eft, secured the summits of Lombards Kop and
Umbulwana Mountain. Colonel Hamilton, quitting his rendezvous between
Tunnel and Junction Hills at 4 a.m., moved, as directed, on Limit
Hill, which had been piqueted throughout the night by "G." and "H."
companies Gordon Highlanders. As Hamilton rode at the head of his
brigade, a man was brought to him who proved to be a muleteer of the
10th Mountain battery. He reported that a sudden disturbance had
occurred in the midst of Carleton's night march; all the mules of the
battery had broken away, and, so far as he knew, had never been seen
again. A little further on an officer of the Scottish Rifles, who had
been attached to the Gloucester regiment a few hours previously,
appeared amongst the Gordon Highlanders. He, too, told of a stampede
amongst the battery mules, and, in addition, of resulting disturbance
of some of the infantry companies, amongst others that which he
accompanied. Yet a third warning of misadventure on the left was
received before dawn. In the early morning the sentries of the piquet
of the Leicester regiment at Cove Redoubt, one of the northerly
outposts of Ladysmith, became aware of the sound of hoofs and the
rattle of harness coming towards them from the north, and the
soldiers, running down, captured several mules bearing the equipment
of mountain guns. A patrol of the 5th Dragoon Guards,[126] which had
been despatched by Sir G. White to try to get news of Carleton's
column, was checked at the Bell Spruit, but met on the road a gunner
of the 10th Mountain battery, who related the same tale as had already
reached that General. This man said that the battery had been suddenly
fired on at 2 a.m.; the mules had stampeded and disappeared. Both its
ammunition and portions of most of its guns had been carried off.
Finally, a brief note from Carleton himself to the Commander-in-Chief
announced what had then happened.

[Footnote 126: For gallantry on this occasion Second-Lieut.
J. Norwood, 5th Dragoon Guards, was awarded the Victoria
Cross.]

[Sidenote: Pickwoad shells Long Hill.]

[Sidenote: Pepworth replies.]

[Sidenote: Downing moves the two Brigade Divs. against Pepworth.]

[Sidenote: and silences the Boer guns.]

At dawn Pickwoad's brigade division, which was now deployed 1-1/2
miles south-eastward of Limit Hill, opened at Long Hill at 3,700
yards. But Long Hill was silent. The three gun emplacements visible
upon the crest w