While the storming of the second ridge was proceeding, the Naval Brigade rendered valuable aid by shelling the enemy's position at 1,800 yards. The field artillery, too, poured in a heavy fire. Nothing was more admirable than the manner in which the British infantry went forward under a perfect tempest of bullets and carried one after another of the Boer lines of defence with never a check. The men cheered at each rush; as they mounted the slopes, through the crackle of the musketry came, from the rear, the stirring tunes of a regimental band. It was the Scots Guards' band, stationed well behind the firing line, the only one that played its regiment into action. "By George! A British infantryman is a plucky chap!" wrote an artillery officer of this stage of the battle. "The bullets were coming quite thick enough for us where we were, so you can tell what it was like for them climbing those hills. I believe our fire helped the Coldstreams a lot in driving out the Boers; anyhow, they have written to thank us for having lessened much their losses. After the place was taken the Boers were off down the other side like lightning and away. We went round to the right flank of the hills and saw them a long way off on another range of hills. Eventually we started back to camp about 10·30 a.m. and watered horses, arriving back about 1·30. The left flank was carried in much the same way. Altogether, it was rather a good battle. The place we attacked is, I believe, called Kaffirs' Kop. We were in action, I suppose, about an hour. I was surprised at not feeling more alarmed; as a matter of fact, one has too much to think about." [Illustration: _F. J. Waugh._] CHAPLAIN HILL'S ACT OF DEVOTION. Administering the Sacrament to a dying soldier under heavy fire.] After the second position of the enemy had been stormed, yet a third was captured by the Guards, covered by the heavy fire of the artillery. This terminated the fighting. [Illustration: _F. Dadd, R.I._] [_From a sketch by a British Officer._ BOERS SURPRISED ON A KOPJE AT BELMONT BY THE GRENADIER GUARDS.] [Sidenote: [NOV. 23, 1899.] [Sidenote: Boers retreat.] About 6 a.m. the enemy was in full retreat and the battle was won. It remained to follow up the victory, but unhappily the Lancers were too few and too exhausted with their hard work to inflict much damage. It has since been asserted by Boer prisoners taken at Paardeberg that all their guns might have been captured. They expressed contempt for our cavalry, but perhaps they did not understand the difficulties which it had to face. Be this as it may, the Boers were able to get away, leaving behind them, however, sixty-four waggons and a large quantity of ammunition. The waggons were destroyed and the ammunition exploded by Lord Methuen. Eighty-three Boers were said to have been killed and twenty wounded, and about thirty unwounded prisoners were taken. Among these were a German commandant of artillery and six field cornets.