"Having received large reinforcements, and his army having rested since November 28, Lord Methuen advanced against General Cronje's army, which occupied a position extending for many miles on both sides of the railway. The fighting was opened by a heavy cannonading at four in the morning, under cover of which dense masses of infantry moved towards our position. They were received with a heavy, steady fire, which repulsed the advance before the English had come within measurable distance. A second attack met the same fate. The bravery of the English was wonderful against the hail of Mauser bullets that met them. About this time the corps of Scandinavians, who had a great record for reckless courage, charged. They were cut off on a scrub-covered kopje, and lost several killed and wounded and many were taken prisoners. In the afternoon all the British reserves were brought into the attack, which was delivered with sublime courage. The plains north of the Modder River were black with the forces deployed for the charge. But no courage could break through the Boer defences, and late in the day the British retreated to the Modder River, leaving the ground covered with their dead and dying. "Exclusive of the losses suffered by the Scandinavians, of whom eighteen were killed and forty-three wounded and taken prisoners, the Boer loss was insignificant. The English loss in killed and wounded is calculated to be 2,000. Prisoners we have taken say that the Black Watch was quite cut up." [Illustration: A WOUNDED HIGHLANDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD AT MAGERSFONTEIN.] [Illustration: _F. J. Waugh._] CHECKING A FLANKING MOVEMENT. Lieut. Riley, of the Yorkshire Light Infantry, with a sergeant and two or three privates, made a desperate stand on the extreme right of the British position at Magersfontein, with the object of rescuing a wounded comrade. It afterwards turned out that by this gallant conduct they had contributed materially to the foiling of the Boer attempt to outflank the British.] [Sidenote: [DEC. 12, 1899.]