easy matter to satisfy the General's
injunctions in the matter of 'dressing.' The brigade moved in full
view of the enemy, and so compact a body of men must have been a great
temptation to the Boer gunners, who, however, were either not ready or
exercised much self-restraint. After scrambling through a remarkably
steep valley, the brigade halted in a gentle depression, where it was
safe from the random bullets that were falling near. A long pause
ensued, and the men were able to obtain some much-needed water.

It was past noon before the infantry, in this part of the field,
advanced in earnest. Then the York and Lancaster Regiment and
Lancashire Fusiliers were sent forward as the firing-line against the
centre of the Boer position, and were supported by the Borders and 2nd
Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The formation adopted by General Hart for the
support was two lines. The first line, which was two deep, consisted
of the right half-battalions of the two regiments, the Borders being
on the right, and was followed at a distance of about two hundred
yards by a similar line, composed of the left half-battalions.

On emerging from the depression where it had been resting, the support
came under rifle-fire. The range must, however, have been a long one,
and the casualties were few. The attack was moving astride of a spur
which ran from the Boer position to the Tugela, a little distance to
the west of Three Tree Hill. At first this spur was broad, forming
almost a plateau, but further on it narrowed, and consequently the
left of the two lines advanced up a narrow valley, which afforded
excellent cover.

Led by General Hart, the brigade advanced at a steady pace and, after
a time, closed up on the firing-line. It then halted, and from a
slight elevation opened fire in order to support the Lancashire
Regiments, who, having taken the enemy's advanced position, found that
some thousand yards of very open and almost-level ground lay between
them and the Boer trenches, which lined the northern edge of the
summit of the ridge. The attack could now only advance slowly, since
it was exposed to a cross-fire from both flanks. Hitherto it had only
faced rifle-fire, but about 1.45 p.m. the Boer guns, posted somewhere
near Spion Kop, came into action. They were able to rake the whole
assaulting line, and, in fact, many officers thought at first that the
shells were 'short' ones from our own artillery. The Boers on this
occasion managed to bur