difficulty in making good his retreat, though possibly with loss, as the colonel himself had said; secondly, that I had then only two days' more food for my force, and had I fought my way back I should not only have reduced the Highland Brigade to the verge of starvation, but should certainly have had insufficient supplies to take me back to Heilbron." CHAPTER VIII GENERAL BULLER'S ADVANCE TO NEWCASTLE The relief of Ladysmith caused the Boers to fall back towards the Drakensberg, and Sir Redvers Buller, whose troops were thoroughly exhausted, encamped his army to north and west of the dilapidated town, and there remained stationary for several weeks. It was necessary that the force should thoroughly recuperate and get into working order in time to co-operate with the great central advance when Lord Roberts should give the word. There was an immense amount to be done. The mounted troops, many of them, needed to be remounted, and winter clothing was required. The reconstruction of the transport also demanded alteration, while it was necessary, in conjunction with Lord Roberts's operations, to keep a wary eye on the Boers and prevent them from crossing into the Free State and swelling the enemy's forces opposing the great advance. As with the departure of Sir Charles Warren to the western frontier, some slight changes had taken place in the Natal Field Force, it becomes necessary to inspect a rough table of the divisions at this time under Sir Redvers Buller:-- NATAL GENERAL SIR REDVERS BULLER. SECOND DIVISION. Lieutenant-General Sir C. F. CLERY. 2nd Brigade (Major-General Hamilton). 2nd East Surrey. 2nd West Yorks. 2nd Devons. 2nd West Surrey. 4th Brigade (Colonel C. D. Cooper). 1st Rifle Brigade. 1st Durham Light Infantry. 3rd King's Royal Rifles. 2nd Scottish Rifles (Cameronians). 7th, 14th, and 66th Field Batteries. FOURTH DIVISION. Lieutenant-General LYTTELTON. 7th Brigade (Brigadier-General F. W. Kitchener). 1st Devon. 1st Gloucester. 1st Manchester. 2nd Gordon Highlanders. 8th Brigade (Major-General F. Howard). 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers. 1st Leicester. 1st King's Royal Rifles. 2nd King's Royal Rifles. Two Brigade Divisions Royal Artillery. 13th, 67th, 69th Field Batteries. 21st, 42nd, 53rd Field Batteries. FIFTH DIVISION. Lieutenant-General H. J. T. HILDYARD. 10th Brigade (Major-General J. T. Coke). 2nd Dorset. 2nd Middlesex. 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 11th Brigade (Major-General A. S. Wynne). 2nd Royal Lancaster. 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers. 1st South Lancashire. 1st York and Lancaster. 19th, 28th, and 78th Field Batteries. CORPS TROOPS.