3-070-937 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Transvaal War: the scene as the last of our men retreated from Majuba Hill, February 27, 1881. The British Army during the First Boer War. 'The Sketches published this week, drawn by our Special Artist with the assistance of several eye-witnesses of this disastrous combat, show how the few British troops on the summit of the steep mountain above Laing's Neck were overpowered by the greatly superior force of Boers, who had climbed up to the assault, on Sunday, Feb. 27, the last action of that unfortunate campaign. The best account of it is that given by the Standard correspondent, Mr. Cameron, who was taken prisoner by the Boers..."It seems that the advance of the enemy had been thoroughly checked, when one of our people - an officer, I believe - noticing the Boers for the first time, ejaculated, 'Oh, there they are, quite close;' and the words were hardly out of his lips ere every man of the newly arrived reinforcements bolted back panic-stricken. This was more than flesh and blood could stand, and the skirmishing line under Hamilton gave way also, the retreating troops being exposed, of course, to the Boer fire with disastrous effect'. Major General Sir George Pomeroy Colley was shot dead by a rifle bullet through the forehead. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.