Vrede and Bethlehem burghers, who clung to them pertinaciously. [Footnote 108: The situation at this time is depicted on map No. 7.] [Sidenote: Return to Ladysmith.] At 3 p.m. Sir G. White gave the order for a general retirement. His object was accomplished, with the not undue loss of 114 casualties. Yule was now safe for that day, and he believed the Free State army to have suffered severely enough to keep it inactive on the next, when he intended to assist the Dundee column by other means. But the Boers watched the withdrawal of the British troops with very little despondency. Unaware of the true situation of the Dundee column, they misunderstood operations designed to keep them from it. The demonstration against Intintanyoni seemed to them nothing less than a serious attempt to drive them from their hold, and the retreat of the British to be that of a baffled army. Thus, ignorant of their strategical defeat, they rejoiced at what seemed a tactical victory. Moreover, their losses[109] had been small. The cavalry alone, now called upon to protect the rear--as all day they had covered the right--had difficulty in returning. For some distance they had to maintain a running fire fight, and it was nearly 7 p.m. before the rearmost troopers entered Ladysmith, which the head of the infantry column had reached two hours and a half earlier.[110] [Footnote 109: 13 killed, 31 wounded.] [Footnote 110: For detailed casualties, see Appendix 6.] CHAPTER IX. ELANDSLAAGTE.[111] [Footnote 111: See maps Nos. 3 and 6.] [Sidenote: Early days in Ladysmith, Oct. 11th to 19th.] During the time (Oct. 12th-Oct. 26th, 1899) occupied by the episode of the Dundee detachment, including the action of Rietfontein fought to assist it in retreat, much had happened elsewhere. [Sidenote: Oct. 16th.] [Sidenote: Oct. 17th.] [Sidenote: Oct. 18th.] [Sidenote: Oct. 19th.]