rtillery
position.]

[Sidenote: Grimwood expecting support from the right, suffers from
that quarter.]

The attack which Grimwood found to be developing rapidly against him
was less surprising from its suddenness than from the direction from
which it assailed him. Those with him, as described above, lay in the
precise position designed for them. He had taken the precaution of
covering his right rear, until it should be protected by the cavalry,
at first with a half company ("A.") of the Leicestershire regiment,
then with two more ("F." and "H.") of the same battalion and the Maxim
gun. Furthermore, a kopje to the right front, seen in the growing
light to command from the eastward that already occupied by "F."
company 1st King's Royal Rifles, was now crowned by "H." company of
the same battalion, and all had seemed safe on that side. But now a
raking fire from the right assailed all his lines, and Grimwood,
instead of outflanking, was outflanked.

Every moment this fire grew more severe; beyond the Modder, Boer
reinforcements were streaming in full view up to the line of riflemen
shooting along the Modder Spruit. Two guns, which began to shoot from
a well-concealed spot near the Elandslaagte road, now took the British
line in enfilade, and partially in reverse. The Boer gunners upon
Pepworth and the low ground east of it again fired, the smaller pieces
into the batteries and infantry, the great Creusot frequently into the
town.

[Sidenote: Grimwood fronts the new danger.]

Instead of the anticipated change of front to the left for the
destruction of the enemy Grimwood had now, therefore, to prepare a new
frontage most speedily, almost to his present rear, for the safety of
his brigade. "H." company 1st King's Royal Rifles, on the advanced
kopje, first turned towards the east, and coming under heavy fire from
three directions, was later reinforced by "A." company of the same
battalion. "B." company, which had lain in support of "F.," moved to
the new right of "H." and "A.," and, with "E." company, lined up along
the rocks facing the Modder Spruit. Meanwhile the officer commanding
"F.," the other advanced company, who had turned east, now found his
left assailed, and threw back half his command in that direction. The
tripod Maxim gun of the 2nd King's Royal Rifles was placed in the
centre of this company.[128]

[Footnote 128: It was found to be impossible to get the
wheeled gun of the 1s