arlan, made some progress up its steep
slopes. A body composed of Seaforth and Black Watch, perhaps a hundred
in all, under Lieut. R. S. Wilson, was also struggling upwards, as was
Lieutenant E. Cox, with another party of the Seaforth. It was now
daylight, and the British artillery, knowing that the Highland brigade
had sustained a check, and unaware that their comrades were on the
kopje, scourged the Boer position with shrapnel. Some of the shells
burst over the assailants. Though, owing to this mischance, the rest
of the stormers could not advance further, the men under Lieutenant
Wilson, probably less exposed to the guns, pressed onwards till they
were unfortunately taken in flank. Cronje, who had been sleeping at a
farm six miles from the centre of his line, was aroused by the sound
of battle, and galloping to the hill, chanced to arrive at this
moment. The rifles of his escort suddenly smiting Wilson's men from an
unexpected direction at short range, checked them and possibly changed
the issue of the day. At the same time Boers from the northern end of
their left wing, who had hurried up to fill the gap caused by the
destruction of the Scandinavians, between the low ridge and the hill,
opened upon Wilson's detachment from the rear. Thus assailed from two
quarters at once, the attack withered away and all fell back. Some
were captured; the remainder made good their retreat to the right of
the brigade. The Boers, following up this success, pressed the right
wing of the most advanced Highlanders in flank, and gradually drove it
back.[204] The brigade came to a halt, and, although the greater part
of the Highland Light Infantry was brought up on the right by
Lt.-Colonel H. R. Kelham, no further progress could be made. The front
line was now dissolved into groups of men, who lay grimly under the
storm of bullets poured upon them by the well-concealed riflemen four
or five hundred yards away. Then followed from time to time a series
of gallant but spasmodic efforts by successive detachments, who
attempted to storm as opportunity offered. Senior regimental officers
led some of these; subalterns rushed forward with others, but all were
equally unsuccessful. As soon as they moved they were fully exposed to
a hail of lead, and after a short rush were arrested under close fire
by the wire fence which ran across the central defences. Not a few as
they attempted to struggle through it were caught by their clothes and
accoutremen