At ten o’clock last night four companies of the 2nd Rifle Brigade started from their camp on Leicester Post, with six sappers, under Mr. Digby Jones, and five gunners under Major Wing, of the 69th Battery.  The whole was commanded by Colonel Metcalfe of the battalion.  They marched across the fairly open grassland toward Observation Hill, and there halted because the half-moon was too bright.  About midnight they again advanced, as the moon was far down in the west.  They marched in fours towards the foot of the hill, but had to cross the Harrismith Railway two deep through a gap where the wire fences were cut with nippers.  One deep donga and a shallower had to be crossed as well.  At the foot of the hill two companies were left, extended in a wedge shape, the apex pointing up the hill.  The remaining two companies began the ascent.  The front of the hill is steep and covered with boulders, but is greener than most South African hills.  About half-way up half a company was left in support.  The small assaulting party then climbed up in extended line.  Not a word was spoken, and the Boers gave no sign till our men were within twenty yards of the top.  Then a sentry cried, “Who’s there?  Who’s there?” in English, and fired.  Our men fixed swords and charged to the top with a splendid cheer.  They made straight for the sangar and formed in a circle round it, firing outwards without visible target.  To their dismay they found the gun-pit empty.  The gun had been removed perhaps for security, perhaps for the Sabbath rest.  But it was soon discovered a few yards off, and the sappers set to work with their gun-cotton.  Meantime a party was sent to the corner of the hill on the left to clear out a little camp, where the Boer gunners slept and had their meals under a few little trees.  They fired into it, and then carried everything away, some of the men bringing off some fine blankets, which they are very proud of this morning.  The great-coats were in such a disgusting condition that the soldiers had to leave them.

The fuse was long in going off.  Some say the first fuse failed, some that it was very slow.  Anyhow, the party was kept waiting on the hill-top almost half an hour, when the whole thing ought to have been done in a quarter.  Those extra fifteen minutes cost many lives.  At last the shock of the explosion came.  Two great holes were made in the gun’s rifling near the muzzle, and the breech was blown clean out, the screw being destroyed.  Major Wing secured the sight, the sponge, and an old wideawake, which the gunner used always to wave to him very politely just before he fired.  Some say there was a second explosion, and I heard it myself, but it may have been a Boer gun which threw one round of shrapnel high over the hill, the bullets pattering down harmlessly, and only making a blue bruise when they hit.  As soon as the sappers and gunners had made sure the gun was destroyed, the order to retire was given, and the line began climbing down in the