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On the night of 26 February 1881 Major-General Sir George Colley planed to lead a force of 650 soldiers and sailors, including 180 Gordon Highlanders to capture a hill called Majuba, the hill was steep and would take the soldiers all night to accomplish the goal. At dawn the army had taken the hill and now could see the Boer's camp below, Colley became a little to comfortable with assuming the position at the summit, Lieutenant Ian Hamilton and Colonel A.D. Macgregor suggested entrenchment, but Colley failed to do so. The Boers now could see the soldiers at the top of Majuba and began to take action, the commander put together a force and began to climb the steep hill. The Boers knowing the hill very well new how to climb the slopes and remain under cover. The Boers came over the crest of the summit and attacked, it had been said the Boers were firing so rapidly that you could only see their rifles through the smoke as they crept on. Their fire was so accurate the British quickly began a retreat-which soon became a rout.  Colley was asleep when the attack began and was now awake shouting orders, a bullet struck him in the head and he died instantly. After a short time most of the men were killed or wounded, many shot in the back as they ran for their lives. Macdonald was a Second Lieutenant who commanded a force of twenty men that tried to hold part of the west side of the hill. Men dying one by one in the hail of fire until only Macdonald and his lance corporal remained, down to their last round Macdonald began fighting with his fists, even hurled rocks at the Boers until he was overpowered. Several Boers approached Macdonald to take him prisoner, one Boer grabbed Macdonald's sporran. Macdonald could not stand for this and gave the Boer a kick in the stomach, which sent him to the ground. Just as the Boer was getting up, another pointed a rifle at Macdonald's head, but the would-be robber of the sporran put his friend's rifle away with his hand saying, "No, no; don't slay him - this man is too good to kill!" Together, they jumped on Macdonald and held him down, grasping his throat and twisting an arm back on to the rocks. He shouted at them in Gaelic, and they replied in guttural Dutch, punching him in the face until he was speechless. When the Boers dragged Macdonald to his feet he had four men holding him, he lost his pistol and his sword, Macdonald was now a prisoner, the battle lasted only one hour. British casualties were 93 killed, 133 wounded and 58 taken prisoner; Boer losses were said to be one killed and five wounded.
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