A few squadrons of cavalry accompanied the latter movement, as well to protect it when in performance as to profit by any mishap befalling the enemy.

The troops formed just below and under cover of the rising ground on the hither side of the valley fronting the hostile line.

The fire of the latter was drawn, and the situation of their artillery thus discovered--despite the use of smokeless powder--by the flashes of their {p.052} guns, which showed the more clearly against the blackness of a big thunder cloud rising behind the Dutch positions, which enabled the British also to see distinctly the bursting of their own shrapnel over the enemy.
The usual artillery duel succeeded at a distance of 4,500 yards--two miles and a half--but from the lateness of the hour, and the amount of work ahead, no time could be lost, so the infantry operation began as quickly as possible.

The front attack moved down into the valley, a firing line of three hundred men covering the space of 500 yards from end to end, its remaining companies following at intervals to support it, and to replace those who fell--to "feed" the line, keeping it at full strength.
The first part of this advance was, on account of the distance, resisted chiefly by artillery fire, which, though accurate, was seen to cause there few casualties.

At 1,200 yards from the enemy's positions, being there well within rifle range, the line halted, lay down, and opened fire.