▁forces ▁during ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 1 0 – 1 1 ▁December . ▁The ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁force ▁was ▁ent rench ed ▁in ▁def ensive ▁positions ▁some ▁ ▁further ▁north - east . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁hours ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁December , ▁General ▁C ron je ▁ordered ▁Command ant ▁Tol ly ▁de ▁Be er ▁to ▁abandon ▁the ▁out post , ▁but ▁for ▁some ▁reason ▁the ▁order ▁did ▁not ▁reach ▁the ▁Sc and in av ian ▁section , ▁which ▁was ▁left ▁on ▁its ▁own . ▁Save ▁for ▁seven ▁men , ▁this ▁section ▁was ▁destroyed ▁while ▁val i antly ▁holding ▁back ▁the ▁attack ▁of ▁the ▁Sea for th ▁High land ers , ▁who ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁denied ▁access ▁between ▁the ▁hills ▁and ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁reaching ▁the ▁Bo er ▁guns . ▁C ron je ▁understood ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁this ▁stand , ▁and ▁said ▁in ▁a ▁subsequent ▁letter ▁to ▁Kru ger ▁that ▁" next ▁to ▁God ▁we ▁can ▁thank ▁the ▁Sc and in av ians ▁for ▁our ▁victory ". ▁ ▁Final ▁retre at ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁afternoon , ▁a ▁Bo er ▁mess enger ▁bearing ▁a ▁white ▁flag ▁arrived ▁at ▁a ▁Sc ots ▁Guard ▁out post ▁to ▁say ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁could ▁send ▁amb ul ances ▁to ▁collect ▁their ▁wounded ▁lying ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁tren ches ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁the ▁hills . ▁Royal ▁Army ▁Medical ▁Corps ▁and ▁Bo er ▁medical ▁order lies ▁treated ▁the ▁wounded ▁until ▁the ▁tr uce ▁was ▁broken ▁by ▁fire ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁naval ▁gun , ▁Captain ▁( R