On Saturday, May 12th, The Attack Was Made At The Favourite Hour Of
The Boer - The First Grey Of The Morning.
It was gallantly delivered
by about three hundred volunteers under the command of Eloff, who
had crept round to the west of the town - the side furthest from the
lines of the besiegers.
At the first rush they penetrated into the
native quarter, which was at once set on fire by them. The first
building of any size upon that side is the barracks of the
Protectorate Regiment, which was held by Colonel Hore and about
twenty of his officers and men. This was carried by the enemy, who
sent an exultant message along the telephone to Baden-Powell to
tell him that they had got it. Two other positions within the
lines, one a stone kraal and the other a hill, were held by the
Boers, but their supports were slow in coming on, and the movements
of the defenders were so prompt and energetic that all three found
themselves isolated and cut off from their own lines. They had
penetrated the town, but they were as far as ever from having taken
it. All day the British forces drew their cordon closer and closer
round the Boer positions, making no attempt to rush them, but
ringing them round in such a way that there could be no escape for
them. A few burghers slipped away in twos and threes, but the main
body found that they had rushed into a prison from which the only
egress was swept with rifle fire.
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