The position won was held until the Boers retired under cover of darkness.  The men were then placed in defensive positions, and picquets told off.

The wounded were subsequently cared for, and the dead left where they had fallen till daylight.

Colonel Park described the fire of the Boers as like the crackle of a piece of gorse in a blazing fire.  Colour-Sergeant Palmer, who so greatly distinguished himself both during and after the charge, said the air was hot with bullets.  His rifle was shot in two at the lower band as he was taking aim, splinters grazing his face and hands.  Half the survivors had their clothing shot through, and the majority of the killed were found to have been hit two or three times.

The strength of the force was 5 officers and 184 non-commissioned officers and men, of whom 3 officers and 14 men were killed and 1 officer and 34 men were wounded.

Although the loss was great, viz. nearly one-third of the total number, it is a matter of surprise that more were not hit during the run of 130 yards, exposed as they were for about three minutes to magazine fire at a point-blank range.  It can be accounted for by the fact that the Boers crouching behind the rocks were rather below than above the level of the men, and their fire being consequently directed upwards, the bullets passed high and over the heads of the charging companies.  This would explain why the majority of the killed were shot through the head.  Lieutenant Walker was hit in the chin, the bullet cutting his chin-strap and passing out at the back and top of his head.

The following morning, as the men were collecting and parading preparatory to marching back to the railway cutting, Sir George White rode up and addressed them.  Shaking Colonel Park by the hand he said:  “I congratulate and thank you for the splendid work you and your men did yesterday.  It was magnificently done.  I am afraid you suffered very heavily, but you must remember that such work as that cannot be done for the Empire without loss.”

Whilst the three companies were performing such gallant deeds on the southern defences, the three companies under Major Curry were holding their own on the north-west defences at Observation Hill.

The Boers attacked this post heavily in the morning, and were supported by six field-guns, which were supposed to have been the Colenso guns of General Buller’s army, shrapnel being continually burst with excellent precision over the defences.

[Illustration:  Naval Battery Hill, Ladysmith]

[Illustration:  Monument Erected to Devons on Wagon Hill, on Spot Where the Charge Took Place, Ladysmith]

The account of the fighting which took place is told in Major Curry’s own words:—­