The brigade reached the river, but missed the ford.

It has been said that the enemy, by building a dam below, had raised the water to seven feet.

Be that as it may, a few venturing in with musket and ammunition belts were drowned.

Groping for the way, and apparently confused between the tortuous courses of the river itself and a tributary which enters near by, the mass of the troops blundered into a sharp bend curving to the northward, thus coming under a cross fire from the two enclosing banks.

Here they became heavily engaged, and Buller, seeing the hopelessness of the position, recalled them.