Amongst the wounded Boers were many men of note in the Transvaal. General Koch was wounded, and his son, Judge Koch, who had acquitted the murderers of the British subject, Edgar, at Johannesburg some months before, was killed. Colonel Schiel, a German officer who had directed the Boer artillery and had in the past been guilty of inhuman atrocities to the natives, was severely wounded. Night fell before the battle was over. The rain still poured down, the wind was bitterly cold; and the agony endured by the wounded, lying out on that stony mountain without shelter, food and water, was terrible. With all the expedition that was possible in the inky darkness the field of battle was searched for living men. The badly wounded were carried down the slopes to the enemy's captured camp; the slightly hurt gathered, Boers and Englishmen, round the camp fires. Our men gave the best places--the snuggest corners, if there could be any snug corners in the open on such a night as that--to their enemies. [Illustration: [_Photo by G. Lynch._ GENERAL YULE'S MARCH. From a photograph taken at a drift on the road.] With daylight General French's force marched back to Ladysmith. Among the prizes of the battle were the train, officers and correspondents, captured by the Boers on the 19th. [Illustration: [_S. H. Vedder._ ABUSE OF THE WHITE FLAG BY THE BOERS AT ELANDSLAAGTE.] During the later stages of the action General White had been present. Yet with knight-like generosity he refused to take over the command or to assume for himself any credit. His despatch gave the glory to General French alone. [Sidenote: Action of Rietfontein.] [Sidenote: [OCT. 24, 1899.] A day later, on October 23, the Boers were once more at Elandslaagte, this time in very great force. Fearing that they would work across the railway and cut off General Yule's retreat, General White determined to occupy their attention. Early on the 24th 3,000 infantry, four batteries of artillery, and 1,500 cavalry and mounted infantry moved out from Ladysmith. Ten miles had been covered, and the British force was still five miles from Elandslaagte, when the Boers were found several thousand strong in a formidable position along a ridge near Rietfontein, on the little stream known as Modder Spruit. On two lofty eminences, Matawana's Kop and Jonono's Kop, they had artillery. Their skirmishers were driven in, and our guns at once unlimbered and opened a hot fire, which was as warmly returned. Attempts were made by the British to work round the enemy's flank, but this, with the small number of men available, was quite impossible. [Illustration: BRITISH WARSHIPS AT SIMONSTOWN THE DAY AFTER THE BATTLE OF ELANDSLAAGTE. Flags were run up to the mastheads in honour of the British victory.] [Illustration: PLAN OF THE ACTION AT RIETFONTEIN.]