50. Lieutenant Gilbert Fergusson

Those Boers who had been on guard at the gun emplacement returned to their posts once they realized that the Riflemen had vacated the position. These men fired down the slope at the retiring Riflemen. Gough had to prevent some of his men charging back up the hill at the Boers. His diary contains the statement that he “never was in such a hot place in his life.” There was confused fighting in the bush when the Boers picked up some of the Riflemen’s calls, “’A’ Company over here” and so on. Lieutenant Gilbert Fergusson was killed near the foot of the hill.

59. Headstones of Lt Gilbert Fergusson and Sergeant Robert Patterson in Ladysmith cemetery.

That morning a truce was organised in order for both sides to collect their dead and wounded. The British were then brought into Ladysmith by Indian stretcher bearers. The dead Riflemen and a Colour Sergeant, W. Saunders, were buried in a mass grave at the foot of the hill. The exact site of this mass grave is now lost. One officer, Lieutenant Gilbert Fergusson, was killed in action as was Sergeant Robert Patterson and both their bodies were brought into Ladysmith for burial. Fergusson was buried in the plot for officers while Patterson lay between two unknown burghers. It seems that Patterson may have been brought into Ladysmith, the bearers thinking either that he was still alive or that he was an officer, since he wore a number of medal ribbons.