear, things very often move quicker than is good for the
horses. Then the men have to be kept together, and the guides are
followed up closely, for if any burghers were to lag behind and the
chain be broken, 20 or 30 of them might stray which would deprive us
of their services.

It was one of those nights, known in the Steenkamp Mountains as "dirty
nights," very dark, with a piercing easterly wind, which blew an
incessant, fine, misty rain into our faces. About nine o'clock the
mist changed into heavy rains, and we were soon drenched to the skin,
for very few of us wore rainproof cloaks.

At ten the rain left off, but a thick fog prevented us from seeing
anything in front of us, while the cold easterly wind had numbed our
limbs, almost making them stiff. Some of the burghers had therefore to
be taken up by the ambulance in order to have their circulation
restored by means of some medicine or artificial treatment. The
impenetrable darkness made it very difficult to get on, as we were
obliged to keep contact by means of despatch-riders; for, as already
stated, I had to wait with the police for the result of the attack on
the two positions to the right and left of me.

Exactly at midnight all had arrived at the place of destination.
Unfortunately the wind was roaring so loudly as to prevent any firing
being heard even at a hundred paces distant.

The positions near Monument Hill and the coal mine were attacked
simultaneously, but unfortunately our artillerymen could not
distinctly see the trenches on account of the darkness, and they
charged right past them, and had to turn back when they became aware
of the fact, by which time the enemy had found out what was up, and
allowed their assailants to come close up to them (it was a round fort
about five feet high with a trench round it), and received them with a
tremendous volley. The artillerymen, however, charged away pluckily,
and before they had reached the wall four were killed and nine
wounded. The enemy shot fiercely and aimed well.

Our brave boys stormed away, and soon some of them jumped over the
wall and a hand-to-hand combat ensued. The commanding officer of the
fortress, Lieutenant Marshall, was severely wounded in the leg, which
fact must have had a great influence on the course of the fight, for
he surrendered soon after. Some soldiers managed to escape, some were
killed, about 10 wounded, and 25 were taken prisoners. No less tha