There was a momentary pause while the captain stood before his troops, then the horses were wheeled about and their hoofs sent showers of dust into the air as they carried their riders in retreat.

General De Wet stepped forward several paces, raised his carbine to his shoulder, aimed steadily for a second, then fired.

The bullet whistled menacingly over the heads of oxen and drivers--it struck the officer, and he fell.[1] [1] This incident of the battle was witnessed by the writer, as well as by several of the foreign military attaches.

Whether the British officer broke his promise by asking his men to retreat or whether his troopers were disobedient is a question, but it is more than likely that he endeavoured to act in good faith.

Whether the officer was killed or only wounded by General De Wet's shot could not be ascertained.
All along the banks of the spruit, for a mile on either side of the ravine, and over on the hills where Peter De Wet and his burghers lay, men had been waiting patiently and expectantly for that signal gun of Christian De Wet.