It was not at once realized that the Boers had altogether gone. The survivors of the camp piquet shouted to the men below to stop firing. Major Gilbert learned of Col. du Moulin's death, and assumed command. Fresh piquets were sent out, and all prepared to meet another attack. None, however, was made. The groans of the wounded horses had been painful to hear during the night, and as soon as it got light these were slaughtered with revolvers. When this task was finished, more than 120 dead horses and mules lay about the camp. They were piled literally in heaps. It was now possible to make up the list of casualties. Besides the Colonel, two Sergeants (Col. Sergt. Weston and Sergt. Green) and four men were dead, and nine men wounded, of whom one died very shortly.[25] At half past seven, all the available men paraded, Captain Montrésor read the burial service, and the Last Post was sounded over the grave of the man to whose initiative and energy the column owed its existence, and who had died most gallantly in its defence. It sounded, too, over the men who had followed him to his death, and over two of the enemy who had paid the forfeit.[26] FOOTNOTES: [24] Nieuwoudt had three commandos with him, making a total of about 400 men. Col. du Moulin had about 300, with a pom-pom. [25] The casualties were as follows:-- KILLED-- Lt.-Col. du Moulin. C.-Sgt. A. Weston. G Co. Sgt. C. Green. B Co. Pte. W. Covington. D Co. " T. Hill. D Co. " R. Pimm. E Co. " G. Tomlin. F Co. DIED OF WOUNDS-- Pte. A. Brackpool. A Co. " J. Clarke. C Co. Pte. B Gaston. E Co. " T. Light. E Co. WOUNDED-- Sgt. E. Simmins. Vol. Pte. G. Langley. D Co. Dr. S. Sproston. D Co. Pte. T. Bostock. F Co. " J. Coles. F Co. " A. Cox. F Co. [26] It is interesting to notice that after this Nieuwoudt's opinion of night attacks was that they were not worth while, and he declared himself against them in the future. This was learned from prisoners, and also from some correspondence between him and Cdt. Erasmus, which was subsequently found. The latter was urging a night attack upon Nieuwoudt, saying that although they had been unable to capture the camp at Abraham's Kraal, still they had killed many horses. CHAPTER XXVIII. NORTHWARDS--AND THE END. Vlakfontein--A circular tour--Northwards--Boshof--Baas Berg--A pom-pom exhibition--A night march--The Boers overtaken--Action at Scheer Pan--Charging the Ridge--Hoopstadt--Commando Drift--A Delarey drive--Klerksdorp--The Drift again--The column broken up--Last stage--Peace--India. Major Gilbert and the column left Abraham's Kraal at 8.30 on the morning of the fight. Before that, a white flag had come in with a request for an ambulance to bring in a wounded Boer. It appeared that several of the enemy had been hit.