ady piqueted. The Free Staters, coming down from Intintanyoni,
rode westward and lay in the evening upon the farm Kleinfontein,
joining hands with their allies of the Transvaal across Surprise Hill
and the heights above the Bell Spruit. Through their main laager on
Kleinfontein ran the railway line to Van Reenen's Pass.

[Sidenote: Cavalry reports Boer dispositions. Oct. 29th.]

On the 29th the cavalry made a reconnaissance eastwards, and reported
as follows. The laager which had been close to the Modder Spruit
station on the 27th had disappeared, but there were now two
encampments to the east and south-east of Lombards Kop, of which the
lower appeared to command the road to Pieters, thus threatening the
line of communication. Pepworth Hill was strongly occupied, and
artillery were now upon it; a large camp lay close to the north-west
of the height. The enemy was numerous upon Long Hill. Upon its flat
top two or three guns were already emplaced, and an epaulment for
another was in course of construction. Behind the hill was a laager.

[Sidenote: White decides on attack.]

This reconnaissance seemed to Sir G. White to furnish the reasons he
desired for assuming the offensive. The capture of Long Hill would at
least throw back the investing line of Transvaalers. It might do
more--break through it altogether, when a sweep north against Pepworth
would bid fair to drive together the Transvaal commandos in upon their
centre, and roll up the whole. The Free Staters, strung out as they
now are, thinly north-west and west, would then be cut off from the
rest.

[Sidenote: Plan arranged, Oct. 29th.]

[Sidenote: Carleton to approach Nicholson's Nek that night.]

[Sidenote: Cavalry by dawn of 30th to be on ridges n.e. of Gun Hill.]

[Sidenote: Grimwood to seize Long Hill.]

[Sidenote: Hamilton then to capture Pepworth.]

At 4 p.m. on the afternoon of the 29th his plans were formulated. Long
Hill was to be the primary, Pepworth Hill the secondary object, and to
secure them the whole of the troops were to be employed. His main army
he divided into two bodies, with separate missions. One, consisting of
No. 10 Mountain battery, the 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers and the 1st
Gloucester regiment, all commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. C.
Carleton, of the first-named battalion, was to move at 10 p.m. that
night northward along the Bell Spruit. The duties of this force were
twofold: first, to cover the left flank of the main operat