Sidenote: Highland Brigade starts 12.30 a.m. Dec. 11th.]

The night was of a darkness such as might be felt. A drizzle in the
afternoon had been succeeded by pouring rain, and a thunderstorm was
imminent before the start was made. The ground between the bivouac and
Magersfontein Hill was known to be obstructed by boulders, ant-heaps,
and patches of bush. These various conditions strengthened
Major-General Wauchope in his conviction that for the Highland brigade
to advance in any but the most compact formation was impossible. At
12.30 a.m. he therefore marched from his bivouac in mass of
quarter-columns--or in other words in a column of thirty[201]
companies, one behind the other. To minimise the chances of loss of
connection during the night, the ranks were closed up as densely as
possible, and each soldier was ordered to grasp the clothing of his
neighbour. As an additional precaution, the left guides (_i.e._, the
non-commissioned officers on the left of each company) held ropes
which ran from front to rear of the mass. At the head of the column
was Major-General Wauchope with part of his staff, all afoot. The
mounted officers' horses were led by grooms in rear. Major Benson,
D.A.A.G., during his reconnaissances of the enemy's position, had
taken the compass bearing of Magersfontein Hill, and to him was
assigned the duty of guiding the troops to the foot of this kopje,
towards which the march was made. On the directing flank, the
brigade-major, Lt.-Colonel J. S. Ewart, continually passed up and
down, having the names of the officers repeated to him in an
undertone, so that he might identify the several companies, and see
that they were not losing close touch.

[Footnote 201: The two companies of Seaforth Highlanders, who
had been on outpost, did not accompany their battalion, but
worked their way to the front later in the day.]

[Sidenote: The Highland Brigade night march.]

To maintain regularity in the march occasional short halts were
necessary; but at 2 a.m. there was a more serious check. The
torrential rain had clogged Major Benson's compass, and he became
uncertain whether the column had not trended away towards the left.
Major-General Wauchope sent back for Lieutenant-Colonel Ewart. After a
brief consultation, a slight change of direction to the right was
made. In daylight and on a level parade ground this is a very simple
matter; but in darkness and during a South African tempest