Our pickets were constantly engaged. There are some rather abrupt
hills on the east side of the town, among the nearer ones of which our
look-outs were stationed while the Boers prowled among the others. Here
the Mausers and Lee-Metfords talked incessantly, and the conversation
was carried on in a desultory way down in the river valley and among the
rolling hills on the southern side. It was plain that the enemy was
quite prepared to "put up a show" for us, and no one was surprised, when
the morning of our departure came, to see the strong force of Mounted
Infantry told off for rearguard, or note the presence of the General
himself in that part of the field.
There are long slanting hills that rise above the village on its south
side, the crests of which were occupied by our pickets. As the pickets
were withdrawn, the Boers rapidly followed them up, occupied the crest
in turn, and began to put in a heavy fire and press hard on our
retreating men.
From a square and flat-topped kopje just north of the town we had the
whole scene of the withdrawal down the opposite slopes before our eyes.
Our Mounted Infantry were hotly engaged but perfectly steady. They lay
in the grass in open order, firing, their groups of horses clustered
lower down the hill; then retired by troops and set to work again. This
giving ground steadily and by degrees is a test of coolness and
steadiness, and it was easy to see that our men were under perfect
control.
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