I don't doubt that it often was "all hands on deck". Not only that, but not carrying a rifle was a good way to get shot as the Boers would then spot you as an officer. The saying among the soldiers was "stay away from officers and white rocks." The Boers apparently liked to lay out painted rocks beforehand to mark out the ranges on likely battlefields and they were known to be effective snipers at long ranges, even without telescopic sights.