As the daylight grew ouir artillery got into position, and
the naval guns opened fire with Lyddite shells and searched the trenches and kopjes in every direction. At the same time the Gordons and the survivors of the Highland Brigade made a series of plucky efforts to advance, but though they got very near the trenches, they could not surmount the barbed-wire entanglements by which the Boer positions were protected. At about 10 o'clock the enemy made an attempt to outflank our right, but the Guards Brigade speedily drove them back. The rest of the day was occu- pied with artillery fire, but at 5.30 o'clock our troops were ordered to retire. The Boers had about twelve thousand men in action. Our force was about eight thousand. Our losses were the most severe that we have as yet experienced during the war. The killed, wounded, and missing number eight hundred and thirty-three, and of these about 85 per cent. belong to the Highland Brigade. The Boer losses were, of course, very much less, but it is believed that they by no means escaped scatheless from the battle, and there are stories of sickness in their camps. The heavy and concentrated loss sustained by our regiments' has naturally caused depression in England, but there seems no reason to fear that Lord Methuen will not be able to hold his Own, and ultimately to drive the Boers from his front. The bulk of his force is untouched, and his communications are open.
