as if the enemy must hear the noise of the
creaking transport and tramping men.

About 2 a.m. there came a halt on the top of a ridge, where General
Hart formed up his brigade. Each regiment deployed into line, and then
lay down one behind the other in the following order: Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers, Connaught Rangers, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and
Border Regiment. Fatigued by a long night-march, every one soon fell
asleep. Unfortunately, however, the slumbers of the brigade were
disturbed by an incident which shows how easily confusion can arise in
night operations. A horse from somewhere in front broke loose and
galloped over the veld, straight into the ranks of the sleeping
regiments. For a moment everything was in confusion, and a general
panic nearly took place. Luckily the first glimmer of dawn had come,
and the company officers soon regained control of their men, but it
might have been a different tale had darkness still prevailed.

When daylight came, it showed the army to be on the top of a hill
overlooking Trichardt's Drift. On the other side of the river the
ground rose to a long ridge flanked on the east by a steep mountain,
and on the west by a bastion-like hill. Nobody then knew the country,
but that mountain was Spion Kop, and the ridge lying so calmly in the
morning light was to be the scene of six days' continuous fighting. At
dawn of January 17th, however, the ridge, which the natives called
Tabanyama, seemed deserted, and not a Boer was to be seen.

It was now learnt that Sir Redvers Buller had divided his forces,
sending two brigades, under General Lyttelton, to Potgieter's Drift,
while the remainder of the army, under General Warren, was assembled
ready to cross the river at Trichardt's Drift.

The battalion breakfasted quietly, and then 'H' company was sent down
to the drift in order to help in the construction of a bridge. As the
company descended the steep slope, the artillery from the heights
began to shell a farm on the far side of the river, whence a Boer
patrol had been sniping. The Engineers had massed the pontoon waggons
round a farm by the drift, and were looking for a suitable point for
the bridge. The pontoons were launched, and by 11.30 a.m. the first
bridge was ready. The infantry immediately began to cross, but the
artillery and transport had to wait for a second bridge, which was not
completed until after dark.

The 5th Brigade marched down to the river at 2 p.m. and crossed. On