During the day I rode nearly all over the camp and outposts, even getting to Waggon Hill again to see the enemy at their old trick of calling the cattle home with shells.  There I heard that the 6 in. gun on Middle Hill was removed last evening, and that was the cause of the two shots I had heard as I left.  Our gunners detected the movement too late to prevent it, and the destination of the gun is unknown.

     December 8, 1899.

The brightest day of the siege so far.  The secret was admirably kept.  Outside three or four of the General Staff, not a soul knew what was to happen.  At 10 p.m. on Thursday an officer left me for his bed; a quarter of an hour later he was marching with his squadron upon the unknown adventure.  It was one of the finest and most successful things done in the war, but what I most admire about it is its secrecy.  The honours go to the Volunteers.  One regrets the exclusion of the Regulars after all their splendid service and cheery temper, but the Volunteers are more distinctly under Headquarter control, and it was thought best not to pass the orders through the brigades.  Accordingly just after ten certain troops of the Imperial Light Horse, under Colonel Edwards, the Natal Carbineers, and Border Mounted Rifles, all under the command of Colonel Royston, suddenly received orders to march on foot along the Helpmakaar road.  About 600 went, though only 200 of them actually took part in the final enterprise.

The moon was quarter full, but clouded, giving just enough light to see the road and no more.  The small column advanced in perfect silence.  Not a whisper was heard or a light seen.  After long weeks of grumbling under the steady control of Regular officers, the Volunteers are learning what discipline means.  The Cemetery was passed, the gorge of Bell’s Spruit, the series of impregnable defences built by the Liverpools and Devons along the Helpmakaar road.  At the end of those low hills the Devons were found drawn up in support, or to cover retreat.  General Hunter then took command of the whole movement, and the march went on.  Three-quarters of a mile further the road enters rough and bushy ground, thinly covered with stunted thorns and mimosa.  It rises gradually to the foot of the two great hills, Lombard’s Kop and Bulwan, the road crossing the low wooded nek between them.  Lombard’s Kop, which is the higher, lies in the left.  The kop itself rises to about 1,200 or 1,300 feet, in a square-topped pyramid; but in front of it, forming part of the same hill, stands a broad and widely-expanded base, perhaps not higher than 600 or 700 feet.  It is called Little Bulwan by the natives and Gun Hill by our troops.  Near its centre on the sky-line the Boers placed the new “Long Tom” 6 in.  Creusot gun, throwing a 96lb. shell, as I described before, and about 150 yards to the left was a howitzer generally identified with “Silent Susan.”  Those are the two guns which for the last fortnight have caused most damage to the troops and town.  Their capture was the object of the night’s adventure.