Devon Regiment to meet General Hunter under Devon Post at 11.30 p.m.
Shortly after this hour a force of Colonial mounted infantry, with
General Hunter at their head, passed the post to assault Gun Hill. This
they found but sparsely guarded, and, dispersing the small picquet, they
succeeded in blowing up the two big guns and a Maxim located there. The
Regiment remained out till the operation was over. It had been placed in
this position on Abattis Hill to act as a flank guard, with the object
of preventing the Boers attacking from the left round General Hunter's
rear, which was very open, and to act as a support upon which General
Hunter could fall back in case his surprise failed and he was driven in.

This successful operation was accomplished with the loss of seven men
wounded.

The operation that followed was not, however, so successful. Colonel
Knox reported that his mounted troops had gone out eight miles up the
Newcastle road past Limit Hill, and had not met or seen a single Boer.
He suggested that the Cavalry Brigade should go out and capture and burn
the Boer stores at Elandslaagte Station. They proceeded to carry out the
suggestion, starting at 7 a.m., but they fell in with a large force of
Boers under Pepworth Hill who had been in their laagers when the
reconnaissance was made and had thus escaped detection. They came under
heavy musketry fire as well as shell fire, and retired back to Ladysmith
with a loss of three killed and fifteen wounded.

On December 10th an attack on Devon Post was expected, and precautions
taken accordingly. The attack, however, did not come off.

On the night of December 10th the Rifle Brigade made a sortie and blew
up a Boer big gun on Surprise Hill. This attack was admirably planned