With Buller in Natal, Or, a Born Leader eBook

There had been a discussion that morning whether the four natives Chris had engaged for his expedition should be taken on permanently, and they unanimously agreed that they should be.  It was quite possible that all the colonial corps would at some time be called upon to act as infantry, and it would be a good thing to have six men to look after the twenty-five horses while they were away.  Then, too, it would be very handy to have a stretcher party of their own.  On the question being put to them, the four men had willingly agreed to follow the party whenever they went into a fight, to take two stretchers with which they could at once carry any who might be wounded back to camp.  They were all strong fellows belonging to fighting peoples, and would, the boys had no doubt, show as much courage as the Indian bearers had displayed at Dundee and Elandslaagte.  In the evening Captain Brookfield sent for Chris.

“The orders for to-morrow are out,” he said, “as far as we are concerned.  A thousand mounted infantry and one battery are to move in the direction of Hlangwane—­that is the hill, you know, this side of the river to the right of Colenso.  We shall cover the right flank of the general movement and endeavour to take up a position on the hill, where the battery will pepper the Boers on the kopjes north of the bridge.  Two mounted troops of three and five hundred men will cover the right and left flanks respectively and protect the baggage.  Half my troop are to accompany Dundonald, the other half will form a part of the force guarding the left wing.  Your party will be with this force.  You have had your share of fighting, and none of the others have yet had a chance.”

“Very well, sir, I shall not be sorry to be on this duty; for naturally we shall have a good view of the whole fight, while if we were engaged we should see nothing except what was going on close to us.”

“Yes, it will be something to see, Chris, and something to hear, for I doubt whether there has been so heavy a fire as that which will be kept up to-morrow, ever since war began.  We have some twenty-three thousand men, and the Boers more than as many, and what with magazine-guns, machine-guns, and fast-firing cannon of all sizes, it will be an inferno.”

CHAPTER XII

THE BATTLE OF COLENSO

By daybreak next morning the whole force was under arms.  General Hildyard in the centre was to attack the iron bridge at Colenso.  General Hart’s Irish brigade was to march towards Bridle Drift, and after crossing to move along the left bank of the river towards the kopjes north of the iron bridge.  General Barton was to move forward east of the railway towards Hlangwane Hill, and to support General Hildyard, or the Colonial troops moving against that hill as might appear necessary, while General Lyttleton’s brigade, half-way between those of Hildyard and Hart, were to be prepared to render assistance to either as might be required.  One division of the artillery was to follow Lyttleton’s brigade.  The six naval guns were to advance on his right.  The sixth brigade were to aid General Hart, and three batteries of Royal Artillery to move east of the railway, under cover of the sixth brigade, to a point from which they could prepare the way for Hildyard’s brigade to cross the bridge.