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CHAPTER XX.

THE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN.*

The ist Division takes up assigned places, Dec. ioth, for night march.

Highland Brigade starts 12.30 a.m. Dec. nth.

The preliminary movements for the attack on Magersfontein Hill, the orders for which are given at the end of the last chapter, were duly executed. Major-General Wauchope’s brigade spent the first part of the night of the ioth December bivouacked near the dam behind Headquarter Hill. Close to the High­landers lay the artillery, the 9th Lancers, the detachment of New South Wales Lancers, the Balloon section, R.E., and the mounted infantry. The covering outposts were furnished by the mounted infantry and the Seaforth Highlanders. The brigade of Guards in the evening crossed the Modder and halted on its northern bank, while the 12th Lancers remained south of the river until midnight, when, though originally directed to accompany the brigade of Guards, they joined the 9th Lancers at their bivouac in accordance with a later order.

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 thirtyf

* See maps Nos. 13, 13(a), 13(b) and free hand sketch.

■f The two companies of Seaforth Highlanders, who had been on outpost, did not accompany their battalion, but worked their way to the front later ip the day.