Meanwhile, at Virginia the garrison had an exceedingly trying time; but owing to the energy of Colonels Capper and North and the troops under them, and the conspicuous coolness and valour of Lieutenant Mitchell, the Boers were repulsed. At daybreak on the 14th some 800 Boers, with one or two pom-poms, a Maxim, and a field gun, ensconced themselves in the dense scrub surrounding the Zand River post. The garrison consisted of four companies 3rd Battalion Royal Lancasters under Colonel North (about 250 fit for duty), four companies Railway Pioneer Regiment under Major Seymour (300 fit for duty), and some 25 men of the Royal Irish Regiment (16 fit for duty) under Lieutenant Davenport. The position was a somewhat extended one, the left being in advance trenches on broken and jungly ground. This point the Boers attacked with determination, and were as determinedly resisted by Lieutenant W. Mitchell and No. 3 Company Railway Pioneer Regiment. The enemy in the dense bush were practically surrounding the British party, but these fought doggedly, engaging their assailants at very close quarters and keeping them at bay till nearly noon, when the Dutchmen were ultimately driven out of their hiding-places by an advance through the scrub of a line of reserve Railway Pioneer Regiment, aided by half a company of Militia. Thus driven forth, they made haste to retire before the arrival of a body of 170 Yeomanry (under Lieutenant Crane), which had hastened to the rescue from the south. The losses were comparatively small, owing to the marvellous grit of young Mitchell, who, though wounded at the onset in both thighs, continued for six hours to encourage and direct his men (there were only 22 of them scattered in several small trenches), ordering them not to waste ammunition, cheering them, and concealing from them, till the worst was over, the fact that he himself was seriously wounded. Another gallant officer, Major Seymour, distinguished himself, but he paid for his valour with his life. He was killed while advancing with the extended line through the bush to clear out the snipers. Lieutenant Clement of No. 2 Company of the Railway Pioneer Regiment was mortally wounded. On the 18th Lord Kitchener, having restored communications, returned to Pretoria, and Lord Methuen moved to Heilbron. Precautions to avert further interruptions on the railway had been taken by establishing posts within communicable distance of each other all along the line, connected by a continually perambulating military train carrying field and automatic guns.