By order of Lord Roberts the Guards were sent round early on Tuesday, the 12th, to support the flank attack of Bruce Hamilton’s infantry.  It was afternoon before all was ready for the advance, and then the Sussex, the London Volunteers, and the Derbyshires won a position upon the ridge, followed later by the three regiments of Guards.  But the ridge was the edge of a considerable plateau, swept by Boer fire, and no advance could be made over its bare expanse save at a considerable loss.  The infantry clung in a long fringe to the edge of the position, but for two hours no guns could be brought up to their support, as the steepness of the slope was insurmountable.  It was all that the stormers could do to hold their ground, as they were enfiladed by a Vickers-Maxim, and exposed to showers of shrapnel as well as to an incessant rifle fire.  Never were guns so welcome as those of the 82nd battery, brought by Major Connolly into the firing line.  The enemy’s riflemen were only a thousand yards away, and the action of the artillery might have seemed as foolhardy as that of Long at Colenso.  Ten horses went down on the instant, and a quarter of the gunners were hit; but the guns roared one by one into action, and their shrapnel soon decided the day.  Undoubtedly it is with Connolly and his men that the honours lie.

At four o’clock, as the sun sank towards the west, the tide of fight had set in favour of the attack.  Two more batteries had come up, every rifle was thrown into the firing line, and the Boer reply was decreasing in volume.  The temptation to an assault was great, but even now it might mean heavy loss of life, and Hamilton shrank from the sacrifice.  In the morning his judgment was justified, for Botha had abandoned the position, and his army was in full retreat.  The mounted men followed as far as Elands River Station, which is twenty-five miles from Pretoria, but the enemy was not overtaken, save by a small party of De Lisle’s Australians and Regular Mounted Infantry.  This force, less than a hundred in number, gained a kopje which overlooked a portion of the Boer army.  Had they been more numerous, the effect would have been incalculable.  As it was, the Australians fired every cartridge which they possessed into the throng, and killed many horses and men.  It would bear examination why it was that only this small corps was present at so vital a point, and why, if they could push the pursuit to such purpose, others should not be able to do the same.  Time was bringing some curious revenges.  Already Paardeberg had come upon Majuba Day.  Buller’s victorious soldiers had taken Laing’s Nek.  Now, the Spruit at which the retreating Boers were so mishandled by the Australians was that same Bronkers Spruit at which, nineteen years before, a regiment had been shot down.  Many might have prophesied that the deed would be avenged; but who could ever have guessed the men who would avenge it?