Lord Methuen was on the march to Kimberley, only 25 miles away. Unscreened from the Boer's trenches in the town, the mounted force lost 500 men. But they managed to wheel round to cross the Modder River by nightfall. There he rested from 1 to 7 December, using the river for refreshment. They fully expected Redvers Buller to simultaneously march on Ladysmith in north Natal. These blows they hoped would end the war by Christmas. By Lord Milner's assessment conveyed to London, 70,000 troops would be needed to complete the business. Milner's concern over losses mitigating success on the field had caused a rethink of the situation in the Transvaal.