y about a mile
north-west of Roberts' farm. Sir W. Gatacre's information, therefore, as
to the strength of the Boers in the Stormberg valley was accurate, their
dispositions favoured the plan he had formed for a surprise, and the
British assailants, notwithstanding the circuitous march, had now
arrived in time, though only barely in time, at the spot for its
execution. But either the chief guide did not fully comprehend the
General's intentions, or he had lost his bearings, for he pointed to a
kopje nearly two miles off, and said that that was the real place. The
wearied men continued to trudge along the road, which, skirting the
lower western slopes of the Kissieberg, leads to Stormberg junction. Day
was breaking,[194] but no change was made in the formation of the
troops. The infantry remained in fours, with no flankers out, and still
only eight men were in front as an advance guard. The Boer piquet on the
Kissieberg saw the grey thread as it wound its way slowly along the foot
of the hill within effective range of the crest. A single shot echoed
through the valley, and a corporal of the leading company of Irish
Rifles fell dead. A rapid fire, although from but a few rifles, was then
opened on the British troops at a range of about 400 yards. It was
impossible to convey orders to a long column of route, thus taken at a
disadvantage. Each company officer had to act on his own initiative, and
as few, if any of them, knew where they were, or where was the enemy
they were required to attack, confusion inevitably arose.

[Footnote 194: The sun rose at Stormberg on December 10th at
4.38 a.m. (Cape Government Railway time).]

[Sidenote: A confused attack on Kissieberg.]

The three leading companies of the Irish Rifles, under their
commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel H. A. Eagar, front-formed, extended
rapidly at right angles to the road, and dashed forward and seized the
underfeature +a+ (map No. 14), which faces the extreme northern spur
of the Kissieberg. In pushing on towards this point, the men were much
exposed to enfilade fire from their right, and a good many casualties
occurred. The other five companies of the Irish Rifles and the
Northumberland Fusiliers faced to the right, confronting the main
ridge, against which they scrambled upwards by successive stages. The
companies extended as they moved on, and gradually opened out into
firing line and supports. The western face of the Kissieberg was foun