The British losses were sixteen officers and men killed, 169 wounded, of whom four died of their wounds, and nine missing. The Naval Brigade was by far the heaviest sufferer, as it lost no less than 101 officers and men, out of a total of 365 on the field. The Marines left nearly half their strength upon the ground, the "Blue Marines" or Marine Artillery being the hardest hit of all, with twenty-six killed and wounded out of a strength of fifty-seven. Yet men questioned whether it was wise to use up the magnificent personnel of the fleet in such attacks, when this personnel is none too strong, and when it takes years to train seamen. After the battle the Brigade was deservedly thanked by the Queen. "The Queen desires," ran her telegram, "that you will convey to the Naval Brigade who were present at the action of Graspan, Her Majesty's congratulations on their gallant conduct, and at the same time express the Queen's regret at the losses sustained by the Brigade." [Illustration: [_Photo by Cribb, Southsea._ HOME FROM THE WAR.] [Sidenote: Boer losses.] The Boer losses in the action can only be guessed at. Twenty-one dead were found on the field and buried; thirty wounded Boers were captured in the enemy's hospital, and a few unwounded men were also taken. Among the prisoners was Mr. Jeppe, a Transvaal millionaire, and Commandant Rissik. In all, the enemy's casualties probably exceeded our own, and may be placed at from 200 to 240. The Jacobsdal commando, 180 strong, alone lost forty-six men killed and wounded. Here, as before at Belmont, there was the same violation of the white flag, with, superadded, gross misuse of the red cross flag. [Sidenote: Lack of water at Enslin.] [Sidenote: [NOV. 25, 26, 1899.] From the battle, which was known officially by the name of Enslin, though it had occurred near the tiny village of Graspan, the army marched to Enslin and there bivouacked. There was little or no water, and this added greatly to the suffering of the troops after the morning's terrible fight under a sweltering sun. The men crowded round the locomotives and offered immense sums--a whole year's pay--for a cup of water from the tenders, but in vain. The engine-drivers had received the strictest orders on no account to part with their water. One soldier was seen lying flat under a steam pipe, striving to catch in his mouth the scanty drops. Nor was there any too much food. Nothing beyond the service rations had been able to keep pace with the column. The men had to do without the little canteen luxuries which add so much to the pleasure of a soldier's life. The officers had to fare upon bully beef and compressed vegetables, despite the champagne and delicacies which the thoughtful mess caterers had brought out from England only to be stacked in mountainous piles at De Aar. [Illustration: REPAIRING THE RAILWAY NEAR ENSLIN.] [Sidenote: Lord Methuen's address to the troops.]