British shells pitched short and fell among them.

A regiment in support fired at them, not knowing that any of the line were so far advanced.

Shot at from the front, the flank, and the rear, the 5th Brigade held grimly on.
But fortunately their orders to retire were at hand, and it is certain that had they not reached them the regiments would have been uselessly destroyed where they lay.

It seems to have been Buller himself, who showed extraordinary and ubiquitous personal energy during the day, that ordered them to fall back.

As they retreated there was an entire absence of haste and panic, but officers and men were hopelessly jumbled up, and General Hart--whose judgment may occasionally be questioned, but whose cool courage was beyond praise--had hard work to reform the splendid brigade which six hours before had tramped out of Chieveley Camp.
Between five and six hundred of them had fallen--a loss which approximates to that of the Highland Brigade at Magersfontein.