TOPIC:

1900 - Kimberley siege day 84 (67%). Ladysmith siege day 66 (55%). Mafeking siege day 86 (39%). Reverse to Suffolk Regiment at Colesberg. Boer attack on Ladysmith.
1903 - Mr. Chamberlain at Pretoria.

In Kimberley:

Noticed early this morning a very large movement of wagons from the direction of Riverton on the laager to north of Intermediate Pumping Station in the direction of the half way house Barkly Rd. I calculate that there were at least 100 waggons.

Saw the large balloon for the first time this morning since the Magersfontein fight. It went up to a considerable height, and appeared to me to be slightly nearer us.

Major Fraser reports from Beaconsfield that there are now fewer of the enemy in Alexandersfontein than usual, also that he cannot see so many men on Wimbledon ridge. He reports a large number of horses on the far end to East of the Alexandersfontein plain.

I sent the following messages by search light this evening:

“From Int K B To Int M D Jan 6th 7 pm No 80. Yesterday afternoon our Mounted troops arrived Free State Border near Premier Mine and advanced to East of Boer position at Olpantsfontein Police Station and shelled enemy’s laager there. Boers only directed rifle fire on our troops. Light was too bad for us to take advantage of situation. Reconnaissance made clear that enemy has moved guns away from Olipantsfontein and very considerably reduced his numbers there. At sunrise to-day about seventy waggons were seen approaching Kimberley from North, they passed to South on west side of Kimberley keeping considerable distance from us; no large body of men accompanied waggons. Englishman arrived here from KLIPDAM yesterday states has been informed many rebels and Free Staters deserting. Stop. Prevent their escape all drifts Vaal River now held by small bodies rebels. Large wagon laager on Vaal River North of Riverton has been broken up and such waggons moved thence to hills at Windsorton. Informant heard from Dutchmen that Boers at Scholtz Nek numbers fourteen thousand. He states shore bags only of Fourteen Streams Bridge damaged.”

“From Int K B to Int M D Jan 6th No 81. Have had map compiled for your use two copies will be forwarded to-night. Kindly acknowledge receipt.”

“From Int K B to Int M D Jan 6th No 82. Am informed telegraph line Kimberley to Jacobsdaal not damaged; it passes near Boer position Scholtz Nek but as long as its use by us can be kept secret Boers will not touch. This end safe if considered advisable to make necessary connection your end inform me and I will have printer set connected up.”

“From Kekewich, To CSO Jan 6th No 83. As pay for troops is most urgently required I to-day obtained seventy thousand pounds, viz thirty five thousand from African Banking Corporation and the same amount from the Bank of Africa. Stop. I have signed agreement with the managers these banks that these amounts shall be repaid immediately to their banks on their order at Cape Town; the question of exchange interest and charges being subject to adjustment Cape Town between General Managers of the said banks and the officer in charge HM Treasure chest. Stop. The seventy thousand pounds has been paid into Standard Bank Kimberley. Please send reply bu search light for information of banks when transaction completed at Cape Town.”

The 3 banks concerned also sent messages on the above subject to their General Managers at Cape Town. The Standard Bank could not supply the money and the 3 managers appear to have been negotiating as to amount of interest which should be paid to the African Banking Corporation and Bank of Africa and 1 ¼ per cent has been demanded , but no final decision has been arrived at. As the pay of the garrison is overdue, and many are in great straits for want of money I thought fit under all the circumstances to approach the managers of the 2 banks concerned and ask them for the money on the condition represented in telegram No 83, which they kindly did.

I received the following:

“From Int M D To Int K B. On Jan 3rd Colonel Pilcher with Canadian and Australian contingent from Belmont defeated Colonial Boer commando 18 miles E of Douglas prisoners captured forty and laager. General French reported to have successful engagement near Colesberg but no confirmation of this yet received.”

In Ladysmith:

It has been a commonplace of the war that the Boers could cling to a position of their own choosing from behind stones, but would never venture to attack a position or fight in the open. Like all the comforting commonplaces about the Boers, this is now overthrown. The untrained, ill-equipt farmers have to-day assaulted positions of extraordinary strength, have renewed the attack again and again, have rushed up to breastworks, and died at the rifle's mouth, and have only been repulsed after fifteen hours of hard and gallant fighting on the part of the defence.

Waggon Hill is a long, high spur of Cæsar's Camp, running out south-west between Long Valley and Bester's Farm. At the extremity, as I have described, are the great gun-pits prepared for "Lady Anne" and a Naval 12-pounder some weeks ago. "Lady Anne" was for the second time being brought up into position there last night, and ought to have been fixed the night before, but was stopped half-way by the wet.

The Boer attack was probably not merely an attempt on the gun, but on the position, and the gun is being taken back to her usual position to-night. Besides the gun-pits, the hill has no defences except a few low walls, only two or three stones high, piled up at intervals round the edge, as shelters from long-range fire. The place was held only by three dismounted squadrons of Imperial Light Horse, but the 1st K.R.R. (60th) were in support in a large sangar about three-quarters of a mile along the same ridge, separated from Waggon Hill proper by the low "nek" where the two howitzers used to stand. From the 60th the ridge turns at an angle eastward, and becomes the long tableland of Cæsar's Camp, held by the Manchesters and 42nd Battery (Major Goulburn). The top is broad and flat, covered with grass and loose stones. The whole position completely overlooks the town to the north, and if it fell into the enemy's hands we should either have to retake it or quit the camps and town. The edge measures 4,000 yards, and the Manchesters had only 560 men to hold it.

At a quarter to three a.m., while it was still dark, a small party of Boer sharpshooters climbed up the further (south-east) face of Waggon Hill, just left of the "nek." They were picked men who had volunteered for the exploit. Nearly all came from Harrismith. We had posted a picket of eight at the point, but long security had made them careless, or else they were betrayed by a mistake which nearly lost the whole position. From the edge of the hill the whole face is "dead" ground. It is so steep that an enemy climbing up it cannot be seen. It was almost a case of Majuba again.

The Dutch crept up quite unobserved. At last a sentry challenged, and was answered with "Friend." He was shot dead, and was found with rifle raised and still loaded. The alarm was given, but no one realised what had happened. Captain Long (A.S.C.), who was superintending the transport of "Lady Anne," told me he could not understand how it was that bullets kept whistling past his nose. He thought the firing was from our own sentries. But the Dutch had reached the summit, and were enfilading the "nek" and the whole extremity of the hill from our left. As light began to dawn it was impossible to show oneself for a moment on the open top. The furthest range was not over 300 yards, and the top of a helmet, the corner of an arm, was sufficient aim for those deadly marksmen. Unable to stand against the fire, the Light Horse withdrew behind the crest of the hill, whilst small parties continued a desperate defence from the two big gun-pits.

Nearly all the officers present have been killed or wounded, and it is difficult to get a clear account of what happened from any eye-witness. Four companies from each battalion of the K.R. Rifles came up within the hour, but no one keeps count of time in such a struggle. The Boers were now climbing up all along the face of the hill, and firing from the edge. All day about half the summit was in their possession. Three times they actually occupied the gun-pits and had to be driven out again. Leaning their rifles over the parapets they fired into the space inside. It was so that Major Miller-Wallnutt, of the Gordons, was killed. Old De Villiers, the Harrismith commandant, shot him over the wall, and was in turn shot by Corporal Albrecht, of the Light Horse, who was himself shot by a Field-Cornet, who was in turn shot by Digby-Jones, the sapper. So it went on. The Boers advanced to absolutely certain death, and they met it without hesitation—the Boers who would never have the courage to attack a position! One little incident illustrates their spirit. A rugged old Boer finding one of the I.L.H. wounded on the ground, stopped under fire and bound him up. "I feel no hatred towards you," he said, "but you have no reason to fight at all. We are fighting for our country." He turned away, and a bullet killed him as he turned.

Before six o'clock the defence was further reinforced by a party of Gordons from Maiden Castle. They did excellent work throughout the day, though they, too, were once or twice driven from the top. But the credit of the stand remains with the I.L.H. and a few sappers like Digby-Jones, who held one of the little forts alone for a time, killed three Boers with his revolver, and went for a fourth with the butt. He would have had the V.C. if he had not fallen. So perhaps would Dennis, of the Sappers, though I am told he was present without orders. Lord Ava, galloper to General Ian Hamilton, commanding the defences, was shot through the head early in the day, about six o'clock. Sent forward with a message to the Light Horse, he was looking through glasses over a rock when the bullet took him. While I write he is still alive, but given up. A finer fellow never lived. "You'd never take him for a lord," said an Irish sergeant, "he seems quite a nice gentleman." Equally sad was the loss of Colonel Dick-Cunyngham, of the Gordons. A spent bullet struck him in the back as he was leaving camp. The wound is mortal, and he had only just recovered from his wound at Elands Laagte.

So the fight began. The official estimate of the Boers who gained the top is 600. Eye-witnesses put the number at anything between 100 and 1,000. The struggle continued from 3 a.m. till nearly seven at night. It must be remembered that our men had nothing to eat from five the afternoon before, and got nothing till nine at night. Twenty-eight hours they were without food, and for about sixteen they were fighting for life and death. At 4 p.m. a tremendous thunderstorm with rain and hail came on, but the fire never slackened. The 21st and 67th Batteries were behind the position in front of Range Post, but were unable to give assistance for fear of killing our men. The 18th Hussars and 5th Dragoon Guards and some 5th Lancers came up dismounted to reinforce, but still the enemy clung to the rocks, and still it was death to creep out on the narrow level of the summit.

It was now evident that the position must be retaken at all costs, or the enemy would hold it all night. The General sent for three companies of the Devons. Up they came, tramping through the storm—that glorious regiment of Western Englishmen. Colonel Park and four other officers led them on. It was about six o'clock when they reached the summit. Keeping well to the left of the "nek," between the extremity held by the Light Horse and the 60th's sangar, they took open order under cover of the ridge. Then came the command to sweep the position with the bayonet. They fixed, and advanced at the quick till they reached the open. Then, under a steady hail of bullets, they came on at the double—180 men, with the steel ready. Colonel Park himself led them. The Boers kept up an incessant fire till the line was within fifteen yards. Then they turned and ran, leaping down the steep face of the hill, and disappearing in the dead ground. Their retreat was gallantly covered by their comrades, who swept the ridge with an oblique fire from both sides.

The Devons, edging a little to the right in their charge, got some cover from a low wall near the "nek" just quitted by the Boers. Even there the danger was terrible. It was there that four officers fell, three stone dead. It will be long before such officers as Lafone (already twice wounded in this war) and Field can be replaced. Lieutenant Masterson, formerly a private, and later a colour-sergeant in the Irish Fusiliers, was ordered back over the exposed space cleared by the first charge to bring up a small reinforcement further on the left. On the way he was shot at least three times, but staggered on and gave his order. He still survives, and is recommended for the Victoria Cross. He comes of a fighting Irish stock, and his great-grandfather captured the French Eagle at Barossa in the Peninsular War. He received his commission for gallantry in Egypt.

But the day was won. The position was cleared. That charge finished the business. The credit for the whole defence against one of the bravest attacks ever made rests with the Light Horse, the Gordons, and the Devons. Yet it is impossible to forget the unflinching self-devotion of the King's Royal Rifle officers. They suffered terribly, and the worst is they suffered almost in vain. At one moment, when the defenders had been driven back over the summit's edge, Major Mackworth (of the Queen's, but attached to the King's Royal Rifles) went up again, calling on the men to follow him. Just with his walking-stick in his hand he went up, and with the few brave men who followed him he died.

The attack on the main position of Cæsar's Camp was much the same in plan and result. At 3 a.m. the Manchester pickets along the extremity's left edge (i.e., north-east) were surprised by the appearance of Boers in their very midst. Lieutenant Hunt-Grubbe, who was visiting the pickets, mistook them for volunteers. "Hullo! Boers!" he cried out. They laughed and answered, "Yes, burghers!" He was a prisoner in their hands for some hours. The whole of one section was shot dead at their post. The alarm was given, but the outlying sentries and piquets could not move from the little shelters and walls which alone protected them from the oblique fire from an unknown direction. Many were shot down. Some remained hidden at the bottom of their defence pits till late in the afternoon without being able to stir. Creeping up the dead ground on the cliffs face, which is covered with rocks and thick bushes, the Boers lined the left edge of the summit in great numbers. Probably about 1,000 attacked that part alone, and about 200 advanced on to the top. They were all Transvaal Boers, chiefly volunteers from the commandoes of Heidelburg and Wakkerstroom. This main body was attempting to take our left (north) side of the hill in flank, and kept edging through the thorns and dongas near the foot. The Natal Police, supported by the Natal Mounted Rifles, had been set to prevent such a movement, but had left a gap of 500 yards between their right and three companies of Gordons stationed in front of "Fly" kraal on that side of the hill. At last, observing the enemy in a donga, they challenged, and were met by the answer, "For God's sake, don't fire; we're the Town Guard." At once they were undeceived by a volley which killed one of them and wounded a few others. How far they avenged this act of treachery I have not discovered. The Boers flanking movement was only checked by the 53rd Battery (Major Abdy), which was posted on the flat across the river from the show ground, and did splendid service all day. It shelled the side and top of the hill almost incessantly, though the big Bulwan gun kept pouring shrapnel and common shell right in front of it, making all the veldt look like a ploughed field.

Meantime the Boers on the summit held their ground. Their movement was backed by three field guns and two automatics across the Bester's valley at ranges of 2,000 yards and 4,000 yards. Their further advance along the edge was really checked by two Manchester privates, Scott and Pitts, who kept up an incessant fire from their little wall at the extremity after all their comrades were shot. Three companies of the Rifle Brigade at last came up to reinforce. Then the G Company of the Gordons, under Captain Carnegie. But for a long time no one knew where the gap in our line really was. About half-past nine one could see the enemy still thick among the rocks and trees on the left of the extremity, though the shrapnel was dropping all among them from the 53rd Battery. It was just before this that Lieutenant Walker, watching with a telescope from the signal station on the Convent, saw two Boers creeping along the edge alone for about 150 yards under tremendous fire. Suddenly a shrapnel took them, and both fell down. They were father and son. About half-past ten the first assault was repulsed, and for a time the Boers disappeared, but one could see reinforcements massing behind a hill called the "Red Kopje," across the deep stream of the Bester's valley. The second main attack was delivered about one, and the third during the storm at five. I think, after the first assault, the Boer line never advanced beyond the cover of the edge. But their incessant fire was supported by a storm of long-range bullets from the heights across the valley. The position was not finally cleared till nearly seven.

The attack and the defence were equally gallant, as at Waggon Hill. Our guns were of far more service than theirs, but probably the loss by rifle fire was not so great, the range being longer. The total force of the attack on both positions was probably about 7,000. Some 2,000 Volunteers led the way—old Boer farmers and picked men who came forward after a prayer meeting on Friday. For immovable courage I think it would be impossible to beat our gunners—especially of the 42nd and 53rd Batteries. All through the action they continued the routine of gunnery just as if they were out for exercise on the sands.

By seven o'clock the main positions on the south side of our defences were safe. On the north, fighting had been going on all day also. At about 4 a.m. the artillery and rifle fire was so violent around Observation Hill that I thought the main attack was on that point. Originally the Boers no doubt intended a strong attack there. The hill has always been one of the weakest points of our defence.

The Boers began their attack on Observation Hill just before dawn with a rapid fire of guns and rifles at long range. At first only our guns replied, the two of the 69th doing excellent work with shrapnel over the opposite ridges. By about six we could see the Boers creeping forward over Bell Spruit and making their way up the dongas and ridges in our front. At about eight there was a pause, and it seemed as if the attack was abandoned, but it began again at nine with greater violence. The shell fire was terrific. Every kind of shell, from the 45-pounder of the 4.7 in. howitzer down to the 1-1/2-pounder of the automatic, was hurled against those little walls, while shrapnel burst almost incessantly overhead.

It is significant for our own use of artillery that not a single man 'was killed by shells, though the air buzzed with them. The loose stone walls were cover enough. But the demoralising effect of shell fire is well known to all who have stood it. A good regiment is needed to hold on against such a storm. But the Devons are a good regiment—perhaps the best here now—and, under the command of Major Curry, they held. At half-past nine the rifle fire at short range became terrible.

Boers were crawling up over what little dead ground there was, and one group of them reached an edge from which they began firing into our breastwork at about fifteen yards. One or two of them sprang up as though to charge. With bayonets they might have come on, but, standing to fire, they were at once shot down. Among them was Schutte, the commandant of the force. He was killed on the edge, with about ten others. Then the attacking group fell back into the dead ground. Our men got the order not to fire on them if they ran away. It was the best means of clearing them off the hill, and they made off one by one. The long-range fire continued all day, but there was no further rush upon our works. Our loss was only two men killed and a few wounded. The Boer loss is estimated at fifty, but it is impossible to know.

The King's (Liverpools), who now hold the works built by the Devons on the low Helpmakaar ridge, were also under rifle and shell fire all day. About 3 p.m. about eighty Boers came down the deep ravine or donga at the further end of the ridge. A mounted infantry picket of three men was away across the donga, watching the road towards Lombard's Nek. Instead of retiring, they calmly lay down and fired into the thick of the Boers whenever they saw them. Apparently the Boers had intended some sort of attack or feint, but, instead of advancing, they remained hidden in the donga, firing over the banks. At last Major Grattan, fearing the brave little picket might be cut off, sent out two infantry patrols in extended order, and the Boers did not await their coming; they hurried up the donga into the shelter of the thorns, which just now are all golden with balls of sweet-smelling blossom.

Soon after the sun set behind the storm of rain the fighting ceased. The long and terrible day was done. I found myself with the Irish Fusiliers at Range Post, where the road crosses to the foot of Waggon Hill. The stream of ambulance was incessant—covered mule-waggons, little ox-carts, green dhoolies carried by indomitable Hindoos, knee-deep in water, and indifferent to every kind of death. In the sixteen hours' fighting we have lost fourteen officers and 100 men killed, twenty-one officers and 220 men wounded. The victory is ours. Our men have done what they were set to do. But two or three more such victories, and where should we be?

In Mafeking:

Boers rather vicious to-day, and the usual Saturday's spar all round at sundown. Runners went north and south.

Nek through which the Boers charged:


Gun emplacement:


Chris as Wagon Point

Elsewhere on this forum I have posted a brief biography of Corporal T W Hope of the Imperial Light Horse, who was present during the Battle of Wagon Hill. Below is his perspective of this epic battle.


The Battle of Wagon Hill on the 6th January 1900 during the Siege of Ladysmith increased the reputation gained by the Imperial Light Horse at the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899. The regiment, which had been formed in September 1899, added a third VC to the two already awarded at Elandslaagte, a record that is perhaps unmatched by a newly formed unit of mostly amateur soldiers. The Wagon Hill battle is covered in great detail in the book, ‘The Story of the Imperial Light Horse’ by G F Gibson, and elsewhere, but it is nevertheless interesting to view it from the perspective of a young man who fought in it as a Trooper of the ILH.

Extracts from the diary of Corporal T W Hope, Imperial Light Horse, for the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th January 1900. Hope’s diary is a little disordered, he seldom used punctuation and capital letters, and there are also spelling errors, so his entries have been edited and rearranged.
The Boers made an… attack [on Wagon Hill at] about 3 o’clock in the morning.
They wounded our Captain in the arm badly. [This was probably Major D E Doveton, commander of ‘B’ Squadron, whose shattered arm was later amputated. He died of his wound on 15 February. Hope recorded his death as “very bad news”.]
Had no breakfast.
Very heavy fire all day [and] only about 20 of our troop [? squadron] left.
[The Boers] got on the top of the hill twice & we drove them back at the point of the bayonet & we gave them fair beans. They do not like cold steel. [The references to “the bayonet” and dislike of “cold steel” became part of the ILH’s history during the attack on Gun Hill on 7 December 1899, when the Boer guards took to their heels after hearing Colonel Edwards give the shouted order to “Fix bayonets” and Major Karri Davies followed with “Give them the cold steel”. Although the ILH had single-shot rifles without bayonets at both Gun Hill and Wagon Hill, Corporal Hope was clearly as impressed by the ”cold steel of bayonets” as were the Boers.]
[7th January:] Burying dead. Dutch have been out gathering up their dead & wounded with their ambulance wagons [at] the bottom of Wagon Hill, where there were a lot of dead & wounded .
[9th January:] 126 Boers were found dead down in a donga. They must have been shot on Saturday. The Boers did not seem to care whether their dead [were] taken away or not.
Casualties to the Light Horse over 50 wounded & killed, [while] the Dutch lost about 600 killed and wounded. [The actual numbers of ILH casualties were 29 killed and died of wounds, while 31 were wounded. Boer casualties have been given as 63 killed and 145 wounded. Hope’s figures for the Boers are likely to have been based on camp rumours.]
Great victory of Wagon Hill.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, January 1900:

5 a.m. There is a big fight going on close to the town. All our batteries are in it, as well as those of the rebels. The crackling of the rifles, and the snapping of the machine guns, sounds close to. In about a month from today, the military powers, will probably publish an account of the fight, something like this, only without date. “Yesterday at dawn, the republican troops, marched to attack Ladysmith, and were repulsed with heavy loss. Our troops killed 2 000 of the enemy, and wounded about 4 000. We also, have suffered severely, having six men killed, and four wounded, besides a dozen mules being rendered unfit for service.”

‘Pillycock sat upon Pillycock hill.
And if he’s not gone, he’s sitting there still.’

The above is the amount of information about current events, that is ever given us. The authorities, call this sort of thing, intelligence for the pubUc!!! And they only give us such accounts as this, after we have waited for weeks, and when all interest in the matter, has subsided. Our chiefs, are careful not to wound the feelings of the rebels by calling them rebels, they are always spoken of as the republican forces, and the ringleaders of this bandilli, are spoken of as. General Joubert, Burgers, Meyer etc. As for Pillycock, he is still sitting by his big guns, on Bulwan, and will probably remain there till the end of the war, unless Lord Roberts objects to his doing so. It seems last night, the rebels established themselves on a long hill, close to the town. This hill is between Klip River, and Bester’s Farm. This morning’s battle, is to drive them back to their old position. The town guard are called out, and as there are some very good marksmen in the rifle association, they will no doubt be of good service, if required. The hill is only about half a mile from Ladysmith. Of course our troops have dislodged the rebels, but there is still a smartish fight going on. If they had kept possession of the hill, the town could not have been held for an hour by our troops. The rebels were already bringing up cannon to fortify the hill. However, alls well that ends well, and we have won. — Its curious, that our troops, armed with what are called arms of precision, can not do half the execution that Wellington did with old brown Bess and her bayonet, aided by grape shot. Bess was not a first rate tool, and seldom killed at more than a hundred yards. But the bayonet never failed to win every battle in which it was made use of by our men. Now, we have rifles warranted to kill at 2 000 yards, and cannon that will carry six or seven miles. Wellington’s defective weapons, were either better adapted for actual war, or else our men made better use of them. — Many ambulances off to this morning’s battle field. — Cannon all day. This has not happened before. I think the rebels find out they are trapped, and are getting desperate. Buller is closing the net round them. Town guard on duty, with rations. The big fight seems about to come off. If only our lancers and infantry can get amongst them, the war is finished. Cannon and rifles are comparatively useless. Rebels determined to have Ladysmith tonight. I don’t think they will. Our men are on the alert, and a whole park of field guns, cover the river’s bank, and line the streets. — We have lost a good many men today, and so have the rebels. Major Karri Davis is wounded in both legs, and many officers and men of the Imperial light horse, are killed. We are surrounded by a large army of Boers, but we shall win. Buller ought to make his appearance now. — 8 a.m. I expect to hear the fight for the town, begin at any moment. The rebels are full of pluck and confidence, and so are we. If they, really mean to storm the town, it will be a bloody fight. — Lord Ava, probably a son of the Marquis of Dufferin, was killed today. Also the Colonel of the Highlanders, Cunningham I believe. — The rebels still swarm about the town, although they have been driven from the hill. They often send bullets into our streets.

1900 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Today will be a memorable one for Ladysmith as also those besieged, the Boers having, what I long expected, made a general attack to take the town. Musketry firing was heard soon after midnight, some of the spent bullets lighting on neighbouring house tops, and gradually increasing up to 3 o’clock, when the enemy was storming the hills near our picquet and succeeded, under cover of darkness, to gain the summit. About 4 o’clock a perfect fusillade, being a duel between the Manchesters, B.M.R., N.M.R., N.M. Police and the enemy, the latter shewing grit equal to our bravest men. For some time they had the best of the fight, but when the artillery got in their shells from the Thorns, they played havoc amongst them. Simultaneously a general attack was made all along the Hill, extending some 2 miles. Devon, Gordon, Manchesters, K.R. Rifles, Imperial Light Horse and Royal Engineers lost heavily, the outposts being killed or taken prisoners to a man. Gold, Fox, Lawson and Hull of the B.M.R. were killed, and seven wounded. The N.M. Rifles only had one wounded - Lt. Richardson. N.M. Police 4 wounded. Capt. Whales of the Volunteer staff was wounded in several places, as also Surge. Hornabrok, neither seriously. We were in the saddle soon after 3 o’clock and the horses remained under saddle the whole day and night. At 5.30 p.m. moved off to relieve picquet in a perfect torrent of rain, during which the enemy made another determined attack, but was repulsed. On Waggon Hill, where the Engineers were fixing up a Naval Gun, the Boers stormed the Hill, 3 times, being repulsed each time, though at a heavy cost of life. The I.L. Horse fought splendidly, as also the Devons, while it is reported that other Infantry retreated thoroughly demoralised owing, it is assumed, to having lost all their leaders. The head is said to have suffered terribly at this point, as also the I.L. Horse, only two out of fifteen officers escaping, one of whom is Lieut. Webb (Clem) an old friend in Johannesburg. Poor Coffee Adams (Lieut.) was killed by a bullet through the forehead. He was a fellow passenger on the Norman January 1897, where we were great friends. I was talking to him a few days ago. May he R.I.P. McKenzie, who was at one time with the McLeods atNondweni, was killed, also. Tucker of Newcastle, a brother of each are in my regiment. Had a good view of the battle from this side of the river, being within 2000 yds. of the enemy. Shortly after going down two artillery were laid low from a shell from “Long Tom”. One poor fellow lost his right leg and arms. There were two casualties from stray bullets - Colonel Dick Cunningham of the Gordons was seriously wounded in the region of the liver, while takingJiis men across the Road Bridge on his way to support picquets and the remainder of the regiment on Waggon Hill. He was also wounded at Elandslaagte. The other passed through a tarpaulin covering the shelter of the B.M.R and within a few yards of where I was standing, hitting a native through the fleshy part of the arm. Both of these bullets must have travelled 3000 yards. The firing was incessant for 15 hours, the enemy not being able to retreat until darkness set in. We took up the same position as the picquet we relieved, but did no firing. The N.M.R. had a rough time of it for fully 14 hours, firing most of the time from sangers. They did excellent work. The night was a cruel one, the vlei being a perfect sea after the rain. Sleep was quite out of the question, but dossed down in the mud. On horse guard 7 to 10 o’clock. Lord Ava, attached to Gen. White’s Staff, was badly wounded at Waggon Hill, while taking observations, having been sent there by Gen. Hamilton to locate the enemy’s movements. Horse belonging to Willmot of B. Squadron was killed by a bullet, as also a mule in artillery lines, both stray or spent bullets.

1900 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

The Battle of Wagon Hill. This has been one of the most awful days we have had. We woke up before daylight this morning with the most awful firing of all kinds. The short little shap, shap of musketry, the big boom of the cannon, the knock, knock, knock of the Maxim Nordenfeldt, and even the ving of the bullets coming in this way. While I went to my bath this morning, two bullets came into the vegetable garden and a kaffir cooking in the B.M.R. camp just behind us was shot through the arm. The firing continued without stopping for sixteen hours. Dr. Hyslop and Dr. Buntine brought the first wounded man in about 12 o'clock, which happened to be Captain Wales. He had four bullet wounds in him, none fatal, all flesh wounds. He was as jolly as a sand boy, lying on his stretcher smoking a pipe. While we were preparing beds, two mere came in, more seriously wounded through the ankle, both of them breaking the bones, so we had to wait until the others were attended to. We have eight of them in hospital tonight, none mortally wounded though. We will hear more tomorrow of the casualties as the fighting was so late no one seems to know who was killed and who wounded. Lord Alva was shot through the head and is not expected to live. Major Karri Davies a slight wound through the leg. Major Duffton also of the I.L.H. through the arm. It is feared it will have to be amputated. The Colonel of the Cordon Highlanders, (much beloved by all the men), Colonel Dick Cunningham, mortally through the liver, and many more. I shall find out more tomorrow. The Boers attempted to get into Ladysmith by trying to take Caesar's Hill and. Wagon Hill, and fought desperately and well. Three times they got it but were driven back by our men.

We hear nothing but praises of the I.L.H. Mr. Fred Tatham who saw it all says too much cannot be said in praise of them. They don’t know what fear is.
Where they were on End Hill the Boers were so close it almost came to hand to hand fighting. They could not raise their heads but a volley of bullets immediately rained upon them.