At last the Dublin Fusiliers reached the ford and attempted to cross. But the Boers had dammed the river, and in place of three feet of water there were seven. Yet, burning with enthusiasm and with determination to get at their enemies, a number of men plunged boldly in. Several were carried down by their heavy rifles and cartridges; others were caught by the barbed wire which the Boers had placed in the stream. Only a handful reached the other side, climbed the steep bank, and, led by a colour-sergeant who had been first up the hill at Elandslaagte, with the words, "Let's make a name for ourselves and die!" doubled forwards towards a kraal, a little way beyond the river. Among them was the heroic Bugler Dunne, a mere boy, who on this day displayed the most devoted valour. In the advance upon the kraal one by one the men dropped wounded; no one reached it but the sergeant. Alone he could do nothing; so he turned and fled unharmed, crossed the river, and regained his battalion. [Illustration: _A. Morrow._] "LET'S MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES AND DIE!": DASH OF THE DUBLINS ACROSS THE TUGELA.] [Illustration: MAP OF THE BATTLE OF COLENSO.] [Sidenote: Their retirement ordered.] [Sidenote: [DEC. 15, 1899.] [Sidenote: Failure to carry Hlangwane.] At this point came the order to retire. It was with the utmost difficulty that the officers could persuade their men to fall back. The enemy redoubled his fire; the big 45-pounders fired shrapnel and shell with all possible rapidity; and it was not until the naval 4·7's were able to answer them with lyddite that they were held in check. To disentangle the Irish Brigade and cover its withdrawal, half Lyttelton's Brigade came to its help. Then both brigades, as they fell back, moved to the centre to support the final and desperate effort of Hildyard to carry the Colenso ford. On the right also the attack had failed. Dundonald's Brigade was at the base of Hlangwane about 5 a.m., and formed up for the attack. The stiffest work was assigned to the Colonials, the South African Light Horse climbing the hill straight towards the top, while the Composite Regiment and Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry worked round the spurs of the mountain on their right. At first no sign of the enemy could be seen. As the roar of battle rose from Colenso behind, the Light Horse breasted the steep slope. It seemed as though the hill was as good as won, when a sharp fire was opened from the summit, and simultaneously Thorneycroft's mounted men were attacked by a large body of the enemy on their exposed right flank. Now was the time to send in support from Dundonald's command or Barton's Brigade, both near at hand; but no support came. Probably the officers named had not received clear instructions; possibly the whole attention of the Staff was riveted upon the guns in the centre. Be this as it may, Thorneycroft was compelled to retire. Heavily outnumbered, unable to see the enemy, exposed to every shot on the bare slopes of