Identifier: battlesofninetee06forb (find matches)
Title: Battles of the nineteenth century
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Forbes, Archibald, 1838-1900 Atteridge, A. Hilliard (Andrew Hilliard)
Subjects: Battles Military history, Modern
Publisher: London New York : Cassell and Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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ficers explained what wasrequired to the men. They were to advancerapidly until under rifle fire, and then to pushon or not as they might be instructed. Withimpassive unconcern the veterans of Chitral,Dargai, the Bara Valley, Magersfontein, Paarde-berg, and Houtnek walked leisurely forward, andthe only comment recorded was the observationof a private, Bill, this looks like having a kopjeday. Gradually the whole battalion drew outclear of the covering ridge, and long dotted linesof brown figures filled the plain. At thismoment two batteries and the two 5-in. gunsopened from the right of the line, andwhat with the artillery of French and BruceHamilton there was soon a loud cannonade.The Dutch replied at once with three or fourguns, one of which seemed a very heavy pieceof ordnance, and another fired from the kopjeagainst which the Gordons were marching. Butthe Boer riflemen, crouching among the rocks,reserved their fire for a near target. While thetroops were thus approaching the enemys
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354 THE BOER WAH. position tlic two brigades began unconsciouslyto draw apart. Colonel Spens battalions hadextended further to the right than either IanHamilton or Smith-Dorrien had intended. BruceHamilton, pressing forward on the left, foundhimself more and more tempted to face theharassing attack on his left rear. Both thesetendencies had to be corrected. The Gordonswere deflected to their left by an officer, CaptainHigginson, who galloped most pluckily into thefiring line in spite of a hail of bullets. BruceHamilton was ordered to bear in to his rightand disregard the growing pressure behind hisleft shoulder. Nevertheless a wide gap remained.But by this mischance Ian Hamilton contrivedto profit. Smith-Dorrien had already directedthe only remaining battalion—the Sussex—tofill up the interval, and the general-in-chief now-thrust a battery forward through the gap, almostflush with the skirmish line of the infantry onits left and right. The Boers were already beginning to giveway o

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