They
Returned To Zeerust Twelve Days Later, After A Successful Foray,
Which Had Been Attended With Much Sniping And Skirmishing, But Only
One Action Which Is Worthy Of Record.
This was fought on October 24th at a spot near Kleinfontein, upon
the Great Marico River, which runs to
The north-east of Zeerust.
Von Donop's column was straggling through very broken and
bush-covered country when it was furiously charged in the flank and
rear by two separate bodies of burghers. Kemp, who commanded the
flank attack, cut into the line of wagons and destroyed eight of
them, killing many of the Kaffir drivers, before he could be driven
off. De la Rey and Steenkamp, who rushed the rear-guard, had a more
desperate contest. The Boer horsemen got among the two guns of the
4th R.F.A., and held temporary possession of them, but the small
escort were veterans of the 'Fighting Fifth,' who lived up to the
traditions of their famous north-country regiment. Of the gun crews
of the section, amounting to about twenty-six men, the young
officer, Hill, and sixteen men were hit. Of the escort of
Northumberland Fusiliers hardly a man was left standing, and
forty-one of the supporting Yeomanry were killed and wounded. It
was for some little time a fierce and concentrated struggle at the
shortest of ranges. The British horsemen came galloping to the
rescue, however, and the attack was finally driven back into that
broken country from which it had come.
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