There Have
Been Occasions In The War When Greater Dash Upon The Part Of Our
Artillery Might Have Changed The Fate Of The Day, And It Is Bad
Policy To Be Too Severe Upon The Man Who Has Taken A Risk And
Failed.
The whole operation, with its advance over the open against
a concealed enemy with a river in his front, was so absolutely
desperate that Long may have seen that only desperate measures
could save the situation.
To bring guns into action in front of the
infantry without having clearly defined the position of the
opposing infantry must always remain one of the most hazardous
ventures of war. 'It would certainly be mere folly,' says Prince
Kraft, 'to advance artillery to within 600 or 800 yards of a
position held by infantry unless the latter were under the fire of
infantry from an even shorter range.' This 'mere folly' is exactly
what Colonel Long did, but it must be remembered in extenuation
that he shared with others the idea that the Boers were up on the
hills, and had no inkling that their front trenches were down at
the river. With the imperfect means at his disposal he did such
scouting as he could, and if his fiery and impetuous spirit led him
into a position which cost him so dearly it is certainly more easy
for the critic to extenuate his fault than that subsequent one
which allowed the abandoned guns to fall into the hands of the
enemy.
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