Since then
Sir Charles Warren's division of infantry and a considerable
reinforcement of artillery had come to him. And yet in view of the
terrible nature of the ground in front of him, of the fighting
power of the Boers, and of the fact that they were always acting
upon internal lines, his force even now was, in the opinion of
competent judges, too weak for the matter in hand.
There remained, however, several points in his favour. His
excellent infantry were full of zeal and of confidence in their
chief. It cannot be denied, however much we may criticise some
incidents in his campaign, that he possessed the gift of impressing
and encouraging his followers, and, in spite of Colenso, the sight
of his square figure and heavy impassive face conveyed an assurance
of ultimate victory to those around him. In artillery he was very
much stronger than before, especially in weight of metal. His
cavalry was still weak in proportion to his other arms. When at
last he moved out on January 10th to attempt to outflank the Boers,
he took with him nineteen thousand infantry, three thousand
cavalry, and sixty guns, which included six howitzers capable of
throwing a 50-pound lyddite shell, and ten long-range naval pieces.
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