LAING^S NEK AND INGOGO. 
685 
and what was left behind was nearly all destroyed by burying fuzes 
and destroying cartridges before Sir G. Colley and what remained of 
his force left the ground. It was an anxious time for those who were 
left behind. Little did we think that Sir G. Colley would ever get 
back to camp, naturally supposing that the enemy would effectually 
oppose the passage of the river. What from want of water and 
extreme bodily pain, the sufferings of the wounded and dying left on 
the Ingogo battle field are indescribable. Men were dying all around, 
and crying out continually during the night for relief from the 
terrible thirst they suffered. About 10 p.m. a fearful thunderstorm, 
accompanied by vivid and frequent flashes of lightning which lit up 
the awful scenes around us, broke over our heads, and a driving 
rain drenched us all to the skin. We lay all night expecting every 
minute to hear our men engaged with the enemy; but it was not so, 
and the camp was reached by Sir G. Colley just at daylight. He 
immediately sent Lieut. Carroll, R.A. with fresh horses down to the 
battle field, to bring up the ammunition wagon that was left behind. 
This officer went down, hooked his horses in, and took the wagon down 
into the drift; but he found the river had risen so much that he was 
unable to cross, and there was no alternative but to unhook and leave 
the wagon in the river. He eventually arrived at Newcastle by a 
circuitous route ; having had to avoid the battle field, since the Boers 
in the interim had come in in large numbers to visit the scene of the 
fight and witness the result of the action. 
A little before daylight those who had been left on the battle field 
were delighted to see Dr. Ring and Dr. Lauden arrive with a few 
hospital comforts and water carts with water for the wounded. 
Fires were immediately lit, and beef tea and brandy given to the 
poor fellows, for some of whom there could be no hope. Poor 
Haworth, 3/60th, said he was so parched with thirst, that during the 
rain he gnawed the gun blanket that covered him for moisture for his 
lips. About daybreak on the 9th February some four or five Boers came 
on to the battle field under a flag of truce. We asked them to dismount 
and offered them some brandy and water, of which they freely partook. 
They expressed great sorrow for all that had happened, and asked con¬ 
cernedly if they could be of any assistance to our wounded. They 
wanted to know where Col. Colley and the guns were; and when we 
replied that he and his guns safe and sound having returned to camp 
during the night, they expressed great disgust and indignation, and im¬ 
mediately enquired how it was he managed to cross the river with his 
guns, as the river was so swollen and the current so rapid as to prevent (as 
they thought) any man crossing on foot. We replied that it was not so, 
and that, anyhow, the General and his guns were in the camp. This 
explained why no opposition was made to our retreat. The enemy 
thought the Ingogo was sufficiently swollen to prevent infantry crossing, 
and that consequently there was no occasion for them to oppose our 
retreat. However, they evidently intended to resume the attack 
next morning. They then inquired how many we had lost during 
the engagement. We replied that they could see for themselves, 
as the dead and wounded were all around them. Then looking 
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