gradually we crept nearer, until at last a few of the burghers had
passed the wall, and were now on the side of the enemy, so that the wall
could afford them no cover. While the men were trying to get on the
other side of the wall, one of my adjutants--Hugo, a lad of thirteen
summers--was killed, and two others wounded. But the British, now
exposed to a cross-fire, suffered heavily. Several of them dropped down,
either dead or wounded.

When I saw how untenable their position was becoming I sent in a flag of
truce, asking them to surrender, so as to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
One of the officers sent word that, seeing Captain Spandow had already
fallen, and their losses were so great, he considered further
resistance useless.

We found that 15, including the captain, were killed, and 14 wounded.
Six of the wounded died soon after their surrender. One of their men was
at once sent to Cradock for an ambulance. Our losses were 1 killed and 2
wounded.

The men I had left behind had off-saddled, and so only arrived after the
enemy had surrendered. The officer, on inquiring where our men were, and
who had engaged them, only shook his head when I told him that we were
but 13, and that 3 of these had been put out of action almost at the
beginning of the engagement. The British numbered 84 in all. We were
again provided with a good supply of ammunition, and 105 horses in
excellent condition.

Some months later Major Warn's column was attacked at the same place by
Commandant L. Wessels. Several of the enemy's horses were shot down,
while a number of men were wounded. So suddenly had they to turn back,