reluctant to prolong his already attenuated line, met that movement only
by sending the Carbineers round Lombard's Kop, and bringing up the
Imperial Light Horse in support.

About this time the Gordon Highlanders and Manchester battalion were
drawn forward from Hamilton's Brigade to the green tree-fringed kopje,
on the ridge of which our 42nd Battery still maintained its position,
playing effectively upon "Long Tom." It looked as if Sir George meant to
reinforce his fighting line, and try a decisive counter-stroke, by
throwing all the weight he could against the Boer left wing, which was
either wavering or executing some wily movement that had the appearance
of a retirement. But unluckily at this critical moment the 60th Rifles
and Leicestershire men began to fall back from the position they had
gained, which was immediately occupied by Boer riflemen, and the 60th,
exposed to a storm of bullets from three sides, came across open ground
in very loose formation. We presently learned that the order had been
sent for them "to retire on the balloon," Sir George White having
apparently resolved upon concentration by a retrograde movement.

Receiving a message in the words quoted, men naturally assumed that it
meant a hasty retreat and not a retirement by successive lines of
resistance. In some cases nerves overstrained by hours of inaction gave
way, and a few men threw down arms or equipment in a momentary panic,
abandoning even their Maxim gun for a time. This, however, was quickly
checked by the example of cool comrades, who, spreading out in obedience
to commands from their officers so that there might be wide intervals
for the shots to pass through, walked slowly and steadily across the
open veldt, where bullets were raining like hailstones. In that
retirement Major Myres, of the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifles (60th),
fell mortally wounded. Young Marsden, of the same battalion, going to