The Lancashire Fusiliers, the Imperial Light Infantry—­whose baptism of fire it was—­Thorneycroft’s, and the Middlesex Regiment sustained the greater part of the losses.

We will have another try, and, if it pleases God, do better next time.

CHAPTER XVIII

THROUGH THE FIVE DAYS’ ACTION

Venter’s Spruit:  January 25, 1900.

The importance of giving a general and comprehensive account of the late actions around and on Spion Kop prevented me from describing its scenes and incidents.  Events, like gentlemen at a levee, in these exciting days tread so closely on each other’s heels that many pass unnoticed, and most can only claim the scantiest attention.  But I will pick from the hurrying procession a few—­distinguished for no other reason than that they have caught my eye—­and from their quality the reader may judge of the rest.

The morning of the 20th discovered the cavalry still encamped behind the hills near the Acton Homes road, on which they had surprised the Boers two days before.  The loud and repeated discharge of the artillery advised us that the long-expected general action had begun.  What part were the cavalry to play?  No orders had been sent to Lord Dundonald except that he was to cover the left flank of the infantry.  But the cavalry commander, no less than his brigade, proposed to interpret these instructions freely.  Accordingly, at about half-past nine, the South African Light Horse, two squadrons of the 13th Hussars, and a battery of four machine guns moved forward towards the line of heights along the edge and crest of which ran the Boer position with the intention of demonstrating against them, and the daring idea—­somewhere in the background—­of attacking and seizing one prominent feature which jutted out into the plain, and which, from its boldness and shape, we had christened ‘Bastion Hill.’  The composite regiment, who watched the extreme left, were directed to support us if all was clear in their front at one o’clock, and Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, who kept touch between the main cavalry force and the infantry left flank, had similar orders to co-operate.

At ten o’clock Lord Dundonald ordered the South African Light Horse to advance against Bastion Hill.  If the resistance was severe they were not to press the attack, but to content themselves with a musketry demonstration.  If, however, they found it convenient to get on they were to do so as far as they liked.  Colonel Byng thereon sent two squadrons under Major Childe to advance, dismounted frontally on the hill, and proposed to cover their movements by the fire of the other two squadrons, who were to gallop to the shelter of a wood and creep thence up the various dongas to within effective range.