[Illustration: _Frank Craig._] [_After a photograph._
PLACING THE BODY OF GENERAL WAUCHOPE IN THE TRAIN AT MAGERSFONTEIN.
General Wauchope was temporarily buried near his men at Magersfontein. His body was afterwards exhumed and carried by rail to Matjesfontein, in Cape Colony, where it was buried with military honours in a beautiful cemetery four miles from the railway station. A picture of the start from Matjesfontein station is given on page 172.]
[Sidenote: DEC. 11, 1899.] _Magnificent Conduct of the Artillery._]
The battle was as good as lost, for one third of Lord Methuen's little army had been stricken down or so demoralised in the brief minutes of the night attack, that little could henceforth be expected of it. To assault the unbroken enemy in the full light of day was a course which could hold forth no promise of success, and which must have involved enormous losses. To withdraw the Highland Brigade was equally impossible. The only plan that could be followed was to bombard the enemy's position assiduously, holding the ground already won, in the hope that the Boers might here, as at Modder River, be cowed by British stubbornness and decide upon an eventual retreat. Lord Methuen reinforced the shaken Highlanders by two battalions of Coldstreams on the right; the two other Guards' battalions were held ready to give support, the Grenadiers on the right and the Scots Guards on the left. The 9th Lancers, the 12th Lancers, the mounted infantry, and G Battery of Horse Artillery pushed in on the extreme right and attempted a turning movement. They were at once very hotly engaged.
HER MAJESTY PRESENTING NEW COLOURS TO THE 2ND BATTALION SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS AT BALMORAL, September 29, 1899.
The 2nd Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders, which lost heavily at Magersfontein, had greatly distinguished itself in the Afghan War and the Chitral and Black Mountain Expeditions. Last September Her Majesty presented the battalion with new colours at Balmoral. The Queen, in doing so, said to Colonel Hughes-Hallett: "I rejoice to be able once more to present new colours to this distinguished regiment, in which I take an especial interest from its being associated with my dear son the Duke of Albany." The old colours are deposited for safe keeping at Balmoral. A week or two before Her Majesty had presented new colours to the Gordons.]