Here, at the west end of Wagon Hill, the two lines were but 30 yards apart.

To the eastward, towards Caesar's Camp, as the plateau widened, the space increased to 100 yards.

The danger to the British in this situation was, that if the knoll were lost, Wagon Hill West, losing the support of its fire, would probably fall with it.
Wagon Hill proper would then be taken in flank as well as in front, and so rendered untenable; while Wagon Hill once gone, Caesar's Camp would be exposed to a like concentration and probably to the same fate.

Deprived of the ridge, the British line of defences would be broken and the enemy established on a commanding height in easy range--5,000 yards--of the town.

Two or three desperate attempts to reinforce the {p.242} knoll by crossing the open were therefore made by small parties, but these were cut down, the officers leading them being killed.