About this time the Gordon Highlanders and Manchester battalion were drawn forward from Hamilton’s Brigade to the green tree-fringed kopje, on the ridge of which our 42nd Battery still maintained its position, playing effectively upon “Long Tom.”  It looked as if Sir George meant to reinforce his fighting line, and try a decisive counter-stroke, by throwing all the weight he could against the Boer left wing, which was either wavering or executing some wily movement that had the appearance of a retirement.  But unluckily at this critical moment the 60th Rifles and Leicestershire men began to fall back from the position they had gained, which was immediately occupied by Boer riflemen, and the 60th, exposed to a storm of bullets from three sides, came across open ground in very loose formation.  We presently learned that the order had been sent for them “to retire on the balloon,” Sir George White having apparently resolved upon concentration by a retrograde movement.

Receiving a message in the words quoted, men naturally assumed that it meant a hasty retreat and not a retirement by successive lines of resistance.  In some cases nerves overstrained by hours of inaction gave way, and a few men threw down arms or equipment in a momentary panic, abandoning even their Maxim gun for a time.  This, however, was quickly checked by the example of cool comrades, who, spreading out in obedience to commands from their officers so that there might be wide intervals for the shots to pass through, walked slowly and steadily across the open veldt, where bullets were raining like hailstones.  In that retirement Major Myres, of the 1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifles (60th), fell mortally wounded.  Young Marsden, of the same battalion, going to the Major’s assistance, knelt beside him, and bent over as if to bind up a wound.  In that position he remained motionless so long that Lieutenant Johnson, who had been firing steadily with a wounded soldier’s rifle until twice hit himself, went to see if he could give any help.  He found his brother subaltern dead in the act of binding up a wound as he knelt over the dying field-officer’s body.  At that moment Lieutenant Johnson received his third wound, and had to be carried from the field by ambulance men.

Mounted infantry of the King’s Royal Rifles and Leicestershire Regiment, with Natal and Border Mounted Rifles, covered this retirement until it passed beyond the new line formed by Gordons and Manchesters, so that Colonel Grimwood’s Infantry Brigade, looking rather like broken troops in the loose irregularity of every company, was not called upon to rally or turn to face the enemy, but marched straight back towards the balloon, “Long Tom” opening fire upon them as they crossed a ridge, with marvellously exact knowledge of the range.  Three shells burst close to groups of the 60th, many men being hit.