As Already Stated, The Camp Of Clements Lay Under A Precipitous
Cliff, Upon The Summit Of Which He Had Placed Four Companies Of The
2nd Northumberland Fusiliers.
This strong post was a thousand feet
higher than the camp.
Below lay the main body of the force, two
more companies of fusiliers, four of Yorkshire Light Infantry, the
2nd Mounted Infantry, Kitchener's Horse, yeomanry, and the
artillery. The latter consisted of one heavy naval gun, four guns
of the 8th R.F.A., and P battery R.H.A. The whole force amounted to
about fifteen hundred men.
It was just at the first break of dawn - the hour of fate in South
African warfare - that the battle began. The mounted infantry post
between the camp and the mountains were aware of moving figures in
front of them. In the dim light they could discern that they were
clothed in grey, and that they wore the broad-brimmed hats and
feathers of some of our own irregular corps. They challenged, and
the answer was a shattering volley, instantly returned by the
survivors of the picket. So hot was the Boer attack that before
help could come every man save one of the picket was on the ground.
The sole survivor, Daley of the Dublins, took no backward step, but
continued to steadily load and fire until help came from the
awakened camp. There followed a savage conflict at point
blank-range. The mounted infantry men, rushing half clad to the
support of their comrades, were confronted by an ever-thickening
swarm of Boer riflemen, who had already, by working round on the
flank, established their favourite cross fire.
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