But they took their chances like
brave men, and fortune was their friend. The wagons came on without
any scouts. Behind them was U battery, then Q, with Roberts's Horse
abreast of them and the rest of the cavalry behind.
As the wagons, occupied for the most part only by unarmed sick
soldiers and black transport drivers, came down into the drift, the
Boers quickly but quietly took possession of them, and drove them
on up the further slope. Thus the troops behind saw their wagons
dip down, reappear, and continue on their course. The idea of an
ambush could not suggest itself. Only one thing could avert an
absolute catastrophe, and that was the appearance of a hero who
would accept certain death in order to warn his comrades. Such a
man rode by the wagons - though, unhappily, in the stress and rush
of the moment there is no certainty as to his name or rank. We only
know that one was found brave enough to fire his revolver in the
face of certain death. The outburst of firing which answered his
shot was the sequel which saved the column. Not often is it given
to a man to die so choice a death as that of this nameless soldier.
But the detachment was already so placed that nothing could save it
from heavy loss. The wagons had all passed but nine, and the
leading battery of artillery was at the very edge of the donga.
Nothing is so helpless as a limbered-up battery. In an instant the
teams were shot down and the gunners were made prisoners. A
terrific fire burst at the same instant upon Roberts's Horse, who
were abreast of the guns. 'Files a bout! gallop!' yelled Colonel
Dawson, and by his exertions and those of Major Pack-Beresford the
corps was extricated and reformed some hundreds of yards further
off. But the loss of horses and men was heavy. Major Pack-Beresford
and other officers were shot down, and every unhorsed man remained
necessarily as a prisoner under the very muzzles of the riflemen in
the donga.
As Roberts's Horse turned and galloped for dear life across the
flat, four out of the six guns [Footnote: Of the other two one
overturned and could not be righted, the other had the wheelers
shot and could not be extricated from the tumult. It was officially
stated that the guns of Q battery were halted a thousand yards off
the donga, but my impression was, from examining the ground, that
it was not more than six hundred.] of Q battery and one gun (the
rearmost) of U battery swung round and dashed frantically for a
place of safety. At the same instant every Boer along the line of
the donga sprang up and emptied his magazine into the mass of
rushing, shouting soldiers, plunging horses, and screaming Kaffirs.
It was for a few moments a sauve-qui-peut.
