The defenders of Hart's Hill, and the position between
that and Pieter's, opened a heavy fire as soon as the British infantry
showed themselves; but their morale was so shaken by the terrific
bombardment to which they had been subjected, by the loss of Pieter's
Hill, and by the rifle fire now opened by its captors, that their fire
was singularly ineffective. Many men dropped, but the loss was
comparatively much smaller than that suffered by the Irish division when
moving across the open on the 23rd.
Taking advantage of every shelter, the troops moved steadily forward,
maintaining a heavy fire whenever they did so, and winning their way
steadily. Colonel Kitchener's Brigade pressed on towards Hart's Hill,
which on the side by which they now attacked was far less formidable
than that against which the Irish had dashed themselves. It had never
entered the Boer's minds that they would be attacked from this side, and
their most formidable entrenchments had all been placed to resist an
assault from Colenso. Arrived at its foot, the troops were in
comparative shelter among the boulders that covered the slopes. Foot by
foot they made their way upwards, until at last they gathered for a
final assault, and then with a loud cheer scrambled up the last slope
and with fixed bayonets drove the Boers in headlong flight.
Pages:
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465