Zeerust and Lichtenburg had each been garrisoned and provisioned by
Lord Methuen before he carried his column away to the south-west,
where much rough and useful work awaited him. The two towns were at
once invested by the enemy, who made an attack upon each of them.
That upon Zeerust, on January 7th, was a small matter and easily
repulsed. A more formidable one was made on Lichtenburg, on March
3rd. The attack was delivered by De la Rey, Smuts, and Celliers,
with 1500 men, who galloped up to the pickets in the early morning.
The defenders were 600 in number, consisting of Paget's Horse and
three companies of the 1st battalion of the Northumberland
Fusiliers, a veteran regiment with a long record of foreign
service, not to be confused with that 2nd battalion which was so
severely handled upon several occasions. It was well that it was
so, for less sturdy material might have been overborne by the
vigour of the attack. As it was, the garrison were driven to their
last trench, but held out under a very heavy fire all day, and next
morning the Boers abandoned the attack.
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