On the following day the fight was waged as fiercely as ever so far as artillery was concerned. Six field-batteries and four howitzers bombarded the enemy's position with tremendous vigour, and inflicted considerable loss. The Boer rifles were indefatigable, however, and continued their fiendish activity, and the Dutch or German gunners maintained their excellent practice with scarcely a moment's cessation. While General Woodgate made a demonstration on the right, General Hart and his brigade continued to advance, and General Hildyard's troops joined in the attack from the valley past the right of Bastion Hill. Here a cleft appeared to open between the right and centre of the Boer position, and here the infantry, pushing on, practically divided the position in two; but it was found that the second line of defence was a formidable one; that the Boers had secured to themselves a magnificent point of vantage, whence they could sweep the country and command all the approaches with cross-fire, and even with converging fire; but, in spite of this, the troops tenaciously retained the positions they had gained, remaining there throughout the 22nd and 23rd, partially covered, so that in all their loss was inconsiderable. The following officers were wounded in action near Venter's Spruit on the 20th of January:-- Staff--Colonel B. Hamilton, Major C. M'Grigor. 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers--Captain R. B. Blunt, Second Lieut. M. G. Crofton, Second Lieut. E. I. M. Barret. 1st Border Regiment--Captain E. D. Vaughan, Second Lieut. Muriel. 1st York and Lancaster Regiment--Second Lieut. A. H. Kearsey. 2nd Dublin Fusiliers--Captain C. A. Hensley (since dead), Major F. English. 2nd Gordon Highlanders--Second Lieut. P. D. Stewart. Non-commissioned officers and men, 279. Royal West Surrey Regiment--Second Lieut. Du Buisson. 16th Lancers (Staff)--Captain Dallas. SPION KOP