atteries placed upon them commanding the opposite heights.
The turning movement by way of Acton Homes was then committed by Sir
Redvers Buller {p.254} to Sir Charles Warren, who on the 15th of
January received--to quote his own words--"secret instructions to
command a force to proceed across the Tugela, near Trichardt's Drift,
to the west of Spion Kop, recommending me to proceed forward, refusing
my right (Spion Kop), and bringing my left forward to gain the open
plain north of Spion Kop ... I was provided with four days' rations,
with which I was to cross the Tugela, fight my way round to north of
Spion Kop, and join your column opposite Potgieter's." This,
therefore, was Buller's plan; the spur was to be turned rather than
forced. It appears to have been his sustained purpose to leave the
execution to Warren, interfering himself not at all or the very least
possible. The force employed on the expedition has been nowhere found
officially stated. Warren himself says that his own command "amounted
to an army corps less one brigade," which, including all arms and the
medical and supply services, would be about 30,000 men--an estimate
that appears rather too high. The one brigade remained with Buller at
Spearman's Camp.

On {p.255} the evening of January 16 this brigade, the 4th, under
Lyttelton, covered by the naval batteries, crossed at Potgieter's
Drift, and established itself in kopjes a mile north of the river. The
movement was a feint on the Brakfontein Road, and was continued the
following days to draw attention from the true attack by Warren. The
latter crossed on the 17th at Trichardt's, occupied the hills on the
north side commanding the ford, and pushed the cavalry as far as Acton
Homes, which they entered without serious opposition, but were soon
after withdrawn. That night and the 18th the wagon train passed over,
and on the 19th two brigades advanced farther and occupied some hills
on the right.

During the 19th Warren made up his mind that the plan "recommended"
him was not practicable without modification, and, after consulting
his principal subordinates, telegraphed that evening to Buller as
follows: "I find there are only two roads north of the Tugela by which
we could possibly get from Trichardt's Drift to Potgieter's--one by
Acton Homes, the other by Fair View and Rosalie. The first I reject as
too long; the second {p.256} is a very difficult road for a large
number of wagons unless the enemy is thoro