Nothing of the sort occurred, however, and on the
instant that they realised that the cavalry was on their flank they
made off. The infantry did not fire a shot.
The result of this very decisive flight was to derange all
calculations entirely. The cavalry was not yet in its place when
the Boer army streamed off between the kopjes. One would have
thought, however, that they would have had a dash for the wagons
and the guns, even if they were past them. It is unfair to
criticise a movement until one is certain as to the positive orders
which the leader may have received; but on the face of it it is
clear that the sweep of our cavalry was not wide enough, and that
they erred by edging to the left instead of to the right, so
leaving the flying enemies always to the outside of them.
As it was, however, there seemed every possibility of their getting
the guns, but De Wet very cleverly covered them by his skirmishers.
Taking possession of a farmhouse on the right flank they kept up a
spirited fire upon the 16th Lancers and upon P battery R.H.A. When
at last the latter drove them out of their shelter, they again
formed upon a low kopje and poured so galling a fire upon the right
wing that the whole movement was interrupted until we had driven
this little body of fifty men from their position.
