At last, under the cover of night, the teams were harnessed and the
two field-pieces successfully removed, while the Boers who rushed
in to seize them were scattered by a volley. The losses in the
action were thirty-six and the gain nothing. Decidedly July 11th
was not a lucky day for the British arms.
It was well known to Botha that every train from the south was
bringing horses for Lord Roberts's army, and that it had become
increasingly difficult for De Wet and his men to hinder their
arrival. The last horse must win, and the Empire had the world on
which to draw. Any movement which the Boers would make must be made
at once, for already both the cavalry and the mounted infantry were
rapidly coming back to their full strength once more. This
consideration must have urged Botha to deliver an attack on July
16th, which had some success at first, but was afterwards beaten
off with heavy loss to the enemy. The fighting fell principally
upon Pole-Carew and Hutton, the corps chiefly engaged being the
Royal Irish Fusiliers, the New Zealanders, the Shropshires, and the
Canadian Mounted Infantry.
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