Officer, the commander of
what is now recognised as the real fighting unit, he knew nothing. It
was a funny fight. We trekked along, unconcernedly watching the pretty
effect of our friends the gunners' practice; able with glasses to see
the stones and dust driven ahead when the shells burst low; but unable
to see any Boers. On reaching our destined spot we lay down and had
a smoke, and thought of all sorts of things other than fighting, until
at last news came from the General, and we heard we had fifteen
casualties. So it had been quite a battle after all, as fights were
going in those days, when any scrap that resulted in a casualty was
known as a hardly-contested engagement.

On the 1st we moved to a rather pretty camp, close under the far side
of the hills, called Jakfontein. The General and the troops he had
with him on the 31st arrived at about 5.15 p.m., and camped alongside.
The General told the Colonel they had had quite a victory yesterday,
driving the Boers from their position, and occupying it at nightfall.
They also thought they had done a good deal of damage to them with our
guns, as they withdrew.

The column did not march on the 2nd, but two companies ('E' and 'F')
under Captain Shewan proceeded to Bank Station as escort to the
wounded, while two more ('A' and 'B'), under Major Rutherford, were
sent off to commence the burning and looting, which, as far as we
could understand, was the _raison d'etre_ of the column. However that
might be, there was a tremendous fuss on their return, and all sorts
of accusations made _re_ looting. There is no disguising the fact that
we were altogether too squeamish, and that the orders on these and
subsequent occasions were capable of more than one interpretation.
Here were we in an enemy's country, badly off for a cart, let us say,
for the officers' mess; the very thing is found in an unoccupied farm;
to bring it along and use it was to loot: to burn it was to obey
orders. At this length of time it is easy to write dispassionately,
and there can be no harm in saying that it was vexing to be found
fault with when under the impression that one was doing one's best for
the general good, and not in any way profiting oneself. A few days
later an officer searching a farm for concealed weapons, &c., came
across a heavy ebony stick--just the thing he wanted. The old Boer
lady made a great fuss about his taking it, saying it was all she had
to beat the Kaffirs with. That finall