The leading company held its ground, though each of the officers, Brett, Carey, and Butler, was struck down.

The other companies had retired, however, and the dawn found this fringe of men, most of them wounded, lying under the very rifles of the Boers.

Even then they held out for some time, but they could neither advance, retire, or stay where they were without losing lives to no purpose, so the survivors were compelled to surrender.

There is better evidence here than at Magersfontein that the enemy were warned and ready.

Every one of the officers engaged, from the Colonel to the boy subaltern, was killed, wounded, or taken.