Border Mounted and Natal Mounted Rifles get together silently, the
volunteers vieing with regulars in this proof of discipline, which
indeed comes natural to men many of whom know by sporting experience on
the veldt that silence is a virtue. General French takes command of this
mobile little force, and at two o'clock it moves out through the
darkness for a reconnaissance along the Colenso Road, where it comes in
touch with the enemy soon after daybreak. A brisk skirmish against Boer
riflemen, who as usual have been quick to occupy commanding kopjes;
showers of shrapnel hurled among them from our field battery; a few
shells tearing up the dust in clouds in their distant camp; and two of
our own Lancers hit, makes up the story of this affair, which serves to
show conclusively that communication by road in that direction is
barred, if not effectually cut. General French therefore brought his
column back, reaching Ladysmith in time to take train for Durban,
handing over the cavalry command before he left to General Brocklehurst.

That train was the last to get through, and even then had to run the
gauntlet of rifle and artillery fire from Boers who were on both sides
of the line. An hour later the railway was cut by the Boers, whose light
guns completely commanded a defile through which the line passes; and at
two o'clock telegraphic communication stopped short in the middle of an
important despatch, while private and press messages innumerable await
their turn. The thread of that interrupted telegram will probably not be
taken up for many days, and we realise that our isolation is complete.
Communications might have been kept open for days longer by an energetic
use of artillery and mounted troops, but now it is too late to reopen
them without incurring risk of serious losses. We must be content to
wait the development of events in other quarters, for the Boers are all
round us now, and, blink the fact as we may, it must be admitted that
Ladysmith is under siege.