One would have thought that during so long a time as three days it would have been possible for the officer in command to make such preparations against this obvious possibility as were so successfully taken at a later stage of the war by the handful who garrisoned Ladybrand.

Surely in this period, even without engineers, it would not have been hard to construct such trenches as the Boers have again and again opposed to our own artillery.

But the preparations which were made proved to be quite inadequate.

One of the two smaller kopjes was carried, and the garrison fled to the other.

This also was compelled to surrender, and finally the main kopje also hoisted the white flag.
No blame can rest upon the men, for their presence there at all is a sufficient proof of their public spirit and their gallantry.