[The Great Boer War by Arthur Conan Doyle]@TWC D-Link bookThe Great Boer War CHAPTER 6 18/24
It is true, also, that Majuba is very much more precipitous than Elandslaagte, but then every practical soldier knows that it is easier to defend a moderate glacis than an abrupt slope, which gives cover under its boulders to the attacker while the defender has to crane his head over the edge to look down.
On the whole, this brilliant little action may be said to have restored things to their true proportion, and to have shown that, brave as the Boers undoubtedly are, there is no military feat within their power which is not equally possible to the British soldier.
Talana Hill and Elandslaagte, fought on successive days, were each of them as gallant an exploit as Majuba. We had more to show for our victory than for the previous one at Dundee. Two Maxim-Nordenfeld guns, whose efficiency had been painfully evident during the action, were a welcome addition to our artillery.
Two hundred and fifty Boers were killed and wounded and about two hundred taken prisoners, the loss falling most heavily upon the Johannesburgers, the Germans, and the Hollanders.
General Koch, Dr.Coster, Colonel Schiel, Pretorius, and other well-known Transvaalers fell into our hands.
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