Krugersdorp with a garrison of 300 men to man a
perimeter of some ten or twelve miles, or, roughly speaking, just over
fifty yards for each rifle. 'C' company, under Captain Pomeroy, W.I.R.
(attached), and Lieutenant Molony, occupied Fort Craig; 'D' company,
under Captain Clarke, R.M.L.I. (attached), and Lieutenant Marsh, held
Fort Kilmarnock; and 'G' company, under its Captain and Lieutenant
Smith, took over Fort Harlech. Major Rutherford took over this fort
next day, as the captain of 'G' company had been appointed commander
of the town guards and piquets and interior defences. Colonel Hicks
had been ordered to Johannesburg to see General French, who informed
him that he was to take command of a mixed force[19] and march to the
Losberg, there to dig up a large sum of gold, reputed to amount to
nearly 100,000_l._; after which he was to proceed south to the Vaal,
and hold the drifts between Vereeniging and Rensburg.

[Footnote 19: 400 Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 200 cavalry, two
guns.]

Starting at midnight on the 10th-11th, the column marched till 6 a.m.,
covering fifteen or sixteen miles. The men then had breakfasts; and,
after resting till mid-day, when they had dinners, started again for
Orange Grove, the pass in the Gatsrand with which we were by this time
so familiar. It was occupied by Boers, estimated at about one hundred
in number, who offered considerable resistance, but who were finally
shelled out of it, without loss on our side, though charged by a
squadron of Carabineers with great dash. Having done about twenty-six
miles, the camp was pitched at 6 p.m., outposts being, of course,
thrown out on the adjacent hills.

Reveille sounded at 4.30 a.m., and by 5.30 the small column was on the
way again. Their destination was plain enough this time, and very grim
and formidable it looked in the broad light of day, considering the
very small force which was about to attack it. Moreover, on this
occasion it held something besides oranges. Advancing from the north
in the direction of the spot from which we had advanced to the attack
a few days before, Colonel Hicks made a demonstration as though about
to attack the eastern peak, then, suddenly opening a heavy shell fire
on the nek between the two, he launched his real attack against the
other summit. Although the hill was held by a considerable number of
the enemy, estimated at 500, these tactics proved eminently
successful, for when they discovered