At half-past two that day Lyttleton's brigade had moved forward along
the foot of Mount Alice to force the passage of the river at Potgieter's
drift. As soon as the Boers caught sight of them, they could be seen
galloping forward to take their places in the trenches.
A thunder-storm that burst and a torrent of rain screened the movements
of the advancing troops from view for some time, and enabled them to
near the river without having to pass through any shell fire from the
Boer batteries on the hilltops. Between Mount Alice and the river the
brigade passed across meadows and ploughed fields. They reached the
ferry, but the boat was stuck fast, and an hour was lost at this point
before a party of sailors and colonial troops accustomed to such work
came forward to the aid of the Engineers, and speedily got it into
working order. But in the meantime the Scottish Rifles and the Rifle
Brigade had moved along the banks to the drift. Although usually almost
dry, the water was now coming down it breast-deep. Two gallant fellows
went across, and when they found the line of shallow water they returned
and guided their comrades over. The rush of the water was so great that
many would have been swept away; but, joining hands, they crossed in a
line, and although this was broken several times, it was always
reformed, and not many lives were lost.
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